Author's Note: Well, as promised, here is another chapter of the story. I again apologize for the lateness of my updates. Hopefully after my ship gets out of dry dock I will be able to update more often. Also, as I had mentioned before, I will be getting internet access for my home computer sometime this week or next week so I will be able to update the story from my barracks room as well as at work.
Please don't forget to submit a review. I really enjoy reading all of the reviews that are submitted for both of my stories; regardless of weather they are good or bad. I did get a review yesterday that was a bad review, but held a lot of constructive criticism for the story, which I like to read. I do admit, this story is a little far fetched in the plot line, but I feel as though it works well in the story so I am going to be sticking with it. Enjoy the next chapter!
By the way, I pulled Erik's last name from The Phantom of Manhattan by Frederick Forsyth. I also got the spelling of Carlotta's last name from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera Companion.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Trial
"Don't worry cheri. I know what I am doing."
Erik's soothing words echoed in Christine's mind as she took her seat in the courtroom. She knew that if things went wrong and Erik was found guilty, he would be hanged and she would never see him again. That was the last thing that she wanted. Christine loved Erik with all her heart and wanted to be with him. She couldn't bear to see him die.
"All rise."
A door in the far side of the room opened and the judge walked in. Christine slowly rose from her seat and watched him take his seat at the bench. "Please be seated," he said, striking his gavel on the podium.
She sat down, Anne and Elizabeth at her side. "Don't worry Christine. Everything will be fine," Anne said, patting Christine's hand.
"This court shall now come to order. All those having business before the court, speak now, and you shall be heard."
The judge looked around. "I understand that this is a very high profile trial. I must insist that everyone keeps their head about them during these proceedings."
He then looked over to Erik, who had chosen to represent himself. "Monsieur…Monsieur…I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your last name."
"Muhlheim, sir. Erik Muhlheim."
"I see. Very well then. Erik Muhlheim, you are charged with the murder of Vicomte Raoul de Changy. How do you plead?"
"He's guilty!" a member in the crowd shouted out, met with much approval from the rest of the townspeople who had gathered in the small courtroom.
"Order! Order!" the judge, Monsieur Frederic shouted, banging his gavel.
The crowd quieted down enough for Erik to give him his plea. "Guilty, your honor."
"Monsieur, you do understand that by pleading guilty you can be hanged from the gallows in front of all of Paris?"
Erik nodded. "I do sir."
Christine looked around nervously. She was afraid for Erik's life.
"Normally, I don't do this type of thing, but I am going to allow witnesses in this trial, regardless of what Monsieur Muhlheim had entered in as his plea. Monsieur De Page, you may call your first witness."
A tall, skinny man stood up next to the prosecutors table. He had dark brown hair, than hung down to his shoulders and was tied back at the nape of his neck. He wore a crisp blue jacket and black pants. "I shall call the Vicomtesse Christine de Changy your honor."
She looked up at the witness box. It seemed to be miles away. "Vicomtesse? Vicomtesse?" a voice broke through her fog. Monsieur De Page was calling her name.
"Oh, please excuse me."
Christine stood up and made her way over to the witness box. She stopped just short of it and turned to face a young man holding up a bible. "Vicomtesse, please place your right hand on the book and raise your left hand."
Taking a deep breath, she gently placed a hand on the book and raised her other hand and looked him in the eye.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
She nodded. "I do."
"Very good Madame. Please be seated."
Christine turned around slowly, trying to catch Erik's eye as she turned. He looked at her for a moment and smiled. Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in, Christine took her seat and folded her hands in her lap.
"Madame, please state your full name and title for the record."
"Vicomtesse Christine Marie de Changy," she said softly.
"Thank you Madame."
Judge Frederic looked at Monsieur De Page. "Monsieur, whenever you are ready."
"Thank you, your honor. Madame, how long have you known the accused?" Monsieur De Page asked Christine, standing up from his chair.
"For about a year now, I believe. He started tutoring me a few months before my debut in Hannibal," she replied.
"I see, and in that year, have you ever known Monsieur Muhlheim to commit murder?"
"No Monsieur, I haven't."
"Then you never heard of the murders of Joseph Buquet or Ubaldo Piangi?"
"Yes I have…"
"And do you know who committed those murders Vicomtesse?"
She shook her head.
"Why it was Monsieur Muhlheim! The self-proclaimed Phantom of the Opera! You mean to tell me Madame, that you did not know that he had killed those two men?"
"No Monsieur, I did not," Christine replied calmly.
Monsieur De Page looked at her and then back down at his papers. "Madame, please tell us what led up to the events of the night in question."
Christine took a deep breath. She looked quickly to Erik, who nodded in encouragement and then began her story.
"The Vicomte and I had been having difficulties in our marriage. Things weren't right and I was unhappy, but I didn't know how to tell Raoul. One day, we got into a terrible argument and he ended up storming out of the estate and I collapsed from both shock and stress. When I awoke, I found myself with Monsieur Muhlheim in his home. I told him what had transpired between the Vicomte and I and he told me that I could stay in his home as long as I wanted. I didn't want to go back to the estate just yet so I decided to stay with him for a couple of days. A few days later, the Vicomte discovered where I was staying and insisted that I return to the mansion with him. I refused, and eventually, both Raoul and Monsieur Muhlheim came to an agreement."
"Which was?"
"I was to stay with Monsieur Muhlheim and visit with the Vicomte once a month for a year. After a year, I had to decide who I was going to be with, weather I stayed with the Vicomte and work out the problems in our marriage or if I decided to be with Erik. It was also decided that I would begin performing in the Opera Populaire again. The day after the agreement was made I auditioned for the lead in Hannibal again. I won the lead after Signora Carlotta Giudicelli stepped down from the position of lead soprano. She told me that she did it because she had lost the will to sing after Piangi had died."
"My first performance in the opera house again was a success, but my wonderful night was overshadowed by Raoul."
"How so Madame?" Monsieur De Page asked.
"He was in my dressing room when I returned after the performance. He wanted me to accompany him for dinner, but I politely refused, telling him that I did not wish to go to dinner with him and that I didn't want to see him until it was time for his monthly visit. A few days went by and the time came for the Vicomte's visit. He told me that our destination was a surprise and that I couldn't know where we were going. I ended up falling asleep on the carriage ride. When I awoke, we were about five miles outside of Paris at the De Changy summer estate. Raoul proceeded to tell me that we were going to live there and I was never going back to the Opera Populaire again. He forbade me to sing and told me not to mention Erik's name in his presence again. He also would not let me out of the house without his presence. I felt like a prisoner. That afternoon, I wrote a letter to Erik and had my maid, Elizabeth, deliver it to him under the guise that she was going to the opera house to retrieve some of my gowns."
"The next few hours seemed like pure torture. I confined myself to my room, refusing to see Raoul. I had to know if Erik would come rescue me. Then, after what seemed like days, Elizabeth finally returned. She told me that Erik was outside trying to find a way into the estate without Raoul finding out. Suddenly, we heard a commotion out in the hallway. Elizabeth opened the door and discovered that both Erik and Raoul were fighting. We stood there for what seemed like forever. Then, they stood toe to toe and a few seconds later, Raoul fell to the floor. All of us thought that he was dead. Erik and I escaped back to the opera house. We thought that it was over. But once Erik and I returned to my dressing room, we discovered that Raoul was very much alive, and thirsty for blood."
Christine paused a moment, and took a deep breath.
"Please continue when you're ready Madame," Monsieur De Page said.
"There was an argument. Then Raoul drew his sword and…" she trailed off.
"What happened after the Vicomte drew his sword Vicomtesse?"
"I…I… Such anger came over me and I just snapped. I was tired of the way Raoul was treating me, like I was just some possession. I…" Christine trailed off again.
Erik looked at Christine, fear in his eyes. 'She's going to do it! No Christine! Don't do it!' he thought.
"Vicomtesse, what happened?"
"I drew Erik's sword from its sheath and plunged it into Raoul's heart."
Christine broke down in tears as shocked gasps rang out around the courtroom.
"Order! Order!" Judge Frederic shouted above the din of voices.
"Vicomtesse, are you confessing to the murder of your husband?" Monsieur De Page asked.
She nodded. "Yes, I am. Erik didn't kill Raoul. I did!"
Okay, I know, I know. First Erik confessed to save Christine, and now Christine is confessing to the murder that she actually did commit to save Erik's life. What will happen next? Stay tuned to find out!
I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please submit a review telling me so. If you didn't, please submit a review telling me what I can improve on. I won't take offence if you send me a negative review. There is always room for improvement in a story.
Many thanks go out to my loyal readers for sticking with me while I didn't update for like three weeks. Thank you again for being so patient with me. Now that I have a new laptop, I will try to update more often. Like I said before, I am planning getting internet access after I get paid so after I do that, I should be able to update from my barracks room. Thanks again to all my readers and reviewers! Without you, I would not have made it this far in the story.
I remain your obedient author,
Phantomfan1911