Wow this chapter is long, sorry
Well I hope you all enjoy.
France
Christine looked about the foundations for the opera house. It had been a year sense Eric left. Christine wondered why Eric picked such an odd spot for the opera house she shrugged he underground lake must have something to do with the sound or something she guessed.
"Don't try and guess what Eric's plan was for the building." Her uncle said placing his hand on her shoulder. "I think my head will explode if I try." She laughed.
"Do you miss Raoul?" the preacher asked. "Yeah, but I'm fine I met a new friend Meg. She and her mother just moved here." William kissed her forehead. "Uncle? Meg said her mother is going to be the ballet instructor, if I start training now I could perform." The man smiled "wouldn't you rather sing?" Christine nodded "But, my Angel of Music has not come. I cannot sing without him."
Down the street at Megs house
"Oh Christine come in! You must be frozen." A woman said. "Thank you Madame Giry, It is rather cold" Christine said removing her shawl. "Megan your friend is here." The woman said pointing her voice up the stairs.
The girls greeted each other and went into the kitchen for tea. "Madame, I would like to ask you about the ballet." Christine said praying she could join. "We would love to have you Christine. What does your uncle say?" Christine shrugged "He thinks I should sing and I'd like to, but I shouldn't, not right now at least." Madame Giry nodded and told the girl that they would love to have her.
"Have you talked to Raoul lately?" Meg asked sipping some tea. Christine shook he head "He is off at sea I don't know when his term will be over."
"You like him don't you Christine?" Meg said with a smile, oh how she loved gossip and drama. Christine shrugged as her mind went to Eric. "I don't know, we have been best friends all of our lives." Meg laughed, "Oh Christine he is so dashing and handsome how could you not love him?"
Three years later
Persia
Eric sat in the cage, so many years of this dreaded place. Eric closed his eyes humming a song; oh how he missed his music the Shahs music was tearing him apart at the shallowness and lack of any skill whatsoever.
Eric lay against the bars singing softly to himself.
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
So dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung
No wine untasted
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed
The dream I dreamed
(Anne Hathaway I Dreamed a Dream)
Eric's mind traveled to France. Almost every memory there was painful he felt the chill of the dark basement, the harsh words of his mother and the neglect. But with all of that Eric missed it. He had his music, his designs, and Christine. "Pull yourself together Eric." He growled to himself "You have only met her once you probably didn't even mean anything to her."
He was brought out of his day dream when the guards drug who Eric recognized as the Shah's Master Mason. They brought the man down the hall past Eric and into another room that gave Eric the chills. He herd laughing from the guards and screaming from the Mason and then, silence.
"What did he do?" Eric asked the guards as they came out of the room. "The man did not please the Shah with his works." One of the men answered. Eric's heart stopped for a moment, this shah was messed up.
"What was he working on?" the guards were surprised at the young man's sudden interest in something. "A home for his mother." Eric rested his hand on his chin thinking of any way he could turn in his plans to the shah without losing his life in the process.
"I would like to design the Shahs mothers' home." Eric announced. The men laughed at Eric's request "you seem to underestimate me sirs, I was in fact a well-known mason in France." Eric lied. Within an hour the men came back with pens and papers and what the shah wanted.
Eric looked at the details the shah left they were hard and expensive; Eric was also able to get the original masons plans. He looked at the original blue prints they were beautiful but designed for a place like Rome or France, Not out in the desert. Eric sketched out his elaborate details. Within three weeks it was complete, a masterpiece.
"You are going to lose your head Eric" Nadir warned. "Well then Daroga, I'll just have to rely on you and your charming skills to get the shah to listen to me." Eric mocked
"Did I request your presence?" The shah squeaked when Eric and the daroga walked into his room.
"Your mighty kingship" Eric said proudly the words seemed to taste bitter in his mouth. "I had gotten the assumption that you needed a new Master Mason, I have taken priority into designing a home for your mother when she comes and visits." Eric said handing the rolls of paper to the shah, "You can kill me if you are not pleased but I beg you to just look at It." the shah looked at each paper in awe. "Congratulations Master Mason you will start work immediately." Eric glowed and gave a small elegant bow thanking the shah.
"Oh Nadir, please show our mason to his new home the one where the other mason lived." The daroga nodded his head and walked out of the room followed by Eric.
Nadir opened the castle door Eric paused feeling light headed, "I can't go out among the people without may mask." Nadir smiled "I have already thought of that." He pulled a white half mask out of his bag. Eric grinned and placed it on his face. Eric felt somewhat whole, his hair had finally grown so it covered his normally bald head. It was still terribly thin but when he looked into his reflection in the glass mirror like doors of the castle he was almost handsome. Smiling he followed Nadir.
Eric sat at the edge of his bed in his new home. It was a three bedroom house with a kitchen, dining room, and a huge living room. The daroga had delivered a piano to him also. Eric had felt the bed sheets gripping them in his hands the closest thing he had ever had for a bed was blankets on a wooden frame.
Eric removed his boots, shocks and shirt. And crawled into the thin sheets closing his eyes, his life was starting to fall together.
Morning came; Eric woke up to the sun peering through the curtains, and a pounding on his bedroom door. "Eric get up!" Eric growled at the voice. "Leave me Daroga." Eric covered his head with his sheets. The door opened. Reaching his hand on the side table Eric grabbed a water glass and threw it towards Nadir barley missing him. "Dam you Eric; you are actually acting like a normal person."
Chuckling the young masked man sat up, "What do you want Daroga?" the man looked down at the broken water glass on the floor. "Well the shah wants to meet with you before you start construction. He asked me to bring you immediately." Eric searched through his drawers and pulled out a clean shirt. "Why do you refuse to wear the Persian robs Eric? They would be much more comfortable than the normal French attire." Eric asked watching Eric put on his boots. "Because my cloths complement my mask quite well." Eric replied sarcastically.
The two me approached the Shah both bowing politely. "Ah Master Mason, now that you are a free man of Persia you need to take the steps to be a respected man. "The shah clapped "Bring them in!"
A line of beautiful Persian women came in. "I, I can't your majesty." Eric mumbled lowering his masked head. A heavy sting lay across Eric's back he felt blood run down his back.
"Now mason" the Shah squawked getting angry "These are the most beautiful women in the entire city, choose one for your wife!" Eric wrung his hands nervously. "If you don't choose mason you can kill each one of these maidens, now make your choice."
Eric tried to think of a different alternative but the shah was serious. "I'd like to know a little about each one, sir."
The shah nodded and pointed to the fist girl. "Aaminah, a great house wife beautiful and wonderful when it comes to making you comfortable.
Benazir, a splendid artist and amazing cook
Mia, would make a wonderful mother and wife she is very submissive.
Rajja… I have nothing to say about her."
Eric was still shaking He looked at Rajja she had a spunk, that's for sure. He could only see he eyes through the vail but the dark eyes had a spark of life that the others didn't have.
The shah finished announcing the girls and looked at Eric who was still wringing his hands. Eric didn't want to choose. He wanted to be married but not, now not here, and not by force and fear. "Rajja" Eric said his rich voice shaking. "Congratulations, marry them Nadir."
"Oh God Nadir what am I going to do?" Eric cried pacing the porch "Well she is beautiful, take her she is no more than the bed you two will sleep in."
"What!? No Nadir." The man shrugged and Eric was getting more stressed. "Women here are no more than slaves Eric, if you disappoint the Shah he will not think twice about killing her and possibly you." Eric sat down before he collapsed. "I can't treat a woman like that! She is beautiful, and innocent she is not my slave!" Nadir turned around to leave, "You will figure something out I'm sure." He said before leaving.
Eric closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening the door to the bedroom.
The girl sat in the bed covered by the sheets smiling and patting beside her. Eric fell against the door frame "I can't do this" he thought.
"I, umm I'm going to go sleep in the other room." He mumbled turning around to leave.
"Do I not please you master?" a soft sad voice cried.
"Master? Oh God I'm a dead man."
Please don't send the mob after me for adding another girl in his life.
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