A Chandelier In Pieces ((Lenoir))

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta wandered... and wandered... and wandered... till she finally found a place she wanted to go to. Truthfully, she didn't want to explore at all, she just wanted a place to sit because she had lost her way when she wasn't paying attention of where she was going. And where she ended up was a place that made her both very happy and very disgusted.

She opened a door that reminded her so much of home. Except it was in terrible condition, though it looked like someone had recently been working on it. But what really hit her was the memory of the chandelier fall, just before she had come here. Wherever here was. But she could not resist the stage. As bad as it looked and how filthy it was, she could not resist her heart that longed to be where her true place was. In the spot light, on her stage, in front of her adoring audience. Of course it wasn't her stage and there was no audience but it was close enough.

Carlotta stood in silence, in the middle of the stage. She held her head high and her hands held together in front of her. She was dressed in a navy blue satin dress that had a white sash around her midsection and the bottom of the dress trimmed in black lace. Long silver earnings hung, a little more then half way down her neck. But for the moment, she thought of herself in a costume as her heart began to think of her music. Suddenly, she placed herself in a roll and evolved from Carlotta to her character. She began to move energetically and began to sing the Jewel Song from Faust. Lost in the music and roll, she lost track of anything happening around her.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik was walking to the Opera House one morning with his notebook and thinking about the work he had contracted for ... the work which would be done in the opera house and which would renovate the place so that opera and grand music would once again be heard. And it would not only allow the residents of the mansion a place to use their musical, acting and dancing abilities to good use, but it would make a bit of money for them in addition. Erik had put up the money for the renovations, and he was expecting to be repaid when money started coming back in from their productions. But after that, there would be money which would be distribited among all of them that were involved with that particular production. Erik was excited about the projecct and had been ever since he had decided to do it.

As he drew near to the opera house doors, he paused and frowned. Someone, a female, was singing on the stage. Not that he cared at this point. Let them have their fun. But it was the sound of the woman's voice that made him frown. He pushed open the doors and slowly approached the stage.

The woman was a coloratura soprano, and her voice was certainly not bad, but it was how she used it that grated on Erik's nerves...and his ears. The woman was wearing a lovely navy blue satin dress with a white sash and lace on the bottom. It accentuated her hour glass figure. As he approached quietly, he could see her pretty brown curls flowing down her back. She was singing the Jewel Song and was obviously in character. And Erik was sure she was a Carlotta. A pretty one at that. And young. His "own" Carlotta was neither. And perhaps this one didn't sing quite as badly as Carlotta Celestia, but she was bad enough, at least in Erik's eyes...and ears. She was ruining a beautiful song with her over acting.

Erik waited near the stage, standing with his hands on his hips, extremely annoyed. He was not wearing his cape or hat, only his usual formal clothing. He waited until the woman had finished singing, and then he said in a rather loud voice, "What the bloody hell was that? It sounded like a chicken squawking. What are you doing on my stage anyway?"

[Carlotta Corazon]

When the song ended, there was a large smile on Carlotta's face and she was nearly beaming with happiness. She could almost hear her audience applaud, she could almost see them stand in her greatness. She could almost feel the flowers and the bouquets being flung to her feet. But the moment was gone in an instant when a voice rang out through the almost empty auditorium.

"What the bloody hell was that?" He then further insulted her and asked what she was doing on his stage. Carlotta's face turned slightly red from anger and she glared down into the dim lighted area and saw a man. However, this man looked unusual for a white half mask obscured her view from the rest of his face. "Your stage? If this stage is in fact yours, you keep it in horrid condition." She said in a huff.

But she kept her place on the stage. No, she would not come down so easily. The stage was where she was most powerful, even without an audience. She was above him. "And I am sure, Signor, that my voice does not at all sound like a chicken squawking. If it did, I wouldn't be so highly paid as I was." She said with a slight proud smirk. Of course, her parents had a slight influence on that situation, but she was about to let that information out. She continued to glare at him for a moment more then spoke again. "And what, Signor, is that mask for?"

[Erik Lenoir]

"I am in charge of the renovations of the opera house, Madame. They take time. There is a hundred years of dirt and grime here to clean up and many more things in addition. I expect you may not want to walk about the stage much for the trap doors are rather weak and broken and you would not wish to injure yourself by falling through one of them...now would you?"

"I am also in charge of the musical productions we shall be having here, opera and other grand music. I wil be casting the players when the time is ready." He noticed that she had what he thought was a Spanish accent. It would be charming in anyone else, but everything about this woman was annoying.

The woman wouldn't leave the stage. He didn't really care. If she fell through a broken trap door, it was her own fault. Then he noticed she was eyeing his mask. It made him uncomfortable. "Well apparently those who paid you have tin ears," Erik said sarcastically.

Then she did it. She asked about the mask. He had no answer. He couldn't very well say he was incredibly ugly and had masqueraded as a ghost at the Opera Populaire to force everyone to do what he wanted and to pay him a great deal for the pleasure of having him do so. Erik was actually at a loss for words, a rather unusual situation for him. What could he say about the mask?

"It covers a small scar on my right face, Madame," Erik said quietly, hoping she would accept that. Most people never asked because they were too polite. It was all too obvious though, even with the half mask firmly in place, that Erik's face was not like most. His darkly coloured, swollen and mishapen lips still showed and his heterochromia iridis - two different coloured eyes - was rather obvious. He hoped perhaps she could not see that clearly from the distance of the stage. He just hoped she would get off of his stage and leave him in peace.

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta rolled her eyes slightly when he said that it took time to clean the place and that she could injure herself if she fell through a trap door on the stage. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" She mumbled, barley sounding like more then just a shallow growl. The masked man was probably a friend with Christine. He then said that he was also in charge of the musicals and that he would be casting. She'll just have to make sure that either he is gotten rid of or he chooses her for the lead role.

Carlotta stomped her foot slightly when he said that the managers had tin ears. The masked man was obviously wrong, the managers were just smart enough to give Carlotta what she wanted. The managers new that they would have no jobs if they were not careful enough. She continued to glare at the man and then a satisfied smirk crept onto her face a little, the sweet thick silence settling in for the moment. He then gave the pathetic excuse of there being a small scar on the right side of his face. Did he think her so very stupid to believe that?

Either way, she enjoyed how he was so very uncomfortable about talking about his mask. Maybe he would learn to not be so rude to her if she persisted. "Signor, I find it a bit troubling to believe that you would need a mask at all for a little scar. I think you can come up with a more believable explanation than that." She said with a sneer. Whether he told her the truth or she would just have to look herself, either way, she will find out what was under that mask. And once La Carlotta was determined to do something, have mercy on the person's soul who tried to stand in her way. Carlotta walked to the front of the stage ledge, waiting for an explanation.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik recovered his arrogant attitude. He looked up at the young woman at the edge of the stage, raising his visible eyebrow. "Young woman, I hardly think that it's any of your business why I wear a amask. And it will not make me more amenable to your atrocious voice if you insult me."

The left edge of Erik's mouth turned up a bit in a sneer. "Indeed. If you fell through the stage and couldn't get out, surely I would not spend nights tossing and turning worrying about you. But it would also mean that I would have to endure your screams until I pulled you out. So, believe me, I would rather that you were not careless upon the stage."

He just knew she was one of the Carlottas. But she seemed Spanish insstead of Italian. He wondered about that? Could there be such a diversity among the Carlottas? But it didn't really matter. Even if her name was something else, she still acted like a Carlotta. He frowned. "So, young woman, are you Spanish or something of the sort? And if you don't care to give me a decent answer, I would be delighted to have you get the hell off of my stage and go do whatever it is you people find to amuse yourselves other than squawking like a chicken."

Erik paused for a moment. "So, what is your name?"

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta scoffed when the masked ma had told her it was none of her business and he had the audacity to call her voice atrocious! She tapped the front of her foot on the tip of the stage. What an obnoxious man!

He then made another comment that didn't make Carlotta feel any better about the man. She had never met such a man like this before, he was annoying and criticized her carelessly. He then asked her another question, and nearly laughed, was it not obvious enough? Must she spell it out? Her jaw then opened a jar slightly when he so carelessly tossed his rotten words at her.

Then a simple question of her name. She didn't know quite what to think of the man. He was irritating and a hard critic and seemed as if he had such authority over her! Carlotta then recoiled slightly. He reminded her of her father! Both the men bitter and heartless in their words. Her father was always the one who pushed Carlotta's voice to its fully extent. Sure, her mother contributed to it, but wasn't nearly as harsh. She sometimes had wondered if he really did love her, or just loved her voice or the possible fame it could be if it was as good as is and her mother's.

Carlotta then stood tall, chin up, and with more authority again. "I am Carlotta Corazón! Why is it that no one but Christine seems to know who I am?! Pero nadie parece importarle ni lo sé! I worked for so long and for the reputation I have gotten myself! Yo soy el mejor cantante de ópera en todo el mundo! Christine Daaé no va a hacer una broma a mi nombre! Ni entonces, no ahora, ni nunca! And even a rude man is not to-" She hadn't the time to finished because while in the middle of her little rage rant, she had began to pace. And to angry in the moment, she took a step and realized that there was nothing there for her to step on. Carlotta shrieked out as she fell off the stage, not being able to catch her balance. The fall of the chandelier flashed across her eyes as she fell.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik knew this young lady must be a Carlotta simply by her voice and her rude attitude. How dare she even ask what was under his mask! The nerve! It was no one's business but Erik's. He felt more comfortable at the Manor than anywhere else, really, for there were so many others with masks that he didn't feel like he was the only one to be different. Here he was not as different.

The young woman on the stage took quite a bit of offense when Erik said how bad he considered her voice. He didn't care. It was true. Even her speaking voice was grating on his nerves. Probably more her personality in that case. But nonetheless, she had an all around horrid personality too.

Then she stepped a bit too close to the edge of the stage. Erik saw her and even though he didn't like her, his instinct was to try to catch her. He flew forward, as if by impulse, holding out his arms and he caught her just as she fell. The impact pushed him back a bit and he almost lost his balance, but she landed safely in his arms. However, in her forward lurch, her hands landed on his head and she suddenly and inexplicably pulled off his mask and hair piece in one quick move. He couldn't tell whether she was just trying to hold on or whether she did it on purpose. He almost dropped her, but didn't. Their faces were just a few inches away and he was still holding her. His eyes grew large and he almost snarled the words:

"What the bloody hell are you doing, woman?!? How dare you?"

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta had not fallen to the ground. Something- or someone- had saved her from who knows what could have happened had she reached the impact of the ground or knocked her head too hard against something. Her hands worked faster then her mind and eyes as she lurched forward and ripped off the white half mask from the face of her saver.

She blacked out for a quick moment, her body shut down from the split second of seeing that face and from the fall. Her then quickly blinked the blackness away from her eyes and had almost wished that he had dropped her so that she could get out of his grasp- escape that face! Carlotta wanted to scream, but her voice failed her at all. She could not answer him even if she wanted too. She had never seen such horror, not from a distance, and of course not up close! It was like literally being face to face with death's head.

Carlotta closed her eyes tight, not able to look at the face before her or else she might have lost all she ate that day. As if she had just been beaten senselessly, she turned her head from his and gasped inward then began to sob hysterically. "My God! I am sorry!" She cried out. She wished she had never come, that she had never been so foolish as too fall off the stage. Oh she wished that she could take back seeing his face! She prayed in Spanish in her head for a quick moment but did not pull away from the disfigured man. She felt too weak, to sick, she couldn't look at him, she couldn't look anywhere without seeing that face! "I am sorry... I didn't know!" She continued to sob like a child.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik had not been unmasked by anyone since Christine had pulled off his mask at the Opéra Populaire, first in his lair and then later on stage where everyone saw his horror. Since he had been at the Mansion, no one had even attempted an unmasking. Emilie had seen his face when he had been ill and in his lair. But she had seen it before anyway and was no longer horrified. But this young woman, she had done it on purpose. He was sure of it.

Curiosity about what was under the mask made pwople wish to pull it off...but they were always sorry. It was horrifying for Erik, too. That was the worst thing that could happen. No one had ever been this close either, when an unmasking happened. Erik was simply furious with her. As quickly as he could, he set her down on one of the audience seats that was near and retrieved his mask and hairpiece which had fallen to the ground. He smoothed out the hairs on the wig and pulled out a small bottle of spirit gum he kept on him for just such an emergency. Although he never thought it would be anything quite this disastrous. He turned his back to Carlotta and applied the spirit gum to the edges of the hairpiece after smoothing down the long, sparce, grey strands of his own hair and glueing the hairpiece back on. He then affixed the mask firmly on his right face.

Then he turned back to Carlotta, speaking this time in a quiet, controlled voice, but one that had fury just under the surface. "Are you satisfied now? Are you happy you saw what I keep masked from everyone? There is, my dear, a reason that I wear this mask. It's not just for a lark, you know. "

Then Carlotta said she was sorry. He thought then, perhaps it had been a mistake, when she had falen into his arms. He glared at her for a few moments in silence.

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta felt, but still not dared to open her eyes, the man had sat her down on an audience chair. She couldn't listen to him, her mind was in a blurry mess. The only thing that was clear was the image of his face. It was there, whether she had her eyes closed or not and it made her stomach lurch each time. What grotesque thing did that to his face?!

Now she wasn't actually sure if she was grateful that he had caught her. Perhaps if he would have stayed back, it would have kept her from having to be scared for life. She dared to peak at her surroundings and saw that the man starring at her, with his mask and hair back to as it was. Her throat was once again choked, that face! She could not stop thinking of the horror that she had just witnessed. And now what could she really say? She had not witty remarks or even remarks of pity. She wished she hadn't even seen it!

Carlotta's face had paled since seeing his face and as she sat, she held her stomach, trying to calm it from ridding her of it's contents. She had never had such a reaction to such a thing, much less as to see such a thing. "Dios, me dé fuerzas." She whispered quietly. Carlotta then swallowed hard and tried to stand up but failed when lifting herself a few inches off her seat then her arms giving out and her sitting back in the position she had been place in. She didn't care to ask him what happened or anything of that sort, she felt that if he answered, she might just loose it. So the what could she say? "I- I've never seen..... what..... I...." She had difficulty finding any sort of words. "I don't feel well..." She finally said in dismay.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik wasn't quite sure what to say. Carlotta said she was sorry. They always were when they saw the horror that was his face. His mother had been sorry she had borne him. But nonetheless, this undoubtedly would happen from time to time in the mansion. He was too close to people. That is why he had hidden himself away for so long. But it wasn't really possible any more. He did like his life as it was here. He was in charge of important things and he felt needed. There were even some people who liked him.

But Erik was still sweating profusely with the emotional impact that the unmasking had caused. He stared at the unfortunate woman for a few moments. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost. Well, she'd seen a Phantom. And he looked worse than most of the ghosts that he'd met at the mansion. He sat down and pulled out his large handkerchief. He wiped his left face and carefully turned from Carlotta to wipe his right face under the mask.

She looked so scared and upset that Erik really felt sorry for her. "Would you care for a glass of water, or something stronger? Or some food? I can take you to the kitchen. That is, if I don't disgust you too much." He said the last with a bit of sarcasm.

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta waved her hand slightly when he asked her if she needed something and that he could take her to it if he didn't disgust her too much. The damage was already done, she might as well get up and go with him and do something to help her stomach. Hopefully whatever she ate she would be able to stay down. "Please... do take me..." She said weakly and had herself stand up with the help of the auditorium chairs.

She took a few steps toward the masked man, her legs wobbling slightly and threatened to throw her down onto the ground. She then paused, took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then reopened them while looking at man and finally started walking towards him again with more confidence, though the pain in her stomach only hardly subsided. "Odio estar enfermo con tanta frecuencia. Do you know of some food that might help my stomachache subside, Signor?" She asked, pain twinged in her voice and though she stood strong, she continued to clutch to her stomach, his face forever burned onto the back of her eyelids.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik sighed. Since the woman was pulled down a bit from her high and mighty stance, Erik didn't mind helping her a bit. He was always helping "damsels in distress" and he supposed this one was just one more. She wasn't bad looking. It was that hideous voice. Well, she had done it, she had looked beneath hhis mask and now she was stuck with the memory. Served her right.

"Here, Mademoiselle, you may lean on my arm if you feel a bit weak. But I must warn you my hands are cold, so don't let them startle you. That is, if you don't mind touching the hand of a monster..." Erik was still upset and couldn't help verbally jabbing her a few more times. In fact, it was rather pleasurable to verbally jab her. He smiled. He might just have a bit of fun with her..

No one had yet, until this woman, threatened to vomit after they had seen his face. Unsually it evoked fright and terror. Never vomiting. Until now. "If I take you to the dining room, we can find something that will help your stomach. Or better yet..." Erik became thoughtful. "I could mix you a herbal remedy if I can find the correct ingredients." Erik felt himself relenting a bit and his heart softened toward her.

"It's a bit of a way to walk, Mademoiselle Carlotta...after leaving the opera house, we have several long hallways to walk. Can you walk that far...or should I carry you?" He snickered a bit at the thought of her being that close to him again.

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta immediately went to him and leaned on him when he had given permission, but was just a second quick before he had warned her about his cold skin and recoiled slightly. She couldn't help but question him in her mind, things like 'what did he do to God to have such a face?' and 'what happened to him to make his skin so cold, like a corpse's skin in winter?'.

She leaned back on him after he had remarked himself as being a monster once again and she rolled her eyes slightly. "Just get me to the kitchen..." She mumbled. Carlotta glanced at the masked man's eye's and almost looked at him in wonder. It was strange.... she hadn't really met anyone like him. She had seen the horror beneath the mask, nearly vomited upon seeing it, and yet he was actually trying to help her.Perhaps it wasn't really that strange but it felt like it was... perhaps it was because not many really cared to help her on such a... what was it... personal level?

He told her that it was a bit of a way to walk and he asked her if she could walk it or if he had to carry her. Carlotta rolled her eyes but nearly smirked. "I'll be just fine walking beside you, Signor. A herbal remedy..." She started then paused and glanced again at the masked man. "A herbal remedy would be fine as well... if of course you absolutely know what you'll be doing. 'if' you can find the correct ingredients - doesn't sound to reassuring to me. But go ahead, lead the way. I am at your mercy... for the moment." She said, still clutching to her stomach. Carlotta found him so irritating, but almost charming. It reminded her of the Comte, not that she would ever like either of them. Her love was the stage and money... and Franc only.