Chapter 11: Help from an Old Friend

Lotte remembered the black horse her father called Cesar. He was kept at the back door of the opera house and used only when Erik needed a quick get away from the Opera House. "Father I'll be back. Is there any rope within the lair?"

Erik was confused. "There's some just as you go in the back door, why?"

"You'll soon see."

Lotte ran back to the Opera House carefully avoiding her papa's carriage as he searched for her. She crept into the back door and found Cesar tied up to a peg. The horse nickered and nudged her gently. "Easy there Cesar weneed to rescue Father." She gave the horse some water and then put on his saddle and bridle. Then tucking the rope securely to the saddle she mounted the horse and sent him running down the Paris streets.

Steam billowed out of the horses' nostrils as it cantered along. She slowed him down around the jail house and dismounted. She went to the window to see Erik crotched in the corner again. "Father I'm back."

Erik got up immediately and came to the window. "Lotte I was worried you had been captured."

"All I did was retrieve Cesar here." The horse snorted into the cell eager to reach his master. Erik slipped his hand through the bars and petted the creature's nose. Lotte got the rope and began tying it to the bars. With her knowledge of knots she got it tight then tied the other end to Cesar's saddle horn. "Father, stand back."

Erik did so and Lotte mounted Cesarr. She gave the horse a slap sending him into a terrified canter pulling the bar with him. There was a loud rattle as the bars hit the ground. Lotte got off the horse and untied the rope as Erik grabbed the sketchbook and climbed up through the window.

"What was that? It sounds like someone trying to escape. Quickly to the back."

"Sir the Phantom is gone."

Lotte was busy trying to untie the rope. Erik ran over to her and slipped it off the saddle. He lifted her up into the saddle and then mounted. Giving the horse a sharp kick they cantered off into the woods. Lotte held tightly to her father's waist as the sound of hound dogs barking were catching up with them. "They're coming."

Erik looked behind him. He could see the dogs off in the distance. "Don't worry we're coming to the river. We'll distract them long enough to get away. Yah, Cesar."

In the darkness the river was just a strip of black. Cesar hit the water and the cold shock caused Lotte to let go and fall into the water.

"Lotte!" Erik turned Cesar around and began digging through the water when her hand emerged. He gave a tug at it and pulled her up. She coughed harshly spitting up water. Her hair and clothes were drenched. She climbed back into the saddle as the dogs came closer. As soon as he was sure she was safe he got the horse up onto the opposite shore.

Once again they cantered into the woods. Cesar was starting to tire however and Erik didn't want to tire out the poor creature. He looked ahead to where there was a grove of trees and sent Cesar on. They disappeared into the trees and found a dry space to rest the horse.

Erik wasted no time taking Lotte into his arms. "Lotte you risked so much for me. Why?"

"Because I love you. You were one of few that actually made me feel important. Taught me something useful and never made me feel like a fool. For so long I've dreamed of someone telling me he loved me and would protect me. Right away I knew it would be you."

Erik could feel Lotte shivering. Then he remembered something. He reached into his cape and pulled out the sketchbook. The pages were wet and the sketches had become blurry. But as he flipped through it the picture in the middle caught his eye as being the only one that hadn't gotten wet. It was of him lying beside her in the bed holding her close.

"I don't remember you ever showing me this one," he said showing it to her.

"Oh I drew it one night after waking up alone. It had been cold and just thinking about you holding me gave me that warm feeling inside. I was driven to create this piece. Why it didn't get wet like the other pieces is a complete mystery to me. Do you think it means something?"

"It must. If there wasn't such a strong bond between us you probably would have left me there to die." He turned the deformed side of his face towards her.

"Even if I didn't I was not going to leave you to face such a horrible fate. Even if you did do wrong in the past things have changed. I thought you were going to be this horrible creature, but I was wrong. Father I was wrong."

Suddenly Erik put his finger to her lips. Lotte listened and heard that the dogs had picked up the trail once again. She looked at her father for reassurance, but found none. He took the sketchbook and tucked it back into his cape. "Looks to me like were on the run again." He lifted her up into the saddle and after mounting sent Cesar off through the darkness.

Nearly missing a fallen tree Lotte let out a small shriek. Erik let out a hearty laugh at the excitement he was having. He had always wanted to be part of a horse chase. Yet he was unsure of them making it out of this alive.