A few notes, since I have written twenty chapters, without much commentary. I wanted to develop the characters a little, before I remarked on them. I still own no one but Honore so far. I majored in History, so occasionally some of that knowledge will creep out of this. This fanfiction will be as historically accurate as I can make it. You will not see injured people being treated with antibiotics. Also, many people are bothered by the age difference between Erik and Christine, my Erik is in his mid-thirties and Christine is 18. In the late 19th century, such as age difference was not considered creepy, an example of this is in Jane Eyre, where Jane is 18 and Mr. Rochester is in his mid- thirties. Historically, there were marriages between 15 year olds and 80 year olds especially among the nobility, and royalty. I am not condoning such for today, because it does go against both my personal and our society's code of morality; but when Leroux wrote the original Phantom the 40 year age difference would not have shocked the readers. However my Erik is still in his prime and with the exception of his deformity, very handsome. I see him more as a Gerry, Ramin, or Ben whichever hunky Phantom you choose. I like all three of them in different ways. Gerry's eyes are extremely seductive, Ramin's passion is unequaled. I love Ben's mask and body, his height is very commanding. I don't want my Erik to be overly homicidal, because then he is not really redeemable, and worthy of love. He can kill easier than most but it is always in self- defense or in defense of who he loves, or as would be the case in Persia, as an officer of the state. My Christine is lighter than most portrayals because she is Swedish and I have been to Sweden. The vast majority of Swedes that I encountered are blond haired and blue eyed. I am giving her lighter brown hair as opposed to chocolate. She is more mature than most 18 year olds that I know today but 21st century teenagers are less mature than earlier generations because lifespans are longer and society is less work oriented. Our teenagers do not have to grow up as quickly. The exception is that most 19th century unmarried women were almost always virgin and lived under certain expectations.

I am not a huge Raoul fan, but I do not see him as evil just self- righteous. He has had the world handed to him on a silver platter, so for him the world is black and white. Erik has had to survive on his own so he is full of color. My character Honore is modeled on Melanie from Gone With the Wind, she can appear docile and kind which she is, she is very honorable but she has a backbone when she needs to. She is not as judgmental as Raoul because she is older and seen more. She is also very intuitive. Well enough for now, maybe I will write more in another 20 chapters.

Chapter 21

Erik and Honore returned to the drawing room, after their talk. Christine shot Erik a worried frown, to which Erik answered with an adoring smile. Raoul could not help but to catch the couple passing wordless reassurances to one another. A shot of jealousy ran up his spine, but he now knew where Christine's loyalties lay. His mother shot him a wordless glance to let him know that all was well, and went over and laid a gentle hand on his arm, and whispered to him.

"I know that you are hurting but it will be alright. You will find the right girl for you." He glanced at her with a dejected look, but shrugged his shoulders in defeat.

The room was so silent, for a place with four people, each were lost in their own thoughts. Honore decided to break the ice and begged Christine to sing something. She quickly flashed a glance at Erik, and begged him to accompany her on the grand piano that graced a corner of the room. Erik examined it and immediately declared that it was grossly out of tune. No one else could discern the issue, so reluctantly he began to play Il Muto for Christine. It was the song that had so captivated Christine. Honore was stunned, both by the beauty of Christine's singing, and Erik's playing.

Honore turned to Erik and asked "I understand that the Phantom of the Opera was both a composer and had a captivating singing voice as well. Were those reports as false as the rest seem to be?" Erik laughed and looked at Christine "I would be quite arrogant to boast of my singing abilities, but I have been told that my voice has been known to have hypnotic qualities. I will admit that I have seen people close their eyes to listen to me, but I rather hoped that I didn't just put them to sleep."

Christine laughed "Comtesse, I am a victim of Erik's Voice, both spoken and singing. He has the power to both enrapture and terrify, for many years I thought that he was an angel because only an angel could sound as he does."

Raoul snorted in disbelief. "I think that Erik's powers were overrated. It is easy to mesmerize the very young and the ignorant. Anyone who actually believed in his hoax was a fool?"

Christine looked at Raoul angrily "Was I a fool to believe?" Raoul shook his head in denial "No Lotte, you were a special case, the Phantom, I mean Erik, took advantage of your youth and innocence to lure you."

Erik retorted hotly "I did no such thing, my original motives were pure. I was one lonely soul reaching out to another, although she was a child, she felt the same as I did. I spoke to her to comfort her, not to entrap her in any scheme. I did not dare show my face to her, because I did not want to frighten her. It was only later, when she became a beautiful woman, that I began to have other thoughts. If you wanted to find a man of that description, that would be the late Joseph Buquet, his reign of terror over the ballet rats put my own to shame, but no one ever set the gendarmes on him."

"So you took it upon yourself to dispense your own form of justice." interjected Raoul bitterly.

"No I warned him that I would be watching him, when I caught him leering at another girl, he ran from me in terror, as well as he should. He was not going to terrorize my Opera." Erik insisted.

Honore gave both men a look. "Erik I thought that you agreed to be amiable is this what you consider to be amiable?"

Erik gave her a guilty look, and bowed to her gently "I stand chastened, and beg for your forgiveness," Erik replied smoothly using the Voice.

"And you Raoul, did I not raise you to have better manners, you were baiting Erik." Raoul looked like a child who was caught raiding the cookie jar. "I am sorry ma mere."

She looked at him and then at Erik, "Raoul please apologize to our guest." He looked at Erik and gave him a half- hearted look of apology." His mother continued "You can do better Raoul, hold out your hand and shake his." Reluctantly Raoul complied, Erik almost felt sorry for him.

He took Raoul's hand and shook it. "Apology accepted Vicomte." Honore smiled at both of them in approval.

She pointed to a finely carved chess set in the corner and turned to Erik. "You seem like you would make a fine chess player, am I correct?"

Erik laughed "I play a little, my friend Nadir and I, occasionally dabble in it, to kill time."

Honore turned to Raoul "Good. I suggest that you challenge Erik to a game, while Christine and I do some sewing. Please try not to kill each other in the meantime."

Erik flashed Raoul an amused grin. "I hope that your maman never takes up haunting Operas or the such, she can strike fear in the hearts of the most indomitable hearts."

"Raoul laughed in agreement "You have no idea. My sisters and I lived in complete fear of her for much of our childhood."

Both women were amused by Raoul and Erik's games. Erik beat Raoul three times. Each time Raoul would think that he had Erik trapped, he would turn it around and check mate the bemused Vicomte.

After the third time, Raoul remarked in reluctant admiration," darn it, you are just as wily a chess opponent as you were at the Opera House, just when I think that I have you trapped you pull off another caper."

Erik laughed at Raoul teasing "You're not a bad opponent Vicomte, perhaps next time, I will have mercy on you."

Raoul shot him a glare "Perhaps we should try fencing, as I recall I got the best of you in our last encounter, thanks to Christine, I showed you some mercy."

Erik gave him an evil leer. "Bring it on Vicomte, I lost only because I slipped on some ice. I will be happy to have a rematch any time."

Christine looked on the two men with some concern. "I hope that you mean that you will fence for sport. Neither one of you will win my heart by killing the other."

Both men looked at her and then each other. Erik spoke first "You can rest assured that we are both past the need to kill one another, but the Vicomte and I are not used to looking upon one another as anything but adversaries, it is hard to develop a new outlook so quickly, would you not agree with that assessment boy?"

Raoul nodded sheepishly. He admitted "It is hard to like the man when he seems to beat me at everything." He looked at her sadly "But I am sure that I will get used to him." He added.

Erik looked at him in astonishment "Beat you at everything, you have to be joking, you beat me the moment that you were born you are handsome, young, wealthy and titled."

He looked at Honore fiercely "But most importantly you have a mother and a family that loves you." He pointed to his masked face. "I have this, I have never known the joys of being loved by anyone." He looked and smiled at Christine "Until now. I can tell by your bitterness, that Christine has told you her choice, I am as astonished by it as you are." Erik got up and moved to stand by Christine, he placed a strong arm around her waist. "I gladly claim my spoils of victory, Vicomte. I am not sure that the better man won, but I am grateful for it all the same." He turned to Christine and gently looked into her eyes, and pleaded. "Come with me, we still need to talk alone."

They left Raoul and Honore, and sought out some privacy. Erik gave Christine a questioning look "Was, I right in there? After hearing what I have done, you would still choose me? Why Christine?" He asked softly searching her eyes for the fear that he was afraid would return.

"I admit that I am horrified by what you described; but what you did is no worse than what a soldier does in battle." She added. "What would have happened if you refused." She asked.

"I would have been tortured and executed. The Shah and Khanum were not exactly tolerant of defiance." He hesitated "But I will not lie to you, not any more I would not have refused them, I did not mind it at the time, so angry and full of hate for humanity that I was."

She looked at him sadly "But that is understandable given what had happened to you. Do you still feel the same way now about what you did?"

Erik answered fiercely "Never, I should have let them kill me rather than agree to doing such a thing. I have nightmares about what I did almost every night."

Christine sighed and pulled his head into her lap and massaged his head and brow, like a mother nurtured a child. "My poor Erik, it is time to let the past go, you have me to love you and care for you now. I will never leave you. I promise."

He looked up at her with adoration and awe. "Then you truly accept me despite my accursed face and terrible past." He asked gently

. "With all of my heart." She replied softly.

"Then you will consent to marry me, be my living wife?" he questioned.

"Yes, of course, I love you." Christine breathed.

"You will never regret it, I promise you that. I will make you the happiest woman alive, always." Erik vowed.

Christine continued to massage Erik's head "I want to make you happy, and give you the love that you deserve for the rest of your life. You will never have cause to be lonely again."

They looked into one another's eyes and could see the love shining forth. Erik reached for her and gave her a passionate kiss.

"Thank you." He whispered. For the first time in his entire miserable life Erik felt at peace.