Fearless

XIV

The new year was going to be hard on everyone. There were a plethora of changes that were coming under way, and to say the least the opera house was going to be affected.

A new year meant a new opera which started that day, roles already announced, and drama already flying. The parts had been auditioned for a few days after the Christmas holiday, and there was little to say that there was not good fortune in re-hiring the Prima Donna of the opera.

Christine Daae, however, had her own fair shares of rumors flying around her when she appeared at the first rehearsal of the season without her ring... or Erik.

The two as a couple were relatively inseparable, and now that they were no longer such, it would be hard-pressed for someone to see them together. Christine was no weak soul, not in front of her cast, anyways, and showed no remorse other than her stone cold facade the entire day. She wept, it was obvious in her eyes, but not a single cast-mate saw the tears.

The masked-man all the same was curiously absent. He who had never obtained a sickness his entire career seemed odd for him to miss a day that Christine herself did not miss. Their contrast appearance was queer, but the director seemed remiss. He paid little attention to the fact that he had to play all the pieces himself as he instructed them line by line, staff by staff.

The catacombs were home to no one on that day, as Erik Destler was away in and out of the offices and the opera itself. He had been casually informing those around him Christine and he were no longer together, and tactfully attempting to handle the fact that the entire board may soon rest upon his shoulders.

Charles was spreading the rumor of his daughter's engagement, though certainly not to whom it may be. He kept all details brief, and the way she had carried on the evening before, it was easy to see who the crowd would have assumed it was she was to be wed. Of course, his lovely daughter marrying the Vicomte was an improbable outcome, but he didn't mind hearing the rumor or getting asked the question. A no sufficed to quell curiosities.

The Comte was hearing said rumors as well and laughing them off, hoping they were not true. Philippe felt if his little Vicomte had been going about proposing to women significantly older than him it would not fare well for their image and his future as second chair. When he talked to his only superior in the opera, there was relief to discover that the man's daughter was not engaged to his brother. Philippe would have died of embarrassment, though he also pitied his brother knowing the truth.

The poor boy had been complaining the entire start of the new year wondering how exactly he would obtain such an out of reach woman. He wanted her very badly, and there was a fierce need in Philippe's brother to make the woman his wife.

Philippe was entirely surprised he hadn't seen his brother chase the blonde soprano who ruled over the opera with her angelic voice. Those were his friend's words, not his own. He thought highly of the girl, but he never really understood why either the masked-man or his brother had been attached to her. Of course, they were but young men when the youngest de Chagny had encountered the violinist's daughter.

It was no surprise that Philippe was for now, the only one who cared about such meetings. His brother was attached to the elder woman now, Swedish Soprano be damned! The news of the infamous broken engagement was startling, however, and then the news of a new one? Philippe had been genuinely perplexed when he knew that his brother had only met the soprano due to his love interest's fleeing to accompany the masked-man.

It was just a hunch, as there was much evidence about the union, but Philippe suspected nonetheless.

Arielette was more than ecstatic. She feasted on lunch with her fiance and took the time to enjoy her new situation. She no longer felt old or such things, as society would certainly deem her unfit for a sudden marriage. Well, not all of society, because she couldn't bear to be away from her beloved any longer. Arielette had never believed her pining would work, not really. After months of rejecting suitors, and years of being alone, it was almost inevitable she stay alone. If her fiance had thrown his relationship in her face and completely ignored her entire existence, it would have been time to move on... and the pining boy she'd met at the masquerade could have been it.