Chapter 10
-For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson -
Outside of London, Britain – Late Winter, Present Day
The dying grass waved in the breeze, along the lonely seaside. Gray clouds loomed over head. Tourists dared not venture out to the English coast during the chilly months or at least to this rocky stretch of beach. A lone man sat on the cold sand with a portable radio at his side. It belted out some sort of old rock and roll music, fighting for dominance over the sound of the waves. His golden amber eyes locked on to the rolling waves with a fierce scowl plastered on his handsome features. He brushed a few sandy grains off his dark jeans while a male reporter voice came on his small, portable radio.
"Two American teens are still missing this afternoon. Both had been on vacation in Southern Europe when they disappeared. Information has been released on one of the girls. Christine Day…" The man turned the volume down, sighing more amused than anything. His Madison had been gone for almost a month now. Things had gone painful slow since then so he had to make his own fun. That had not gone as well or cleanly as his fun usually did, but it did keep him most distracted. Of course, he supposed now it just made the whole case a lot more muddled than before.
Closing his eyes, he imagined what could have happened if all his plans had gone smoothly that night his Madison disappeared. She would have been up on the roof with him, alone. The only way she be getting back into the Opera House was if she answered a single question and the girl was naïve enough to say yes without hesitation. He pulled out a crimson red leather box from his pocket, the gold filigree patterns catching what little sunlight there was to be caught. It clicked open, the fiery treasure inside sparkling. His family told him to move on, and forget about the sweet girl from America. The one who had laughed at her friend when he walked into that classroom. Why did he fall for her? Perhaps it was because she had listened to him when he was in need and expressed herself openly when asked a question. She was a nice girl, never complaining if she did not get her way. Her singing was not that terrible either. Lessons would be needed at some point, but for amateur... Decent. Sounds of a car door slamming shut brought his attention back to the world around him. He shoved the box back into his pocket before the older man could see. Revion Seymour turned to see his trusted butler walking towards him at an alarming pace.
"What is it now, Tony?" He snapped angrily, turning the radio back on. Some song was playing instead of the newscast. The elderly man of about sixty years stood behind his young master, patiently.
"The police arrived at the main house. The officer wants to ask you question about something. How they found out that you..."
"Were the last one to see them? Stupid Americans, not as passive as some others. Alas, I will come home now." The youth stood by, dusting the sand off the butt of his pants. Once more, the beachside was abandoned and silent. Only living thing was a tiny fox creeping out of the tall brush grass to watch a sleek black car disappear from view.
Outside of Paris, France – January 1875
Cold night air breezed around the de Chagny rose maze, rustling what was left of the hedge leaves. A girl in a cream chemise and an overcoat sat on the side of a snow-covered fountain, hands neatly tucked in to the coat pockets. The water in the pool had frozen slightly several days ago, victim of a bitter winter's night. It was dark and murky under the crust of ice. Madison tapped at the surface where bubbles had settled underneath. They wobbled in response to the aggression. The ice cracked around the edges, allowing for the cold water to splash up at her. She nervously rubbed her hands on the wool of the overcoat. That perhaps wasn't the most intelligent thing she could have done at the moment. Coldness was creeping up her limbs quicker with each passing minute, nipping at her ears and fingertips.
Frustrated that she had been made to trek out in the middle of the freezing night, Madison viciously dug a piece of paper out of her pocket. It was a bit crumpled from being hastily stowed in the coat during auditions for the stupid opera. Her adoring tutor had demanded she go last in the line of auditioning girls so she would stay the freshest in the managers' minds. Madison had been sitting in the hall outside of the rehearsal hall, listening to the last girl before her sing when the note had fluttered down from the shadows above. She had only caught a glimpse of the sender man as he turned back. Red wax in the form of a leering skull glared up at her as she picked the piece of paper off the ground. It was just two simple lines written in blotched red ink that said the date and the time to be in the garden for a meeting. No mention what the meeting was to be about. That was just like him, wasn't it? To keep her waiting in the dark and in the cold, to please his will.
Warm orange light cast itself against the leaves which drew her eye upwards from the note in her hands. It disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. Tension crept up her spine, cementing her to the spot where she sat. Fears of being discovered by Philibert or worse yet, Raoul bothered her entire walk out from the house. For the two weeks she had been traveling back and forth to the opera, Raoul insisted on grilling her the instant she returned from the city. Thankfully she was able to avoid his questions with the assistance of Philibert or Christine who always seemed to have some odd thing for her to do. Philibert usually pulled her in to the library where they would spend most of the evening reading quietly until the bell for dinner rang. She preferred those evenings over what Christine considered to be lessons in etiquette. Madison snapped out of her thoughts, straining her eyes to see through the darkness in the little light that moon offered up.
A large shadow moved from the corner across her line of vision and then seemed to disappear. Madison's voice was long lost in her fear of the dark around her. Breeze drifted across the back of her exposed neck, carrying what sounded like a voice. It drew her to look at one of the openings in the hedges. A black form stood there for a moment before flitting away. It had to been Erik who was obviously in a mood tonight. Madison adjusted the boots she had lifted from one of the de Chagny's servants as she made her way out of the house. Slick slush squelched under her feet as she went to stand where the form had been. She peered down the left side of the corridor, expecting to see him down at the end. It was a little more shocking when there was nothing there. Madison stepped out, hands stuffed in her coat pockets only to be grabbed from behind. One would think she would have learned better by now.
"Good evening, Mockingbird." There was the low silken voice he used when he was trying to get to her do something. Usually sing. It wrapped itself around her, freezing her to the spot where she stood. That voice was so hard to resist. It was the strings tying her to him, creating an odd longing to hear him sing within her. Madison was finding it more difficult to spend time away from him where she couldn't hear him speak. "I am glad you could make it to our little meeting. Thank you for waiting so patiently for me."
"It is freezing out here. You were taking too long to show up." Her tone was short and annoyed at Erik's attempted jab at her impatience. Something he was far more constantly guilty of being than she was. Madison took a few steps away from her teacher, turning to face him. The light reappeared, illuminating the white mask in a rather terrifying way. No emotion displayed itself on his features. The Phantom just stood here, watching her closely. "I need to get warm or I will catch a cold and be unable to sing."
"It would be a shame for our Beatrice to sound like a bleating goat. Shall we continue our little rendezvous in your room, Madison?" Heat filled her face at the thoughts that filled her head when he had muttered rendezvous. There was a hint of so much more in that word. More than talking. It had been all in the way he had said it too. As if he was thinking the same things and implanted the ideas with just an utterance. Those thoughts were pushed out of her head when she realized what he had called her.
"Beatrice? I am Beatrice?" This was some weird cruel trick. It had to be. "I just wanted to be Margaret or even Ursula, if I had to sing. Personally I just wanted to stand in the back and sort of sing… I don't have the… presence or the attitude to be Beatrice!"
"Oh my dear mockingbird, you have attitude enough to be our lovely Beatrice. Such a talent as yourself should not be pushed to the side as Margaret or Ursula or as part of the chorus." He took her hand in his own gloved one and led her through the garden back towards the house. There was a light in one of the windows. The library. It was difficult to tell if Raoul still inhabited the room or if the servants had just left the lights on from where they were in the maze. "I am afraid that I don't know which of the rooms belongs to you. Would you be as kind as to show me the way?" This felt like some awful trap, showing this man where she slept. It was supposed to be the place that she was safe from his gaze and his grasp. That line was blurring so quickly that it felt futile to deny him the knowledge. He would find out one day.
Not wanting to be discovered by whoever was in the library, Madison took Erik through one of the servant side doors. Her breath was frozen in her chest as they crept through the grand home to the room that she called her own. The door never sounded louder as she slowly pushed it open nor had she had ever been so nervous to have someone see how she lived in her own space. Clothing that had been bought by the Comtesse was lazily tossed on the floor. Books sat in small piles here and there. Madison made a dash to hide the pretty corsets that were scattered here and there. They weren't anything special, not like the ones she knew Christine owned. Still she didn't want Erik to think his student was an ungrateful slob to the people who were taking care of her. It wasn't until she had shut the silk things into a drawer and turned back to her tutor that she realized he wasn't quite paying attention to her.
"First off, how are the de Chagnys treating you?" One of her Jules Vern books was being turned over in his gloved hands. Fingers delicately tracing over the embossed glided cover. She had the sudden desire to be that book that was being oh so careful inspected. The thought of it sent shivers down her spine.
"Um. Fair. Christine is trying to mold me in to a proper lady, like herself…"
"I would prefer if you did not end up like a proper lady like Christine." Erik had seemed to tense up at the idea, sitting on the bed while setting the book next to himself.
"Trust me. She is failing rather fantastically. As you can see, I am scandalously clad with a strange man on my bed. I say that nothing Christine has taught me had actually settled in. Phil…" Madison was in the process of removing her coat and borrowed boots when she felt the daggers of Erik's glare. She knew it was coming. She had expected it. What she hadn't expected was for Erik to be instantly behind her. Might as well finish the sentence. "Philibert has been the perfect companion. Sweet, gentle and very loving. He reminds me of my younger brothers in some ways. He is the one who bought me all these books." Madison turned around to face Erik, resigned. He was staring down at her, those amber eyes all fire and jealousy. "He keeps Raoul away from me." Erik's expression softened as he took a step back from his young pupil. It then changed in to something akin to rage.
"What do you mean he keeps Raoul away from you?" This was dangerous waters she had stepped in to and was completely unsure where to step. A wrong move meant drowning.
"Well… The instant I return home from the Opera, Raoul tries to pull me in to the library to question me about… you. He wants to know where you live, if it is really you. Things of that nature. There was only one time he managed to get me in to that room. He just devolved in to screaming at me the more he drank. I even think that he might have… might have raised his hand a few times to strike me. Never did." Perhaps she had turned the wrong way in the water. Madison thought that she probably could have done without telling Erik about Raoul drinking and his anger when she refused to say anything. "Philibert found me and ever since has been whisking me away to some other part of the house to do some odd thing. Usually read. That is why I have so many books." Her tutor said nothing in response. He let her pass him to settle herself on the large bed. Erik sat himself back on the side, still very tense.
"Erik… I can handle Raoul. He is sort of like a spoiled dog that isn't used to getting its way. His bark is way bigger than his bite. As for Philibert, he is nice."
"A distraction."
"Yes. From the man who acts like he owns me and demands every fiber of my soul. His kindness and sweetness is very refreshing. He demands nothing of me beyond friendship."
"A distraction nonetheless. I disapprove of how close you are letting the Vicomte get to you, even though he is saving you from the Comte. Be careful how you tread there, little Mockingbird."
"Why should I be careful how I tread?"
"Not all men as virtuous as you wish them to be. My next question, is there anything you are in need of? They keep you well feed and dressed, yes?" She just nodded in response as she scampered under the sheets. It had been a busy day of auditions and she just wanted to sleep. "What are you doing? We were unable to have our lesson today so we will conduct it now."
"Over my cold dead body, we are." She scoffed at him, settling deeper under her blankets. Hands pulled at the edge in attempt to re-expose Madison. She had created something of a cocoon around herself with the blankets, refusing to relent to Erik's insistence. "I am going to sleep, sir. You need to remove yourself from the room." The weight on the bed shifted and placed itself over her. Erik had moved to straddle her as to get a better position. Madison squirmed underneath, knowing full well what she was doing. He stiffed slightly, but kept pulling at the bed sheets.
"Oh. Come on, my teasing mockingbird. You will sound like a crow if we do not continue our lessons." Strength seemed to return to the phantom as he finally managed to rip the sheets back from the girl. She lay on her back with her hair all messed up and tangled. It framed her face in soft auburn tufts. Madison felt the warmth of her cheeks, knowing that they were red. She blinked, trying to conceal her smirk as Erik sat back some. She watched as his eyes slowly traveled their way downwards. They stopped where his legs had trapped the blankets from exposing her further. It was when he was carefully extracting the blankets from underneath his body that Madison realize her chemise was twisted around to expose her legs and well… other parts. Her voice was lost in her throat as the air tickled her thighs. The fabric of Erik's pants rubbed against her legs in a delicious way, cool and rough. "Oh Mockingbird. Look at you."
"Erik… Erik… Please." She stayed perfectly still while his hand slowly ran up her side to settle on her cheek. He leaned in closer with his eyes dark with deep desire. "Our lessons."
"Lessons… What about a different sort of lesson for tonight?" His voice was thick, pouring into her ear like warm honey. Madison made an attempt to sit upwards, but Erik forced her back down on to the mattress. He kissed the nape of her neck, pushing her auburn hair out of his way. His breath was warm on her skin, causing her body to tingle all the way to her core.
"No. We need to work on the opera. First rehearsal is tomorrow…" He ignored her, clutching handfuls of her hair. His mouth worked its way to her own, finding her lips parted. "Erik." His tongue flicked along her bottom lip, baiting her to do the same. "Erik, no. Erik."
"Erik." Nadir Kahn stood in the doorway of Madison's room, his hand still on the door handle. He looked back into the hallway before entering the room and shutting the door behind himself. "What are you doing here?" His tone was rushed and panicked. Erik removed himself from on top of Madison who quickly adjusted her chemise and recovered herself with the blankets.
"I had my meeting with Madison today…"
"This I know and I can see it is going swimmingly well. I mean what are you doing in the house? Raoul is headed down this way. He is in a rage over the casting at the opera and demands that she starts answering his questions or find herself a new place to take up space." Nadir locked the door, and then crossed the room to the doors that led to a small balcony overlooking the front drive of the home. Madison looked slowly from the Persian to the Phantom who seemed to being having a very intense staring match. "I would suggest we both make ourselves scarce posthaste."
"Our lessons…"
"Can wait." It would seem however that Erik disagreed with that idea. In fact, he seemed rather embolden by the idea of their meeting being cut shorter than he anticipated. He forced Madison to stand up out of the bed, shoving the coat she had been wearing earlier back in to her arms. The phantom looked over the clothing that currently covered the floor, but seemed to deem none of it worthy of taking. "Erik. She can't come with us."
"Why the hell not? She is coming to live with you." Tension in the room flared as Erik rounded on his friend who stood his ground against the taller man.
"Erik, my friend. They would know where to find her."
"I am right here. Good lord, you two. I am staying here and I want you both to leave. Now" She pulled back violently when Erik made a grab for her arm. "No. Leave. Now!" Nadir started to slip out of the room through the balcony door. "No, no, wait. Why the hell are you here?"
"My thoughts on the matter exactly." Well, this was a night full of unannounced arrivals in to her room. Madison clutched the woolen coat closer to her chest. Raoul stood at the door, shirtsleeves un-tucked and waistcoat unbuttoned. He carried a bottle in his free hand while the other held the door open. "Why in hell would a wanted fugitive trespass in to the home of his victim's family? Blatantly further traumatizing an already traumatized young girl." A flash of silver in Raoul's hand alerted Madison to the pistol that he must have pulled from the waist of his pants. It was raised to be pointed directly at Erik who still stood beside Madison, hand outstretched towards her. She looked at Erik who didn't even glance back at her but instead grabbed the girl up without a word and was out on the balcony before Raoul could fire off a shot. A short scream filled the night's air as the ground came rushing up towards them. Madison stopped as soon as she realized the sound was coming from her own throat. She also found herself clinging to Erik for dear life. As soon as his feet found their place on the paved stones, she struggled against him to free herself. His grip on her loosened, sending Madison tumbling. It took a moment to straighten her balance out but the instant it returned, she turned on Erik.
"You stupid, pig-headed man!" She shoved him with all the force she could muster. Madison knocked herself over more than Erik. He just watched her silently as she yanked on the wool coat she hadn't let go of. "Stupid man. I am staying here. I am not your puppet that you can pull off the shelf and make dance. At least not while I am here. We can keep with the stupid lessons as long as you do not touch me. Stupid, stupid man." Madison glared at him over the up-turned collar of the coat. "And for your information, I am not the puppet of the De Chagny family."
Silence. The Phantom made no response, just kept staring at her. Madison felt instantly uncomfortable. She turned on her heel, heading back towards the garden where they had originally met. Erik kept pace with her, silent the entire time as they walked further from the house. It wasn't until they were a fair distance that she turned to speak to him again.
"Do you think…?"
"Raoul would not harm Nadir. He is too good a resource for the Comte to rid himself of. So are you now that he has seen me in your presence. His vendetta against me is strong and for good reason. His wife was insistent they return to the Paris social life, mostly to reconnect herself to the Opera House. Obvious reasons need not to be explained for that, I suppose. I am sorry about what just transpired. I lost my head a bit…" He glared at her when she made a disbelieving noise. "The casting becomes officially announced tomorrow. Do you have something nice to wear? Not over the top, but nice." Madison stared at him, unsure how to respond. His personality was everywhere tonight.
"Yes…"
"Good. I shall see you tomorrow then. I think it best for me to return now." Footsteps and the rustling of plants betrayed Nadir's arrival. He looked slight ruffled, but no worse for wear. "We should take our leave. I am sorry to have upset so you so tonight. Please forgive me."
"I forgive you as long as you never touch me again. You are my teacher, nothing else." There was a brief pause as if Erik was thinking the implications over in his head.
"I promise to never offend you in that manner again. You must promise to uphold our agreement though. Stay away from the Vicomte." Thank the heavens for the dark. Madison rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"I and the Vicomte will remain friends. Nothing more. Now, leave before Raoul shows up." Erik disappeared in to the darkness of the maze followed by Nadir who gave Madison a quick half-bow before perusing the Phantom. Their voices carried slightly, growing fainter as they left her behind. Something about her being a stubborn child from Erik… A child, huh? Her pride powered her forward after them, drawing her further away from the house and towards the line of trees that begun the forest. She hesitated at the exit of the garden, never venturing so far before. Erik and Nadir still could be heard. They weren't that much farther up ahead, really. She could catch them before she got hopeless lost and show Erik's jaw just how much of a child she was.
Twigs snapped under foot as Madison maneuvered through the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of the men ahead of her. Their voices were disappearing faster than she had anticipated. She struggled to stay at a pace where she could hear them talking. Suddenly, they were gone entirely. The only noises were those of the forest surrounding her. Animals in the distance and a slight breeze rustling the trees, but no hint of Erik or Nadir. Great. Once again her desire to show up Erik had only hurt her. She had best turn right back around, and try to find the garden again. All she had to do was go straight the way she came. That should put her in the right place. Yes. As long as she had been traveling straight the entire time… Her feet ached, crying out at being abused in such a manner. There had been no time to grab shoes or slippers when Erik snatched her up.
Moonlight broke through the limbs of the trees, lowly illuminating her way as she tried to carefully step through the underbrush. Rocks and sticks stabbed at the pads of her feet relentlessly. A fallen tree sat just off to her left and looked a good a place as any to rest a moment. Her sense of direction was shot now anyways. Madison was fairly certain she had turned at some point in her pursuit of her tutor. Just not certain of which way that had been. Her only hope to find her way back now was to curl up next to a tree, fall asleep and wait till morning when there would be more light. The forest fell eerily still as she stopped moving around, settling herself next to the fallen trunk. Sleep was not going to come easy like this.
"Boy?" Terror froze her to the spot. Had she fallen asleep already? Was it morning? No, it was still dark out. Madison timidly looked around. There was no way. The voice was familiar, but the source was nowhere to be seen "Boy, or should I call you Missy? You have a bad habit of ending up in places you don't belong, Missy." Hands appeared to drag to her feet roughly. A light blinded her before revealing who had pulled her from the ground.
"Erik?" She stared in to the face of a man who looked identical to her Phantom. Her Phantom? The Phantom. Identical? No. This man had olive green eyes, but they definitely shared a face. It was interesting to note they did not share a deformity. Where Erik's skin pitched and bubbled, this man's was smooth and covered in a light stubbly beard. Madison had to restrain herself from reaching to see if it was just a mask that Erik might have been wearing. He was a little taller than Erik. The light from the lantern concealed most of everything else.
"Erik? You okay, Missy?" They even seemed to share a voice. "The name is Matthias Valjean. Who might you be?" It took a while for the question to register with her. Madison shook herself a little and rubbed at her eyes.
"Madison DeLogio, I am the ward of the De Chagny family." She bit her lip, wishing she had shut her mouth sooner. She knew nothing about this man who just appeared from the shadows.
"The ward of the De Chagny's? You are fair distance from their grand palace, Missy. How did you get all the way in the woods? It is dangerous out here alone." The grin that appeared on his face made Madison recoil from him slightly. The man laughed. "I am not going to hurt you. Shall we get you back to where you belong?" She just nodded and took his hand. They walked in silence through the woods, Matthias leading the way. The lantern in his hand swung from side to side, casting light on the trees in wild splashes.
"What are you doing out here?" Her voice found itself again, squeaking out. "I mean… I ended out here because I must have been sleep-walking again."
"Sleep-walking, right… Well, my caravan is set up a few yards from where I found you. I was out looking for fire wood." Sounded reasonable enough to her tired mind. Her own reason for being out in the woods was flimsy at best. It felt like a journey through forever but they soon stood at the edge of the driveway up to the front of the house that ran along the forest. "Oh…You don't have any shoes on. Here." Without another word, Matthias scooped Madison up in his arms and started carrying her towards the house. She just stared at him, a little incredulous. Where in the world did this man come from?
Her mouth opened to ask him a question when the front doors of the manor burst open. Raoul stood in the entryway as several of the servants came rushing out to retrieve Madison from the man. Matthias continued past them to set Madison on her feet in the foyer. He turned to Raoul who was staring at like the man had two heads or something.
"Uh… Thank you, sir. I was about to send out a search party for the young lady." Raoul seemed much calmer now. He was even more put together with a smoking jacket on and tied about his waist. One of the head maids set a pair of slippers in front of Madison to step in to. She wobbled a little, trying to keep her focus mainly on her supposed savior. "How can I repay you?"
"No worries, sir. I was just passing through when I saw the poor lass wandering around. I will just be on my way. No need to repay me, sir." The two men shook hands. Matthias pulled something out from his back pocket as he turned to leave. He set it on his head, a newsy cap. The man looked back at Madison. The shadow of the brim obscured his face, exposing only his mouth… Just like the man on New Year's Eve. He smiled the same sinister smile that he had given her in the woods and in the street. "Best be more careful, Missy. There are dangerous men out there."
"He is right, you know." Raoul chimed shutting the door behind Matthias. "You are the most reckless young woman. He is a monster and is only using you. He doesn't care about you. He will leaving you bleeding like any other man in the end. Don't keep protecting him."
"Raoul… I am tired. I need to get cleaned up. I don't need you harping at me like some nurse. I have Christine for that." He inhaled indigently as she stomped up the stairs to her chamber. The servants were clucking about her condition and how little time they had to prepare a proper bath for her. All she needed was a small basin to wash her feet off in, but no… in to the large copper tub she went. It was freezing. She shivered fiercely as one of the maids scrubbed at her hair, tsking the entire process at all the dirt and twigs she had collected in the woods. Another maid tried to wash her feet but Madison refused to let anyone touch her feet. She could do it herself, dismissing everyone from the washroom. Twenty minutes later, she was clean, hair braided and dressed in a fresh pale blue night gown. Her room was thoroughly tossed about. The work of Raoul no doubt. That is why he was so calm at the door earlier. She straightened the sheets on her bed, climbing under them.
What in the world had just transpired? How did that man… Matthias find her in the woods? There was no way his caravan story was real. He must have been following her since that day… He was that man on the opera steps as well. If he had wanted to harm her, he could have done so out in the woods but instead he chooses to help her out. Why? She slipped away in to a fitful and uneasy sleep. Her dreams weren't of the Labyrinth again. This time, it was a graveyard. Vast and crowded with graves that had no names inscribed on them. Wandering around till every single stone looked the same as the next. A pistol held securely in the left hand, carefully looking around a corner to find an open pit amongst the tombstones. Another quick look about before moving forward to stand at the edge of it looking in. There lying at the bottom was a girl, her face covered with a veil. Madison opened her eyes to see Erik standing at the edge of the grave above her, pistol in hand as dirt began to fill in the pit.