Fresh rain glistened on the empty streets of Paris; the sun shielded from
view, giving the city a look of night. As the rain let up the people still
remained in their homes, warming themselves by fires and wishing for the
days of summer. A few carriages rolled down the street, water splashing
beneath the turning wheels and onto the sidewalks. Birds twittered in the
trees and soon sang as they emerged from their shelters.
Erik led Christine through the alleyways of the city, slinking through the shadows and dodging the eyes of those who ventured out on the dreary day. A blindfold had been placed over Christine's eyes, preventing her from knowing the location of Erik's home. He had taken the precaution and was now returning to the opera house. He didn't trust Christine enough to let her know how to enter his home; she could sooner bring an unwanted guest than news of her being the lead role.
Slowly the two came to a stop, Christine breathing a sigh of relief but making no move to remove the blindfold. Erik looked about, tilting his hat so a shadow passed over the right side of his face, comforting him in the simplest way. His fingers worked around the ties of the blindfold slowly. Christine didn't move as the cloth was removed from her face. Christine's eyes fluttered open and sparkled when they met with Erik's. A soft smile crossed her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Erik placed a slender finger against her lips. Christine nodded and remained silent.
Taking Christine's hand into his own, Erik began their journey back to the Paris Opera House. The alleys were clear of people, leaving a cloak of security around the two. Erik had suggested taking the alleys and Christine didn't complain; the mask had frightened her and would, no doubt, frighten others. She still feared the mask and what may lie beneath, but she would scold herself if she stared at the object or had thought of ripping it away.
Finally Erik came to a stop; the opera house stood in front of them. Christine squeezed Erik's hand in a sudden twinge of fear, but he didn't return it. Erik gave Christine a glance before dashing across the street, dodging an oncoming carriage. The speed caused their cloaks to spring to life, letting them dance together in the rushing wind.
"You mustn't make a sound when we enter, and mustn't speak of me or where you have been," Erik whispered, leading Christine away from the main entrance. He glanced around a corner before leading Christine down a darkened stairway. He moved in silence, much like the Siamese he owned. "I don't wish to be seen by others." Erik motioned to his mask and all Christine could do was nod in acceptance.
Erik tugged on the door and wasn't at all surprised to find it locked. Pulling a small pin from an unseen pocket, Erik worked the door's lock like a master. His brown eyes glistened as he heard a small click. Placing the pin back into its place, he pulled open the door. Christine smiled with amusement at Erik's ability. He smiled softly and took Christine's hand once more. Without a sound the two disappeared into the darkness of the opera house.
**********
"She's been gone for two days!" Armand cried, causing Meg and Mme. Giry to jump. Firmin turned away from the set directors and sighed, watching as Armand continued his rant. "Christine hasn't been seen at all? Did you search her home? Her dressing room? Do you know of her family?" The string of questions grew, causing both Meg and her mother to answer with a mere yes or no.
Firmin smiled and shook his head. He moved to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. Armand fell silent and Meg and her mother looked at him. "Just check Mademoiselle Daae's dressing room once more. If she isn't to be found we will call the police. You're help is beyond our thanks."
Mme. Giry gave a quick nod and led her daughter away. Armand looked at Firmin angrily. He shook off his friend's hand and walked towards the stage. Firmin frowned and followed Armand closely.
"What's come over you, Armand?" Firmin asked harshly. He trotted up the stage stairs. "You've been barking orders at our workers like never before."
"These people are too difficult." Armand said, rounding on his friend. "They cannot find a single chorus girl. She must know that a chorus member is easy to replace, because it seems like she doesn't give a damn. Because of Mademoiselle Daae we've been set back two days in the rehearsals of this production."
Firmin stared at Armand in disbelief. "Mademoiselle Daae has been ill, Armand. Maybe her illness has sent her away and she had no means of contacting us." he suggested. He watched as Armand began to work with a set designer. "You can't be serious about replacing her. She's sick, for God's sake! You're taking this job too seriously."
Armand looked at Firmin and frowned. "And you're not taking it serious enough!" He motioned for his friend to follow. The two began a slow walk around the stage, watching the chorus girls dance and singers begin their warm ups. "These people belong to us, Firmin. We have to be strict or they will walk all over us. It's as if we're their parents."
"I understand." Firmin replied. "You should keep your mind on rehearsal schedules. When Mademoiselle Daae returns, I'll have a talk with her."
"That is if she returns." Armand said bitterly.
**********
"When will you come for me?" Christine asked. Her eyes searched Erik's face for an unspoken answer. He tried to avoid her prying eyes but she persisted. "I want to see you again."
Erik turned away; her question was innocent enough but he heard something in those words that sounded like something so much more. He looked at Christine and let a soft smile cross his face. Taking her hands into his own, he nodded. "If it's what you wish, I will return to you in a week's time. You'll return with me and you may spend two days within my home. You can have a few lessons while you visit, but I want you to rest while you're there."
Christine smiled in pure joy. She nodded, not able to give Erik the answer verbally. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a sudden surge of joy. Christine looked at Erik, studying his face closely but focusing on his mask. It was an elaborate piece of art, having a place for his eye, painted with mute colors. The other side of his face was beautiful; his brown eyes seemed to make his pale skin glow and his hair lingered in his face, giving him a childlike look.
"Thank you, Erik." Christine said with a smile.
Erik smiled in response. With his free hand he brushed away a strand of hair from Christine's face. Her eyes stared into his and he paused for a moment. "Tonight is your first vocal lesson, Christine. Be in your dressing room alone. You will hear me and nothing else."
"Okay."
Erik raised Christine's hand to his lips and kissed it softly. Christine shuddered at the coldness of his touch, but did nothing else. Erik looked up at her, his eyes changing emotion. She smiled softly and he did the same. He leaned his face closer to hers, causing Christine's heart to beat faster.
"Tell no one of me, Christine; they will only ask troublesome questions. Do you understand?" Erik asked, his voice a hushed whisper.
"Of course." Christine replied in the same manner. She could hardly speak as she stared into Erik's eyes. Once again they were so close to each other. Her thought's quickly betrayed her once more; a thought of prying the mask from his face blossomed in her mind but she pushed it away franticly, wishing nothing of it. Then her mind was full of the memories of the night before, of the way he had sung to her and touched her, of how it seemed he wished to kiss her. Soon she was wondering if he had the intentions of kissing her. Christine's question was quickly answered as Erik leaned his face closer to hers.
"Mademoiselle!"
"Christine!"
Jumping at the sudden cry Christine pulled away from Erik. She turned quickly, seeing Meg and her mother coming down the dimly lit hall. She turned to look at Erik, to wish him farewell, but he was gone. The only thing remaining of the masked man was a thin gold necklace in her hands. She hadn't seen him carrying it, but had the feeling that this angel was also a magician of sorts.
Erik led Christine through the alleyways of the city, slinking through the shadows and dodging the eyes of those who ventured out on the dreary day. A blindfold had been placed over Christine's eyes, preventing her from knowing the location of Erik's home. He had taken the precaution and was now returning to the opera house. He didn't trust Christine enough to let her know how to enter his home; she could sooner bring an unwanted guest than news of her being the lead role.
Slowly the two came to a stop, Christine breathing a sigh of relief but making no move to remove the blindfold. Erik looked about, tilting his hat so a shadow passed over the right side of his face, comforting him in the simplest way. His fingers worked around the ties of the blindfold slowly. Christine didn't move as the cloth was removed from her face. Christine's eyes fluttered open and sparkled when they met with Erik's. A soft smile crossed her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Erik placed a slender finger against her lips. Christine nodded and remained silent.
Taking Christine's hand into his own, Erik began their journey back to the Paris Opera House. The alleys were clear of people, leaving a cloak of security around the two. Erik had suggested taking the alleys and Christine didn't complain; the mask had frightened her and would, no doubt, frighten others. She still feared the mask and what may lie beneath, but she would scold herself if she stared at the object or had thought of ripping it away.
Finally Erik came to a stop; the opera house stood in front of them. Christine squeezed Erik's hand in a sudden twinge of fear, but he didn't return it. Erik gave Christine a glance before dashing across the street, dodging an oncoming carriage. The speed caused their cloaks to spring to life, letting them dance together in the rushing wind.
"You mustn't make a sound when we enter, and mustn't speak of me or where you have been," Erik whispered, leading Christine away from the main entrance. He glanced around a corner before leading Christine down a darkened stairway. He moved in silence, much like the Siamese he owned. "I don't wish to be seen by others." Erik motioned to his mask and all Christine could do was nod in acceptance.
Erik tugged on the door and wasn't at all surprised to find it locked. Pulling a small pin from an unseen pocket, Erik worked the door's lock like a master. His brown eyes glistened as he heard a small click. Placing the pin back into its place, he pulled open the door. Christine smiled with amusement at Erik's ability. He smiled softly and took Christine's hand once more. Without a sound the two disappeared into the darkness of the opera house.
**********
"She's been gone for two days!" Armand cried, causing Meg and Mme. Giry to jump. Firmin turned away from the set directors and sighed, watching as Armand continued his rant. "Christine hasn't been seen at all? Did you search her home? Her dressing room? Do you know of her family?" The string of questions grew, causing both Meg and her mother to answer with a mere yes or no.
Firmin smiled and shook his head. He moved to his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. Armand fell silent and Meg and her mother looked at him. "Just check Mademoiselle Daae's dressing room once more. If she isn't to be found we will call the police. You're help is beyond our thanks."
Mme. Giry gave a quick nod and led her daughter away. Armand looked at Firmin angrily. He shook off his friend's hand and walked towards the stage. Firmin frowned and followed Armand closely.
"What's come over you, Armand?" Firmin asked harshly. He trotted up the stage stairs. "You've been barking orders at our workers like never before."
"These people are too difficult." Armand said, rounding on his friend. "They cannot find a single chorus girl. She must know that a chorus member is easy to replace, because it seems like she doesn't give a damn. Because of Mademoiselle Daae we've been set back two days in the rehearsals of this production."
Firmin stared at Armand in disbelief. "Mademoiselle Daae has been ill, Armand. Maybe her illness has sent her away and she had no means of contacting us." he suggested. He watched as Armand began to work with a set designer. "You can't be serious about replacing her. She's sick, for God's sake! You're taking this job too seriously."
Armand looked at Firmin and frowned. "And you're not taking it serious enough!" He motioned for his friend to follow. The two began a slow walk around the stage, watching the chorus girls dance and singers begin their warm ups. "These people belong to us, Firmin. We have to be strict or they will walk all over us. It's as if we're their parents."
"I understand." Firmin replied. "You should keep your mind on rehearsal schedules. When Mademoiselle Daae returns, I'll have a talk with her."
"That is if she returns." Armand said bitterly.
**********
"When will you come for me?" Christine asked. Her eyes searched Erik's face for an unspoken answer. He tried to avoid her prying eyes but she persisted. "I want to see you again."
Erik turned away; her question was innocent enough but he heard something in those words that sounded like something so much more. He looked at Christine and let a soft smile cross his face. Taking her hands into his own, he nodded. "If it's what you wish, I will return to you in a week's time. You'll return with me and you may spend two days within my home. You can have a few lessons while you visit, but I want you to rest while you're there."
Christine smiled in pure joy. She nodded, not able to give Erik the answer verbally. His eyes seemed to sparkle with a sudden surge of joy. Christine looked at Erik, studying his face closely but focusing on his mask. It was an elaborate piece of art, having a place for his eye, painted with mute colors. The other side of his face was beautiful; his brown eyes seemed to make his pale skin glow and his hair lingered in his face, giving him a childlike look.
"Thank you, Erik." Christine said with a smile.
Erik smiled in response. With his free hand he brushed away a strand of hair from Christine's face. Her eyes stared into his and he paused for a moment. "Tonight is your first vocal lesson, Christine. Be in your dressing room alone. You will hear me and nothing else."
"Okay."
Erik raised Christine's hand to his lips and kissed it softly. Christine shuddered at the coldness of his touch, but did nothing else. Erik looked up at her, his eyes changing emotion. She smiled softly and he did the same. He leaned his face closer to hers, causing Christine's heart to beat faster.
"Tell no one of me, Christine; they will only ask troublesome questions. Do you understand?" Erik asked, his voice a hushed whisper.
"Of course." Christine replied in the same manner. She could hardly speak as she stared into Erik's eyes. Once again they were so close to each other. Her thought's quickly betrayed her once more; a thought of prying the mask from his face blossomed in her mind but she pushed it away franticly, wishing nothing of it. Then her mind was full of the memories of the night before, of the way he had sung to her and touched her, of how it seemed he wished to kiss her. Soon she was wondering if he had the intentions of kissing her. Christine's question was quickly answered as Erik leaned his face closer to hers.
"Mademoiselle!"
"Christine!"
Jumping at the sudden cry Christine pulled away from Erik. She turned quickly, seeing Meg and her mother coming down the dimly lit hall. She turned to look at Erik, to wish him farewell, but he was gone. The only thing remaining of the masked man was a thin gold necklace in her hands. She hadn't seen him carrying it, but had the feeling that this angel was also a magician of sorts.