Chapter 2: Gentle Man, Gentle Heart
2 weeks later
Erik held Perle in his arms as he took her to the market with him. It was the first time Perle had been outside the ghetto. She looked all the people and looked at Erik as he put her down. He picked out some fresh vegetables and looked at Perle.
" Erik," she said
" Yes," he said
" Are you leaving us?" she asked
" No, where did you hear that," he asked
Perle looked up at him and replied, " I heard Madame Amical talking about you leaving to start a new life."
" I'm not leaving," he said
Erik looked at the spices and bought some, he handed them to Perle as they walked. She continued to look around and Erik finished with what shopping he had to do for Madame Amical and Madame Doux. Perle looked at Erik as he bought her a pastry at the small bakery.
" Erik can I come with you all the time?" Perle asked
" If Madame Amical lets you," he said
Perle smiled and grabbed Erik's hand and he gently touched his right side feeling the blade dangling at his side. He started to carry a blade incase by chance someone attacked him on his way back home.
The bells of Notre Dame chimed and Perle looked up at the large cathedral.
" Erik, I never been to church because I was different," she said, " Will you take me to church someday?"
Erik did not answer and Perle frowned upon not hearing him answer.
" I'm afraid to go," he whispered
" Why?" Perle asked
Erik looked at the small child and shook his head.
" It's a long story," Erik replied
Erik and Perle walked towards the ghettos and there saw a group of good for nothings, standing on the outskirts of it. Erik lifted Perle into his arms and throwing the sack over his other shoulder. He pulled his face mask over his face and pulled the hood over his head tighter.
" Well, looks like the outcast come home to the other outcast," one said
Erik looked at the blades tied to their waist and the clothing they wore. He narrowed his eyes at the boys and brushed past them.
" Hey outcast," one boy said grabbing Erik's shoulder
" Remove your hand," Erik said
" Coming to feed the other outcast?" the boy taunted
Perle looked at the boys and Erik looked at Perle. He was not intending to fight our draw attention to himself.
" Erik let's go home," she said
" Aw the little outcast wants her deformed mother cause daddy can't take care of her," another boy said
" Erik," Perle said
" I know my Petite Bijou," he said
He pushed the boy's hand off his shoulder and walked past the ones that were standing there, but it was obvious that it wouldn't be an easy trip home.
" Get out of my way," Erik remarked
" How about a toll outcast?" two boys said, " For safe passage."
Erik started to go and one boy push his blade's hilt up a little and the others started to draw theirs.
" I presume, this will not be clean," Erik said
" For us, but not you," the leader of them replied
Erik could not draw his blade with Perle in is arms, he much rather try to avoid pulling his blade, but they were leaving him no choice. One boy came up and grabbed the sack thrown over Erik's shoulder. Erik narrowed his eyes and looked at them.
" What are you going to do?" the boy laughed as he stepped on the sack.
Perle buried her face into Erik's shoulder, out of fear.
" Do not worry my Petite Bijou," he whispered
It was the aggravation that was surfacing in Erik's eyes, he could not help that, these boys were ignorant to his and Perle's condition. What finally pushed Erik to the limit was the leader pulling Perle from his arms. It was her cry that made him draw the blade.
" That is enough!" Erik growled
The leader of the boys laughed as he pushed Perle and Erik did not hesitate to strike the boy with his blade. Then the group of boys pulled their blades and attacked. 6 boys against one man. Erik struck them at least once each, and he himself had been struck pretty badly. Erik ripped the hood off and the boys looked at him, and they came at him.
" The devil himself!" the boys shouted
A crowd had gathered to try to break the fight, but when they saw what the fight was about, many cheered. Erik's blade stared at each boy and they felt fear from it.
From across the way, coming from the bakery, Meg saw the people gathered by the ghettos. She ran over and pushed her way through. She saw the young girl on the ground scared and beat up.
" Stop this!" she shouted, " Stop it now!"
One boy grabbed her and threw her back.
" Stay away, we're teaching the devil a lesson," the boy said
The local authorities came and began to break the fight up. Erik sheathed his blade and looked at the injured boys. He slipped his hood on and narrowed his eyes.
" You have been judged," Erik said
" That man's got the devil's luck," the boys said
" Who started this fight?" one of the officers asked
" He did sir, that freak," a local said, " He and that little girl started it."
Meg looked at the officer and stood in front of them.
" What lies you speak?" she protested, " This man did not draw his blade for a fight, those 9 injured this little girl."
Meg knelt down and looked at Perle.
" Erik," Perle whispered
Meg looked up at Erik and he placed the face mask on and looked at them. He knew he would be the one convicted. The local authorities went ahead and ignored the manner, they warned both parties and went off. The boys left and Meg looked up at Erik as he stood there.
" Is she ok?" Erik questioned
" She looks fine, a little beat up, but she will fine. What about you Monsieur?" Meg questioned
Erik fell to his knees and looked at Perle, he touched the wound where he was stabbed in the hip.
" Erik?" Meg questioned
He stared out and listened to the bells that chimed and he fell into the snow. The pure snow showed a blush of red and Meg called for help.
Erik opened his eyes and looked around and saw he was not home, but somewhere else.
" Erik," Perle's voice came
He looked over and saw her walking over to him.
" Your ok," he whispered
" Yup," she said
Erik pushed himself up, but not without strings of pain.
" You shouldn't do that Monsieur," Meg's voice came, " Your wounded bad and the doctor said to rest."
Erik's first reaction was to cover his face, he used his hand to cover the one side. Meg came in and sat the tray of tea on the table, where he rested was in the sitting area of the small French apartment.
" Is there something wrong?" she asked
" He's afraid his face will scare you," Perle said
He turned his head away from glances and removed his hand. Meg sighed and poured some tea for them.
" Does Madame Giry know?" he asked
" She's not here yet Monsieur," Meg said, " She will be here soon though."
" I have to go," he said, " Perle get your things."
" No, you are to rest," Meg said, " Doctor's orders."
Erik turned slightly to look at her and shook his head.
" We can't," he said
The door opened and Madame Giry walked in. She looked over and saw Erik and gave a look of confusion.
" Erik?" she questioned, " What are you doing here?"
Meg stood up and wiped her hands on the apron and looked at her mother.
" He was attacked," Meg said, " The doctor has asked for him to rest, but he doesn't want to."
Madame Giry walked over and looked at him and the little girl.
" Madame Giry, this is Perle," Erik said
" Pleasure Madame," Perle said
" Pleasure to meet you," Madame Giry said, " Meg, could you take Perle to the back. I wish to speak to Erik."
Meg nodded and Perle looked at Meg, as she took her hand. Madame Giry grabbed a cup of tea and handed it to him.
" Erik, what really happened?" she asked
" Just as she said, we were attacked by some of the young gentlemen," Erik said, " I was protecting Perle."
Madame Giry nodded and touched his face and he looked at her. She smiled and kissed his head.
" You can stay here, until you are able to make it back on your own. I will send word that you are here," Madame Giry said
" No, I need to bring Perle back," Erik said
" No, I will have Meg do that along with the note," Madame Giry said
Erik sighed and looked out the window and Madame Giry looked at him.
" Erik you are welcome to stay here, you know that," Madame Giry said
Erik looked at Madame Giry and shook his head.
" They need me back there," Erik said
" Stay tonight," she said, " Perle can stay if she wishes."
He nodded and leaned back and Madame Giry walked to the back. Meg was talking to the young girl and just being curious.
" Your very smart, where did you learn all that?" Meg asked
" Erik taught me, he teaches all six of us. He plays music and tells us stories," Perle said
" He's a very gifted man," Meg said
" A gentleman and a gentle heart," Madame Giry said
Perle looked up and nodded and Madame Giry walked into the room.
" Do you wish to stay with Erik?" Madame Giry asked
" Yes, I would very much like that," Perle said, " Is it alright?"
" Yes, of course, but I do need you to help me with something, I need to bring this letter to where you live to tell them both of you are here," Madame Giry said, " Can you show me?"
" Yes, I can," Perle said, " Do you want to go now?"
" Well, let me write this letter and then we can go," Madame Giry said
Perle nodded and Meg got up to talk to her mother.
" Is everything going to be ok?" Meg asked
" It will, there's no sign of interruption of peace for Erik, he will recover fine here," Madame Giry said
Later Madame Giry and Perle went out to drop the letter off. Erik watched from the window as he saw Madame Giry and Perle walk off.
" She's like a little sister isn't she?" Meg's voice asked
" One I never had," Erik said
Meg set a tray of food down and Erik looked from the corner of his eye.
" It's alright, I'm not scarred or offended by your face," she said, " Your no different than a regular human being."
Erik slowly turned around and looked at Meg. She smiled and walked over to him, there she handed him a plate with something to eat.
" It's not much, but it will help," Meg said
" I'm sorry," he whispered
Meg looked at him and questioned, " What do you have to be sorry about, those boys attacked you, you had no choice."
" No, not for that, but what I have done in the past," Erik replied
Meg looked at him and knelt down beside him, her dress fell around her. She shook her head and reached up and touched his suave half.
" It's the past, we all have to start over sometime or another," Meg said
Erik nodded and ate slowly and looked down at the plate.
" Thank you," he said
Meg smiled and reached for a cup of tea. She took a sip and looked at Erik as he seemed to stare out.
" He's very gifted Madame," Madame Amical said, " I've told him he could go ahead and use that talent to teach others for a living."
" Very shy," Madame Giry replied
" Yes, and I hope to see him settle down with a nice girl, so he will not be discouraged about his looks, after all we all have flaws," she said
Madame Giry nodded and Madame Amical wrapped some fresh bread for Perle to take back to Erik.
" He will be fine," Madame Giry said, " Don't worry about him."
" We will try not to," Madame Amical said, " It's so hard not to."
Madame Giry nodded and Perle came with her carrying a sack with her things and some things for Erik. The snow fell heavy and they hurried back up to the apartment, so Meg did not worry about them.
" It's getting bad out there," Madame Giry said
She looked at Perle and helped her unwrap herself from the cloak. She smiled walked in the sitting area. Erik was asleep and Meg was reading in the chair close by the couch.
" He must have been tiered from all that happened today," Meg said
Perle looked at Erik and kissed his head.
" Sleep well Erik," Perle whispered
" Meg could you share your bed with Perle?" Madame Giry asked
" Of course, come on let's get you ready," Meg said
Madame Giry sighed and went off to prepare for bed. She braided her hair and dressed in her night clothes. Meg looked at Perle as she climbed up into the soft bed.
" Meg, do you know Erik really well?" Perle asked
" No, not as well as my mother does, You see Erik hid from the world under the opera house. We called him the Phantom of the Opera because we did not know who he was," Meg said, " He would scare us in some cases and stories aroused that the opera house was haunted."
" But it was just Erik," Perle said
Meg nodded and gently tucked the girl in. She climbed into bed beside the little girl and smiled.
" I usually don't sleep in a bed, there's 6 of us in the apartment house, and three adults. Erik usually sleeps on the floor right beside me because he sings to me and the other little girl, Ange. We're the youngest there and Erik takes care of us both like we were his own," Perle said
" I see," Meg said, " He's very kind isn't he?"
" Yup," Perle replied
Perle fell asleep only seconds after she spoke to Meg, but Meg laid awake pondering what the little girl said. She was touched that such a man that had once made everyone fear him, take care of young children.
" It's hard," she said
Day after Day, Erik was taken care of by both Meg and Madame Giry. He was in some ways ready to go, but he was always told he was still healing. Meg took Perle with her to the market place to do the shopping, while Madame Giry stayed with Erik. He stood up carefully, still in much pain as his wounds healed. He walked carefully around the apartment getting to the table in the small kitchen.
" Erik, your becoming stronger," Perle said
" Yes, I'll be able to pick you up again," he said
She smiled and hugged him and Meg looked over her shoulder. Perle smiled brightly at Erik and Erik patted her head.
At night the four gathered in the sitting area and read, Perle fell asleep in Meg's arms as Erik read aloud. He looked at the small girl resting in Meg's arms, it was obvious that Perle took a liking to Meg, he could only nod.
After a week, Erik was able to make it half way down the steep stairs, and needed help the rest of way.
" You don't need to stress yourself anymore than, what you already are," Madame Giry said
" I am downstairs now, there is no reason to go back. I will be leaving now," Erik said
Meg walked in from the cold, with Perle and unwrapped her scarf. Perle looked up at them.
" Mother, Christine wrote," Meg said, " She's also sent us an invitation for a masquerade."
Erik looked up at the sound of Christine's name and Perle looked at Erik. She knew the name well from Erik. Erik started up the stairs and his foot slipped on the slippery stair. He caught himself and everyone jolted forth to help him.
" I'm fine," he sternly said
Erik's tone towards them suggested other wise, Perle walked up with him, then Madame Giry and Meg. They were slightly aware that Erik still dwelled on the past.
" Perhaps," Meg started to say, but Madame Giry gave her a look
Meg sighed and looked at Erik, and walked off and Perle looked over at the two women.
" Erik are you ok?" she asked
" I'm fine," he replied
She sat beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
" Don't worry Erik I'm here," she whispered