Disclaimer: Shamanic Princess doesn't belong to me and neither does the Phantom of the Opera. Just doing this for fun so please don't sue me. ^_^
Author's notes: Took longer than I had hope, but here's the next chappie! I completely blame everything on school. Anyways thanks for another review AJ Angelique. So glad you liked it! I'm sorry I couldn't give you more than this chapter. But hope you enjoy reading it. Maybe I'd be able to update sooner now that summer vacation's here. Now on with the story ^_^
Chapter 6
Two figures stood under the shade of a huge tree. Neither one looked at each other. Tiara had suggested they take a walk and ended up in the moor where she and Kagetsu used to visit every night ten years ago, trying to see if they could spot a goblin.
"I'm sorry about your father," Kagetsu said, breaking the silence. "You mentioned in the letter that today was his death anniversary."
Tiara nodded and stole a glance at the man beside her. "Have you visited his grave yet?"
"No, I'm afraid I haven't. I shall remedy that as soon as I can."
The uncomfortable silence returned and Kagetsu felt nervous. Deep inside all he wanted to do was to shout and declare his love for her. To apologize for his foolish behavior seven years ago and say that he never stopped loving her.
The Viscount looked down at Tiara and willed himself to be patient. "You're magnificent, you know."
"What?" Tiara said, startled by the comment.
"Your singing. It's magnificent. Every time you step on that stage, anyone who hears your voice falls under your spell."
Tiara blushed. "I'm not that good."
"But you are. I knew you would be when I first heard you sing. I'm glad you paid no heed to what I said when I asked you to not pursuit a singing career."
"Kagetsu …" Tiara began hesitantly.
Kagetsu cut her off with a shake of his head. "No, don't say anything. First, listen to what I have to say."
He took one of her hands and gently placed it between his. "I was young and foolish. I let pride get the better of me. And I made the mistake of letting my father dictate my actions. Please accept my apologies. I wanted to tell you before, but you had already left Perros. Then I tried to forget about you, but everywhere I went, I found myself seeking out your face from among the crowd. My feelings towards you has never changed Tiara."
The Viscount took a deep breath. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you. I always have."
Tiara's heart soared while tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She too wanted to declare her love for him, but knew that in doing so she was also putting his life in danger.
On the train trip from Paris, her suspicions were confirmed when Graham questioned her about Kagetsu. She had no choice, but to tell the other man that the new owner of the Opera House was a childhood friend. Graham had mentioned that she ought to decide where her loyalty lies. She heard the threat in his voice and knew that following her heart would lead to Kagetsu's death. Graham was capable of murder. She knew just how true the rumors were about how the Phantom of the Opera killed stage hands or anyone who invokes his wrath for that matter. The purpose of her meeting with Kagetsu had quickly turned from a chance for reconciliation to a final goodbye.
Tiara bowed her head and forced the words out of her mouth. "I'm sorry, Kagetsu, but I don't feel the same way."
"What?" he replied, shocked.
"Did you think I asked you here so I can confess my feelings for you?" she asked with a tight laugh. "I made you come so I can ask you to leave me alone."
Kagetsu stepped back, disbelief showed on his face and voice. "I don't believe you. You're lying I can see it in your eyes… You're lying now like you lied back at your dressing room." He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. "Why? Is it because of him, the man I heard you talking with in the dressing room?"
The singer went pale. "What exactly did you hear?"
"That's not important." Kagetsu ran a hand through his hair. "Who is he, Tiara? Do you love him?"
"Please forget you ever heard that voice," she pleaded.
The Viscount gave her a another shake. "Who is he?"
Tiara wretched herself away from him. Her shoulders slumped when she saw the determination in his eyes. The girl sighed, feeling tired all of a sudden.
"He's …" Tiara paused. "… the Anger of Music."
"He's the what?!"
Tiara frowned at Kagetsu's incredulous tone. "The Angel of Music. Remember the story my father had told of an angel that visits people for inspiration?" her eyes grew distant for a moment. "Before he died… Papa promised to send me one from heaven."
"You can't possibly be serious," scoffed Kagetsu. "Somebody is obviously playing a prank on you."
"Believe what you want, Your Grace."
Kagetsu flinched at the cold use of his title. He should not have ridiculed her about the Angel of Music. The singer was fiercely protective of anything that conerns her father.
Without another word, Tiara left, leaving the dejected man with his own thoughts.
********
"Another one?" Firmin read the offered letter from the other manager.
"Can you believe this?" continued the amused man. "That sorry excuse for a phantom insist that we permanently give Tiara the lead role in Faust."
Moncharmin leaned back on is chair. "Have you come upon the piece where he actually demands the reinstatement of Leon?"
"The nerve of that man," Firmin said with a snort. His eyes skimmed through the rest of the letter, narrowing briefly on a sentence that contained a veiled threat should his wishes were not met. He crumpled the paper and put the matter away.
"Were we able to rent out Box 5 for tonight?"
"Yes, we did," answered Moncharmin. "I've also hired a new concierge. Her name's Madame Gaultry. She'll be coming in tomorrow."
The other man nodded. Then neither one of them gave the Phantom's letter a second thought.
********
Kagetsu stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. The innkeeper said Tiara had not left her room since returning from the moor. The man on the bed sighed and turned to look at the moon outside his window. Willing himself to sleep, Kagetsu began to close his eyes, but quickly snapped it open when he heard a noise outside his door.
He quietly got out of bed and approached his door. The door cracked open as he peered through the slit. His eyes widened when he recognized Tiara's form making its way down the stairs.
'What is she doing up at his late hour?' he wondered to himself.
Kagetsu noiselessly closed the door and dressed up in a hurry. Once ready, he opened his window and looked down the street for any sign of Tiara. Just around the corner, the dim light from a street lamp showed a woman's cloaked figure making a turn. The young man swung his legs over the window sill and used a nearby tree to reach the ground.
Snow began to fall as Kagetsu discreetly followed Tiara. After a while, he realized that the girl's final destination was the cemetery near the church. The Viscount hid behind a tree. He watched Tiara approach her father's tombstone and stood there as if anxiously waiting for something. A few seconds later the soft sound of a violin drifted through the air and Tiara seemed to visibly relax. Kagetsu immediately recognized the music being played - Resurrection of Lazarus, it was the song that her father would often play for them during those long summer nights.
When the music faded away, Tiara was seen leaving the graveyard. Kagetsu made to follow, but stopped when he heard a noise to his left. He quickly turned his head. Seeing movements in the shadows, the young Viscount decided to investigate.
'It could be the man who is messing with Tiara's mind,' he silently told himself.
The church door was slightly ajar and thinking of catching the culprit, Kagetsu rushed inside the building. He suddenly tensed when he saw the cloaked figure standing near the alter.
"You there!" he called out into the dimly lit sanctuary. "Stop!"
The mysterious man scrambled away and hid in the shadows. Kagetsu ran up to the dais, searching for any sign of the other man as he squinted through the darkness. Quiet shuffling sounded behind him. Howerer, before he can turn around, pain exploded in his head and everything went completely black.