"Rey!" shrieked Carlotta, furious at the turn of events. "It's all a ploy to help Rey!" Hux shouted at the room. Hux read the note again, finding that Leia had spoken the truth. Both Carlotta and Hux were furious that she would not be singing. She had more experience than Rey and they both thought that she was far more suited to opera. Rey was merely a ballet girl. She did not belong in the spotlight.
Finn still sat with his head in his hands muttering, "This is insane." He was unsure how they were going to get around this.
"I know who sent this," Carlotta span and marched up to Raoul pointing a finger at him accusingly, "The Vicomte, her lover!" It was true, everyone now knew that Raoul and Rey definitely knew each other. The rumours had already begun about her disappearance after his visit. Raoul scoffed at her, "Indeed, can you believe this?' He looked around the room looking for some back up to no avail. Poe jumped up, he couldn't lose Carlotta or any member of the opera house to rumours that they were being managed by a ghost. It was time to grovel. "Signora, this changes nothing," he pleaded. Carlotta just shrieked inaudible words in another language that only a dog could hear. Finn, recognising what Poe was doing, joined in. "This is a joke," he mumbled before jumping up and begging Carlotta, "Signora!"
"You are our star!" pleaded Poe
"And always will be," added Finn, looking at Poe for approval. "The man is mad!"
"Signora, we don't take orders!" Poe nodded subtly for Finn to keep going. They had to let Carlotta sing, they couldn't give in to this 'Opera Ghost'. Madame Leia stood gravely at the side with Rose, the two watching the scene play out. "Miss Kenobi will be playing the pageboy - the silent role," said Finn hoping that would win her over. Poe gave her verbal confirmation with "Carlotta will be playing the lead." Hux smirked in the corner. Things were going their way. Of course, Carlotta being the drama queen that she was just threw her arms in the air in a tantrum, "It's useless trying to appease me! You're only saying this to please me!" She babbled on in her different language no one really sure of its whereabouts. Hux stepped forward to Poe and Finn who were unsure what to do, "Appease her," he said, trying to be heard enough by Poe and Finn but quiet under Carlotta's shrieking. The two looked at each other again, unconvinced. "Please her, and she will stop this shrilling."
Madame Leia watched in the corner at Carlotta's hissy fit and Hux's plea to give Carlotta her way. As Hux stepped back with his advice smugly, she stepped forward gravely and whispered, "Beware to those who scorn his word, he sees and knows everything!" Finn and Poe both looked taken back. Both dismissed the comment and ignored her, pushing pass to grovel to Carlotta. "Signora, pardon us, please signora we beseech you!" They said, trying to grab her attention only to be shouted at with "You have rebuked me and replaced me!"
Raoul, on the other hand, made his way over to Rose who stood in the corner, seemingly lost in thought. Raoul's head was spinning, "Who was this O.G?" Rose thought the same thing. She noticed Raoul approach. "Why did Rey fly from my arms?" Rose shook her head. "If you know something say!" Raoul demanded in a whisper. "Why was Rey acting odd when I saw her last night?" Rose shook her head for she could not answer. Madame Leia's words echoed throughout her mind. "Trust Rey..." she thought. Raoul turned away and stared off into the distance, unable to get an answer from her. "Perhaps she doesn't know," he thought. He turned to the door, "I must see her!" Rose silently thought the same. She looked at Madame Leia for comfort but was only met by stern eyes. She really felt out of her depth. She thought she could hear Madame Leia say, "This hour shall be your darkest fears," but she may have been mistaken. After all, her head was beginning to pound with all the shouting. "Where did she go?" Raoul nagged at her again, but Rose just shook her head again. She really couldn't answer. Raoul just sighed, frustrated with everything. "What new surprises lie in store?" She whispered to herself. She turned her attention to Finn and Poe who appeared to have gained no ground with Carlotta.
"Signora sing for us," pleaded Finn again, his hands clasped in front of him. He was running out of tricks. "Don't be a martyr, be our star." He really hoped Poe could think of something clever. Luckily, he did. "Your public needs you," said Poe with a twitch of a smile, "We need you, too." Finn also twitched a little smile but tried to conceal it so not to ruin the grovelling facade. Carlotta pouted and crossed her arms, unconvinced. "Wouldn't you rather have your precious little ingénue?", she asked bitterly.
"Signora, no!" gasped Poe
"The world wants you,' tried Finn. Carlotta continued to pout. Poe raised his hands in the air, "Picture this: Prima Dona, first lady of the stage, your devotees are on their knees to implore you!" Carlotta began to walk out of the office, unamused. Finn ran up behind her saying, "Can you bow out when they're shouting your name?"
"Think of how they all adore you," said Poe smoothly. Carlotta continued to strut away but they had her attention. After all, a Prima Dona required special treatment. "Prima Dona, enchant us once again," continued Poe.
"Think of your muse," added Finn who was interrupted by Poe saying,
"And of your queues around the theatre!" Carlotta was definitely listening, Hux in tow also listening to what they had to say. "Can you deny us the triumph in store?" continued Poe.
"Sing for us, Prima Dona, once more," begged Finn. Carlotta stopped walking, Finn, Poe and Hux almost crashing into her. Finn and Poe smiled at each other - they had convinced her.
Raoul hung back, ignoring the pleas of the managers to Carlotta, only thinking about Rey. "Rey spoke of an angel..." he thought to himself. "Is this her angel of music? Could there be a connection between the O.G. and Rey's supposed angel?"
Finn and Poe continued their grovelling. Carlotta glided to her dressing room saying, "Prima Dona," she liked the way it sounded. "Your song shall live again!" She smirked as she thought, "You took a snub but there's a public who needs you! Think of their cry of undying support, follow where the limelight leads you!" Poe and Finn continued to follow behind, handing out copies of the opera to those they passed. They kept up with their grovelling, "Think of your public" and "Those who hear your voice liken you to an angel!" Poe whispered to Finn as they walked, "We get our opera and she gets her limelight!" Finn whispered back,
"Leading ladies our a trial!" Finn was genuinely fed up. "Did they really have to put up with this?" he thought. "Rey was so much nicer and easier to work with!" Finn sighed as Carlotta continued to babble on to everyone she saw, "Prima Dona, my song will never die, I'll sing again and to an unending ovation! Think how I'll shine in that final encore, sing Prima Dona once more!"
"Lunatic demands are a regular occurrences! Surely there'll be further scenes and worse than this!" thought Finn. "What would be easier?" he thought."Letting Carlotta sing and all this grovelling or just letting Rey sing? Although, either way someone was going to be unhappy and there was always going to be drama! They handed out scripts to passing performers and backstage workers, giving a false wide smile to everyone who passed as if it would hide the drama. "Who'd believe," spoke Poe breaking the silence between the two, "a diva would relieve a chorus girl who's gone and slept with the patron!"
"Do you really believe that is what has happened? She doesn't seem like that kind of girl," replied Finn, unconvinced by Poe's words.
"Finn, my buddy, while Raoul may reject these observations, he must have been with her! I mean where else could Rey have been?" Finn nodded handing out another script. Poe was probably right. Finn laughed lightly, "You'd never get away with this in a play but if it's loudly sung and in a foreign tongue, it's just the sort of story audiences adore!" Poe clapped him on the back, "Now you're getting it! It's a perfect opera! Drama and love, all in a different language in a galaxy somewhere!"
Carlotta came out in a new dress she allowed everyone to make a fuss over her, painting her face and doing her hair. "The stress that falls upon a famous prima donna!" She laughed smugly to those around her and Finn and Poe put back their fake grins too. "Prima Donna," Poe said to her, "the world is at your feet!" Carlotta laughed again smugly and Hux joined her joining in. "Nothing can stop her! A galaxy waits and how it hates to be cheated!" He said, fuelling her smugness and his. "Terrible diseases, coughs and colds and sneezes or the driest throat would not affect the highest notes I sing," she replied. The two laughed as they walked arm in arm to the stage, "The perfect opera!" Hux said with a smirk. "Light up that stage with age-old rapport!" Someone shouted from backstage and the lights went up, illuminating Carlotta in the limelight. "Sing Prima Donna once more!" shouted Hux and his and Carlotta's fan group cheered.
Madame Leia stood gravely backstage, wondering how this opera was going to play out. Maybe Rey could calm him down and teach him a thing or two about respect! "I fear for the outcome of those who do not listen to my warnings," she said but everyone ignored her, busily rushing around to prepare for the opera. Finn and Poe were busy convincing Carlotta to sing and Raoul and Rose were focused on Rey. Rose followed Leia out and the two headed to the stage for rehearsals to tell everyone the plan for the evening. Raoul walked down the corridor to find Rey, ignoring Madame Leia's instructions. He mumbled to himself as he walked through backstage to the dormitories. "Angel or madman? Orders, warnings, lunatic demands from this O.G! Surely for Rey's sake I must see these demands are rejected!" Raoul honestly thought he was doing the right thing for Rey. He couldn't have her used and abused by this Opera Ghost or whoever he was. As well as that, he was the patron and along with Finn and Poe he couldn't have it going round that they were taking orders from a supposed ghost! "Rey must be protected," he thought. "In box five a new game will begin! Rey will play the pageboy, Carlotta plays the countess." Raoul found Rey's room. "I will get to the bottom of this. I will protect Rey!"
Whilst Carlotta stood centre stage, satisfied with their grovelling, Finn and Poe made their way back to their office to sort out that evening's opera. They could hear the shouts of the cast. Poe poured whiskey into a tumbler for Finn and himself and raised it in the air. "Once More!" They clinked glasses and drank.
...
Raoul knocked softly on Rey's door. She jumped and her books and few possessions she was lifting fell to the floor. She could sense him before he called her name. "Oh no, he's come to ask about last night!" Rey panicked and scurried to tidy away the fallen objects and opened the door. She smiled sweetly as she opened the door. "Little Lotte where have you been I've been worried sick!" Rey frowned pondering what to say. Should she tell the truth? He brought her into a hug. "What's wrong?" She asked, "Something is troubling you."
"There have been letters from an O.G, detailing how he would like his opera house to be run." Rey frowned and moved to sit down. Her heart was heavy, "When?" she asked.
"This morning, asking that I stay away from you and that you sing the lead role this evening instead of Carlotta." Rey looked away. She felt this was her fault. She had gotten herself into this mess by agreeing to Kylo's teachings. "And, are you going to obey them?"
Raoul shook his head "You'll be playing the pageboy - a silent role which was meant to be played by Carlotta. As for staying away, that's up to you Rey."
"Of course I want you to stay," she said. Rey stood up facing him. "Besides, this O.G. can't tell me what to do," she said with slight sass. Rey's childish ways were beginning to be knocked out of her. The force was beginning to bring a sense of maturity with the exception of her sassy ways - they would probably always stay.
"Rey," Raoul asked sternly and took her hands, "Where did you go?" Rey opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She couldn't lie to him. "I was - " But before Rey could speak Rose came in. "Sorry to interrupt but Monsieur Finn and Poe are asking for you Monsieur," Rose looked between Raoul and Rey and noticed the hand-holding. She blushed for her friend. "Rey, Madame Leia would like you to come practice." Rey nodded, blushing a little and dropped Raoul's hands. Raoul nodded too, "We'll talk later. How about dinner this evening?" Rey nodded and smiled slightly. Raoul left and Rey grabbed her ballet shoes. Rose elbowed her playfully but Rey just rolled her eyes as they made their way to rehearsals. Despite Rose having so many questions, she pushed them aside. Rey was gaining a lot of stares and so Rose tried her best to distract her. Rey saw them and she heard the whispers too, but for Rose's sake she smiled like it was nothing. At least it kept her mind off him.
When rehearsals had finished, Rey went off to her room alone. She politely asked Rose for some space which was fine as the rest of the ballet girls had to practice Act three's ballet. Rey collapsed on her bed and cried. She was tired, she felt humiliated and she wanted the ground to swallow her up. It was all too much - her angel not really being an angel, singing then not singing, Raoul, the whispers, the letters and the force. "The force," she thought. She sat cross legged on her bed and meditated, calming her mind and finding balance. Then she felt it. Him. "You may as well come in, I know you're there." Despite her meditation there was bitterness in her voice. The mirror opened and out stepped Kylo Ren. He was angry. Rey was the pageboy. "I'm sorry," he said. "I really tried to get them to see your potential but I guess they don't recognise talent."
Rey looked up. Anger bubbled in her. She was furious. "You think I am upset because I got cast as the silent role?" Tears brimmed in her eyes threatening to spill. Oh how he'd gotten it wrong. "I was doing fine as a ballet dancer. I was silent, no one ever bothered with me. I was happy but now... now everyone stares at me, they talk about me, there are so many rumours..." Rey cried into her hands and Kylo stood there, Rey's words churning in his mind. He couldn't comprehend it. He had done this all for her and she was acting so ungrateful. "Raoul," he thought, "this had to be his fault, everything was fine till he showed up!"
"I did this for you!" shouted Kylo, angry at her.
"And I didn't ask you to!" she hissed in response, "I asked that you stopped controlling people." The dark side rose in both of them, feeding off their anger. "I want no part of your plans!"
"I didn't agree to that," Kylo retaliated. It was true, he hadn't. "You're being so ungrateful Rey."
"Oh sorry for the fact that I'd rather not be subjected to humiliation the moment I walk out this room!"
"I asked for no distractions from you though," Kylo said angrily. Rey huffed, she couldn't have possibly been distracted. She'd been busy all day with ... "Oh" she thought, he knows about Luke..." He took Rey's silence as confirmation.
"Yes, he's been looking for you all day. In fact he just left here" Rey furrowed her eyes. "Luke didn't just leave... but Raoul did!" Rey remembered what Raoul said earlier about his letter sent from the O.G. Ret gritted her teeth, "You can't control who I spend my time with," she replied.
"Well it's because of Raoul you're not singing this evening." A book smacked into Kylo, infuriating him even more. "No," said Rey, "It's because of you, because of what you've done!" She was about to force throw another book but he stopped it in mid-air. "I didn't teach you that Rey," he said sternly. Rey realised her mistakes and gasped, "I um taught myself..." Before she had the chance, Kylo dove into her mind. Rey realised too late and before she could complete her wall, Kylo pulled out, furious at what he saw. His fury swirled and Rey grasped her neck as he choked it. "You trained with my Uncle!" He shouted at her and turned away, unable to look at her. "You've gone behind my back and betrayed me!" Kylo panted furiously, his head spinning. "Why could nothing go his way?"He thought sadly, feeling betrayed and hurt. So did Rey. He looked in her mind, something he had promised not to do. His anger scared her but she was furious too. "Get out!" she shrieked and shoved Kylo towards the mirror, not achieving much ground but he stumbled back in surprise. "How could you Rey?" he said full of hurt.
"You looked in my mind, you've broken your promise too," she replied, quieter but her words still bitter. "Now get out."
"I did this for you," he said before climbing back into the mirror and leaving. Rey screamed and flopped on her bed. She fell asleep.
"So it is to be war between us then ..." The opera mangers and the Vicomte were going to pay for this!
A.N: Thank you so much to all your lovely feedback and votes! I hope you enjoyed this chapter (it was a long one!)