Hi everyone, I had this idea for a POTO story.
I have seen the play, read Leroux's book and watched the film, but I haven't read this other book that I didn't even know existed before checking out some of the stories on here.
This story is starts off on the roof of the Parisian opera house, where Raoul and Christine sing All I ask Of You, but the twist is, she chooses not to be with Raoul. This story will be an Erik/Christine pairing, but I must warn you, just because she has chosen not to be with Raoul does not mean she and the phantom will automatically be all lovey dovey.
So anyway, enjoy!
I am not a great fan of Raoul/Christine romances, as to me, it never really convinces and just seems like a teenage crush. I was surprised that so many people agreed with my views when I checked out the fan fiction on here for the first time. Please not that I will not be bashing Raoul in this story, I am better than that!
HUGE IMPORTANT NOTE: THE PHANTOM DID NOT KILL JOSEPH IN THIS STORY, BECAUSE IT MAKES IT TOO COMPLICATED! Explanations will be in the chapter.
Thoughts are in italics.
Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing.
This is my first POTO fic so be nice! Lol.
IN SHADOWS HE HIDES
PROLOGUE
DENIAL
He watched them, out of the corner of his eyes, his back flat against one of the many statues that adorned the outside of the Opera house that he runs. Until recently, he reminded himself, allowing the anger at the two new owners to boil inside him. In his opinion, you can not go from managing a junk business to managing the arts without help, or instructions in this case.
How dare he touch her? He thought, watching a man place a hand across her delicate cheek, only a few feet away from were he was standing.
"I can't Raoul." He heard her say, smirking at the confusion written across the young man's face.
"There is no need to fear him, I will not let him harm you." Raoul said, reaching across to touch the woman's long curls with his hand.
Again, he had to try and contain his anger and resentment towards the couple across the way. He was no fool, he knew that a woman like Christine would not choose him over her childhood sweetheart, however much he wished it wasn't so.
"No Raoul, I cannot do this." She said firmly, withdrawing from the Vicomte's touch.
"I am not afraid of him Raoul. He taught me to sing with the voice of an angel. He is with me all the time. I am not afraid." She said, raising her pale face to look directly into the man's blue eyes.
Erik was confused. Surely she would not say no to Raoul, her precious little Vicomte? He thought.
"Sounds like you are in love with your angel Christine." Raoul stated, sneering at the petit woman.
He watched the young man leave the rooftop, leaving Christine alone, pulling her scarlet cloak closer to her slim body for warmth.
He saw the tears fall down her porcelain cheeks, and he wanted nothing else but to wipe them away, but his anger and frustration prevented him.
Christine eyes were fixed on an object on the ground, carelessly placed there just moments before. The rose. His rose.
She bent over and gently picked up the blood red blossom from the snowy ground, slowly brining it to her nose, smelling its fine fragrance and tugging at the ebony ribbon tied around the stem.
She held a serene smile on her face, ignoring the snow falling steadily around her.
"Christine!" A voice exclaimed from the door. Both he and Christine turned to face the newcomer. That Giry ballet girl, he noted to himself, before turning back to Christine, making sure he could not be seen from behind the statue.
"What is this Raoul has been telling me?" The blonde said, walking up to Christine, giving her a confused look.
"Nothing Meg, nothing to worry over. Come, let us go inside before we freeze." Christine said, throwing a fleeting glance over her shoulder around the rooftop, searching for something.
His cobalt eyes studied every detail of her, yet he found no answers to the questions raging inside of him. Why deny the Vicomte? It made no sense, he made no assumption that it was him, it would not be good to let himself hope, something he had not done for a long time.
Meg Giry promptly took his angel's hand, guiding her towards the door.
"Everyone is talking about the attempted murder on Joseph, he seems to be enjoying the attention he is getting, unsurprisingly." Meg stated, holding a disgusted look on his face.
"Apparently someone tried to strangle him with a rope, according to him anyway. But he was drunk, as usual, so no one believes him. Probably more tales to frighten the chorus girls into bed with him." Meg said, laughing as the two friends reentered the Opera Populaire.
It was true that he had not killed Joseph, he needed not the attention it would bring him, a more cunning way was needed to put the managers in pace.
Sighing, he glanced over the carved stone walls and out to the city of Paris, thinking of Christine the entire time.
………………
I know it is short, but it's only a prologue. I usually make my chapters ten standard pages in word.
Please review, I am unsure whether I kept Erik in character, hopefully I did but if anyone has some pointers they will be warmly welcomed.
There will be Erik/Christine interaction in the next chapter, I promise, but do not expect fluff, not yet anyways. Bear with me, romance is the main theme of the story and I want it to be realistic, not a cliqued novel!
Dan.