Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Phantom of the Opera. (looks around) Erik, get back in the closet before someone finds you! (looks back at readers) Nope, don't own Erik at all…
AN: I'm sorry to say that there will be a few more "bumps in the road" for Erik and Aria. Don't worry, I'm a sap for happy endings, but don't you just love drama and angst? (ducks thrown objects) Please read and review! Thanks!
Chapter 19: Not As Planned:
Erik had returned late last night, so late, in fact, that I had been asleep on the couch in the music room when he arrived. I had meant to wait up for him, so it was a surprise to wake to the feeling of strong arms sliding underneath my knees and back. My eyes had flown open, darting around to see what was happening as my body stiffened in alarm. The sight of Erik's white mask calmed me, and I relaxed against his chest, my cheek resting upon the soft velvet of his evening coat.
I next woke in my bed, still fully dressed from the day before. I hadn't changed into my nightdress prior to waiting up for Erik, and he obviously was gentleman enough to not undress me while I slept, so I awoke to find a wrinkled gown that would have to be ironed out. Sighing, I put my hands to my head and winced at the feel of tangled knots in my hair.
'So messy,' I thought to myself as I rose from the bed. 'I must look the fright!'
Quickly changing dresses and brushing out my hair, I twisted up the wayward strands into a bun and went into the kitchen for some breakfast. To my surprise, Erik was already there, absently chewing on a bit of toast. Even more surprising was that the toast was dry and without any butter or jam on it. Since Erik never ate plain toast, I was immediately worried.
"Erik, are you feeling alright?" I asked, my hand pressing against his forehead. Since he wore no mask, it was quite easy to check for a fever.
Under my hand, I could feel Erik jump a bit, almost as though he'd been startled from his thoughts. Green eyes darted upwards to look at me, and I could feel the heat from his face as he blushed in embarrassment at being caught by surprise.
"Forgive me," he said with a smile. "I was thinking and did not hear you come in."
I couldn't help laughing. "I noticed," I teased. "You normally put something on your toast, and you must have been very distracted in order to keep eating that dry thing without flavoring."
Erik looked down at the plain piece of half-eaten toast and winced. "You are right," he muttered, reaching for a jar of apricot jam. "It has been a long day and night…"
Sitting down beside him, I felt concern swell up inside me. "Is everything alright?" I pressed. "You're not ill, are you?" Erik, who was busy eating, merely shook his head. "Is it the production of Carmen? Is that what's wrong?"
He finished his mouthful of toast and smiled. "No, it is not the opera, my sweet Aria," Erik replied, reaching out with his free hand to touch my cheek. "It is merely some business that I need to take care of. I promise that all will be well by this evening."
Since I knew that Erik would never lie to me, I smiled and reached up to caress his hand, still pressed against my cheek. "Well, if you're sure, then I think everything will be fine," I said.
"It will be," he said, a contented smile still on his lips as he finished his toast. "Now, I must be off, but I trust you will be able to amuse yourself until I return later this afternoon."
Rising from my chair along with him, I let my surprise show. "You will be gone all day?" I asked in disbelief. Erik was never gone for that long.
Strong, gentle hands on my shoulders gave me comfort. "It is important," he said softly. "You need not worry, my love."
A sweet, lingering kiss on my mouth, and he was gone, leaving me standing in a daze.
Never before had Erik felt so excited or impatient, not even when it had come to opening nights at the Opera House. Normally he had been cold and calculating regarding important matters, but now he felt an almost childlike glee in what he was about to do. First, he must retrieve the ring that he hoped Nadir had purchased for him, and then, hopefully, his plans would all turn to gold by evening's end.
Pulling his hood even tighter around his head, Erik went up the steps to the front door and knocked. Thankfully, the grey clouds and drizzle of the day before still lingered, so he, a person hooded and cloaked, did not stand out. People gave way to him, but it was only because he was so tall, and people tended to give way to figures who were taller and more intimidating than themselves.
The door opened, and Erik soon found himself once again in the Persian's sitting room. The older man was standing before the fireplace, the mantle above it holding a wooden box the size of Erik's fist. Almost instantly, Erik felt his heart quicken. He did not think that Nadir could have procured something so valuable so soon; in fact, the most that Erik had hoped for was to wait impatiently while Nadir and Darius went shopping and returned with a ring that was close to suitable.
"Ah, Erik, you are early," Nadir said in a warm, welcoming voice. "Will you sit and have something to eat and drink, or-"
"I would like to see the ring, if you don't mind," Erik blurted, eager to see what his friend had purchased. He wanted to see if it was worthy of sitting on Aria's hand for the rest of her life.
"Of course." Nadir grinned as he turned around and picked up the box. Turning back towards Erik, Nadir nearly jumped out of his skin upon seeing the other man standing so close, especially after not hearing him move. Shaking his head, Nadir presented the precious container to the impatiently waiting masked man.
Erik held his breath as he accepted the box and slowly opened it. Inside was a red velvet cushion holding a lovely diamond and pearl engagement ring. The most he had hoped for was a plain ring with a large stone in it to impress Aria. This ring was delicate and elegant, just like his intended bride. A round diamond the size of a small pea was the center stone, and two small white pearls, one on each side, only enhanced the glittering beauty of the jewel they bordered.
Smiling, Erik looked up, a feeling of great joy spreading throughout his heart. "Thank you, Nadir," he said, closing the box and tucking it into a pocket inside his coat. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
"Oh, I think I have an idea," the Persian replied, giving a fatherly smile. "And since you are so pleased with the ring, I can only guess that that it must be what you were hoping to present to your potential bride-to-be." He laughed at Erik's blush. "Come, have lunch with me, since all of this must be going ahead of schedule for you."
Having nothing better or more pressing to attend to, Erik accepted the offer and pulled off his cloak.
"It is time," Raoul said to his wife as he entered the elegant sitting room.
Christine looked up from her sewing. "Now?" she said in disbelief, surprised at the sight of her Raoul dressed for battle. Silently, she was thinking, 'I'm not ready, I can't do this now!'
She had seen him leave the room earlier, but hadn't thought anything of it, and had gone back to her sewing. Now he had returned with a sword and a pair of pistols in his belt, looking as though he were ready for war. In a way, he was; he would be fighting the Phantom of the Opera, and would need every advantage he could get. Fortunately, after much begging and pleading, Christine had managed to procure a small, limited map of the underground tunnels from Madame Giry. Madame did not like the idea of helping the de Chagnys, but could hardly refuse the woman she had long considered a daughter. However, the map was not complete, as Madame did not know all of the secret passages; instead, she had drawn a pathway that she was very familiar with, and knew would be relatively safe, as long as they kept their eyes and ears open for anything.
"It must be now," he insisted. "I am ready to do this, and must go before I lose what little patience and nerve I have."
Quietly gathering her courage, Christine put aside her sewing, rose from her chair and went to stand beside her husband. In her heart, she knew that this must be done, but she feared not only for her own life, but for Raoul's as well. Images of him dangling at the end of a noose with the Phantom laughing at their despair left her blood feeling cold.
"Then let us go," she whispered, moving to summon a servant to fetch her cloak.
Within ten minutes, both Christine and Raoul were on their way to the Populaire, their hands clutched tightly together, feeling as though they were riding to their deaths. Even though the scents and sounds of springtime were in the air, the two felt as though an icy mist had filled the carriage, surrounding them, separating them and cutting them off from the rest of the world.
As the carriage pulled up to the front of the Populaire, Raoul made sure to keep a calm façade as he escorted his wife out onto the sidewalk. Christine, too, did her best to look collected as she followed her husband into the Opera House that had once been her home. Since there were preparations going on for a new performance, all of the employees were in the auditorium or running around backstage, putting everything together. This gave the de Chagnys the chance to sneak into the Prima Donna rooms without attracting anyone's attention.
After avoiding any encounters and closing the door to the diva's room behind them, Raoul turned around and went to the mirror that had once held an entrance to the Phantom's domain. Madame Giry had marked this as one of the entrances on the map she had drawn for Christine. The ballet mistress had also told her foster daughter that the entrance was to be used as a means of escape, just in case either she or Raoul found themselves prisoners of the Phantom once again in the future.
Reaching out, the Count pressed his fingers against the upper left-hand corner of the large mirror, and gasped upon seeing the glass slide back. Christine also gasped, and when he turned to look at her, she was pale as a sheet.
"Christine, you don't have to go with me," he whispered, pulling her into an embrace. "If you wish to stay here instead, I will not be angry."
She shook her head. "I must do this," she softly replied. "If you do engage the Phantom in battle, I can help steal Aria away and bring her here. It is the only way."
Reluctantly allowing her to go, Raoul turned and picked up a nearby lamp. He quickly lit it and stepped towards the door, though not before feeling Christine's reassuring hand slip into his. Taking a deep breath, the two stepped into the stone tunnel, blinking at the sudden darkness. Raoul raised the lamp and began to lead them both down to the depths of the hidden cellars.
The cavern was too quiet without Erik, but I managed to find a few music boxes that he had created, flipping them open so that I had something to listen to. Most of the songs were by famous composers, their melodies filling the air with delicate chimes that left me smiling. However, one or two of the music boxes held the bolder songs that were purely Erik's, and those were the ones I listened to the most. It was like having Erik here in the house with me, and it made me feel safe and warm in our house by the lake.
Lunchtime came and went, and just as I was settling in to read another mythology text, I heard the sound of a footstep behind me. At first, I thought it to be Erik, but when I heard another step, this one different than the one before, I knew it couldn't be him. These steps were too timid to be his, and I knew his step better than anyone else's. Whirling around, I found myself staring.
There, standing before an open doorway that blended into the stone wall surrounding it, stood a young man. He had shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes, and was armed as though preparing for a war. He was well-dressed, meaning he came from a wealthy family, and had a noble air about him. In fact, he appeared so noble it made me feel ill.
'Gah, what a fop,' I couldn't help thinking to myself. 'He reminds me of all those idiots my aunts kept trying to introduce me to, hoping that I would choose one to marry.'
Behind the Fop stood a young woman so lovely I felt like a lump of mud compared to her. Wide, innocent brown eyes, curling brown hair, and skin the color of porcelain, she was almost angelic in appearance. I also recognized her face, since the mannequin standing in that locked room bore her face. It was Christine Daae, and the man standing beside her had to be her husband Raoul, the Count de Chagny. However, I wanted to be absolutely sure of their identities.
"Who are you?" I demanded. "How did you get here?"
"Don't be afraid," The Fop, also known as Raoul, said with a gentle smile. "I am Raoul de Chagny, and this is my wife, Christine. We are here to rescue you and take you back to your father."
Trying not to roll my eyes in annoyance, I left my book on the small coffee table and stood from the couch, my arms crossing over my breast. "I thank you for your noble gesture, Monsieur and Madame, but I can assure you that I don't need to be rescued. I am perfectly happy were I am, so the two of you can go back up to my father and tell him that I am well."
For a moment, the two merely stared at me as though I had lost my mind. I nearly burst out laughing at the expressions on their faces, and knew instantly that I would not like either one of them. Christine had the air of a naïve child around her, and Raoul…well, if he thought for one moment that I was going to let him play the role of a hero, he had better be prepared for disappointment. Silently, I watched as the two attempted to gather themselves together and realize what I had just said. Raoul was the first to recover and to speak.
"Mademoiselle, you cannot be serious," he said, reaching a gloved hand towards me. "You cannot mean that you wish to stay here with a masked monster who is a murderer and extortionist."
I frowned. Yes, I knew about everything that had happened over five years ago, from the money to the deaths of Joseph Buquet and those poor souls during Don Juan. However, I also knew that what Erik had done had been out of survival and the need to be accepted and loved by another human being. People did horrible things when they were in love or wanted to be loved, and Erik's actions spoke clearly of his need to have someone help him out of the darkness. Even as I stood there and looked at these foolish intruders, I knew that I was the one to help him do it.
"I do mean to stay here, whether you like it or not," I declared. "I mean no offense or disrespect, Count and Countess, but I have made my choice, and it is to stay here."
Silence filled the cavern, only to be broken by another party entering the room, a party that I knew very well…and who also knew our visitors…
Lunch with Nadir had gone exceptionally well, the two men indulging in fine food and conversation for hours. Erik had even treated himself to some brandy that Nadir had purchased just for him, as the Persian and his servant did not partake in alcohol, as the taking of spirits was considered a sin in the Persian religion. Still, it was a warm, comfortable time spent together, which was something that Erik had not experienced until now.
Well, that wasn't really true; he'd had that sense of ease with Aria, but today had been his first pleasant luncheon with a male friend. The other times he'd been to Nadir's house, the two had spent many long, uncomfortable hours sitting there in the sitting room, quietly eating their food or small refreshments. After a time, one of them would make a comment about having business to attend to, and then Erik would happily take his leave to return home.
This time was not like the others. In between the ending of the meal and the time Erik next looked at the clock, he realized how late it was, and that he should to return to the woman he loved, though he did so with a bit of reluctantly. Until now, he'd never been comfortable with the Persian who wanted to be his friend and father-figure, so when he left, Erik found himself hesitating a little. But when Nadir clapped him on the shoulder and told his masked friend that he hoped to attend the wedding, Erik gave him a genuine smile and a promise to introduce him to the beautiful blushing bride.
Thus, it was with a smile and a warmth in his heart that Erik left the Persian's home to return to his own. The engagement ring was tucked in his pocket, and images of a glowing, happy Aria accepting that ring filled his mind as he made his way through the tunnels back towards his home. As he walked, Erik also couldn't help thinking about the kind of wedding gown that Aria would want, though he was sure that she would look stunning, no matter what materials or style she chose.
Reaching for the panel that would unlock the one of the many secret doorways into the cave, Erik paused. Were those voices coming from the next room? He managed to distinguish three voices, one of which he knew instantly. Furious that his home and his love were being disturbed, Erik threw open the door and flew into the room, freezing in place upon seeing who it was standing there with his Aria.
The Count and Countess de Chagny.
AN: Dun, dun, DUN! Cliffhanger! Evil of me, I know, but they're fun…for me. Review!