Chapter One: Arrival

March 14th, 1889, Victoria Station, 10:30am.

"Oh, come now, mother! Look, see! The station isn't that far! Oh, hurry, we might miss the boat!" I cried, dragging her along behind me; she laughed and hurried along behind me.

The station was packed with travelers going to foreign countries, and coming back from them! Needless to say, it was equivalent to Piccadilly Circus in there! People bustled about everywhere with their servants toting around their luggage in only the finest skins behind them! Most of the women wore big, satin, feathered hats in muted colours and long, beautiful dresses coupled with lush boas of real animals! I smiled proudly to be among these people and tightened my hat's grip upon my head, feeling the white feather bounce around the top.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming, I'm coming! You mustn't work an old woman!" She cried from behind me, though, when I turned to glance at her, a wrinkled smile was carefully stitched upon her features. She was always smiling. The train whistle blew once more and I finally spotted our carriage, gasping and hurrying forwards, opening the door for her and allowing her and our servant, Marcus, inside.

"I wonder why father didn't want to come to Paris with us, I mean, it's our first time out of the states! Out of New York! Oh, mother, after we visit Paris can we go to London? I heard the shopping is wonderful there!" I said excitedly as I sat next to my mum; she chuckled and sighed as I helped her into the red, velvet seat.

We were in first class.

"Oh, darling, your father and I grew up in Paris, remember? Oh, I doubt you do, you were too busy blabbering about...what's-his-name" Mum said.

"Benedict, mother, Benedict." I corrected as Marcus handed me a travel book that featured both Paris and London. I smiled and thanked him, sighing and looking about the carriage, it was dark red all around with crimson seats that were only of the finest quality and in a small compartment sat an infinite wine cabinet! Dark wood was the door and a black, velvet curtain covered the windows that sat next to the door; for privacy. Mother was wrong when she said I wasn't listening to her.

In fact, I listened quite carefully.

She and father grew up in France and met at the Paris Opera House, however, father had his eye on another woman; mother's best friend. But, this woman was already in love with someone else (no one will tell me who either of them are!) So father gave up on her, and fell in love with my mother, Meg. I heard, years later the Paris Opera House caught fire and is now abandoned; for some reason, no one's tried to repair it, it just sits in disrepair in the very midst of Paris.

Mother said she was going to take me there!

For some reason, father didn't want to come with us; he was perfectly content sitting in our home in Coney Island and smoking the day away. It seems that's all he did now. He and mother are aging, quite rapidly I feel; they're in their early fifties and I am only twenty four! It seems the world is changing so rapidly and I am the only one standing still. Aside from that, Marcus sat now and sighed, pushing his hat down over his eyes and making the decision to sleep before we arrived at Gare du Norde.

- The train ride seemed especially long, but, it was scenic, to say the minimum.

The sun threw his beautiful rays of golden light down upon the earth and warmed us all beneath the mid-afternoon March sky (which was as blue as the ocean and as clear as a lily pond in summer). The clouds were white cotton candy and the trees that swayed eagerly below them resembled children at a fair.

When we arrived at Gare du Norde, I found it was almost like Victoria Station! People everywhere!

Though, it was all awe-inspiring. Large, gothic buildings rose high above us and church bells chimed! Women wearing the fanciest, most beautiful clothing I had ever seen walked before me, holding cotton balls of dogs on golden leaches! Heavenly scents rose from all around and I spotted a baker, humming a joyous tune, placing a type of chocolate bread on a table for children to eat at. Kites soared through the lake of a sky and children ran about, playing a game that resembled tag, though, I couldn't tell what they were saying; I didn't know French.

I wandered away, towards a large green where couples sat and had lunch and families played happily; mother yelled for me. "Daphne! Come now, we've got to go to the hotel!" She cried, I sighed.

"Oh, may I please stay in the green for a little while? I promise you I won't leave it!" I yelled back to her, she sighed and smiled; nodding. I giggled in excitement and gave a little bounce; Marcus lifted our luggage off of the ground and followed my mother to a cab that headed off in the direction of our hotel. I smiled and started dancing! I'm terribly horrible at it and should've been completely embarrassed to even think of abusing my distasteful skills in public, but, I didn't care! I was in a different country with different people and it was a wonderful day, what had I to lose?

I jumped and skipped and twirled around the green; a few children took up my hand and we sang a French song that went to the tune of 'Ring Around the Rosie'. When they yelled the final verse, that, in English, is 'and we all fall down' they spun me and I fell upon someone! Papers were thrown into the air and I was aware I laid across someone's lap. The children laughed and the person sat up, cursing at them in French; the children ran away, laughing. I sat up upon my elbows and turned to see a man wearing a large, black hat with a black suit and black tie with black trousers and black, shiny shoes.

The hat covered the man's face, so I had no time to look at him.

"O-Oh, m-monsieur, I-I am so, so infinitely sorry!" Said I standing from him and beginning to pick up the papers that flew around us. The man did nothing to help; he only stared at me as I hurried about, gathering the papers before the wind pulled them away from me. When I finally had them all in my hands I found they were music sheets! "Do you fancy composing, monsieur?

These are quite good" said I, making small talk, really I had no idea of how to read music. The man sighed and stood; he towered over me! As he stood he dusted off his suit jacket and I saw how skinny he was; skeletal! I held out the papers to him and he snatched them back; he lifted his hat up a bit and shot me a glare, however, as his glare progressed, it turned into a stare of disbelief. But, there was something that troubled me about his stare; his eyes, his eyes were daffodils!

My mouth dried and I blinked several times in surprise; the man also paused, but, hopefully not for the same reason I did. He reached out and with a black, gloved hand gently ghosted his fingers over my cheek. "Christine.." he whispered in utter astonishment.

"Excuse me, monsieur? What did you say?" I asked; then, my name was yelled from behind me; I quickly turned and spotted my mother hanging out of the window of a cab, waving to me. "G-Goodbye, monsieur, good day" said I as I attempted to leave, but, the man grasped my wrist.

"Why must you leave me so soon? Not again, Christine, you've left me once already; a second time I dare not think of." He said quickly; his voice was so soothing and gentle that I stayed for a few moments; too wonder filled to say anything.

"M-Monsieur, I believe you have me confused with someone else; I'm not Christine, I'm Daphne." I explained with a smile; the man now allowed my wrist to slip out of his grasp and I hurried away, back to the cab and jumped inside.

- "Who was that man?" Mother asked when I entered the cab.

"I have no idea, he continuously called me 'Christine' and insisted upon me staying with him. He had yellow eyes, mother! Have you ever seen such a thing? I know I haven't." Said I, mother grasped my arms with unprecedented strength and leaned very close to me.

"How did you come by this man?" Asked she in an extremely stern tone.

"I bumped into him, well, I was thrown into him. I was playing with some children and they twirled me and I...kind of...fell...on him." I explained; mother closed her eyes and rubbed her face; she now turned to Marcus.

"Make sure he doesn't follow, alright?" She asked him, Marcus nodded and my brows furrowed together; why was she so afraid of this man?