"You did what exactly?" the infuriated Gypsy screeched in disbelief, "Devel, this is why I didn't want to attend Mama's funeral!"
Erik had a headache. Ever since Kelsey had returned from his mother's funeral rites in an obscure town in Romania, all he had done was scream. First about the burnt looking Opera House and now about Erik's conduct while he had been away.
Kelsey was a friend of Erik's from his days with Javert and the Gypsies. He often had been his assistant when he needed one because his father had carved flames into his arms when he had been very young. Kelsey's family was a strange one, even for Gypsies. The children's names were the most obvious (Kelsey, Hannah, Fritz, Andre, and Ekaterina). Later, when Erik was fleeing Persia, he had run into an older Kelsey in Bulgaria. He insisted on following and later joined the Phantom in the cellars of the Opera House.
"I did precisely as I told you," said Phantom said patiently.
"Ye gods in heaven! This is why you, dear monsieur, should never be left unaccompanied for long periods of time," Kelsey sighed.
"Oh, yes, where did our dear daroga get to? He did go with you, no?"
"Courting some village girl," Kelsey said snarling, "According to Hannah the girl's got five other suitors, so it won't be long before he gives up or something."
"Ah. I'm almost sorry I asked," Erik said quietly.
Kelsey, trying to avoid a pity-fest, quickly changed the subject.
"So you finally got those fools to play your opera?"
"I did, yes," he said slowly.
"You should apologize, you know."
"To who, you addlepated half-wit?"
"To Mlle. Daae and the- what did you call him?- the Vicomte?"
"Why, idiot?"
"You said yourself it wouldn't work with Christine the last time we had a talk about this," he said in a sing-song voice.
"What- you expect me to just up and write and OG? Dreadfully sorry I thought you loved me? Oh- and sincerest apologies for attempting to kill you?" the Phantom said, eyebrows raised.
"That's not what I meant, callous fiend! Arrange a meeting with them. Make sure they won't set the police on you. We need a place to sleep too." the Gypsy said pleadingly.
"Ah- dear mademoiselle- or is it Madame?- I cordially invite you to tea and crumpets in my dungeon? Real smart, Kelsey." the Phantom said sarcastically.
"Crumpets? Tea? Devel give me patience, he's turning Brit!"
Erik snorted.
"Fine, if you track them down, I'll apologize."
"Consider it done!"
Erik could only shake his head at the younger man's enthusiasm. Needless to say, Kelsey's boundless energy distracted Erik from the shambles of his life. There was a moment of silence before-
"So, add any eyes to your collection lately?"
"What?"
"Nadir told me while you were in Persia you collected the eyes of the people you tortured. Doesn't that Buquet count?" Kelsey said innocently.
"One- I never, never, never collected eyeballs. For a while I collected skulls. Two- very rarely did I ever torture anything. Things I made tortured people, but I've only done it once- or twice."
Kelsey yawned and replied, "Ah well. I apparently have some business to attend to. I hope to be around for dinner, so please make something, dear philosopher."
With that he walked firmly from the room, and presumably, he managed to make it out of the House on the Lake without falling in the Lake.
...House.On.The.Lake...
Hours later, he returned, shaking his head in disgust.
"Honestly. Two separate appointments for the same apology," he muttered.
Erik met him at the ledge, looking amused.
"Difficulties?"
"Nothing too bad," Kelsey said, looking instantly chipper.
"Christine refused until I promised Raoul wouldn't be there, and Raoul was the same, only a bit more masculine about it. Raoul will attend the opening of Faust in Box Five and Christine will be there the day after. Also, from what I gathered from the Giry child, Christine was right out behind both your backs with some society lad, English, she said."
"Ooh, what a kick in the rear for the ickle Vicomte de Chagny!" Erik said, laughing softly.
"And the best part is that Raoul found out when Christine made a horn out her rear in his house with the Englishman," Kelsey said happily.
"Right."
Silence.
"So what did you make for supper?"
"Just soup..."
"Oh perfect! Come on, lay about. You need to eat too!"
...TBC...
So did you like it? Review and tell me! .
- Devel is the main Gypsy god. Draw your own conclusions about that and the Christian Devil, why don't you?
-No offence to any British people out there, it's a crude inside joke. I couldn't resist.
- It's a quote. Guess where it came from and you'll get... well, nothing.