WARNING:
The FADA (Fanfiction Addiction Detection Agency) has come to the conclusion that this story can be highly addicting. The Author cannot be held responsible for drops in the reader's grades due to new chapters. Large doeses of Requiem can lead to dependence. The Author is not responsible for withdrawal symptoms which can occur when author fails to update speedily enough
Dies illa, dies irae, calamitatis et miseriae: That day, That Day of wrath, calamity and misery.
Spring had come to Paris once more and there was more than just the warm weather and blooming flowers to make people as gay as the people of Paris were famed to be, and that was the wedding between the Baron, and a dancer from the famous Ballet of the Opera House.
The wedding was the talk of the town, after all, men talked of it all the time but none of them could ever really do it. To truly talk a ballerina down from the stage and into their wedding bed, it was unprecedented and now that it was going to happen, they all had to congratulate the man, and all wanted to have him work on their business deals, leaving him with job offers.
For who would not want the help of the man with such a silver tongue that he could charm a ballerina into giving up the only thing they ever really loved in their lives.
For, having been turned down enough in their marriage proposals they had determined that dancers loved their work too much to allow room for a man to stay in their life.
Of course that this Ballerina had been bewitched by the beast beneath the stage, well that made her eve more special. The monster on picked the prettiest and best women to try and steal away.
Everyone had heard the story since it had been in all the papers and spread all around the town. The story then had to be the truth, since so many people had repeated the story, it had to be true, or at least it was in the eyes of the people of Paris.
Those who had been involved in the story knew the truth, but none of them were about to talk about their real experiences.
For the reality was no better to anyone than what they put in the papers. In reality Erik was standing on a pier waiting to board the large boat which would take him to a new, quieter life in America with no Ballerinas and no Sopranos and no Counts or Viscounts…a world of him and his Opera until death.
In reality Megan was sitting in a small room in a church, while her mother and a maid squeezed her into a wedding dress than under different conditions would have beautiful. Currently she felt it wasn't very pretty at all, and it just was a reminder than Erik didn't care for her enough.
She could tell herself all she wanted that him being alive was all she needed, but it wasn't the truth. She was miserable no matter what she said; all she wanted was for Erik to come save her from this nightmare like he would have saved Christine, a thought which rang loud and often through Megan's mind.
And with the Phantom dead—or so everyone thought—she and Raoul felt safe coming to see Little Meg finally married and maybe even enjoy the new Opera which would be opening soon. They might even decide to move back here in the end, as long as Christine was finally free from that horrible demon who had taken her mind and her soul.
It was a fact that should have made her happy, in the slightest. But all it did was point something out to her.
The fact of the matter was that she couldn't bring herself to stand Christine a moment longer. She had had the love of such a wonderful man as Erik. She would have to deal with women like Christine as it was and that was a thought that tormented her often, what would she say? What would she do? And now there was the likelihood she would have to deal with Christine as well. A constant reminder of just what Erik had loved more than Megan.
He hadn't loved Megan as he did Christine but still he had killed the man who would have raped her. Something that would always remind her that he had come close to loving her. He cared enough to see her virtue saved, he cared enough to save her from a fate almost worse than the one she now faced.
No one had ever done anything to protect Megan like that. It should have frightened her that he could kill so easily, not just that time, but he spoke of killing in India and he had killed—well he had nearly killed everyone in the Opera House when he sought Christine's love.
It didn't frighten her like it should though. She could understand and accept it even. Prior to him speaking of his childhood she had known something must have happened along those lines, and afterwards…she had fully understood.
It wasn't Erik that was killing. It was that the only people who had ever cared for him in the slightest had only cared for him when he killed. It was a frightening concept, but it was part of Erik and for that she accepted it, even if he didn't return her love.
She sighed heavily and the maid fussed at her for moving and stuck her with a pin. Madame Giry, in a fit of curses that were so unexpected they startled a laugh out of the younger Giry, the first in a very long time or so her mother thought. Though mothers were prone to worrying that their children weren't as happy as they should be, this worry was warranted.
The maid was ejected from the room nearly in tears and Madam Giry hugged her daughter so tightly Meg was afraid her back would break.
"I do not know how you can do this Megan, I would never be able to…" Her mother whispered softly, unable to finish her sentence.
"I am too stubborn not to now that I have decided it is what I will do. And I wonder where I got that from." The mother and daughter managed a soft laugh between the two of them.
Christine was probably out in the church or still in the hotel room she had her husband had rented. With a word or two Megan could have her in here, but that wouldn't do, though they had only been separated a year so much had changed between them that Christine probably didn't even realize.
Now when Meg thought of the woman who used to be her friend, all there was, was anger. That woman had turned down Erik, had hurt him time and time again, and she still had his heart! While Megan had tried everything to convince Erik that she would not hurt him and he still didn't care for her even a fraction of what he felt for Christine.
She didn't even know what she had, or she did know and didn't care. Either way the thought of it made Megan angry like she hadn't been in a long while.
"He will come." Madam Giry said, forcing a smile.
"Oh Maman…we both know he won't. With luck he's on the ship already and finally safe." Megan said, trying to swallow the sob that rose in her throat. She knew it wasn't true, but oh she wished with all her heart that he would come to rescue her, like he would rescue Christine if the girl was in Meg's position.
Madame Giry nodded and smoothed her hand through Megan's hair.
"Oh mon petite…" She whispered. "He doesn't deserve a woman like you." And with nothing else both women knew she meant Erik and not the baron. The baron didn't enter into it.
Across town Erik was waiting on the dock, just as Megan had predicted. He wore a heavy cloak had had his face covered, though of course his mask was firmly in place. He knew nothing of Megan's somber thoughts, nor of Christine being in the same city, let alone that she was there to celebrate in what was supposed to be a happy day for Megan.
He wouldn't have cared if he knew any of it though because his mind was busy with other things.
"The true mettle of a man is when he will give his life for nothing more than a woman's freedom."
Gaston had said it to Erik when he dropped him off at the dock. At the time Erik had hoped to ignore it, never truly understand the meaning, but it was one of the many thoughts that were running wild in his head now that he had no instrument to channel them through.
Thoughts that the whole city of Paris seemed to have forgotten his legacy overnight, calling him nothing more than a man, or even less than that. They talked of how he was nothing really to be frightened of, and wondered at how he had ruled the Opera House for so very long.
If they remembered that he had ruled at all, some even let those memories fade in the wake of the safety they felt with the knowledge that he was a man and nothing more, and even as a man they were certain he was dead and gone.
He wasn't sure how far from the truth it was to say that he was dead, for he had prayed for death so long…maybe he would finally be allowed to rest at last.
Just the same he wanted his legacy to live on forever. He had held the Opera House in the palm of his hand for so long; just because he was dead he didn't want those stories to fade or the true nature of his reign to be forgotten.
It was his ego that demanded that no one should be allowed to forget all that hard work. His life's work.
But the Baron has one. He is marrying Megan after all and you are fleeing with your tail between your legs. A voice that sounded disturbingly like Meg's reminded him.
What did it matter that Erik was running? Paris was no more his home than India had been really. All that mattered was that he had his privacy and his Opera right? The things that really mattered to him, after all he had moved often in his life and this time was no different than the others…right?
Certainly it was not the apartments beneath the Opera House he was so frustrated to lose. So then what, was it that drove him to pace so?
He was running, just like the Lerouxs had planned. He would be safe, as they, and Megan had wished. Everything was going as planned, and as he stood there thinking in the cold morning air mixed with the sting of the salt air, he realized—in part—what pestered him so about what was happening all around him.
Through all his life he had done for himself and he had taken care of himself. Through all the terror he had managed to rely on his own abilities where he lacked friends and family.
Even in obeying the Sultana he had followed his own will, and taken care of his own problems.
And now, suddenly, he was relying on others to tell him what needed to be done and what he would do and where he would go…he had relinquished the only thing he had managed to keep with him through his whole life.
He was relinquishing his ability to choose for himself what would happen to him and how he would do it.
"I will not live a future which is decided for me." He whispered, remembering the promise he had made to himself so long ago when he'd fled his mother's side and his birth-town.
It had been a promise he made to himself when no one else would give him anything. Wearing a mask, hiding his face, he could not maintain his pride and there was little he could truly give himself other than keeping his life, which he wasn't sure he wanted at times.
And though he had made that promise to himself and it was the only thing which had kept him sane at times, here he was, giving that up and running away as he was told to do by someone else.
If he was going to run—which at this point would be best—it would be on his terms. And the first of his terms was that he would not allow another woman to be lost to some pompous fop.
He was the Phantom of the Opera and all of Paris would learn his name. It would live long after he had died and hopefully until the end of time if he had his way. He wanted men to tremble at the mere mention of his name, and he would make that happen.
Nekkyou Hiryuu: I would love to see something by you--though I must admit as a fan shutterbox disappointed--but that's not to say you couldn't do it well. Just my own opinion. Anyway, I don't mind that it's been a while since you reviewed, it's been a while since I've updated, so I say we're even.
Alexis: Heh. Glad you like her, and I kind of meant to show her growing up, sort of becoming like Erik in some ways so interesting that you saw that similarity. And so many chapters so soon is because technically this one and the one before it should have been one, but now that I'm nearing the end, I don't want to lose this story, I love you guys and this so much//Tears/ so I'm drawing it out probably more than I need to but hey. I hope that doesn't annoy. I'm touched that mine is the only one you're still reading, though, always take a chance to plug the others, there are some really great Meg/Erik tales out there, probably a few better than mine.
Kyrene Once Blood Roses: I love it. You're not the only one who wants to know and so I feel all special that I know and you don't, which I'd like to point out NEVER happens to me. Though I suppose in this instance it's only because...well I wrote the story. Heh still. Actually I wrote this chapter and then realized you mentioned Christine in the review. In the book Meg and Christine didn't know each other at all, Singers and Dancers do not mix apparently, but I figured Madame Giry would meddle and have the two girls become friends, she has that kind of power. Just the same, I think your question was answered in the story.
Jen Summers: Yay! One of my most faithful reviewers. Ah a nice long review. You realize of course that I don't eat, it is long reviews like that which keep me alive. (Okay, not really but still they help.) Really? I saw the Baron as more...pompus and always jutting out his chest than fat, but hey, I love it more than you see him AT ALL let alone as fat--and BTW, I can see him as fat too, a bit like the Chef on Little Mermaid? right?--Oooh...You think Erik's hot when he's mad? You will LOVE the next chapter. I should put drool warnings up so I don't get sued for broken keyboards. As to Erik dead, remember? They paid the guard to say Erik was killed attempting to escape? Maybe I didn't draw enough attention to that scene, but it was there. Hmm, something for me to go back and edit. And it doesn't matter than my friends don't help, I have people like you. Though I did find some willing to listen to my ranting about a TV show fic I have in the works so hey it's a start. And yay for beating Raoul. Gawd I hate him. And ooh! I should leave it as a surprise but it is a scene dedicated to you so I can't wait: Raoul--he'll burst into sobs in the next chapter (unless I cut it in two but still him weeping is forthcoming).
sugarbomb53086 : Honestly what I saw with that scene you mentoned (or really scenes) was that...as people are more and more today, she realized that sometimes someone may be a killer but it isn't always their fault. Erik was trained by the Sultana that if he wanted attention he had to kill someone. Megan sees it that he just wants to be accepted so badly he'll do anything. He's that desperate for love. And if that doesn't float with you there's always other explinations you can find. I mean think about it, most serial killers get at least 10-15 preposals while on death row. Two of them were married during their trails...It's odd but some women like that. I don't think that's Meg's reason, but I'm just saying that sometimes people do odd things. But if it's really that frustrating do you have a better way for that to have gone? I'd love to hear it, really, I mean I post here so I can try to improve myself. Also, seriously? In one afternoon? Man that's like a feat to be mentioned. I'm impressed. I mean I take it as a huge compliment, HUGE. Ginormous even. BTW I don't think Ginormous is a real word but it is in my dictionary so...who knows maybe I missed when they made it a new word.
Rising Twilight, Mademoiselle Phantom, and Anime-Queen46: Thanks so very much for your kind words and reviews. They make me smile and they make me want to write faster, even if I don't want to see this story ever end.