Candle 6: Speaking With Hope

1 week later

Erik and Meg walked around the gardens and Meg looked at Erik. He wore a different suit, it was a dark brown and his vest was black. He did not care for the new attire, but Meg wanted to see him in something different. They sat down and Meg looked at Erik, he wore no mask and didn't feel he needed to.

" Erik," she thought, " You must understand you are this woman's nephew."

She didn't know how to tell him, that she now believed that Erik was the missing nephew of the Colvilles'. Erik rummaged through his thoughts as he could only hear the shadowy figure's words. He closed his eyes and listened to the canny whispers of the wind. It said scar, but what did his scar have to do with the dreams? Erik looked at Meg and found her beauty becoming magnified each day and he was falling deeper in love with her. He craved for her presence and her touch and knew she did too. Erik rose and Meg looked at him, then followed him. They walked inside and went to the music room, which seemed a little dusty; the dead instruments sung a deathly tune to Erik. He pulled a cover off a beautiful grand piano and he played it. It was out of tune so Erik decided to try to tune it, he saw that he would need tighten the strings. He got some tools that rested on a shelf and walked over. Meg watched him work and smiled as he worked on it. Erik looked at it and nodded, then turned one last one, which became stubborn. Erik turned it hard and the string popped nailing Erik in the hand. Erik shouted in pain and Meg ran to him seeing the deep cut bubbling with blood.

" Erik," she cried

Erik cursed and shouted as he held his wounded hand and someone ran in.

" Monsieur are you alright?" a servant asked

He held his hand and she took her apron of and wrapped it around his hand.

" Go get a doctor," Meg cried

The servant ran off and Meg sat Erik down as he breathed deep as the pain increased. The servant's apron became covered in his blood, Meg placed her hand over his covered hand.

" Damn it!" Erik cursed

" Shh, it will be alright," she said

Erik looked at his hand and saw it cut him across his right hand. Erik stared at the blood and Meg quickly covered it and Erik looked at her.

The doctor came and took a look at Erik's hand and did what he could. He wrapped it, then gave Erik some medicine for the pain.

" It will be alright just keep it wrapped up," he said

Erik nodded and Erik looked at the servant, who had given him her apron.

" It will be washed do not worry," she said

Erik looked at the piano and saw the blood which it sucked from his hand drip. Erik hissed slightly and Meg led him away the music room.

" Erik are you alright, you look a little pale," she said

" Let me rest," he whispered

Meg guided him to the room and Erik fell into the bed. She sat beside him and removed his shoes then tucked him in. She stroked his head and Erik looked at his bandaged hand.

" The scar, I will have another," he whispered

Erik closed his eyes and Meg stayed with him as he slept. Erik's hand was still bleeding and she wanted to tend to it, but did want to wake him. She laid her next to his and stroked his head with her delicate hand.

" You have had such a hard life, but now you can relax. You can start a new life," Meg whispered

By the late afternoon, the sun was setting and Erik walked around. Meg rummaged through the papers that she had found a week ago. Pictures and other things that had the boy in them. She found a journal and saw Erik's parents' names mentioned. She found herself weeping at some parts and then she closed the journal. Meg looked at the pictures and saw happiness in the boys eyes in his face and almost could hear his laughter. Meg found herself ready to tell Erik that he has living family, that he should stay here and live a happy life. Meg got up and walked to the room and opened the door. Erik was once again on the balcony looking up at the stars.

" Erik," she said

Erik turned to her and she walked gracefully to him and wrapped her arm around his. Erik looked at her with a different look, it was a mix of worry and love. She reached up and kissed him on his cheek and Erik lifted her chin, there he kissed her. He came to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist then laid his head on her stomach.

" Erik?" she questioned

" How does one live without knowing they were truly were wanted?" Erik whispered

" So, you know?" Meg asked

" I should have seen it before, but I was so scared to know that all of this was another dream," Erik whispered

Meg knelt down beside him and touched his face then kissed him.

" You are loved and have always been loved. My mother cared about you Erik, that is why you were saved. Now you must tell Madame Colville," she said, " We'll find her come."

They rose and both walked down the halls, the candles brightly shown, fending off the shadows. Erik looked at each shadow and walked with Meg being her guidance. Erik opened the door to the library and saw Madame Colville reading. She looked up and stood with hope.

" Erik your hand," she said

" I cut it," Erik said

She walked over to him setting her book down. Meg let go of Erik's arm and backed off. Erik looked at Meg as she encouraged him to state his business.

" What is it dear?" she asked him

Erik looked at his hand and then at the older woman.

" For many years I asked myself why was I cursed with such a repulsive face. I know now and I wish to accept my repulsive look and venture forth into society. For the last 27 years I have been alone and felt there was no one to call my family. My mother's disgust showed me that I was never loved and my father's absent just assured me that I was an outcast. I have forgotten my past until now and yet some mysterious force has brought me here. I have come here hardly know what it is that I am suppose to do, but I know," Erik said

" What is that Erik?" she asked

" It is to learn that I am no longer alone that I have someone that cares for me as family. I have an aunt that I knew when I was a child," Erik said

Madame Colville smiled and hugged Erik and he embraced the older woman. She kissed his cheek, she looked at Meg and smiled at her. Meg smiled back and walked over to them and Erik kissed Meg's head.

" Meg, then let me formally introduce to you my aunt Madame Anne Colville," Erik said

" Pleasure to meet you Madame," Meg said

Madame Colville smiled and looked at both of them.

" Come there is going to be a feast in celebration," Madame Colville said

Erik escorted both the women and asked Madame Colville, to call him by Erik and he would take Gustave as his middle name, to remember the childhood of hope he had. The two women chattered while Erik sat at the end of the table as the man of the house. Dinner was brought out and what a feast it was! Madame Colville asked the cooks to cook Erik's favorite and what was his favorite then remained to be his favorite. The finest French food France could offer and multicultural food from the East and South. Meg looked at Erik as happiness seemed to be served to him on a silver platter.

By the evening Erik sat in the library reading Monsieur Colville's old journals. He sipped on some hot coffee with a pastry on a saucer. He could almost hear the voices of the past as he read each detailed piece. Each paged made him feel a different emotion as he became familiar with his past and suddenly his past made him feel angry.

" More coffee?" Meg's voice asked

Erik looked up at her and smiled, she walked over to him and Erik pushed away from the table.

" No, I'm fine Mademoiselle," Erik replied

She sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around him. He looked at her and kissed her on the lips and she leaned her head on his.

" What attracted you to me Mademoiselle?" he asked

" The mysterious man behind the mask," she whispered

" Here you have found him and what do you think?" Erik asked

" I believe he is even more mysterious then before and I wish to know him intimately," Meg replied

" Perhaps we already have," Erik replied

Erik kissed her deeply for the first time, deeper than then first kiss they shared in Paris. Meg stood up and grabbed Erik's hand and smiled at him.

" Come on my darling let's go to bed it's late," she said

Erik stood up and both walked to their room, Meg shut the door and lit a candle then changed into her flowing nightgown. Erik removed his ascot, vest and shirt, knowing he would not offend Meg. Erik looked at Meg as she turned down the bed and gazed at her.

" Thank you," Erik spoke

Meg looked up at him and said, " For what?"

" For being there for me, I have never been shown so much compassion in my life. I owe you everything," Erik said

Meg smiled and slid into bed and he joined her. She touched his exposed face and kissed him fully. She spoke to him and stroked his head to let him sleep with ease. She watched over him and then laid her head beside him.

" What kind of life have you known? I wish to know," she whispered