Chapter 3: The stories are true?

Marie Claire stared at her parents. How could these stories of the Phantom of the opera actually be true? An how could her parents be so intimately involved? This man called Erik had taught her mother to sing, and then taken her underground to his lair? He had been angry when her mother had fallen in love with her father, and had tried to kill him? Her mother had heard his voice ever since she had moved to the dormitories? It all seemed like to much to believe, but she knew by the looks on her parents faces that they were not pulling her leg. Marie shook hr dark head, trying to regain her composure. She looked up at her parents with a slightly bewildered look on her face.

"I know that it is a lot to cope with at once sweetie," said Christine gently.

"But it is all true dear," said Raoul.

Marie Claire looked around the room, her thoughts spinning. But now that she thought about it, it made sense that stories were true. She had often heard her mother singing strange tunes that Marie had never heard before, and when she had asked about them, Christine would not discuss where they had come from. Marie's gaze fell on her father. He had a scar on his arm that was indeed curious. It looked as though it had come from a sword, but her father had insisted that this was not so. Marie's eyes traveled to her father's neck. There was a faint mark aroiund the whole of his neck. It looked as though it had come from severe rope burn.

"Father," Marie asked, "Did that scar on your arm come from your swordfight with the Phantom? And that mark on your neck, did that come from him to?"

Raoul sighed deeply.

"Yes dear, they did." said Raoul, smiling faintly at his daughter, trying to reassure her.

"And mother, those strange songs you sing sometimes, do those have anything to do with the Phantom?" asked Marie earnestly.

Christine locked eyes with her daughter for a moment before answering.

"Yes, they do. Even now I can still hear him singing songs in my head." said Christine, as a slight shiver ran down her back.

Raoul, noticing this, moved closer to his beloved wife and put his arm around her. They both looked up at their daughter.

"Well," said Marie, "It' s all a little scary, honestly, but if you let me try out for a production at the opera house, I promise I'll be careful."

Raoul and Christine looked into each other's eyes, knowing that they had to say yes. They couldn't hold her back any longer. They knew that the Phantom was not likely to hurt Marie, but they still worried that he would perhaps be interested in her voice, and that the Phantom would have the same infatuation with Marie that he had had with Christine. But the fact was, that they needed to let her perform.

"Yes sweetie. We will let you try out for a production. I believe that there are auditions for one next week." said Christine.

Marie's blue eyes sparkled with happiness. She quickly forgot her fears about the Phantom. She was finally able to perform!

"Oh thank you so much!" she said delightedly as she hugged both of her parents. "I love you so much, thank you."

"And we love you." said Christine and Raoul, smiling at their ecstatic daughter.

"Now up to bed with you, young lady." said Christine playfully.

"And remeber not a word of this to your brother." reminded Raoul.

But Marie was already singing a tune she had heard her mother sing since she was little, as she skipped up the stairs.

"Think of me think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye"

When Christine and Raoul went to bed that night, they were both still slightly troubled.

"Raoul, are you sure its safe for her to do this?" asked Christine, her dark eyes looking deeply troubled.

Raoul shook his head uncertainly.

"I hope that it is going to be alright, and that our fears are unwarranted," he said, "But I'm afraid that if there is going to be another confrontation with the Phantom, it is best for it to happen sooner than later. But don't worry Christine, I promise that I won't let anything happen."

Christine leaned sleepily against Raoul's shoulder.

"You're right Raoul. But I'm going to try not to worry to much until something happens. And besides, I'm really rather excited about seeing our daughter perform. I know that Felix will be excited to."

"I know that she'll be wonderful." said Raoul.

And so the two fell asleep, feeling slightly better, but their fears were still not totally gone. If only the Phantom was a predictable person.