Disclaimer: I do not own any of the POTO characters. They belong to Leroux, Kay and ALW, from whom I have borrowed in order to write my story. However, the plot and the characters of Léandre, Gaspard, Etienne, Pierrick, The gendarme Captain, and Dr. J. Morel are mine.
Epilogue
As soon as Erik and Christine crossed the Italian border he sought the nearest chapel so that they could be married. The local priest was more than willing to perform the ceremony for the sizeable donation Erik offered him. Christine wore a plain everyday dress on the day of her wedding. Erik also wore a simple suit. They kept their eyes turned to each other and held hands during the entire ceremony. After the priest asked Erik to kiss his bride he realized that shuffling would not suffice and coughed to separate them. The newlyweds would have wished to be accompanied by Madame, Meg and Nadir but felt the irrepressible need to be united in the sight of God as soon as possible. They continued on their way to Italy as man and wife. Their wedding night took place in a small roadside inn. They made love and Erik held her till dawn, unable to sleep in his happiness and tears.
When they arrived in Milan she was surprised that he knew a few people from his youth. They immediately remembered him and dubbed him "Il mascherato". He was able to procure work immediately as a mason and by word of mouth he was recommended to an architecture firm where he was able to secure work. The firm's owner, now a man of considerable years, was the same architect that designed the Palazzo di Siglo in the outskirts of Milan. Signore Facciolo was impressed with Erik's designs and immediately put him to work. The owner's failing health made him rely on Erik more and more over the next few months.
Erik bought a ruined house and began to renovate it in his spare time. As soon as part of it was livable the newlyweds moved in. The firm's workload tripled as more Milanese clamored for homes designed by Il mascherato. To help with the mounting work another young architect was hired. Cirillo was an orphan who like Erik was naturally talented and made it into architecture by the sweat of his brow. His small build was much more suited to the drawing board than to the mason's yard. Erik liked the shy young man and took him under his wing. Eventually Cirillo earned a visit to Erik's home. Cirillo was barely able to lift his eyes to look at Erik's wife and crossed but two words with Christine all night. He was invited again and was even invited to accompany them to the opera on occasion. Cirillo also became involved with the renovation at Erik's house and spent much of his spare time there.
Erik was finally able to tell Christine about his experience in the jail. He told her as much as his mind allowed him to remember. Of the entire experience he was grateful to be out of the grip of morphine. Although he never told her, on some days the drug called to him with its siren song, now sure of her love, he never answered. Christine didn't dare write directly to Madame Giry or the Chagny manor for fear her letters might fall into the wrong hands. Even though Erik told her about Léandre's death, she had built him up in her mind as an invincible monster and still feared him. They sent all correspondence to Nadir and he in turn distributed to both Madame Giry and Raoul. She had to dissuade Erik from sending a letter to the managers demanding his salary.
Six months after they arrived they sent for Lucette. She and Meg were ready and were able to leave immediately for Milan. She brought with her a special gift for Erik. During her packing Lucette had found the flowery mask she had made for Erik long ago and presented him with it. This was not a happy memory for him but not wishing to hurt her feelings he accepted it and quickly put it away. When he went to throw out the source of his embarrassment Christine insisted they keep it. It was put away with her cherished keepsakes.
On her arrival to Milan Meg created quite a sensation in their circle with her blond curls and lithe figure. She was introduced to Cirillo and the young architect was instantly smitten with the French ballerina. The shy young man found the courage to court her with a passion Meg was unused to. She was easily persuaded to pay attention to this insistent suitor. Although she found him plain, too well read and shy for her taste, his ardor finally won her over. It was a shock to Christine when she found Meg studying Italian so that she could understand her suitor. Since Cirillo believed the entire city to be after his ballerina, he openly declared his love for her earlier than his natural shyness would normally have allowed. Thus Cirillo was able to secure the irascible French ballerina for himself. As soon as he dared to, he approached Erik as head of the family. A time was set up for him to ask Lucette for Meg's hand in Marriage. For her part Lucette was more than happy to have Meg marry still untouched, a small miracle her mother believed.
Nadir handed a letter and a package to Raoul. The vicomte's questioning eyes were met with a shrug of the Persian's shoulders. Raoul liked this quiet foreigner. He was the only link he had left to Christine since Madame Giry had proved to be worse than a stone and had now disappeared. He always invited the Persian in for tea but the man continually refused. He imagined Erik's friend would have felt disloyal to him had he broken bread with the vicomte. When Raoul opened the package it contained a hand made chess set. The pieces were made of white and black Italian marble with the King and Queen's crowns in gold leaf. The board was burled oak just like the one Erik had made in his lair. There was no note with it.
At Erik's request Nadir put an ad in the Epoqué announcing Erik's death. It shocked and worried Raoul for Christine's sake and he contacted Nadir. Nadir admitted that it had been a ruse to trick the French authorities into closing the case against the Opera Ghost. This led Raoul to believe they must still be nearby. Raoul had to be sure and sent Christine a letter, as always, via Nadir. Christine's answer returned to him also via Nadir.
Dear Raoul,
I can see that you did not believe Nadir completely. No, Erik is not dead. Thank God!
That was a ruse Erik thought up to make the Paris gendarme close the case. For my part it should lessen my fear that your cousin Léandre might be chasing us.
Your friend Christine
It had not been easy for Raoul when Léandre's body was found floating in the Seine. The tell tale broken neck pointed to the Creature, but how? Obviously Erik had not told her what he had done and that Léandre was dead. Raoul would not mention his suspicions to her, lest he believed her to be in danger. Doing do he knew would lead to his being totally cut off from her by Erik. All he could so was to continue his correspondence with her through the Persian.
Dear Raoul,
We are well. As soon as we could we got married. It was the happiest day of my life but it was also sad because none of our friends were there. I wish you the happiness I feel.
Erik made the chess set we sent you. It is his way of saying, thank you. Erik says he suggests some chess classes.
Your friend, Christine
Raoul was surprised that he still harbored hopes, however deep, that his Lotte would come to her senses and return to him. Every single hope was dashed now. Soon after he went to have tea in Christine's favorite café and met a lovely young lady. He saw her several times and found her to be charming and well spoken. Like Christine, she was not of his class but of course that did not wane his interest. She was an only child and her father was a guard at the jail where Erik had been imprisoned.
Two years later
Nadir wrote to Erik that he was ready to make his move to Milan. The only reason he had originally moved to Paris was to be in proximity to Erik. Mainly due to Erik's past activities the Persian felt it was his lifelong obligation to follow the masked genius. He needed to assure himself that his old friend was keeping out of trouble. In Milan, like in Paris, he would be able to skim the papers for local unsolved strangulation cases.
Christine penned a new letter to her childhood friend. Nadir also received a letter from Erik telling him an apartment had been secured and rented in the Persian's name. The letter also shared their good news with him.
Dear Raoul,
I am expecting a child. When Nadir leaves for Milan, will you come too? We would like for you and Meg to be the Godparents. Erik says that if you have been practicing he is willing to play with you. I suppose he means chess. Congratulations on your engagement. Your fiancé is more than welcome to accompany you. We have finished the renovation of our home so that there is room for you, your fiancé and her escort. I sorely miss my oldest friend.
Your friend, Christine
With Christine lost to him forever Raoul had plunged into his new relationship with Marie. He had found her to be sweet and loved her sense of humor. Her many charms were not lost to him but she was always well chaperoned. Her father guarded her like gold which made Raoul want her more. He was not in love but he was sure that given time Marie would mold his heart to love her.
In the company of Nadir, Raoul arrived with his new fiancé and to everyone's surprise she turned out to be Gaspard's daughter, Marie. Her father travels with them to chaperone. Gaspard quakes when he sees Erik. He had not expected to ever see the demon from the cellars again. Gaspard decided to make the best of it and secure his daughters health and perhaps his own life.
"Master, Master I am here at last!"
"Oh God" Erik groaned. Falling to his knees before Erik the old guard cried, "I will call you that if you prefer Master" Everyone was shocked to see Gaspard's reaction to Erik. As soon as they were alone, Erik questioned him as to why he had lied about his daughter being a child. "I did not lie to you Master; she is a mere child of 17".
Erik pulled out his new Italian silver chess set and he and Raoul finally sat down to their long awaited rematch. Raoul played aggressively and checked Erik frequently. The match lasted past everyone else's bedtime. At some point during their long game Erik told Raoul the details about his escape, Gaspard's involvement and assumed responsibility for Léandre's death. Listened but made no comment. It seemed as if Raoul had been practicing and was about to beat Erik at last, when the masked man yawned and said "I need to go to bed…big project tomorrow". In one move he check mated the vicomte, stretched his legs and walked toward his bedroom. Raoul sat at the little game table alone. He was pale with a deep furrow growing between his eyes, realizing Erik had toyed with him all night.
Christine missed singing in the Opera House. When they had guests like now, Erik would play the piano and she would sing. She had also become quite the story teller, and used her acting skills to embellish her stories. One night she read the story of Persephone and Hades to their enthralled guests. Gaspard took this story as a further message of Erik's true nature. Although annoyed by Gaspard, Erik could not help amusing himself by throwing his voice when the older man was alone in a corridor.
It came as a total surprise to everyone was when Erik was soon after approached by another suitor, his boss Signore Facciolo. After the return of his health the elderly gentleman decided to leave his firm in Erik's capable hands and dedicate himself to pursuing Lucette. He had been secretly courting Lucette and was thoroughly besotted by her. Everyone had been so busy with Christine's nursery preparations and Meg and Cirillo's wedding preparations that the frequent visits by Signore Facciolo as well as Lucette's extended visits to the market had gone unnoticed. A romance had blossomed between the two and Paolo Facciolo intended to end his days in the arms of his own French ballerina.
Leaning against a tree Erik held Christine between his legs so she could rest on him. His hands were spread across her swollen belly. They sat on a blanket facing their house; his mask lay on the blanket.
"We didn't make love last night Erik" she said looking up at him.
"I know my love; it is just that I am so afraid to hurt you or the baby"
"Look Monsieur I have two more months to go so…" Christine surprised herself. When had she become so demanding?
"I will come up with something. I can't imagine two month without…being with you either" he laughed.
"Then be creative!"
He laughed at that and rubbed her belly again. His eyes widened suddenly. "He kicked me did you feel that"
"What do you think Erik?" she shook her head.
"Oh…well…that was amazing! It is churning around in there" To Erik this was one more miracle that Christine had pulled.
"Are you sure you don't have two in there? You look so big?" He stared at her belly in wonderment?
She glared at him. Her beloved was still as tactless as ever.
"The doctor said there was only one heartbeat"
"You look so big"
She sighed and made herself comfortable again.
"Do you not like the way I look then?"
"You are the most alluring woman I have ever known. I could never live without you my love."
She loved what a little prompting would do with him. He rubbed her belly again and kissed her neck. Warm sensations rippled through her body.
"Darling do you miss performing in the Opera House?" Erik asked.
"I think about it every so often. I was there almost all my life"
"I wouldn't mind if you wanted to try your hand in the Opera House here"
"Thank you my love but for now I have enough being the very pregnant wife of Milan's premier architect" she smiled up at him.
"But..."
"No but…don't put more on my plate than I can eat in one sitting" she laughed.
"I just would not want you to feel deprived or bored"
"Erik, I am pregnant, we are renovating this house, my best friend is getting married, we have several guests living with us and you are afraid I might be bored?" She added the words he really wanted to hear. "I could never be bored with you my angel"
He smiled and leaned back against the tree. It had become a routine for Christine to have to reassure Erik at least once every day that that she loved him. His contented sighs and self-satisfied smiles made the little effort worth while. The few times she had missed his clues for reassurance his temper had prevailed, blowing past them like a storm. Many red roses always followed there outbursts.
"Did you come up with a solution to our predicament?" She gave him a coquettish look.
"Not yet dear"
"Then don't do that…you know what your kisses do to me" she placed a tiny peck on his chin.
Erik smiled and kissed her neck again "The same thing your touches do to me" He stretched forward to capture her lips, the tip of his tongue begging entrance.
"Erik we have a houseful of people they could see us"
"I know that is why I replanted those bushed there" He pointed to a row of bushes partially obscuring their vision of their home. He leaned her back on to the blanket.
"Erik?"
"I have an idea that might just work" he whispered in her ear.
"Oh" she blushed.
A/N: Erik had been right (as always) Christine had twins, a boy and a girl! Thank you for reading this story. I have enjoyed writing it tremendously. Thank you to all my reviewers you motivated me right to the end.
My new story Black
Despair is already up.
