Liaison At The Palais Garnier
Sitting alongside her friend Estelle in her opera box at the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris, Nicole read a message that had been delivered to her.
It was a May evening in Paris in the year 1889.
And the 1888-1889 season of the Palais Garnier Paris Opera Company was coming to an end.
The season had begun in September with Verdi’s Aida.
And was coming to an end this May with Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
Nicole and Estelle had thoroughly enjoyed Act I of tonight’s opera.
During intermission there was one man who kept his eyes on Nicole the whole time they were in the lobby.
Returning to their box minutes before Act 2 was to begin, they discussed the excitement surrounding this particular night at the opera.
Aside from the usual rumours surrounding the possible appearance of Erik the Phantom of the Opera, there were other rumours surrounding tonight’s performance.
It was rumoured that Queen Victoria’s eldest son Edward Prince of Wales (who would be the future King Edward VII of Britain) would be attending tonight’s performance incognito under the name Monsieur Claude Adonais.
Various opera goers cast their glances around the seats on the floor and in the opera boxes to see if Monsieur Claude Adonais (aka Edward Prince of Wales) was there.
Just minutes before Act 2 of Don Giovanni was to begin, Nicole received a note.
“What does the note say?” Estelle asked excitedly.
“It says,” Nicole read the note aloud, “My dearest and fairest Mademoiselle, do I have permission to enter your box before tonight’s performance is finished?” And it’s signed Claude Adonais. Then in brackets it says Edward Prince of Wales.”
“The cheek of him,” Estelle shook her head, “Asking to enter your box.”
“I do believe he’s talking about my opera box,” Nicole replied.
“You never know with Edward Prince of Wales,” Estelle noted, “He has quite the reputation.”
Nicole sent a note back.
“What did you say?” Estelle asked.
“I said Oui,” Nicole answered.
“Oh, Nicole,” Estelle sighed.
Just as the scene where Don Giovanni encounters the statue of the slain dead Commendatore (whose daughter Don Giovanni had sexually violated and the Commendatore had died in a sword fight against Don Giovanni defending his daughter’s honour) unfolds, Monsieur Claude Adonais (aka Edward Prince of Wales) entered Nicole’s box (her opera box that is).
“Would you care to come to my hotel room after dinner?” Monsieur Claude Adonais asked, “We’ll have wine, a midnight snack and a most scrumptuous shish kebab of a sword for your dessert.”
Just as on stage the statue of the Commendatore dragged Don Giovanni down to Hell, so too Erik the Phantom of the Opera arrived on his chandelier, grabbed the Prince of Wales and carried him down to the subterranean lake below the Palais Grenier Opera House.
Just as the Phantom was about to drag the Prince of Wales below the depths of the lake, London’s famous consulting detective Sherlock Holmes arrived on the scene.
“Your Highness,” Holmes explained, “Your mother the Queen hired me to look out for you. After she heard you were traveling incognito to Paris sans Alexandra your wife, she figured something like this would happen.”
Holmes ripped off the Phantom’s mask.
Erik with a loud cry vanished beneath the waters of the lake.
Holmes then turned to Edward Prince of Wales (under his incognito nom-de-plume Monsieur Claude Adonais), “And as for you, your naughty Royal Highness, your mother has booked a three hour session with my twin sister Sherrielock Holmes for you.”
Edward turned pale, “But isn’t your sister a dominatrix?”.
“She is, your Highness,” Holmes nodded, “And you’ve had it coming.”
Meanwhile Nicole and Estelle sat in a small cafe on the Champs-Elysees.
Nicole opened up a box of chocolates (that had been given her by Edward Prince of Wales Monsieur Claude Adonais) and said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”
-A short story
and
vampire novel chapter
written by Christopher
Thursday May 20th
2021.
Dracul Van Helsing 
Kritika said,
May 21, 2021 at 1:06 am
Life surely is a box of chocolates. The ending is fantastic.
Dracul Van Helsing said,
May 21, 2021 at 1:58 pm
Thank you so much, Kritika. 🙏🏻😀
morgantarot said,
May 21, 2021 at 2:43 pm
Haha the note scene was good and the ending was very unexpected haha 😀
Dracul Van Helsing said,
May 21, 2021 at 2:59 pm
Glad you enjoyed. 😀
ΠιCΘLΣ said,
May 23, 2021 at 7:51 pm
I remember a story about the VIII-th from a documentary about his scorched earth policy in France. before he got “tied down”. The VII-th was also notorious, but there were no tabloids to do scoops. I’m sure there are lots of stories tucked under carpets. Both stories are great for popcorn eating and reading.
Dracul Van Helsing said,
May 23, 2021 at 8:05 pm
Yes, they are great for popcorn eating and reading.
Edward VIII as Prince of Wales sewed quite a few wild oats at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
And as for Edward VII, when he became King during his reign from 1901 to 1910, some newspapers did start taking note of his extracurricular activities.
Noting in their society columns that the King always seemed to be escorting some beautiful young actress to dinner parties and soirées somewhere.
ΠιCΘLΣ said,
May 24, 2021 at 1:19 am
I am familiar with the stories. And thank goodness for YouTube; I can do dinner and listening. I like to revise history occasionally. And this is world history with two prominent figures so it’s really important to know exactly what they were doing. And thank you for reminding me I need a refresher course.
Dracul Van Helsing said,
May 24, 2021 at 1:43 pm
History is so very interesting.
shєrríє dє vαlєríα said,
May 25, 2021 at 1:17 am
And so the tomato lesson has just begun … hehehe …
Dracul Van Helsing said,
May 25, 2021 at 2:01 pm
That’s right. 😂
The tomato lesson is just beginning for Edward Prince of Wales. 😅🤣