Candle 5: Shadows of Light
Meg and Erik were greeted by Madame Colville.
" How was your journey?" Madame Colville asked
" Adventurous," Erik simply said
She smiled and looked at Meg and Erik as she guided them to a room. She opened the double, cheery wood doors and welcomed them into a larger room. Meg looked at the room and gasped at the beautiful room. Erik looked at the room and could utter a few whispers.
" Mademoiselle do you wish to stay in a different room then Erik?" Madame Colville asked
" No, I'm ok staying with him," Meg replied
" Very well, I'll have Isabelle prepare you something warm," Madame Colville said as she left
They walked around the room and Erik opened the window a little, Meg sat on the bed and watched Erik.
" Is your arm alright?" Erik asked
" Yes," Meg answered, " What about your back?"
She blushed as she thought about walking in on Erik and Erik turned to look at her. He walked over to her and sat beside her, then embraced her in his arms. Meg snapped out of her little gaze and closed her eyes as she felt his warmth. Erik kissed her head and lifted her chin.
" Erik, I'm a little nervous about this place," Meg whispered, " Something about it is nagging at me."
Erik looked at her and tried to assure her that there was nothing wrong with the estate. He told her that Madame Colville welcomed those who were lost and hoped they would find what they were looking fore. Meg looked at Erik and gently removed his mask and touched his face.
" I went to find you that night and you were gone," she whispered, " I wanted to see you."
Meg looked at the mask and traced it, then looked back at him.
" This was all that was left, your white mask," Meg said
Isabelle knocked on the door and Erik got up and opened it. Isabelle told him that their meal was prepared, Erik thanked her and looked at Meg. She walked out with Erik down the dully lit halls and entered the candle lit dinning room. Meg sat down and Erik sat down beside her, they both ate together in silence. Meg looked at Erik as he seemed to be in thought about something. Meg reached over and touched his hand and Erik looked at her, he saw worry in her eyes.
" Erik, what is on your mind?" Meg asked
" The moment I set foot in this estate, it seemed my past was trying to relive it's self…like it has been hiding in the shadows," Erik whispered
Erik grabbed her hands and Meg felt the coldness on them.
" Erik your hands are cold," she said
" I'm sorry, I'm afraid I forgot my gloves back in Paris," Erik replied
" Don't worry, I'll have my mother send them," Meg said
They finished the meal and went back to their room. Meg pulled out her night dressings and changed when Erik was gazing out. She walked to him and draped a velvet blanket over his shoulders.
" It's damp outside and cold as well," she said
" Thank you," Erik said
Erik looked at the stars and Meg joined him and then asked him which star was his.
" My star is to the left of the North star," Erik replied
She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder and Erik looked at her.
" Are you tired Mademoiselle?" Erik asked
" No, I just want to be in your presence," Meg whispered
Erik smiled and lifted her into his arms, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He carried her to the large bed and laid her down, then laid beside her. She looked at him and smile sweetly as he laid beside her. She got close to him and stroked his suave half and kissed his nose.
" Are you afraid?" she asked
" What should I be afraid of?" Erik asked
" Maybe that you are that woman's nephew," Meg replied
" To an extent, perhaps it is because I would not know how love this family, that I have forgotten," Erik remarked, " After all it's been 27 years since I last saw her."
Meg nodded and laid in Erik's arms and she looked up at him. She stroked his cheek and Erik looked down at her.
" What made you come back to Paris?" she asked
" A certain chorus girl," Erik replied, " I was wrong in falling for the wrong woman, of course she accepted me, but it wasn't the way I thought."
Meg sat up and looked at him, her long braided hair fell over her shoulders. Erik looked at her and she leaned forward and kissed him.
" I must say I was a little jealous of Christine, but to see you come to your senses made me happy," Meg said with a smile
" Is that so?" Erik said
He pulled Meg down into his arms and he kissed her head.
" We'll be ok, won't we Erik?" Meg asked
" Yes," Erik whispered
They fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms and the candle light dimmed as the wax melted away. The gently breeze entered the room and wrapped around them, Erik pulled the covers tighter around them.
" Erik," the wind whispered, " Erik."
Erik opened his eyes and he heard the music playing. Erik looked around as he saw light and then people entered the canvas tent. Erik looked around, he was not in the same cage as the little boy, he was in another. The young boy now a little older was in a corner. Erik looked at the people as they laughed and Erik was hit in the stomach by something unexpectedly. He fell and then a bag was placed over his head, he struggled and yelled, but then he took another hit. Erik looked at the young boy, who had a sack over his head and he blacked out.
" These dreams, what have I done to deserve these dreams," Erik thought, " It's not real."
Erik was suddenly pulled out of the cage and tossed in the back of a wagon.
" What are you going to do with him," the boys cries came
Erik opened his eyes and looked at the little boy and the little boy looked at him.
" Who are you?" Erik whispered, " Why have you brought me here?"
The wagon moved and took off with Erik and he watched as the boy vanished from sight. Erik was tossed from the moving wagon and he laid there injured. He looked in the distance and saw a candle light and a shadowy figure standing there. It approached him and stopped, it then removed the sack from over Erik's head.
" Who are you?" Erik whispered
" I am the shadow you see when light is given off," the shadowy figure said
" What do you want with me?" Erik asked
" The boy and you, there can only be one of you in the future," the shadowy figure said
Erik sat up and his ropes vanished and the shadowy figure put out its hand to Erik. Erik reached out and took the figure's hand then followed it.
" A candle's light is no stronger than it's shadow Erik," the shadowy figure said, " For you have found your light, but you remain in the shadow."
The figure placed a mask on his face and Erik looked at his clothing, the fine fabrics created his black attire and then Erik heard a voice.
" Erik," a voice said
Erik turned around and saw Christine standing there, in the wedding dress in which he made her put on. He stared at her as she approached him with eagerness, she kissed him and he could not resist. She removed the white mask and grabbed his hand, then held up a mirror. Erik stared at his reflection and saw there was no disfigurement, that his face was just as his left side was. Erik touched his face and ran his hand through his black hair.
" Your like everyone else," Christine said
The shadowy figure looked at Erik and Christine, then vanished.
" Christine, Christine," he whispered falling to his knees
" Erik, why be a shadow in light when you can be a torch that someone uses to light their way," Christine whispered
She knelt down and kissed his head and Erik looked at her. He grabbed her hands into his own and made her touch his face.
" Hide no longer," she whispered
Erik closed his eyes and let tears fall from his face and a whisper touched his ears.
" The scar, the scar," the wind blew
Erik opened his eyes and looked around, sunlight touched his face and he felt his face. The disfigurement remained and Erik sighed once more falling back to sleep.
Later that morning Erik found that Meg was gone, but soon returned. She looked at Erik sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
" Good morning," she said
She walked over to him, gliding ever so graceful in a beautiful ocean green gown. Erik looked at her and smiled then stood up. She kissed his head and touched his face with her soft hand.
" Where did you get the dress?" he asked
" Madame Colville," Meg said, " Do your like it?"
" It's very becoming on you," Erik said
Meg smiled and Erik slipped on a shirt and tucked it in, then escorted her to breakfast.
" Where is Madame Colville?" Erik asked
" She left early," Meg said, " I think to her husband's work."
As they walked along the halls, Erik heard laughter. He stopped and looked around and saw a shadow. Meg looked at Erik and grabbed his hand and he turned to her.
" What is it?" she asked
" Just the wind," he replied
Meg nodded and they walked into the dinning room seeing the table had not even been set. Meg sat down and looked at Erik and Erik went to the kitchen finding no one there.
" Isabelle," Erik called
" Erik," Meg called
Erik walked out and looked up seeing a shadowy figure standing tall.
" There can only be one," the figure said
Meg ran to Erik in horror and Erik breathed deep.
" What do you want with me!" Erik shouted
" There can only be one!" the figure shouted
Erik felt a powerful gust circle him, but he was not strong enough to withstand it. He was thrown against a wall and knocked out.
Erik felt a cool cloth being laid on his head. He moaned and opened his eyes and Meg looked at him.
" Welcome back," she whispered
" Meg, what happened?" Erik asked
" You blacked out," she replied, " you had me worried Erik, I thought something horrible happened to you."
" What about the shadow?" Erik asked
" Shadow?" Meg questioned
" It was there, black as night saying only one," Erik whispered
Meg grabbed his hands into hers and kissed his cheek.
" Erik you must have been dreaming," she said, " lay back and I'll have the servants bring you in something. You need not worry about anything."
Meg went off and walked down the halls and told the cooks to make some warm soup and tea. She walked off and then felt a gentle wind howl down the empty hall. She walked down the hall and found the library and there she saw an opened window. She walked over and closed it then looked around finding a picture. She knelt down and lifted it and turned the picture over. Her eyes widen as she saw the picture of a boy with a disfigured face. She traced the marks and closed her eyes retracing Erik's face, his eyes were the same as Erik. His hair covered a slight baldness and his pale face just made her think. She held the picture and then became curious and dug around finding a birth certificate and the name which appeared on it was filled in.
" A child without a name?" she questioned
" It's true, he had no name," Madame Colville said
Meg turned around and put the papers down and Madame Colville shook her head. She walked over to Meg, then lifted the picture up and smiled at the boy's photo.
" Is Erik this little boy all grown up?" Meg asked
" I believe with all my heart that he is," Madame Colville said, " It would make heaven smile if it was. This estate has blossom to life since his arrival, it was as if it were placed under a spell until his return."
Meg looked at the older woman and Madame Colville walked to a window.
" How long have you know Erik?" she asked
" All my life," Meg replied
" Then you know Erik's terrible past, his mother's disgust, his fathers' endless absents since the day he was born. Erik has never been Erik and will never be Erik to me Mademoiselle Giry. You see Erik's given name by my husband and myself was Gustave Colville. This château was built for him by my husband, it was his palace away from home. Oh, this house was brought joy every time he came, the servants loved him and we loved the laughter in the house," Madame Colville said
Meg listened as she told the story of Erik's past, the little prince she would use. She called him the angel that walked the earth. To her he was just an ordinary little boy blessed with the ability to over come his differences. A musician, architect, a magician, a real Renaissance man. Meg felt tears run down her face as Madame Colville told her the tragic disappearance of Erik.
" My heart rejoiced to see him in the streets of Paris, I had my two butlers take him in and then my dear friend came and checked him," Madame Colville said
" Madame did Erik always have the fainting spells?" she asked
" No, not that I can remember, but these fainting spells are of trauma and injuries to the head," Madame Colville said
Meg nodded and looked at the older woman and then bowed. She left the room and went down the hall to Erik. Erik opened his eyes and looked at Meg standing there, he smiled a little. Meg walked over to him and embraced him and he kissed her head.
" Don't leave me Erik," she whispered, " don't leave me."
