Well this chapter is a little different...It's not really as humorous...Though what humor there was is dwindling. I hope you still like this story, people! I like it. It's become more...real-ish in it's later chapters. In this chapter, there's a "large" bit with no talking. There's a few "philosophical" ideas...But really not. It could just all be crap. Haha. We'll see.
The next morning, Raoul kept his word and asked around the city for information on the Celui fellow Danielle informed him of. And, sure enough, he was able to find out a few important details that would hopefully lead them to him. Now, he was off to find Erik...Somehow. He remembered the last time he tried to get into Erik's home, by way of the winding staircase. And as we all remember, it didn't quite work.
"I know how to get down there..." Christine said after she heard the story of Erik's visit.
"You do!" exclaimed Raoul and Danielle together.
"Tell us!" pleaded Danielle.
"Well...I'm not exactly sure..." she said slowly. "But...There is a gate at the edge of the lake."
Why is Christine being hesitant? This is a life and death situation! thought Danielle.
"Christine?" prodded Raoul.
"Oh, um...Yes, there's a gate by the north edge of the lake...But you'll have to look carefully for the spare gondola; it's somewhere to the right, I think at least. Oh, and then there is a flight or two of steps." She told them this quickly, as if she hadn't wanted to tell them to begin with.
"Christine, are you well?" asked Raoul, concerned.
"Yes, yes, of course Raoul. It's just been so long...and..."
"And?" he asked.
"And nothing Raoul," she sighed. "Please, go. Erik will want to know what you found out."
With a confused look still on his face, Raoul bid Christine good afternoon and left for the opera house, and for Erik, Danielle by his side.
"What's wrong with her?" he mumbled on their way.
"I don't know," answered Danielle. "But it was as if she didn't want us to know; as if she didn't want Erik to get our information."
"Hmm..." he said grimly. "I do believe Christine misses Erik."
"Misses him? It's not like she never sees-"
"She probably regrets choosing me," he said.
"Oh, Raoul. Don't be silly. Christine loves you."
"Yes, but she'll always have a place in her heart reserved for the Phantom; a place my love will never reach I suppose..." He sighed and tipped his hat lower on his head. "No matter..."
Danielle looked at him sadly. Christine had made a mistake, that was obvious to Danielle at least, but at least Erik had moved on. A little ironic really. Erik was obsessed over Christine for so long, and yet he was able to find another love, while Christine dwelled in her lost love. Perhaps she loved neither Raoul nor Erik; perhaps she just wanted whatever or whoever she couldn't have.
But enough with the philosophy! For now...
"North side...Edge of lake..." mumbled Raoul, walking past the foyer and to the lake. "By Napoleon, she's right," he said.
In front of them was a tall iron gate. But how to get in?
"Climb over I suppose," Danielle said. "Since the managers aren't in at this time of the day."
"All right. You or me first?"
"Give me a boost, would you? Then we can see if there's a way to unlock it from the inside."
Raoul nodded and helped Danielle up and over the gate. Easily as that, Danielle found the lock and simply unlocked it, allowing the Vicomte entrance.
Raoul was still pondering Christine's strange mood, Danielle could tell, because he was quiet throughout their search for the spare gondola. Finally seeing it in the mist and gloom, they rowed out into the middle.
"They say," Raoul said a bit mysteriously, his eyes as glassy as the lake itself, "this lake is haunted; that the Phantom of the Opera sings anyone who dares try and cross the lake to their death..."
"Erik wouldn't do that," Danielle defended.
"Or would he?" Raoul said quietly, observing a sudden ripple in the water to their right.
Danielle wondered why the de Chagny's were acting so strangely over this ordeal. Ever since Elsa had been taken away, no one was the same.
The answer of course, was simple. Christine-who had always been somewhat shallow, innocent and unlearned at least when it came to experience because she had spent her whole life in the opera house, no where else-was jealous of Elsa! who had gained Erik's love so seemingly easy. Christine wanted Erik to be hers again, as he once was...But, because of her foolish pride and vain air, she had chosen Raoul, the Vicomte of Paris, instead of the "lowly" and "insufferable" Opera Ghost. Now, though, after seeing the way Erik cared for Elsa, Christine was beginning to hear that green devil in the back of her mind, condemning her decision for the Vicomte, and cursing her for letting Elsa have Erik so easily.
It's sad the way the world works...No one happy with what they have; jealous and greedy souls who despise others for their "prosperity."
Christine, due to her jealousy, became more and more detached with others, including her own husband and therefore, put Raoul in a position where he began to believe he wasn't ever going to be good enough for Christine, even when he loved her more than imaginable.
So really, it's a chain reaction. Erik shows his feelings for Elsa; Christine learns about them and becomes jealous; then Raoul feels he could never give Christine what she really wants.
The boat ride was silent because Danielle was figuring all this out, and when they finally got the opposite shore, the only thing shared between them was a sigh. Of relief, maybe, for crossing the lake finally; or of a plain mix of emotion about Christine.
Raoul looked hesitantly down the few flights of stairs they were to traverse.
"Bad experience," he muttered, seeing Danielle's annoyance. "Just give me a moment."
Summoning up his courage-and persuading Danielle to go first-he began the journey down. Danielle hummed "The Phantom of the Opera" while Raoul watched his feet nervously, waiting for any sign for anything that would cause him to fall...
Every step down made it the more difficult to think straight, though. Even Danielle couldn't finish her hummed verses half the time, it was getting so cold. They shivered and continued on, growing ever closer to Erik's lair.
"I think...We're here?" said Danielle skeptically, finally arriving at the bottom of the last flight of steps. But there was no lake home. Just...A wall?
"Knowing Erik, and hearing the stories about him," Raoul said, placing his hands on the wall, "he's hidden it somewhere. Start feeling around."
"And I, also knowing Erik, don't think he would make it as easy as this," she complained, but ran her hands along the craggy wall.
Raoul sighed-still thinking of Christine!
"All right, now what?" Danielle asked, giving up.
"We go back to the beginning. How about we try Christine's dressing room?" asked Raoul.
"No. Lever is behind the mirror, and you can only get to it from Erik's side."
"Clever bastard..." grumbled Raoul, under his breath.
"Did you need something, Monsieur le Vicomte?" asked a cool voice behind them. "Because I am sure you won't make any progress by groping at my wall."
They turned to find Erik watching them.
Danielle made note that he was wearing nothing but a pair of black trousers and a loose white shirt.
How could he not be cold! she thought. It's freezin' down here.
Raoul sighed relieved it wasn't Celui, or whoever it was...
"I'm glad it's you Erik. We have some news!" Raoul said.
"Either tell me you have killed Celui, or that you've already gotten her back, or I would rather not hear it," Erik said grimly, somehow magically moving a section of the wall away and walking through to the Louis-Phillipe room in his home.
Danielle and Raoul looked at each other amazed, then followed him in, Raoul stuttering: "Well we didn't exactly do any of those things, but I think I may have found out where Celui is!"
"You think, Vicomte, or you know?" Erik asked, placing himself in a large red velvet arm chair, and placing his head in hands.
"I...think..." Raoul said hesitantly.
Erik sighed. "Tell me what you think, then, Monsieur."
Raoul extracted a paper from his vest pocket and handed it to Erik.
"That's what I've heard from the locals. They say Celui is just a young boy who is out to take over the world, and he doesn't know hardly anything of anything at all. And supposedly, he lives on the other side of the city, in a flat," said Raoul as Erik read.
"Then we'll pay this boy a visit," said Erik. "And teach him not to play around with grown men."
Erik rose from his chair and reached for his coat and cloak.
"Wait, Erik," Raoul said. "I don't know if it's such a good idea..."
"And why not?" Erik snapped.
"I just got this information this morning...And if we mysteriously showed up at this boy's house, wouldn't there be some suspicion?"
"Who gives a damn about suspicion!" Erik yelled.
"The police, Erik," said Danielle.
Erik heaved a sigh. They were right. The Opera Ghost killing in broad daylight...Wouldn't be a good thing.
"Fine," he said. "I'll wait."
Both Raoul and Danielle heaved a sigh of relief.
"But I will kill him," Erik vowed, sitting back down. "I will."
So Christine is being gay (haha) and Raoul is too (haha!) and Erik is just not happy about "what's-his-face." Not a bad chapter...But different, eh?
Review it even if ya hate it! I'm taking requests on what you guys want sugar-wise too. gets out notepad and quill Fire away!
Next chapter: More about Celui. I think. :) :) :)