Chapter 23: Desperate plans and unthinkable choices
Erik moved closer to the group, his hazel- grey eyes fixed on Raoul. Raoul stood to face him, his face grim, but determined. But before he did so, he gave each member of his family one of the most meaningful hugs that they had ever recieved. Christine gave Raoul a gentle kiss before he could turn away. He smiled, but the kiss only seemed to make Erik more desperate. When Raoul turned, Erik grabbed his wrists, attempting to drag him from the room.
"What are you doing?" asked Raoul, pulling his wrists from the iron grip.
"Why, taking you somewhere will not be disturbed. I daresay that you have quite a decision to think over." said Erik in a sly tone.
Raoul had a look of surprised anger on his kind features, but decided that a level head would be for the best in this situation. "If you wanted me to do that you simply could have asked." said Raoul indignantly.
Erik grunted an inaudible response as he led the way out of the room, retaking his hold of Raoul's wrists. They walked down the hall in a horrible silence, the tension and emotions between at the moment clear enough without words. The last thing that Raoul had wanted to do was leave the room, but he knew that being rash would not help the situation. He needed time to think of a way to get his family out. But he didn't know how long he would be able to contain his emotion. On the outside he tried to remain calm, but on the inside he was torn apart. How could any man make such a heartbreaking decision? Either way he chose, his family would be torn apart. They reached a room that appeared to be a study, and Erik pushed Raoul inside.
"Now de Chagny, I will be back in approximately one hour to hear your decision." said Erik, his eyes boring into Raoul's, as Madame Giry's words echoed inside his head.
'Raoul loves his family so much Erik, if you only knew him...'
Erik shook his head slightly, trying to ward off those thoughts of what Madame Giry would say to this. He wondered for a moment if that was whom Lucien had rode to for help...
Raoul stared right back at Erik, refusing to show the man any of his fear, his blue eyes ablaze. As Erik turned to leave, Raoul couldn't stop one word from escaping his lips, a question that could not go unanswered.
"Why?" he asked, his voice full of anger, despair, and intense worry.
Erik turned, surprised. "Because you did not learn before." said Erik simply, his brows furrowed, his voice not betraying the smallest amount of doubt in the back of his head about this. "And I must warn you Vicomte, that if you fail to come to a decision, I will take young Felix as mine as well. He is a most charming boy, and an excellent piano player."
Raoul's valiant heart beat even more rapidly as he tried to prevent himself from doing something to anger the Phantom more, but as though he couldn't stop himself, he grabbed Erik's collar. "You will not get away with this monsieur," he said firmly. " I will not let you. Look into your heart, you know that this is not right! If you really were Christine's angel of Music, you wouldn't be trying to tear her away from the ones that she loves! You really have allowed your genius to turn in to madness." he said, letting go.
"Quite." said Erik as he looked one last time at his foe, then closed the door, and locked it.
Raoul stood in the center of the room, his very heart and soul breaking from worry for his family, and wondering how this could have happened, and trying to understand, and only then did he let the tears fall. He knew now, precisely how Christine had felt on that night all those years ago, when she had been given that decsion, for this was far worse, in Raoul's mind, than a noose or a sword. He would give his life for his family, he would give anything to secure their happiness. And as he sat, the words of Gustav Daae resounded in his head, and he could only hope that they were true.
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Erik walked back down the hallway and into the room where the rest of the family stood, looking as though they had suddenly stopped talking when they had heard him enter the room. Erik strode in, walking straight towards Arthur and avoiding the sad gazes of Christine and Marie. But he could not help but smile a bit at their mere presence. He took a hold of Arthur's shoulder and watched him mouth and 'I love you' to Marie Claire. It took Marie Claire an enormous amount of courage to let go of her husband's hand.
"Please madames, and young monsieur, take a seat. I will return in just a moment." said Erik.
Marie's blue eyes were filled with an inexplicable pain as she looked up at her love being taken from the room.
"Please Erik, don't harm him!" she cried to her teacher.
"I won't," said Erik. "Unless your father makes that decision."
Erik's guilt only seemed to increase as he met the young girl's eyes, so he turned his face away, and led his former student from the room. Arthur was resistant to his teacher's grasp; Erik had forgotten how fiery the young man could be when angered. But though Arthur was angry, the real feelings that he was experiencing could be read in his soft brown eyes. They were missing their usual sparkle and they were full of despair. But even then, a slight hint of determination could be seen. Arthur, who still sould not believe that the Phantom would go this far, was consumed with deep and intense panic. He would gladly give his life to prevent Marie or Christine from living in the darkness that had consumed unfortuante Erik's life. But that did not mean that the courageous young was not afraid of death. It was not so much dying, but the thought of being seperated from the ones he loved. He thought of the twins to come, and hoped that for their sake, that everything would be alright.
Erik opened the door to a room in the back of the house, and shoved his protegee inside.
"Now, my young monsieur, you will wait here until I come back to retrieve you." said Erik turning to go.
But Arthur spoke up suddenly, having to say something. "I love her Erik, I wish that you could see that." said Arthur softly. "And even if I die, our love will not."
Erik turned and looked and looked at the talented tenor. " I cannot express my dissapointment in you Page'. You are so talented. If only you had done as I had asked." said Erik, turning to go. "And also, you lost the priviledge of calling be my my name the day you turned your back on me." he said, closing the door with the click of a lock.
Arthur turned and threw himself in a chair, his face in his hands, his thoughts consumed with love and worry. He didn't know what to do, but he wasn't willing to give up, not yet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christine watched with wary brown eyes as her former teacher came into the room. She had one arm about Felix, whose face was white, and one around Marie Claire, whose bright blue eyes stared at the floor.
"Now that that is taken care of," said Erik, a strange, unused smile overtaking his masked features. "I believe that it is time to present to you my new opera. It is called 'Living in the Music of the Night.' It tells the story of, shall we say, how I believe that my life should have been." He pulled out a large, bound, black book, that revealed a lengthy opera.
Christine looked up at the man who had claimed to be her angel, and heard her father's comforting words in her mind. But would they come true? It was the only thing that she could cling to as she remembered the broken look on her beloved Raoul's face as Erik had taken him from the room.
" Erik, why must you do this?" asked Christine in a melancholy voice. "It hurts me so much. You have it in you to stop this, I know it. Why must you decieve me again and again?" she questioned in a strong voice, trying to hold back her tears.
"Come Christine, sing and you will feel better, my angel of music." said Erik, not answering her question directly.
"No it won't," said Marie Claire suddenly, looking up to face Erik as a single tear slid down her face. "Music cannot heal all. Erik, I beg to know why you do this to us!"
"For reasons beyond your current understanding my dear." said Erik as he set up the music on the piano. "Now," he said, turning to Felix, "I have heard that you play the piano quite superbly. I would like you to come and play this piece for me."
Felix bravely shook his head, but Christine kissed his head and told him to go, for want of not angering Erik, and endangering Raoul and Arthur's lives any further. Erik would do no harm to Felix. Felix walked over, and sat on the piano bench, his young frame trembling.
"And now, my angels, we shall sing the opening song from my opera, I believe that you know it." said Erik, reffering to the music of the night.
And though that was the last thing that Christine and Marie wanted to do, both of the very intelligent women knew that perhaps this music would distract Erik, for he often got lost in the music. And as the notes to the song began to soar through the air, and as the piano blended with the three voices, Marie Claire hoped and prayed with all her might that her grandfather's words were true, and that Lucien would return soon, for she knew that it rested in the hands of God.
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A/N: Once again, I am so sorry for the long delay, school is killing me! I am hoping that it will let up soon. But anyway, I hope that you like this, and I will once again, say that there will be a happy ending. But there are still a good few chapters to go yet. Please read and review!
I am the Angel of Music- Thanks for your continued support! And no, Erik will not feel guilty forever, my comments are hinting at the feelings of guilt that are surfacing in his head about what he is doing to the family. It ties in to Gustav Daae's words. I hope that you like this!
Asia1st- You are right, of course our brave Raoul is not going to give up that easy, he loves his family far too much to do that! He has something up his sleeve, as always. Thanks for reviewing!
Samantha- Thanks for reviewing, I love reading your reviews! Don't worry everyone will be okay, I promise! Gustav will be right, Erik will see the error of his ways, but we just have to get there! Yes, I think Felix is quite the little ally, I really wanted to involve him in the story more. I hope that you like this!