Hey everyone, not much to say except R&R and enjoy the chapter….. I don't own Erik or anyone else but my own characters!
The next morning Christine awoke to notice Erik still fast asleep beneath the sheets. The night before had been such heartache to him, but at least he was alive and with her once more. She was now Countess and she had to face the fact that Erik was her count. She couldn't tell him, not while he was still upset about the events that took place the day before. She wasn't sure what the Countess had done to him but sooner or later she was going find out. He needed healing and the best way to do it was to get his emotions out on the table. After dressing for the day, a knock came at the door, and Christine rushed to open it before another knock occurred and woke Erik up. Once she opened the door, she noticed that Clorinda was standing there. Christine let her enter, and placed a finger to her lips to motion her to be quiet.
"Be quiet sweetie." whispered Christine as she took a seat at her vanity.
"Why? Is everything alright?" asked Clorinda ever so softly.
"Your father is sleeping and it's best to let him get his rest after what happened yesterday." she replied as she began to brush her hair.
Clorinda walked over to her mother and sat beside her on the vanity bench.
"Mother, when are we going home? I hate it here and want to see Madam Giry and Petri again."
"We can't go home sweetie, this is our home now. I'm countess and I must stay and you must as well."
"But what about our family? Petri and Kasdon! What about Aunt Meg and uncle Marcos? What about them mother? I miss Nadir and Alex I miss everyone."
"We must stay here sweetie and some day you'll be countess after me."
It was at that moment Clorinda began to cry and stormed out of the room. Christine knew that tonight was her welcoming ceremony and things were already going bad between her and her daughter. She could only imagine how Erik was going to feel when he awoke. After brushing her hair and putting on her makeup Christine walked over to the side of the bed where Erik was sleeping and covered him up so that he wouldn't catch a chill. She gracefully ran her slender fingers through his blonde strands and smiled at how handsome he looked as he slept. Never had she ever seen him sleeping so peacefully and couldn't help but sigh at her angel. Usually when she slept she would awake during the middle of the night to see him standing at a window or sitting at the piano. It was a change to actually watch her angel sleep so peacefully because even when he was asleep nightmares would take away it's peacefulness. She knew that when he awoke he would be looking for his mask, something that was left behind at the cottage that was so far away. His mask was something that was so common to find in any trunk so walked over to the wardrobe and opened it to find him something to wear over his face. She hated when he covered his deformity but to him the mask was like a security blanket and that was something that she simply had to understand. She knew that if she didn't find him a mask he was going to put makeup all over his face causing more infection to show on his sensitive flesh. As she rummaged through a bunch of Raoul's old clothing and a few dresses Christine found what she was looking for. At the bottom of the wardrobe there sat a few masquerade costumes and a half of a faced white mask just like the one Erik always wore. Just as she was placing the mask on the night table she saw the sheets on the bed moving around letting her know that Erik was awaking. She watched as he gingerly opened his eyes and pushed himself upward on the pillows so that he could sit up and look around at his surroundings. As he did, he ached in pain as his injured arm pressed up against the mattress. Christine was at his side in a flash gently touching his injured arm as if trying to make all the pain go away.
"I'll be ok Christine."
"Your arm, you should have it in a sling."
"I'll be fine I said." replied Erik as he pulled his arm gently from out of Christine's grasp. Christine knew that sometimes it was best to leave Erik alone and do as he asks so that his temper doesn't come out at full blast. After sitting back down at her vanity she watched in the mirror as Erik rose to his feet and stumbled to the window to glare upon the sky. She watched as he closed his eyes after seeing his reflection in the glass of the window immediately turning away and placing the white mask over his face before turning back and opening his eyes. Christine sighed and took out a small white cloth from one of the drawers of the vanity and made it into a sling to put around Erik's injured arm. Once she approached him and placed the sling over his head and placed his arm in it ever so gently watching Erik turn to her with such seriousness.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you a few moments ago. I'm just……just so angry with myself that sometimes I feel like ending my life. How Christine? How could one love such a monster like me?"
"Because Erik I care about you with all my heart and I would do anything for you. Without you I would be lost and that is why I couldn't handle not having you in my life. You're my angel of music and the inspiration to my voice. Let me sing for you my angel, perhaps that would make the light brighter within your soul."
"No Christine, we mustn't sing we must leave this place at once."
"No Erik, I can't leave here."
"Why? You're free now so we should go back to Paris, our home."
Christine couldn't figure out how to tell her angel of music that she wasn't leaving and that he had to stay with her for the sake of being the Count.
"Erik I can't leave with you and you can't leave either."
Erik gave Christine a dirty look and turned away from her with such anger building up in his soul.
"Why? Why Christine? These people aren't your friends they are the enemy and almost killed me! Haven't you thought of that! Why? Why is it that we must stay?"
"Calm down Erik, you scare me when you're angry like this."
"I'm mad at you Christine! Mad at you that you would want to live in a palace that belongs to the viscount! A palace where a horrible woman once lived!"
Christine's anger was building up from inside her soul that she couldn't take his back talking anymore and for the first time in her life she stood up to him.
"Look Erik it isn't my choice it's what God wants and he wants me to be the Countess! Why else would he have taken Raoul's mother away! We're not going anywhere and we're staying here! I have had enough of you controlling my life and telling me what to do! You can't leave anyway because you're the Count! Its about time you start letting me make some decisions in this relationship instead of you taking control of it like some king. If you want to rule then help me do it by staying with me and being the Count."
Erik rushed over to the wardrobe and began to violently tear the clothes from out of it and throwing on an old blue jacket and tearing away his white mask before grabbing Christine and forcing her to look into his face.
"Do I look like him Christine? Do I look like your beloved Viscount? No? I could always put on his pants or maybe his sword then maybe I would look like him! I'm not a Count Christine! Stay here and it'll be my death! We'll never live in peace because we'll constantly have people coming to the palace wanting to kill me! Look at me Christine! No one but you accepts me for who I am and no one ever will! Don't do this to me!"
Christine broke away from Erik's grasp, and looked up at her beautiful angel of music. How madly in love she was the man before her.
"I am looking at you Erik, and do you know what I see?"
"What? A hideous monster?"
Christine smiled, and removed Raoul's old jacket from off of him and straightened the collar of his crisp white shirt.
"No, I see a nose, two eyes a mouth and strands of blonde hair."
"Yes and what is your point?"
"You're a human just like me and a handsome one at that."
"No Raoul was handsome, I'm the complete opposite."
Christine placed her hand over Erik's and placed it over her chest.
"What do you feel Erik?"
"Your heart."
Christine nodded, and then placed his hand over his chest and asked the same question.
"What do you feel my love?"
"My heart."
"We may look different on the outside but on the inside we're both the same. People just can't see that because they judge for what's on the outside instead of what's on the inside."
Erik let his angel go and took a seat at the windowsill. As Christine tried to approach him, Erik yelled at her.
"Go away Christine! Just do as you wish, my love can't take you away from where you want to be. Just leave this monster be and do as you want."
Christine couldn't help but start to cry at what came out of Erik's mouth. It was like that night years and years ago when his sorrow let her go do as she wished. She hated bringing him such sorrow to get her own way but it's what she had to do. Deciding to leave him to sulk in solitude Christine walked out of the room to leave him be until the party that night.
Erik sat there at the windowsill all day long watching the sun move from one part of the sky to the other until it eventually began to set. He ignored Christine when she came back into the room to change for her ceremony. As she stood there in front of the mirror looking at herself in the pink gown she had dressed herself in Christine couldn't help but still notice the love of her life sitting at the windowsill.
"I was hoping you would join me tonight Erik."
Erik didn't answer her and kept staring out the window as if she wasn't there. Christine sighed and approached him gently touching his shoulders with her fingers. She kissed his neck trying to awake him from his angry spell but he shooed her away instead.
"Please Christine, just go and leave me be. Have fun at your acceptance ceremony."
"What's a party without my angel? Please come with me, I'd like a dance with you."
"No, just please leave me alone."
Christine sighed, and walked out of the room leaving Erik to continue sulking in solitude. Once she was down to the main room she had a seat on her throne with Clorinda sitting beside her dressed in a pink gown as well. The room was full of people dressed ever so elegantly as the band played light music.
"Mother, where's Daddy at? How come he's not here? If you're the Countess that would make him Count."
"Daddy's not feeling well tonight so I don't think he'll be here."
"I miss him mother, I miss him being at things with us."
"I know Clorinda so do I."
The band began to play a song that everyone seemed to join and dance to. Christine picked Clorinda up and began to dance with her playfully as everyone else danced as well. Seconds later, as Christine continued dancing with Clorinda she bumped into someone by accident and turned to apologize when she noticed that it was Erik who she had bumped into. He was wearing his mask and had the most handsomest suit on complete with a red cummerbund which set it off. He still had the sling on his arm but besides that he looked amazing. He even combed his blonde hair back making him look even more handsome than she had ever seen him as.
"Erik, you came."
"Yes how do I look?" asked Erik nervously.
"Dashing."
Christine saw a smirk appear on his face and took his hand as if wanting to dance with him.
"Would you dance with me Erik?"
Erik looked around and then shook his head.
"Not with all these people around. I'm…I'm too nervous."
"Oh come now Erik just pretend that it's just you and I in the room."
Christine guided him to a spot that wasn't so crowded and watched as he wrapped his arms around her hip and she did the same. As they danced ever so slowly the music drained from both their ears leaving just the two of them starring down at each other as they continued to dance.
"You're so beautiful Christine."
"Oh Erik I know that you think that. Why? What changed your mind to come tonight?"
"You stood up to me today and no one has ever done that. You're either very brave or very un afraid of me."
"How could I be afraid of my angel? I didn't mean to yell at you Erik but I hate when you don't come places with me. I want you to be my Count and I hope you accept my offer."
"Let's not talk about that right now my love let us enjoy the night. For in the morning I have a surprise for you that I think you'll enjoy."
Christine lied her head up against Erik's chest watching out for his slinged arm.
"You look very handsome tonight Angel."
"You don't have to say nice things to me just because you married me. I know what I am and saying nice things to me wont change that."
"Which is what?"
"I'm a monster Christine and sometimes I think you marrying me was a miracle."
At that moment Christine kissed him passionately and watched as his body became clay in her hands. He melted into her and once the kiss ended her smiling at him was enough to let his soul take flight.
"Would you like to take a walk with me angel?"
"Of course, lets just put Clorinda to bed first."
Erik kissed Christine's neck and took Clorinda by the hand.
"I'll put her to bed, you stay here and I'll return in a few minutes."
After walking away with Clorinda, Erik took her down the hallway to her room and placed a night gown over her head.
"Daddy."
"Yes Sweetheart?"
"Are you all better now?"
"All except for my arm, why?"
"Could we go swimming sometime? The summer is just about here."
Erik placed his daughter in bed and tucked her in.
"Perhaps my love, for now it's time to get your rest."
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Would you ever make me do something that I didn't want to do?"
"Of course not, why would you ask me something like that?"
"Can I tell you a secret?"
Erik nodded and leaned into Clorinda as she got to her knees to whisper in his ear.
"Mother says that I am to become the next Countess but I don't want to be."
Erik smiled and re-tucked his daughter back beneath the covers.
"What do you want to become then?"
"A musician like you daddy."
Erik smiled and kissed his daughter goodnight.
"You never have to ever do anything that you don't want to do my love. Now get some rest and hopefully in the morning we can spend sometime together."
After watching his little girl fall asleep, Erik exited the room and walked back to the party to find his beloved Christine. He looked all around the crowded ballroom but didn't see her anywhere. He then saw the door opened at the other side of the room and walked towards it in hopes of finding her. Once he was upon it he spotted his angel sitting on a white bench outside.
"I'm back my angel."
Christine did not turn to face him and stayed with her back towards him. Erik couldn't understand what was going on. One minute she was happily dancing with him and now he couldn't help but notice that she seemed upset.
"Something wrong my love?"
Christine turned to him and Erik knew that she was crying because of the tear marks on her cheek. She was holding a letter that was neatly written in black ink probably by a woman no doubt.
"Angel, what's wrong?"
Christine handed Erik the letter and he immediately held it up to the moon light to read it.
"My Dearest Christine,
You have been nothing to me but a second daughter and Erik the son I never had. I have not heard from either of you in weeks and have begun to think that something bad has happened., I surely hope not. I am sorry if this letter has not gotten to you fast enough because I have had trouble finding an address to send this to. Nadir told me to leave the letter with him promising me that he would find out where you resided. I hope this has gotten to you and now that you are reading this I must inform you on yet again another tragedy that has hurt our family. When you left us to travel back to Paris we all made it back to the remains of the Opera house that Andre has run. The war has left it nothing more than an empty shell giving us hardly any food or water to survive on. In fear of the Cholera disease that was spreading because of the living conditions I have sent Meg and Marco to live in Germany until the epidemic is over. Nadir and Alex are sticking around as doctors to help out with medical situations. I regret to inform you that the Cholera disease has claimed the lives of our dear Curtis and Petri's entire family. He and I are the only ones left and I can't keep the boy here under my care much longer. I hate the thought of sending him to an orphanage but what other choice do I have? I am an old woman who cannot care for herself let alone a 5 year old boy. If you get this letter please tell me that you and my sweet Erik are doing fine. I hope to hear from you soon and until then I wish you nothing but the best.
Your Friend
Madam Giry."
Erik put the letter down, and had a seat with his beloved Christine. How had this happened? He should have kept everyone together because if he had, Curtis wouldn't be dead and neither would be Petri's family.
"I'm sorry Christine, I would never wish something that terrible on someone."
"What are we going to do Erik? We can't leave Madam Giry and Petri over there in Paris while all this is going on. Even if we let her come stay here, Petri is going to be spending the rest of his days in an orphanage."
"I know Clorinda would be heart broken."
Erik thought for a moment and held his angel close to him.
"You are the Countess my love. You could always find him a good home. I'm sure that there are plenty of families that would love to have a son like Petri."
"You're right Erik, that's a great Idea and it's the least I could do for him. I'll send for them in the morning and I'll even ask Nadir and Alex to come along as well."
"No, it's better for Nadir and Alex to stay where they are. The people in Paris need them more than we do and besides it's best to keep them out of the palace until this epidemic is over and done with. The last thing we need it for the Cholera Disease to find it's way inside these walls."
Erik rose to his feet and began to walk away and seconds later Christine joined him interlacing her arm with his as they slowly waltzed down the dark hallway.
"Did I ever tell you that I love you Erik?"
"Still? Why on earth?"
"Because you're such a gentleman."
"Yes I'm sure I look very gentleman like with my injured wrist and mask over my hideous face."
Christine smiled, and walked with Erik to her room where he began to get undressed and into his pajamas. Afterwards, he lied down on the bed and placed his injured arm on a pillow so that it could relax the whole night while he slept. After placing a nightgown over her body, Christine climbed in bed as well and snuggled up against her angel's chest.
"This is my favorite part of the night Erik."
"What?"
"Lying in bed with you beside me."
"You'll be a good Countess I just know it Christine."
"Erik, would you do something for me?"
"Yes anything angel."
"Tell me what happened to you last night."
There was a long silence before Christine asked him once more.
"Angel please tell me what she did to you."
"I don't want to discuss it. I just want to go on like none of it ever happened. Can you do that for me?"
"No Erik because I need to know your pain. You haven't been the same since yesterday and I want to know what she did to you. I understand what you're going through."
Erik immediately got to his feet in anguish and braced himself up against the sill of the window keeping his back turned towards Christine.
"You understand? No you don't understand Christine! You don't understand me and what I went through yesterday. Do you know that for the past 30 years of my life I've never known what it felt like to make love to a woman! Do you know how badly I wanted to just go out and give a prostitute a few franks to take that curiosity away? 30 years Christine! 30 years longing for just the experience of having a woman's flesh up against mine in my bed sheets! When I turned 33 I finally felt it with you! That was just a few years ago Christine! It took me 33 years to make love to a woman! Now you must understand that I often fanisised about what it would be like to make love to more than one woman. Not at once of course but over the years in my lifetime having more than one woman making love to me just as so many men do. I used to think about that all the time, that was until I made love to you. After doing that my fantasy disappeared beneath the bed sheets which you and I made love upon letting me know that you were all I needed for the rest of my days. Last night I got half of what that fantasy used to be and I hated it! God how I hated her touching me with her disgusting hands, stroking my manhood with her smile burning into my skull! That disgusting woman even having the ability to look upon my body like that and then for all the gurards in the palace to have witnessed it was even more terrifying. I have never felt as embarrassed as I did last night and I don't think I'll ever be the same. I just don't know how after being raped you came back from it. Oh God Christine if she would have made love to me…..I….I just don't think I could have went on living. Then when she saw my face and what I really looked like I realized that what was happening to me wasn't because she liked my personality but because of my phony looks. That makeup gave me what I always wanted and until it came off I was treated like a king. Look at me Christine, look at my hair and my face! Look at how women see me! They see me only as a monster and not something they could love! The Countess seen my body and didn't quiver until she saw my face! The face at which the body is attached to….why…why Christine?"
Erik began to cry, and Christine approached him gently wrapping her arms aound his waist and holding him for what seemed like hours.
"Erik, I don't love you for your looks."
"I know you don't, no one could."
Christine turned him around and pressed her finger to his lips.
"Not another word about your features my love. You must unserstand that I love every part of you. Your hair is so beautiful and the color is one that I have neve seen before on a person's scalp. Your eyes are the most intriguing thing that I ever laid mine on. Sometimes when I look at them I drift away until you wake me back up. Your face is such a fragil feature and I love taking care of it. You're the most beautiful creature that I ever laid eyes on Erik and nothing can ever take that away from you. I would die without you here and now that I have you here with me once more I'm never letting you go."
Erik gently kissed Christine, tasting his own tears as she passioned the kiss. There in the moonlight their shadows continued to kiss as what seemed like the most romantic night never ended until later on when they were both fast asleep in each others arms and the wind sealed the shutters.
More to come soon!!