I DONT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Erik was not late, Elizabeth was simply early.
He had not changed their time or come even a minute later than he said he would as Erik was a stern believer in punctuality, therefore he wasn't late. But when he arrived Elizabeth was already there.
She sat on the bench by the organ, her long black hair draped over one shoulder exposing her neck, her eyes focused on her lap. She was reading a book by a candle light. Her longer eyelashes grazed her cheek ever so slightly every time she blinked. Her eyes looked so calm, so peaceful and she looked so relaxed that for a moment Erik just watched her.
She must have been enjoying the book for after a few moments she smiled and sighed in contentment. Erik would have left her to read all day, but they had a lesson to complete. So, in his usual quiet way, he strode up to her till he was standing right before her.
She didn't look up or even flinch; in fact, it seemed as if she had not even noticed he was standing there. So still she was, completely consumed with her reading. What concentration!
When she still didn't notice him after a few seconds he coughed "I hope that book is interesting" he said.
Elizabeth gasped and jumped back, nearly toppling of her chair, but she managed to catch herself at the last moment "Goodness" she cried "you startled me! Why must you do that? I'm going to lose several years of my life if this continues" she frowned at him.
"Why have you come so early" he asked, ignoring her earlier comment.
Elizabeth blushed "No reason, I just...felt that I would make better time by leaving early. And besides, Verity has been pestering me non-stop for the past three days about something I cannot even remember, and mother has been on my case about...oh who knows, when is she ever not on my case for something? I needed to get away and could not wait until noon to do so. I cannot even find a moments peace in which to read my books."
"How long have you been here?"
"Oh, a little over two hours now! She said with a careless shrug of her shoulders "But I wasn't bored or anything" she smiled "I can be quite driven when I'm reading, I've been known to be able to sit in one chair for the whole day just reading, it drives my sisters crazy since they cannot fathom it."
Erik did not find it hard to imagine, Elizabeth was a smart girl."
He glanced down at the book in her hands. Elizabeth had before said on a number of times how much she loved reading. He saw the title of the book and raised a brow "A poetry book? I thought you were above the ladies who thought of whimsical things" a year ago this would have been a sneering comment, now it was an amused question.
She blushed, something she apparently did often, at least Elizabeth was one of those rare kinds who could blush attractively or Erik would have become annoyed long before.
"I am most certainly not" she denied "it's just that...poetry is a part of every English lady's upbringing and education. It is used in English studies and other such. Normally I prefer a novel or a text on history, geography and philosophy. But sometimes I can engage on the occasional poetry book. This happened to be a book that holds my two most favourite poems."
Erik wasn't like the rest of the majority of mankind, he approved extremely of Elizabeth's intelligence, he thought it important for a woman to have some brains in their heads. As a child, in his strange hollow, there had been a room full of books that had been forgotten. Erik taught himself to read by watching others and sitting in on some of the younger chorus girls reading lessons, without being seen of course.
He himself had an interest in poetry and most of the books Elizabeth spoke about, he just never saw the need to discuss such things with her when her lessons were just beginning, but he saw no harm in it now at this moment.
"What poem are you reading?" he asked in a whim,
"My favourite" she answered lamely and she knew it.
Cheeky little chit.
"Read it to me" he said, hiding a smile.
Elizabeth's eyes widened "But I...well I...you see I..."
Again with the mumbling? She knew how he hated the mumbling "Now Elizabeth, we haven't got all day, I find myself curious" he didn't mean to admit the last part, but since it had already slipped out he may as well as go with it.
Elizabeth looked at him before taking a huge breath "you wouldn't like it, not many men do. It's a love poem: Love light.
A taper lit in sunlight
A pale yellow leaf of flame
An upturned heart that trembled
As soft winds breathed your name
Its brightness was diluted
But when the darkness came
It shone with such pure brilliance
It put the stars to shame"
She read it in such a clear and strong voice, it reminded Erik somewhat of her singing. Good gracious! The woman was a natural speaker! If only she could get over her shyness and open her mouth more...
"Well?" she asked.
Erik thought for a moment before saying truthfully "It's fine, I am unbiased to almost all forms of poetry, even love poems. You have good taste, but if I had to comment on it I would say, it reminds me a little of you."
"Really!" she smiled "I don't see it."
"A taper lit in sunlight
A pale yellow leaf of flame
An upturned heart that trembled
As soft winds breathed your name" he recited, "one almost thinks of the way you see yourself now. Without anything special to you. On your outer appearance you appear unassuming, shy, a trembling leaf or a pale flame. But just like in the poem when you singing you bring out the best of you, the parts that no one can usually see but all can hear until they are left standing in the wake of true brilliance:
Its brightness was diluted
But when the darkness came
It shone with such pure brilliance
It put the stars to shame.
That if the effect of true talent."
Elizabeth was blushing horribly when she was finished his analysis "I didn't know you were such a literary" she mumbled.
He smirked "I indulge in reading." He said, Erik liked poetry at the best of times, he liked trying to understand what the meant and sometimes he enjoyed matching a poem to a person like some sort of card game.
She paused for a moment before saying quietly, barely a whisper, "do you want to hear my second favourite?" she asked.
At first Erik considered refusing, and continuing on with their lesson. But why not, her attention wouldn't be fully there any way. He inclined his head and sat down beside her.
She flipped some pages in her book, back and forth till she found the page she wanted. "I don't know what it is about this poem that appeals to me" she said "Sympathy.
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals —
I know what the caged bird feels!
I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting —
I know why he beats his wing!
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!"
She finished and sighed.
Erik had been surprised by her choice. The first poem had not surprised him, a love poem full of imagery. Light and pretty. The second one was different, out of the two this one appealed to him more, if he had to match it to anyone, he would match it to himself.
"Why that poem?" he asked, genuinely interested now "I didn't think you were prone to sad poetry?"
She blushed again "I don't...I, I can't explain it. It just speaks to me, it's so powerful I always feel like I'm about to be swept away just by reading it." she smiled.
Erik thought about it before nodding and taking the book from her. He closed it and set it down on the dusty stool "Enough now" he said softly, he could almost hear...kindness in his own voice. How strange.
She smiled and nodded "Yes, I have the basics to review, don't I?"
Erik smirked at her attempt at dry humour, bit no one did it better than he "Yes, you do." And with that he took her by the arm and stood her up.
"Begin with the breathing exercises,"
SHORT CHAPTER, BUT THERE WILL BE A REALLY GOOD PART NEXT TIME SO PLEASE REVEIW
JUST IN CASE PEOPLE ARE WONDERING I DONT OWN EITHER OF THOSE POEMS IN ANYWAY SO THIS IS A FIRL DISCLAIMER! I CANT PUT WHO THEY ARE BY BECAUSE I DONT KNOW, I COULDENT FIND THEIR NAMES ANYWHERE
SO OLEASE DO NOT SUE ME