Hello readers! So in this chapter there is a LOT of dialogue between Belle and her brother Lukas. I wanted to keep with my theme of them speaking in exclusively German so I put in translations for those of you who do not speak it. I am semi fluent in German, but am very rusty at it. I had to cheat and use some of my old books and google translate (Hides behind Erik and his sword) please don't hate me! Side note: This will be my last chapter until 2/Aug. I have a final on that day and I need need NEED the time to study so I can do well. I may try and slip in a short chapter when my brain his engineering saturation levels and is a pool of jell-o. Looking to the future; I will be starting another story! It will be a POTO fictional story, but with an unusual twist. Those who are interested in a preview, feel free to message me. All I will say is that the Confederacy comes to Paris. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I remain your obedient servant,

~The Southern Rose~

The last thing I wanted to do was interrupt Erik's work on the opera. I awoke one morning to his silk tenor voice singing a beautiful aria filled with love and desire for one of the characters in the opera. I slipped on my robe and quietly crept into the living area where he sat at his piano. I wrapped my arms around his chest and leaned in to kiss his neck when he jolted up right, threw me back and began to swear.
"Who DARES TO…" he flung himself from the bench as his eyes met mine. They soon softened from their enraged state to the man I had fallen in love with. "Mon amour… I am so sorry… I thought you were someone else…" His arms wrapped me in warmth as I was pulled into his chest. I melted like butter in the summer heat to his body.
"I've missed this…" I pressed my forehead into his chest. "Maybe it is best I leave you alone for a while so you can focus…" His hands lifted my chin to his as his lips softly graced my forehead.
"I think that would be best mon Cherie. I promise once I finish we will be together." His hand run through my messy hair and gently guides me to his lips. His kiss is soft, sweet, comforting; just what I needed. It feels like years pass before he pulls away. "Go spend some time with Lukas. After everything that's happened, you two could use some catching up." Just what I was thinking honestly, I haven't had much time to be with the last of my family. I nod my head in agreement and pull him in for one last kiss before I go to change. I run myself a hot bath and try to soak away the worry and anxiety while reading my father's favorite book; a tale of King Arthur and Lady Guinevere. Father loved a good adventure; and adding a little romance never hurt anyone, especially Mother and Father. My thoughts drifted back to them; it was Lukas's 5th birthday when Father gave him is old violin. The opera house he was working with at the time was granting Father a new one and they were going to throw it away. His smile was never brighter than the day he got that violin. I drain the now lukewarm water and dry myself, then wrap the towel around me and head to the closet for my only dress. The skirt was ripped from my knee down, but that was no matter. Today I would take Lukas shopping with me, spend some money for once instead of paying off debts. As I leave I can hear Erik mumbling to himself, about what I'm not quite sure, but I know better than to ask. I take the land route back to the opera house, which is ghostly empty. I guess everyone is taking advantage of having a week or so to themselves without being deathly sick.
"Lukas! Wo bist du?" (Where are you?) I call out. The musician's dorms are small, for many of them are married and have families that live in Paris. I walk in to see only 10 beds scattered about, two of them next to the wall where a candle sits in the window sill overlooking one cot. Next to it is an empty cot with bottles strewn about and many of them were empty. God please don't let it be true…
"Belle! Was is miene Lieblingssweister bis heute?" (What is my favorite sister up to today?) I could hardly tell what he was saying; his words slurred like nothing I've ever heard from him. When he emerged from the bathroom; he was a sight to say the least. His brown hair was an un-kept mess and I don't think he has showered or changed in days. I could smell his stench from across the room, and even had to cover my nose to keep the putrid filth from making me gag.
"Was zum Teufel hast do getan? Du siehst aus wie Vater nach einer Nacht bei Foss's!" (What the hell are you doing? You look like Father after a night at Foss's!" I scold him harshly. He was a pitiful state to say the least. He tries to cross the room, but lands flat of his face in his cot and begins to laugh wildly. I roll my eyes and help him to a sitting position on the cot.
"Jetzt sehe ich, warum Vater sich zu trinken gewandt hat! Ich fühle nichts!" (Now I see why Father started to drink! I don't feel a thing) he gave a hiccup that could curl wallpaper. I took him by the shirt front and dragged him to the bathroom and threw him in the shower and blasted him with cold water. He howled and swore but I was not in the mood for his whining.
"Du wirst dort bleiben, dis du nüchtern bist! Dann und NUR dann bringen ich dir einen Kaffee." (You will stay there until you sober up! Then and ONLY then will I bring you some coffee.) I shook my head and walked to the kitchen to brew both of us a pot. He needed a shower anyway… Those were mother's words when she would bring home father blindly drunk and several francs poorer. She would throw him into a cold tub of water, clothes and all until he could bring himself to 'act right in front of the children.' Lukas and Conner were oblivious to what Mother was doing, I on the other hand wasn't. She would look at me as I was starting breakfast for everyone, sigh and come kiss my forehead. 'We must pray that he comes out of this, until then we must try to show him the way.' While I waited for the kettle to whistle is tune I prayed, prayed for God to give me the strength to help him out of this insanity, to give me strength to go through with the opera, and to give Erik the peace he needs to finish it. A kitchen may not be a bench or the quiet closet of the priest, but I believe that God hears a prayer wherever you happen to be. The kettle begins to whistle, my signal to stand. I brew the coffee as strong as I can before carrying it out. I no longer hear the shower running and I walk into the dorm to see Lukas in a fresh set of clothes laying on his bed. "Ich sehe, du haben ein weing beruhigt?" (I see you have sobered up a little?) he rolled to his side and groaned, then grabbed a pot and began to vomit. The irony in all of this was pitiful. I set the coffee aside as I wiped his mouth with a nearby rag.
"Ich fühle mich furchtbar…" (I feel terrible)
"Ja, kein Scherz Durch das Aussehen der Dinge haben Sie mehr als Ihren fairen Anteil an Getränken gehabt." (Yeah no kidding. By the looks of things, you've had more than your fair share of drinks.) I hand him a cup of coffee and help him sit up. He sips the bitterly strong liquid and leans against the wall, his eyes gazing over to the empty cot. I pour myself a cup and let it's warm, bitter taste distract my mind. We sit in the silence of the morning, no one making a sound as we empty the pot of coffee.
"Können wir sie besuchen?" (Can we go visit them?) Lukas finally manages through his now 4th cup of coffee.
"Natürlich können wir." (Of course we can) He gives his smile all he can muster as he groans and rises from his cot. He helps me return the pot and cups to the kitchen and we set out for the cemetery. The sun is high and bright, much to Lukas's drunken dismay. Before we arrive we stop at a flower shop, a rose for Mother, a lily for Father and baby's breath for Conner. I take Lukas by the hand and guide him to their graves.
"Du siehst aus wie Mutter…" (You look like Mother…) I squeeze his hand as we stop at her headstone first. Lukas set the rose on her stone and whispered a soft prayer for her. I left to talk to Mother while I moved to Father's headstone.
"Hi Papa… I'm sorry it's been so long since my last visit. Things have been rather busy here. Lukas and I have jobs at the Opera Garner, can you believe it? Lukas plays your violin in the orchestra, and I'm a stagehand, well not anymore. They have moved me into the ballet corps. Even Conner was playing in the orchestra, but I guess he's talking up a storm now with you and Mother. Look at this Papa" I extend my left hand out to his headstone, like I was showing him "I am engaged now. He's the Phantom of the Opera, the very same who burned the opera house. Now I know you must think him a monster but Erik's very kind and sweet deep down. He protects me like no other, like you would with Mother… God knows how much I miss all of you…" I feel a hand on my shoulder. Lukas is staring at my left hand, at the ring that graces my finger.
"Wann bist du verlobt?!" (When did you get engaged?!) I smiled and told him everything about Erik, how he loved me, how he saved me from Foss, how he proposed even. "Hast du ihm von dem Baby erzählt?" (Does he know about…the baby…?) I nodded my head and smiled.
"Ja! Und es hat mir egal!" (Yes! And he didn't care!) Lukas's eyes were wide, nearly popping out of his head. He squeezed me tightly in his arms as we placed the baby's breath on Conner's headstone. "Ich hatte gehofft, er wäre der Ringträger…" (I was hoping he would be the ring bearer) For the first time since we moved to the opera house, Lukas's eyes lit up as he threw his arms around me and squeezed me tight.
"Es tut mir so leid, dass ich trinke ... und ich bin so glücklich, dass meine Schwester heiratet ... zum ersten Mal schauen sie mal auf ... sind sie nicht Belle?" (I'm so sorry I was drinking... and I'm so happy my sister is getting married... for the first time things are look up... aren't they Belle?) I nodded my head as we both sat together like we one did, together like a family.
"Gehen wir einkaufen! Wie Mutter würde es tun, wenn wir jung waren." (Let's go shopping! Like mother would do when we were young.) Every Sunday after church we would go exploring the city life. It was the only time we would venture near the markets. Lukas and I would marvel at all the people, shopkeepers, and Papa would take me to the bookshop while Mother took Lukas and then Conner to the bakery for a pastry.
"Solange ich ein Himbeer- und Schokoladengebäck bekomme!" (As long as I get a raspberry and chocolate pastry!) Both of us begin to laugh, he never could resist raspberry and chocolate, especially when they were mixed together. He takes me by the hand and leads me into town, or rather drags me to the nearest bakery that serves raspberry and chocolate pastries. I too indulge myself in the small delight, the first piece of sweet dessert I have had since the first night on the streets. It felt good to indulge in life's little pleasures; Lukas didn't even mind when I asked him to come with me dress shopping, he even picked out several for me to wear now that I'm no longer moving sets. By the time the sun had set I had more dresses than I could imagine; all 5 of them were different colors, my favorites being the lavender one Lukas chose and the deep blue one that reminded me of Mother's Sunday best, I even had one I could work in without worry or restriction. I couldn't wait to show them to Erik. Lukas and I dined out at a café not too far from the opera house, even Madame de Chagny and her husband graced the little café with their illustrious presence. The whole place was in an uproar over the diva's appearance, people scrambled to her side for autographs and even began to chant for her to sing. Her eyes somehow found mine in the crowed café and began to let her angelic voice soar through the air, the whole crowd hushing in a single moment. That was my queue to grab Lukas and leave. "Aber Belle, ich habe ihr Stimme genossen!" (But Belle, I was enjoying her sinning!) I refused to answer him and continued to pull him away by his shirt sleeve. "Was ist los mit dir? Warum magst du sie nicht? Belle bitte!" (What's going on? Why don't you like her? Belle Please!) I turn around to him, the moon slowly rising into the Paris sky.
"Diese Frau ist nicht das, was sie sieht. Ihre Fassade kann die vielen locken, aber ihr Herz ist so kalt wie Winter und genauso leblos." (That woman is not what she sees. Her facade may entice the many, but her heart is as cold as winter and just as lifeless.) His grey eyes were wide with shock. As we walked back to the opera house I explained everything to him. We entered the dorm, a couple of men already asleep. He couldn't believe it, how that beautiful woman could be so cold and cruel. I bit him not to worry, that everything will turn out in the end. He kissed me goodnight and I sprinted back to Erik's home. The land bridge pathway was dark, darker than any moonless night I spent in Paris. I somehow managed to change into the lavender dress on my walk when Erik's beautiful music began to soar through the deafening silence. His voice was like fine silk gliding over soft skin. The song was one of beauty and seduction, the voice pined for the affections of a young woman. Soon his voice softly faded away and left the music to bid whomever hear it dance. I run faster and faster to the music. I slide to a stop at the entrance to his living room; I love watching him work. The music soon came to a close, leaving both composer and listener breathless.
"Oh Erik…" He turns around, a wide grin on his face.
"Don't we look lovely… mon amoureaux…" I blush hard at his statement. "That piece was just for us. I took the song I wrote the first night we met and turned it into a beautiful lullaby. It will do wonders for your range and your dancing…"
"Erik it sounded beautiful…"
"Not quite as beautiful as you mon ange, nothing shall compare to you…" He picks up a thick, leather bound book and hands it to me. I open the cover, the title of the opera not yet written.
"No title?"
"Not yet, I was hoping to have your help in naming it." He kisses my hand softly and takes the bags from my arms. "You will have to show me these later."
"What's the story line?"
"The full story is this; Two sister, Trinity and Anastasia, attend the opening gala of the newly built Opera Garner, where they plan to debut their newest tenor. During the gala Christian performs the solo piece from the opera that will start rehearsal soon. Everyone falls in love with the tenor and his voice, especially Trinity and Anastasia. He sees them both and greets them both, only to have Trinity push Anastasia aside and sing her heart out to him. He falls in love with her voice and by the end of the night, which will turn into a duet, and promises to call on her in the morning. When he does, Anastasia answers the door and bids him in. He is taken with her simple beauty, unlike the pomp of her elder sister. They too begin to sing together, and he falls in love with Anastasia. He begs her to meet him in the garden after supper that night, so they can be alone after he spends the day at their chateau. After dinner they sneak off to the garden, where she shows him how well she can dance, and they dance together as the beautiful lullaby plays. He bids her goodnight and comes back often to visit the two sisters, but can only have one. He chooses Anastasia, and they are wed on stage where Trinity tries to take her place in the wedding. But after Anastasia's voice rings out through the church, Christian knows he is being lied to and kills Trinity, leaving the two lovers to marry. How is that for an opera mon amour?" I can already see how it will pan out on stage.
"Erik it is nothing short of a masterpiece!" His lips grinned like a sly cat as he gave a dramatic bow.
"I knew you would like it…" he takes my hand and guides me back to the piano. "Now what to call it; a masterpiece such at this cannot go unnamed." We both ponder for what seemed like an eternity.
"Look with your heart. How does that sound for a title?" Erik's eyes light up as he quickly kisses my cheek and neatly scrolls it on the parchment.
"Any brighter and you would be a star in the sky mon amour." He sets the finished work on the piano and takes my hand. "I have missed you all day mon ange, and I see you have been shopping. Why don't you show me the new dresses you bought in town?" I nearly giggled at his invitation and drag him to the bedroom. I change into the dark green dress first and with it comes a small applause. "This one will look lovely in church on Sundays, and even more lovely on our Sunday evening strolls." It was rather plane, similar to the tan dress I had, but the fabric had a faint pattern to it and the extra fabric around my elbows dressed it up nicely. "Do tell me you have something in red…" I could almost see his grin through the screen.
"Don't worry mon amoureaux, I made sure to take special care in selecting a red dress…" I let the loose, short sleeves fall to the middle of my upper arm as I tighten the corset of the dress. Erik's jaw dropped as I came round the corner of the screen. The dress was a deep scarlet, nearly matching his bedsheets. The corset gave my body more of an hourglass figure and lifted my chest just enough. The skirt came to my bare feet, which was the least full of the other dresses I had purchased. Erik nearly fell out of bed trying to get a better look, making me laugh as I changed into the work dress I found. It was the most simple of them all; a white blouse with a blue overlay, blue skirt and a simple apron tied around it. The skirt came to my shin, and was perfect for moving about and moving sets. Now I moved to the last dress I bought, which was strange to me to be buying things for ME and not my brothers or for the family. The blue dress also had a corset, giving me that long envied hourglass figure. The sleeves stopped at my elbow and had thin fabric hanging from my elbows that were tied with a ribbon. The skirt was fuller than I was used to, but according to the store clerk, was the normal sized skirt for Paris women.
"This one…is by far my favorite… you are simply breathtaking Belle…" he pushes the covers aside and comes behind me, making us face the one mirror. His hands wrap around my waist as I am pulled into his body.
"Never let me go…" my plea is soft and quiet, like the flicker of a candle.
"You have my word…" his lips graze against my neck, the one thing that makes my whole body melt on command. I can feel his fingers loosen my corset; his hands guiding the dress from my body. "I love you mon amour… toujours et à jamais…" he whispers on my skin as he leads me to bed.