Chapter Twenty-One: The Choice
Christine gasped in surprise as Raoul threw off the thick black cloak that had covered him from head to foot. He jumped down, his eyes never leaving her face. His boots thudded on the cobbled stones and Christine stepped back until she felt Erik's arms encircle her protectively.
"Christine," Raoul began imploringly. "Christine please, I'm begging you, don't go with him."
"Raoul, what... why... how did you know Erik and I were leaving?" she asked him. She could feel Erik's body grow tense and she clung to him for comfort.
"I have my sources. Christine, I love you. I'm sorry for all the things I did, but that was because I didn't want to lose you," Raoul explained. He looked different since she last saw him in the graveyard. There he was furious and lethal. Here he seemed... vulnerable and - dare she think it - broken.
"Christine, you're the only one who could make me see the beauty in life. God knows I've tried to find love with another woman -"
"By fucking them more fiercely than a stallion," Erik interjected.
"-but they can't give me the same gratification you do," Raoul finished, ignoring Erik's interruption. "Please Christine. We've been friends for years. I've loved you since the moment we met. No matter how much you hate me, no matter how much I've wanted to hurt you for hurting me, I can't. I love you too much."
Christine shook her head. "It's too late for us, Raoul. I've seen the kind of man you really are. If you were really like the young viscount I knew many years ago, I might have fallen in love with you. But I can't. I've found my soulmate, and it's time you found yours."
"Christine..." Raoul broke off and hung his head. Christine had never seen him look so defeated. She wanted to comfort him, tell him that she wasn't the only woman in this world. She started to pull away from Erik, but he held her fast.
"No," he said flatly, watching the viscount carefully. "I don't trust him."
"Erik, please. I want to go to him," she whispered. "I can't turn back on our friendship, no matter what he has done. I know I said I don't care, but I have to see if he's alright."
Erik gripped her for a few more seconds before reluctantly releasing her. "Very well."
Christine slowly walked to Raoul, who still had his head bowed. As she approached she heard him crying softly, which made her pity him all the more.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, the dream she had more than a year before flashed in her mind.
Raoul stood there, watching as Erik held Christine in his arms. He wasn't going to be able to strike Erik with Christine in the way; he had to make her move away from her lover somehow.
Raoul thought quickly, and then began putting on his best pathetic routine. At first Christine didn't seem to buy it, but as he mentioned how much he loved her, he saw her icy facade slowly crumble.
It's working, he thought triumphantly. He knew that if he appeared to need some comforting, Christine would approach him and he would be in the clear to unsheath the dagger strapped on the inside of his pants and stab Erik in the heart. His shirt was long enough to cover the handle, but he could easily take it out in one swift motion if he needed to.
At first Raoul had brought the dagger with the intent of killing them both and disposing of their bodies in the river, but when he saw Christine in her lovely gown, he had a change of heart. He couldn't kill her. He couldn't. And so he had turned his eye on Erik, the man responsible for ruining his once-perfect life.
"Christine..." he stopped, making sure to put just the right amount of grief in his voice that would chip away the last of Christine's resolve. He looked down and pretended to cry softly. He never was a loud crier.
His act worked; he could see Christine pleading with Erik to let her go. Erik hesitated, still suspicious of him.
You'll let her come to me, Raoul thought. We never could deny her anything.
Finally Erik released Christine, who started walking towards him. He could hear the soft sound of her footsteps and the rustling of her dress on the pavement, and Raoul bit back a triumphant smile. He still continued to sob.
He had expected Christine to be hugging him by now, and he slowly looked up. Christine was standing a few feet away from him, as if deep in thought. Raoul wanted to reach out to her and grab her arm, but if he did she might cry out and bring Erik leaping to her rescue. Instead he continued to stare at her.
After what seemed like hours, Christine's gaze flicked to him and in that instant, Raoul knew that she knew of his plan.
Her gaze bore deep into his, and she gasped. "No," was all she managed to choke out. "It was you?"
Raoul didn't understand what she meant by that, but he couldn't let her rush back to Erik. With a strangled cry, he unsheathed the dagger and ran towards Erik.
"Die, you filthy common sewer rat!" he screamed, as he raised the dagger high.
And struck.
"Choose," Erik said, holding up a book about witches and a book about myths.
Christine tapped her chin thoughtfully and pointed to the book on witches. "That one!"
Erik smiled. He was hoping she would choose that one; it was his favourite in the entire library.
"Papa has a similar book at home, but I'm not allowed to read it yet," Christine told him as he placed the other book back on the shelf. "He says I'm too young."
"There are some books with rather disturbing topics," Erik told her, opening the chosen book on the first page. "You shouldn't blame your father for protecting you from some of them."
"But I find magic and anything mystical enchanting!" Christine declared, swinging her arms. "I don't understand why adults should stop their children from learning."
"They aren't. They're just waiting for the right time. You can't learn certain things when you're young because they might affect your innocence." Erik held up a finger and began to read, but when he reached the second page he saw his audience wasn't listening. "Christine?"
"Why does innocence have to be so important anyway?" she griped, once she realized Erik was looking at her.
"Because if you lose it, you can never get it back. You should cherish it, Chrissy," Erik replied.
Although Christine didn't look convinced, she settled down and listened to the story. The first one was about a witch who bewitched a prince and made him believe that she was his wife, so that she would be able to kill the old king and take the kingdom when she and the prince were crowned King and Queen. The prince's sister, however, intervened, and the witch was banished. Another story was about Melania, the daughter of the most powerful witch and wizard in the world, who fell in love with the son of her parents' most hated rival. Despite her parents' aggressive protests, Melania married the man she loved, who in turn proved his worth to his in-laws by saving Melania's father from an assassin.
The candles stood low in the library of the Opera Populaire as Erik finished reading the third story, at which point Christine stopped him. He looked at her curiously, and then realized that it was getting late.
"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Erik asked her as Christine hugged him and raced to the door of the library.
She nodded and gave him a wide smile. "I'll see you in the rooftop!" she said before leaving.
Once Christine left Erik walked to the shelf on the very back of the library, the book tucked under his arm. He wanted to find out what happened to Orlock and Medvin as they tried to escape the wiles of an enchantress.
I'm under the spell of an enchantress, Erik thought as he trod down the tunnel that led to his home. But I don't think I even want to escape her.
"Choose," Raoul demanded. He and Christine, then 14 years old, were standing in one of London's busiest markets, deciding which necklace to buy.
Christine had her reservations; she had insisted that she didn't need another necklace.
"I have this one," she said, showing him the rather tacky medallion she wore day in and day out. Raoul didn't understand why she preferred that lump of tin over the gorgeous and sparkling necklaces that hung behind the glass cases. It was the only thing about Christine that perplexed him, but he insisted on getting one for her anyway.
Christine sighed as she pointed to a small drop necklace. "That one."
"Are you sure? Don't you want the emerald one?" Raoul gestured to an elegant emerald necklace hanging on the other end of the glass case.
"The emerald necklace is lovely, my lady," the lady behind the stall offered, looking at the two young aristocrats hopefully.
Raoul knew she was hoping for a large purchase, and he saw her sigh in disappointment as Christine insisted on the smaller, and relatively cheaper, drop necklace.
Raoul made a move to put it around her neck, but Christine shook her head and asked the lady to put it in a bag for her. Now Raoul was the one who sighed in disappointment; he had hoped to be able to "accidentally" brush his hand against Christine's neck.
But he had to appear as a gentleman, so he smiled warmly at Christine and followed her as they browsed through the other stalls. Every so often Raoul dropped hints that Christine might like a certain item, like a mink coat or a fur stole, but Christine waved her hand dismissively.
It was only when she saw a stall selling birds did she clap her hands in delight and rush towards the large cages.
"Oh Raoul, look at them! Don't they sing so beautifully?"
Raoul stopped and listened to the birds as they twittered noisily.
"I don't think so, Christine," he said softly, so that the burly seller wouldn't hear. "I've heard that Ella Thompson is the newest singing sensation in London. Her voice is much better than these."
"Raoul, I've always wan-"
"Nonsense!" Raoul interrupted. "I think you'll enjoy Ella's singing better than the birds'. Come, her show is starting in an hour."
With that, Raoul led Christine away from the stall, failing to see the sadness and longing that enveloped young Christine's pretty face.
Author's Note: Still reading? Move on to the next chapter then! That's where Christine and Erik finally consummate their love (their little love scene earlier was just in "alpha testing". Lol. Would love to hear your thoughts! :D