Wandering Child

I sat on the curb in an alley-way behind the old Opera Populaire, crying into an already-soaked handkerchief. I couldn't believe I was alone again, I had so wanted for this to last, and now I was alone and lost again.
"Why? Why does this always seem to happen?" I whispered to the empty air, at least, I thought it was empty. I sighed, "You will always and forever be my belle." I was speaking to her, as if she could possibly hear me when I had been sure to get as far away as possible, to hide my utter grief.
Suddenly I heard footsteps in the alley and curled up into an even tighter ball. I just wanted to be left alone. Then I heard a soft and melodious voice singing to me, it quieted my tears enough that I could finally breathe again.
"Wandering child,
So lost, so helpless
Yearning for my guidance"
I replied faintly, my voice still rough from crying.
"Angel or devil?
Guide or demon?
Who is it there, staring?"
The mysterious voice replied. "Child you have found your Angel."
"Angel, oh, speak
What endless longings
Echo in this whisper!"
"Too long you've wandered in winter
Far from my far-reaching gaze..."
"Softly my mind yields to you..."
"Don't resist..."
We both sang simultaneously. "And your/the soul obeys..."
"Angel of Music,
Don't deny me! /Guide and guardian,
Open to true beauty! /Grant to me your glory!
Angel of Music!
Do not shun me/My protector!
Come to your/me strange Angel..."
The mysterious voice changed tone now, and I felt myself rising from my fetal position and into strong arms, I had no fear of this voice, I knew it would not hurt me. "I am your Angel of Music...
Come to me; Angel of Music..."
When I was standing with my face buried in a thick
cloak I heard the owner of the voice whisper, "Do not worry child, you need no longer be alone."
"Thank you, who ever you are, thank you."
"My name is Erik. Trust me and I will keep you safe."
"Alright. You have my trust." I felt a gloved hand take mine as Erik led me from the alley, my tears still flowing, but not as heavily. "Where are we going?"
"My home." He pulled me so that I was walking beside him. I closed my eyes, hiding the fact that they were blood-shot and weak from crying and ducking my head to hide my blotchy cheeks. "Child, where we are going you need not hide. There is no one there who will judge you by your appearance."
I became aware that we were remaining in shadows, an easy feat considering the fact that the sun was setting. I was also aware that we were on a down slope. "Erik, where is your home?" I looked up and saw his face for the first time, half of it was covered by a white mask.
"Below the Opera. I think you will like it, at least, I hope you will." We stopped momentarily and a door opened up in the wall in front of us. We continued on at a downward angle, it was getting continuously colder. We stopped at the edge of a lake and Erik helped me into the boat that was moored in front of us. After I was situated he climbed in behind and pushed the boat away from the mooring point.
The farther out on the lake we got the colder it got, soon I was shivering profusely. Erik stopped the boat, undid his cloak and draped it over me without tipping the boat. "I apologize for the temperature, but there isn't much one can do when one is below ground."
I shook my head. "It's fine; really, I just have to get used to it, that's all." I smiled back at him. "Thanks for the cloak."
He smiled back, "You're quite welcome Mam'selle..." At that moment we both realized that I had never told him my name.
"Zoe. My last name really isn't that important. I no longer associate myself with one whom the name comes from."
"Zoe. It's a beautiful name."
I blushed, "No, not really, I don't like it that much. Too short, too unusual." I shrugged; the truth was I was uncomfortable with him saying how beautiful it was; the last person who had told me that had just recently broken my heart.
"I have made you uncomfortable, forgive me. It was not my intention."
"How...? Never mind, forgiven." I ducked my head again, to hide the threatening tears.
"Zoe, look up." I did so, just in time to see a portcullis rising out of the water and curtains pulling back, revealing that rose from the water and lit when they made contact with the air. On a far wall there was a beautiful organ, also surrounded by candles.
"It's beautiful." I smiled, my first smile since that morning. The boat docked and Erik helped me out of it, wrapping his cloak around me after I was on solid ground.
"You need it more than me." He responded to my look rather than anything I had said. Something she had done often. I bit my lip and went to sit on a flight of stairs. Erik followed me, "Forgive me, I seem to be determined to upset you."
"No, its not you, really. It's just, I only recently lost the person I loved and there are some things you do that remind me too much of them." I wasn't about to tell him, even though I felt a connection, that the one whom I had lost was a woman. I didn't want him to see me as unnatural, the way my father had. "May I have some time alone? Please?"
"Yes, of course." He helped me to my feet and led me to a room just off to the side. It was furnished beautifully in dark reds and browns. "My room is just up the stairs if you need anything. I am also quite frequently at the organ." He bowed. "I am entirely at your disposal."
"Thank you." I nodded and went to sit on the bed. After some time I was struck with the urge to sing, as I had so often when I was young.
"Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird,
How is it you sing?
How can you jubilate sitting in cages
never taking wing?
Outside the sky waits, beckoning! Beckoning!
Just beyond the bars...
How can you remain staring at the rain
maddened by the stars?
How is it you sing, anything?
How is it you sing?
My cage has many rooms, damask and dark...
Nothing there sings, not even my lark.
Larks never will, you know, when they're captive.
Teach me to be more adaptive.
Ah...
Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird,
teach me how to sing.
If I cannot fly...
Let me sing." As I finished the song tears streamed down my face, soaking my dress.

I heard footsteps and turned away from the door to hide my tears. "Child," There was something wonderfully soothing in Erik's voice, "You sing beautifully. I could arrange for you to have a career at the Opera."
"No. Too public. I can't sing in public to save my life."
"Perhaps you could in time. With my help. I have some knowledge in teaching others to sing. Would you like to better yourself?"
I nodded, "Okay. I...I need something to get my mind off of the pain."
"Then I am just the one to help."