Chapter ten

The day of the wedding came on the 3rd of April and the groom was anything but at ease in the halls of his home. His prospective father-by-marriage was coming by to see his townhouse in the rich side of Paris and this was one lie he could not smooth-talk his way out of. It would not do at all for him to lead M. Daaë down to his cave in his wheelchair as sick as he was. No doubt he would be accompanied by that pestering hag of a nurse who would be watching his every move. He rubbed his face hiding a yawn which tugged at his mouth and throat, he was exhausted. M. Daaë would be here any minute.

The night before he had gone under the cover of moonlight he had found a three-story mansion going under from a broke aristocrat so deep in debt from his dishonest accountants he was being evicted. He would do anything for money now, something Erik had plenty of and now could use to his advantage , he had met Herr Rein, in his parlor with a bottle of Guinness and all the lights off. Erik found a match and used it to light the room and had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat at the pathetic sight. The German was blonde and handsome like a more mature Adonis, but now he looked like a man twice his own age with a bloodshot expression that showed he had not slept in days.

He had very bitterly snapped at him to go the hell away and leave him alone. The masked man had shushed him softly and made a mask of understanding pity as he knelt beside him and held back his hair while he vomited. Erik clicked his tongue three times pityingly and mopped up his mouth as he whispered to him softly making his offer and the man out of desperation told him to name his price, he did. Three-hundred francs and he got to keep all the furniture, at first the man was reluctant but after a reminder that he would go to prison if he did not pay off his debts agreed to it sadly and shook his hand.

Herr Rein had left then and Erik had taken inventory on everything in the house. The bed was the most haunting, crimson velvet cushions and white silks , he turned away from the bedroom and went into the parlor where he found and lit the massive crystal chandelier. In the room were several couches and things that were customary along with coffee tables and things to entertain guests. In the room next to it, was the lavatory complete with huge bathtub. He checked the music room and found a piano, not as handsome as his but it would do for now until he could go back for his later. There were cabinets full of every score of lively country dances and gigs, he grimaced and made a mental note to throw all these out later. It was obvious the man had no taste in music.

He left then and went back to his cavern where he burned all that atrocious music with a candle. The composer then took his piano by hiring a workman and cabbie from the opera. He also took all of his music, along with his violin, the rest he left behind. Elijah was more than happy to hop along on his master's shoulder and be carried off.

Erik set him up with his bed in a little pile of cushions when he got back to the house and had the greedy worker set his piano down and carry the other away. He then filled the cabinets with his music and went back to his home and collected all six hundred of his books and took them back to the library where he put each of them by category on the bookshelves and went to his new wine cellars and took inventory of them. The man at least had a fine taste in wine and a finer tastes in whiskies , he left that alone. He had finally set up and then collapsed on the bed in a sleep so heavy that nothing but the arrival of his father-in-law-to-be could have woken him, and so it did, seemingly only minutes after he'd closed his eyes.

The composer woke to blinding daylight and the sound of someone knocking at the door, he dressed hurriedly and opened the door to see the man and his caretaker on the doorstep. The man, was wheeled in by his nurse whose mouth promptly dropped open, Erik would have smiled had it not been for the yawn that nearly tore him in two. When Daaë asked as to why he was so tired he smoothly told him that he had been so vexed over his arrival that he had hardly had any sleep. The man smiled kindly and told him that he need not have worried so much and patted him weakly on the back as he was taken into the library.

Erik took him on a complete tour of his new home and even introduced him to Elijah, who after a reassurance that the newcomer meant him no harm, was more than happy to be cuddled by his guest. The last room he took him to was the music room, where M. Daaë complimented him on his piano and bench to match and then asked for him to play. Erik smiled, glad for his years living in the opera as he put on the illusion of being the ardent admirer eager to impress his company and show off his talent, something Mr. Daaë had no objection to. When he began to play he chose first a piece from Don Giovanni and then he went to his music cabinet and chose the piece called: Christine.

At first when Erik had played Mozart, the man had merely applauded and complimented him on his abilities when he played this however the man choked and the nurse had caught her breath. M. Daaë was so excited that he fell victim to a coughing spell and Erik ran to get him water, putting on a mask of worry, which the man fell for and assured the composer that he was all right for the present. He then asked him where he had got that piece for he had never heard it before, when Erik told him that he was the composer, the man's mouth literally fell open. The nurse, it seemed could not hold back her question and eagerly asked him as to what the source of his inspiration was.

Erik sighed at this, succeeding in making his eyes mist over like a love-stuck boy. He told the pair that the inspiration for the balled was the girl that he was hoping to marry. The masked man then went on to tell her father that he had even gone so far as to name the piece after her (he made sure to swoon at this) and her father smiled.

He was then convinced that the man he was giving his little girl to the most ardent admirer that she could ever hope for. The man spurned the hand which Erik held out to him and instead stood up with his hand on the arm of the chair for balance and made to embrace him. The other accepted the gesture and made sure to form wet eyes and make his voice simper with gratitude well-practiced as he helped to sit him down. M. Daaë uttered a strained laugh and gave him a feeble clap on the shoulder making a point of telling him that no thanks was required and that he could not hope to give his daughter to better man if he tried. He embraced him again and then asked the nurse to take him home. Erik smiled at the nurse and bowed to the other as he held the door. M. Daaë waved goodbye and he closed the door after giving him one last practiced smile.

The masked man fell to his knees and rested his head against the door, his breathing labored. Elijah, who had trotted into the room shortly after the visit had ended, noticed and came up to comfort him, purring softly and licking the part of his hand that he could reach. He bent down and kissed his ear, wiping his mouth when a strand of cat hair got in it. After feeding, bathing and combing him he set him down in his basket and told him to stay. "I've got to go get ready for your new mother." he explained and the kitten meowed agreeably and fell right to sleep as soon as he left the room.

He then went to the maid's workhouse where he told the man that he required three maids and showed the man his purse and when the man saw it he turned fawning and indulgent. Erik tried and failed not to roll his eyes as he made his way to the back where there were several women to which he was introduced as 'The Gentleman.' The masked man sat down and began interviewing them one after the other until he selected three young women and told them to go wait by for him outside. They nodded and he hired a cab to take them to his house giving him the rest of his pocket-change. He then walked to the opera house where he found his safe and took all the money he had out of it and made the next stop the bank where he deposited all but four-hundred francs of it.

Once he had hired the rest of his staff, two butlers, three stable boys, a chef, (the finest in Italy he was well versed in French and Italian cuisine), one messenger boy, and three personal servants, a chauffeur, a valet and a secondary butler, he sent them home in a coach. He bought some bread and wine from the local bakery and then went off to find a coach. He found one, crystal ebony with red velvet seats and in perfect condition, he had the maker carve his signature seal, the red skull with his initials. He payed him and then told him to hold on to it while he found some horses to go with it and gave him twopence for his trouble. It did not take him long to find the perfect set of horses, six of them, all black pure-breed Arabian stallions. He used the rest of his money with two coins change to buy them plus the necessary accessaries and led them back to the coach-house where the man graciously hitched them for him and in return was given his last coins.

He went then to his underground home and took all his clothes and put them in his trunk, loading them in the back. 'One more stop' he thought and set his horses to a slow trot. The house of Nadir Khan appeared in fifteen minutes, and he pulled them to a stop. He knocked on the door and Darius showed him in where the Persian was reading one of his happily-ever-after books. Erik tapped the door and the jade-eyed man looked up in surprise for a few seconds before offering him a seat. When Erik sat down Nadir called for his man-servant to bring his guest a cup of Russian tea but the other turned him down.

"I did not come here for small pleasures." said he.

"I suspected as much." replied his host with a dismissive wave, "Why did you come?"

"I am to be married today and I am in need of a groomsman." was the other's casual response.

The Persian's eyes widened and he mouthed something like the name of his god. He found his voice after several seconds later, "W-who's the l-l-lucky girl?"he stammered.

"That is my affair. You will meet me at the Notre Dame cathedral in twenty minutes."

He left. The Persian staring after him.

The wedding proceeded as planned and Erik came down the aisle dressed in a rather unconventional costume of pure crimson. Then the bride came in and he caught his breath, she was a vision in white, her chocolate curls pul in a crown on her head with a few tendrils left on her neck her father trailing behind her in his chair. The dress she wore was a simple one but the neck line seemed to be made for her and suited her perfectly. Nadir's eyes widened as he recognized the bride, but he said nothing, she stepped up on the altar and he noted she was shaking as her fiancé took her hand firmly in his.

When the father asked him if he took her as his wife he said nothing, merely nodding his head. When he asked her she gave a very timid, 'I do' and when told they should kiss he took her hand and gave her a very light brush and nothing more. It was clear that the priest thought this was strange from the look on his face but he did not voice it. He then lead her off the steps as was customary to her father who kissed both her cheeks and gave him a weak clap on the shoulder and bent forward hugging him as tight as he was able.

The reception followed with all the usual festivities, the tossing of the bouquet, the couple cutting the wedding cake and so on. Erik found this all trivial and pointless but he made a point of acting like he enjoyed himself as to not upset her father. When it at last ended, M. Daaë gave them each one last hug and he admonished each one in their turn. Him to take care of her, her to be good. Erik nodded and took her to his carriage helping her inside and climbing inside beside her. He set the horses for home... he had a wife... he was married.