Chapter Eight- The Masked Melody
Delphine
Delphine moved about the Opera House, the darkness consuming her ever move. Had she not known where she was headed, she would have been lost to the empty silence that surrounded her. She quickened her pace, not sure of the time. It was sure to be close to midnight. He would be waiting for her at the mirror.
She stopped as she heard the distinct sound of a door shutting. It was close, off to her right. She turned her head and saw the dim light of a candle, it was moving away from her. Whoever it was, they had not seen her. She quietly continued on her way, stopping once more to find the key to her dressing room. As she fumbled with it the door swung open. The darkness inside was instantly shattered by the flame of a single candle. Erik stood before her with a smile on his face.
She entered the room and let him close the door behind her. As soon as she had removed her traveling cloak, they stood before each other, silently staring at the other. "I'm sorry I'm a bit late." She said quietly as she reached for his hand.
"Nothing to worry about." He mumbled as he relinquished his bare hand. She smiled and began stroking his thumb.
"I have something to tell you." She said as she led him toward the mirror. "I'll only tell you down there, though. I dare not speak of it up here. You never know who could be listening at the door." He nodded and helped her swing the mirror over. She passed through it before him. She had the brief sensation of being the leader, the one who had the control.
As soon as they were sitting in his lair, their quiet, serious faces turned to ones of joy. She smiled at him as he squeezed her hand. "The news?" He asked.
"Annabel, she sent me this." She said as she dug around for the letter. She handed it to him and watched him read it. His eyes grew clouded with uncertainty.
"It is to much to risk." He said as he set it aside.
"No, it's a masked ball. No one would be the wiser." She tried to assure him. As of late, her desire to be out in the open with him had increased. Since he would not go out without his mask and the public might find that odd, she had been forced to remain in the Opera Populaire. The announcement of a masked ball, no matter how ridiculous and childish it sounded, excited her. This was her chance to be with him in the open. To have the world see that she had found the man she loved more than anything.
Her smile fell as he shook his head. "I don't think you understand the consequences of being so rash. I could be found out." He said.
"Hardly anyone cares about the Phantom anymore." She protested. "Besides, no one will know it is you behind that mask."
"If you haven't noticed, I have the ability to attract unwanted attention." He said with a small smile as he seemed to remember how they had started out.
"Oh really now." She said with frustration. "Everyone will be wearing masks, it's not like anyone will be able to point you out. No one is going to say, 'Look there, that's the Phantom of the Opera.'" She said.
"There might be though," He said. "what if the police are there?" He asked. She looked away. She hated talking about his past as if he were only a criminal. As if he had killed for the sole purpose of killing. She didn't like to admit that she had fallen in love with a murderer, no matter how many years back that was.
"Erik, I don't think there is anything to worry about. Really, no one is going to pester us. We'll look just like any other normal couple." The word normal had come without a thought. His expression changed instantly. He stood and looked down on her with a grave face.
"I hate to tell you this Delphine, but we are not a normal couple. We can never be one. I am a prisoner to this darkness, this solitude. I cannot, and will not, go." He said.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "I am not asking for you to just pack up and move to the real world with me." She said. "I just want to be…"
"With people?" he asked. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"I can't help it if I need socialization." She said as she stood up with force. "I can't help it if I like to be outside of this building." She could feel her temper rising up, preparing to let itself free.
"This is why I knew we would have trouble." He said. "You…you're a social person, you need interaction. You thrive on it. I would prefer not to have any contact with them."
"Them?" She asked. "You are one of them!" She shouted. "You're a human being. Stop acting like you're not!" She turned away from him angrily. "Forget it, it was a stupid idea." She said as she moved away from him. "I should have known better."
"Delphine." He said with a pleading tone. "I wish I could-"
"I said never mind." She said with force. They stayed in silence for what felt like hours. She had half a nerve to leave, but she didn't have the power to. He sat a distance away from her, watching her move about. He didn't say anything, only followed her with his eyes.
"Delphine?" His voice ripped through the quiet air of the underground lair.
She turned to face him. "I should go." She said as she moved toward the boat. "I have to be here early tomorrow."
"You could…stay here?" He said. Her heart leapt into her throat. Had he suggested that? Had he wanted her to stay?
"I had better leave." She repeated. The thought of having to act like they had not fought, a first for them, made her angry. She wanted him to fix things the right way. She waited for him to move toward her, as he inevitably did. He spun her around and put his lips on hers. As she pulled away she gave him a sad smile. "I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yes." He said as he brushed her hair out of her face. He smiled at her as she turned and got into the boat. As he disappeared from her view, she closed her eyes and shook her head. That man was difficult, very difficult.
---
Erik
He sat and watched her disappear. Had they really fought? Had they fought over something so insignificant as a party? She was taking it much more seriously than he had expected her to. He knew she was stubborn, but this was ridiculous. She had vowed to never let anything come between them. Yet here she was, turning away from him in her anger.
He had not expected her to understand, or even care for his excuses. He knew the quiet darkness was pressing down on her. She needed sunlight, she needed air, she needed more than his laugh to brighten her life. She need people that would stay around her.
He had known this would make a rip in the fabric of their relationship. She had always pretended that being alone had not bothered her, but he knew differently. She needed so much more than just him. He had told her that this would be hard. She had accepted that and continued on loving him. It would only have been a matter of time before she had discovered she had been forced to remove herself from society to be with him.
Than again, was he just being stubborn himself? It was a masked ball after all. The chance of any of her friends recognizing him were slim. He shook his head, he had no idea what he was going to do. He could just agree to go with her, than she would be happy. Than again, she might never be forced to realize what being with him entailed.
She had been angry, almost furious at his refusal. She had not even accepted his invitation to stay the night. She had been the first to suggest they did so, almost two weeks ago. After they had finally shared their love for one another. They had curled up in his red cushions and lay holding each other, a thing he thought he would never do with a woman.
Her kisses had brought him to his knees, made him feel so out of place and dazed. Yet he craved them more than anything. Tonight, she had been distant after their fight. Her kiss still revealed her own desire but she had forced it away. He would have to work hard to fix this. For she wouldn't admit she had been wrong. He was willing to admit he was, for the sake of her happiness and her love. He would fix it, he had to.
---
Delphine
Delphine found herself standing with Annabel Depadieu on the rooftop of the Opera Populaire. "It's going to be very grand." Annabel said with excitement. "I've never held a masked ball before, you think it will be good?"
"Of course." Delphine said. Annabel smiled at her, showing her pearly white teeth through her thin red lips.
"You are coming to this one right?" She asked.
"Yes." Delphine said as she nodded.
"Will you bring this new beau of yours?" Annabel asked with curiosity.
Delphine fell silent and furrowed her brows in concentration. "No." She said after a minute. "He has refused to go, he does not want to associate with my friends." She said.
"Well…" Annabel said with a hurt voice. She looked at her friend. "How old is he? We can't be that much younger than him."
"His age doesn't matter. He's a stubborn man and I don't want to talk about him anymore." She said as she leaned against a statue. "I'm not talking to him right now anyway." She said.
"I was looking forward to meeting him." Annabel said.
"Sorry to disappoint you." Delphine said with sarcasm.
Annabel laughed and threw her head back. "I was told that Robert is going to be in attendance, does that upset you?"
"No." Delphine said. "I think we've come to an understanding." This also seemed to fall from Delphine's accepted subjects. She refused to speak another word about any man.
"Well, what are you going to wear? I thought I would wear wings? Those glittering white ones that my mother has? You know the ones? She also has this gorgeous mask, it's snow white and it makes my blue eyes shine."
"That sounds beautiful." Delphine said.
"So? What are you going to wear?"
"I don't know."
"Something dark? Like a vampire?" Annabel asked with a giggle. Delphine rolled her eyes. When had her friend become so different from herself? She had grown up and Annabel had stayed the same.
"Mademoiselle Aubade?" Madame Giry's voice called from the building. She appeared at the door. "Monsieur…" She faded away when she saw Annabel.
"Yes?"
"M-Monsieur Erik wishes to have a word with you. He waits in your dressing room." She said as she eyed Annabel suspiciously.
"Excuse me, Annabel. I'll be back shortly." Delphine said as she moved toward Madame Giry.
"Who is Erik?" Annabel asked with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"No one really." Delphine said. "I'll be back before you know it." She said as she turned to Madame Giry.
"Mademoiselle, no one?" She asked quietly with raised eyebrows.
"Oh you know what I mean." Delphine said with annoyance. As they started down they met Robert going up.
"Delphine, is Annabel up there?" he asked. She nodded and continued on her way.
---
She closed the door behind her. As soon as she had turned around she saw Erik hiding in the shadows. "Delphine," He said with a smile. "I thought you had lunch now? You didn't come."
"Oh…" She said as she gave him an uneasy look. "I was on the roof, with Annabel." She watched his face go blank. "She stopped by to say hello." She explained.
"You forgot about me?" He asked.
"Well, not exactly." She admitted.
"Than you did not care that I have been waiting for you?" He asked with anger in his voice.
She didn't answer him.
"Delphine, I know you are upset about last night, but is that any reason to put this distance between us?"
"Upset? That is an understatement." She said. "I can't do this Erik. I can't live my life in the darkness, in your solitary haven." He stopped moving and gave her the most confused stare he had ever given her. "I can't do it. If neither of us is willing to compromise than…" She let herself drift away. She didn't want to say what she had been thinking ever since the previous night.
She had thought long and hard over it. She needed socialization, he needed solitude. If his solitude had not been by choice before, it was now. There was no way she could live her life with Erik if he continued to refuse her of her own needs. She would wither away in the darkness, lose who she was. "What are you trying to say?" Erik asked, even though his expression showed that he already knew.
"Erik, I can't be with you." She said quietly as she watched him. His face seemed to drain of color. His sudden surprise was replaced by a violent outburst. He jumped to his feet and sent the chair flying. He stood before her, breathing heavily.
Her eyes widened. She had never seen him behave so. He did not speak. He gave her one final glance before he left her alone. She was shaking. Terrified that he would return and unleash more of his hidden violence, she fled from the room.
---
Erik
He paced about his underground prison. So they were over. Before they had even begun. Few weeks, less time than he had ever expected. He would never feel her kiss again. Never see her smile. No, he couldn't let that happen. The ball…it was set for later that week.
He would go and he would convince her to be with him. If she refused than he didn't know what he would do. Let all hell be released upon the Opera House if she refused him. That much he did know.
---
Delphine
She found herself, with Annabel before the room of masked dancers. Women's skirts swished and men's laughter echoed in her ears. She forced herself to smile as Annabel took her around to say hello to everyone. "Delphine, I think you should know, not that you care, Robert is here alone tonight. He and…well they are separated." She said with a small smile.
"So? Does any of that matter to me?" She asked with annoyance as she scanned the crowd.
"Who are you looking for?" Annabel asked as she took in her friend's actions.
"No one really." She said as she continued to watch people pour in the door.
Annabel nodded and drifted away from Delphine.
She sighed and looked about her. No one that she could see. No Erik. Not that she had expected him to be there. They had not seen each other all week, or rather she had not seen him. He could have been watching her. She doubted it though. Why would he want to look at her, she who had broken his heart?
"Hello Delphine." Robert's voice called from behind her. She spun around and saw him.
"How dashing." She said with a laugh. "What a lovely mask." She said as she looked at his black mask. Her heart contracted at the though of Erik's own.
"You like it?" He asked. "I was regretting wearing it." He studied her. "Would you like to dance?" He asked. Delphine shrugged.
"I don't see why not. There is no harm in a friendly dance. Right?"
Robert nodded his head and offered his hand. Smiling, she took it. As he twirled her about the dance floor her mind was elsewhere. Erik would have done this with her. No. She told herself. He would never have succumbed to my wishes. She tried to force herself to think of dancing, but Erik pushed his way in.
"Delphine, your mind is somewhere else. What is bothering you?" Robert asked.
"Nothing." She said quickly.
"I was surprised to find you alone. Where is your…"
"He could not make it." She said as she brushed aside his comment she looked toward the door. Her heart stopped beating before it flew into unregistered happiness. Erik stood by the door. She would be able to tell his face from any crowd. He looked out at the room. His eyes landed on her. He gave her a nod and disappeared before her eyes.
Robert had stopped and followed her gaze. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing." She stammered. "Excuse me." She said as she ran in the direction Erik had gone, toward the garden.
---
Erik
He stood in the doorway and watched her freeze in her actions. She stood next to a masked man, his hand holding hers. He could feel his jealousy grow in leaps and bounds. Who did that man think he was, holding Delphine like that? He nodded at her and walked away to a secluded area where he could watch her.
He watched the masked man lean in toward her with familiarity. He grimaced as he watched her turn her gaze to him. Had she found another?
He knew he was being ridiculous but he couldn't help it. The thought of Delphine, his Delphine, being with another made his heart ache. He watched her leave the man and start toward him. He suddenly realized he had no words to say to her. Would they have to stand in silence, having nothing to say to one another?
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Delphine
She found herself wondering what they would say. Would they need words? She didn't trust herself to find any. She had left him because he would not brave her world for her. Yet here he was, before her. She didn't know what she was going to say, if she would be able to say anything.
She felt like she had betrayed him and he had come back to give her a second chance. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and feel his lips on her skin. To feel his eyes, with all their love, gazing down at her.
She reached the garden and saw him standing before her. Feet away from her grasp. She froze, her heart racing. The two stood in silence.
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Author's Note: I hope you liked this chapter. Originally I wasn't going to add it but…you know. I really couldn't help myself. I had to make them go through some hardship to realize how deep their love was. I don't know if I'm making any sense so…
Thanks to those of you that reviewed, I appreciate your support.
Until next time.