A week had passed since Erik moved into the Ravenswood Manor and things seemed to be going well. After he and the servants cleaned the music room thoroughly, Mélanie scheduled afternoon lessons with him daily. They started with learning how to read sheet music, which allowed for a better understanding of his expectations for her. She had no problem naming the notes, but had a difficult time remembering how long to hold a note. She had the tendency to repeat melodies that she memorized, even if they were wrong. This aggravated him a bit at first, but once she learned to read music, it slowly began to make sense for her. She was a fast learner, which was useful when they started to learn songs she never heard. Whenever they weren't practicing together, he would spend his free time on the piano, transcribing many of the songs from various operas, but kept it simple enough for Mélanie to follow. He had to be careful to not play at night when everyone was sleeping, fearing that he would disrupt them despite the large estate. He was used to playing whenever he wanted, even getting up in the middle of the night when he felt inspired, but now that he regularly saw the sun, he had to remind himself that not everyone around him was nocturnal. Mélanie was excited for every song he presented to her and was amazed by his many talents. Once in a while, Martha would observe a lesson, but she didn't sing along despite her daughter asking her to. It seemed that the passion to sing had died long ago or was passed down to Mélanie. Though, she did like hearing music played outside of the lesson.
Once in a while, Erik would help with the housework, even serving the Ravenswoods their meal and standing by Jasper and Anna despite Mélanie asking for him to join them. He always told her that he was not any more special than the two most loyal people in their household that stood by their side for years and Jasper & Anna grew to respect him more. Jasper had completely dropped his suspicion of him, especially after the first couple of days when he did not cause any trouble and pulled his own weight. Anna did try to flirt with the masked stranger, but Jasper kept his sister in check. As Erik suspected, the two of them were siblings, but with opposite personalities; while Jasper was the responsible older child who never wanted to look bad in front of his superiors, Anna would be chastised for not working hard enough and actually seemed to cause trouble. She has tried to pull Erik's mask off of his face to have a peek, but he would stop her, even forcefully grabbing her arm if she insisted. Jasper asked why he insisted on wearing the mask, but despite Erik keeping to his story, Jasper believed that the deformity was not as bad as Erik believed.
One morning, after they finished cleaning, Erik decided to chat with the siblings, or more realistically, listen to their conversation since he had some time before Mélanie's music lesson. Despite being around them more, he had not built the confidence to speak to them as if they were dear friends. "Today is the day," Anna said with glee in her voice as she leaned against the wooden table at the center of the kitchen. "The master is coming home today."
"You might want to keep your voice down before Md. Ravenswood hears you," Jasper said as he finished placing the dishes back in their cabinet. He was clearly annoyed with her cheery behavior, but Erik didn't know the reason why.
"Let her hear. She knows anyway," she retorted rather disrespectfully, making her brother sigh.
"She knows what?" Erik chimed in, scaring the both of them. They nearly forgot he was there since he usually worked so quietly. He was used to frightened reactions at this point in his life to not feel that self-conscious about it.
Jasper tugged at his collar before saying, "I don't think I'm allowed to talk about this."
"Oh come on, mon frere. "What's the harm in letting him know?" Anna said with a playful tone as she walked away from the table and put a hand on Erik's shoulder. He felt uncomfortable with her touch, especially when she put her face close to his. "After all, what household does not have secrets?"
"Ones that do not revel in scandal," Jasper said with crossed arms.
"Name one noble family that doesn't have a scandal."
Jasper opened his mouth, about ready to prove her wrong, but every name that crossed his mind had one family that either dealt with addiction, affairs, corruption, horrific deeds or pasts, etc. After a moment of pondering, he quickly said, "There are some, just not in Paris."
"Exactly," Anna said with pride, but her tone turned sullen as she continued, "It is not a matter of if a family has good morals, but a matter of time before some calamity strikes them. A good son might like to play a simple game of cards, but it can lead to an addiction if enablers do not let him stop. A daughter can be in love, but when caught in the act to please her man, she is suddenly called a whore. A mother can be a great wife until her husband commits suicide and people believe that she is the reason for it since she didn't love him enough."
"You seem rather knowledgeable on the subject," Erik said timidly, hoping to not offend her in any way.
"Oui, she reads the newspaper and there is at least one story about a family falling from grace. At least she knows how to read, thanks to Md. Ravenswood," Jasper said with emphasis on her name.
She rolled her eyes. "I know, I know. I am grateful for what she has done for us, but going back to my original point: why not let Erik know our little secret? He'll find out eventually."
"If you don't feel comfortable telling me about the secret, you don't have to force yourself," Erik said genuinely. "I know I have my fair share of secrets that I'd rather not let people know."
"Oh really?," Anna said with a grin. "Then how about we have a little exchange. A quid pro quo as the English say. You tell us a secret and we'll tell you ours, that is, if it's a good enough secret."
"You don't have to play her game," Jasper intervened as he pulled some distance between the two.
"And this is why you're no fun," she said bitterly under her breath.
"But this is how people get to know each other better," Erik said as he tried to muster the strength to be vulnerable, even if the secret was not too painful. Though, most of his secrets were painful in different ways. "When I was a child, I-I was part of a traveling circus run by gypsies."
They were shocked by what he said but were equally intrigued as they waited for him to continue. "Were you a performer?"
"No, I . . . was an apprentice to a man who handled wild beats," he lied. He could not say that he was the wild beast due himself to his deformity since he had to stick with his burn story. "He was not kind to the animals. We would constantly whip them if they did anything he viewed as misbehaving. Eventually, the animals lost their will to fight back and just did as they were trained to do while onlookers laughed."
"That's awful," Jasper said sympathetically. "A circus is no place for animals, but humans sadly feel the need to abuse them for their entertainment."
"Why would you work with such a man?" Anna said, losing her playful tone and a serious one took its place.
"I had no choice. I was an orphan and had nowhere else to go," Erik half-lied. He ran away from a mother who never loved him the way a mother should, so he might as well have been an orphan. When he found the group of gypsies, he was trying to steal some food, but they caught him and unmasked him, only to be horrified by his face. The beast handler noticed the commotion and thought one of his animals escaped, but when he saw the poor child shivering in terror, he had the realization that he found the next big attraction. He locked up Erik in a cage and did not let him out once, not even to relieve himself.
"An orphan, huh," she said as she looked at her brother with a sentimental gaze. She looked back at Erik and asked, "So what became of the circus?"
"My master was killed by one of his beasts who had enough of his abuse," Erik admitted. He did not lie; he did kill his master. The man was drinking to the point that he let his guard down when handling him. Erik knew this to be his only opportunity at freedom, so he grabbed his whip and used it to strangle the man to death. No one heard him as he choked out cries for help. At the young age of twelve, Erik claimed his first life. "As for the circus, I'm not sure what happened since I ran away, thinking that someone would blame me for his death."
"Wow, that is quite the secret," Jasper said, unsure what else to say.
"But not quite the secret I was hoping for," she said, regaining her playful nature. "Still, the rule of quid pro quo applies, and we owe you a secret." She walked to her original spot by the table and looked at her brother before continuing, "Our father is working for Henry-,"
"Monsieur Ravenswood," Jasper corrected, making her scowl a bit.
"Oui, him. Our father is working for him at Thunder Mesa to support us after our mother died from tuberculosis. He had to take on the role of caregiver on top of being the breadwinner and he couldn't handle it. For a while, Jasper and I were forced to care for ourselves while father worked long hours at whatever job he had that week, even if that meant we had to steal our meal."
"It was hard to teach my little sister lessons in morality while also doing whatever it took to survive and our father wasn't exactly the best role model either, even when our mother was alive. She would tell us stories of him robbing banks, high-end stores, and even nobility's houses, but that changed when the two of them met. She's the reason he got caught," Jasper said contemplatively.
"Did she turn him in?" Erik asked.
"No," he said with a laugh. "He claims that while he was being chased by the police, he was distracted by how beautiful she was that he lost his footing and tripped, breaking his leg."
"And if that wasn't a sign of fate, when he was being treated for his injuries, guess who his nurse was?" Anna said with a smile. "They spent a lot of time together while he was recovering and she saw he was not an amoral man, but one who was just trying to get by in a city that looked down on the poor. She convinced him to atone for his sins by saying she'll wait for him to get out of prison so they can get married. Luckily, due to his injury, they gave him less time than he probably deserved since they could not effectively work him like a dog."
"And she kept her word. She waited and they got married the very day he was released," he continued, suddenly changing to a sad tone. "But life sometimes isn't fair. Not too long after Anna was born, she started getting sick and despite being a nurse in her past, the doctors looked down on her because they believed she wouldn't be able to pay for treatment."
"He will never forgive those doctors for letting her die," Anna said in a matching tone. "Still, he had to look after us and that's when Henry enters the story. He was looking for new workers to move to America and mine the gold-rich lands. However, he was reluctant to bring his children into the new land in fear of the natives that were known to attack settlements and leave no survivors. So, Henry offered him a deal: he would take us in as servants, making our own wages, and our father could move to America by himself with the promise of returning when we have made enough money to find a new home and stable work."
"And how long ago was this?" Erik asked.
"Six years ago, I believe. Anna was barely a teenager."
"And he still hasn't come back? Surely you three have made enough money by now."
"Father claims the move back would be expensive compared to what he was making. We have offered to send funds through Monsieur Ravenswood when he visited Thunder Mesa to help with the cost, but we haven't heard from him in two years."
"I just hope he's okay, but Henry would tell us if something bad happened. He visits there a few times a year," Anna said somberly, but their conversation soon came to an end when they heard a dark carriage pull up to the manor. "Speaking of which, he's here!" she cheered as she rushed out of the kitchen. Jasper tidied up his appearance before following her and Erik did the same. If the man was as scary as everyone claimed he was, then he'd better look as presentable as possible. His mask might be a red flag, but there was nothing he could do about that. It would be far worse to have his disfigurement out for everyone to see.
He followed them out as he watched the two servants reach the carriage with Jasper opening the door and Anna greeting their master with a bow and an eager smile. He wondered where Martha and Mélanie were, but assumed that they just didn't know he was home. Soon, Erik finally saw him: a man in a dark suit with purple accents in the handkerchief and tie, brown hair that was aging into an ashy grey, and a trimmed beard with matching colors. However, he was not expecting the man to possess a warm smile as he greeted his servants. Though, something did feel off about it, like he was either putting on the smile for show or that the intentions behind it were not innocent. Once he exited the carriage, the driver cracked his whip and it rode away, leaving the four of them alone.
Soon, Henry noticed Erik and he lost his smile for a moment. "Pardon me, Monsieur, but I don't think we've met," he said as he approached Erik. Although Henry wasn't as scary as Martha initially, Erik was still visibly nervous.
"He's a new hire by Mademoiselle Ravenswood," Jasper interjected since he saw Erik practically shaking. He tried to alleviate the situation, which Erik appreciated.
"Mélanie hired him? For what?" Henry said with a raised eyebrow. "This better not be a ploy to have a man she wants to stay in my my home."
"No, Monsieur Ravenswood. She actually hired him to teach her music."
Henry looked at Erik with a penetrating glare as he asked, "Is this true?"
"Y-Yes Monsieur. My name is Erik Chaney. P-Pleasure to finally meet you," he said with a bow, trying to avoid eye contact.
Despite the stern look before, Henry let out a deep laugh. "Don't be so nervous. A friend of my daughter's is a friend of mine. I trust her judgment of people's character." Erik was relieved to hear that, but still couldn't shake the odd feeling he had about the master. After everything he was told earlier about him, he felt that he wasn't showing his true nature around him and was weary of that fact. "Now, I'm awfully tired from my trip, so please tell the chef to prepare me a meal. I'd assume my family has already eaten by now," he said as he pulled out his pocket watch.
"Yes, Monsieur. We just finished cleaning up, but I'll make sure the chef makes you a meal worthy of your palette," Anna said before leaving their side and Henry's eyes and smirk followed her. Jasper hoped that the meal she was preparing was, in fact, food.
He turned back to Erik and put a hand on his shoulder as he said, "I'm glad to have you part of the family, Monsieur Chaney. I do hope you stay with us for a while."
"If the fates permit it," Erik said as he tried to calm his shaking nerves.
"A poetic man, huh? I guess you must be while wearing that mask. We aren't celebrating Hallow's Eve, you know."
"Forgive me, but I don't wear this just for pleasure. I was burned severely when the Opera Populaire—,"
"Ah yes, I've heard about that. I had to pass by it. Unfortunately, it's nothing but rubble now, all due to a madman, a girl, and a chandelier," Henry said with a sad tone. The more Erik had to hear people call him a madman, the angrier he felt internally, but he needed to play the facade. "If it's that bad that you need to wear that thing, then I suppose you can keep it on. Though I must admit that I'm rather curious. Can I have a look?"
"I don't think the poor man would like that," Martha yelled from the doorway of the manor. Both men turned and saw that she and Mélanie were waiting there, but not taking a step closer to the patriarch. In fact, they didn't seem to be that happy about his return home, which is shocking considering Mélanie's kindhearted nature.
"Ah, my darling wife and daughter. Oh, how I've missed you so," Henry said as he walked up the stairs and gave them a group hug. "I guess I missed some exciting things while I was away."
"Just a new hire. Nothing too special," Martha responded coldly, paining Erik a bit. "Speaking of which, he is a temporary hire until you give your approval. I didn't want to make a decision without your say." Judging by her passive-aggressive tone, it was clear that he may have made rash or ill-advised decisions in the past without consulting her.
"Excellent. Monsieur Chaney, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you in my study," he said in a tone that was somehow both warm and authoritative.
"I-I'm sorry, but your daughter and I have a music lesson starting soon—," he tried to say, but was interrupted.
"It's fine, Erik. We can have it later in the day," Mélanie said in a sullen tone. She's usually so cheery, so seeing her act like this deeply troubled him. What has this man done to make her act like this?
"Please follow me," he said as he walked inside the manor, followed by his family, who went their separate ways as they entered. Jasper wished Erik luck as they went inside and presumably went to find his sister in the kitchen, hopefully. Erik swallowed hard as he followed Henry to his study upstairs near the music room. He kept quiet the whole time, but was anxious for Henry to speak to him along the way. Surprisingly, he didn't and waited until he opened the double wooden doors that led to his study. Inside was an ornate office surrounded by many bookshelves containing books on various topics ranging from business and the fine arts to books Erik was surprised Henry had the shamelessness to have displayed. At the far side of the room was a large mahogany desk with decorative carvings on its edges and the crest of Ravenswood carved onto the front. On the walls were more portraits of the Ravenswood family, all with him having a chilling grin, compared to his family, who even in art form had fake smiles. Erik also saw a painting of two men facing away from each other in a duel, one of them clearly depicting Henry, but the other was a man he didn't recognize.
"I see you're an appreciator of the fine arts," Henry said as he walked to the painting of the two men. "Ah, this brings back so many memories. I had it commissioned when I became sole owner of Thunder Mesa Mining Company."
"May I ask who the other man is?" Erik asked.
"Oh, that was my former business partner before he got greedy and tried to steal the company from me. You see, Erik, what you must understand is that I was a very poor lad with dreams of being rich enough to one day provide for my family. I heard that there were many chances of making that dream a reality in America, so I used up all my savings to start a new life there. After many years of hard work in the stinging heat of the West, I finally got my wish and struck gold, and a lot of it too. With my earnings, I bought more equipment and eventually made so much that I could hire workers to do the hard work for me. After some time, we found so much gold in this mountain that was hoarded by the Indians who have no idea the worth of their treasure and I was able to officially create my company."
"Along with your business partner, I presume," Erik pieced together, but soon regretted it when he saw Henry's face change from nostalgic to scornful.
"Yes, but that man never worked hard in his life. He expected to split the profits of all my hard work. I did, at first, try to appease him, but always he expected more. He left me with no other choice except to settle this matter in a duel and I never miss when my life depends on it."
"S-So, you killed him," Erik said nervously. So, this man has a body count.
"Of course. That is how a duel should be," Henry said nonchalantly. Erik did feel a bit sorry for the man to not have any regard for human life, but at the same time, Erik had spent a good chunk of his life killing others, whether through his own accord or not. It wasn't until Christine came along that he felt regret for what he had done, but that still didn't stop him from killing others irrationally. Joseph Buqet, Ubaldo Piangi, Philipe de Changy; none of them deserved to die the way that they did. "But I digress; I called you here to learn more about you. Care for a drink?"
"No, thank you. I need to stay sharp while I teach music," Erik declined as he watched Henry take a glass and a bottle of brandy from a nearby cabinet.
"That's a shame. I've learned over the years that a man will be at his most honest when he has had a few drinks in him, but I guess you're right," he said as he poured himself a glass. Once he was finished, he picked up his glass and asked, "So, Erik, tell me about yourself."
"Well, I was a musician at the Opera Populaire who found himself homeless after the fire. I sought refuge here during a storm and your wife and daughter have been so hospitable to me and even offered me this job." He only hoped that the rest of the household will keep to this story and not arouse suspicion with conflicting details.
"If you were there when it burned down, then you must have seen that Opera Ghost on stage. Tell me, is he as horribly disfigured as they say?"
Erik pursed his lips at the question. Great, more questions about the past that he wished he could move away from. "I mean, the disfigurement wasn't as tragic as the fire that burned down the opera house."
"Of course, but I want to hear from someone who was there that night. Just what did he look like? The papers aren't as descriptive as the public wished they were."
Erik was silent for a bit, but with a sigh, he said painfully, "His face was like the one of a leper; yellow sickly skin, sullen black holes for eyes, and no nose to be found. It's no wonder he lived in the sewer," Although his disfigurement wasn't exactly as he described (smartly so), he still did not like having to repeat the rumors that he overheard from Buquet and the ballerinas he flirted with.
"Such an unsightly image," Henry remarked with peaked curiosity, like he was reciting an epic tale. Erik only furrowed his brow. "And to think, he's still on the loose. They never found his body supposedly, so the police suspect that he's still hiding in the sewers. How chilling."
"Let's hope they catch him before he seeks revenge. It's scary to think that a dangerous man can be lurking around Paris," Erik said with gritted teeth. He probably should have taken that drink to relieve some tension.
"And that girl he kidnapped—ah, what was her name. Kirsten, Christian, Chris . . . ," Henry pondered, not being able to finish his thought without help.
"Christine Daae," Erik finished with a sullen tone. Hearing her name escape his lips brought up painful memories of the last time they spoke.
"Right, that's her name. Shockingly, she's actually defending the man, saying that he was merely a victim of circumstances. Can you believe it?" Erik looked at Henry with genuine shock on his face. After everything, Christine actually defended him? He was going to kill the man she loved and force her to be his forever, yet she still defended him? Why? "You don't suppose she fell in love with her captor?"
"I highly doubt it, but then again truth can be stranger than fiction sometimes," Erik said, feeling his heart sink saying those words. "I never had the chance to know her personally, but from what I heard, she has a kind-hearted nature, like your daughter possesses."
"You mean naïveté," Henry corrected. "The poor girl has yet to experience the hardships of this world. It's probably my fault since I'd hardly let her leave this manor during her childhood. It was for her own protection, but I soon saw the consequences. None of them horrid, don't get me wrong. It is better that she'd remain happy rather than be faced with too many hardships, but I do worry it's caused her to be blind to the cruelties of this world."
"Despite what you think, Monsieur Ravenswood, I think you're a great father," Erik said genuinely. "I never met my own father since he died before I was born and I have no children of my own, but no matter what lifestyle you choose for Mélanie, it will have their own form of hardships. You and I know very well that we cannot avoid the troubles of life and strength comes from certain trials, but despite the world's cruelty, there is a certain beauty. I'm sure you would count her kind-nature to be one of them."
"Spoken like a true poet," Henry said with a smile. "But I only want what's best for my family, so why do they look so displeased with my presence? My wife doesn't want to be in my company and it's starting to rub off on my daughter. All I want is a close relationship with my girl like we did when she was young, but as she grew older, I think she's started to resent me. Though, it may partly be because I prevent her from marrying men I deem unworthy."
"I'm sure she will come to understand that you're being picky for her benefit. When she marries the right man, she'll thank you for it."
"I hope so," he said as he finished his brandy and set the glass down. "And just like that, I'm talking about myself again. Forgive me."
"It's no problem, Mons—,"
"Please, call me Henry. Unless you work in Thunder Mesa or as a servant in this house, I don't see the need for formalities."
"I mean, I do work alongside Jasper and Anna as well," Erik said, noticing Henry's smile grow wider at the sound of the maid's name.
"Ah, well, in that case, then it's required, but otherwise, we may speak casually. I don't get that many opportunities to speak with other men outside of work and my family rarely want to have deep conversations with me. You might be the breath of fresh air I need," Henry said in a tone like a child finding a new friend. Erik was shocked how well this was turning out. He had a hard time piecing together that this man is the source of fear and agony in this household, but he knew very well that many people hide their true self behind a mask. He saw first-hand people like Carlotta go from hateful diva to amicable performer whenever the managers were around. He had to be very careful of how he presented himself to not make him drop his facade. "Well, Erik. It seems that Mélanie made the right choice hiring you. I give you my full permission to stay here. I'll even double your pay," he said as he extended his hand.
"Th-Thank you, Henry," Erik said with appreciation as he shook it. He couldn't understand what about this interview impressed him, but did not want to pry into it. The less information he had to give out, the better. After all, actions spoke more about a man's character than words ever could. Besides, getting to know this man might help him get a better understanding of the man behind the cheery exterior. Maybe he was just a father seeking his family's approval, but not getting it. He really hoped for that, but the bad feeling from before never went away.
As the days passed, Erik could tell that the ambience had changed with the patriarch's presence. While Mélanie put on a bright smile as she interacted with her father, Erik noticed she would immediately lose her shine and smile whenever either one of them left the room. Martha reverted to her intimidating stature despite showing warmth just mere days before and needed a good amount of wine to play the supportive mother. The only person in the manor that was happy that Henry was home was Anna, and Erik had a theory why. He was not blind to Henry's wandering eyes whenever she entered the room, but he obviously did not want to accuse them of anything if he was wrong. As a victim of false accusations, he knew the damage all too well.
Due to Henry's longing for a male friend, Erik was nearly forbidden to do any of the household work despite nearly pleading with him to let him work. Henry said that kind of work was beneath him now, especially when he was being paid more to do more sophisticated work. Surprisingly, Jasper and Anna understood this shift in roles and did not fault him in any way, though Jasper's jealousy did show occasionally. He worked here for a good chunk of his life and yet this stranger who did not even apply for a job became good friends with the master. He felt left behind, but the only thing that did not make him hate Erik was his humility and attempts to help them.
One morning, during breakfast, Henry was reading the newspaper as the rest of the family dined in silence. Normally, Erik would not mind the quiet, but it was unnerving knowing that the environment was completely different when he was away. Soon, Henry interrupted the silence as he said, "Huh, she got married? We just talked about her not too long ago."
"Talked about who?" Martha asked with little intrigue toward what he said.
"Christine Daae, or should I say, Viscountess Christine de Chagny. The ceremony was last Sunday." At the sound of her name, Erik felt his heart race, but when he changed her name, it felt like it cracked.
"Didn't she get engaged just a month ago? How did they arrange everything so fast?"
"When you have enough money, you can get anything done fast. I know from personal experience," Henry said with a smile before turning to the next page.
"And just how much do you pay your workers?" Martha said with a side eye. Despite not getting a reply from him, she still got her answer.
"I'm so glad she found her happy ending. She truly deserves it after everything that happened to her," Mélanie said with a genuine smile.
"With fame like hers, it was inevitable that someone made a wife out of her," Henry stated nonchalantly.
"But you didn't read about her story," Mélanie exclaimed. "She and Raoul were childhood sweethearts that were destined to find and love each other years later. He even supported her dream of being an opera diva and has been her main sponsor as she looks for a new theater to call home. What's more romantic than that?"
"Just because they are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship doesn't mean that they'll stay like that forever," Martha said in a pessimistic tone.
"We can only hope. A happy marriage makes an even happier family," Henry said, never taking his eyes off the newspaper. Erik hated the idea of her having children with a man like Raoul, not because he has a bad character, but he feared that a nobleman like him would treat her like a housewife rather than a star. It happens to a lot of female performers and he did not want the same fate to fall on her.
Mélanie turned toward Erik, who had not touched his food since they started talking about Christine and was lost in his own thoughts. "Erik, are you feeling all right?" she cooed.
He quickly escaped from his mind and hurriedly nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm happy for her," he forced himself to say. "Like Mélanie said: she deserves it."
"Don't let the adoration of a fangirl sway you," Henry said, finally putting the paper down. "I mean, she is a gifted singer, don't get me wrong, but even the sweetest of angels can turn into power-hungry demons when exposed to fame."
"Not Christine. If anything, she felt awkward being the center of attention, especially since she was the previous diva's last-minute replacement," Erik defended. He did not want to hear anyone compare her to a demon.
"I thought you said you didn't know her that well," Henry said with a teasing smile.
"I-I-I didn't, but as a musician, I overheard people's conversations in between rehearsals."
"Right," Martha said in a skeptical tone, but she was not going to pry him any further. "Well, even though we don't know them personally and didn't attend their wedding, let's have a toast to the happy newlywed couple," she said with a raised glass. The rest of the table did the same and after clinking their glasses, they proceeded to drink. Despite the now happier ambience in the room, Erik was deeply lost in his thoughts to acknowledge anything happening around him.
Erik should have known from the start that Christine had feelings for Raoul, even if she did not realize that they were love, but Erik's unrealistic wish that she could love him back blinded him from seeing the truth. After a life of hardship, he found it very difficult to simply trust someone, even more so for love. Sure, women and even men had developed crushes on him either out of lust or curiosity, but he never reciprocated them. For a long time, he thought he had developed some kind of mental ailment that prevented him from experiencing attraction or romance. An alienist would say that it was due to the lack of love and attention he received from his mother at his most susceptible age, but she was not the only cruel person in his life, unfortunately. However, that all changed with Christine.
It was not love at first sight, but there was something about her that intrigued him. She was beautiful for sure, but so were a lot of the stage actors and dancers. She was not like the other ballerinas who were always seeking a husband and flirting with the stagehands, but rather kept herself in the background and let the others enjoy the attention. She was a kind soul, compared to the snobby attitudes of some of her colleagues, but behind that warm smile hid a broken spirit. Even if her pain was not as extensive as his, different people have different reactions to tragedy. Some can grit through the pain and move on while others can be completely shattered by it. For her, losing her father still pained her even as the years passed. Although she had friends like Meg Giry to talk to, he would find her spending time by herself, whether practicing a dance number or singing a song, in the abandoned dressing room that happened to have the mirror that led to Erik's home. The first time he heard her sing, he was stunned; he swore he was hearing the voice of a timid angel. He knew it wasn't a principal actor since he never heard that voice during rehearsals, so finding the source solely in the dressing room made him wonder why she wanted to hide such beauty. Knowing how the managers ran things, they probably never gave her a chance to sing so they could please their fickle diva who threatened to quit practically every week.
And then one day, he happened to hear Christine talk to Meg about an Angel of Music. According to her, the greatest musicians of all time are visited by an angel who will subtly guide them to their successful careers, whether it was showing them a flyer for an audition or meeting a very influential patron. Her father was visited by one long before she was born, or so she claimed, and now she awaited hers. After hearing this, Erik knew this was his only chance to speak to her. Even though they never interacted before, he had a strange feeling that he could trust her with revealing his presence, even if it was a limited experience. When she was singing to herself in the dressing room, he took a deep breath and spoke to her, "My child, your prayers have been answered." He hoped he could pass as a celestial being.
Unsurprisingly, she was terrified to hear his voice coming from nowhere. She looked around frantically for its source, but she must have thought she was hallucinating. Erik instantly regretted this, but when he saw her trying to leave the room, he had to stop her for a reason he didn't understand himself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you," he said worriedly, nearly dropping his mystical persona.
Whether it was out of fear or curiosity, Christine stayed in the room and looked around again. There weren't many places to hide and who would guess there was a man behind the mirror built into the wall? In a soft voice, she finally replied. "Wh-Who are you?"
There were so many things he could have said, but all of them would have terrified her even further. It was obvious that he could not show his face, even with a mask on, or else he would lose an opportunity to interact with a kindred spirit. After a moment of pondering his options, he finally said, "I am your Angel of Music. I am here to look after you." It was clear in her face that she did not expect this response, or any response for that matter. She stood frozen with only her breathing and blinking to prove she wasn't a statue. He felt guilty. "That is, if you want me to be around. If this is all too frightening for you, I can leave your side."
"No!" Christine practically screamed. He was surprised by her reaction, but she soon regained her composure and continued, "I-I don't want you to leave."
"You are no longer afraid?"
She hesitated before taking a deep breath and saying, "Not anymore. In every story I've heard of people meeting angels, they are afraid at first, but soon learn to listen to the message they deliver. I guess I'm no exception."
"Well, this message doesn't come from God, but rather from your father," Erik said. Her eyes twinkled a bit at what she heard and let out a small smile. "He has sent me to guide you in the art of music. If you wish to remain a dancer, that is fine, but you have potential to be the next rising diva."
"A-A diva? Me? No, I-I couldn't. I don't have the talent that La Carlotta does," she said sheepishly as she looked at the floor. He had to admit that Christine looked adorable at her shyest. It was a trait he would soon learn to love among other things.
"But unlike her, you have natural talent that has yet to reach its full potential. I have heard you sing when you thought you were alone, and you already sound lovely." When he saw her cheeks turn red, Erik thought that he shouldn't have said that; she must think he was a creep, even if he was supposed to be an angel.
"And how would you help me? Do I need to devote my life to God or something saint-like?"
"No need to go that far. As an angel, I am limited in what I can do without bringing too much attention to myself. We work in mysterious ways that are beyond human comprehension. I can offer you instruction if you return to this dressing room after every rehearsal, but only if you agree to this arrangement."
She thought about it for a while, but asked, "Before I answer, may I ask one favor?"
"It depends on the favor," he said, fearing what she had to ask.
"Is there a way I can speak to my father?"
He was taken back by her request, but understood her position. If he had a chance to speak to the dead, especially those he cared for, he would take it instantly. "I am sorry, but I cannot fully grant your request. I am only the mediator between the living and the heavenly worlds. I can relay a message he wants you to hear and I will do the same vice versa."
"So, he won't be able to hear me sing?" she asked sullenly.
Think fast or else she might never return. "But music has a way of transcending the limits of life and death. It may sound like a whisper to us, but it will be the most beautiful whisper that can make any angel cry. That is the role of the Angel of Music."
To his surprise, she smiled as she put a hand over her heart and said, "I want to make papa proud. He was the one who ignited my love to sing. I trust that even in death, he will do whatever it takes to keep my passion strong. I . . . I accept your guidance. Please, teach me, my Angel of Music."
And just like that, their destiny was set, but neither of them could have predicted how it would unfold.
"Erik. Erik!" Mélanie's voice rang, forcing him out of his memory. He subtly shook his head to return to reality and looked at her slightly annoyed pout. He was so deep in his thoughts that he nearly forgot that he was giving her a music lesson and just played the song mindlessly. Thanks to muscle memory, the song wasn't completely derailed, but he didn't care about accuracy and rhythm after a while. "I thought you were trying to test me on my ability to adapt when I heard you miss some notes, but you never responded to me."
"I-I'm very sorry. I'm supposed to devote this time for you, not my wandering mind," he said as he hesitantly looked her in the eyes. He was fortunate that she was the forgiving type.
Mélanie walked toward him, and he instinctively thought she was going to slap him, as many did in the past, but instead, all she did was look into his eyes. "You're still thinking about Christine's wedding, weren't you?"
Erik was surprised by her question. "H-How-?"
"You've been acting like this since breakfast after hearing the news. No one usually thinks this hard about a person unless they were filled with regret." He felt uneased by her perceptiveness; it was like she could see directly into his soul through his eyes. "I'm going to assume that she's someone special to you."
He was scared to lie to her if she sleuthed this much information out of him already. He sighed as he said, "Yes, but I didn't want to expose that I was lying to your father. I told him that I didn't know her well, but the truth is that I knew her very well, maybe more than most people."
"Oh really?" Mélanie asked as she leaned onto the piano with fists underneath her chin and a tilted head. "Tell me all about her."
Erik gave her a bit of a confused expression. "Don't you think that our time would be more useful going through the lesson like normal?"
"I am paying you, with father's money of course, so I get to decide how our time is used," she said nonchalantly. A statement like that said by any other noble would have insulted him, but with Mélanie, he could tell that she genuinely wanted to get to know him without him putting his guard up in front of her parents. He then made the realization that she never really left the manor, so she doesn't get an opportunity to talk to anyone but the servants and her parents. Erik was the closest person she had as a friend.
"Can I trust that you won't tell anyone about this? It's very personal to me."
"Of course," she said with a hand raised. "You have my word."
He took a deep breath as he said, "All right then. You're right; she's someone special to me. In fact, I . . . I loved her." Her eyes widened, but she kept quiet to let him speak some more. He had to be careful about how much of the truth he wanted to disclose. "She was always an intriguing person before her debut. She kept to herself, so she wasn't the type to demand attention, but she still grabbed mine. After her debut . . . ," he said before getting lost in his thoughts again.
Erik helped Christine practice the songs for the upcoming performance Hannibal, especially since she was a very last-minute replacement after Carlotta "quit". They practiced late every night until the day before the performance, giving her proper time to rest. During that time, they also gave Christine a chance to choose her dressing room to change costumes in between numbers and of course, she chose the one she met her Angel of Music in. This made things a lot easier for them, especially since there were a couple of times in the past that Madame Giry caught her "avoiding rehearsals" and forced her out. Madame Giry would later tell him that she only did that because she didn't know Erik had already revealed himself to her and was trying to protect his secret. Whenever Christine spoke of her Angel of Music, she assumed she was being figurative.
Erik respected Christine's wishes of him leaving the room whenever she was changing, which meant that he could not speak with her during the performance, even when she was not on stage. He took this opportunity to sit in his usual seat: Box 5. He claimed it was the best seat in the entire theater: close enough to see the actor's faces clearly, but not so close that he couldn't see the whole stage. The best part was that it was a private box, something that would cost a hefty amount, so much so that a party of four was recommended to split the price. Due to his salary as the Opera Ghost, he was able to afford the box by himself, meaning he had privacy. If he sat far back enough, he could be hidden in the shadows.
As the show went on, he anxiously awaited Christine's aria, hoping that their hard work had paid off. He watched her sing during ensemble numbers and duets, but the aria would be her moment to truly shine. Critics were in the crowd and they were ready to tear her newborn career apart if she did not deliver. He couldn't imagine any of them giving her a bad review, but there have been shady critics in the past who would get paid to give bad reviews. If someone did that to Christine, he would be driven by anger to "visit" the critic and make him change his mind.
At last, the moment arrived as she walked to the middle of the stage to sing her aria. He could see in Christine's face that she was nervous, but she took a deep breath and began to sing:
Think of me, think of me fondly
When we've said goodbye
Remember me, once in a while
Please promise me you'll try
When you find that once again you long
To take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She truly sounded like an angel that was putting her soul into every note and lyric she sang. Was she holding back during their lessons? He could tell that fatigue and frustration was hindering her performance, forcing him to give her a break. Clearly, a break was what she needed since she sounded even better than he imagined. He felt himself moving in his seat with excitement as she reached each high note of the song effortlessly and perfectly. He was so proud of her to the point that he was moved to tears. He looked around to see everyone else's reactions and they were moved by her singing, especially a man at the other side of the theater who had a look of recognition, as if he realized who this girl was. That man, he would regrettably learn, was Raoul.
Flowers fade, the fruits of summer fade
They have their season so do we
But please promise me that sometimes
You will think . . .
As part of the song, Christine showed off her amazing range, singing both high and low notes in such a short time. It was the most difficult part of the song, but she pulled it off with such power that he had never seen in any of the other singers. When she was done, the entire audience stood up in a standing ovation and he was ready to join them, but he knew if he did, he would show himself to those with prying eyes. Instead, he sat back in his seat as he watched her bask in the applause. She then looked at Box 5 and had the biggest smile on her face. Erik wasn't sure if he ever told her that he'd be there, but seeing her so happy clicked something in him. He wanted to see her enjoying the fruits of her labor. He wanted to see her smile this brightly every day. He wanted to make sure she would be this happy as many times as he could. He wanted to be the one that made her happy. He wanted . . . her. He . . . He loved her.
Mélanie looked enthralled by his story, even sighing lovingly when he told her the moment he fell in love with her. Of course, he changed crucial details, like that he offered his help as a musician rather than as her Angel of Music and that he was playing the violin during the performance instead of just watching. Still, she admired the story very much, like any other girl who falls in love with the idea of love. "How romantic. I wish things would have worked out for the two of you. Did you ever try to court her?"
"No, not really. I don't think she ever learned my true feelings. After all, she fell in love with that Viscount, so it wouldn't matter," he said solemnly, looking down at the piano keys.
"You never know," she said as she pushed herself off the piano and walked a bit away. "Love is a strange emotion. One day, you think you have your whole future planned out with a certain person and the next day, your heart longs for someone else. It's possible to fall out of love as quickly as you fall into it," she said, but her tone seemed more melancholy.
He picked up on the shift in her tone and asked, "H-Has something like that happened to you?"
She looked at him with surprise, but admitted, "Sort of. Father doesn't let me go out of the manor anymore because I seemed to attract men who were not ready to commit to a relationship. In the past, my family would visit Thunder Mesa—,"
"I keep hearing that town name, but can you tell me more about it?"
"I'm surprised my father hasn't told you about it since you two seem to be getting along pretty well."
"Well, he can be quite the talker, so I never had the opportunity to ask."
Mélanie nodded in understanding as she walked back to the piano and leaned against it. "Well father created the town Thunder Mesa for his mining company about a decade ago. He believes in the idea that happy workers are better workers, so he made sure to give citizens there everything they needed within reason, including a saloon, a post office, and some place called a brothel," she said innocently, but clearly Erik had a reaction. She said that so casually. "What? Isn't that a place where people make alcohol?"
"S-Sure," he lied. Despite her age, she was still innocent enough to not know and he didn't want to be the one to corrupt her. He decided to reroute the conversation. "That is quite a philanthropist deed. I don't know that many business owners that would go that far for their employees."
"Isn't my father so generous? The town keeps expanding with all the new hires and he invites their families to join the workers," she said with a smile. Erik was reminded of Jasper and Anna's father, now sounding unusual that the two of them stayed behind instead of going with him. "But it's a tough place to stay in, from what I heard from my mother. I haven't been there for some years, but I remember the unbearable heat with only shade and hand-fans to survive. Also, there were plenty of icky critters that could harm or even kill you. I can't imagine what it's like to live there."
"Some people will do whatever it takes to provide for them and their families. I was told that Jasper and Anna's father is among the people over there."
"Correct. I haven't seen Mr. Jones since the last time I was there years ago. Mother and I gave him updates on his kids and vice versa, but that all changed when . . . ," she said as her tone changed dramatically. Even her face expressed sadness as she grew quiet.
Erik felt bad asking her to remember a painful memory, even if it was unintentional. She looked at him and it was clear that she was holding back tears, but trying to be strong. "You don't need to say anymore if it's too much. I want you to feel comfortable. I'm sorry for bringing it up."
"C-Can you promise me something, Erik?" Mélanie said softly, almost mumbling her words.
"What is it?" he inquired with caution. He did not want to agree to a promise he couldn't keep if he could.
"Promise me . . . promise me that you won't leave us," she said. He was shocked by her request; where did this come from?
"I don't know if I can promise to never leave you, being a music teacher and all, but I do promise to be here as long as I am needed," he said, trying to not set anything in stone.
"We will always need you, Erik," she said as she walked up to the man and hugged him tightly. He was a bit taken back by this sudden affection since it was a rare occurrence, even though Christine did try to normalize it. "You're part of our family now. If you leave, it'll be like a family member had died." He was touched by her words and by the fact that he kept calling him by his name, humanizing him. This prompted him to hug her back and stroke her back. He could feel her heartbeat quicken, which confused him a bit. She backed away a bit, but still remained close to him.
However, she completely caught him off-guard as she suddenly kissed him, forcing him to pull back. She tried to kiss him again, but he pushed against her advances. "Mélanie! What has gotten into you?" he said harsher than he intended.
She gave up her pursuit and tears suddenly fell down her cheeks. "I-I'm sorry. I . . . I didn't mean . . . I'm sorry," she said as she cried into her hands. He wasn't sure what to do in this scenario since it came with no warning. When did he ever indicate that he fancied her? In fact, just moments earlier, he told Mélanie how he fell in love with Christine, so where were these sudden feelings coming from?
"No, I'm sorry if I indicated that-," he tried to say, but was interrupted.
"The fault is mine. I got carried away . . . I . . . I'm sorry," she apologized once more as she wiped her tears. "I-I think I'll have to conclude our lesson for the day," she said as she quickly left the room.
Erik didn't know what to think of the situation. All he knew was that he messed up and needed to either make it up or her or to clear up the misunderstanding. He sighed as he looked at the keys and started playing the song he meant to play before getting lost in his thoughts. He hoped that it could clear his mind to fix whatever just happened.