DISCLAIMER: Eriknot mine, but will be ;)

A/N: Sorry it took a bit longer to update this time, but this chappy had quite a few kinks that needed to be worked out. A HUGE thanks to KyrieofAccender for being my beta for this chappy, you were awesome! (I hope I changed everything, but some punctuation got messed up, so I hope it's okay…) I'm also looking for a long time beta, so if anyone's interested……..

Thanks for everyone that gave me amazing reviews for the last chapter: IceCrystalline, Operastar4life, Broken-vow, Miss Ewelina, Operatastic Supersop, KyrieofAccender, speedy56, Lonesomegurlangelofdeath, dark-hearted rose, and HDKingsbury (who's review sadly didn't make it on the site, but oh well!)

So Happy Reading, and Review! (please?)

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In this castle of night, I draw apart every curtain, yet cannot entice the light…

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Christine watched as her breath fogged the window in small clouds. It seemed an eternity that she had been standing, watching the stars slowly emerge with each passing minute adding another twinkle to the darkening sky.

I wonder where tonight finds him…

I pray he is safe…

A click of the door from behind roused the moonlit maiden and she turned to see the Vicomte—Raoul de Chagny, emerge. Gone was the tailored suit from the evening's wedding celebrations and with it, the political propriety that had kept him at bay during those hours. Before she had time to react, Raoul's soft arms were around her waist and his lips gently insistent upon her own.

Laughing softly, he whispered, "It's our wedding night, Little Lotte. Allow me give you a gift that you shall never forget…"

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His arms encircled my waist and I felt myself raised from the ground. With his lips nuzzling my collarbone and shoulders, I was carried gently to the grand bed that adorned the center of the room. The kisses and caresses were warm and exploring, yet I could not help but recall the burning testaments of another that had left a trail of fire in their wake…

Innocence departed two that night. I could not help but feel the clashing variance with Raoul—gone was the desperate longing, the aching need. It was a simpler kind of pleasure—light and gentle, yet in a way, fabricated. When he lovingly enveloped me in his arms afterwards, there was the greatest desire to draw away. Yet for his sake, I did not.

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That night, Christine and I were joined as never before. I will shamefully admit during brief times of solitude that I had doubted her purity before the moment of our union—yet how could I not? There were the rumors…

However, all my prayers were answered, for I knew then that she belonged to no one but I.

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I believe I awoke far past midnight—the darkness and silence from the maid's corridors verified my thoughts. At first, I could not place what had roused me from my slumber. It was not until I felt the wetness on my cheeks that I realized there were tears silently streaming from my eyes.

I was suddenly weighted by a great sadness, yet did not know why. It was not be Raoul's fault. Poor, sweet, darling Raoul! All he every wanted was my happiness. Yet how could he know of the war that raged within me?

He would never know the darkest depths of life—and I could not explain. What words could describe the aching sorrow, nameless desire, or divine joy? The lone man that could evoke with one syllable what an infinite kisses from another could not was parted from me for a lifetime.

And then, I knew why I wept. I had waited so long; I had always believed my first time would be with Erik.

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It seemed impossible to Erik that such a small, seemingly insignificant item should hold such a profusion of emotions. A lifetime written in ink lived within the pages—his lifetime; as told through the eyes of his own angel on earth…

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Erik spoke to me of his childhood first—as one would expect to hear in a life's story. Yet contrary to most, pain flickered in the eyes before me as anguished memories resurfaced. Sighing deeply, he began softly, barely audible, "I suppose you shall have the privilege of becoming acquainted with my parents at last…"

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Madeline was a beautiful child. Pale skin, bouncing brown curls, and sparkling green eyes coupled with a pair of alternately laughing and pouting cupid lips granted her every whim. Her father was wealthy. Wealthy and always away from home—business, foreign affairs, and no doubt other women, occupied the time away from his wife and young daughter. He adored 'Little Mattie' and hoped to make up in lavish gifts what was missed in fatherly guidance.

Her mother was ethereally beautiful—and impossibly vain, choosing to spend life chasing the latest fashions and gossip. Thus, Madeline spent most of her childhood under the care of a nanny, who was instructed to treat her charge as a young princess.

As Madeline reached courting age, she was quite the prize. Her pale skin was as soft and unblemished as a newborn's—untarnished by a single day's work. The brown curls had lightened to golden amber and fell in soft ringlets over slim shoulders. Her green eyes had retained their vitality and were softened by dark lashes. An ample bosom and slim figure completed the picture...

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I still remember the day I first set sights upon him. I was out for a walk—wanting to flaunt my new gown you see, and had stopped for a bite at the corner teashop. As I was focusing upon my crème scone and lemon tea, I could not help but notice the most dashing man staring fixedly at a set of papers upon the table before him. I must admit that I abandoned my small luncheon immediately and began to flirt shamelessly with him…

He was even more handsome upon closer view! Black hair, a strong jaw line, tanned skin, and the most fixing set of green eyes had me breathless. His name was Charles as I learned; he was young—he couldn't have been three years my senior—and an architect by the looks of the diagrams he had been studying.

I played all my charms to the utmost, drawing him in, though I'm not sure which one of us was more transfixed. He asked for my hand in marriage after a mere sixth months, and my father obliged graciously as I knew he would—for he had never been one to deny even the faintest of my wishes…

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Madeline and I were deliriously joyful those first few months after marriage. She was beautiful, and we were both hopelessly enwrapped in Love's waltz. The only Other that I had eyes for was Architecture, and it was between these two daunting Mistresses that I would spend my hours—Worshipping Architecture and losing myself in her stone embrace during daylight, and returning to Madeline's caresses and kisses whilst all the world slept.

If only you could imagine the joy that swelled within my chest the day Madeline told me with sparkling eyes that we would be blessed with a child! My exuberance must have permeated the household, and I daresay that even the servants were more joyous in their tasks.

"A boy or girl Charles? What do you think it will be?" Madeline murmured these words laughingly against my lips as I bent to give her a teasingly chaste kiss.

"A boy, although I would not mind a girl in the slightest." I patted her stomach fondly and added as hindsight, "As long as the little beast is healthy, I will be the happiest father alive." A barely muffled gasp reached my ears, and I turned to see Marie, our oldest housekeeper, with a comically horrified expression on her features.

"I do not believe it wise Monsieur, to speak of the unborn in such a crude fashion. The Lord hears all they say…" Still appearing shocked, she made haste in departing the room.

I laughed good-naturedly, and wrapped a protective arm around Madeline's waist and whispered jokingly, "I will love our child—beast or not."

I was not worried in the least and forgot her condemnation in the following months.

After all, Marie had always been superstitious…

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Tada. I hope the different points of view weren't too confusing—Leave your feedback, and Review! I hope you liked it. Next update should be Friday if everything goes as planned…