One heart's darkness
Disclaimer: I don't own POTO, but stealing it is on top of my to-do list!
Erik: Why do you always make your readers wait so long for updates?
Me: It isn't intentional. It's just that I have been... blessed... with a rather moody and whiny on occasion, so he's not always much of a help.
Erik: I feel like I've just been insulted!
Me: Ye think?
THANKS to my ever-so-patient reviewers. I've been having a few problems lately and wasn't in much of mood for writing, but now I'm on a roll again, nothing to worry about!
By the way, go read and REVIEW my other one-shot "A girl with no name". Thanks!
OooOooO
Chapter Eighteen
A loud cry, which was broken now and again by sobs, reached Erik and Christine in the drawing room, who took a moment to register that it was Madeleine's voice, coming from Julie's room. Then they both ran to the door, out into the corridor and into the bedroom.
The sight that met their eyes made them stop dead.
Madeleine was kneeling in front of the bed, her arms wrapped around Julie's midsection, her head buried in the folds of her nightgown. Julie's left hand was resting on her sister's shoulder, her other one was gently stroking her curls as she sobbed. The younger girl wore a slightly confused and dazed expression, as if she couldn't imagine what was causing her sister's tears.
Christine pressed a hand to her mouth, then she, too, hurried over and started peppering kisses across Julie's face.
Her skin was cool now and the feverish flush had faded.
Erik leaned back against the doorframe and watched the scene before him with a smile.
All he could see of the three women were their dresses and the mass of chocolate curls. At that moment, they looked so much alike.
Raoul joined them a moment later, his eyes overflowing at the sight of his beloved child and, as Julie was very much wrapped up in arms and hugs already, he turned to Erik and held out his hand, which the older man took and squeezed firmly.
However, another problem soon presented itself as more footsteps were coming up the stairs and Father Bertram's voice asked, "What happened? Vicomte… who are these people?"
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An hour later, they were all seated in the drawing room again, except for Julie, who was resting, of course.
Father Bertram had asked about Madeleine and Erik, and finally, Raoul and Christine had told him everything. It had been a long and, on Christine's part, tearful confession.
After it was over, Father Bertram was thoughtfully kneading his bottom lip.
His light priest's robes were a stark contrast to the black couch on which he sat, and his salt-and-pepper hair caught the firelight, giving it golden spots.
"Well," he began, "I don't really know what to say. You know of course, Monsieur le Vicomte and Madame… Lescaut, is it? … you know you cannot be divorced in the eyes of the Catholic Church! But then again, if you were to completely annul your previous marriage on the grounds of your… previous commitment to Monsieur Erik, Julie would be illegitimate. So, all I can offer is to hear both your confessions and Monsieur Erik's as well, if he wishes. And as I now know about your rather special circumstances, I believe your actions cannot be criticized."
Raoul sighed and replied, "Thank you, Father. We need your support."
Christine had tensed up as the priest had mentioned Erik confessing, as she knew that he had had only bad experiences with the church. She mumbled her agreement to the priest's idea while anxiously eyeing Erik.
He kept his gaze on the floor for a while, before his eyes met the priest's.
"I thank you as well, Father. I will… consider your offer."
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Madeleine was watching Julie as she carefully sipped the broth their cook Jacqueline had prepared for her.
It warmed her heart to once again see her sister's vibrant eyes open and full of life.
"So," Julie said while casting a glance at her sister, "I know I can't get up and visit you for quite a while," she grimaced, "as I'm still very weak and Papa will be over-protective anyway. But you have to tell me what has been happening."
Madeleine smiled and felt a slight blush creeping up into her cheeks. She knew what the little one was hinting it.
"Whatever could you be talking about?" she asked evasively, but unable to hide the smile on her lips.
Only weakness stopped Julie from bouncing up and down in her bed like a child eager for a bedtime story. "Oh, you tease! You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. There was something about Comte Jean I was going to tell you, but I forgot… but you said you met him again, so, what happened?"
Madeleine smiled at her sister's exuberance. She carefully smoothed the wrinkles in her dark green velvet skirts before telling her about her meetings with the young nobleman during the past weeks, including the tender embraces on the rooftop. After she had finished, Julie heaved a long sigh.
"I am so jealous! For all I know, Papa will make me marry some old business friend of his."
Madeleine slapped her hand playfully. "Oh, fibber, you know he would never do that, you are far too precious to him. He'll want you to marry someone you are head over heels in love with and who will carry you on his hands to heaven and back! And you know you'll feel for him all the joy a woman could possibly feel, and his every touch will ignite this fire in your soul and heart, which wards off everything cold and bad in the world…"
She feel silent and stared out the window, a dreamy expression on her face.
Julie regarded her, an impish gleam in her eyes.
"Sound like someone is quite taken with the young Comte, ey? Maybe even… in love? Ooh!"
Madeleine giggled, something she had rarely ever done before knowing Julie.
"Oh," she protested, "but a nobleman like him, he surely has a fiancée whom he's been betrothed to since his third birthday."
Being used to their playful banter, she expected her sister to launch into one of her grand speeches about how he could certainly be only in love with her and no one else. She didn't believe it, of course, but it was fun to play at.
What she did not expect was the horrified expression on Julie's face or her gasp of "Oh my God!"
She went on to explain hastily.
"That's what I came to the Opera about. But… you weren't there and so I went back home and it was raining… that's when I fell ill, I suppose. But anyway, what I had to tell you! I heard from his sister Suzette that his…, yes, his fiancée Isabella Montero is coming here from Spain, or has already come here. They have been betrothed for twelve years and now it is time for him to get married. I am so sorry, I don't know what to…"
She fell silent. Madeleine's expression was empty. She just refused to feel the hurt. She refused to let it break her heart again. Taking deep, calming breaths, she got up and exited Julie's bedroom without another word.
On her way past the drawing room, she called through the door, which stood ajar, "I wish to go home, papa! I'll wait by the door."
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Isabella Montero was a beautiful woman, Madeleine decided, as she watched her, Jean and Suzette talking from behind one of the many two-way mirrors in the halls of the Opera Populaire.
The Spanish woman seemed to posses the fire of her country, but also the bearings of a true noblewoman.
She was tall, almost reaching six feet and had a willowy grace about her, although she certainly didn't lack for any feminine curves.
Her hair was jet black and twisted into an elaborate crown on top of her head.
Her heart-shaped face was dominated by a pair of large, liquid looking eyes the colour of charcoal. Her lips were stained a dark red, and her straight nose was just a tad too short, giving her a slightly aloof expression, whether or not she actually intended to look that way.
She wore a gown of raw silk, a dark burgundy colour that provided an interesting contrast to her ivory complexion.
Her hands in the black satin gloves were constantly gesturing, one hand clutching a black lace shawl, the other one occasionally grasping Jean's arm or hand.
He seemed to be enjoying himself as he laughed heartily about whatever story his fiancée was telling.
Madeleine couldn't take anymore. She turned away and made her way silently through the secret passageways into the old dressing room.
There, she collapsed onto a chair and began twisting the satin folds of her skirts. Why had she chosen to wear her best dress this day? It was lovely, an amber coloured off the shoulder gown with tiny seed pearls along the ruched sleeves, décolletage, and hem.
But why did she pick this one? Was she trying to outshine the stranger?
Her gaze found her own eyes in the mirror, the golden orbs full of questioning.
She tried to imagine them a dark charcoal, and her hair pitch black. But what of the rest of her? Those passive white features she was looking at, that wasn't her face. With a snarl, she ripped of the protecting satin and stared at the ruin of her face.
"Go on, Madeleine," she growled at herself, "go on and compare yourself to Isabella Montero! I dare you!"
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Jean was already waiting for her on the roof, and he was gazing out over Paris as she stepped through the door.
He didn't hear her approach, so she took a moment to look at him.
The wind was playing in his longish curls and in the folds of his cloak, making it billow and wave. It almost made him look like a dark angel who was stretching his wings, she decided.
Finally, the rustle of her many skirts caught his attention, and he turned around, a smile lighting up his face. In the dim light, his eyes appeared like emeralds, and he held out his hand to her.
She took a step back, tilted her head to the side and stared at him for a moment longer. His smile faded and he had a confused look in his eyes.
"What is it?" he asked.
Madeleine took another step back. Then she answered, "I am going to miss you, Jean. Goodbye," before heading for the door again.
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A/N: I tried very hard not to feel insulted by hardly any of you daring to place bets! I would imagine this is quite predictable! SO, just to torture you some more, here are more hardships for our beloved main characters! By the way, I will NOT be updating until I receive at least TEN REVIEWS for this chapter! The more reviews there are, the faster I'll write! Hahaha! I wanna get paid in reviews now! Muahahaaa... aehm. Sorry 'bout that.
Love you all!
P.F.A.