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Post by margretleroux on Mar 16, 2008 12:20:38 GMT -5
It was midnight and Margret couldn't sleep, as she could here the other girls snoring, at least thats what she told herself was keeping her awake. But she knew what it really was. It was the nightmares. She was drowning, in all of them she was drowning, just like her parents. They were pulling her under the waves. In the dream, she was not far from shore, in fact, she could feel the sand beneath her feet... And the water wasn't cold... It was warm... Like that fatal day at the beach. Maggie shook her head, it was only a dream, and she must not let it take over her. Besides, she told herself, there was not a beach anywhere within a fifty-mile radius of the opera house. But this didn't help in the slightest. She stopped brushing the horse she was nearest to. But that only opened the doors to her fear of water wide, so she threw the brush to the ground and climbed onto the back of the horse. She did not know what to call him, she had little or no experience with horses. Her mother had always said they were dangerous animals, and while living with her cousins she never had the chance too. But she enjoyed riding them all the same.
As she came to the door that led away from the stables she heard footsteps behind her and stop behind her.
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Post by Miss Rowena DuMonde on Mar 16, 2008 16:14:47 GMT -5
Rowena shivered, the silken robe she had donned earlier was scarcely defense against the cold night's chill. The stars shone with crystal clarity over the courtyard of the Opera as she slipped through the back-way to the stables where the horses were kept. Sleep, as usual, was elusive, particularly so on this incredibly freezing night. Seeking solace in the stable, the almost obsessively doting stable-master kept a fire going continually throughout the night, after warming herself sufficiently and petting on her horse, she was generally able to go back to bed and sleep some. The large wooden door groaned in complaint as she pulled it back. She lifted her eyebrow in surprise, there stood Seine in the alleyway that concealed the stables with a scrawny, yet unnaturally tall child of maybe twelve or thirteen on his back! "What in God's name are you doing, girl?" Rowena snarled, crossing her arms.
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Post by margretleroux on Mar 16, 2008 18:57:30 GMT -5
"Oh!" Margret screeched. The horse jumped a bit and Maggie squealed hugging the hoses neck and gripping desperately to her mane. The fire blared in the corner of the stable, and Margret pictured the horse leading her straight into it's flames, but of course, she didn't. Seine seemed to be a very tame horse- not scared easily, but Maggie was not. And she continued to shriek even after the horse had settled down a bit. She did not care that she had more then likely woken half of the opera house, all she cared about at the moment was this possessed horse.
Margret finally quieted down when she almost rolled off of the back of the horse. She landed on her knees quivering. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back an forth, she almost forgot that someone was watching her. But when she did realize that she was making a complete and utter fool of herself, she stood up glared. She despised anyone who talked to her as if they had any sort of power of her, which most of the time they did. "Almost dieing!" Maggie exclaimed. She regretted what she said as soon as it escaped her lips as it sounded incredibly childish and dramatic.
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Post by Miss Rowena DuMonde on Mar 16, 2008 21:55:04 GMT -5
Rowena winced at the girl's shriek, Seine reared at the shrill noise, making Rowena step back or risk getting kicked in the face. After rearing a few times, Seine calmed down and snorted, coming forward to Rowena and nuzzling her hand, eyes rolling slightly. The girl half-slid, half-fell off Seine's back and lay on the ground rocking back and fourth in a most disturbing manner, Rowena stared at her curiously, wondering what might be wrong with her. Finally, as if remembering Rowena was still there and had posed a question to her, she hopped up, yelling (much to Seine's distaste) "Almost dying!" Rowena barely kept her fury in check, "Excuse me, little madam, forgive my curiosity when I see a starveling whom I've never met on the back of my purebred in the middle of the night going somewhere. What the bloody hell were you planning to do?"
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Post by margretleroux on Mar 17, 2008 19:39:24 GMT -5
"Well... I..." Margret stammered. Honestly, she didn't know what she was planning on doing. Perhaps just ride into town, or perhaps farther then that... When she climbed onto the horse she was in a trance-like state, and she didn't know why. She was normally very down to earth, and even though it doesn't always seem like it she always knew what was going on around her.
She shook her head, it was that dream! That awful, awful dream... Were her parents the one's who...? Should she pay attention to... Why couldn't she finish any th... "Uh..." Maggie put her hand to her forehead. She felt faint. Maybe it was because she hadn't slept in three da...
Everything went hazy and Miss. Rowena's face blurred until went black. Maggie fell to the floor with a loud thump.
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Post by Jacob Leroux on Mar 17, 2008 19:57:41 GMT -5
Where could that girl have gotten off to? Jacob had been at the Opera House finishing up paper work and calculating finance. It was work that he much preferred then to socialize around backstage, in fact he only went back there to check on his sister and cousin. This evening he went back to say good night to them if they were still up. Celestine had been asleep but Margret’s bed was empty. On one of her outings about the House as usual.
If the girl were older he probably wouldn’t mind too much, but a twelve year old wondering the halls in the dark, especially them being his relative, it didn’t bode well with him. However after a less then through search he gave up. The girl did it a lot and he doubted she would stop. Every morning she was unharmed so even though he’d rather she do her excretions during the day he tried not to think about it too much.
Running his fingers into his hair he mussed it up with a sigh as he made he’s way to the stable. Jacob’s slow stride became a quick one though when there was a whine and an all to familiar scream. Throwing open the doors he saw Margret on the ground looking quit flabbergasted and a ballet rat looking like she might catch the girl on fire.
Though Jacob was sure the mischievous child needed a scolding he hardly though it should come so harshly from a stranger. He was calm now seeing that she wasn’t to hurt till he saw her fall over. He picked up his steps brushing past the woman to help his cousin. ”She’s hardly a starveling Mademoiselle, and if you’re so protective about your horse to mention it’s breed to a girl then maybe you shouldn’t have it in a public stable.” Jacob said in his soft voice though it was hinted with ice. ”Cousin?” He asked more in a more worried voice while gently patting the fainted girls face
The man hadn't even look at the other while defending his unconscious cousin . ”Profanity isn’t pleasant for young ears.” Jacob didn’t appreciate someone being brash with his cousin. So even though Margret wasn't awake at the moment he was still going to give the ballerina some tongue. After that he started cooing to shaking Maggie a little before dipping his hand in a water pale for the horse and letting it drip onto her face.
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Post by margretleroux on Mar 17, 2008 20:28:36 GMT -5
"Margret..." An eerie voice came from the sea, "Margret..."She was sitting on a beach rubbing her feet in the sand watching the corpuscular sky when she heard the voice. But it didn't frighten her, it soothed her. The disembodied voice sounded strangely familiar, like it had come from an alternate universe, one that had died and come back to see her.
Maggie stood up and walked slowly towards the sea and as soon as her toes touched the warm water she was pulled under. She let out a last minuet scream as a last breath escaped her lungs. She tried to hold her breath but found she couldn't for very long, having no past experience with swimming. She tried to swim to the top but the farther she swam the farther the shore seemed. It got farther and farther away until she could no longer see it. Then a few last bubbles flew from her mouth and everything vanished.
Maggie coughed and opened her eyes to see her cousin kneeling over her and dripping water over her face. "Jacob?" She asked, desperately trying to keep her eyes open.
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Post by Miss Rowena DuMonde on Mar 18, 2008 15:04:37 GMT -5
Rowena stared at the girl in concern as she swayed back and forth before finally toppling to the ground. She snapped her head around as she heard a man's voice, "She’s hardly a starveling Mademoiselle, and if you’re so protective about your horse to mention it’s breed to a girl then maybe you shouldn’t have it in a public stable." The manager Monsieur Leroux breezed past her to kneel beside the girl. Rowena sucked in a breath, she didn't give a whit that he was the manager, the rudeness! "So you blame me for your friend's attempted theft of my horse?" She glared at the man, "Ugh. Never mind that, the horse didn't hurt her, she managed to keep her seat when he reared up--she must have passed out from nerves." As the man tried to revive the girl, Rowena tried to keep Seine happy, the horse was still nervous and jumpy. As she didn't have a halter and it would be rude to leave the girl and the man (she did have manners, afterall), the best she could do was to keep the horse away from the girl. "Jacob?" She heard the girl squeak, Rowena turned around and took a small vial from her pocket and handed it to the manager. "Smelling salts," She explained, "I suggest you take her inside and keep a closer eye on her. It's scarcely prudent for any one to go wandering around the opera house at these hours."
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Post by Jacob Leroux on Mar 19, 2008 22:25:42 GMT -5
Margret a thief?! Jacob threw a sharp glare right back at her. Though Margret was a child getting into trouble now and then she would never steal something! And the assumptions the woman was making was really annoying. Just because the girl got on her horse didn’t mean that she was going to steal it! Should Margret have been on it…no, but if the chorus girl, or what ever she was, was going to get onto his cousin about it she might as well also get onto the stable boys.
Was he being rude? Yes, and he wouldn’t mind admitting it. The younger manager wasn’t know for being polite and friendly. He left that to his brother. Jacob really didn’t care a horse’s rump what people thought of him, as long as they understood to only come to him as a last result. In fact he probably wouldn’t have even spoken a word if it wasn’t for the fact that Mademoiselle DuMonde hadn’t insulted his cousin. She brought it on herself.
Jacob didn’t even really pay attention to her explaining what happened because to was to absorbed in getting Margret to open her eyes. He wasn’t too panicky but definitely worried. When she did wake up he gave his gentle uncertain smile. ”Yes cousin. You alright? Can you sit up?” He asked very softly since she still seemed to be slipping into full conscious.
About to lift her up Jacob stopped when the shrewd woman handed him a small bottle of salts. He glanced up at her while hesitantly taking the bottle. ”Thank you.” he quietly said to her before pouring a small bit into his hands. Margret was already somewhat conscious and he didn’t want to over power her senses too much.
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Post by margretleroux on Mar 29, 2008 15:10:46 GMT -5
Margret shook her head and coughed. "I'm fine." She lied, and sat up to prove herself, then gave a grunt and lied back down. Maggie looked at the smelling salts and cringed, "Ew, what are those?" She hit her uncle's hand away. Then looked up at Rowena, shocked that she was still there. How long had she been out? "Cousin?" Maggie coughed, and without waiting for him to answer she continued, "Don't take me back inside. Please. I'd like to stay up."
Maggie winced at the thought of her horrible dream. If she stayed up maybe it wouldn't come back. But what if she fainted again? What if something bad happened to her while she was asleep. Hundreds of stories filled her head with what might happen to a little girl who fell asleep in an inconvenient spot. But she found she couldn't take these stories any farther like she usually could and this frightened her. The horses didn't look exciting anymore, Miss. Rowena didn't look so wicked, and the Phantom didn't even cross her mind. Yes, this frightened Maggie greatly.
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Post by Miss Rowena DuMonde on Mar 29, 2008 17:17:57 GMT -5
Rowena quirked her eyebrow, the little girl had fainted and yet she still wanted to stay outside? Something wasn't quite right with her. "Surely Madame Giry or your mother wouldn't want you wandering out here alone, child. You could still stay up inside of the dormitories," Rowena commented, hoping the two would leave soon so she could take Seine and go.
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Post by margretleroux on Mar 29, 2008 18:18:46 GMT -5
Margret shook her head rapidly. "No, no. Madame Giry won't mind." Maggie said. She knew that if she went back inside she would fall asleep, and the dream would come back. Maggie turned to Jacob with pleading eyes. "Please Jacob. Let me stay out. I'm fine, really I am. I was just tiered, just tiered that's all. But not sleepy. I want to visit the dock." Maggie had told Jacob many times about her love for the dock, despite her fear of water. She enjoyed examining the flowers and watching the wind affect the waves in the smallest ways. But she didn't plan on going to the dock tonight. Perhaps she would head to the graveyard. No, she decided she didn't like the graveyard a very long time ago. No one cared at all about her parents, they passed by their angel shaped graves without a thought. Maybe she would just walk around town, she could follow the sidewalk to the end of Paris. 'No, that's silly." Margret thought. She gasped out loud, she had never thought anything was silly before, not even for a moment. She was going mad! Perhaps she should go to sleep. No! The dream would come back! She would not again fall victim to those terrible images.
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Post by Jacob Leroux on Apr 23, 2008 20:59:28 GMT -5
It was unlikely that she was telling the truth because of her lack of convection to stay up. Jacob watched as the salts flew from his hand bounce and nestle into the hay as the one that whack his hand lay back down. Heaving a sigh he helped set the girl up into a sitting postion again. Sometimes the twelve year old was more trouble then her worth, but he didn’t really mind it too much. Letting Margret recover from her fainting spell, he placed the stopper on the bottle of smelling salt and stood up. Handing it back to Rowena he gave a queer uncertain shy half smile. He was glad of the consideration though he still wasn’t pleased with her shrew behavior earlier.
Looking back down at the pleading face of his cousin curiously. Why did she want to be out at such an hour when nothing was going on. Least nothing she should be getting into. But she was begging to stay up. That usually meant one thing. She had one of those nightmares again. Jacob and Margret were close enough and her cared enough for her that she called him father when they were younger, so of coarse he knew about the dream frights she had. Many time he and Celestine and come to comfort her at night.
Giving a sigh he rubbed his hand over his face in exhausted thought. Well what should he do? He couldn’t send her inside to fall asleep and wake the entire House from screaming out. However it was midnight in a large city, not a good place for a young girl to wander around.
As he racked his brain on what to do he glance at the other woman when she commented about Maggie’s mother. Looking at Margret he saw that she seemed unfazed which relieved him. The girl didn’t need to be unsettled more than she might already be. Really Celestine would be the better one to handle this, but instead of going to wake her up he finally made a decision. “She is right Margret. You shouldn’t be wandering around the Opera House or out of it at night. Either go back to bed, or settle for a stroll around the block with me to clear your mind.”
Jacob said with one of his few small genuine smiles. Though to people outside of his family to believe he did have a soft spot for certain people. “You can go to the dock with Celestine, Andrew, or me tomorrow when it’s daylight.”
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Post by margretleroux on May 4, 2008 21:44:27 GMT -5
Maggie grinned, she had hoped that Jacob would understand without having to say anything herself. She stood up on wobbly legs and almost fell over but managed to regain her balance. Alright. Maggie said. She looked over at Rowena. Would Jacob invite her along? She hoped not. Maggie frowned at Rowena, hoping she would get the message that she was not invited, without Jacob accusing her of being rude.
Though Maggie would rather have had Celestine here with her- someone she could talk to without feeling embarrassed or ashamed- it would be nice to spend some time with Jacob. This would be a rare event that would possibly inspire her to write, this would keep her up even later! Maggie smiled in her head, she was thinking about writing! I must be feeling better already, she thought.
Maggie went over places she could go with Jacob. She could show him her secret hideout in the manhole, or the alleyway with those nice people who had different names every time she saw them. Maggie wondered if Jacob would like any of these places, or maybe he meant just around the block. No, Maggie thought, he would certainly want to see all of her secret places. Where shall we go Jacob?
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Post by Jacob Leroux on May 16, 2008 21:56:04 GMT -5
Of coarse Jacob caught the frown Margret gave Mademoiselle DuMonde but didn’t say anything about it. It wasn’t anything to rude except for the girl’s obvious disdain of the other. As long as Margret left it with just a frown then he wouldn’t get onto her. Besides he couldn’t say much anyways. If he didn’t like a person then it was obvious to everyone who might be looking. Now he merely looked at Rowena to see if there was any reaction before turning back to Margret.
“Whatever place you want to, as long as it’s an appropriate for a young lady to be at night. He said quirk up an eyebrow. The girl would randomly wander off into the city at times, and most likely to places that neither he, Celes, or Andrew would approve of. Every time she came back she was never really harmed so they stopped worrying so much when she disappeared. Though she was still twelve and a very curious one at that. They feared that if they ever followed her they’d never let her out of the house alone again. So as long as she came back safe Jacob never asked too much of were she had been.
Giving his unsure smile at her he hoped she’d be kind on his nerves, though highly doubting it. “Shall we ride or walk. You can use Celes horse if you want.”
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