Disclaimer: I do not own any of the creations of Gaston Leroux or ALW. I only own the plot to this story, and my favorite original character, Delphine Aubade. My other characters, which I have created, I could really be indifferent to. Just for the record.
Chapter Six- Delphi's Performance
Erik
He found himself looking forward to Delphine's visit. She had started coming to his underground prison less and less since that night. Since she had tried to leave Paris. He had started to miss her company. After two weeks of spending so much time together it felt strange to suddenly be alone for long periods of time. He didn't even know what he was supposed to do with himself. All week he had been trying to remember what he had done before his friend had so kindly broken his solitude.
He watched her from the catwalk now, he knew she would go to the roof on her lunch break. That was what they had agreed to. She had been reluctant to go below ground level. He suspected that she felt lost in the darkness. She was talking with Therese who was sitting on the edge of the stage, much like Delphine had that night that he had realized that he wouldn't give her up.
She had acted like she wouldn't give him up either, but she had been so distant. He hoped he hadn't scared her away. It would be a cruel ending. After she had done so much to assure him that she was not frightened. She welcomed the touch of his skin on hers, the way he talked to her. She welcomed him as he was. She had never expected anymore of him than he had of her. He did not have to compromise himself to please her.
He watched her smile creep across her face and his heart jumped into his throat. Why had he never realized that her smile was breathtaking? He smiled to himself as he thought of her laughing in the sunlight, up above the Opera House. When he saw La Fuevre approach Delphine with Lennings in tow he became suspicious. What did they want of her. She froze, her eyes wide with fear. He could sense her skin jump as Lennings moved closer to her than he had needed to.
A growl started in his throat. How dare that man make her so uncomfortable. He was to far up to hear what they were saying to her but he knew that it frightened her. Her face had lost color as she shook her head in disbelief. She stood and followed La Fuevre to the maestro. That was all he was willing to see. He didn't like to see her in a panic. It was so unlike her. She tried her hardest to stay calm and steady. Seeing her act like this made him uneasy.
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He found himself under the trapdoor on the stage. He didn't know why he had moved closer to her but he hoped she could sense him. Maybe he could give her strength in whatever obstacle stood in her way.
As he settled himself in to listen to rehearsal until lunch, he heard a sound he had never heard before. It was a voice. A singing voice that pierced through the air with sharp precision. The voice was that of an angel. Where had they found such a voice? Would they replace those horrible screeching divas with this divine voice?
He would ask Delphine who she was. He knew he wouldn't be able to resist. Any angel that sung like that deserved to have a name.
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Delphine
Delphine sat next to Erik on the roof. Her food was spread out before her. She knew that once she had finished eating she would have to leave his company. She always tried to eat as slowly as possible. That way she could be near him a little longer.
"Delphine, did they find a new singer?" He asked before she could even get a bite of food in her mouth. She looked at him as if he were a stranger. "I heard the most divine voice, it was beautiful."
Delphine nodded her head as she popped a piece of bread into her mouth. She chewed on it, not wanting to finish it. He had never heard her sing. She couldn't believe it. He thought her voice was divine. She had been the only one singing that day. There was no chance it was anyone but her. La Fuevre had told her that the leading prima donna had fallen ill. They needed her to sing the part. She had been startled that they had chosen her over someone, anyone, else.
She had decided to try it though. She had sung the part with all the emotion she could conjure. The people in the theater had stopped and looked at her as if they had never seen her before. She had not expected to hear the same from Erik. "Does she look like she sounds?" He asked absentmindedly. Delphine froze. He was asking her about how other women looked? He wanted to know how beautiful other women were? She had thought he would have caught on sooner than that.
All the affection she had lavished on Erik the past week should have showed him her feelings. Well she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that she was the one singing. Not now, not ever if she could help it. "She is not all that beautiful." She said sternly as she stared at her food. She had suddenly lost her appetite.
"Oh, I meant to ask you…I saw La Fuevre talking to you earlier. You looked shocked. What happened?"
"Oh that." She said as she looked away from him. "He said I would not be holding my current job much longer." She said. Truthfully, he had said he wanted her to become a singer but she would rather Erik think she was being fired. As it turned out, that is what popped into his mind.
"They are going to fire you?" He asked with astonishment.
Delphine shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me." She said.
"How will you explain coming here though?" He asked with concern. "I would miss your company if you just stopped coming."
"I could always become a seamstress for the divine voice." She said with anger. "I am sure you could meet her than." She was surprised by the bitterness in her own voice. Especially since she knew that she was the divine voice.
Erik grasped her arm. "Delphine, are you jealous?"
"Why would I be jealous?" She asked.
"That I think there is someone who is equal of your musical genius in the Opera House?" He said unsure of himself.
She tried to force a laugh. "Don't be ridiculous." She said.
"That reminds me." He said. He pulled out a folder that looked familiar to her. He handed it to her.
"My opera." She said as she hugged it to her chest.
"I did a song or two. To make up for lost time." He said. She couldn't help but give him a small smile. "I hope it stays true to the story." He said.
She looked at it. He had finished the song she had started. It was now titled. Marguerite's Sonata. "It's beautiful." She said. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" She asked.
"What?" He asked, startled.
"You do things for me that no one has ever done. You understand me more than I do. How did I come by you? Why do I deserve you?"
He smiled at her. "I think you have it the wrong way around, Delphine." He said. "I have never felt this happy in my life. I thought that my feelings for Christine were the strongest, a one-sided love. A mutual friendship certainly triumphs over that." He said. "I cannot remember the last time I smiled." He said.
"Erik…" She said. She wanted to tell him so bad. The thoughts were on the tip of her tongue. All she had to say was I love you. As simple as that, something held her back though. She didn't know what it was. All she knew was that she should probably listen to it.
The door to the rooftop opened and Madame Giry appeared. They had employed her services to get Delphine when she strayed past her allotted time. "Mademoiselle, Monsieur, I am afraid you must go now." She said.
Delphine stood. "Erik…" She said again. He stood too. She wanted to throw herself into him. "I…I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked. He nodded at her.
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Erik
Erik found himself wishing she would finish her sentences. She always trailed off as if she didn't know if she should say what she wanted to. This woman certainly had her quirks. He walked to his organ, down below the Opera Populaire. Woman? When had he started to see her as a woman?
The thought startled him. She had not grown that much in his short time in her company. The change must be in him, than. She certainly had seemed more like a woman to him. She didn't seem the same person he had met. How had she changed so much in so short a time, even if just to his eye.
The thought that maybe he saw a change in her because of his own feelings for her made him start. He knew he couldn't let himself even think those thoughts, not about Delphine. She was no innocent, but he had promised her friendship. Anything he desired beyond that would have to remain just that, a desire.
Even better, he could tell himself there was nothing there. He had just seen her as a woman after she had told him of her lost innocence. He prayed that was it. He couldn't allow himself to believe he had fallen into the trap another woman had set for him.
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That night, the performance was to be a major one. He knew that if he was in attendance than he could see the divine voice. How he wanted to see that voice coming from the person who owned it. Such a natural voice seemed to make him curious. How had a woman gained such a sound?
He decided he best watch the show from the catwalk. It would be better if no one had a chance to see him. Besides from there he could view the audience. He wanted to see if Delphine's family was in attendance as well. She had since moved back in with them, but she spoke of them as if they were still estranged. He knew it pained her to have to sit in silence in the morning.
Her brother had moved out when she came home. He had not spoken a word to her. She had confided this with sorrowful eyes. As he stood on the catwalk he felt his heart drop. Delphine was missing from the pit orchestra. Surely they had not gotten rid of her before the big performance. His eyes strayed to Lennings box, unconsciously. He was gone too. His new wife looked about her with confusion. Apparently, her husband's absence was beyond her too. He swore that if they were together he would kill that man.
He knew that Delphine would probably bend to his will. She had shown every sign of still loving him. Still loving him. The thought brought pain to him. It is not because I do. He told himself firmly. It is because I do not want to see her get hurt again. Even his reasoning with himself fell on a deaf ear.
He felt the need to go and investigate but he contained himself. He would always talk to her later. If this divine voice sung only once than he would never have another chance to see her. Besides, he was terrified of the way he would react if her found them together.
As the lights dimmed he grew tense. Something was not right. There was a familiar presence that he felt just below him. He turned his head down to see who it was. His heart began to beat wildly. Delphine was on the stage. He had no idea that she had been asked to fill in for another chorus girl. There were only two girls in this first part. A chorus girl and the lead. It was hard to tell them apart. The girl standing next to her was Therese.
What was going on? Which one of them had the divine voice? He held his breath as the music started. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see what he already feared. The voice flew to him, it reached past his brain and into his soul. His eyes flew open. He found himself looking down on Delphine.
When had she trained her voice? The first time he had heard her she had sounded nothing like this. Why had she not sung for him before? He leaned forward as if willing it to be false. When had she become such an angel. As she sang her eyes wandered to the empty box five. Was she singing for him?
His heart flew into unregistered panic. He rushed down to his empty box.
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He didn't know why he had expected it to be different in the box. It wasn't. As he stared at Delphine his soul seemed to fly above him. He couldn't pull his eyes away from her. This woman had captivated his attention. She had pulled him to his knees and left him sobbing for it to end. That is what his soul seemed to be doing now.
He was terrified by this familiar feeling in his heart. The same feeling he had kept for Christine. Delphine's voice became more and more pristine, more and more angelic as she went on. He watched as the world flashed around before him. He saw the destruction of Troy, he saw the beginning of the world. How could this one woman, he had thought he knew, harbor such power in her breast? How could she stop his heart and yet send it flying at the same time? How had he never noticed it before?
He was so focused on her that he had not paid attention to those in the boxes around him. Sitting in the box next to his was Christine de Chagny, Raoul had stayed home that night. She watched the Phantom of her past stare at her friend and she grew terrified. He did not see that Delphine's brother was watching the strange masked man stare so intently at his sister. He did not see the pale face of Robert Lennings studying the same woman.
Erik felt that if her song did not end soon he would die. It was too beautiful for him to hear. He would go to Delphine, whatever the consequences, and tell her what was in his heart. Even if she still loved that fool of an owner. He would have to tell her. He could not see himself being able to stand being around her after this. If she would not be his, than their friendship was over.
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Delphine
Delphine's dressing room was the same that Christine had once been in. She smiled as the flowers kept flowing in. So this was what it felt like to be admired. She had to admit that she liked.
Christine was at her side as soon as the performance was over. "Delphine, you were perfect. Where have you been hiding that voice?" She asked.
"In my heart." Delphine said.
"How did you unleash it?" Christine asked.
"I thought of the man I love."
"Erik?" She questioned. A smile flew across Delphine's face even though she struggled to smoother it. "I think I should warn you than…you know of the Phantom?" Delphine felt her heart fall, whatever she was about to say was not good. "I had thought he was gone, but I was wrong. He was there tonight. I saw the way he looked at you. If you want to protect this Erik…do it now."
"Christine…" Delphine said. She was not sure if she should tell her what she knew. She wondered if she should tell her who Erik really was.
A door opened but it was not the door that it should have been open. The mirror door opened and Erik stepped through. Christine was at the door before she could stop herself. She locked the door and picked up a vase to defend herself with. "Christine-" Erik started with surprise. Delphine had the feeling that he had other things on his mind than Christine. As if the sound of his voice was the signal to defend herself she hurled the vase at Erik.
Delphine let out a scream, though she knew she didn't have to worry. Erik was fast. He ducked it with seconds to spare. Christine gave Delphine a surprised stare. "Delphine?"
Delphine ignored Christine and went to Erik. She looked him in the eye. "Did the divine voice please you?" She asked. Erik gave her a sad smile before he swept her up in his arms.
"What is going on here?" Christine demanded.
Delphine didn't dare turn around to face Christine. She also did not want to take her head away from Erik's chest. "Christine…" Delphine said into Erik's body.
"I thought…" Christine began.
"This is Erik." She said.
"No Delphine, you're been horribly lead astray. That is the Phantom."
"He and Erik are one and the same." Delphine said. She nestled into his body, praying he would never stop feeling horrible for what he had done. When he was done feeling guilty he would push her away and think of Christine. She did not want to see the look on Erik's face as he came to realize he was holding the wrong person. So she clung to him and prayed that this moment might drag on forever.
"Delphine Aubade!" Christine shrieked. "You…this is a monster! His soul is the darkest of all creatures!" She could hear the anger in Christine's voice.
She spun around, knocking Erik back. "Have you ever looked into his eye? Have you ever seen him smile? Have you ever heard his laugh embrace you?" Christine looked at a loss for words. "Than you have no right to tell me why I should not, when you don't know why I do." Christine looked at her, not sure of what she should do.
"Christine, can you please give us a moment alone?" Erik asked. Christine shook her head.
"I don't understand." She said. "Delphine…why?"
"Please, Erik and I need to be alone." Delphine said as she held Erik's hand. "We need to be alone." She said again.
Christine sighed as she unlocked the door and went out. The lock clicked again. Delphine smiled, Christine had given them privacy. As she turned back to Erik her heart began to race. Why was there such a sad look on his face? Had she caused such sadness to enter his face again? "Delphine, we need to talk. There is something I need to tell you." Erik said with sorrowful eyes.
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Author's Note: Thanks for reading this chapter of The Mistress of Song. I like to know that people still read it (even if reviews are not as numerous as some other stories-not to say that I am encouraging more. I am happy to know people read my work). Thank you to those of you who did review (PhantomLover05). I am grateful for your words of praise.
On a side note…this chapter seemed to happen really fast. I am not even sure I am very proud of this one. I know this story is based over the course of a couple months but it feels to me like everything happening so fast. I, however, do not feel I have the power to stop it(or slow it down). So I apologize if the pace is not to your liking.
Until next time…