A/N: Ok, now you really have to read the book to understand some parts of this chapter. Just so you know, the Daroga, or the Persian, was the person who really helped Raoul down to the dungeons when Christine was kidnapped, in the book. But just for this story: Persian Erik's old friend, Madame Giry Woman who helped Raoul, I hope this helps you, if you're still confused, just e-mail me, or leave questions in the reviews...
Otherwise, I hope you like this chapter... with the arrival of this new character, some really surprising things are going to happen... you're not going to believe what I've got coming for you! Well, I mean... you can try to guess, hehehehe, wait, that laugh is too innocent for you all... WHUAHAHAHA! WAIT IMPATIENTLY FOR THE NEXT SCANDAL! MUAHAHAHAHA!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Phantom of the Opera, or any of it's character.
The curtains in the de Chagny's room were drawn, but no light attempted to penetrate through them. Christine lay softly, somewhere between dreams and consciousness, in the dead silence of night. She had gone to bed early, so desperate to rid her mind of every fear she was beginning to feel, but now, as she slowly stirred, those horrors were soon to be magnified.
As she turned over in her waking, reaching out for Raoul, she quickly came to realize that the bed was empty. The imprints of his former presence there marked the sheets. She put her hand on them... the imprinted mattress was not warm, he must have left long ago. She quickly sat up in a panicked state, and hurried to find her lovely white day dress. When she had fallen to sleep, he was by her side, insisting that he would not let her sleep alone... but where was he now? Was he forced or did he leave with intention?
Never in her life did she dress so apace, not caring about the smaller details. Raoul, she thought, and she could just picture him, tied to that awful portcullis, under the evil hands of the Phantom of the Opera once more. She hurried out of her room, and down the corridor. Not a sound was to be heard, for everyone in the Opera would be asleep at this time. The stillness of the halls disturbed her deeply as she passed through the maze of backstage passages, and into the main rotunda, lit only by the few candles set there to give off light in the case of an emergency. She knew she was being foolish, running around aimlessly, looking for him when she hadn't the slightest clue where he would be. This place is awful, she thought to herself, and she knew she should never have come.
Who was the one person she could count on? Not many had helped her in her life... and Raoul wasn't an option right now... as he was the one person she was determined to find. Without wasting another moment, she scurried through another darkened tunnel, stopping before the ballet dormitories. She could feel the blood rushing to her face, as she panted for breath. Such exercise was not the norm for this wealthy young countess. With a gentle fist, she knocked, and waited.
Young Meg Giry opened the door, rubbing her eyes, and yawning.
"Christine, what's wrong?" She asked in the softest voice, she appeared so very tired, her beautiful blue eyes were bloodshot, and her golden hair was a mass of tangles.
"Meg" Christine whispered urgently, "It is Raoul, I cannot find him, I'm so worried. He said he would not leave my side! He told me he would not let me sleep alone! And now I cannot find him!"
"Calm down Christine" Meg said, "Perhaps he did not go far, perhaps he is somewhere close." the young ballerina tried to hush her friend, but by the look on the former Opera singer's face, she would not be succeeding any time soon.
"You must help me Meg" Christine begged desperately, "I must find him."
Meg sighed, "What is it that you would like me to do Christine? If he is gone, surely there is no way I can help."
"You must!" Christine pleaded, her hands held out before her as if she were praying. Meg frowned, and mumbled something incoherently.
"All right! all right, I will help you" she finally said, and stepped out into the hallway. She wore nothing but her lovely white night gown, which was probably a bit more revealing than she would have liked, but then again, she had no plans of walking around the Opera this late at night. Her mother would have killed her if she caught her in that gown, which was little more than lingerie.
"What could have happened to him?" Christine muttered.
Meg shook her head, "I know what is going through your head Christine, you think that thePhantom has him, don't you?"
"How can I not? After all that's happened?"
"Christine... listen to me, I've told you already, Erik no longer pursues you or your husband. He has found his happiness, it would not be wise for you to go down there, you could ruin everything. Kristen Verlaine... remember? she loves him! He loves her too, and they may have reason to be married soon."
"I still find that hard to believe" Christine whispered.
Meg sighed, "Whatever... Christine, It's too late, or too early for this nonsense. I know that if I leave you... you will just go down there on your own, and end up dead, or injured, or something. I'll take you! But you must promise me one thing Christine"
"What?" she asked.
"You will allow me to search his dungeons alone. Kristen has given me permission to intrude, but I don't want Erik to see you!"
"Don't you think that the Phantom would have already seen me?" she asked.
"Christine... if Erik had seen you, you would know it by now. Let's go" She grabbed Christine by the wrist, and began to pull her towards the chapel.
...(Shift Scene)...
Back in the comfort of the beautiful swan bed, Kristen rested beside Erik, her arm around his abdomen, her head resting on his chest. Somewhere deep down, in the depths of her disturbing nature, she wanted to remain in that coffin with him before. It was in no way uncomfortable, lying on top of him like that, but truthfully, there was no room for what had come next.
She had persisted with her inexorable customs, fighting with him, arguing that shewanted to be in there, trying to convince him that she might actually like the strange and twisted objects in that domain, but he didn't buy into that for a second. He lifted the lid and carried her struggling form out of the room, and into the next. Only did she agree to being forced out when she realized certain items of clothing were about to be discarded.
She completely gave into him, incapable of resisting such allurement. It didn't matter where they made love, it only mattered that they did. As she held onto him, the memory could not escape her. The memory of feeling such rapture, such climatic ecstasy. This second time was far greater than the first, in both the emotional and physical. If this was the way they were to end every conflict, big or small, she would welcome warmly a severely troubled relationship. The things he made her feel were too wonderful for words.
She lightly sighed, her eyes closed, her body so close to his. "I still think it would have been possible in... there" she said to him, her voice just riddled with satisfaction. She looked up into his eyes, and pulled herself up so she was at eye level with him, "I know I reacted... rather frightened, but I'm not frightened, not anymore." She told him, as she traced his distorted features with her thumb. "It's such a shame you lack creativity though," She joked, her smile revealing slight sarcasm.
"I? Lack creativity?" he looked back at her, "How..."
"Wait!" Kristen snapped up, her eyes wide and her right ear towards the doorway. "Do you hear that?" She asked.
"No..." he replied, "I don't."
She quickly jumped out of bed and threw on her night gown, "I hear the water..."
"Of course... there is a lake you know..." he said, thinking maybe she was on her way to insanity.
"No" She said, "Don't be ridiculous Erik, I mean, I hear something out there."
Erik left the bed with haste, and rapidly fastened his robe around him, retrieved his mask and advanced towards the light of the main lair, "I should have taken care to make this place more presentable." He put the mask to his distorted face.
"What's going on?" She asked, following him.
"You won't be hungry any more." He told her, "I've taken care of our lack of provisions."
She frowned in confusion. It wasn't until she saw the boat drifting towards them that she knew what he was rambling on about. A guest? "Erik?" she looked to him. This was certainly unexpected.
Erik walked to the shore of the lair, and greeted this strange man. Kristen watched, who was he? With his dark grey hat and cloak, he was virtually indistinguishable.
"Last time Erik! I will come here no more! I mean it! I hate this place!" Erik offered the strange man a hand out of the boat, but the man did not take it. He simply stumbled out on his own, and looked up at the Phantom, revealing his dark skin, and rather annoyed facial expression. "I came here only because you were once kind enough to spare my life, but I will not return! I am going back to Persia in a few weeks! GOD, I hate this place!" He looked around, scanning the lair with amazement. "And I never expected you would stoop to such poor housekeeping."
"Nadir, there is someone I want you to meet." Erik said.
Nadir, the Daroga, looked up to the beautiful young woman who stood beside Erik, and he fell very silent.
"This is Kristen Verlaine" Erik said, "Kristen, I want you to meet Nadir, an old friend of mine."
"You sick bastard" Nadir spat, "Is this your latest victim? Perhaps I should flee now and spare being once more locked in a basement full of gun powder!"
"She is not my prisoner, you fool," Erik sneered, "I warn you to wisely choose your words, you stand on thin ice here."
"Gun powder?" Kristen asked, looking to Erik. Just whathad happened that night?
"Miss Verlaine, I..." Nadir stopped halfway in his advance towards her, once he saw her face, that is. Instantaneously he noticed the burn scars, he almost accused Erik of marring her aloud, but decided it would be best to keep that denouncement silent.
Kristen frowned, another stare? "I was burned in a fire" She stated, rather defensively.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss..." Nadir turned to Erik, then looked back at Kristen, "You live here?" he queried, with a look of pure disbelief on his Persian features.
"Yes" She said. Whoever this man was, she was beginning to feel slightly annoyed at his presence there. "Is that sodifficult to accept?"
"Mademoiselle, if you only knew..." He said. Erik seemed to scorn in silence at the man, as he watched him go to the boat and retrieve several large packages, bringing them to the shore of the darkly realm. Perhaps he shouldn't have invited this friend, but there was no other option, and he was not going to risk venturing out into public. He knew he was more than capable of remaining unseen, but why roam amongst such hateful beings?... humans... and their ignorance. This was a far better plan, to be sure.
"I don't know what your problem is..." Kristen began, her eyes burned, and her voice was that of anger, "And I..."
"Enough" Erik said gently, taking her hand into his and coaxing her to be silent. She sighed with mild frustration, and temporarily accepted. Why argue with a man she didn't know any way? He would gethis when they were next alone. "Nadir, I assure you I take no more prisoners. In fact..." he turned to Kristen, slightly smiled, but then he paused. Completely aware that he did not finish that sentence, he turned back to the Persian "Nadir, I thank you for this, you have been exceedingly helpful.
"Any my pay?" the Daroga requested. He looked as if his skin were crawling, totally disgusted with the thought of being back under the Populaire again.
Kristen's fists were clenching together tightly. She hated it when he chose to be vague... and most of all she hated secrets. In fact... IN FACT? She could feel her blood boiling, this was truly thwarting. When this... Nadir left, she would not be afraid to let emotions flow.
Erik tossed the man a red velvet sack, coins clanking within. Nadir caught the sack, and opened it, as if checking for counterfeits. He looked up at the Phantom,
"I'm sure that is enough to get you to Persia, and lodge you for more than a few years..." Erik said. Nadir nodded,
"Quite" he replied, "I will be on my way now." He gave one more look of repugnance towards the cavern, before turning his back on it all, and proceeding to the boat.
Kristen looked up at Erik, and as he looked back at her, he could see the fire in her eyes. She looked angry... what on earth for?
"Er..." Just as she was about to address him about this... she was silenced by the creaking noise of an opening door. Immediately she turned her head to face the mirror passage, and watched as young Meg came through the doorway. Kristen suddenly smiled,
"MEG!" she said happily, and hurried over to her friend, "I told you to visit, why did you delay?" Erik watched her, and lifted a brow. So mad at first, and then so happy? Nadir whipped around, then gave Erik the most bothered glance,
"How many women do you have frequenting this place?"
Erik covered his eyes with a hand, "For crying out loud, I expected your brain to be better developed than this."
Kristen looked over her shoulder, then at Meg, "Listen, I think you've come at a bad time" She said.
Meg looked up at her, "Kristen, this is more serious than you think. I am not just here to visit you, I must speak with you in private." She said. The young ballerina peered passed Kristen. "Who is that?" she asked curiously.
"Go, we'll go to your dormitory, we'll talk on the way, we should not stay here." Kristen said. "Erik, I am going to accompany Meg for a while,"
Erik nodded and watched the two leave.
"She is certainly beautiful," the Daroga stated, looking once more into the sack of gold coins. Erik frowned,
"Which one?" he asked suspiciously. Nadir looked up to this Phantom with wide eyes. He hadn't realized that a comment like that could be taken in that sort of bad way,
"Oh, by no means did I mean to imply anything... you know I would never come between you and... Is she your wife?" Nadir asked. Erik sighed,
"No, she is not my wife... though she may as well be" He muttered. Nadir looked at him sceptically,
"She willingly lives down here? with you?"
Erik nearly seized the man by the throat. Just moments ago he was brought from such a terrible state to such bliss by the very woman whom Nadir questioned... now thisfriend of his was bringing back old feelings... old emotions... the past, which he so longed to forget.
"Why must you ask these things, you feeble-minded man!" Suddenly it became a struggle not to kill this man where he stood. He hadn't felt the urge to kill in so long... he could not! He could not kill this man! His mind battled a bloody war over this, he eventually came to a consensus with himself, the Daroga would live.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry," Nadir said, "If it makes you feel any better, both women were rather charming, but how can you trust so many others, down here? Are you not worried that word will get out that you still live? I saw the newspaper Erik, that was quite the article... you certainly succeed in tricking the public."
"Meg, she is the daughter of Madame Giry... And it is not I who wants her here... I find her rather irritating, but Kristen admires the girl, I cannot restrain from her the friendship of others. She is not my prisoner, she knows this is her home as much as it is mine... she is allowed to have visitors."
Nadir stood astonished. Erik? A caring man? Yeah right!
"Well, I'm surprised. The woman has managed to change you, Erik." Nadir, even after having accepted this news, was still in disbelief. He remembered Erik's obsession with Christine Daae, how could he move on so quickly? He cursed himself for having such care towards others, because now he worried that Erik was using the lovely Kristen as a rebound for his tragedy with the young opera diva.
"Is there something wrong?" Erik asked, he saw the look in the Daroga's eyes, the man was definitely uneasy. Nadir quickly pulled from his mind the first lie he could think of,
"It is just this place again, Erik, I hate the underground, and if you do not mind, I think I shall make my way back to the surface. I have much planning ahead of me concerning my return to Persia."
"Are you not worried? I was under the impression you had some rather strong feelings about that place, since the death of your family..." Erik said. He remembered hearing that Nadir's whole family had been taken out in a nasty brawl amongst armed men, his wife and children, but then again, the news was passed to him from a journalist whom he had been spying on in the streets, he could not know if the story was completely accurate.
Nadir cast a solemn glance to the stone floor, "I cannot run from the past. Persia is my home, no matter what."
"I am truly sorry for your loss." Erik said. He knew what it was like... to have everything you love taken from you, to love someone and fear their death. Kristen's near death situations were what seemed to bring them closer together, but never was he more afraid than the day he kneeled at Kristen's bedside, and prayed for her to live.
"I cannot stay here a moment longer" The Daroga stated. He had to leave, before he became too choked up. "I thank you for your... mercy." He voiced, "Some of the things I said should have been silenced. I hope that things work out for you and Kristen, she is truly a beautiful lady if ever I have seen one. Goodbye Erik," he said, climbing into the boat.
Erik watched, and nodded, "Take care, Nadir."
...(shift scene)...
Kristen passed through the tunnel with Meg, through the labyrinth of unfriendly tunnels, until making it to the top of the final stair case. She frowned as she was met face to face with Christine de Chagny,
"Meg, what is she doing here?" Kristen enquired startled.
