France- A month later
The opera house was a success!
Performances took place every Friday night and almost the entire town would be there, with frequent visits from individuals from other countries.
The stage was magnificent.
Every piece performed received good reviews and journalists' written reaction to the operas would be all over Paris, in every newspaper that appeared in every individual's house.
It was because of the Opera Populaire's employment that made the Opera house so excellent.
It took a large amount of time to find the perfect employees, though it found them.
Quade who was mostly in control of the selection, was extremely pleased with the choices.
Especially with his new-found co-manager, Jules.
He was dependent on this man. Quade couldn't take care of everything, he still had to keep his architectural duties in mind. He promised Giuseppe, he couldn't disappoint him.
Luckily Jules was a simple man.
No suspicions.
Respectable and humble who was most likely in his late twenties.
Very responsible.
Jules earned his respect at the very beginning when he kept his curiosity temptations under control. He was like his apprentices, didn't mention, or for that matter seemed to notice it, a single word of the mask.
What made him different from his men, was that he was very cautious around Quade. Almost frightened which made him come to the conclusion that this man wouldn't dare to do him any harm.
That did relieve Quade, though he didn't want to be seen as a horror to the poor gentleman. Not to anyone for that matter. Not anymore.
He learned to forgive.
He was also just cautious himself. Staying distant and cold was only protection.
Besides Jules, Mme Murie impressed him as well. Being head of the dance compartment was the perfect duty for her to take care of. She was excellent, proper, stable and also so very respectful.
These two were the only ones really.
He had seen enough of the other employees and stayed away as far as possible. Intervening in other people's personal matters was a common thing under the Parisians.
As Quade was still distracted with his thoughts he went through the recent reviews he received from tonight's performance. All positive once more.
He smiled with satisfaction as he piled them, neatly arranging them in a booklet.
From the very first show after receiving the Opera house's very first praise, people weren't concerned at all about who composed the music, designed the costumes, decoration and so forth. Which was exactly what Quade wanted.
Peace.
That lasted a few days until one night, when the fifteenth opera was staged, Quade suddenly started getting letters from journalists and even attendants who wanted to know who the 'Mastermind' was behind all these Avant-Garde masterpieces.
Many of whom that wanted to meet him in person. People who were artists and musicians themselves, wanted advice from him. Journalists wanted to interview him and others wanted to offer him requests for the next performance.
Because he simply declined their letters and letting Jules take care of those who visited the office, people started asking questions underneath each other of why they could never see nor speak to him.
That later on became the main thing that appeared on newspapers and Quade became known as The Mysterious Da Vinci.
Though it didn't surprise or bother him.
This attention already started the moment he encountered with that journalist at the opening night only then people weren't that much concerned.
It was now that it started worsening so much that Quade had no choice but to isolate completely. There were many of these ignorant people that couldn't contain themselves who sniffed around the opera house after performances. One night there were five journalists who wandered around the empty theater and whom Quade almost had a unwanted encounter with.
He then therefore in secret started building himself a room that served as his office and residence behind the opera walls. A residence where he could continue to carry out his duties without disturbance. It was so well concealed that not one soul would be intelligent enough to find it there.
This was a process though.
Late every night he would work on it. No one would know about it, behind the walls where it was build was completely soundproof.
It was a dutiful routine, every night the same.
Until one night when he was once more walking through the corridors an occurrence disturbed his routine.
He was walking through a corridor towards the dancer's practice room when he suddenly heard thudding on the floorboards and voices.
He wasn't alone.
Quade crept closer staying near the wall as much as possible and pulling his hat down to conceal his face more.
When he reached the entrance Quade slowly and very carefully turned his head to look inside, but doing it by only revealing one eye to observe. The rest of him was hidden in the dark. He was a master at camouflage.
Quade slowly looked inside and saw that it was only the Corps de Ballet practicing.
Quade tensed more as he saw them.
He had to be more careful, these girls were dangerous little Delilah's.
Clever little observers, gossiping about everything that intrigued their ignorant minds. If they caught just a glimpse of him they would surely do everything they can to satisfy their curiosity and expose him unknowingly. They talk before they think.
Quade kept on watching them, following their dancing.
Even though some of these girls did not know how to act their age, they did excellent work in their compartment.
After a while they stopped dancing and took a quick rest.
"You all have fifteen minutes to regain yourselves and we will start again from the top. This is absolutely disgraceful!" Mme Murie spoke whose stern voice traveled over to the last dancer.
Quickly they scattered about in circles stretching their tired limbs.
After a moment one group started talking.
"Have you heard that the Opera house is on the search for a new Prima Donna?" Meg Giry whispered to the other girls.
That was the truth little Meg, once more ahead of everyone. Wonder where you heard that one.
Mme Murie didn't even know about it yet.
"Yes indeed! I wonder who they will hire? Whoever it will be is so lucky! If I only I could sing I would have definitely tried for it!" Another girl with red curls explained with longing.
Suddenly the entire circle talked at once agreeing with the red haired ballerina, except one.
She stood a foot away from the rest with hands behind her white dress.
She had long dark brown curls neatly tied up with a little black clip, missing the signature white ribbon the rest of the girls had.
The moment she looked up and Quade could see part of her face he was suddenly overwhelmed by her beauty.
She had to be about twenty four, but her face was so youthful she looked sixteen.
Quade had been confronted indirectly with a lot women here in the opera house.
It caused him a lot of pain.
Though it quickly vanished when he realized that most of the women here were not all interested in honoring their purity, and henceforth was not worth wasting longing on.
Ever since he managed to trust Giuseppe, the desire to find his Angel of music was created.
Someone who will inspire his music, someone he could teach, someone who will love him like Jesus.
But he doubt that he would find such a woman. He couldn't even trust anyone else. He still dared to believe though.
Just maybe.
Now as he still looked at her, he couldn't help but wonder if she could be different. She looked so pure and harmless. The others always had this cruel expression on their faces.
She was the first one ever to struck him with her beauty though he also sensed that there was much more to this girl which he still had to discover.
Suddenly one of the ballet girls started to speak again.
"Annabel! What do you think? Wouldn't you like to be Prima Donna?"
In a matter of seconds they all looked at her.
Annabel.
Erik thought smiling gently.
She said nothing.
"Yes she could! Annabel you can sing! You told me that you used to sing all the time."
Meg Giry exclaimed.
A sudden sign of anxiety appeared all over her pale face.
"Meg that was long ago, I don't even think I remember how..." Annabel tried to explain but was interrupted by the little blonde haired Meg.
"Oh come on Annabel sure you ought to have talent! Sing for us! You are the only one really among the rest of us that had been taught." Meg pleaded with the rest of the girls.
Still she refused.
"Oh don't be like that! You are always so serious, you never have any fun!"
Seeing her sigh and give in to their manipulation made Quade tense. He felt sorry for her, he could clearly see she was not a natural defender.
Before he could think another thought his ears was suddenly filled with a voice so beautiful, so flawless his eyes widen with shock.
He could not believe it.
It was the first voice to make him feel so horrified!
There was no emotion, confidence, passion. Nothing absolutely nothing.
It was a voice of a angel wasted.
Though it was the voice that he was longing for as his Prima Donna.
Quade immediately felt the urge to take that voice and shape it into its true form that its meant to be. It had unlimited potential.
Whoever had taught this girl before had no idea of what he or she was working with.
She needed help and he could help her.
He understood everything about the voice.
He could teach her.
The only question is how?