Hey hey! Here's some more to keep all you guys going. The school holidays are coming up (Yay!) so expect a lot more to come!
Galasriniel: Thank you so much for reviewing, its so difficult when you're new to know if people like your story and whether its worth working on. I will keep going, you have restored my faith that there are people out there that like it! Thank you again.
On with the story...
Previously:
It didn't matter to Melody that Erik didn't love her the way she loved him, or that the name he had cried out at the peak of passion wasn't hers. But it felt wonderful all the same knowing that she was helping him on the long path to recovery.
-------
4: The new arrivals-
Melody woke alone, tangled in foreign red and black silk sheets and shivering. She rolled onto her back and stiffened as she realized she was totally naked.
Suddenly all the events of the night before flooded into her mind and she relaxed back into the giant bed trying feebly to warm herself against the cold sheets.
She had found Erik half dead, and by the sounds of the melodies flowing from the organ, had breathed new life into his crushed soul.
She shivered again, realizing that her attempts to warm up were futile and rose slowly, searching for her abandoned clothing. It was time for her to return to the dorms anyway.
As she dressed herself she glanced around the dim room, noticing that the closet doors were open slightly and certain items of clothing taken, a sure sign that he was dressed to make an appearance up above.
She smiled to herself as she crept out of the bedroom and towards the tunnel leading out, glancing back only once to see him looking amazing, dressed in his best with his dark hair swept back and a white porcelain half mask placed over his right cheek. Erik was returning.
She silently giggled as she took off up the steps towards the light and warmth of the Academy.
As she reached the final door taking her out into the corridor of the girl's dormitories, she heard a great commotion and wondered what would be going on at this hour of day.
Fear took her suddenly as her mind was flooded with terrible thoughts; perhaps her mother was sick, someone had been seriously hurt in rehearsals, a kidnapping?
She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the morbid thinking and opened the door, being met with many other chorus girls flitting about, with some carrying their bed linen and sulking. Of course! Melody thought as she slapped her palm to her forehead, new dancers!
Rumors had been circulating around the Academy dwellers for some time that a new group of dancers had been selected to join the highly prestigious Paris Music Academy Chorus, though none had been chosen to fill a vocal spot as yet.
Melody shut the basement door quietly behind her and made her way to her room. One of her close friends Rosaline sauntered up to her, tossing Melody's bed linen to her and grumbling, "We got evicted. The bitches who took our beds are for real…" Rosaline moved closer and whispered in Melody's ear, "You wanna look out for the one on the right, I heard some freakish things about her…" She trailed off and pointed out a young girl, maybe seventeen with dead straight black hair falling unbound to her waist, average dancer's body, nothing obviously different. She was idly chatting to a girl about the same age with frizzy red hair tightly pulled back into a bun, and suspected they were friends.
Melody waved away Rosaline's warning, guessing she was just jealous about them taking her bed, and let her lead them to their new room.
-
Erik closed the lid over the organ keys and rose slowly, running a hand through his hair. Melody Giry had helped him to come to the conclusion that the only way to get over Chantelle was to find himself a new infatuation.
He needed more of what Melody had given him last night among other things, like another place to vent his great musical talent, which was fast going to waste.
Antoinette Giry, her mother, had informed him of new arrivals before he had shut himself away, and now he would return to the light to stake his claim on another innocent chorus girl and make her his star.
He stood and admired himself in a nearby full length mirror, smirking at his reflection, liking what he saw.
Blue-green eyes, darkened with intention burned under heavy eyebrows and long straight locks of ebony hair, elegantly slicked back reaching the top of his neck. His muscular chest was partly covered by an open lawn shirt of Spanish make, the slight ripples on the plunging neckline ending three inches below his smooth pectorals. A black silk cummerbund was wrapped tightly around his firm midsection, leading down to a pair of Spanish tailored black dress pants covering his fine muscular legs. To top it off, a styled set of black tails hung from his broad shoulders, hugging his strong arms and back. Perfect.
His eyes traveled back to the white porcelain sitting over the horrid excuse for a face and sighed. I could have any woman he wanted if it wasn't for this. He shook his head, looking away as he gritted his teeth. No time for self pity, he thought to himself, there are things to be done.
He picked up his black leather gloves resting on the piano stool and put them on, then turned sharply on his heel and made for the main tunnel leading to the basement of the Academy.
-
Antoinette finished braiding her long coffee colored hair and glared at her reflection in the mirror. Her age was starting to show on her pale features, with wrinkles beginning to appear on her forehead and around her eyes.
She rose from her highly decorated vanity and sighed. As much as she would've liked to apply makeup to conceal her age, there was no time. The day had well begun and she had to prepare the new girls for their first dancing lesson.
She fluttered out of her room and towards the main stage when she stopped suddenly and turned back, forgetting her walking cane. Her doctor had advised her to carry one after her fall on the night of the end of year performance, and it had become a habit that was now hard to break.
As she walked quickly to collect her cane from beside her vanity set, she noticed a familiar envelope sealed with a red wax stamp sitting amidst her many perfume bottles and hair brushes. She picked it up slowly, then turned her head and glanced around the room. After making sure she was alone, she lifted the wax seal and removed a small note which read:
Dearest Antoinette Giry,
I wish for the pleasure of your company as soon as possible
I have some things I need to discuss with you.
I shall be waiting in the usual meeting place,
Forever in your debt, Erik
Antoinette froze, he had returned. She slipped the letter into a small drawer under her vanity, picked up her cane and left in a hurry. If he had said 'as soon as possible,' there was no time to lose.
She flew down the dormitory corridor shouting at the girls to hurry if they wanted to keep their place in the Academy and began her search for her daughter, whom she found lacing her pointé shoes and gossiping with the others.
Melody stood suddenly as her mother entered the room, and searched in vain for an excuse for why she was running late. Her mother quickly silenced her and whispered, "Melody, you must begin the lesson in my absence. There are some things I must see to that are quite urgent." Melody's eyes widened as she met her mother's anxious gaze and nodded.
The only reason why she would miss a vital lesson had something to do with Erik, and that meant he had returned.
Antoinette patted her daughter on the shoulder and was gone again in a flurry of dark violet skirts.
She made her way quickly to the main stage and disappeared through a small door located in the shadows to the extreme left of the stage. With the precision of a cat, she moved between pieces of old abandoned sets and props coming upon a large poster of a show they'd put on many years ago.
She glanced around quickly to make sure no stage hands had followed her inside, and quietly lifted the bottom corner of the poster revealing a small room, dimly lit by a single candle.
She let her eyes adjust to the darkness and moved towards the figure seated at the end of the room. "I came as fast as I could." She said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
The figureto face her with lightning speed and smiled, noting her quick breathing and flushed features. "I can see that. I am eternally thankful that you could see me on such short notice." He beckoned her to take a seat next to him and she took it gratefully, lifting her cane to rest on her knees.
"Anything to help you Erik. How are you feeling? I worried about you terribly until I couldn't take it anymore and sent Melody to you. In hindsight it was probably a bad idea." She looked at Erik pointedly and he returned her gaze with one of puzzlement. "You probably shouldn't have done that Erik." She cocked her head to the side and this time he understood her notion, smirking as he answered.
"It wasn't me madam. She started it. Besides, she has had many a bed partner beforeI, and her show of care bought me out of the shadows, so I daresay it was a very good idea to send her to me." Antoinette sighed and nodded her head in agreement, noting the arrogance in his voice and faced him again.
"Surely you did not come up here to discuss my daughter's doings. What is on your mind, friend?" His eyes bored into her as he sent another mischievous smirk her way. "I wish to discuss the new arrivals. Is there any talent to be found? Anything worth watching out for, hmm?" Her eyes narrowed as he finished his question and she answered with a little bitterness in her voice. "I will only tell you if you swear to me that it won't turn into a fiasco like last time. Swear it!" He looked away from her and fiddled with a button on his cuff.
"You know full well I can't promise you that, though I will most definitely try. I need someone, Anne, even if it's for musical purposes only. You have no idea what it's like, to be always alone, night and day. All I ask is for you to help me…Please." Antoinette looked into his dark pleading eyes and felt herself giving in. She had to help him or she feared he would fade away.
-------
R&R PLEASE!