Chapter 3: Love for the Dark
Erik's POV
Erik let his fingers play over the keys. He was amazed at how much he had been getting done in Don Juan Triumphant. Anyway, he closed his eyes and turned to the beginning of his opera to wonder what else he wanted to happen. Playing the music took almost the whole day, but he began playing the next aria, which Don Juan would sing. Once the song was finished, he wrote the lyrics and he began to sing.
A new day for a mission… I've never seen a dawn like this before… Love shines over aggression… I've never seen a dawn like this before…
Another sunrise in your heart…
Give me tears of the wrong…
The hate of convicts…
Glamour of the damned…
Rule of Benedict…
Tears of the night turn to diamonds in your eyes…
In the face of the world's ugliness…
Sister of charity remains a mystery…
Another wound heals in your heart…
Give me fears of the strong…
The warfare politics…
The decay of the west…
Rule of Benedict…
Tears of the night turn to diamonds on your eyes…
In the face of the world's ugliness…
Sister of charity remains a mystery…
Erik smiled. The song seemed to speak to him; seemed to tell him the story of his time with Christine and beyond.
The first verse was the love he felt for Christine. The chorus spoke of the pain he had to deal with his entire life and the changes he had to make all the time. The second verse was of the gratitude he felt for Meg.
Erik played the song again and felt the success. This song was more than just part of the opera; it was part of him.
Meg's POV
Meg went to her mother and sat next to her. "Mama, I need some advice," she started. Madame Giry sat up a little more and looked at her daughter. Meg took a deep breath, ringing her hands nervously. "I am in love. But he is older than me by many years. He has done nothing to provoke me into loving him, if that's what you're thinking, but I have loved him for many years now. And that love has grown just recently. You remember that man I was staying with?"
Madame Giry seemed to become livid and pale. "I remember, Meg. But you must be honest with me now. Who is he?"
Meg started and her heart began to beat faster. "I…I can't say, Mama. I know his name, but I cannot tell you for I know you would disapprove. But I already spoke with Sorelli and she told me that love knows no age, nor bounds."
"Sorelli is a wise woman in that area, Meg. But I have to know who this man is before I can say whether I support you or not."
"Mama—"
"You are still a child, despite what you may think, Meg. I worry for you. I don't want to see my little girl have her heart broken," Madame Giry said, looking at her daughter calmly. "The first love is always be the most painful, when the time comes for it to end. You think you've found the one, and then they find another they love even more and break your heart."
"Mama, he is the one who has suffered the worst of all heartbreaks. I do not know if it is possible for him to love me as much as he had loved his first."
Madame Giry looked at Meg and smiled. Then she threw the covers off of her and she walked over to a dresser. "Meg. Your father was several times my senior; I met him when I was living with my parents in Marseille. I was your age and he had been married before. His wife died in childbirth, as was his first born child. I began to spend time with him, spoke to him and learned of the ache any sort of love can leave if left unfulfilled. We became good friends and he took me in when my parents died. I came to Paris and, when I was old enough to marry, I gave him this," she held up a locket with a Lily engraved on it.
Madame Giry handed it to Meg. "It was a tradition in our family to give this locket to the man or women we wish to spend the rest of our lives with. We then explain the symbolism of the locket and conclude with these words: 'It must never be opened, for inside is my heart, which I give to you.' If they do not love you, they will not accept it, if they do, then they will take the locket and return it when they are on their bed. Then you say; 'I have given you my heart, and you have accepted and cherished it in our time together.' After that, you keep it until your child has met someone they wish to spend their life with."
Meg took the locket and admired its glow in the light. "You think I should tell him how I feel?"
"Yes, but don't offer the locket until I know that you can trust him," Madame Giry said.
Meg nodded and hugged her mother. "Thank you for understanding."
"I understand, but I do not support this and I won't until I know more about who he is."
Meg smiled and looked outside. Snow.
Erik's POV
Erik looked up from his music and looked at the entrance. Meg entered rushed to his side, a large smile on her face. "Monsieur, have you ever been in the snow before?"
Erik looked at her curiously. "I have, but not much. I've never really been able to appreciate it."
Meg's smile widened. "Then this will make the experience more enlightening! Come with me, Monsieur le Fantome!" Meg dragged Erik up to Apollo's Lair and Erik was shocked at the sight: the roof was covered in white powder.
Meg danced around, looking free and careless of all the pains of the earth. Erik walked into the snow and watched the flakes fall softly on the ground. Erik looked at Meg, whom had stopped twirling around and was watching the flakes fall just as he was.
"Have you ever seen, truly seen, Paris in winter, Monsieur? The ground covered in snow as children played and their parents watched. And lovers strolled in the park as the snow flowed gently to the streets, covering it in thick layers. I always enjoyed winter for it was the time when love was at its darkest."
"Why are you telling me this?" Erik asked, still taking in the sight of the snow and Meg's words.
Meg looked at him, her eyes shinning like obsidian crystals, her hair sparkling with the snow on it. "Because I love you."
Erik stiffened. He longed to hear those words, just not from Meg. "Meg…"
"What is your name?" Meg asked him. Erik clenched his fists.
"That is no concern of yours, Little Giry," he snarled. Meg sighed and stood.
"I just wanted to know. I mean, I love you and you address me by my name. Why can't I address you by yours?" She asked, the glow in her eyes dimmed as she looked at him. Erik began to feel guilt again.
What is it with this child!?
"Because I don't want you to know. It is not really my name."
"Why?"
"Because I never really knew my name. I gave myself a name by accident."
"It doesn't matter. I love you and I think I deserve the right to know your name, whether it is your true name or not."
Erik's lips curved into a snarl beneath the mask. She is growing spiteful. I can hardly see any traces of the nervous little girl who disrupted my death rest over a month ago. Meg Giry, you are indeed a curious child.
He grabbed her by the arm tightly, and ripped off his mask, forcing her to look at him. "I am Red Death, The Opera Ghost, the Living Dead, and above all, I am Erik," He hissed.
Meg's POV
Meg stared at Erik for a moment, the death's head looked back at her and Meg gave him a small smile.
"Do you still love me?" He growled. Meg nodded. Erik let go of her and picked his mask up. "Why?"
"Because I cannot see myself with anyone else. I told you; I don't want a prince. I want Dracula. I want the darkness."
The song is called "Sister of Charity" by The 69 Eyes. thanks to all who reveiwed. Now if you wonder why i don't use disclaimers is because it's rather OBVIOUS that I don't own Phantom. Though I have met Erik once or twice and glomped him so many times that he won't go near me anymore...
Erik: HELP!!!
me: erm...yeah...you heard nothing...
