Chapter 9: One day More

Erik's POV

Meg went to sleep soon after. He didn't blame her. He was tired himself. He checked his pockets before heading to bed and pulled out a chain with a locket. A lily engraved into it.

Right…Erik thought when he remembered. He decided to ask Meg about it in the morning.

Meg's POV

The sun light poured in and Meg woke reluctantly to the demands of the day. She rose and sat up in her bed. Erik knocked at the door, and she bade him enter.

"Morning, sleepyhead," he teased. He seemed more cheerful than he did yesterday. "Care to explain this locket?" He held up her family heirloom and Meg yawned, knowing that she was too tired to explain it perfectly.

She decided to try though, "Well, it's a family heirloom. On my mother's side," Meg realized that this was her chance. She stood and faced Erik. "The locket is given to the man or women a member of my family wish to spend the rest of their life with. If the receiver does not accept their love, they must give it back. If they return their feelings, they keep the locket until their dying breath. Erik, I want you to know that it must never be opened, for inside is my heart, which I give to you."

"And I shall cherish this heart that belongs to my lover and my wife to be," Erik answered poetically, placing the locket around his neck, then the mask that Daroga left for him. "Forgive me, mon Cherie, but I feel more comfortable this way." Meg nodded and they headed out into the streets.

Carressa ran to them and hugged Meg, then Erik. The child wore a white blouse, black vest and a very colorful skirt. She was barefoot.

"Carressa, who are your parents?" Meg asked, looking around the crowd gathered around a young performer whom she seemed to be with moments before.

The young gypsy boy from earlier said, joining them. "I am Carressa's brother, Jean, or le Saphir, if you wish. Forgive me, but the Persian informed me of the two of you and what you want to do."

"Why would you want to help us?" Meg asked.

"Carressa insists. She is a child in a world of fantasy, she lives in the legends and stories that our father told her. Her favorite was always Beauty and the Beast, but I guess you found out already," Jean answered.

"They'll be here in one day's time," another gypsy shouted at Jean. "I saw that mob on my way here, Jean. What do you say?"

Erik's POV

One day more,
Another day, another destiny,
This never ending road to Calvary

I did not live until today,
And yet with her, my world has started.

Erik knew now that there would be no other choice. They would have to face the mob. "Jean, how many in the city are willing to help?"

Jean smiled. "I've been getting as many vagabonds to help. They're the only ones who will help. The other inhabitants will most likely join the mob, but there are many of my kind."

"Thieves?" Meg asked, her face paling a tad. Jean shook his head.

"We aren't cruel, Mlle. In fact, we are more than just thieves. Performers as well. We do what we can to survive, but we don't kill people unless we have no other choice."

One more day before the storm!
At the barricades of Freedom!
When our ranks begin to form,

One more day till revolution,
We will nip it in the bud!
We'll be ready for these schoolboys,
They will wet themselves with blood!

Jean grabbed a box and stood on it. Erik finally noticed that there was a crowd of outcasts forming around them. "These people have been shown no mercy as we have. Shall we welcome them?" The crowd of young boys and girls shouted in agreement. "Our families are poor and we have been casted out of our homes for what we are! But at dawn tomorrow, we will redeem ourselves!"

"Le Saphir! Who is coming?" One boy asked

"A Mob from Paris!"

"What about the elders?" A girl asked

"They are too old, they can't fight like they used to be able to. What will we do?"


"Watch'm run amuck,
Catch'm when they fall,
Never know your luck
When there's a free for all,
Here a little pinch,
There a little touch,
Most of them are goners
So they won't miss much!"

Erik pulled Jean down from the box/podium. "You can't just lead these children to fight full grown men," he lectured. Jean pried Erik's hands away.

"We heard of a gypsy boy who traveled the world years ago. He served the Sultana of Persia when he met the Persian and ended up having to flee Persia, his name was le Ossature, or Erik. We look up to him because he went through much more than we did, and yet, he was strong."

Erik stared at Jean for a moment, and then looked at Meg. Erik turned back to Jean.

"Le Ossature? The Skeleton? Why was he called so?"

"He was deformed at birth, I think. They called him the Living-Dead Boy, but when his fame increased after he left the Caravan he was part of, legend renamed him le Ossature," Jean explained. "He fought men twice his age and always overthrew them."

Erik dragged Jean by the collar away from the crowd. "Who told you all of this?"

"The Persian."

"Jean; I am le Ossature. I am Erik," he hissed to the boy. Jean smirked.

"Then we will definitely win!"

"Jean…"

"You will help us, won't you?" Jean asked. Erik sighed.

"Fine, but don't let the women get involved. Especially my Meg."

"The women can fight."

"That's not what I'm worried about. These men won't let you live because you're—"

"I don't need lectures. I just want to fight and win if I can." Jean shouted.

Meg's POV

One day to a new beginning
Raise the flag of freedom high!
Every man will be a king
There's a new world to be won
Do you hear the people sing?

Carressa hid behind Meg as they waited for Erik and Jean to return.

They came out, and Erik stood on the podium. "How many of you are truly willing to loose your lives if you must?"

The crowd shouted in acclamation.

"Are you willing to be led by le Ossature if he makes an appearance?"

The crowd screamed their answer. Erik sighed; these children were going to their deaths. They did not know that they were going to die following him.

"Who are you?" One girl shouted. Her hair was red and her eyes were like flames. "How can we be sure that you are who you claim to be?"

Erik removed his mask and the crowd silenced. "I am le Ossature, did you expect a young man? We all grow old. Already half of my life is spent and yet I hold myself responsible for bringing this upon you."

"LaIncendie," a boy asked the red haired gypsy. She said nothing, but took out her dagger and raised it high, in salute.

One more day to revolution
We will nip it in the bud
We'll be ready for these schoolboys

Meg watched this with amazement. She smiled; she knew that Erik was greater than he knew himself to be. She knew this legacy shouldn't die just yet.

Meg went to Erik when he had finished his speech, yet he didn't convince anyone to back down, as he seemed to try to do.

"Like you; they are stubborn," Meg said to him. Erik groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Idiotic children," he cursed. Meg shook her head.

"Just one day left, Erik. One day until they arrive,"

Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!

Erik sighed, "I guess I couldn't order them to back down and face them alone."

"They look up to you," Meg stated. "I don't blame them. I have faith.


Sorry it took so long...school is evil!!! anyway, the lyrics are only bits from the song One Day More from Hugo's Le Miserable, the song is from the musical, but it really fits...yeah...