Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera does not belong to me (though I think if it were up to him, he wouldn't belong to anyone), only my own characters do.
Author's Note:
To The Phantom of The Labyrinth: I'm glad you finally reviewed the story; it only took an epic meeting of favorite characters. Don't worry, you haven't seen the last of Jareth, he will be back. Best chapter so far? Thank you so much, I hope the following chapters of the story will live up to your expectations.
To GigiMusic: Yes, one more reason Tavlyn hides his royal lineage. How will Meg and Madame Giry react? You'll have to wait and see when that secret of his is revealed to them. And we'll have more Eleven Etiquette in future chapters, needless to say rank in society and proper respect to that rank by lower classes is very important.
To foxgodess07: You got me, I took the lines from the movie to make Jareth go away. However, certain words and names have always been thought to hold power in the magical world and I'm keeping with that tradition.
To pegasus5406: I'm glad you've enjoyed the ride so far, thanks for reading!
To sesshomaru-sama68: Thanks for finally reviewing, hope you enjoy the new chapter.
To Nakia-Park23: Yes, Erik will find out why the lullaby sounded so familiar. Did Christine take S'ray's advice? That will be revealed in the next couple chapters. Tavlyn and the pixie and Meg and the vamp? We'll see what happens with the love triangles that are in the works. Of course dragons take mates, that's how we get more dragons. Cyd however does not currently have a mate; more on him will be coming as well.
To LittleMargarita: I wouldn't say Erik is being a big baby per se, remember he's lost everything he's ever cared for starting with his dog Sasha when he was about 8 or 9. I would say he's more deathly afraid of losing S'ray and it makes him intensely emotional. Also he's never really been good at controlling his emotions when they are so strong. I would also say that he probably suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as he has most of the minor and major symptoms. Jareth a jerk? Of course he can be a jerk or shall we say very haughty royalty instead?
Thanks to pegasus5406, Vivaldi Requiem, sesshomaru-sama68, marlilsis, Kala-Warrior18, Sparky-Angel, jag24jag24, Nakia-Park23, BlackKittenMaid, With a freaking y and MrsMalfoyLupinMellarkHawthor ne for subscribing or adding this as a favorite story. Silent support means as much to an author as verbal. Don't be afraid to drop in with a review the next time you read a chapter.
Thanks to all who have read and reviewed; the more you review, the faster I write the next chapter. Now, on with the story.
PotG: Family Ties
Chapter 7
Getting to Know You
"Good morning," S'lantia smiled as she walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning Mother," S'ray smiled pouring a cup of coffee.
"And where is your lover hmm?" she asked taking the cup and adding milk. "Still sleeping is he?"
"No, he's out in the barn doing morning chores," S'ray frowned. "Where do you think the milk and eggs came from? Erik actually gets out of bed before I do and sometimes he has to come back upstairs to wake me."
"I see," she said sipping her coffee.
"Good morning sweetheart," Firchard greeted and hugged his daughter.
"Morning Papa," S'ray smiled handing him a cup as well.
"So, how did it go last night?" he asked looking directly at his wife.
"It was enlightening," S'lantia answered cryptically.
"What more do you want Mother?" S'ray asked exasperated.
"Whatever do you mean?" S'lantia asked.
"Stop torturing them and just give your approval," Firchard said drinking his coffee.
"I found out many reasons for not giving my approval," S'lantia replied.
"What?!" S'ray demanded, shock plain in her voice. "You said last night that you approved."
"I told you to stop torturing them," Firchard frowned and smacked his obstinate wife's backside. "You're just upset that she didn't immediately send a letter when this started."
"Do you mind?" S'lantia said, glaring at her husband, even though she knew he was right.
"Not at all, I rather enjoy doing that," he smiled. "Just as firm as when we were first married my dear."
"You just wait till later," she frowned.
"I always do," he grinned.
"Ahem," S'ray coughed drawing their attention back to the present.
"Yes, I give my approval, but I would like to get to know him a bit better before we leave," S'lantia said.
"Then talk to him," S'ray said.
"Oh I plan to," S'lantia replied.
"Just let him eat his breakfast in peace first," S'ray asked. "And talk, don't interrogate."
"Of course," she smiled. "The three of us can spend some time together till then."
"I know I'm the quiet one, but I'm still here," Jer'll said walking into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry honey, I thought you were still asleep," S'lantia smiled, ruffling her oldest child's hair.
"Sure Mother," he griped, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"The daylight's fading slowly," Erik sang as he brushed Cesar's mane, the horse seeming to nod in time with his song. "The time with you is standing still."
"I'm waiting for you only," he continued as he opened the stall to let the stallion out. "The slightest touch and I feel weak."
"I cannot lie, from you I cannot hide," he smiled as the horse trotted outside to join the others.
"And I'm losing the will to try," he sang as he started forking soiled straw from the stall. "Can't hide it, can't fight it."
"So go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless," Erik quietly sang as he mucked out the barn. "Tempt me, tease me, until I can't deny this loving feeling."
He pushed the full barrow outside and caught sight of S'ray and S'lantia. He paused and went to the fence, drawn by S'ray's mere presence. "Make me long for your kiss," he continued singing as he gazed at her. "Go on, go on. Come on."
"And if there's no tomorrow," Erik sang as he went back to work. "And all we have is here and now."
"I'm happy just to have you," he smiled. "You're all the love I need somehow."
"It's like a dream," the man continued as he tipped up the barrow to empty it, "although I'm not asleep."
"And I never want to wake up," he sang going over to the well for a pail of water to rinse out the barrow. "Don't lose it, don't leave it."
"So go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless," he sang watching S'ray pick vegetables while he pulled up a bucket of water. "Tempt me, tease me, until I can't deny this loving feeling."
"Make me long for your kiss," Erik grinned as he rinsed out the barrow. "Go on, go on. Come on."
"And I can't lie," he sang putting fork and shovel away. "From you I cannot hide."
"And I've lost my will to try," he continued picking up Ayesha and stroking her sleek coat. "Can't hide it, can't fight it."
"So go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless," he smiled, leaning in the doorway and watching S'ray go into her forge. "Tempt me, tease me, until I can't deny this loving feeling."
"Make me long for your kiss," he sang letting the cat jump down and prowl the barn for more mice.
"Go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless," he continued going over to the rain barrel to wash up.
"Go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless," he sang rolling up his shirtsleeves. "Go on, go on, come on, leave me breathless."
"Your voice is nothing like Tavlyn or my daughter described it," S'lantia said.
"I apologize if you were offended," Erik said straightening, tension immediately filling his body.
"Now I never said that, did I?" she replied leaning against the house. "In fact, I've heard nothing like it, even when I was at court. Tell me, who wrote the song you were singing?"
"I did," he replied quietly.
"Am I right in assuming that's how you feel about my daughter?" she asked.
"It is," Erik answered looking her in the eyes.
"In spite of what you may think, I know what it's like to be in love," she smiled. "I'm still hopelessly in love with Firchard. We met under rather strained conditions; I would like to change that."
He nodded in agreement.
"First off, I want to tell you personally that I approve you courting my daughter," she said coming toward him as he washed up. "I saw how you feel about her last night."
"Thank you," Erik said lowering his head as he dried off.
"Would you walk with me?" she asked.
"I will," Erik nodded and they started for the stream that ran through the glen. "S'ray mentioned that her uncle was Guardian before her, I assume he was your brother."
"Yes, Dandle was my older brother," she sighed.
"I noticed the resemblance from his portrait," he said.
"He is still missed by us and the court," S'lantia added. "Many believed he was able to see into the future."
"S'ray did not mention that," he replied.
"She doesn't know, he had a vision that told him to pick her as his successor," she said.
"May I ask what that vision was?" Erik enquired.
"I wish I knew, he never said what he saw. He only said that she would be happy here," she replied. "I can only assume he saw the both of you together and the forest coming back to life."
Erik colored a bit.
"Don't be embarrassed, his visions were never detailed," she explained. "He would only see brief flashes one right after the other and those flashes would only last the smallest of moments. He often would get impressions of emotions from them than any real picture of what was to come."
"I see," Erik nodded.
"True seers are very rare," she said. "There is a danger in knowing the future; we would avoid things that are painful and unpleasant. It is the trials that we live through that define us and make us who we are. Without those experiences we would have all died off long ago and this would be a world inhabited only by the lower creatures."
The Phantom was silent, not sure if he she meant someone like him when she referred to lower creatures or if she was indirectly referring to what little she knew of his past.
"Now, what of you? How is it that you just learned of your Faye side now? Did your parents never tell you?" she asked.
"I never knew my father, he died before I was born," Erik answered.
"I am sorry," S'lantia said touching his arm.
"There's nothing to be sorry for," he replied.
"And your mother? How could she not tell you?" she asked.
"She didn't know and she probably would have cursed me even more if she had," he sighed kicking at a stone in the path. "She blamed me for making her life miserable and having to live as an outcast from society."
"So what happened?"
"I left one night, I knew she'd be happier without me," he replied.
"And what about your happiness?"
Erik merely shrugged in response. "Every time I've tasted happiness, I've had it ripped away from me," he stated.
"What about the rest of your family?" she asked.
"All I had was my mother and she hated me," he said bitterly. "And the only reason she didn't abandon me after I was born was because the priest told her that it would have been a mortal sin. She wouldn't even name me, the priest did."
S'lantia paled; she knew that there were many Faye that could be cruel to their own that were born of mixed blood or anything but perfect. However she'd never imagined that a human woman could be so cold and cruel to her own son. "Forgive me," she said laying a comforting hand on his arm. "I did not intend to bring up such bad memories."
"It's not your fault," he said instinctively stiffening at the contact. "You have no way of knowing about my past."
"I should tell you, that while you have my permission to court my daughter, there is one condition to this," she said as they continued walking.
"Yes?" Erik asked, apprehensive of what the woman would ask of him.
"Love her with all you are and never hurt her," S'lantia said, stopping to look him in the eyes.
"I already love her with all I am and would die rather than hurt her," he replied returning her intent gaze.
"Good, this whole mess with my oldest daughter will resolve itself at court shortly," she said sitting down next to the stream and patting the spot next to her, expecting him to sit as well.
"What will happen to her?" Erik asked as he uncomfortably sat next to S'ray's mother.
"Oh, nothing much really, but she will probably be forbidden from arranging any marriages, even for her own children when the little snit finally decides that she's no longer too good to have babies," S'lantia sighed. "So are you and my daughter going to give me grandchildren?"
Erik just looked at her, momentarily struck dumb by her question.
"Well?" she asked.
"We really haven't discussed it much beyond the fact that I'm not ready to be a father right now," he finally replied.
"And why is that?" she questioned. "Don't you like children?"
"No, I do like children, the few I've known anyway," he replied. "But this is all so new to me; I need to find my place in this world, if there is one for me, before I begin to raise children in it. I need to learn how to live like a normal man before we even think of having children."
"That seems reasonable," she replied. "And of course you'll also be married before having children as well."
"Of course," he nodded.
"So what is it like being so close to all that dark power in that opera house?" she asked.
"Dark power?" he questioned.
"That ancient vampire and his coven," she replied. "There aren't many in that coven that are less than 1000 years old."
"Ah them," he replied with a slight roll of his eyes. "They are disconcerting to say the least."
"I can imagine," S'lantia replied. "I saw him once when I was a little girl."
"What was it like?" he asked, now interested in any information she could give him about the vampire.
"Frightening and very uncomfortable," she explained. "I remember how pale he was, even his hair. I also remember feeling almost like a fly caught in a spider's web. He wasn't exactly threatening, but that power that he just exudes can make even Elven royalty feel insignificant in comparison."
"I see," Erik nodded in understanding.
"What of your experiences with him?" she asked. "I understand you had some sort of confrontation with him."
"Well, I don't know how much of a confrontation it really was; it was more a verbal sparring match. We exchanged threats and I came out on top, granted I also had a dragon behind me at the time backing up all my threats," he said leaning back on the grass. "I was too angry at first to see that he wasn't human."
"Many light and dark creatures are able to fool humans and even other Fae that way, that's why we're able to stay undetected by the mortal world in general," S'lantia explained.
"Yes," he nodded. "S'ray and Cyd have been teaching me the rudiments of magic and most importantly how to create a glamour."
"Oh," she said her eyes lighting up. "Would you mind showing me what you can do?"
"Happy to have your things again?" S'lantia asked as she helped her daughter unpack a trunk of clothes.
"For the most part," S'ray sighed.
"And what does that mean?" S'lantia asked.
"Luniana is going to be very disappointed that I already have all these clothes," she replied with a smirk.
"Ah, well have her make clothes for Erik," S'lantia suggested shaking out a blouse.
"She already has and then he brought clothes from the opera house," the younger woman explained.
"Well, I'm sure she'll be happy to make modifications and repairs all the same," she replied. "Anyway, you need to stop wearing Tereste's clothing and before you say anything it doesn't matter if you've just been wearing them in the forge."
"Then what should I wear Mother?" S'ray demanded.
"Your own clothes," she said unfolding another shirt. "Besides, what would Erik say if he knew you were wearing your first husband's clothes?"
S'ray sighed and then said, "You're right Mother."
"I think he'll like your regular clothes better anyway," S'lantia smiled as she held up a midriff baring blouse with long flowing sleeves.
"He won't want to let me out of the house with that on," she laughed.
"See, I knew he'd like it," the older woman smiled.
"Human women don't dress like this Mother, I'll end up giving him a nose bleed wearing this," S'ray smiled.
"And how will you do that by wearing a blouse?" she asked.
"Because he'll be too busy looking at me and will walk into a wall or closed door," S'ray laughed.
"Oh dear, then you'd best keep bandages ready," S'lantia laughed as well.
"You should have seen the look on his face when I wore a similar top that stopped at my waist and he only got a flash now and then," she said.
"If he's going to live in our world, he'll have to start getting used to our style of dress," S'lantia said. "But I suppose you're right, start small with him or rather with more skin covered."
"Yes or he'll have a fit and tell me I'm not allowed out of the house or even his sight," she sighed.
"Thinks he's in charge eh?" the older woman asked with an elegantly raised eyebrow.
"Possessive is more like it," S'ray replied. "But I understand it; he's previously lost every other woman he's cared about."
"Ah, he mentioned that when we talked earlier," she said pulling several stuffed toys out of the trunk. "Where do you want these?"
"Oh, just toss them on the bed and I'll put them away later," S'ray replied.
Erik pulled off his robe and laid it on the chair by the bed. He sighed and grabbed the stuffed animals from the middle of the bed before depositing them on the same chair. Then he pulled the covers back and got into bed. He lay on his back with his eyes closed for several moments, relaxing from the day's events.
He kept feeling a presence close to himself, as if something were looking down on him. Unable to shake the feeling he opened his eyes and looked up. There perched on the headboard were two pixie dolls looking back down at him. No, he corrected himself; there was one pixie doll and Luniana. "What are you doing?" he asked the real pixie.
"She's not gonna win," she chirped.
"Who?" Erik asked puzzled.
"Her," the pixie replied.
"Her who?" he pressed.
"The other pixie," she said and rolled her eyes.
"You're the only pixie I see," he frowned.
"To my right," she twittered with a small shake of her head that indicated the doll.
"That's a doll," Erik sighed.
"Look at her, what a hussy!"
"It's still a doll."
"That's what she wants you to think, but I know better," Luniana said conspiratorially and resumed the same pose as the doll.
"Get out," the Phantom said after taking a deep breath.
"Not unless she goes to," the pixie chirped.
"Again, it's just a doll," he frowned.
"Not going," she persisted.
"Get out or you'll never get jam from me again," he threatened.
"Not fair!" she pouted and punched the doll in the face, tipping it off the headboard and onto to Erik.
Erik sighed as the real pixie flew off. He sat up and put the doll back in its place on the headboard of the bed.
"And she dresses funny too," Luniana added from the door.
"Good night," he ground out as he lay back down.
Erik sighed and closed his eyes again. Bare moments later he felt something brush across his legs, thinking it was S'ray joining him he paid no heed. Then he rolled over and felt what seemed to be a throw pillow against his stomach. A gentle punch from under the covers moved the offending object out of the way. He had just settled again when he felt the supposed pillow once more. With a low growl he reached out the grab the pillow and grabbed instead the stuffed unicorn.
"What the hell?" he mumbled. "I thought you were on the chair where I put you with the other one." Then he carelessly tossed the toy off the foot end of the bed, before snuggling into the blanket again.
His eyes snapped open several minutes later when he heard shuffling sounds at the foot of the bed. He looked down and saw the unicorn's head and front feet peeking over the edge of the bed. "Which ever one of you three that's doing this, it's not funny," he snarled. "Either stop it or I put Ayesha on you."
It remained quiet as the unicorn continued to make its way onto the bed. He never heard the expected screeching at the mere mention of the cat. Erik shook his head and kicked the unicorn onto the floor.
He pulled the blanket back up and tried to get comfortable once more. He had just started to drift off to sleep when he felt something against his waist. "Thought you were staying up later," he mumbled thinking it was S'ray. When there was no answer he opened his eyes and saw the stuffed dragon sitting on his waist. Looking further down showed him the unicorn halfway up the bed once more.
"S'ray!" he shouted sitting up in bed.
"What? What?" she asked out of breath as she rushed into their room several moments later with a dagger drawn.
"What is going on with these things?" he demanded indicating the two stuffed animals.
"Nothing, they're just a couple of my old toys," she replied sheathing the dagger.
"Nothing?! They're moving and climbing onto the bed on their own. I don't call that nothing!" he snapped letting the bedclothes pool around his waist.
"So?" she asked arching an elegant eyebrow.
"So they're not supposed to do that," he replied and took a deep breath, trying to calm down.
"Right," she sighed. "I'm sorry, I keep forgetting."
"I'm waiting for an explanation love," he said taking another deep breath.
"These toys are supposed to do that, otherwise you'd be picking up your children's toys all the time," she explained.
"We don't have…"
"They were mine, remember?"
"You could have warned me," he frowned.
"I'm sorry, I just told Mother to throw them on the bed," she said sitting next to him and holding the unicorn. "I didn't think they'd imprint on it so quickly."
"So will they be doing that all night?" Erik asked.
"Only if you keep throwing them on the floor," S'ray smiled. She was now playing with the unicorn and making its front feet stomp on the bed.
Erik didn't say anything; he just raised an eyebrow as he watched her.
Then she walked it over to him and made a whinnying sound. "Oh I almost forgot," she grinned and hugged the toy to her chest. Seconds later the unicorn's horn started to softly glow.
"Why?" he asked, clearly puzzled.
"In case your little one is afraid of the dark," she smiled.
"That's not what I meant," he said eyeing the purple unicorn. "Why would you use so much magic on a toy?"
"Why not? Besides, this will be used by our children someday," she replied and hugged the dragon as well, making his mouth glow.
"Do they do anything else?" he asked, now curious more than anything.
"No, that's all. You can snuggle with them if you want till I come up for bed," she offered with a little grin.
"No thank you," he said and yawned. "I'll wait for you instead. So do they have to sit in the middle of the bed?"
"No, I'll put them up here," she said and set them up behind her pillow. "Will that help love?"
"Yes, thank you," he smiled and pulled her close for a kiss.
"See you later," she sighed as they parted.
Erik sighed and cuddled S'ray closer to his chest. He smiled as he felt her brush his hair back from his face. "Morning," he mumbled, still too asleep to open his eyes.
"Morning," she whispered and kissed his cheek.
The Phantom was puzzled. S'ray was snug against his chest, so how was she able to kiss his cheek. He slid his hand under the covers to investigate and was met with the short fur on the stuffed dragon. "What the?" he groaned opening his eyes.
"You have no idea how cute this looks," S'ray smiled as she leaned on one elbow and watched him.
"You realize that this puts my reputation as the Opera Ghost in jeopardy," he said pulling the two toys out from under the covers. "Who would be afraid of a man that cuddles two stuffed children's toys in his bed when he's got a perfectly good woman to cuddle instead?"
"Well, certainly not me," she laughed.
"I'll teach you to laugh at the Opera Ghost you impertinent wench," he growled and tossing the toys behind his back, he grabbed her and pulled her underneath himself. "I've got you now."
"Oh no," she giggled and then sighed as he began kissing her neck and shoulders.
"This will be a lesson you'll not soon forget," he promised between kisses.
"Oh please," she gasped, burying her fingers in his hair.
"You've enflamed me with your unabashed ways and I'll have you as mine," he growled as his hand slid down her side to grasp her derriere.
"Mmm Opera Ghost," she sighed and wrapped her leg around his.
"You are the wickedest of women," he whispered sliding his finger over her lips.
S'ray parted her lips and sucked his finger into her warm mouth; teasing him and making his breath come faster.
"Oh God S'ray," he groaned closing his eyes.
"Erik," she said breathlessly, claiming his mouth in a kiss.
"Good morning," came S'lantia's voice from the other side of the bedroom door. "Breakfast will be ready in about 10 minutes."
Erik growled and slammed his fist into the mattress in frustration as his desire immediately died.
"Don't worry, they're leaving to visit my other sister today," S'ray smiled caressing his clenched jaw. "We'll have all night tonight for love play."
Author's End Note:
"Breathless" was written by Mutt Lange and the Corrs and is used without permission. watch?v=Q6TKVDHEj5M
Coming up in Chapter 8 – A Night at the Opera Part 1
Erik and S'ray spend some quality time together at the Opera Populaire.