To the new readers - this is the penultimate chapter of this story, that’s why I’m adding the link to chapter 1. Just in case you want to know the whole story. Thank you for those, who joined me on this wild ride!

Cirque du Macabre (1)

Kathrine Elaine

·

September 28, 2023

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Chapter 21: The queen of the night

“Beautiful! Stunning! Odette, don’t you agree?!” Bastille’s praise found no hearing ears, because Odry stared at herself in the mirror frightened of what she saw. That. Was not. Her. The woman in the mirror wore a glittery-red tight-fit dress with a V shaped low-cut front showing a ton of cleavage.

The woman had so much red-and-black glittery make up around her eyes, it looked like a mask.  Her hair was pinned up with some locks framing her face. Her lipstick shone in a glossy, dark, ripe-cherry hue. And this was only one of her costumes/looks. She’ll have to completely change outfits whole 3 times throughout the show. Not on her own, of course. Bastille made sure there would be a make-up artist and a member of the staff to help Odry change.

This was the costume fitting and the photoshoot day. Odry had lost a lot of weight, and gained muscles in places she never thought she’d see those.

Bastille was also in his costume - he was a dashing Elf King in a snug, white-and-silver suite and silver glitter around his eyes. He looked as handsome as ever. Odry didn’t care, while Odette inside her just melted from the look of him.

That’s very much how the last two weeks had gone - Odette pining over Bastille and trying to take over and Odry fighting her and doing her best to succeed in the show. She still sucked on her own, especially when dancing, but she did make progress. This morning was the first time in two weeks she heard kind words from Bastille. And only concerning her looks. Bastille snorted furiously at her “stifness” during the photo shoot. Luckily, the photographer was a kind guy, he knew how to get a genuine smile out of her.

The first outfit was also red - an airy, puffy princess dress, floating beautifully when the fae carried Odry down from the circus dome. If only Odry wasn’t so frightened… no matter how much they’d rehearsed, she couldn’t get over her fear of heights.

She had to pose with Bastille.

How do you pretend to be in love with somebody you hate?

Odry allowed Odette take over for a short moment. Just for the credibility in the photos. Perhaps that’s why Bastille was so thrilled - he saw the change in Odry’s behaviour. The look in her eyes was genuine - the one of true love and desire. Odry could barely control Odette.

Now it was Odry’s turn to pose with Mateo. His outfit matched hers - a black, glittery tight-fit skin suit with a V shaped front, showing Mat’s bare chest. With red-and-black glitter around his eyes, Mateo was a deviously hot demon. When the two of them posed, Odry felt truly relaxed, even fired-up at times, and it showed in the pictures. She felt good in Mat’s arms. The photographer praised them, while Bastille stormed out of the backstage.

“Did you let her take over again?” Mat whispered in her ear, with the camera flashing at them.

“Who?”

“Come on, you know who! With Bastille earlier,”

The photographer came close and corrected their posture a bit.

“Okay, guys, now show me some love!” he shouted.

Mateo held Odry closer.

“Odry, don’t toy with that… thing. She’s dangerous,”

“Stop bugging me or I’ll bite you,” Odry retorted.

“I wouldn’t mind, trust me! F*cking sexy, kid!”

Mateo bit her earlobe playfully.

“Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!” The photographer kept flashing the camera at them.

“You look far too good for me not to taste you,” Mat whispered and kissed her with all his might.

“Awesome, guys! Keep it going!”

He didn’t have to say that twice. Mateo wouldn’t mind to “keep it going” all day long, but the photoshoot had to go on. The others came. Daffy and Danny were wearing matching costumes - sheer golden-glittery bodysuits, with a tuille skirt for Daffy.

“Finally, real costumes!” She rejoiced, because previously they wore only body-art. Rouge’s costume was an artsy mess of tuille rags, her body was painted underneath it, because she would have to be “burned” again. Winnie’s costume and make up was the most impressive one - he indeed looked otherwordly, like a giant troll.

The rest of the photoshoot was pure joy. They were a fun bunch, especially without Bastille being around. He came back when Odry had her third outfit on - a red silk queen’s dress. She looked like a modern-ish elf queen from some urban fantasy book. This dress Odry hated most of all. The outfit matched Bastille’s clothes.

How obvious can you get? You want Odette back, I get it! Tiny problem - I’m still here!

They finished the photoshoot, the day dragged on. Without Odette’s help, or more like with her meddling and trying to take over, Odry’s rehearsals were incredibly tiresome. Bastille yelled at her all the time.

Of course, giving the power to Odette would’ve made things so easy. But Odry didn’t like the thought of being a puppet on a string. A doll, moved by someone else’s will.

Next morning began with a shocking revelation. Danny ran out of his trailer horrified.

“Something’s wrong with Rougie!”

Odry and Daffy were on their way to the rehearsal. Before they did anything, Rouge herself stumbled out of the trailer. The front of her floral dress had vomit all over it.

“My body is rejecting food. Why?” she sounded like an extremely frightened doll, “my body never rejects food,”

“Oh, Rougie…” the girls took her into the trailer and helped her change clothes and clean up.

“Rougie, when was the last time you had your periods?” Daffy asked quietly.

Rouge sat thinking.

“I was working hard rehearsing. There are no periods when I’m working hard,”

She showed a calendar. Rouge had marked every month, each year, except a month or two before each new show season.

“Still, we have to find out,”

Daffy made Danny ran to the nearest pharmacy, it wasn’t too far.

He handed the girls two pregnancy tests with his fae hands shaking.

“It can’t be, I mean… I never thought she could…” Danny stuttered.

“Well duh!” Daffy ridiculed him.

After some ten minutes it was all clear. Rouge was pregnant. First Danny turned pale, then he grabbed Rouge and kissed her hands at least a hundred times. Then he kissed her belly. Then he cried, hiding his face in Rouge’s wild, red hair.

The rest of the troupe reacted likewise - first they stood shocked, then they laughed and congratulated the two, then they became concerned.

“No, no, no, this is unexceptable! We cannot afford it; the season is about to begin!” Bastille’s harsh words came like an ice-cold shower. He was furious when he had to go looking for his own troupe; none showed up to the rehearsal.

The troupe stood dead-silent after his yelling. Odry’s blood bubbled up in anger.

Who does he think he is?! He doesn’t own us!

“I’m sorry sir, but it’s not your decision!” she said spitefully, surprised by her own daring tone. It was not Odette. This time the courage was her own.

Bastille stood staring at Odry in silence for two whole minutes.

“It is my circus and I’m free to do what I want!” he said coldly, “anyone who disagrees with my decisions is free to leave,”

“What will the circus be without a troupe?! If you make Rouge and Dan leave, I’m leaving too!” Odry stated. Odette in her head protested loudly, but Odry shut her up.

Bastille squinted his blue eyes.

“If she stays, she’ll have to perform,”

“No! This is unthinkable! The fire, the heights…”

“She did rehearse all the time…” Daffy said cautiously, “so maybe it’s okay?”

“Right. We have to sort this out,” Bastille replied sternly and marched to his trailer/office, he called a taxi on his way. Some minutes later he, Danny and Rouge got into a black taxi and rode away.

“That was unexpected…” Daffy concluded.

“So, what do we do now? Rehearse?” Odry wondered.

And rehearse they did. Odry was much better without Bastille yelling at her all the time. Mateo danced Bastille’s part with her.

“I don’t see what’s the problem. You’re f*cking hot when you dance with me,” Mateo said afterward. It was true - Odry was decent with him. She showed passion and all that stuff Bastille was scolding her for.

Two hours passed quickly, when the black taxi rolled up to the big circus tent.

Danny got out with his face beaming. He held a little picture in his hand - it showed two light spots on a dark background.

“Twins!” he exclaimed.

“Well, f*ck!” Daffy spat out, “sorry…”

“Double f*ck, I’d say!” Mateo tapped Danny on the shoulder, “you’re gonna be a double-daddy, dweeb!”

Bastille seemed slightly annoyed.

“Since Rouge’s state is good, she will perform as long as it looks aesthetic,” he said shortly and walked away.

Rouge was reading a brochure about pregnancy.

“I don’t think she should perform. It can be dangerous,” Odry shook her head.

“You’ll be careful, won’t you Rougie?” Daffy asked her.

“I am always careful. Now I’ll be double carefull,” she stated, raising her chin proudly. It appeared Rouge was strangely happy with the news, “life is to be preserved. I will protect it,”

“Them, Rougie! We will protect them,” Danny weaved around her, smiling warmly.

Apart from Rouge’s morning sickness, the two weeks passed rehearsing intensively. Then came the day of the dress rehearsal… oh dear! It was the day before the first show. Odry was sick of the “la premiere”, Bastille was talking (or yelling) about all day long. Since he heard the news of Rouge’s pregnancy, he spat fire at everybody. Every tiniest imperfection irked him terribly. Odry got to feel the most of his wrath.

The day of the dress rehearsal began with an amazing discovery. Bastille was supposed to ride into the circus ring on a white horse. He had done so every other rehearsal. Of course, he was an excellent rider. To Odry’s great surprise a special delivery brought a different animal he would ride in the show. In the last scene, the Elf king brings his belowed Witch back to the Magical forest on a white unicorn.

“No way….” Odry stood outside the tent where Daffy called her. Some strange folk had brought a…

“Unicorn!” Daffy squealed.

It really was a magestic animal - it shone white in the dusky afternoon, and his horn was real. The animal went straight to Odry and placed its head on her shoulder.

“Whooaa…. Scary, but kinda cool…” she said, patting the animal’s silvery-white mane.

“They say unicorns have a thing for virgins!” Daffy giggled, “I’m a pass then, it is what it is!”

“My sexy little virgin!” Mateo ran up and kissed her, “we’ll fix that soon,”

Although Mateo was a werewolf, the unicorn instantly liked him, nibbling Mat’s silvery hair.

“Yep, animals love me, I can’t help it,”

“You guys look so pretty! Wait!” Daffy ran to get her camera. She made a wonderful photo for the album - Odry and Mat in full make-up and costumes, holding each other close and patting the unicorn. They looked glowing.

“The animal delivery was late!” Bastille shouted, marching closer. He began to yell at the staff who brought the unicorn. The poor animal neighed nervously and backed away.

Odry understood the unicorn wholeheartedly. She wished to be as far away from Bastille as possible. His white costume and make-up made him appear angelic, but his behaviour was quite the opposite.

The dress rehearsal was a mess. At least Odry thought so. Bastille didn’t stop the show, but she could clearly sense him nearly reaching the boiling point, judging by his angry stare. By the end of act one she was so desperate, she let Odette do the hardest parts. Odry didn’t feel good about it. Without Odette’s guidance, Odry’s moves were clumsly, she was nervous and it showed. As soon as Odette took over, it was easy - Odry could observe her graceful performance. The cost for this was high - she was barely able to control Odette.

“Why don’t you let me take care of everything, love? I’ll make our life so much better!” Odette tempted her.

“You mean - your life. I don’t want to be with Bastille,” Odry objected.

“Why not? He’s a handsome and a wealthy man. Not to mention, he’s an incredible lover,” Odette purred. Odry gagged internally.

She ran out of the backstage as soon as the rehearsal was over. Daffy found her sitting in the dark, crouching and crying behind the tent. Daffy sat near her and pulled out a smoke.

“You let her take over a lot, don’t you?” The fae lit a cigarette. Odry nodded sobbing.

“Oh, hon! You don’t have to. Odry, you’ll be good enough without her,” Daffy put her arm around Odry’s shoulder.

“Didn’t you see me?! I sucked! It was a mess!”

“The dress rehearsal usually is a mess. That’s actually a good sign. It means, la premiere will be good,” Daffy blew a cloud of smoke and smiled at her in the dim light of the light bulbs hung around the circus tent.

“I’m just so tired, Daffy. I don’t know how long I can fight her off. She’s getting stronger. And she is better than me,”

“That’s not true, kid!” Mateo had crept to them, “and I have a solution to our little Odette problem,”

“Hush, Mat! She’ll hear!” Daffy obviously knew what he was talking about.

“I don’t care! The f*cking bitch will have to leave soon enough. I ain’t saying when,” Mat smirked, “I have an Italian childhood friend. He was an altair boy in the church. He know’s a priest who does exorcism. That might work. What do you say, kid? Let’s make Odette go to hell!”

Odry felt Odette stirring furiously within her. She twitched and shook for a couple of seconds.

“When?”

“Oh no, no, no! You’re not fooling me, Odette!” Mateo could tell them apart easilly. She shook again, Odry regained control.

“Don’t let her perform, kid! You’re only making her stronger,” Mateo begged.

“I can’t do it Matty,” Odry cried in his arms.

“Sure you can! You’re not alone. Remember that,”

Mateo’s well-meant words didn’t help her. She couldn’t sleep at night, tossing and turning, with her feet shaking. Odry was not a star. She wanted to hide from attention, not to be on display with her powers.

She didn’t eat breakfast. Odry was nervous all morning.

The surroundings of the circus were buzzing like a busy bee-hive. Trucks of goods drove back and forward. Another tent was set up in front of the circus tent. La premiere was mostly meant for selected guests from notable circus entrepreneurs to show-biz stars and other WIP’s. The guests would have a lovely welcome buffet and champagne in the new tent, then the red carped would lead them to the circus. An afterparty was planned when the show would be over. The Carnival behind the circus stood dark and silent - it was still cold. Bastille planned to start the Carnival in two weeks. For a whole week after la premiere there would be no shows - Bastille usually took the time to analyze the show and improve it, if necessary.

“Odette? You look terrible! I hope the make-up artist will fix that,” Bastille spat out at her. He was running around all day long, nervously shouting out orders, not shying away to give a snarky remark.

“Don’t listen to him! Bastille is more nervous than any of us,” Daffy consoled her. They where stretching and warming up in the backstage for some last minute rehearsals. Odry could barely control her hands and feet shaking. She was awfully quiet.

“The show is here! Yeah, baby!” Mateo pranced into the backstage.

“Oh, kid! Sorry! Come here,” he saw Odry’s teary eyes, “don’t sweat! I was as nervous as f*ck on my first shownight. Must’ve thrown up five times before I got to the stage, but when I got there… It all went as smooth as butter,”

The thought of food and throwing up was too much. Odry ran out and vomited behind the circus tent. Well, at least her pathetic state did not break the generator - since she could control her powers, devices didn’t explode near her. For a couple of terrible seconds she felt like running away and never looking back… actually, why wouldn’t she?!

“Odry?” a quiet voice said. She turned around swiftly.

“Linden? Linden!” Odry ran to him without a thought .They clashed in a tight embrace. It was by far the best feeling this morning.

Both released each other abruptly.

Linden couldn’t look her in the eyes.

“I have something to tell you,”

“About this?” Odry pulled out the little photo of Odette she found in Paris.

“Yeah… It’s… complicated. I did a bit of research…”

“You knew. You knew and you didn’t say a word. When we… you knew about Odette, didn’t you?” Odry yelled.

“I… father told me, but I didn’t believe him,”

“Linden, I look almost exactly like your mother. It’s just sick! You’re sick!” she spat out and ran inside the backstage tent.

“Wait! I have to tell you…” Linden followed, but bumped into Bastille’s chest.

“What the hell are you doing here ?” he shouted.

“I wouldn’t miss La premiere, now, would I?” Linden smiled coldly, “we have to speak, father,”

“I don’t have time for your shit!” Bastille retorted and marched to the circus ring. The frantic preparations took over the circus. It was manic. It was chaos. Odry didn’t understand what was going on. She hadn’t been eating all day long. She ran to thow up a couple of times, but couldn’t get anything out, because there was nothing to vomit. She did drink water. She didn’t hear anybody and was oblivious most of the time. One thing Odry knew for sure - she didn’t want to perform tonight! She couldn’t… there was no strength left within her. She sat staring at the mirror blankly, while the make-up artist did her best to make Odry into the star of the show. The troupe around her were buzzing cheerfully.

How can they be so happy about the sheer torture expecting them in an hour?!”

Odry heard the guests arriving, they mingled in the greeting tent. Everything looked luxurious - the place as well as the circus, decorated with clouds of fresh red roses. The infrared heat lamps kept the guests warm on the chilly spring evening. Photographers flashing cameras at the guests on the red carpet. Bastille greeted them in his costume, which thrilled the guests greatly. Odry looked at the poster in the backstage. It said “The Queen of the Night”. The woman in the poster looked like her, but it wasn’t Odry. It was Odette’s dream, her time and place. Odry wasn’t the star. Bastille didn’t want her, he wanted Odette. All those people gathering in the audience, they wanted Odette. So why… why would Odry fight it?

“Dazzle them, Odette!” Bastille’s face appeared next to hers in the mirror. It was time for her to climb up the dome with the fae. Mateo gave a quick kiss for good luck on her numb lips.

Odry climbed up the stairs with Danny and Daffy. All those people… the place was crowded. The orchestra began to play a soft tune. Camille Saint-Saëns’s “Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix” was the main musical theme of the whole show.

“My favourite aria,” Odette whispered, “this is my moment. This is what I live for,”

Odry closed her teary eyes and gave in.

“This is your life Odette, not mine. Do as you wish,”

A golden spotlight illuminated the three silhouettes flying down from the circus dome. The guests gasped in surprise - there were no safety nets or wires holding the three. The transparent wings of the fae flickered in the light. Shimmering golden confetti fell all around them. The spotlights revealed the circus ring as they flew down. It was a magical forest indeed - the trees were made to appear life-like, and the video-projections of magical plants growing and moving truly brought the fairy tale to life. Dancers revived the circus ring moving in their bright costumes. It was truly wondrous. Odry observed everything from the side, she let Odette take over completely.

Odette landed gracefully on Winnie’s open palm. He supported her every step down.

Both did a cute little dance, then bowed to each other, with the audience cheering. Then came the scene of them taking care of the magical forest.  First Winnie threw her roses - she made the float in the air. He threw bigger and bigger objects - branches, whole flower patches, even tree trunks. Odette made them fly around above the ring and land orderly in the right places. It was pure… magic. The crowd loved it. Odette joggled the objects with the fae twins, whilst they flew above the ring.

The next scene was Bastille’s arrival. Bastille himself had recorded the narrator’s voice. It told of the lonesome Elf king wandering into the Witche’s magical forest. He rode into the ring on the shining unicorn. The silvery spotlight amplified the animal’s magical glow. Odette pretended to be hiding behind Winnie. The Elf king greeted him with a bow. The dancers swirled around him in the artificial smoke. The lights turned softer. Odette crept out of her hiding. She and Bastille engaged in a heartfelt dance which became more passionate with every move. Odette’s and Bastille’s duet was perfect. People in the audience had tears in their eyes. The fae sat on Winnie’s shoulders watching.

When the dance reached its climax and both dancers leaned for a kiss, the lights changed to red - dark smoke filled the stage. The first set of dancers ran away, giving way to the ones dressed as demons and ghouls. Some danced with fiery torches. Artificial flames lit up around the stage. Mateo appeared from flames and smoke. The audience cheered - he was a well-known star. First he danced with the troupe, then with a couple of somersaults he ran to Bastille, shielding Odette. They played out a dance style battle, but Mateo turned into his animal form and pretended to wound Bastille badly. The narrator explained - the Witch offered herself to the demon, just to keep her beloved Elf king alive. The demon agreed. Odette sat on the wolf and let him carry her away. The first act was done.

The performers rushed into the bacstage through the darkness, the time before the second act was filled with a musical score, video projections and dancers. Bastille’s narrator’s voice spoke dark poetry of the underworld. Fire dancers did a phenomenal performance. With the help of lights and projections, they showed the forest burn down and then it was time for the underworld.

“You let her take over, Odry! I saw it! Stop doing it!” Mateo yelled at her, whilst the staff helped her change and the make-up artist corrected their looks.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Odette answered innocently.

“Stop that noise, this instant!” Bastille rushed into the backstage, “Rouge, Mateo! Go!”

The next scene was Mateo dancing in the underworld with firedancers swirling their torches and real flames burning around them. Rouge was a poor tortured soul. First she danced with the rest of the tortured souls, another set of dancers. Then the demon wished to burn her. Mateo danced and jumped around the stage, one minute a man, the other - a wolf. He laid Rouge down on a low pedestal. Flames raged around her, burning her clothes and hair. Odette came from the flames, she did a short number with Mat, the narrator said - even the demon submitted to her kindness. Rouge got up safe and sound with a glittery silver body art all over her - the Witches kindness saved the poor soul. Odette made Rouge’s body ascend a few meters above the floor, then the fae siblings flew down and grabbed Rouge, and all three flew into the shimmering spotlight. The soul was saved. Odette and Mateo danced while the fae lifted Rouge up. Mat clearly saw it wasn’t Odry, yet he did nothing - he was a professional, and the show had to go on.

The tune changed again - the Elf king had gone to the underworld with his army to save his queen. Bastille rode on the unicorn, the public loved the animal. Bastille, Mateo, Odette and the dancers did an acrobatic number, depicting the battle between the forces of good and evil. It looked impressive; their silhouettes illuminated against a dark backdrop. The demon was slayed, the Elf king and his Queen both rode on the unicorn away from the underworld. Another intermission of video projections, lights, music and acrobats, while Odette changed outfits again. This time Bastille kept close to her. They exchanged looks. He knew it was Odette.

The last scene was the two riding into the burned forest. Through dance and tricks with Odette moving trees through the air (they used life-size props), the circus ring came to life once more, with the lights and the projections changing from dark to light and colourful. Bastille and Odette danced at Winnies feet, whilst he moved in a troll’s dance with Danny and Daffy dancing in the air above his head. At the climax of the number - real rose petals fell from the dome, while Bastille and Odette held each other close and kissed. It was not in the script. The narrator spoke of magical love that conquers death and makes the wildest dreams come to life. And the show was over.

The crowd exploded cheering and clapping. It was a standing ovation. Bastille and Odette still stood locked in the kiss.

“I promised I’ll be back at any cost, Jean-Luc,” she whispered.

“I knew you’ll remember me, my rose,”