Sorry it's taken so long to post this new chapter. I have the singing parts better integrated now, and I also have a many spelling corrections. Enjoy!
Chapter Five: An Alliance Forged in Music
The performance went well, in spite of Carlotta's over emphasis on everything she sang and her inability to act. It was sad how everyone was given the misfortune of watching the red haired woman onstage while a red haired boy rushed here and there in the orchestra pit trying to play the timpani, the chimes, and the cymbals. No one except Celeste, now that she had met the multitalented boy.
Afterwards, as patrons and performers all swarmed around Carlotta to congratulate her on her comeback, Celeste stood in the most shadowed place she could find, standing a few feet from the door. She knew Erik would have come, in spite of his insistences that he would never et a foot into a theatre soiled by La Carlotta.
She wasn't disappointed. She felt his fingers on her shoulder as he whispered, "You were much better tonight."
"Thank you," she said, sipping her glass of wine. She stole a glance back to him. "Amazing how you can be invisible even wearing all white."
"I pride myself on it," he answered.
"Well, then may I toast you?" she asked, turning to him, "To my outstanding teacher, Signor Angeli."
As she and Erik smiled at the joke, a waiter heard them, and set his tray on a table and hurried off to tell the first person he saw, one of the young dancers. When the waiter whispered in her ear, she cried out:
"Where is he?
I must meet him!
Where is he?"
Senior Fetine heard the commotion, and hurried over.
(Fetine)
"What's all this shouting?"
(Dancer)
"Senior Angeli is with us tonight."
By now the word had gone out, and singers, orchestra members, and a few patrons who'd heard of the reclusive man crowded around.
(Ensemble)
"Where is he?
Diamond's Mentor!"
(Cellist) "Where is he?"
(Alto singer)
"Where is the Master?"
(Waiter)
"I heard Miss Diamond
speak to him in the corner."
The waiter pointed to where Celeste had her back turned, and people saw a tall man, his face hidden as he stooped to speak with his pupil. As others stared in awe, unable to move, Carlotta approached the equally awed Manager.
(Carlotta)
"Who dares to steal
my limelight?"
Fetine turned around and took Carlotta's hand.
(Fetine)
"Signora, you meet
the master musician!"
The crowd moved as one to accost Celeste and Erik. Erik looked over her shoulder just in time, and his eyes went wide in panic.
"Dear God, they've seen me!" he whispered.
Celeste turned, and Erik whipped out a handkerchief to cover his face.
"Diamond!" cried out Fetine, and people started jittering around them. "Diamond, introduce Signora Giudicelli to the Master!"
"Signor Angeli!" cried out many people in earnest.
Erik started coughing loud and hard as he covered his face with the handkerchief and his hands. Celeste knew what to do. She said, "Please, please he has a terrible cold." People backed off immediately. She continued, "I begged him not to come tonight- to stay home and rest! But he insisted…" she turned to Erik, took his free arm, and they began walking to the door.
A second hand took Erik's other arm. It was Pierre. Celeste looked afraid as the boy said, "Allow me to help you both to your carriage." Erik coughed, urging her to hurry up, and all three went on out.
When they stood in front of the carriage, Erik climbed in, and Celeste turned around to thank Pierre, but the boy said, "I know you and Master Erik must leave, but I had hoped it wouldn't be so soon."
Celeste's heart stopped. She gulped and looked into the carriage, at Erik. He let one blue eye peer out from between his fingers. He was afraid too. And angry. Immediately Celeste looked again to Pierre and asked, "How do you know his name?"
"I asked Signor Caltosse." he said. That was Erik's contact, who helped get Celeste into the theatre.
Without warning, Erik's arm shot out from the door, and pulled the boy inside, his hand covering Pierre's mouth before he could cry out.
"Get in now, Celeste!" Erik cried to her. She jumped up and inside, slamming the door. The driver took off for the hotel.
When they got to the hotel, Erik dragged Pierre behind him, as Celeste did her best to keep up, the skirts of her concert dress slowing her down greatly.
(Pierre, afraid)
"Why have you brought me here!
What have I done?"
"Erik stop! You'll hurt him!" Celeste begged him.
(Erik, to Pierre)
"Your cries are useless here!
No one will come."
"Erik, you promised me!" Celeste cried. They went in the staff entrance, and went up the stairs that the maids used to get to the rooms without being seen by guests. Erik threw open the door to their suite, and tossed the percussionist in, then loomed over him.
(Erik)
"If you dare to cry For help again,
The Phantom of the Opera
Will bring You to your end!"
Pierre looked up at the imposing figure in the black mask, unable to move.
(Pierre)
"You are
The Phantom of the Opera?"
"He's not the Phantom of the Opera," Celeste said, breaking the spell of terror as she pushed Erik behind her and held out her hand to her young friend. Erik yanked her around.
(Erik)
"He must be gotten rid of!
He knows who I am!
I'm going to be arrested
because of him."
"He knows because you told him," Celeste said, "And if you keep spreading nonsense like that and rough up people, you will be arrested." She turned back to Pierre and grabbed one of his trembling hands, pulling him up. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry, he doesn't know his own strength, sometimes."
"He's real," Pierre mumbled, looking still at Erik, excitement mixing with the fear he had felt just seconds before. "Mother wrote me about the Opera Popular and now I know she was right! He's real! He's you!"
Erik looked like he was going to strangle him, but Celeste only sighed and led the young man to a chair, as she said, "God, not you too." she took Pierre's hands in hers and looked intently at him. "Pierre, look at me." he did. "Erik isnot the Phantom of the Opera. He is my teacher, and a bit eccentric."
Erik gave an objective snort behind her.
"And he's harmless." she added. "If he really were the Phantom, I would be dead, and so would you."
Pierre looked half inclined to believe her, but his eyes darted between her and the masked man near behind them. "B-But… The mask! Why does he wear a mask?"
"Because I choose to," Erik snapped.
"Because he's disfigured," Celeste corrected. "he was born with a scarred face, and he's ashamed with it," she looked back and said loudly, "But I think he's perfectly fine."
"How did you know my name?" demanded Erik, approaching them.
"I-I asked Signor Caltosse!" Pierre said again, panic rising in his voice, his hands clinging to Celeste's. "I heard you play for your audition, and I wanted to find out where you were staying, and who you were- both of you!" he looked at Celeste with apologetic eyes that were on the verge of terrified tears, "Oh Diamond, forgive me! I love you, I fell in love with your music when I heard it. I wanted to find you and court you and win your heart, but Signor Caltosse said, 'Good luck with that, boy. Once Erik finds a pretty student he never lets her go.' I didn't ask why that was because I knew your teacher was in love with you. If my love has cost-"
Celeste had started laughing, and let go of her friend's hands to cover her mouth, but nothing could stop her fit. In front of her, Pierre looked confused, and behind her, Erik looked shocked.
"Oh, oh Pierre, I'm sorry," she said, taking deep breaths as she laughed, less loudly now, "I'm not making fun of you, but how could you think that Erik was in love with me?"
Pierre's cheeks grew red. "Well… it's just-"
"Erik falls for singers, Pierre," she said. Erik put his back to them, and Celeste continued, standing up, "His last student was some singer, and she turned down his marriage proposal, and now he's teaching me, and not once has he tried to court me."
"Well… have you ever tried to sing?" Pierre asked.
"I sound like a tuba stuffed with dead fish when I sing," she said. "Erik is teaching me to perfect the violin. That is all."
It was surprising, but Pierre looked a little disappointed. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that he wanted to meet the Phantom.
Break
Erik's hand rubbed his chin. Is that what Caltosse had thought? That he'd fallen in love with Celeste?
It's not entirely unreasonable, said a part of Erik's mind. You were in love with Christine, who was your student. Now you are teaching Celeste.
'But I'm not in love with her,' Erik answered himself. He couldn't be. She had said it herself, she wasn't his type. Was she? He looked over his shoulder. Her long hair still had the red sparks in it that it had in her hovel back in Paris, except now it was glossy and clean. And her arms, bear except for the shoulders, were colored like honeyed cream. And her green eyes held a little mischief to them, but with a small secret sadness he could never explain.
No, he persisted, no. He couldn't fall in love. Not again, not with Celeste. Not with anyone. She would say differently, but he knew he truth; he was hideous. And no woman could love a man with his face.
Behind him, Celeste had pulled Pierre up from his chair, and now she put her hand on Erik's shoulder, pulling him out of his meditations. Then she said, "I know you don't want people to know the truth about you. I respect that, because even I don't know it all. But I would like the three of us, here, tonight to make an alliance."
"What?" Erik asked.
"Really?" Pierre inquired.
"Yes," Celeste said. "Pierre, you know Erik's name, and he fears anyone else knowing it. But we can promise each other that we will tell no one else. Yes?"
"Yes, Miss Diamond," Pierre said.
"My name's Celeste," she corrected him. "And Erik has already promised me that he won't hurt me or anyone else. I want us all to be friends," then she looked at Erik and said, "And we will start by telling each other the truth of our pasts. At least what we know. Agreed?"
Even if he could love her, Erik decided, it would only bring her grave misfortune.
"Agreed," both men said.
After that night, Pierre was a regular guest in Celeste and Erik's home. Sometimes he would bring his cymbals or one of the smaller drums and practice with Celeste, but more often than not he would just sit on the sofa or a chair, and listen with a rapturous gaze as his new companions practiced. He knew Erik had to be a master musician, but still, when he heard the masked man sing from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, he was nearly knocked out of his chair. Though, when he had, Erik turned and scolded, "If you make another sound any time that music plays in this room, then consider your life forfeit!" It was an empty threat, they all knew, but Pierre still never dared to risk it.
One evening, as Celeste finished accompanying Dido's Lament, Pierre jumped to his feet and clapped fervently.
"What have I told you?" Erik asked the youth.
"But you just finished," Pierre pointed out. To Celeste he said, "And you were both wonderful. I wish the world could hear you both singing and… er, violining," he said, blushing.
As Erik covered his face in shame, Celeste laughed, "I'm not sure that is a word, but thank you." Then she took a ginning look at Erik and said, "But his singing is matched only by his skill on the piano."
"You play the piano, Master Erik?" Pierre exclaimed.
"Dear God," he sighed in reply.
"Oh, Monsieur, play! Please?" the young man asked.
"Now look what you've done," Erik said, turning to leave them both in disgust. But Celeste blocked his exit, spreading her arms across the door frame, and looked up at him, her eyes so dark they were almost black, instead of green.
"I'll play along with you," she said, trying to persuade him.
"I am of no mood," he hissed.
"Erik," she said, losing the lighthearted sound in her voice, "you can't lock yourself in silence and darkness. You have to let people in; learn to accept the human race." Then, voice low, she asked, "Please? Just play for us tonight?"
They stared at each other, both in a silent contest. Then, Erik said, "Very well, but you must play as if you stood on the stage before every dignitary imaginable."
"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said smugly.
Break
Celeste picked up her violin and Erik took a seat at the grand piano that sat in the middle of the sitting room. Pierre sat, his hands fidgeting as he waited to hear what beautiful sounds the two would make. All the while, Celeste smiled to herself. Her plan to break Erik free of his self-imposed bonds would work if things kept on at this rate. Ever since she had first allied herself to the eccentric musician she had hopes to reintroduce him to the world, for though he never told her the truth of his past, she knew something or someone had done something to him to make him feel so unloved and unwanted by humanity. And she was willing to do anything to help him heal.
"From what opera will you sing, Maestro?" Pierre asked, breaking Celeste's thoughts.
"I sing form no opera now," Erik said. "I wish to sing 'If Music be the Food of Love'. Do you know it?" he asked Celeste.
She thought he was evil for picking a song she'd never heard, "I'll do my best."
Erik smiled at her frustration, laid his fingers upon the keys, and before Celeste could position the bow, he started playing and singing:
"If music be the food of love,
Sing on, sing on, sing on!
Till I am filled,
Am filled with joy!
For then my list'ning soul
You move-
For then my list'ning
Soul you move to
Pleasures that can never cloy.
His fingers didn't hammer on the keys, but seemed to glide over them gently and tenderly. Celeste knew she was supposed to be accompanying him, but she was like Pierre- looking and listening in awe of the beauty and magic that seemed to emanate from the man on the piano bench. Suddenly he looked up and into her eyes, and she froze as he continued, sounding seductive and adoring:
Your eyes…
Your mean, your tongue,
Declare that you are music
Everywhere…
Your eyes, your mean, your tongue,
Declare that you are music
Everywhere.
Pleasures invade
Both eye and ear;
So fierce- so fierce!
So fierce, so fierce the transports are
They wound.
And all my senses feasted are!
And all my senses feasted are…
Then, he sang acapella, but his eyes were still fixed on Celeste's face.
Though yet, the treat is
Only sound,
Should I must perish, perish
By your charms.
(playing piano again)
Though yet.
The treat is only sound…
Should I must perish, perish
By your charms-
Unless!
He went still and silent, then he turned his face away from her, and with his voice a mix of agony and grief, yet still traced with desire, he went on:
Unless… You save me…
Unless you save me in your arms.
Unless you save me…in your…
In your… arms……"
Celeste was stricken silent and immobile by what she'd just heard and seen. Clumsily and slowly her mind searched for anything to express how his voice and skill had touched her soul, but she couldn't find anything. She realized no words could describe this feeling in her from having heard him… there would never be any words for it. All she could do was look at him, spellbound.
But when he lifted his head and looked to her, she found she could not look him in the eye again. She felt unworthy of his gaze.
It was Pierre who finally broke the silence. "M-Monsieur…I had no idea…" he said softly.
"I hardly play anymore," Erik said, closing the key cover. "It is amusing, sometimes." he walked by the humbled Celeste, and said as he exited the room, "I believe I will retire early tonight. Good evening." and the door closed behind him.
The two apprentices were still when their teacher was gone. Celeste had actually forgotten Pierre was there, until he touched her elbow and startled her from her trance.
"What?" she asked, realizing he had said something.
"I said…" Pierre replied, his face now devoid of color, and his eyes avoiding hers, "I said… you were wrong before."
"Excuse me?" she asked, confused.
"You said he didn't love you," Pierre answered. "You were wrong. And I, forgive me if I am mistaken, but I believe you love him too."
She was so shocked that she was again speechless. Pierre bowed and wished her a goodnight, then left her there, to be alone with the ghost of Erik's voice, and ponder at the sudden realization that she really had fallen in love with the man in mask.
Note
I own nothing. Please review, it helps me know if I'm doing good or not.
