I awoke from a nightmare—It was the same one that haunted me every time I closed my eyes and foolishly sought solace in sleep. I dreamt that I was in a dark room with no doors but I could hear her voice echoing from all directions of the walls, repeating the same lines from Faust that had first drawn her to me:

Oh how strange!

I feel without alarm

With its melody enwind me

And all my heart subdue….

But her voice begins to fade, and the sudden premonition dawns on me that I was meant to be left like this…alone, in the dark, without her voice, without my music. And I feel for the poison within my breast pocket before drinking it wholly in the final morbid crescendo of silence. But I did not die, and as I waited in stone cold indifference for that moment to come, it dawned on me that perhaps I would not be that lucky…And I begin to cry.

When I awoke, my body was very cold, colder than it normally would be, and as I began to realize it was just a dream, an eerie calm descended upon me. I went about making her breakfast thinking of the implications of its meaning. Was it prophetical or just proof that I was perfectly incapable of producing a happy dream? Perhaps last night's occurrence exhausted me and I had better rest a bit more before I delivered her breakfast. Or perhaps I could invite her to join me and make amends to yesterday's blunder. I shall assure her it will never happen again, and I intend on making up for it by taking her to la Rue…where she will find people and nature that shall suit her tastes and please her more than what has been provided to her down here.

I could not see how she could refuse…

As I approached her door, my heart began to tighten and choke beneath my dress shirt. I adjusted the cloak around me, spreading the sides like the wings of a bat before knocking on her door with a gentle hand. These hands seemed much less murderous than they were last evening.

There was no answer. I knocked again and when she did not reply, I began reaching for the key in my pocket before deciding to leave her be. Perhaps she did not wish to see me and was counting on an open door as a chance for another disastrous union. Very well, I thought, as I simply told her that if she was hungry there was toast and tea prepared for her in the kitchen, and that if any time she felt ready, she should come out and get it…I would not be there to watch her if she did not wish me to be.

Turning from her door, I retreated to my room and shut the door behind me in resigned dignity. I was physically exhausted, and hadn't been able to sleep in days…When I do I awoke from nightmares. As I lay upon my bed and slowly closed my eyes to what promised to be a true ounce of slumber, a knock on my door woke me without any hope of finding it.

"I-I'm sorry, to disturb you—" Came her timid voice, "But I can't seem to find the tea stirrer for the honey…Co-u-ld you perhaps tell me where it is?"

I looked over to the table set next to my bed where I had placed my last cup of tea, and there was the stirrer, as if by some ironic chance, sitting besides the jar of jasmine tea leafs.

"It's here, my dear."

She opened the door slightly, as if afraid she would see something and be frightened away, and then when I beckoned her to come forward, she walked into the room shyly and knelt at my feet.

I gestured towards the table where the stirrer had been left, and she followed the movement of my fingers as if entranced by the very action of its unfurling. Slowly, she got up and picked up the stirrer in her small hands, her head bowed in civil obedience and embarrassed shame as she walked towards the door, her eyes tearing again as I watched her from my bed. Suddenly she stops just as she's about to shut the door behind her, and turns to be desperately.

"I'm sorry…for everything that I've done to make you angry," she said gently, "I never meant to hurt you with the ring but Raoul insisted—"

I motioned for her to hush by placing a finger lightly on my lips.

"There's no need to talk about that now," I said tenderly, for at times like these I do forget that she is just a child who does not know the consequences of her inconsiderate deeds. "There will be better times to discuss such things. Go have breakfast."

She looked at me and smiled quaintly, welcoming me with her large blue eyes, "Would you join me, Erik? For breakfast, please? It would make me so happy…"

I gazed at her beautiful smile, and stood, gesturing for her to go first. "If it makes you happy, my dear, I'd be delighted to."