DISCLAIMER: Okay, I in no way own the Phantom, he just lives in my closet… This chapter/short story/thingy was based off of a Celtic song called Dream Lover (hence the title o.O) and the lyrics to the song will follow the story/chapter/thingy. I don't own the song… Yeah… And for those who read the first chapter…That dream NEVER continued… EVER…
"I had the dream again last night, Danielle." Marlena said suddenly, staring into her cup of tea.
Danielle looked up at her from across the dining room table. "The dream on the boat?" She asked without interest, sipping from her can of Dr. Pepper.
Marlena shook her head, staring into the steaming depths of her coffee cup. "A new one; with the same man." Marlena didn't notice Danielle's look of interest. "I've had it four nights in a row, now."
Danielle sat forward, brushing her brown hair out of her face in order to see her friend better. "What happened this time? Was there another woman trying to steal him from you?" She didn't try to hide the excitement in her voice. Danielle never dreamed as vividly as her best friend and found it exciting to live through Marlena's dreams.
Marlena shook her head and looked up at her friend. There was fear mixed with a deep curiosity in her voice. "It was just the two of us. I could almost swear it were real…"
"Well?" Danielle asked impatiently as Marlena paused. "What happened in the dream?"
Marlena looked out the window at the bright blue sky. There were a few clouds in the sky, but they were the deep, heavy grey that spoke of rain. It will rain tonight. She thought absently. "I woke up to a rustling in my room. At least, I thought I woke up…" Danielle rolled her eyes as Marlena paused again. "He was leaning over me, so close I could feel his breath on my face."
Danielle sucked the air in through her teeth. "That right there would be enough to make me scream." She sipped her Dr. Pepper again and shook her head.
"I didn't." Marlena said calmly. "He moved away from my bed when he saw my eyes open. That's when I became afraid. I thought he was going to leave so I… I called his name…"
Danielle looked at her as if she were crazy or simple. "I'm not going to ask what made you want him to stay… What happened next?"
"Well…"
"Erik!" She cried in a scared whisper as he moved away. "Don't go…"
He stepped out of the shadows in her room. He wore a long cloak as black as night that radiated defiance. 'I don't need the shadows to hide,' the cloak seemed to say.
"Come." He said, offering her one elegant, long fingered hand gloved in black leather. "Rise from your bed and come with me…" He beckoned gently to her.
His voice was so soft yet so clear that Marlena couldn't tell if he was real or just a figment of her imagination. He seemed different, strange since the last time they met on the prison barge. She turned her face from him and shivered, afraid to meet his eyes.
He took a small step closer, his hand still held in offering. "Be not afraid." He whispered with a voice as smooth as silk and as dark as the deepest part of the ocean. "No harm will come to you this night, for I will hold you near."
Marlena turned her face to him and met his eyes for the first time that night. They were an eerie yellow that almost glowed in the dark. She could not break their spell over her.
He reached for her hand and took it, pulling gently until she had no choice but to sit up. "Please, don't make me go. Let me stay where nothing is a surprise, where I know al that can happen." He pulled still until she was standing, her flowing silk nightgown cascading around her in a water fall of lavender.
He led her through the house and into the front yard. She gasped as she saw a closed carriage painted a smooth black with a matching pair of midnight stallions waiting anxiously to be off. He handed her into the carriage and stepped around to climb in next to her. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him.
With out a word from Erik, the horses started off. Marlena was startled with the roughness of the ride and clasped a hand to Erik's shoulder to steady herself. In a matter of moments, the carriage smoothed out and it felt to Marlena as if they had stopped.
Erik said not a word and made no move to step out of the carriage. Curious to know where they were, Marlena looked out the carriage window. With a gasp, she pulled away and pushed herself into Erik, who snaked a comforting arm around her shoulders, an amused grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.
"Where are we?" She asked, her voice shaking as she allowed herself to be cradled. "How are you doing this? How are we flying?"
"A flying carriage?" Danielle asked skeptically, throwing away her empty Dr. Pepper can and grabbing another one. "If you had any questions about whether or not you were dreaming, I would have thought they would have been answered at that point."
Marlena frowned at her as she sat back down. "But it was so real! I could feel his breath on my face and the velvet of the couches cushion." She stood up and started to pace. "I could taste my fear in my own throat."
"Okay Miss Dramatic." Danielle cooed affectionately. She knew Marlena always had a flare for the dramatic; that's why she made such a convincing actress. "What happened next?"
Marlena sighed, sitting down again. "Fine…"
Erik too no head of her questions but continued to stare ahead. Marlena had no choice but to sit and wait.
It felt like an eternity before the carriage set down with a noisy thump followed by a lot of rocking and bumping. Marlena peered out the window again cautiously, holding tight to Erik's arm should they still be in the air. They had indeed landed, much to Marlena's relief.
They were in the middle of a large field spreading over the top of a tall hill. Marlena stared out the window with her mouth half open, unaware that Erik had climbed out of the carriage and was making his way to her side.
"Where are we?" She asked herself out loud. "Ireland? England?"
"Scotland." Erik answered through the now open door, causing Marlena to jump. He offered her his hand and gracefully helped her down.
"But that's so far!" She protested, scanning the landscape. "There's no way we could have come this far…"
He led her to a large oak tree, Marlena's bare feet starting to freeze as they walked through the damp grass. He bade her to sit on a thick blanket at the base of the tree before he returned to the carriage. Panic shook her as she thought he would leave her there, but he was back in mere moments.
"My love, I bring this gift to you." He said gently as he took a violin lovingly from its case. He started playing, slow and soft, such a sweet melody that Marlena could feel her heart breaking. Softly, he began to sing.
"So?" Danielle asked as her friend paused. "Is that it?" She had been hoping for something as exciting as the dream where Marlena and the strange man met on a prison barge or something where Marlena saved the world from evil lizard aliens.
"No…" Marlena shook her head, once again staring into her now cold tea. "His voice was so soft and full of emotion and his song was so sad that when he asked me to marry him, I said yes." Danielle gasped lightly but Marlena didn't look up. "He handed me a wedding gown which I slipped easily over my nightgown and he placed a small calla lily in my hair."
Danielle nodded her head, seemingly understanding everything. "Your favorite flower. It makes the dream seem that much more romantic." She threw away her second empty can but did not stand to take another one.
"He slipped the most beautiful garnet ring on my finger. I almost cried with the loveliness of it. He smiled at me and before I could kiss him or say anything to him… He was gone. I climbed into the carriage after a moment and it took me home in my wedding dress." She sighed and looked like she was trying not to cry. Danielle leaned forward and placed a hand on hers. "I climbed into bed, still wearing the dress, and when back to sleep."
"Danielle shrugged, looking unimpressed. "Maybe you've been eating too many sweets. This was all just another weird dream you should try to forget." She nodded as if she expected that to be the end of it all.
"You don't understand." Marlena said, shaking her head, pure terror in her eyes. "This morning when I woke up after having the dream…" She paused, licking her lips. "The lily was still in my hair."
Ooooo! Spooky! Anyway, here are the lyrics to Dream Lover, by Mae McKenna as promised. Enjoy!
Last night I dreamed of you my love
I dreamed you came to me
I felt your breath upon my face
You came to set me free
I cry out loud
I call your name
What tangled web is this my love?
I dream of you again
Your voice I hear so clearly now
Compelling me to rise
My love, you seem so strange to me
I dare not meet your eyes
Be not afraid
And show no fear
No harm will come to you this night
For I will hold you near
He took me then and lifted me
I begged that I might stay
The moon and stars they guided him
He bore me far away
Oh where am I?
What spell is this?
He took no head and paid no mind
And I could not resist
My love I bring this gift to you
He took his violin
He played so sweet it broke my heart
And softly he did sing
How soft the word
How sad the song
I wore his gown and took his ring
He smiled and he was gone