Sorry for the delay, the site wouldn't let me upload for a while for some
reason.
Chapter 3
I reached the lake in record time. I actually don't remember the trip down there, just starting off on the stage and ending up at the edge of the lake. It really didn't matter to me at that point, I just wanted to get back to Erik and tell him the good news. I climbed into the boat and rowed across the lake, singing again.
"Angels arise as night must fall, and radiant eyes bear down on us all. If the powers that be lay beyond our call then angels arise, as the night must surely fall."
I rowed in time to the song, gliding smoothly over the glassy waters. The portcullis loomed in the distance. As I drew closer, I could make Erik's shape sitting at his organ. I finished my song quietly, wanting to see if I could surprise him. I hit the bank of the lake and climbed out of the boat silently, tying it up at the post in the ground. I raised the portcullis just enough to be able to slip under it and lowered it again. Erik hadn't moved, but that could mean that he heard me and hadn't taken much notice, he had heard me and was going to surprise me, he hadn't heard me at all, or he had fallen asleep at his organ again. I sneaked up behind him and when I was close enough to reach out and tap his shoulder I sprang forward, threw my arms around his neck and cried, "I'm here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
"Minuet! Goddamn child, get off me!" Erik yelled in fury. I slipped off him, extremely hurt, wondering why he was so upset at me jumping on him. Then I saw him hiding his face with his hand and fumbling to put his mask on single-handed. I remembered that he often took off his mask when he was composing, and he thought I had never seen his face before. Well, I had. Every night, in fact, I saw his face. I supposed it was time to tell him that.
"Erik, look at me," I said, "Put your mask down and look at me."
"What? No!" Erik cried, "Don't you think I wear it for a reason? Even around you? I don't want you to see me!"
"But I have seen you," I said gently, "I see you every night when you're asleep. When we share a bedroom, wouldn't you have expected it? I wake up in the middle of the night, every night, and I see you. Unmasked. And I am not afraid. I don't think you're hideous. I love you, Erik. Did you lose sight of that again?"
"You-you-you've seen me before?" stammered Erik, "And you don't hate me? I- wait, what do you mean 'Did you lose sight of that again?' I never lost sight of your love. I never understood it, but I always knew you loved me."
"Oh is that true?" I asked, annoyed and a little angry, "If I recall, you forgot that when Christine fell in love with Raoul. I believe your words were, 'Hounded out by everyone, met with hatred everywhere, no kind word from anyone, no compassion anywhere.' Did you not say that to Christine? I took that to mean that you had forgotten that I loved you and gave you compassion. Was I wrong? Or did I not show my love enough so you thought it to be nonexistent? Tell me!"
"Wha-Minuet, is that what you thought? Is that how you've felt all this time? Oh Minuet, that's not true! I don't know why I said that, but I never forgot about you. Why didn't you tell me you felt that way?" Erik asked, almost shocked at what I had just said.
"Because I didn't think it would do anything except bring back memories that you didn't want." I replied, "But I had a lot I wanted to tell you. I just couldn't."
"Please tell me now," Erik said, finally turning to me. He hadn't put his mask on, but I did not care at all. "If there's something else you wanted to say to me, please say it now."
I wondered if I had the emotional strength to say it now, after holding it back for a year now.
"Too many years fighting back tears. Why can't the past just die?"
The phrase sang into my head, telling me it was all right to tell him. I took a breath and let all I had held back for a year, all the feelings and tears, pour out.
"I was jealous of Christine," I whispered, tears rolling down my face, "I felt like you only cared about her and not me. I thought she was coming between us. When that idiot Raoul came along and Christine started falling for him, you were really upset about that and you were always angry and I just didn't think you cared about me anymore. And when you sang "Music of the Night" to her that just made things worse. You wrote "Music of the Night" for me. It's my song and you sang it to her! Did you not think that might make me upset? That was a special song you wrote for me and you sang it to someone else! But I guess I understand. You changed the words a little for her at least. I never blamed you or Christine for the way things ended anyway. It was Raoul's fault. If Raoul hadn't come along and claimed he was in love with Christine, she would have loved you, she would have stayed with you, and you would have been happy and remembered I was still here and I loved you too and things would have been better." I gasped for breath and just cried. I covered my face with my hands, somewhat relieved by the darkness I voluntarily plunged myself into by doing so. I gave a frightened start when I felt myself being pressed against something warm and two things holding me there. I realized it was Erik and put my arms around him and cried into him. He stroked my hair and sang "Music of the Night" softly to me, the original version that he had written for me to chase away the nightmares I had been tormented with every night for a while. They had stopped when Erik started singing "Music of the Night" to me, but that didn't stop him from singing to me every night. The song and Erik's voice had a hypnotic, calming effect and I soon stopped crying. Erik still held me and kept singing until the song ended. There was silence for a while, a silence I did not want to break. Erik broke it for me.
"Minuet, little one, I am so sorry. I had no idea you felt this way. I never stopped caring about you, indeed, I cared for you even more after all that happened and you stayed with me, even though I told Raoul and Christine to take you with them. Oh Minuet, I didn't realize what was happening to you. If I seemed like I was avoiding you, it was because I didn't want to lose my temper and unintentionally hurt you. I wanted to be near you, but I just didn't want to risk hurting you. I'm so sorry. I wish I could take back everything that happened then. If only I could, I would, even if it wouldn't change what happened, I would make sure you didn't feel this way. I wish I had known then, I would have shown you you were wrong. I wish I could say more than just 'I'm sorry' but there's nothing else I can say."
"What's this? The Phantom of the opera, at a loss for words?" I joked weakly. Erik smiled at me and wiped the tears off my face.
"Yes, I am at a loss for words. But you always preferred singing or silence to speech. I remember that." Erik replied.
"Yes I do. Oh, but I had something to tell you. I just remembered!" I said suddenly.
"What is it? You seen excited about whatever it is." Erik said.
"I was up in the catwalks today and I kind of untied part of the backdrop and scared Carlotta away again, so they had to get a replacement to sing as Elissa tonight." I told him.
"Who did they choose as a replacement?" asked Erik.
"One of the chorus girls. Ironic isn't it?" I replied.
"Yes it is. Well, at least Carlotta won't be singing tonight so we can actually enjoy the performance this time!" Erik said. I laughed and he smiled. "Oh, you must be hungry by now, Minuet. Let's have dinner." The two of us went to the table. I sat down while Erik got dinner for us and served it. We had a lively conversation about the performance for tonight. By and by I looked at the clock and realized that the cast would be coming back from dinner soon for a last rehearsal before the performance. I had to be there, but I wanted to keep my singing the lead role a surprise for Erik.
"The cast will be back soon. I just wanted to watch the rehearsal and see if anything needs to be corrected. I'll meet you in Box 5 for the performance." I said.
"All right, just keep out of trouble okay?" Erik responded.
"Why Erik! When have I ever done otherwise?" I asked, feigning surprise. Erik laughed and kissed my cheek as I walked by him. I climbed into my boat and rowed across the lake. I had my own boat that Erik had carved for me. It was black and had a dragon's head carved on the front. On the sides were bat-like wings. The boat was beautiful and I sometimes wished that others could admire it, not just Erik and me. I guess I didn't mind that much. I rowed quickly so I wouldn't be late for the rehearsal. I knew the opera well, but I still needed to rehearse it once with everyone else just so I could be completely comfortable with it. After reaching the other side of the lake, I hurried up the quickest route to the surface. It had several traps rigged along the way, but I could evade them, as I had helped to rig them. I went around to the back of the opera and came around to the front of the opera house and entered through the front door.
"Ah, good, you're here. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Minuet Duquesne, who will be singing in place of La Carlotta tonight. Now, let us begin rehearsal." Monsieur Ryer said. And with that, the final rehearsal commenced.
I reached the lake in record time. I actually don't remember the trip down there, just starting off on the stage and ending up at the edge of the lake. It really didn't matter to me at that point, I just wanted to get back to Erik and tell him the good news. I climbed into the boat and rowed across the lake, singing again.
"Angels arise as night must fall, and radiant eyes bear down on us all. If the powers that be lay beyond our call then angels arise, as the night must surely fall."
I rowed in time to the song, gliding smoothly over the glassy waters. The portcullis loomed in the distance. As I drew closer, I could make Erik's shape sitting at his organ. I finished my song quietly, wanting to see if I could surprise him. I hit the bank of the lake and climbed out of the boat silently, tying it up at the post in the ground. I raised the portcullis just enough to be able to slip under it and lowered it again. Erik hadn't moved, but that could mean that he heard me and hadn't taken much notice, he had heard me and was going to surprise me, he hadn't heard me at all, or he had fallen asleep at his organ again. I sneaked up behind him and when I was close enough to reach out and tap his shoulder I sprang forward, threw my arms around his neck and cried, "I'm here! The Phantom of the Opera!"
"Minuet! Goddamn child, get off me!" Erik yelled in fury. I slipped off him, extremely hurt, wondering why he was so upset at me jumping on him. Then I saw him hiding his face with his hand and fumbling to put his mask on single-handed. I remembered that he often took off his mask when he was composing, and he thought I had never seen his face before. Well, I had. Every night, in fact, I saw his face. I supposed it was time to tell him that.
"Erik, look at me," I said, "Put your mask down and look at me."
"What? No!" Erik cried, "Don't you think I wear it for a reason? Even around you? I don't want you to see me!"
"But I have seen you," I said gently, "I see you every night when you're asleep. When we share a bedroom, wouldn't you have expected it? I wake up in the middle of the night, every night, and I see you. Unmasked. And I am not afraid. I don't think you're hideous. I love you, Erik. Did you lose sight of that again?"
"You-you-you've seen me before?" stammered Erik, "And you don't hate me? I- wait, what do you mean 'Did you lose sight of that again?' I never lost sight of your love. I never understood it, but I always knew you loved me."
"Oh is that true?" I asked, annoyed and a little angry, "If I recall, you forgot that when Christine fell in love with Raoul. I believe your words were, 'Hounded out by everyone, met with hatred everywhere, no kind word from anyone, no compassion anywhere.' Did you not say that to Christine? I took that to mean that you had forgotten that I loved you and gave you compassion. Was I wrong? Or did I not show my love enough so you thought it to be nonexistent? Tell me!"
"Wha-Minuet, is that what you thought? Is that how you've felt all this time? Oh Minuet, that's not true! I don't know why I said that, but I never forgot about you. Why didn't you tell me you felt that way?" Erik asked, almost shocked at what I had just said.
"Because I didn't think it would do anything except bring back memories that you didn't want." I replied, "But I had a lot I wanted to tell you. I just couldn't."
"Please tell me now," Erik said, finally turning to me. He hadn't put his mask on, but I did not care at all. "If there's something else you wanted to say to me, please say it now."
I wondered if I had the emotional strength to say it now, after holding it back for a year now.
"Too many years fighting back tears. Why can't the past just die?"
The phrase sang into my head, telling me it was all right to tell him. I took a breath and let all I had held back for a year, all the feelings and tears, pour out.
"I was jealous of Christine," I whispered, tears rolling down my face, "I felt like you only cared about her and not me. I thought she was coming between us. When that idiot Raoul came along and Christine started falling for him, you were really upset about that and you were always angry and I just didn't think you cared about me anymore. And when you sang "Music of the Night" to her that just made things worse. You wrote "Music of the Night" for me. It's my song and you sang it to her! Did you not think that might make me upset? That was a special song you wrote for me and you sang it to someone else! But I guess I understand. You changed the words a little for her at least. I never blamed you or Christine for the way things ended anyway. It was Raoul's fault. If Raoul hadn't come along and claimed he was in love with Christine, she would have loved you, she would have stayed with you, and you would have been happy and remembered I was still here and I loved you too and things would have been better." I gasped for breath and just cried. I covered my face with my hands, somewhat relieved by the darkness I voluntarily plunged myself into by doing so. I gave a frightened start when I felt myself being pressed against something warm and two things holding me there. I realized it was Erik and put my arms around him and cried into him. He stroked my hair and sang "Music of the Night" softly to me, the original version that he had written for me to chase away the nightmares I had been tormented with every night for a while. They had stopped when Erik started singing "Music of the Night" to me, but that didn't stop him from singing to me every night. The song and Erik's voice had a hypnotic, calming effect and I soon stopped crying. Erik still held me and kept singing until the song ended. There was silence for a while, a silence I did not want to break. Erik broke it for me.
"Minuet, little one, I am so sorry. I had no idea you felt this way. I never stopped caring about you, indeed, I cared for you even more after all that happened and you stayed with me, even though I told Raoul and Christine to take you with them. Oh Minuet, I didn't realize what was happening to you. If I seemed like I was avoiding you, it was because I didn't want to lose my temper and unintentionally hurt you. I wanted to be near you, but I just didn't want to risk hurting you. I'm so sorry. I wish I could take back everything that happened then. If only I could, I would, even if it wouldn't change what happened, I would make sure you didn't feel this way. I wish I had known then, I would have shown you you were wrong. I wish I could say more than just 'I'm sorry' but there's nothing else I can say."
"What's this? The Phantom of the opera, at a loss for words?" I joked weakly. Erik smiled at me and wiped the tears off my face.
"Yes, I am at a loss for words. But you always preferred singing or silence to speech. I remember that." Erik replied.
"Yes I do. Oh, but I had something to tell you. I just remembered!" I said suddenly.
"What is it? You seen excited about whatever it is." Erik said.
"I was up in the catwalks today and I kind of untied part of the backdrop and scared Carlotta away again, so they had to get a replacement to sing as Elissa tonight." I told him.
"Who did they choose as a replacement?" asked Erik.
"One of the chorus girls. Ironic isn't it?" I replied.
"Yes it is. Well, at least Carlotta won't be singing tonight so we can actually enjoy the performance this time!" Erik said. I laughed and he smiled. "Oh, you must be hungry by now, Minuet. Let's have dinner." The two of us went to the table. I sat down while Erik got dinner for us and served it. We had a lively conversation about the performance for tonight. By and by I looked at the clock and realized that the cast would be coming back from dinner soon for a last rehearsal before the performance. I had to be there, but I wanted to keep my singing the lead role a surprise for Erik.
"The cast will be back soon. I just wanted to watch the rehearsal and see if anything needs to be corrected. I'll meet you in Box 5 for the performance." I said.
"All right, just keep out of trouble okay?" Erik responded.
"Why Erik! When have I ever done otherwise?" I asked, feigning surprise. Erik laughed and kissed my cheek as I walked by him. I climbed into my boat and rowed across the lake. I had my own boat that Erik had carved for me. It was black and had a dragon's head carved on the front. On the sides were bat-like wings. The boat was beautiful and I sometimes wished that others could admire it, not just Erik and me. I guess I didn't mind that much. I rowed quickly so I wouldn't be late for the rehearsal. I knew the opera well, but I still needed to rehearse it once with everyone else just so I could be completely comfortable with it. After reaching the other side of the lake, I hurried up the quickest route to the surface. It had several traps rigged along the way, but I could evade them, as I had helped to rig them. I went around to the back of the opera and came around to the front of the opera house and entered through the front door.
"Ah, good, you're here. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Minuet Duquesne, who will be singing in place of La Carlotta tonight. Now, let us begin rehearsal." Monsieur Ryer said. And with that, the final rehearsal commenced.