Draegon-fire: Hmm... we will find out, but it might be awhile before we get there. You will also get your answer in this chapter in regards to who is after Erik.
Meg does mean well, but she has made things worse. I think she will realize just what consequences will come from those actions.
Child of Music and Dreams: This is the chapter where you'll find out if your intuition is correct. I'm genuinely curious to find out what your reaction will be, since this one is important.
****3W****
I recently realized that thanks to certain details in this fic, Meg is possibly between 17 or 18 in this story. I meant for her and Christine to be somewhere between 18 and 24, though if you would rather have Meg be 17 or 18, then Christine would at least be 20 around this point in time or somewhere close to it.
Just a few notes before we begin: I know it's weird that it seems like neither Christine or Meg have tried to figure out the truth behind Erik's mask, but keep in mind that sometimes we can accept a mask as someone's face and this ended up being the case in the majority of the 1990 miniseries.
The hula girl costume that will be mentioned DOES apparently exist in the musical, but I think it doesn't show up in too many productions. I know it seems out of place but I HAD to include it.
I would like to point something out, in case no one saw it recently: I learned back in November that the chandelier is actually raised up into a room above the theater, rather than lowered. I want to try to be historically accurate as I can.
****3W****
Chapter 14: Not as you know him
Meg and Christine had finally revealed all to Madame Giry in the privacy of her office. After explaining everything that occurred, a long silence fell between the three women.
Madame Giry sighed and clasped her hands together in regret. "I'm sorry I was never honest with you Meg. I didn't trust your judgement as a child and I believed that the truth was too incredible for you to be able to conceal."
"Did you ever regret sending him away?" Meg asked. "Did you ever wish that you could have done something different after Isobel died?"
"There have been times where I wished I had better foresight." Madame Giry confessed. "But when I remember that horrible day I remind myself that something much worse could have happened. I am sure that your father would not have allowed any of this to have happened, if he were still alive."
Meg remained silent as she stared at her mother for awhile, before walking out of the office without saying a word. The older woman gave her daughter a very regretful look as she left.
"I've lied to her about her father's death and kept so much from her." Madame Giry reflected to Christine when Meg was gone. "She deserves the right to be alone."
"I have a question, Madame." Christine asked as she turned back. "When Meg told me what had happened to her father, she told me that you and Monsieur Giry promised to grant Erik what he desired the most. She said that you had some sort of negative reaction to it and that was what drove him away from you. May I ask what it is?"
Madame Giry was surprised. "You mean to say that you haven't figured it out?"
This confused Christine. "What do you-"
"Three years, the both of you have spent in his presence." Madame Giry began. "Three years you kept him a secret from me, even though I recognized the signs. In all that time he was with you, did you ever notice something particular about him that never changed? Such as when he made himself visible to others besides you?"
"All I know is that he told us that he didn't want to be found!" Christine was frustrated. "He openly went alongside us in Russia and at Lady DuBois's chateau, but even then he was trying to hide his identity! What is it that is so terrible about this wish that could possibly be related to that?!"
"I think you already know the answer Christine." Madame Giry calmly replied. "Consider what you've learned or seen as carefully as possible. What was the one and only thing that always remained the same about him?"
Christine angrily closed her eyes and tried to think. How could this have to do with hiding? She rested her hand on her temples and went over everything that involved him hiding himself from others- he always kept himself hidden from others, he used disguises, he went out of his area of security so that he could be at the chateau with her, and then of course there was the fact that he always wore a mask.
As she thought back to the mask, Christine suddenly recalled something:
Her eyes tried to drift away until she noticed something that she never saw before; between Erik's mask and the ear that was mostly covered up by his dark hair, was a patch of skin and white scar like tissue that appeared twisted as if he had been burnt.
"Is Erik hiding an injury that he can't fix under that mask?" Christine asked Madame Giry. "Or is there something more? He isn't human- perhaps he is one of those deities who we cannot see in their complete form without dying from the sight of it?"
Madame Giry flinched and her hands tightened together. "Of a sort." She stiffly replied. "That is all I can dare say."
"What do you mean?" Christine was growing frustrated. "Why can't you-"
"Only one who has witnessed unnatural horrors could be able to look upon him." Madame Giry's eyes narrowed at Christine. "If you have been sheltered from them your whole life, then you are not prepared to handle the truth."
Christine opened her mouth to let loose a protest- that she had seen death and had almost drowned herself- but realized that Madame Giry would remain adamant in the matter and she was forced to leave.
As Christine left the office, she wondered about the Madame's response. So whatever Erik was hiding under the mask was the answer to all of this? Perhaps he suffered an injury that he was self conscious about and reacted a little too strongly to how the Giry's took it. Considering his temper it would be likely possible, but why didn't he eventually trust her enough to at least show her? If that was the case, then he was going to do so last night.
Christine stopped- then again, when he was in disguise he still hid his face, even from her.
What in God's name was so awful that he had to hide it from others and not tell anyone about it? Why would Madame Giry not be more truthful in her words?
Christine shivered.
The day of the Masquerade had come and it would be a few more hours until it would start.
Darius had the luck (or misfortune) to learn what Lilian had planned for that night, but there was nothing that he could do as he was chained up in a spare room in her flat. He had been confined to this flat ever since he had been captured and though his wound was treated, he wondered if the woman intended to kill him when she had accomplished her goals.
As for Nadir-
The door opened and he glanced up to see Fantine enter- already she was in a red dress with blue trimming and blue feathers in her hair. Up to this point, she had been responsible for giving him his meals and hadn't said a word at all, though Darius could see in her eyes that there was so much that she wished to say, as well as some sort of sadness hidden behind the anger she held towards her Mistress.
Fantine stared at Darius as she closed the door behind her and when this was done she quickly hurried to his side and pulled up her skirts to reveal something that she had tied against her leg.
Darius watched as Fantine took off the rope and freed the object, which she revealed to be a mask designed to look like a lion's head. She set it next to Darius, who saw that there was not only a set of leather gloves inside it, but also the key to his cuffs, along with a scrap of paper. Fantine quickly put a finger to her lips and shot a warning look at Darius before she left the room and closed it behind her.
Darius stared at the maid in amazement before glancing at the inside of the lion's mask and took out the note with his free hand. In very shaky hand writing was a message:
Wait until 11. 11:30 is the time.
Darius understood Fantine's message, as well as that there was still an ally on their side.
All was gaiety and merriment in the halls of the Opera House as the Masquerade commenced. Kings, monsters, clowns, nymphs, angels, creatures and more merged and mingled together to rejoice in the fun and concealment that came with the events. Music was playing, dancers danced, wine was pouring into cups, and just about any sort of activity imaginable was occurring. There was a pleasing, welcoming warmth about the event and everyone felt safe in their disguises.
Normally the theater itself would be open to the events, but it was closed off as the chandelier had been sent up into the room above to be cleaned. Due to time delays and other mishaps, the theater was currently devoid of it's chandelier and now had a huge hole in the ceiling in it's place.
If there were any who did not feel joyous when the masquerade was taking place, there certainly was one in particular.
Christine Daae was dressed as a lovely star princess in pink, blue, and silver with a moon tiara in her hair, stars on her dress, and a silver mask over her eyes. She was truly a vision to behold, but she was not entirely comfortable in her surroundings- they reminded her of the fact that the one who tried to kill her wore a full faced mask, as well as Erik, who was as still an enigma as he was a source of painful memories.
"Christine?"
She turned to face Meg- the young lady was dressed as a female Emcee of sorts, in magenta and black, and the hat on her head had a black veil that covered most of her face.
The ballerina reached for Christine's hand and squeezed it. "I know," She told her "but let's let this night be for us for a change. Otherwise we'll miss the fun we could of had tonight."
Christine glanced out to observe all the colorful pandemonium once more, before nodding and followed Meg out into the hallway.
Already a handful of there fellow performers were enjoying themselves. One in particular snapped Christine out of her worried state of mind long enough to just stare in awed confusion; one of the ballerinas was immodestly dressed in some sort of grass skirt with flowers adorning her wrists, neck, and around a certain area that was otherwise covered up by a nude form fitting cloth. The brown mask hide her face, but it was very obvious to the trained eye that the dancer was none other than Lucille, who was already attracting a string of onlookers.
"Mother is going to kill her if nothing else happens." Meg nervously gulped.
"I think it's quite a riot!" Angelique- who was dressed in yellow, orange, and brown and resembled some sort of fish- cracked a grin when she recognized the other two. "This party would be absolutely bland if it wasn't for people like us! Cheers!" She raised a glass in her hand at the girls.
The two gradually intermingled with the others for awhile until Christine was greeted by two men.
"Christine?" She turned around to face Raoul and Auguste. The former was dressed in some sort of formal military uniform, but he did not wear a mask. The later simply wore a traditional black dress suit with an ochre hued vest, but he wore a rather detailed and realistic looking tiger mask.
"Raoul." Christine nodded with a kind smile as Meg turned around to see the man she only met once before. "I thought the point of this event was to hide one's face so that the world would never find you."
"I know," Raoul laughed. "I suppose I just wasn't up for it. You remember Auguste?" He held his hand out towards his companion.
"Oh yes!" Christine beamed as she curtseyed to the future baron. "How are you, Monsieur?"
"I have been considering looking into architecture or at least something involving the sort." Auguste admitted. "Father is becoming rather insistent that I quit spending my time at construction sights, as he worries about my health. As long as I can do something related to what I enjoy, than I wouldn't mind."
"You work in construction?" Meg's interest in the man in the tiger mask was raised.
"Ah, I forgot to introduce you!" Christine smiled at Meg. "Meg, this is Raoul's friend, Auguste Cas- uh-"
"Auguste Castelot-Barbezac." He politely took over for her. "And as a matter of fact, I do."
"That's incredible!" Meg was in awe. "My father used to be in a similar field and he helped build the Opera House!"
Raoul shot a rather secretive, yet knowing grin at Auguste. "Perhaps I shall take Christine with me for a dance." He held his hand out to the star princess. "If I may?"
Christine nodded and took Raoul's hand, leaving Auguste at the mercy of her friend.
"That must be quite an honor for him." Auguste turned back to Meg. "I admire Charles Garnier's designs- I'm afraid it's one of the few things I can appreciate about the Opera House itself."
"My father passed away a long time ago." Meg was not comfortable about saying that anymore, now that she knew the truth. "But he did enjoy working here when he was alive and had worked on many sites around France. My mother is the Ballet Mistress and I have just been appointed prima ballerina for the next opera, so this building has been like a home to me ever since it came to be."
"I apologize for my assumption." Auguste inwardly cringed, but he quickly decided to change topic. "So you are a ballerina? I personally prefer ballet over opera myself."
"Really?" Meg's eyebrows raised while she took a secret delight in this.
While the two began to enjoy each other's company (while having no clear idea as to what they looked like under their disguises) Raoul lead Christine into a dance along with many others, as Reyer and his orchestra played their songs.
"I suppose I finally found a woman that could be worth Auguste's interests." Raoul chuckled before he became serious. "You have no idea how relieved I am to see that you are alright." Raoul told Christine as they moved in time to the music. "I'm sure Meg told you about- well-"
"She did." Christine frowned. "I wish she had waited for me to make a say in the matter. I still regret not being able to change what had happened-"
"None of this was your fault, Christine." Raoul stopped her. "I know why he was important to you, and while I personally hate him I also can't deny that he was able to do what no one else could for you. He was able to make your dream come true, and that in itself is a wonderful accomplishment."
"Are you jealous of him?"
"Jealous? I'm angry that he wasn't what I hoped he would be, but yes I am jealous of him."
"Don't be." Christine warned. "I understand what you feel, but he deserves at least some pity."
"Do you know what scares me the most?" Raoul asked. "Is that something horrible almost happened to you while under his care and I feel that you are trying to defend him when he doesn't deserve it."
Christine had no idea how to answer that. Meanwhile, across the room, another confrontation between two former lovers was about to occur.
"Sorelli?"
The dancer turned to face Philippe- the man was dressed in soft blues and whites, but he wore a simple black mask. Sorelli herself wore a midnight blue and emerald dress, with a matching mask adorned with sequins and she looked absolutely radiant in the eyes of the aristocrat.
"Is it true that you are off to England?" Philippe asked.
"Yes." The ballerina confessed. "I have been granted an offer at a company to dance in their theater."
"I see..." It was hard to read the emotion in his voice.
The ballerina hung her head in disappointment when she couldn't figure out what Philippe was feeling about this. "Then you do not love me after all, Comte."
"What are you saying?" Philippe demanded.
"If you loved me, then you would have done everything in your power to stop me- to tie me down here in France and offer a marriage proposal." She let out a bitter laugh. "There have been times where I hoped you would have come to your senses and just ask for my hand in marriage and I would have been happier than any queen on earth for that alone."
"I would get in the way of your dreams." Philippe replied. "I thought you would have preferred it if we treated this relationship as something we could easily get out of without complications."
"I can't always be a ballerina forever- one day my body will be too frail to dance if my legs aren't weakened first." Sorelli placed a hand over her heart and looked at it. "You should know that, my Comte. All girls must grow up and realize that they can't always be prima ballerinas, or perhaps they might never become one at all. I was blessed to have this time when I did-"
"-But you still kept hoping I would come for you, when you wanted to stop." Philippe frowned. "That sounds childish in itself, if you ask me."
Sorelli flinched as if a dagger had been stabbed in her heart. "Then if I did, it shows that I loved you more than you could possibly realize." She replied and added one final thing before leaving. "At least I can restart everything in England and fall in love again with a much wiser outlook on life."
Around this time, Christine removed herself from Raoul and wandered off to try to find Meg. Along the way she saw the managers- both dressed in garish costumes, while Firmin's wife wore something more sensible and less extravagant, compared to most of the other guests. She saw Angelique try to get Remy to dance with her, and she saw Rosina and the younger girls watching the splendor from the sides- some were hoping to find a partner, while others were content with just watching, though a few were equally disappointed that they could not find the costume that their hearts were set on.
"Hello, Daae."
Christine was currently under the grand staircase and found herself facing Lilian. The woman was dressed in a dark purple dress, which split at the middle of the skirts to reveal varying shades and layers of red. Her hair was done up in curls and her arms were covered in black gloves. As usual, she still wore her chocker as well as a strange look in her eyes, though she was not wearing a mask of any sort.
"Mademoiselle Blanchette." Christine greeted politely as she curtseyed to the older woman. "It's good to see you again. I see you decided not to wear a mask tonight."
"Oh I am wearing a mask." Lilian confidently told her. "I have been wearing it for most of this night, but I shall take it off when I deem it ready." She eyed the young woman's costume. "Are you a queen or a princess?"
"I suppose I am." Christine smiled. "Its such a beautiful dress and I had to claim it before the others did."
"But does it represent the night being born, or is it a dying night?" Lilian wondered. "Are you perhaps feeling like one or the other? Oh forgive me, it's just that you seem to be someone who is trapped between two worlds- the real one and the illusions you help create. Colors have that effect, don't they?"
"Yes," Lilian continued thoughtfully before Christine could reply. "Colors are very symbolic and have meaning. Sometimes they contradict in different countries: black might represent death, but it's a sign of royalty elsewhere. White may indicate purity, but it too can represent death. Do you know why I wore white so frequently?" Lilian asked.
"No."
"To mock it." Lilian answered. "Everyone always think that white should be for marriage, for Christ, or for untainted innocence and purity. I think that it's a ruse that even a wretched sinner can hide behind; it is utter hypocrisy and so I wear it to show that I am no different. I have sinned many times in my life, so I shall wear white to prove that even I can mingle with the others. It's almost fitting that even my name fulfills this philosophy. Even your name might hold something meaningful, without your being aware of it, Christine. I can sense that it has an importance to you, and not just because your parents chose it for you."
She let out a bell like chuckle.
"I digress- tonight I shall entertain the guests with a special story, and I would like it if you were to join me on top of the grand staircase above us." Lilian held her hand out. "It has been awhile since I've had to speak to a large crowd and perhaps your presence can soothe my nerves."
"Alright then." Christine shook her hand, though something didn't feel right and she couldn't figure out what it was. "I will see you later on at-"
"11:30. I insist that you be there or I shall become quite cross with you." Lilian warned her, before walking away. "I'd rather not be cross with you."
Lilian smirked when she was sure Christine wasn't looking- she realized that Christine unintentionally gave her a brilliant idea. It was an idea that was sure to work in her favor, as well as prove to be beautifully symbolic.
Christine starred at her hand- what was it about Lilian that she didn't like? There was nothing to fear from her but there was something unnatural about her that made Christine's skin crawl. She seemed to have a charming air and unique outlook on life, but it always felt as if Lilian was hiding something.
Lilian's speech about white made Christine think about Erik's white mask. She wished that he was here with her- he would have enjoyed this event and he would have kept an eye out for her,
Did she truly love him, despite of all his flaws? Was this why she was suddenly missing him? Deep down she wished that she could either have ended things with him in a more clear manner... or that she could meet him one last time to fix things.
Instead she could only allow herself to be lost in the merriment and let the music be her partner. The music was like that from the music box in Madame Giry's room, and she could feel it hold and caress her as it lead her into a sway of joy, like a phantom that only she could sense. A phantom that was the only thing in the world that knew how to fully immerse her in the splendor of the event, when nothing else could do it.
The dancing made her think back to the night at the chateau when she danced with Erik, and how wonderful it felt. The more she thought of that moment, the more she thought of what almost happened- even that one moment where she was so close to indulging in her urge to try to kiss him. If she had known what his personality was really like, would she have still tired to kiss him?
Christine danced with Raoul yet again at one point and when she left him to speak with a few of the ballerinas, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
"Uhm, excuse me sir? You are the Vicomte de Chagny, correct?" Raoul turned around to face a young lady dressed in iridescent blue and black, with a mask styled to resemble a butterfly's wings. "I am." He confirmed.
The young lady stared at him for a few seconds before grabbing the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him to a slightly secluded area with surprising force for one so dainty looking. When she deemed that they were safe, she turned to face him.
"Is it true that you and your brother has made an acquaintance with a female researcher? Does she go by the name of Lilian Blanchette?"
"As a matter of fact she is." Raoul responded. "Why do you ask?"
The girl took off her mask to reveal a face that was almost exactly identical to Lilian's, save for her eyes which were bluish-gray and lacked the mystique and charm of the other woman. "I am Laurette Blanchette- Lilian is my older sister. I've been looking for her for almost two years until I thought I saw her unmasked at this ball earlier tonight."
"She has been friends with my brother for awhile." Raoul admitted as his interest in the girl increased. "Though she never told us she had a family- or at least from what I recall."
Laurette became saddened by this. "Then I was correct- she doesn't want to be found, even by her own sister."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid that's a private matter that only concerns those she is willing to tell." Laurette sharply responded with a scowl before her features softened. "I need to speak with Lilian- I want her to know that I haven't abandoned her, when our family turned their backs on her."
"Well, if you come with me to the grand staircase at around 11:30, you will see her for yourself. I will try to get her to speak with you when she is finished with whatever she has planned."
Time gradually ticked away and the frenzy became wilder and wilder, with almost no sign of stopping, until Christine felt a hand grab her own and she was pulled up towards the grand staircase.
"It's time." Lilian told Christine with a very eager smile.
As Lilian guided her up the stairs, Christine glanced around at each opposing staircase at the top of the grand staircase. Raoul was smiling at her with Philippe at his side, along with the managers and Madame Firmin and a handful of others on one side. For some reason, there was also a young lady right next to Raoul and she was staring at Lilian with great familiarity.
On the other staircase, Christine could see Remy with Angelique, Madame Giry, Madame DuBois with her nephew, and a few other patrons, though one person caught her attention- a female dressed in red, with blue trimming at the bottom and her red hair adorned with a few blue feathers. On her face was a mask with red feathers, but there were glasses over the eye holes and she looked as if she was trying to avoid looking at Christine. Christine realized that it was Fantine, though she wondered why she was here with Lilian in costume.
"Thank you Monsieurs for allowing me to entertain your guests!" Lilian beamed at the managers as the rest of the party goers cleared away to other ends until it was only her and Christine at the top of the staircase. She let go of Christine's hand and turned to glance around at her surroundings, before glancing at Christine one last time with an unreadable expression.
"Mademoiselle Giry!"
Meg turned around in confusion to the source of the hushed voice to find a man dressed with a lion's head and very shabby looking clothing, compared to the other male guests, and he was carrying something about five or seven feet in length that was rolled up in a bag that he had over his shoulder. "Its Darius- I am Nadir's servant! I need to tell you something important!"
"W-what do you mean?" Meg asked as Darius lead her to a spot that was near the staircase, but where they would not be so easily in Lilian's view point.
Finally Lilian turned around and looked at all the faces that were drawn towards her in interest. Satisfied, she began her moment of glory.
"Citizens of Paris!" Lilian joyously addressed the guests as she held her hands out in a welcoming manner. "It is an honor to live in this glorious city! Truly, you all impress me in some way or another and I have requested to entertain you with an unusual story from the research I've done throughout my travels. It is a very interesting story, filled with darkness and wonder- I assure you that some of you will be rendered speechless by the time it reaches it's conclusion."
The bespectacled masquerader- Fantine- let out a quiet, but disgusted snort.
Lilian composed herself and shot Christine a smile, before she began the tale.
"Long, long ago, there was a Shah of Persia- that is, the king of that country which does indeed exist, for those of you who are not aware of it. His family was mighty and yet his people lived in fear of them, as they could be easily angered and could come up with the wildest of punishments imaginable. In his family was a sultana, who happened to be the Shah's favorite member of the family and she was as beautiful as she was feared, for she had a sadistic tendency to see that those who crossed her path would meet unfortunate ends- ends which I'm afraid are too gruesome in detail to mention in this honorable establishment, so I shall spare you."
There was some laughter from this from a few members of the audience.
"One day, an unusual guest came into the Shah's court- a man who had traveled throughout much of Europe, Asia, and India, with many talents to boast of. A highly intellectual being, this man was a master magician as well as a talented assassin. The Shah was impressed by this magician's abilities and asked him to stay in his court, where he could have all that he could ever need or want. Though the magician appreciated the offer, he told them that nothing on earth- not even an emperor or holy man- could grant him what he so desired- something that all of us take for granted.
The Shah told the magician that if he could create a special palace for him, then he would grant him access to divine powers to make his desires a reality. Amused by the offer, but rightfully disbelieving the Shah, the magician agreed.
It took a long time, but the magician was able to construct a castle built entirely of mirrors. Now, this wasn't a castle to live in luxury, but a castle in which to punish many wrongdoers throughout the land, as well as whenever the Royal Family was bored. In the meantime, the magician taught the sultana how to defend herself through a very difficult art that involved killing one without any bloodshed. The sultana not only excelled at this art, but she turned it into a hobby by killing her servants and others out of fun or even boredom."
Christine shuddered at the idea of such a woman.
"Finally the castle was completed- it was filled with horrendous means of torture and the worst of the psychological machinations would even drive the prisoners into taking their own lives. There was no way of knowing how to escape from it's unspeakable machinations and horrors, save by those who built it. The Shah was so pleased that, instead of killing the magician as he had planned, decided to do something rather unusual and bind the magician into a permanent servitude against his will through the same divine means that he would be promised to have access to. The magician was trapped in an inescapable situation, where he was denied the release of death and would endure much misery while he was forced to commit more unspeakable horrors, as well as serve the Royal Family for the rest of his days."
"As for the sultana..." Lilian took a breath. "...She had become so dangerous in her craft that the Shah realized that not only would she try to go after his life and the lives of his other heirs, but she would leave a black stain upon her family's name for many ages. In response, the Shah not only had the magician bind her in a special dungeon within the torture palace, but decreed that her name would no longer be mentioned in Persia, as well as have any trace of her existence erased from history forever."
"And now this is where the story takes an interesting turn!" Lilian clapped her hands. "For eventually the sultana escaped her prison and one day swore her revenge on those who wronged her, as well as declare that she would one day take the throne of her kingdom for herself. The magician was among the many who wronged the sultana, but after many years of searching, she finally found him."
With a dramatic flourish, Lilian pulled out a very familiar looking black bottle from her dress and displayed it out for all to see. "And he is here with us tonight to grace you all with his presence!"
Christine let out a sharp gasp as she recognized Erik's bottle, as well as noticing that the jewels no longer shone in brilliant white, but were an ominous black. "How did you-?"
Before she could finish, Lilian ripped the seal off the bottle, brushed her hand across it, and within seconds a black smoke escaped the bottle.
Christine waited in horror as everyone around her reacted in a naive excitement mixed with nervousness. To them, this was an act, but to her this could be something dangerous. Much like the first time she met the spirit, the smoke extended until it could form something human-like, until it faded away to reveal the person inside.
The robe he wore was still black, but it was shapeless compared to the one he usually wore and a hood had been drawn almost completely over his head. The white shirt was gone and revealed a thin, almost skeletal body- his skin stretched over bones that seemed to jut out and it was covered in scars of varying shapes and sizes.
Christine nervously waited as the others- not realizing what was happening- let out a round of applause. The figure stiffened when he heard the merriment and he slowly reached to his hood to slowly pull it off and see where he was. For the first time in what felt like quite a long time for the both of them, Erik and Christine were seeing each other once more.
Erik's time of imprisonment was all too apparent on the part of his face that was exposed- he looked worn out, his facial features seemed more pronounced than usual and this, combined with the dark discoloration under his left eye, only increased his skeletal appearance. The half mask was no longer white, but pitch black and the darkness from the eye socket almost seemed to merge with the coloring, while the yellow eye within seemed more noticeable. Even his eyes spoke of a weariness and an anger that had been contained inside him for quite sometime, and added to his haunting appearance.
Christine could barely breathe as she pulled her mask off her face and waited for Erik to respond. Would he lash out at her for what they all did to him?
His eyes widened in shock and he was so distracted by Christine that he didn't acknowledge Lilian or that she was pulling something from out of her dress. "Christine?" He simply asked as if he couldn't believe that she was really there.
Without warning, Lilian threw her hand out and two sets of gold chains shot out of her palm, which wrapped themselves around the jinn's wrist.
The moment Erik realized something was wrong, Lilian flung her hand down as the other ends of the chains formed spear-like points that rammed into the floor on either side of Erik, who let out a startled cry when his arms were pulled away from his sides.
Christine could only clasp a hand to her mouth and gasp as others around here also let out surprised sounds. Even Erik himself stared in confusion at the chains. "What is this?!" He demanded as he tried to look around and see how this turn came to be.
"Christine!" Raoul was the first to try to rush to her aid, but Lilian twirled her finger in a circle above her and a burst of flames shot up and blocked off all the ends of the staircases that lead to her and her captives. The guests on the stairs were forced to retreat aways back, but only the bravest- or the dumbest- remained on the staircases. The flames themselves were thick enough to keep anyone from trying to get past them, but they were positioned so that everyone could see what was happening within the ring of fire.
All the gaiety in the audience turned into confusion and slight fear. What on earth was going on?!
"You... you can use magic." Christine realized out loud. Unlike the others, she discovered that what Lilian did was not something that could be done on stage- it was real magic.
Lilian turned to face Christine and Erik; Christine could only stare in shock, while Erik silently observed Lilian, but then he lost his composure and panicked when he saw that his prison was in her free hand.
"And now it's time to take off my mask." Lilian smiled as her hand rose to the chocker on her neck; with a strong tug, the jewelry came off and landed on the floor.
Lilian let out a pleased sigh and closed her eyes has her features began to change. Her skin turned into a light bronze and her facial features became more rounded, though her nose took on a more sharpened look and narrowed a little while her hair changed to raven black. When she opened her eyes to stare at Christine, they were now a lighter shade of brown.
"See?" She gave Christine a seductive grin.
"L-Lilian?" Christine stammered as her mask fell out of her hands.
"No." Christine turned to see that Erik was glaring up at Lilian in bitter recognition. "She goes by a different name and face than whatever she wants you to think."
"It's good to see you again, Master Magician." Lilian- or the person who claimed to be Lilian- greeted Erik with a sinister warmth in her voice as she gave him a mocking bow. "I see you look as hideous as ever, though I suppose being stuck indoors for days on end can do that to you."
"You are not my sister!" Lilian turned to see Laurette, who ripped her mask off and glared in anger at the impostor. "Where is she and what did you do to her?!"
'Lilian' only let out an amused chuckle before she glanced up at her audience.
"Yes, I'm afraid I am not Lilian Blanchette!" She boasted. "The real Lilian is no longer with us, as I took her life away, as well as her name, her wealth, identity, and her maid and her into my own Echo- ah, wait!" Lilian snapped her fingers and turned to Fantine. "I made an error- when I meant to say Lilian Blanchette's maid, I meant her secret sweetheart!"
Laurette let out a strangled gasp and clutched a hand over her mouth in horror when she learned of her sister's fate.
Christine briefly glanced to Fantine, whose body was tense and her fists were shaking as she gritted her teeth in anger at the impostor Lilian. She then understood the maid's past behavior and felt a stab of anger at what Lilian had just done.
Lilian wasn't intimidated by the maid's anger- she had suspected that Fantine had been trying to disobey her, so she decided that robbing her of her precious secret was a fitting punishment. "Yes, but trust me when I say that the maid's secret is nothing compared to what we might find out tonight!" Lilian laughed as she turned to Christine as she twisted her fingers at Christine.
From out of nowhere, a set of iron chains wrapped themselves around Christine's torso and legs, as well as her wrists. Before she had a chance to realize what was happening or even try to escape Christine felt herself hoisted up into the air and- with a startled cry- was flipped upside down in front of all of the guests to see.
As Christine's arms were pulled up and forced her into like an unsettling upside down version of a crucifixion pose, she could her people screaming in horror as well as various voices screaming out her name. She herself was terrified- this was the second time in a row she found herself in this sort of predicament, but there was no way to save herself this time.
Now the confusion turned into panic as many of the guests screamed and others tried to escape. They now realized that what was happening was not entertainment, but something that they couldn't possibly comprehend.
"I wouldn't try to leave anytime soon!" Lilian loudly warned over the guests screams as she twirled her finger again. "All exits and entries are sealed off- after all, we are still in the second act of my story!"
Erik felt as if he was going insane as he could not save Christine- something about these chains was preventing him from using magic; it was blocking his flow and access to it. He hated being so helpless and a dark sensation was threatening to escape his being- one move and he would not hesitate to kill the other woman. Nothing in the world could stop him if he ever escaped.
"Don't bother, Master Magician." Lilian told Erik when she noticed the anger in his eyes. "Those chains were made with the same ring you give to your masters to suppress your magical bond. How fitting that its now being used entirely against you."
"Of course I have your little nightingale to thank for it." Lilian walked to Christine to get a look at her and, to Christine's discomfort, the woman began to caress her face. "In fact, I have her to thank for finding you at all. I thought everything about her sounded peculiar and I was able to do some exploring which seemed to confirm my suspicions. Though I admit that when I thought that I was wrong, I became a little rash in my actions."
Lilian summoned out a knife with a casual wave of her hand and grabbed onto it. It was a knife that Christine immediately recognized and had never wanted to see again- it was the knife that was used to stab her.
"You!" Christine managed to exclaim in her alarm as she stared at Lilian and began to put the pieces together. "It was you!"
Erik understood exactly what Christine meant when no one else did and stared at Lilian with a renewed hatred, as well as a new reason to kill her.
"I thought that I wasted my time on a simple performer when we didn't find the bottle." Lilian confessed. "Then I saw something occurring in that river and then Fantine gave me the ring you possessed. This time we kept a closer eye on you and, to my absolute delight, it turned out that Erik was your slave." She smiled. "We followed your little friend to someone he and I used to know and claimed back what once belonged to me."
She then ripped the tiara off Christine's head and tossed it away before she slowly traced a finger over Christine's lips. "I can see why he's so taken with you." Lilian murmured. "You are certainly pretty in voice and face." She shot Erik a dark look. "Its almost hilariously ironic."
She then moved away and waved her hands- crossing them over before waving them out.
Another chain appeared, but this time it wrapped itself around Christine's neck. The soprano felt the chain pull so hard around her neck that she almost couldn't breathe at first and let out a sharp cry. This cry made Erik thrash in his bonds as he tried to pull free and get to Lilian, but the chains kept him rooted to his spot and he could only move a few steps towards the woman before the chains pulled his arms behind him.
"Don't you dare think of doing it!" Erik snarled at Lilian. "She will not be like your other victims if you are foolish enough to ask for a death wish! If you kill her, you will go next and I promise it won't be painless or swift!"
Lilian sighed as she glanced at Erik. "I was hoping you would beg for her life, but I see you still haven't changed. You still are an arrogant fool, Magician."
"So what will I do to you?" Lilian wondered as she stared at Christine as she held the knife up and began to tap the flat of the blade against her arm. "Merely stabbing you wasn't enjoyable. I could rip you open from abdomen to collar bone and bleed you dry like a pig. I could hang you over my fires... or I could snap your head off."
The chains tightened around Christine's neck. She was only able to let out a choking sound and it felt as if she could pass out at any moment. As she struggled to breathe, she stared at Lilian with wide eyed fear and she could barely make out everyone's horrified reactions or the cries for her name.
"Christine!" Meg turned to Darius, who retained a firm hold on her arms when she first tried to rush to her friend's aid. "You have to let me go!"
"Its too late." Darius regretfully told her. "Unless you can free the jinn without being noticed, you'll suffer a horrible fate by that woman's hand."
"My friend is going to die! We have to do something!"
"That woman has taken the lives of various jinn to add to the power she wished for! You cannot stand a chance against her!"
Meg let out a frantic cry and glanced back to the scene: everyone seemed to be unable to do anything but watch, thanks to the fires that encircled Lilian and her prisoners. She could only imagine the fear running through her mother and Raoul as they watched Christine.
"Then again," Lilian snapped her fingers "I have an even better idea- I could let you live... however..." She gave Christine a smile. "If I say the word, the chains will pass through your neck and instead of taking your life, I will take the only real value you have about yourself."
"Yes," Lilian reached a hand towards Christine's neck. "I'll take your voice away from you and you will never again be able to speak, laugh, or even sing. I'm very tempted to try it." Her smile widened.
"If you want something from me, then just say it!" Erik yelled in frustration. "I know what you are trying to do and why you are doing this, but leave her out of it! She did nothing to deserve this! Touch her and I promise you will die!"
"So you don't want her to suffer for your wrongs?" Lilian moved away from Christine and glanced at Erik, before she became thoughtful. "Hmm... well I might spare her... if she does one simple thing for me.
"Oh, it's nothing painful!" She waved with a reassuring smile. "It's just one very small thing- I want your little nightingale to take your mask off in front of everyone in this room."
Erik froze as Christine's fear briefly turned to puzzlement.
Lilian payed careful attention to Christine's reactions as she nonchalantly continued. "If you don't let Christine do it... then I will have to kill her or do something much worse to her in front of everyone in this room. On the other hand, if she doesn't do it then I kill everyone dear to her- including her fellow performers."
A very tense moment passed as everyone waited to see what would happen. Horror was mixed with confusion- why would the macabre woman demand something so simple in exchange for the singer's life?
"So what will it be- an unmasking as per tradition of this event, or her precious blood upon my hands?"
Erik glanced at Christine's form- he could not see her face, but he could only imagine the terror she was going through. It was his fault that she had to endure the wrath of the former sultana- this was something he worried would have happened, and he was so sure that he was cunning enough to trick her and anyone else who would try to attack him in any way imaginable. Instead the consequences of all his actions- especially of that awful night- brought his downfall and Christine's suffering.
And now, she would have to endure one last horror in exchange for her freedom. It was preferable to watching Christine die, and Erik understood exactly what it was that the other woman wanted through the simple task. She wanted him to be humiliated, but he would endure it for the life of one he cherished above all else. Even above music itself.
"If that is what you desire." Erik lowered his head in defeat.
Christine felt herself being flipped right side up and the chains vanished from all but her neck- though the chains loosened up somewhat- before she was lowered to her ground.
The moment her feet hit the ground, she could barely stand and almost stumbled to the ground like a newborn creature struggling to get on its feet. Erik's bonds were long enough to at least allow him to catch her before she could fall and he held onto her as she struggled to stand until she was able to hold onto him.
Never before had she been so happy to be in his embrace. After those awful few moments that had just passed, it felt like a blessing to be near him again.
Any anger that Erik had towards Christine in the time that he was sealed away was gone. Her safety was all that mattered now, but it had to be bought at a personal cost.
"I didn't mean for it to be like this." Erik whispered to her as he gently held his hand against her head. "I didn't want you to find out the truth in these circumstances."
Christine slowly moved her head up to look in Erik's eyes- they were full of anger but also incredible pain and sorrow. It was as if all his power had been taken away from him and the suffering in the world had been thrust upon him. "Erik..." She pleaded in both confusion and comfort.
He slowly knelt to the ground and Christine was forced to copy his movement. Erik let go of Christine and looked at her with a grim acceptance for the inevitable as she was finally able to stay her ground while kneeling in front of him.
So this was it then- the moment she would see his entire face. She recalled what she saw that he was unable to hide and told herself that it was going to be fine- she was not going to scream her head off like everyone else did during Lilian's reign of terror.
But then why would the truth cause such a strong reaction to those who knew about it? Why did Lilian want Erik to be unmasked? Why was the thought of what she was about to do worrying her so much?
Her heart rate increased as her trembling hands reached towards the half mask. One hand was able to gently hold the left side of his face while the other began to reach for the mask-
Erik suddenly grabbed her wrists.
Lilian frowned and the chain around Christine's neck began to tighten a little.
Erik stared at Christine as she wondered what he was about to do. Everyone else had their eyes on the pair and waited to see what exactly would happen and those who didn't know any better wondered why this one act was so important.
Erik knew that Christine had to know exactly what she was going to see in all its entirety, or else Lilian would further rob him of what dignity he had left. His left hand moved her's to his hairline, so that she would know just how far the illusion went.
Christine almost froze when she realized that she was not feeling his scalp under his hair- whatever Erik was hiding was not just under the mask itself.
Erik let go of her hands and dropped his to the ground, without taking his eyes away from her.
Christine took a deep breath- whatever she was going to see, she would not let herself scream. She looked Erik in the eye as her hand finally grabbed the side of the mask, while the fingers of the other dug into what she had thought was his hair.
Finally, she pulled off the mask and the false hair away and exposed what was underneath it, while at the same time, the chain around her neck vanished.
Those who were witnessing this events at a specific angle were only granted the sight of the fact that the strange man had only a very sparse amount of black and dead white hair that stuck out of his pale head. This was quite unusual to them, but it was nothing compared to those who were granted a sight of the right profile of the man's face.
There was a chorus of horrified gasps and stares of shock, but it was Sorelli who screamed in terror at the sight, while Madame Firmin fainted into the arms of her husband, whose nerves were not quite as rattled. Raoul could only stare wide eyed in surprise as he realized the awful truth of his rival's true appearance.
Meg also saw the horrifying truth and clutched a hand over her mouth as she took a sharp gasp, while Darius could only turn away in pity. "Oh my God!"
The chorus of these reactions was the first thing to greet Christine before she could witness the horror herself. The moment her eyes saw the truth, she let out a sharp gasp as her eyes widened and clasped a hand to her mouth, while taking a few steps back away from Erik as both the mask and wig fell from her hands.
What had been hidden underneath the mask was not the face of a human- in fact, it was hard to tell what it was supposed to be at first glance.
A web of angry white and yellowish patches of flesh covered the right side Erik's face from most of his forehead, to just at his upper lip, and it even extended to most of the right side of his head- it was hard to tell if he had been horribly burned and was left with gapping pockets here and there or if his face resembled that of melting wax dripping off a candle.
It also looked as if his right ear was none existent or had at least melted into his skull into the twisted mess of flesh. He lacked a right eyebrow and in it's place was more flesh that had built up above and under his eye, which made it look as if it was almost nonexistent and disappearing into a very darkened socket of purplish black flesh. The flesh of the upper right lip had been pulled up and it looked like it was merging with the excess flesh or scarring, as if his mouth was threatening to become a part of the horrendous disfigurement.
Finally, to complete the grotesque picture, was something that was immediately the most noteworthy of all the features- a dark hole took the place of where Erik's nose should have been and left him without one. This, combined with the way the tissue seemed to be built up on his cheekbone and around his eye, which seemed to be sunken in, gave him the resemblance of a skull.
Christine could do nothing but keep staring- she had seen and heard of many horrible injuries or deformities, but never did she see something as nightmarish like this. She had been too used to Erik's appearance up until now, but now that she was seeing what he really looked like, it was almost as if she was seeing someone entirely different. Even if part of his face was still handsome, the lack of any real humanlike features everywhere else seemed to overpower what normalcy he had.
Erik stared up at her- he knew that there was a chance she would have reacted the way she did, but it still felt painful to behold and see the look in her eyes. What made it worse was that she was not trying to look away and was still transfixed by the sight of him.
This was what he both expected and feared she would do, but this was not how he meant to reveal the truth to her. Not in front of all of Paris, but somewhere isolated and safe.
As the two remained staring at each other, Lilian let out a delighted laugh.
"She never saw it!" She clasped her hands together before she moved to the couple and pushed Christine away. She grabbed Erik and forced him to stand on his feet and gave everyone a better look at his face.
"Behold, Paris!" She yelled as she forced Erik to look out and a series of screaming ran in his ears. "The magician from my story, the one who has given you those anonymous messages, and Christine Daae's secret tutor is nothing more than a living corpse!"
Erik watched as an old scene he never wanted to relive played out before him. All of the guests screamed in horror, many turned away to avoid glancing at the hideous sight, and some who were too faint of heart fainted to the floor. Even those who had seen him before seemed unable to look him in the face. Even those like Lucille, Rosina, or Lady DuBois could not look at him without seeing him like some sort of monster.
Lilian, on the other hand, was enjoying every moment of this. Making Erik suffer was more satisfying than anything she thought possible, and she made sure that she would hold him out as long as she could and let all of Paris see him for what he really was.
Christine had managed to get back up on her knees, but she could not believe what Lilian was doing to Erik when she saw it. Was this the reason why she almost died by her hand- so that she could humiliate Erik in a disgusting display devoid of mercy?
"Stop it!" Christine finally got on her feet and dashed to Lilian. "Let go of him!" She grabbed Lilian's arm and tried to force her to let go of Erik, but the other woman quickly flung Erik aside and spun around to slap Christine right across the face.
"Don't think I'm done with you yet, you little rat!" Lilian snarled as she grabbed Christine by the neck. "You have given me so much trouble that I think a more fitting punishment is at hand for you!"
Lilian waved her hand and Christine became engulfed with a quick flash of light as she felt as if two hands grabbed each side of her dress and tore it off. For one moment, she was sure that Lilian was about to humiliate her in a manner that was much worse than Erik's unmasking, but then something else quickly replaced the dress and she looked down to see that the slave costume from Hannibal had taken its place.
"You may be a queen on stage, but you are nothing but a poor chorus girl without your jinn's aid!" Lilian coldly declared. "To think that you could ever think yourself as anything more is laughable! And so, orphan child of the north, I decree one final gift to you!" Lilian took out the bottle and turned to Erik, who had already forgotten his humiliation when he witnessed what Lilian did to Christine. "You may not be able to kill someone, but there are always holes in the contract- I can't guarantee she will survive my final wish."
Erik could do nothing but watch and wait in helpless anger as Lilian held up the bottle and made her wish for everyone to hear. "I wish for you to send Christine Daae across the great western sea to somewhere far from France, where she will be friendless, alone, and stranded amongst those who do not speak her language for the rest of her days!" She turned her hand and briefly turned the gold chains into iron.
"ERIK, NO!" Madame Giry screamed as she realized that she was about to lose the girl who was like a daughter to her.
"NO!" Raoul almost screamed.
Realizing what was about to happen, Christine pleaded as she turned to Erik. "Erik, please don't do it! Erik!"
Erik could not go back against the wish, as much as he desperately wanted to. It was futile to resist as the need to fulfill the wish was too ingrained into his being to ignore it, as if it were like the need to breathe for air. He closed his eyes as he reluctantly raised his hand out towards Christine.
"Erik, please!"
All the lights in the huge room changed from a soft yellowish white glow to a sinister red and darkened the room. Pandemonium ensued amongst the guests who were still trying desperately to escape, but all the doors were sealed shut. If this didn't cause further alarm, then it was due to a wall of thick black smoke that encircled the jinn and the doomed singer until they were both out of sight.
Meg finally wrenched herself free from Darius's grasp and grabbed the object he was carrying. With no second thoughts in her mind, she ran as fast as she could towards a location that was out of Lilian's sight.
Inside the vortex of smoke, a portal of white light appeared right behind Christine, just as she ran to Erik and grabbed onto a sleeve of his robe.
"I don't want to leave-!" Christine pleaded, but another chain shot out of the portal and grabbed onto her left wrist. A powerful tug pulled at her wrist and she was almost sent flying back, had Erik not quickly grabbed onto her free hand while a chorus of her name was being screamed out by others.
Christine felt as if something was trying to pull her backwards- as if a strong gust of wind was trying to blow her away- and she was trying desperately to stay rooted while Erik seemed to stay in place. Even the ropes of her 'skirt' were tugging straight at the vortex while they were still attached to the bodice of her costume.
Christine glanced up to look at Erik in all his asymmetrical horror, but it was not his face that she was terrified about. She was terrified of not seeing it again, along with everyone else.
"I'm sorry!" She frantically apologized as the chain pulled her closer to the portal. "This was all my fault, Erik! I should have kept my promise! I didn't realize what it was that you wanted until it was too late!"
Seconds later the chain jerked and Christine was pulled closer to the portal. Erik himself was dragged along with her, but he was unable to do anything as the chains around him reverted to gold and held him in place. Unfortunately, Christine lost her footing and another chain reached out of the darkness to latch onto one of her ankles. Her leg was now being pulled towards the portal, while the other one was just barely touching the ground.
Christine was trying her hardest not to cry- this could not be happening to her! Did she really deserve this for her naivety? For her foolishness? She didn't want to leave Paris for another land that she was unfamiliar with. She didn't want to die, and that fear of not knowing where she would be sent was as terrifying as the fact that she would never be able to see Meg, Madame Giry, Raoul, the chorus and the ballerinas- she would never be able to see Erik himself- ever again.
Erik clasped his free hand over hers, though Christine could feel something being put onto her middle finger.
"This was never your fault, Christine." He firmly told her with a weariness in his voice as if he had given up on everything in life. Despite the horribleness of his face and the darker side of his personality, the very human regret he had was overwhelmingly visible in his yellow eyes. "I was the one who wronged you."
Christine pleadingly stared at him. He could see that she didn't care what he looked like, but it was too late to find any comfort in this, nor could he keep her forever. Not when she was at the mercy of another- he had to do the right thing and set her free. At least he knew where he would send her, so that she would be able to have a chance for a future.
"For my sake, find happiness elsewhere, away from these horrors... away from the monster before your eyes."
And so, with painful acceptance, his skeletal hands let go of her hand.
Christine screamed as the chains finally pulled her into the light and she desperately tried to reach out to Erik, until he and the Opera House vanished from sight.
The vortex vanished, as did the smoke, and left behind the jinn, who stared at the spot where Christine had vanished before he collapsed to his knees and held his face in his hands.
All the screaming and the chaos in his ears were nothing to him now. He didn't acknowledge Madame Giry losing her stoic demeanor to a hysterical fit, or Raoul's curses at him. He didn't even realize that amongst the easily frightened guests, only one- Fantine- was looking at him in deep pity. He didn't even know that someone else had vanished into the portal along with Christine- no one did.
Lilian picked up the black half mask and waved her hand over it as she walked towards Erik.
"Your punishment isn't over." She coldly told him. In response, he lowered his hands to the point that his yellow eyes bitterly peered at her through the spaces between his fingers. "I still have one thing I need from you before I can grant you the mercy of death. I'm going to take all my time with you for all the suffering you put me through."
She held up the mask, which was now a full face mask, and knelt down to Erik's level so she could rip his hands away from his face. "I think I'll give this back to you- after all, such a sight is better enjoyed when one isn't exposed to it too often."
She then forced the mask back onto his face.
I have to confess that I was really wanting to get to the part where I could write out how bad Erik's deformity was. Its mainly based off the version from the tour production (and there are images of it online) but I wanted to really take advantage of going to the extremes and taking proper nods to the novel, without the limits of reality.
I personally prefer the makeup from the tour production over the traditional production because not only is it MUCh worse (as in the design is pretty good), but also more believable when its paired with the half mask.
Also, this is where I can say that Lilian is not entirely mine as she IS based off the sultana that's mentioned in the book; It was tricky to keep her true nature and identity a secret and I'm glad I finally got that truth out of the way. I figured that she had to be even worse than Erik, based off what little was said about her.
I don't know how soon I will be updating- March will have to be a Zelda month for me, so I might not start back up again until April.