Chapter One: Acceptance
For many months now she had been watching him, slowing and surely observation turning to an obsession, to a love. Now had come the time when she proposed to execute her brilliant scheme to win his heart, she hoped.
Marie was not particularly beautiful, being of average height and build, with long, black, waving hair that hung down to her waist and black eyes to match, which only seemed to her to reflect her longing, her sadness and her lack of belonging here. She had always felt like an outcast, not that she was particularly treated as such but just the way the other girls behaved made her feel as though she didn't belong. That's when she heard him.
She had first heard him singing to Christine when Christine was praying for her father, then when he had taken her through the mirror. She had gone through the mirror the next morning and witnessed the Phantom as he had screamed in anguish at his face being revealed to Christine. She had felt his pain and had longed to reach out to him but knew that she could not.
As time had progressed, if the Phantom was there, so was Marie. Somehow she managed to follow him without him detecting she was there. She had seen him murder, laughing, threatening but also loving, longing and crying with a pain that pierced his eyes and her heart with a sorrow she had never known. It was as if, she felt, they were made for each other, not belonging to this world and being aware of that fact. That's why she decided to win him, if they could not belong, it would be together.
It was three weeks after the climax of his pursuit of Christine, one which had filled Marie with a jealousy and also empathy. She had known that Christine would chose Raoul, she and the Phantom were not meant to be, not like Marie and the Phantom.
She walked slowly around the corner into the Phantom's chambers. Her footsteps echoed loudly off the stone walls back to her. She knew that the Phantom heard her but probably hid. She cried out to him.
"Phantom!" no answer came "Phantom, I wish to speak with you! Pleaseā¦"
Her hopes were rewarded, a dark shape appeared from behind a curtain and there he stood, looking at her, dressed in all his black glory with a shiny black wig and a white half mask that contrasted heavily with the rest of his ensemble but served to highlight his grey-green eyes that Marie had so heavily noted. It took all Marie's strength to support herself on her shaking legs that threatened to collapse beneath her.
"Who are you and what do you want?" he bellowed.
"My name is Marie. I'm a ballerina in the Opera's ballet. I was wondering if you would consent to give me piano lessons. I am willing to pay for this service."
"Young Lady, there are hundreds of piano masters out there who would be willing to teach you and who would be much more accessible. I suggest you ask one of them to teach you."
"Oh no!" she exclaimed before he had even finished his suggestion and a smile lit up her face and dark eyes as she thought of the difference, "they could never teach me the subtle and yet overwhelming beauty that you could. I wish to learn to play to piano so that when I play, I may silence a room and possess everyone's soul with my sweet notes." She looked up at him (for she had been gazing into space) and smiled "for that I need you."
The Phantom looked shocked at such a description but hurriedly tried to steady himself once again, "uh, well, in that case, I will accept your offer under two conditions. Firstly, you never attempt to remove my mask and secondly, you never question what I ask you to do. Is that clear?"
Marie nodded, still in a dream as she gazed at him and listened to his voice. He noticed this but attempted to pass it off for a generally dreamy personality. It made him feel uncomfortable all the same.
"When do you wish to commence lessons?" he asked.
"Tomorrow evening after ballet lessons with Madame Giry. How much will you be asking in payment?"
"Marie, I never accept payment for lessons involving music. If I choose to share my knowledge, it is of my own free will and I will not sell it."
At the sound of her name from his lips, she practically melted onto the floor. "Ok" she whispered before turning around and heading back the way she had come. "Tomorrow evening then".
When she had gone around the corner she held a hand out to the wall to steady herself, closed her eyes and smiled deeply. She had never felt so happy, her plan had worked.
