HI EVERYONE, THANKS FOR GETTING ME OVER THE 60 REVEIWS MARK, IM SO HAPPY, I DIDDNT THINK THIS STORY WOULD GET SO MANY HITS, YOU ALL MAKE THR CHAPTERS COME SO FAST

IM SORRY THIS ONE TOOK SO LONG, ITS HALF TERM HOLIDAYS SO MY MOM PLANNED TRIPS HERE AND THERE AND ON THE OTHER DAYS I HAVE REVISION SESSIONS FOR EXAMS

BUT THIS IS MY DE-STRESS STORY SO THE CHAPTERS WILL KEEP COMMING.

I DONT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

CHAPTER TEN

Elizabeth stood at the door and waved as she watched her father's carriage drive off. This time he had stayed for about three weeks before the need for adventure overpowered his love for comfort and soon he was off again.

During his stay her father had barley seen the rest of his family, stuck in his office the whole time. He even took his meals inside. It was as if he weren't even here. So when he left, Elizabeth felt no sadness. How can you miss something you never had?

However Abigail and Verity didn't see it that way. They were a little depressed the whole time he was here. The two girls were starved for affection when it came to their father, and Elizabeth felt a little sorry for them. It was not a problem for her, after all, she had been neglected her whole life so this kind of rejection was something she was used to.

Well...almost everyone neglected her.

Elizabeth thought of her Music Master and smiled warily.

She had almost told him the truth, about her incredibly gifted family. It wasn't that she was ashamed, or that she was worried for their safety. More so...she was scared.

Elizabeth was so used to being left behind because she wasn't good enough, and so when it happened it never surprised her. But she loved singing so much; she didn't want what happened with her piano teacher to happen now. Elizabeth wasn't sure how good her sisters were at singing, but she really did not want to find out. They would do it, just because she was doing it. Because of the lack of affection from their father, her sisters were always trying to do the things Elizabeth did in hopes of gaining their fathers attention.

It never worked, but it always took something precious from Elizabeth. And she didn't want that. She knew he wanted to know more of her, his questions last time may have stopped but that did not stop his curiosity. He was just as curious of her as she was of him, but she was scared.

Elizabeth hated lying to him, she felt sick every time she downplayed the importance of her sisters and changed the subject.

Sighing she went to ready herself for her singing lessons.

Armani was acting all moody again as he cleaned the saddles. Really disliked that man, acting as if he knew everything and she herself was nothing more than a little woman.

"Armani" she called the idiot man seemed to not like being called by a woman as he pretended to not hear him. Elizabeth became annoyed "Armani" she called again, in a crisp tone that told others of her own authority. She may be a mousey, shy girl, but she was still the eldest child of the house and she deserved respect from those under her employment "Come here this instant, I know you can hear me so don't play dumb."

He sighed and stood "Yes Miss Elizabeth."

"Saddle my horse" she ordered.

He gave her a look "Whats a little missy like you doin' going off on her own?"

Elizabeth gave him a hard stare she had gotten from her mother "Never you mind" she said "simply do as I ask and saddle my horse." When he did not move she hardened her stare "Now!"

That seemed to do it as he turned and went to do as she asked

Once saddled she mounted Moonlight and urged the mare forward and noticed that Moonlight seemed to be going slower than usual. Playing it off as something in her head she whistled for her mount to ride on.

They rode for a while when Elizabeth began to notice that the sun was getting on, she was going to be late. Elizabeth tried not to be late...ever. She knew how much it aggravated her strict Master.

"Gee up girl" she whispered slightly as they approached the forest path towards the opera house,

But something was wrong; moonlight was slowing, and running in a strange way.

Elizabeth did not notice until the mare reared up and threw her rider from her seat.

With a scream she tumbled to the ground as her arm smashed against a nearby rock. Pain caused her to grit her teeth and shut her eyes.

But in the background she heard Moonlight panicking, now wasn't the time to become unconscious, she needed to calm her horse.

So with much difficulty she hoisted herself up. She tried to raise her arms, but then the right one shot her with a dose if unimaginable pain. This was not good. Moonlight was still panicking, so Elizabeth used her one arm to subdue the great animal. It would not have worked if not for the familiarly between the two of them.

"Easy girl" she crooned and eventually the animal calmed. Elizabeth sighed and winced, she pulled up the sleeve and realised that her arm was badly cut and beginning to bleed. What the heck had happened?

Well, first thing was first, she needed to stop the bleeding before it stained her dress. Reaching into Moonlight's saddle bag she found her polishing cloth and tore it into shreds. Then awkwardly and clumsily with one had she secured it around the cut. Luckily it wasn't too bad, she would have to avoid moving around or it would open up wider and become very difficult to stop the bleeding.

Once done she bent slightly and motioned for moonlight to lift a hoof. When the horse complied Elizabeth cried out "Why that little imbecile!"

Armani that idiot, hadn't she told him last week to maintain Moonlight's hose shoes accordingly? The fool of a stable had only done a half job which resulted in the show half flying off and surprising the Blue Roan Mare.

"Poor Moonlight" she said softly as she patted the horse "That must have hurt." That did it! Elizabeth didn't care if it was unladylike, from now on she would attend to her own horse or at least hire someone competent to do so in the future.

She contemplated returning to the house to be bandaged properly, and then blanched at the thought. She may have been occasionally late to one of her lessons, but Elizabeth had never before missed one and she shuddered to think how angry he would be.

No, she would have to make do until after her lesson, she could not miss one. Luckily she did not seem to be too late yet. She took Moonlight's reigns and processed to lead the mare along the rest of the way.

Elizabeth tethered her to her usual tree and took a moment together herself. She didn't want him knowing. He would think her pathetic that she couldn't even handle a little fall. Or worse, he might pity her.

Elizabeth had spent all her life being pitied by everyone, and somehow she didn't want to add him to the list, there was always a chance he wouldn't care either way, after all her Master was a very reserved person. But Elizabeth didn't want to take that chance.

She checked the bandage and noticed it was secured tightly to her satisfaction.

Good, at least something was going right today.

For many months now Elizabeth had been in constant wonder about her Master. She had so many questions, so many things she wanted to know and today she was planning to ask him.

She entered the piped and made her way down them with post haste. Elizabeth had now been down here so often that she could navigate herself with her eyes shut. Every footfall brought her closer.

Eventually she brought herself though the pipe system and the sound of an organ reached her ears. He always practiced a little while he waited for her, her master had a strict understanding that the teacher should always arrive before the student, to make sure that they remembered who was the teacher and who was the student. And so far he had only ever been late once for reasons he refused to tell her. He was so full of secrets that is was a little nauseating.

Then again she herself was full of her own secrets. He had to know she was of noble birth, but he didn't know just how noble. He didn't know she was from a prodigy family. She knew once he knew, he would no longer have any interest in her. Why would he worry about a mediocre singer when he could have a genius pianist, or a harpist or a flutist?

She knew she couldn't hold out much longer, eventually he would find out, but until then she wanted to keep him to herself.

She entered the room and the moment her feet touched the ground it made the smallest of sounds, but it was enough as he paused and turned to her, a smirk displayed. His mask didn't cover his mouth completely, only his right cheek and everything above it but she could practically see his eyebrow rose "You were three minutes from being late."

She returned a smile to his smirk and nodded "But I wasn't late."

To this he seemed to approve as he turned back to his organ "Have you been practicing as I told you?"

"Yes" she said eagerly, pulling out his newest music score from her handbag. She had been practicing it at night when everyone was sleeping, Elizabeth was only thankful for her grandmother's idea to soundproof her room. It was so well done that she could sing even the highest notes without waking anyone, which had been doing marvellous things to her voice since she now had more time to practice.

Although, it did make her extremely quiet at the breakfast table due to lack of sleep. Then again, Elizabeth was always quiet anyway.

She took out the score and set it up on a stand.

He began their breathing exercises and warming up scales. He made her did this at the start of each lesson in hoped that the more times she did it the more her body would become used to the feeling of her lungs refilling with air for every individual note. So far she was doing well but there were times where Elizabeth would forget the correct method of breathing.

After she had warmed up to his satisfaction he went straight into her singing. Elizabeth sang the song once, listened to his criticism and sang it again. She repeated this for what seemed like ages, never seeming to get it right.

But eventually she sang her last note and he turned back to her "There! Do not forget what you have just don't, that was perfect."

He turned to her and smiled, not smirked, smiled "You've done well, continue to do so."

Elizabeth saw a strange glint in his eyes and when she realised what it was her heart beat tenfold. Pride, in her accomplishment, Elizabeth tried to remember the last time someone had been proud of her and failed. She turned her head to hide how her face was breaking out in a slight blush.

He stood and went to another stack of papers he had piled.

Elisabeth watched him search though them, probably looking for another score for her to sing next. The unmasked side of his face was facing her and Elizabeth was struck by how handsome he really was.

Dark lashes, strong cheekbones, deep brown eyes.

Why would he want to hide the other half of his face? Why did he have so many secrets? He knew more of her than she did of him, it wasn't fair.

"Master" she said softly, treading carefully.

He paused, listening.

She took in a breath "I...I wanted to ask something, why...why do you always wear a mask." Because her head was bent she missed how he completely tensed.

"I've noticed. At first I wondered if it were just a theatrical moment you had just come from, a costume of some kind. But you never take it off, no matter what."

"That's enough" he said, so quietly. "Enough, be silent" his voice sounded so dangerous, but it was so quiet she didn't hear.

She continued "You never take it off and I was curious, what is beneath the..." she didn't get to finish.

He moved so fast she didn't even see him cross the room as his hand went around her throat and slammed her into the stone wall behind her, Elizabeth felt pain go though her arm as the impact tore into the cut, she would have screamed if his had weren't pressing down on her throat. Her hand instinctively went and clawed at his hands to try to get free, but his grip was like solid stone. For a man who was so light on his feet he was stronger than he looked with a grip like iron.

Elizabeth opened her eyes and instantly regretted it.

His eyes, they looked so furious,it was terrifying. Like he could do anything to her, her life was literally in his hands. Elizabeth had always known that every time she returned to him she returned to a possible death, but that only hot home for real now. She knew he was dangerous, and yet all the time she spent with him she had not feared him.

No, that was not right, she found it impossible to fear him, she trusted him more than even her sister and at sometimes it scared her how much she trusted him so quickly. But then he would treat her so kindly, a little strict but still so kind. Elizabeth had never trusted someone so quickly, and somehow she felt like she was being betrayed.

Who was this person?

She didn't know him, he wasn't her master.

And Elizabeth had never been more scared in her whole life.

He came closer and snarled at her, his grip on her neck tightening. Elizabeth flinched.

"Never" he said in a low voice, Elizabeth pressed against the wall, desperate to escape "Never, ask about my mask, or my face. It's no business of yours. You aren't to ask, question or even think of the matter. And you aren't ever to remove it. Do I make myself clear!" with the last word he tightened his grip on her neck to the point she cried out a little, Elizabeth was crying now she was so scared. She opened her eyes a little to see his rage filled one. A murderous aura filled the room. She wanted to cry, but she was too scared to even think

"I'm...sorry...Master" she whispered "Sorry...so sorry, forgive me..." at this moment she would have said anything to escape this. Elizabeth was gasping, she couldn't breath. He wasn't squeezing her throat in a way that would leave damage, instead he was pressing down on in so it cut of her air supply and sent painful shocks though her whole neck. She certainly felt like she was going to die.

And all she could think was, what had she done wrong?

Why did he hate her?

Had he finally realised he did not need her?

No! It was too soon!

But perhaps that was that was supposed to happen, perhaps she was supposed to die. Elizabeth was scared, but if there was nothing to be done, then perhaps she should just stop fighting.

She went limp and bared her throat, allowing him to kill her.

But then he let go.

WELL, WAS THAT A GOOD ENOUGH CHAPTER?

DEVELOPMENT AND A CLIFFHANGER ALL IN ONE

PLEASE REVEIW