Despite being so
dreadfully tired, Christine awoke. Wondering what shook her from her
sleep, she listened. Soon, she heard Erik and Nadir's voices mixing
from a room below.
Stripping off her sheets, Christine put her
feet onto the cold wood floors and crept down the stairs. Hearing
that they were in the room the steps descended upon, she sat on the
last step that was shielded by a wall and listened to the ongoing
debate.
"What can I say to make you believe me, Nadir? What does
it take?" Erik asked angrily.
"What could you say? How could
you expect me to believe a word you say after you broke your solemn
vow to me?"
"I tried to keep it!"
"It was an easy
enough task! I would not blame you if men died after attacking you.
But none did. You attacked them. All I asked was to stop killing; to
act like the civilized, normal human being that you long to be. Why
was that so hard?"
"You could not understand."
"Then
help me! Is that not what you are here to do?"
She heard Erik
let out a deep sigh, then began. "The Opera House was not very
cooperative-"
"So kill them off?" Nadir interrupted.
"I
thought you wanted me to explain!" Erik snapped.
"I do, but I
don't want a ridiculous excuse."
"Perhaps, in hind sight,
not all of my decisions were...well, what you would have decided. But
think of how you would have done anything to see Rookheeya truly
happy. Whatever she wished of you, you did it for her, did you not?
When you truly love someone...it's like an obsession begging to be
fed. No matter what, you'll be a slave to whatever it is that's
going to make your love happy. You did everything for your wife. I
did everything I could for Christine. She wanted to sing in honor of
her father, and no one was going to stand in my way to making her
dreams come true. Of course, I sacrificed some things, my promise to
you being one of them - but I know you heard the rave reviews, Nadir!
I know you know of her great success, no matter how short."
"What
does this have to do with you and her in my home?"
"Everything,
Nadir, if you will just listen. Everything was done by me for her. I
risked anything and everything I had to so I could get her where she
could spread her wings and fly. A few killings were involved, I admit
to that, and feel sorry for those unfortunate souls, but I do not
regret it. I do, though, understand why I have no chance in being
seen innocent by anyone in this latest crime. It is common knowledge
by many, what I felt and did for Christine. Why not kill the Vicomte
to make sure he is out of the way for good? That is what you think,
is it not?"
"What if it is?"
"Then you are a fool like
the rest of them. Why should I care what de Changy does now? And I am
not heartless. I see that he has let Christine go from his clutches
and moved on. He has a family, a nice home. In all rights and in my
eyes he is forgiven. Why would I wish to kill him?"
"Do you
think it is that easy? Say a few convincing words and I, along with
all of Paris, is to believe you?"
"I do not care what all of
Paris believes. But you...you're different. We were once friends,
you and I. And it would mean more than you could imagine if you'd
believe me."
"Why? As Miss Daae pointed out - I am no longer a
daroga. Truly, I have just as much power as any other person in this
village. What difference would it mean to you if I believed you or
not?"
"The world, Nadir."
"How do you explain the mask
that he claimed to have seen, then?"
It was clear that Nadir was
bending, that he was just grasping for things to hold on to his
previous beliefs. He was having little luck with this.
"You know
Madame Giry's daughter. She led a large group...a mob...down to my
lair. They took many things with them, including every last mask.
Yet, not one showed up in the vaults that everyone claimed they put
all of my belongings. I wear this one because little Giry gave it to
Christine, whom returned it to me. Anyone could be trying to kill the
good Vicomte in my name now."
Nadir seemed to be debating
whether he should trust Erik's word or not. Before he could
convince himself not to, however, Erik leaned close to Nadir.
"Look
at me, Nadir. Look at who I am, who you know me to be. Do you really
believe I tried to kill de Changy?"
Christine peeked from behind
the wall of her safety to see Erik leaning closer to Nadir, his eyes
focusing straight into Nadir's soul. She shuddered, knowing that
feeling all to well.
They stayed the same for a few moments,
until Nadir sighed and fell back against his chair. "I suppose
not." He said lightly, looking into the fire.
"You believe
me?" Erik said, trying to sound emotionless, yet hope and surprise
were easily noticeable in his voice.
Nadir nodded, looking back at
Erik. "I believe you."
Erik shook his head, looking down at
his lap. "No, never mind. I don't deserve to be seen in a good
light to you. Not after what I did to you."
"You speak of
Reza?"
"I shouldn't have takenm his life in my hands. It
went against your god, and I was selfish to do what I did."
"Selfish
to put him in a peaceful rest, though you yourself adored him?"
"You
hated me for ending his life early; do not act as if I speak like I'm
absurd."
"I told you before I forgave you for that."
"No,
Daroga - you told me you werent going to let that become between us;
but that you'd never forgive me."
"Then I spoke a lie to
you."
Erik shook his head again. "What I did was wrong. I do
not ask for your mercy."
"Erik, like it or not, you have
it."
Erik looked up into Nadir's eyes. Both smiled slowly,
then clasped hands.
The next
morning, Christine awoke at dawn to a servant's urgent hand.
"Mademoiselle, please wake up. The man you travel with is eager to
leave." She said. Christine's eyes flew open. Shooing out the
nurse, Christine quickly readied herself, then ran down the stairs.
When she was down, however, she stalled from turning the corner,
where she could hear Erik and Nadir's voices.
"I filled you
staddle bags as much as I could. I only wish it was more."
"It
will be enough. The horse can only carry so much, anyway."
"But
I wish I could have given you more help than I have."
"It was
enough."
"And I wish I could offer you more than this. To give
you safety, anything."
"You believe me when I asked you too,
even without the proof that you always seek for before believing
anything. That is more than enough."
Christine watched as the
two men shook hands heartedly, a smile on both their faces. She
herself put on a cheerful smile, then came upon the two. "Ready?"
She asked Erik. He grinned at her, looking her over.
"If you
are, my dear." He said, but turned his look from her to Nadir,
winking at him. Nadir returned it with an even bigger smile.
Christine could only guess at what their secrets were, but she didn't
care at the moment. It made her heart leap to see a smile back on
Erik's lips; something that seemed all too seldom of late.
"You
best go as quickly as you can; the Vicomte is said to be sending
officers to towns like this." Nadir said, as he straightened little
things out here and there.
"Raoul is leading the officers?"
Christine asked quickly. Both men turned to her with a surprised
look. After a few moments, Nadir answered her.
"He is. Funding
it as well. Seems he is the patron of many things when it concerns
you."
Christine blushed crimson as she looked away. Nadir gave
her a confused look, and Christine prayed that she had not given him
the wrong impression. Thankfully, the look was washed from his face
and a smile was put in it's place. "May Allah watch over you and
keep you." He blessed instead.
Putting his arm around her and
taking out his cane, Erik and Christine thanked him again, then
walked out the door and off to the next place they'd stop, slowing,
but surely, getting farther away from Paris.
Christine
stared at Erik, a few feet from her, as she bit into her apple.
"Would there be any reason you stare at me like so, Christine?"
Erik asked, feigning a scared look.
She laughed.
"Just...thinking."
"Well, tell me of your thoughts. How did
you find Nadir yesterday?"
"A fine fellow, I suppose. You seem
to have patched up your friendship quite well."
"I only hope.
If he's not on my side...well..."
Christine nodded. Some
emotions were wordless.
"It's nice to know more of your past.
Seems strange...I've known you since I was seven years old, yet
your past has always been one big unexplored mystery to me."
"On
purpose, I assure you. I'd rather keep it that way, for both our
sakes, but we have one more stop we must make. He is about a day or
so away. Nadir's food will keep us until that long. He is also from
my distant past that you will have to know about."
"Who is he?
And are you on better terms with him than Nadir?"
"Worse, I
regret to say. I wish I could avoid going to him, but I must. We'll
never make it to where we must just this amount of food."
"How
do you know him? What is his name?"
"He is Giovanni. After a
few years of living in the opera house, my restless soul begged to be
let out of what seemed like an eternal dark cage. I left, and went in
search for beauty. I found it one day, near twilight. Beautiful,
breathtaking buildings in all their glory stood before me. I stood in
awe, not aware that a man approached me. That was Giovonni. He saw my
love for these amazing buildings and decided to go against his word
and take me on as an apprentice. It wasn't long before he saw my
talent. It was then when he decided I'd be the one that he'd
teach all his knowledge to. He had no sons, which he considered a
curse. So he took on me, acting as if I was his own flesh and blood.
He was the first person in my life to not care what I looked like or
what I wore on my face. He genuinely cared for me, loved me in fact,
the way not even my own mother ever could. In return, I treated him
with the love and respect that I would have with my own father. My
birth father, you see, died before I was born. He never had to look
upon my cursed face; I think my mother thought him lucky.
Giovanni
let me live in his basement that he fixed up for me. I learned
amazing things while with him, and we were always close."
"But
Erik - it sounds as if you had a great relationship with him. Why say
you are on worse terms with him than Nadir?"
"I did not kill
Nadir's child." Erik whispered so low, Christine wondered if she
had heard right. But then he continued before she could say a word.
"No, wait...I did. Well, at least Reza went in peace. I helped him.
I did not help Luciana."
Christine just stared at him for a
moment, wondering if she wanted to hear him go on or wish silence
upon him. "Reza...Nadir's son?"
"Yes. I might go through
the pain of recalling the tale, about how Reza had a grave, incurable
illness and that he was bound to die soon, despite him being so
young, but I don't believe I have to. You know the rest
already."
Christine's eyes opened wide. Did he know about how
she had listened? She had been so quiet! "I don't know what you
are talking about, I am afraid."
"I'm afraid you do. You
know that I am no angel now...that I have temptations just like every
other human being. And I know that you are the same."
Christine
blushed. "I know I shouldn't have eavesdropped...but you both
woke me up! I had to see what was all the matter."
Erik looked
at her with a face of disbelief, but she just smiled sweetly and
stood up. She ran down to the little river, then, with her trained
feet, did graceful ballet motions in the wild grass. "The Angel of
Music sings songs in her head...the Angel of Music sings songs in her
head." She sung beautifully, side glancing at Erik to see if she
still had his attention. She wanted to lighten their moods instead of
both of them being always full of melancholy. Instead, the song rose
different thoughts into his mind.
"What was that name that de
Changy used to call you?" He asked suddenly. Christine's feet
fell flat on the ground as she stopped dancing to look oddly at him.
"What?"
"The name...he had a name for you. I cant remember
it."
Christine shrugged. "Must have slipped my mind
too."
"Come Christine - I know he called you it since you were
a little girl. What was it?"
She sighed, giving up. "Little
Lottie."
"Lottie? But he's french and that's a-"
"It's
from a story Father used to read to us. Why do you ask?"
Erik
shrugged now, biting into his apple. "What was the story
about?"
"About Little Lottie . Her father promised her that
he'd send her the Angel of Music, so everyone would be awed and
astounded by her amazing gift. The Angel of Music just has to visit
you; if you are worthy."
"Worthy?" Erik asked, interested.
"Innocent and pure. If you are bad, he will not come. But if
you are good, he descends from the heavens to touch your throat, and
you will sing like an Angel as well."
Erik said nothing to
that, just stared out to the mountains in the distance. "Were you
disappointed?"
"About what? This? I told you, I'd rather be
here-"
"No, no. About me. When you found out that the Angel of
Music never visited you; that it was just me the whole
time."
Christine smiled as she knelt down before him. "No; I
was even more thrilled. The one person I could really put all my
trust and faith in...was real." She said, then sat with her back to
him, leaning into his chest as she looked sleepily at the pale skies
in peace. Just as she felt herself becoming light and near falling
asleep, she heard Erik chuckle in her ear. "Yes...that, and you
finally knew that you really weren't insane."
Christine
couldn't help but giggle before falling
asleep.
