(A/N) welcome to chapter three! Yay! I have to admit that not much happens…but it will in the next chapter!
Thanks so much for reviewing Araiona Dubois! Many hugs and kisses for you! My only reviewer (sob). Uh…hem, anyway…
Enjoy!
Chapter three: I'm Just The Delivery Boy!
The figure made towards the window, clumsily, and clambered into the room. It was then that I recognised who it was, and couldn't help sighing with relief. It was Alexandre Giry, or Alex, as he was commonly known. My mother was a friend of his mother, Meg Giry, the ballet teacher at the opera. She had, in younger years, been one of the most successful prima ballerinas in Paris. He was a humorous boy, very friendly, if not a little clumsy and awkward. As he stumbled into my room, he managed to catch one of his rather large feet on the leg of my dressing table, and landed spread-eagled on the rug, face down. I helped him up. He is the same age as me, but a good foot taller, being quite tall for his age. He is extremely skinny, with sandy hair and out of proportion hands and feet. In his said hands was clutched a packet. It was wrapped in simple brown paper, and tied with a black ribbon. I stared at it. He noticed me staring and held it out to me, grinning. I took it, my eyebrow raised.
"Is this…from you?"
I questioned, wondering why he chose to give it to me now, instead of later at the party.
"Oh no! It's from Grandmamma."
So the mystery gift came from Madame Giry. The woman was a marvel, and I held her in the highest respect, although she was at most times a little strange. She was reaching the age of fifty-four, and from the moment of my birth had taken I keen interest in me. She had encouraged me to be inquisitive and discouraged me from acting anything like my father, and I thank her greatly for this. I always felt as though she was hiding something from me. She had an amazingly mysterious air, as if she knew something that no one else could possible imagine. However I was still confused.
"Why didn't you use the front door?"
I enquired, my eyebrow arched.
"Because she told me to get the gift to you without your mother or father knowing."
This was rather odd, and just raised further questions. I asked him why my mother and father were not to know, but he said that he had no idea, and that he was just the delivery boy. More questions flooded my head, filling the pages of my mental notebook. Damn.
"Anyway, I've got to go."
I looked up at him, noticed that he was fidgeting, and realised that I must have slipped into one of my deep contemplations. I bid him farewell, and watching him climb back down the tree. He got about half way, lost his footing and landed in a pile below. Luckily it was autumn, so there were plenty of multicoloured leaves to break his fall.
I turned away from the window, and took a seat back on my bed, looking at the package I held loosely in my hands. Attached was a small card. I recognised Madame Giry's handwriting. It said simply-
To Erik
I undid the ribbon and peeling away the paper. There were a couple of things inside. I picked up the pieces of paper on top. They appeared to be music manuscripts. It was handwritten, but not in a style that I recognised. It was written in red ink. The title proclaimed-
Music of the night
With it was another note. This was clearly from Madame Giry. It read-
When you have become experienced in playing your new violin, you must learn to play this.
I blinked. How very peculiar. I inspected the music more carefully. I couldn't understand any of it, but from what I did know, I thought it looked awfully hard. Still, I was determined to try. The next item in the package was a collection of writing paper and envelopes. With them were a bottle of red ink, a fine eagle quill, and a block of sealing wax. I could see that these could be useful, but I was not custom to writing many letters. And why on earth would I want red ink? I didn't want people to think that I wrote with blood! The final thing inside the wrapping was a small, black, leather bound notebook. Incredible! How could she possibly know that this was exactly what I wanted! Truly she was incredible!
I placed the notebook and a pencil in my breast pocket, and made ready to go down to breakfast. Before I left, I made sure the place these new, strange presents in my draw. There must be reason why Madame Giry wanted them to be secret, so I decided to keep them hidden.
Just before the party I received a note. It was an apology from Mlle Giry, informing me that Alex would not be able to make it, on account of the fact that he had broken his ankle. I could have sworn that he hadn't looked that hurt when I saw him fall from the tree, but I guess I was wrong. Poor boy.
To Be Continued…
(A/N) thanks for reading! Please more reviews, they make Erik happy! What will happen at Erik's party? I can tell you it won't be dull! TTFN
