Disclaimer: I don't own POTO. I also don't own the cat that has taken to living in my garden but that's another story.
A/N: This is a short story with a little twist at the end. It's E/C. Don't be mad at Christine until you've read it the whole way through. And yes, I know it is quite depressing but it's done now so read…
Love is a Fever That Maddens the Brain
Erik
Things had been tense between us these last few days – ever since the opening night of the new opera when I had foolishly given her a kiss on the cheek because I was so extremely proud of her. She had immediately started to look nervous and uneasy around me and since then had begun avoiding me as best she could. She would head straight for her room when she got in and would stay there for as long as was possible; only coming out for meals. I did all I could to apologise and try to coax her out of her room but nothing I did worked and she had even refused our singing lessons over the last couple of days. I knew I had upset her but I didn't think that one fatherly kiss on the cheek would make her behave so oddly towards me.
I had only just arrived home to my lair an hour or so ago and knew she would be in her room now. Peculiarly enough, she hadn't come out to get anything to eat but I resigned myself to the fact that she'd probably gotten something earlier when I was out.
This was ridiculous! What I had done was no reason to ignore me! It was just so terribly frustrating when she was acting this way around me and it was about time I made her realise that I was so very sorry for making her feel so uncomfortable in my presence. But what could I do to get things back to normal? What could I say to her? Enough was enough – it wouldn't matter what I said as long as I could get her to just come out…
"Christine?" I called softly as I tapped lightly on the panelling of her bedroom door. I received no reply from within, which was, I have to say, no more than I had expected. "Please, Christine. I'm sorry. Just speak to me," I implored. This was becoming too much! There really was no need to treat me like this! "Christine, come out of there, right now! Even I don't deserve to be ignored like this!" I shouted frostily as my rage burned deeper.
Again, no answer… I was beginning to wonder if she was even in her room because usually she would have answered me if she knew I was that angry. My temper cooled slightly and I pushed open her door…
Nothing… she wasn't there…
But just at the toe of my left foot as I stepped inside was a small cream-coloured envelope addressed: Erik
Picking it up, I encountered that ominous throbbing in the back of my skull which would usually only appear when I was about to hear Carlotta sing and knew that I would not leave without a pulsing headache. Pulling the letter out wearily, I read:
Dear Erik,
I'm so sorry to have to tell you like this but I couldn't tell you in person because I knew it would upset you and I can't stand to see that. While you were gone, I packed and left with Raoul – we're engaged. Forgive me. I know I've hurt you but I couldn't stay any longer – I just want to be happy, Erik.
Goodbye, my dearest friend.
Christine.
The greatest pain a man can feel pulsed through my veins and constricted my heart. The anguish that that one letter caused me is beyond saying with words – they just don't convey the actual agony of losing her. And to that Vicomte… Surely she hadn't left because of a kiss… No, no, of course not, she had been planning this all along… and she hadn't been uneasy around me because of anything I had done – she felt guilty! How could she do this to me?! How could she have so little regard for the person who alone loved her the most?! And to add extra sting to my already tortured soul was that she obviously didn't think I had the right to be told to my face.
Letting my sore eyes fill up with tears, I saw a sudden blurred glint from the cover of her bed. Picking the object up between finger and thumb, I knew immediately what it was – the symbol of my unending care and devotion to her – my ring. I remembered when I had given it to her, she had hugged me for it and she swore never to take it off. But now she had… and with it she had ripped out my heart and soul… She didn't care…
I staggered painfully out to the shore of my lake, unable to breathe and unwilling to try. And I fell… I fell… head first into the serene waters of my darkened lake… Did I care? Should I? If I did… why wasn't I swimming…? Had Christine given so hard a blow that I could no longer fight…?
I was sinking; slowly tumbling around so that I didn't know which way was up… Lost in the beauty of my Christine… my Christine… I closed my pained eyes and drifted away from life… And… and…
* * * * *
I wakened up…
And there, still peacefully asleep beside me on our bed, was Christine – my love and my bride – unaware of the terrible dream that had plagued her new husband for months before our wedding. I rolled her beautiful body into my arms, careful not to wake her up, and I kissed my angel's forehead. And I knew that no nightmare would bother me again because in this one day and night of my wedding to her, my greatest fear was extinguished. She would never leave me…
* * * * *
A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading my short story. I wrote it this morning since I was off school so I may need to edit part of it…
And I'll leave you now with, I think, an appropriate quote from Poe:
"And when an hour with calmer wings
Its down upon my spirit flings –
That little time with lyre and rhyme
To while away – forbidden things!
My heart would feel to be a crime
Unless it trembled with the strings."
(From Romance by Edgar Allan Poe)