"It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again
Cause of you, made it through every storm
What is life, what's the use if you're killed inside
I'm so glad I found an angel
Someone who was there when all my hopes fell
I wanna fly, looking in your eyes"
-Jesse McCartney, "Because You Live"
After nearly twenty minutes of galloping through the streets of Paris, Julianna and Erik reached the edge of the forest. Julianna knew from experience that even though the forest didn't look especially thick now, the farther you go in, the thicker it gets. She knew that there would be a point at which they couldn't ride her horse through the thick brush, and they would have to walk, leading the horse.
Without another word, Julianna directed her horse to enter the dark forest. Both Julianna and Erik found it more comfortable in the privacy and protection of the forest. Julianna could almost certainly guarantee that the prison guards would search the forest, but she knew they wouldn't venture in too deep.
There were rumors that the forest was haunted, but Julianna knew they weren't true. After all, it was she that started the rumors in the first place. Not that she was one of the people that spread the rumor. She, in fact, was the rumor. She remembered nearly fifteen years ago, her best friend and her would climb up to the tops of the trees, and purposely frighten the passersby. They would throw rocks and things at them, and then hide in the shadows, making scary noises. Of course, it was all in good fun, and besides, they were only twelve years old. Julianna remembered how her father used to tease her and call her un petite diable, a little devil. She laughed quietly, at that fond memory of her childhood. Un petite diable, she thought. Now, that she definitely was.
Erik overheard her quiet laughing. "What's so funny?" he asked, smiling a little.
Julianna slowed the horse down to a fast walk so they could talk. They didn't need to hurry too much now anyway. They were already a few miles into the woods. The guards would never come this far. "I was just thinking," she replied, a little embarrassed about her laughing outburst.
"About what?" he asked.
Julianna laughed again. She figured it wouldn't hurt to tell him, since he, himself, knew what it was like to be a ghost. "Have you heard of the rumors," she asked, "about this forest?"
"Isn't it supposed to be haunted or something?" he replied.
"Yeah, that's what they say," she said, grinning. "Erik, those rumors aren't true. The ghosts they speak of were my friend and I fifteen years ago."
He laughed, heartily. "I guess we have that in common. I take it you were children, right, and just having some fun scaring innocent bystanders?"
"Yeah," Julianna replied. "We were both twelve years old. Just having a little fun."
Erik smiled again. That sounded like something he would have done as a child, if he had a normal childhood, that is, he thought. Erik quickly added the numbers in his head to calculate her age. He came to the conclusion that she was somewhere between twenty-seven and twenty-eight years old depending on when her birthday was. She looks younger than that, he thought, … until you look in her eyes. She's wise beyond her years. It looks like she's been through a lot, he thought. You can't tell by her appearance, but when you look in her eyes, it was easy to see. This extraordinary woman entranced him, and he wanted to know more about her.
"Did your parents know about any of this?" he asked innocently.
She smiled. "Of course my father knew. In fact, he encouraged it. He taught me everything I know."
"And your mother?" Erik asked. "Did she know?" At the mention of her mother, Erik felt her tense up a bit.
"No," she replied. "I never knew my mother. She left us a year after I was born."
"I'm sorry," Erik said, squeezing her a little tighter, as if giving her a hug from behind. He silently wished he had been lucky enough to not have known his own mother. She hated him … because of his face. She did more that just hate him; she loathed him. And for that reason, he grew up without love and without friends … except of course his dear old friend, Madame Giry. She had shown him more compassion than his mother ever did. She was a true friend.
"No, it's alright," she said, laughing dryly. "My father always said she was a bitch anyway." From what her father had told her, her mother was young when she got pregnant with her. Only 16 years old. She fell in love with Julianna's father, but her parent's were wealthy and they wouldn't have her reputation ruined by being pregnant with the child of a pirate. They talked her into leaving him and marring a wealthy young man who would accept the child as his own. Apparently, Julianna's father would have no say in the matter. But he really wanted his child, so one night he secretly slipped into their home and stole his daughter back. He guessed they didn't want her that much anyway, because they never sent anyone to look for her. Julianna knew her mother was probably still alive out there somewhere, but she was bitterly reluctant to ever go in search of her.
Erik didn't say anything. What could he say to that? Either agree that Julianna's mother was a bitch to try to make her feel better, which might make her feel worse instead, or disagree and say she couldn't have been that bad. Neither opinion seemed very polite, so he just kept his mouth shut.
Eventually, realized he would have to break the uncomfortable silence. He decided to ask her more about her father. She seemed to always be smiling when talking about him, and he needed for her to smile. It would make him feel better too. "So what does you father do for a living?" She did indeed smile, he noticed.
"You want the truth?" she asked after a while. She didn't know how Erik would react if she told him the truth, but she felt like she could tell him anything. Even though she had just met him, he already seemed like an old friend. Maybe more.
He didn't know what to think. Her father couldn't have been that bad. She turned out all right. Then he remembered how she had just murdered four or five prison guards. So easily forgotten, he thought. Probably because he could relate. Sometimes you have to kill to survive. And sometimes you have to kill for justice, he thought, thinking of her. He knew in his heart that she wasn't truly a bad person. Not a bad person at all. "Yes," he said. "I want the truth."
"Alright," she said. "My father was a pirate." He noted that she was quick to defend her father. "But he was a good man," she said. "Captain of a famous ship called the Victory. He captured and destroyed many ships for the French army, and he made himself a large fortune doing it."
"That's truly amazing," Erik replied, sincerely. "You must have had an exciting childhood. You know, it's possible that I may know of your father. I've read quite a lot about pirates. What is his name?"
"His name is Pierre La Vivion," she said.
"I have heard of him," Erik responded, excitedly. "He was quite famous. But isn't he… didn't he…um…" Erik couldn't find the words for once in his life. Julianna obviously loved her father more than the world. He couldn't just ask if he was dead. It wasn't polite or respectful.
"Yes," she said, answering his unspoken question. "He died fighting bravely for France."
"I know," Erik said, sympathetically. He had read the stories of her father. He did a lot for the good of France. Erik felt honored to be in the presence of his very daughter. She must have been devastated when he died. "I'm so sorry," he said, gently, placing his hand timidly on hers, which was still grasping the reins.
"Stop it, Erik," she giggled, mood suddenly lightened. "How are we ever supposed to get anywhere with you interrupting my riding abilities?" she joked. She made sure to give his hand a tender squeeze before he removed it.
She couldn't possible have known how much that affectionate gesture meant to him. He had never been treated with compassion, especially from those who didn't even know him. They mostly just cried out in terror or fainted, men and women alike. But Julianna never once had shown the least bit of fear. And she'd seen him without his mask. Out of consideration for her, he had put his mask back on after retreating from the prison. But she didn't seem to really be that affected by his horrible face. And she didn't show any pity either. He liked that about her. He didn't want anyone's pity. It made his very soul hurt to see people look at him with pity in their eyes. It was worse than seeing fear in their eyes. Must worse.
For the first time in a long time, Erik felt like someone cared. And he was right. Julianna did care. She was truly concerned about him. And she wanted him to be happy. It made him wonder if he cared for her as she cared for him. Would he risk his life to save her as she had done for him? And he realized that he would. He had grown a great fondness for this woman who saved his very life from a true eternity of hell.
"One more question," Erik said, serious again.
"What?" she said, willing to answer any question he had to offer.
"Are you a pirate, Julianna?" he asked. "Like your father?"
"Yes, Erik," she said. "Yes, I am."
Well, that explains her behavior, he thought. She would make a very good pirate. For some reason, the fact that she was a pirate made him even more attracted to her. He didn't know why? Maybe, just because she was different, and she didn't care what people thought. I should be more like that, he thought. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he did have a tendency of letting his emotions take control at times. Not that he was proud of it. He wasn't.
"I like that," he said. "You being a pirate, I mean. It's fitting."
"Thank you," she said, grinning. "I like you being a phantom, as well, Erik. It's also very fitting." I like you being a man too, Erik, she thought to herself. If only you knew the amazing man that you really are.
He couldn't help but laugh at her comment. Then that got her laughing too. They laughed together for quite a while. He smiled. That had been the first time he truly laughed in some time. And it felt good. His whole body and soul felt alive again, if only for a moment. He'd forgotten how a good laugh could lighten a person's spirit.
At that moment, he forgot everything in the world around him. He had no worries. He wasn't an escaped convict, a murderer. He wasn't a phantom. He was alive, a man. A man he hadn't known in a long time. He wasn't anything but Erik. And for the first time in ages, he was happy. Genuinely happy.
Well, I hope you liked that chapter. I'm sorry it took so long. I've been so busy this weekend. But I already have most of the next chapter written, so I'll be able to get it posted soon. PLEASE REVIEW. : )