A/n: Graduation is in two days! I can't wait to officially be done with the heck-hole called high school. Here's a new chapter to celebrate!
Chapter 21
Third Person POV
The morning after the jail break…
A knock sounded on Saville's office door. He looked up from the paper he was reading. "Come in." he ordered. The door swung open and two officers walked in. Saville frowned at the two officers that were supposed to be guarding the bridge. "What are you doing back here? Your shift isn't over."
"Sir, something has happened." the first said. The second officer looked to the first, his eyes full of nervousness.
"Well?" Saville questioned, impatient to find out what the problem was. "Spit it out."
"We were standing guard when two men wanting to cross the bridge approached us. We knew that the two bodies were still on the other side and we couldn't allow them passage. " the second guard answered. " We were attacked. They took us completely by surprise, sir. When we came to, the men were gone."
"So they are somewhere in the forest now?" Saville snapped. "Or they've seen the bodies and have gone to report them."
"Sir, I am sure they aren't in the forest or have gone to report the bodies." the first stepped forward. "There is something else you need to know. The bodies of the Vicomte and the Phantom were both gone when we came to. I believe the two men were there to rescue them."
Slamming his fist down on the desk, he glared up at the officers in front of him. "You will find them or the both of you will be looking at working in the kitchens." The officers' eyes grew wide, knowing how bad the pay was working in the kitchens. "Now, I want you to track those men down. If they somehow managed to save the Vicomte and the freak, I want them all brought in."
"Yes, sir." the first nodded.
"We're on it." the second confirmed. Grabbing the arm of his partner, they retreated from Saville's office. Saville sat back down at his desk, thinking of how to fix this entire mess. He recalled the Ashby girl and knew that she had not been found yet. Perhaps if he could catch the Phantom if he believed her to be in danger. She may have drowned in the river, but it would be easy to trick the Opera Ghost that he had the girl. Smirking to himself, Saville decided to put out a reward for the girl hoping that if she were out there that she'd play right into his hands.
Saville was not a man to give up on his endeavors despite their foulness. He had not made it to this position by smiling at every higher officer and kissing their boots. Many of the officers he used to answer to fled from their positions after witnessing his cruel nature. Saville's ambition frightened them and he climbed the ranks with ease. He knew that his position would be put at stake if the government caught wind of his treachery. Especially the attempted murder of the Vicomte de Chagny. His job was already on the line if all the prisoners weren't accounted for. And he planned on catching every single one of them. As well as finishing off the Phantom and the Vicomte once and for all.
Flora's POV
"Mademoiselle Ashby, you must get up." Maribelle said, standing next to my bed. Looking up at her rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I yawned. My sleep had been a deep one thanks to the bed I began to rise from. It was much softer than the rock-like cot I slept on before this cloud-like bed. Upon awakening, I had expected to be back on that excuse for a bed. I turned my head towards the window, immediately regretting the motion. The late afternoon sun was bright and I snapped my head away from its light. "It is nearly noon and lunch is in a little while. Lord knows that you need the nourishment."
"Thank you, Maribelle." I said, rubbing my eyes since they had been assaulted by the late morning sun. Looking down at the long white cotton night gown that I was swimming in, I sighed. Maribelle was right about my bad diet and its effects on my body. The lack of nourishment since being thrown out had not been kind to my figure. It had been curvy and on the heavier side. My mother disliked my weight, saying that I was 'too plump' and would never find a husband. I didn't listen to her about my figure, like many other things. In my own opinion, my figure was beautiful. I always filled out my dresses nicely and didn't bother cinching my corset so I couldn't breathe. Getting up from the bed, I stretched and turned to face Maribelle. She stood in front of the open armoire in the corner of the room, looking at the dresses hanging within. "What is for lunch?"
"Ham, brie, and apple sandwiches with butter lettuce soup." Maribelle spoke with her back turned to me. She pulled out a light blue dress with white flowers all over it. The sleeves were long with lace trim at the edges. Lace also swept across the top of the dress, giving it a modest look. Maribelle pulled out a corset and a chemise then turned around with the clothing in her arms. She shook her head, giving me a disapproving look. "Well, let's get you dressed. I hoped you would have already removed your nightgown."
"Sorry." I gushed. Immediately, I began unbuttoning the nightgown and slipped it off my shoulders. Maribelle handed me the chemise and I slipped it on over my head. She assisted me in putting on the corset and made sure it wasn't too tight. I then stepped into the dress and Maribelle pulled it up, holding the front so I could put my arms into the sleeves. Once they were in, Maribelle walked around behind to button the dress up.
"There you go." she said as she did the last button. I turned to look at myself in the mirror on the vanity next to the armoire. The dress looked lovely before, but I loved it even more with it on me. It was simple yet elegant and I felt like a lady with it on. Maribelle walked around and stood next to the stool at the vanity. "Now for your hair. Take a seat."
"You don't have to do my hair. I can do it myself." Maribelle lifted her eyebrows. "You've already done so much for me already. The least I can do is take care of my unruly mane."
Maribelle sighed and put her hands on her wide hips. "Sit down and stop thinking you have to repay me in some way. I am to take care of you and I plan to do just that. Master Erik would never let a guest lift a finger. If he were here, he would insist..." Maribelle snapped, stopping after she saw the tears in my eyes after mentioning Erik. I sniffled and attempted to wipe the tears away. The pain from losing him was still fresh. My heart ached and I wished with everything I had that he could be here. "Oh, come here dear." Maribelle said, holding her arms out to me. I welcomed her embrace and leaned against her as the tears started to pour forth from my eyes. She stroked my hair and held me as I broke down. "I'm sorry, dear. Forgive my harshness. He wouldn't have liked to see you cry. That boy couldn't stand his own mother's tears."
"I miss him so much." I cried into Maribelle's shoulder. "Why couldn't he listen to me? If he had, he would probably have been here with me. He broke his promise. He promised me, Maribelle. We were going to make it together. He promised!" A sob escaped my throat and I cried harder.
Maribelle kindly hugged me tighter. "Master Erik always had his own way of doing things, but he shouldn't have made a promise he couldn't keep. Things are as they are and nothing can change that. Would you have wished it were him instead of you that made it here?"
I couldn't wish this pain on Erik, especially after losing a love once before. That would have been too cruel and I don't know why I didn't think of that. He didn't want to lose me like he did Christine, despite the different circumstances. "N-no." I sniffled. Realizing this didn't help my hurting heart. "Does the pain ever go away?"
"It will with time." Maribelle answered. She pulled away after a little while and I attempted to wipe the tears from my cheeks. I found myself surprised when Maribelle handed me a handkerchief. With a thankful smile, I dabbed at my cheeks with the piece of white fabric. My tears soon stopped and I sat down at the cushioned stool. Maribelle picked up a brush and began to brush through my hair. "Now let's figure out what to do with this mess, shall we?" Whether she was speaking of my hair or my broken heart, I couldn't tell. But having her there was more comforting then anything I could recall.
Louis' POV
"Louis, where is our guest?" Estelle questioned as I strode into the kitchen. She looked at me with one hand resting on her hip, the other stirring her butter lettuce soup. "I planned on making an exquisite breakfast for the miss, but she was still asleep."
"I just sent Maribelle up to wake her." I said, sitting down at the small round table. "Mademoiselle Ashby has been through much, Estelle. I wouldn't expect you to wake early after going through what she has. Give her some space when she comes down to eat." Losing Erik, facing the harshness of prison, living on the streets. It was just the big picture, but I am sure there was more that went on behind the scenes. The girl seemed nice enough, though, and I was glad Erik found someone like her. He had always kept to himself and didn't seem the type to let others into his heart. Yet here this girl was, despondent over the loss of him.
"Perhaps I should make her some pastries. Sweets always seem to cheer me up." Estelle said to no one in particular, swinging the wooden spoon around in her hand mindlessly. I would have said that she was making a mess with the soup sticking to the spoon, but my attention was elsewhere. Brice, our stable boy, came running in through the back door. He was Estelle's younger brother and worked just as hard as she did in the kitchen. Both of their parents had died when their farmhouse burnt down and I asked permission from Erik to hire them. Much to my surprise, he accepted and the siblings found their niche here in the house.
"This just came for you, Louis." Brice said, his freckled cheeks red from his exertion in delivering the letter I was handed. "I was told it was urgent."
"Thank you, Brice." I said, patting the twelve-year-old atop his head. He smiled and went to talk with his sister. Looking down at the letter in my hands, my eyes grew wide at the familiar red ink staring up at me. Excusing myself from the kitchen, I made my way to the study. I shut the doors behind me and walked to the desk. Pulling open the top right drawer, I reached for the letter opener. Once I had the envelope opened, I set the opener down in the drawer and pulled the contents of the envelope out. The handwriting was unmistakably Erik's and I began to read the letter.
Dear Louis,
I find myself entangled with trouble once again and I must ask for your help. If I am correct, then a woman named Flora Ashby will come calling. When and if she does, she is to be allowed a room and anything she should ask for. My personal account numbers will be included in this letter for this reason. She has been affiliated with my troubled self and I ask that you keep her safe.
Mademoiselle Ashby may claim that I am dead, but I am sure this letter will prove that claim false. Under no circumstances must she be told of my survival nor this letter. It is a term on which her safety rests. I trust you and my staff will take excellent care of her. Another term is that she must stay away from town as much as possible. The law may be looking for her and if she should be recognized, her life will be jeopardized.
There is little that I ask of you, Louis, but this is perhaps the most important thing I will ever ask of you. Flora Ashby is the woman I love and if any harm should befall her, I too would feel the pain. Assure her that everything will be fine, without letting her know of me of course. There will be a day when I come for her, but not until it is safe to do so. I am safe as of now, but that may change. It is for Flora that I worry the most. Take care of her and do not fail.
Sincerely,
Master Erik