I'm so sorry about the delay – I am sure you all know how hectic the first few weeks of school can be. I fear this chapter was also difficult for me to write simply because of the major plot movement. So, do forgive the hash that it is.

Stellalorelai: Lorelai? Yay Gilmore Girls! Glad to see you from LJ. Thank you so much for the review and I hope you countinue.

VictorianDream: I love your summary of this chapter the best. I wish I could have incorporated it's blatentness earlier! P I am so grateful for your continued support!

Lady kathrin: a thousand 'thank you's!

Phruity: if this chapter is not well liked, I am completely holding you responsible. You and your peer-pressuring self. Love, dah-ling!

Nabira: I certainly hope this was worth your wait! 33

M'selle de Paris: I loooooved both of your reviews – seriously, I pray they don't stop! I love my cyber halfmasks and roses, truly, they make for wonderful decorations. They certainly match my virtual sticky notes…which you really can download from some post-it website…not even joking! Please countinue reviewing!

This story is officially being watched by 12 people. Personally, I'm excited.

Anyways! Just for you six reviewers: Chapter 9.

XXXXXX

The last independent sensation I had was the slight idea that I was being followed. However, my mind was quickly come over by something painfully beautiful. It was a song that was much more then a series of notes forming a melody, but instead a collection of emotions: despair, loneliness, longing.

An unexplainable sensation overcame me, I heard nothing but the voice, and saw nothing that was in front of me. It was as if a million thoughts flooded my mind, but all led back to the voice. I saw moments with my sisters as a child; I saw my Father's death, my sister's funeral, my first day working for the de Chagny's… I saw Raoul's proposal, the intimate wedding, flashes of Italy… With every image I felt the emotions of the scene in front of me, but all was overshadowed by this…possession.

The sound had made my head throb, I felt like I was to waste away…but when it stopped, oh! I thought death was before me, as if I could never be sane again. Though, when I looked at the face…not even the face! The masked face of a man that was not a past memory I do believe I saw my literal death coming momentarily.

I flailed in his arms, catching myself before I hit the ground on my face, scraping my palms on the stone ground.

Crumpled on my knees, I panicked. For the first time in my life I was completely without a thought of logic. I was afraid to speak – he would know I was foreign. Would he perhaps then see a window of opportunity? The perfect advantage. Who was this man? My God! He had been stalking me, surely. A part of the crowd when we had arrived to Paris? Perhaps I was seen as an opportunity to get money…was I taken for ransom? But, no! I was only walking through a park, I could have been anybody from behind… It was then that I decided this man could not know who I truly was, and I would not let him know.

I could hear the masked kidnapper breathing heavily, though I dare not raise my head and look behind. I felt every small movement would very likely be one of my last. I heard his footsteps, backing up – my God! – was he turning away?

I looked up and saw that to my right was a door. Between the door and the floor was a soft amount of light that I knew surely had to be emitted from the street lamps just past the door. Knowing I had only one opportunity, I picked up my skirts and quickly ran to the door, throwing myself at the knob.

Inside was a mirage of two sets of candles, completely symmetrical on either side of the displayed coffin. Any sanity I had maintained fled my being at that moment, I absolutely shrieked and stumbled back. My death surely awaited me.

In only a few moments, I had gone from being completely dumbstruck, to held against the wall, his hands threatening to crush my neck.

He did not yell, scream, or rage. Though, I rather he had done so. His tone instead was much more terrifying then any amount or fury could have induced.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice was strained. His eyes pressed right through me. I lost all of who I had once been – I became a terrified twit who could hardly speak English, more or less French.

"Please, Monseiur, please, do not hurt me!" I felt the hot tears rolling down my face, my entire body quivering.

His eyes flashed the rage his voice lacked. I could not look at them without my fear being doubled and fought to keep my face down. Refusing me this, he cupped my face in his hands and forced me to look at him straight.

"Who are you?"

I would let him win…to a degree:

"Adelaide Burnett."

He stood back and scanned me from head to toe and back again. I could not breath. I prepared myself for the worst. A cruel torturous death, perhaps? Or was I now to be his property?

To my surprise, he stepped back in a newly adopted cold confidence. Perhaps my appearance satisfied him, I thought morbidly. However, when he was not physically threatening me, my arrogant demeanor began to resurface.

"What are your intentions?"

"To find my pupil through your assistance."

I pressed harder against the wall upon hearing his cryptic answer. The look in his eye had not changed. They still held all the passions of the world.

My captor had shown me into a room and had informed me it was now mine, and

closed it behind me as I stumbled in, blindly.

Two, long, taper candles stood on the left side of the bed, providing only a breath of illumination in the large room. I feared everything in that room…I could not even make out where the room ended to the right. I knew not waited for me, quite literally, in the wings.

Curiosity overtook me, I knew I could not continue to fear the unknown. Not touching anything, I walked cautiously as far as the light allowed me. Squinting, I was able to make out a large wardrobe, with one door slightly off it's hinge and cracked opened. With the tip of my shoe, I pushed back the door until a dull knock told me it had hit a wall.

After seeing the contents, I drew back in absolute terror, as if fabric could harm me. Inside must have been over fifteen elaborate dresses. I backed up further and further until I hit the only door in the room. Sinking down on the ground, I drew my knees to my chest and tried to silence by cries by biting my hand.

It all made sense to me at that moment. A masked man who worked by night, alone and underground. A large, grand bed, and costumes befitting a Queen. It was not ransom…or random…it was for his pleasure. An obviously repeated offense.

I understood now that this was to be my torture chamber.

I began to silently search for something on the door to protect me. My hands ran into a large metal knob which further up led to a series of slabs. I deadbolted the door to the best of my ability and fell onto the ground again.

After what had to have been hours, I fell asleep on the floor, only to dream about what was in store for me.