It's Just Begun, The Music Of The Night

Chapter Three.

"Emelia! Wake up, child!" An irritated voice called from the world in which Emelia was bound.

After a few more violent shakes and calls from reality, Emelia's tired eyes cracked open, allowing the morning light to seep into her vision. Madame Giry stood above her, relieved she no longer had to try and wake the small girl from her deep slumber.

"Hmm?" Emelia mumbled as she sat up and took in reality.

"Hurry, child. It is almost time for breakfast, get ready for the day. You have ten minutes." Madame Giry then walked out the door and headed off to the dining room which had been built into the housing part of the opera house.

Groaning and rubbing the sleep from her sky blue eyes, Emmy trudged over to get dressed and ready for the day. Within minutes, she was dressed and out the door, following Madame Giry's path to the dining room.

Only when everyone was seated at the table and eating, did anyone finally dare to speak.

"Bonjour, Emelia." Meg, Madame Giry's grown daughter, smiled brightly.

"Bonjour, to you two too." Emelia responded and matched the smile.

"How did you sleep, little one?" Asked Giry.

"Very well, merci." She responded politely. "If you don't mind my asking, where is my papa?"

She examined Madame Giry and Meg as they exchanged glances, deciding whether or not to tell her a piece of information. Emelia was just about to wave the question away when finally Meg spoke up.

"He is sleeping in this morning."

"The past few days have been very rough for him." Giry added.

"Oh...will he be awake in time for rehearsal this afternoon...can I go visit him?" She watched a surprised look cross Meg's face and Giry merely smiled.

"Of course, he will be at rehearsal. We are just allowing him a little extra, needed and well earned, rest. It is probably best you don't visit him until after lunch." Emelia frowned at Madame Giry's suggestion but did as she was told.

They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence and Emelia refused to meet anyone's gazes. Finally she excused herself and ran off to do her normal daily routine. She rushed to her room and immediately grabbed her composing stuff.

Pausing for a moment, Emmy finally decided she would find a new place to write, and hide from the world, today. She then walked back out of her room to head to the catwalks, which no one would enter until one o'clock that afternoon.

She allowed her inspiration to flow as she examined the scenery. The curtains in front of her were a red as dark as blood followed by a layer of black curtains which reminded her of the night. Ropes and pulleys surrounded her, and supported the catwalk on which she sat.

The dark wooden boards which she sat on had splintered and worn in some places and made her bottom hurt. Metal bars were the only means of protection she had from falling such a great height to the floor. There were very few lights up in the catwalks, but there was just enough for her to see the notes which she wrote on the parchment.

After hours of thinking and only jotting down a few measures of music, Emelia heard the all too familiar voice of the Angel of Music.

"Emelia, are you ready to begin your lesson?" His voice was gentle and inviting compared to the darkness in which he hid.

"Of course, Angel!" She exclaimed and stood up almost too quickly.

"Well, then meet me in our normal place in fifteen minutes, no later." With that she heard a slight disturbance in the air.