HI

LOT'S OF REVEIWS! I AM SO HAPPY!

SO HAPPY, THAT I WROTE SUPER FAST

IT WAS FUN, I HAD TROUBLE WITH HOW ERIK MAY ACT SO I HOPE HE'S ARIGHT

A SPORANO IS A HIGH NOTE IN OPERA, A ALTO IS A LOW NOTE AND A TENNOR IS FOR BOYS SINGING

I DONT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

CHAPTER SIX

Elizabeth was still in a daze.

Seated on her horse Moonlight she gently trotted along to the abandoned opera house. This was her eighteenth lesson so far. The masked man had not told her his name, and to be perfectly honest, Elizabeth was too much of a coward to ask. So she had taken to calling him her 'Music Master' or simply 'Master' for short. It seemed to amuse him, since he never objected to it.

Actually it was the only thing he was amused about.

Elizabeth's new master turned out to be a very strict man about his music and her lessons. The first lesson she had turned up late, because of trouble convincing the stable hand that she was simply going for a ride, and he had been so angry. Elizabeth shivered at the memory; it was not something she wanted to think upon.

Lessons with the Master were not easy. At first it was all theory work as he taught her more and more about simply reading opera scores as well as her scales every day. It was rather boring and tedious work, and quite frightening because it had been revealed that his tantrum on the first lesson was a normal occurrence. He had a nasty temper and would think nothing of yelling at her mercilessly when she failed to do as he expected.

Most woman would not react so much be being shouted at, but Elizabeth was a gentle born lady and in all her life she had been mocked, scorned, insulter and other such, but never yelled at. No servant or governess ever had reason to, and her mother was far too dignified to do such a vulgar thing. And no gentleman would dare do such a thing in public, which was the only time she ever saw gentlemen since they only called on her sisters.

So when he had shouted at her for the first time, Elizabeth had been most surprised. However, she had not disagreed with him in anyway so far, instead she was obedient and listened to all he told her to do without complaint, that at least, seemed to please him.

And as lessons rolled into one, it became easier.

Elizabeth had taken to bringing this and that with her when she went out, to avoid suspicion. Sometimes she would bring a embroidery, her watercolours, her book, all to keep up the pretence and to keep her mother from finding out. She told people she was riding out to a lake. But she rarely needed to bother; her mother never paid much attention to her as a person, so that left Elizabeth to do as she pleased.

She trotted along until the opera house came into view before speeding up into a gallop. Dismounting she re-tied Moonlight and patted her nose. The mare whinnied as she butted her head into her mistress's hand.

Elizabeth looked up at the sun, not noon yet, she was still early.

With one more pat to Moonlight she turned and quickly found her way to the loose boards of wood. Moving them aside she made her way down the tunnels. Even though Elizabeth had already gone this way so many times before she still had troubles and found herself tripping over unnecessary things when she wasn't careful.

As she got closer she began to hear the sound of an organ. 'Master must be playing' she mused.

It really was still the most amazing thing she had ever heard. Ever since being introduced to the world of the music her Master composed and played, normal music seemed dry and hollow. He played with so much passion; so much feeling it always brought such a smile to her face.

She reached the end of the tunnels and so softly pushed the door open so it would make no sound.

He was seated at the organ with his head down and the eye that wasn't concealed by the mask closed as his fingers expertly glided over the keys. She hung back and watched.

Sometimes Elizabeth would question her own sanity, in the times when her sense of reason would rear its ugly head and try to talk some sense into her.

It would tell her that this entire thing was madness, following an unknown and most likely unmarried man into an abandoned place every day. Especially a man who had previously tried to kill her. This wasn't for her, she wasn't the kind to go looking for excitement and adventure, she was nothing more that the eldest daughter of a noble family. A pure bread English woman through and through and her only objective was to find a good husband, preferable one with all his teeth.

Every time her common sense tried to reason with her, Elizabeth would always agree, that it was madness and she should stop going.

But...

No matter how many times she agreed with her mind, her body and soul knew where it really wanted to go and Elizabeth found herself unable to stay away. The Master had her completely under his spell.

And that wasn't all.

Even if all she was doing was singing her notes, just singing always brought her such an elated feeling. Even when he scolded her and told her off she couldn't help but feel so happy.

Truth be told, it felt so good to have someone actually taking an interest in her, all her life, people had always gravitated towards her sisters, the most talented of the lot, and always left Elizabeth behind. But he, her Master, was so strict with her and for once, Elizabeth experienced what it was like to be taught seriously because someone saw something in her. He was taking her seriously.

And that alone made her want to try harder every time; she didn't want to let his expectations down.

And despite it all, he was a good teacher.

She leant against the wall and took in the music.

What skilful playing. Her Music Master always had such a peaceful expression on his face when he was playing the organ, like he was really happy.

Suddenly he slammed his hands down on all the keys, the sudden sound caused her to jump back with a squeak.

"You're late!" he said angrily.

Elizabeth fought herself not to tremble, as much as she respected him, she knew better than to aggravate his temper.

"I-I'm not late" she said softly, and then with a little more bravery she added "I arrived on time, I just didn't want to interrupt."

He snarled "Take your training more seriously, or do you not want to learn?"

"No!" she cried frantically "I do want to learn, please forgive my rudeness, I will arrive on time and begin on time no matter what from now on."

He nodded at her display of respect. Apparently, acts of humility and respect went further with her Master than acts of pride and stupidity. This suited her because Elizabeth was neither outspoken nor stupid.

She approached the piano cautiously and began to pull out the score he had given her to review, from her side-bag.

"No" he said, snatching her sheets "I want you to go straight to practicing your scales. I will review; I hope you have been learning your breathing." She nodded quickly.

Oh how she hated how submissive she was, why couldn't she be more like Verity and use proper words instead of shaking like a timid mouse? Verity would have most likely made some comment on how she already knew how to breathe but not to sing.

Then again, if Verity had made such a remark, Elizabeth had no doubt she would have been dead in moments with a noose round her neck. It was the risk she had to take, that she would displease him or bore him and one day she would find herself unable to return home because he would simply kill her,

But Elizabeth believed deep inside that what she was doing was truly worth it.

The Master stood by the Organ and said "Now begin" as he pressed on one of the lower keys at the bottom of the piano. The sound rang out low and deep like rumbling thunder, the room enhanced its splendour as Elizabeth equipped it to memory, then when it had faded she attempted to try to re-sing it.

The Master was not pleased "Again" he ordered and pressed on the key and again the sound rang out.

She repeated the note his mouth grimaced "Again!"

She sang it again and finally he nodded and pressed another note and they repeated the process with each note until he was satisfied it was tedious, but it was progress, now he was pressing random keys rather than in order like he had done yesterday. Elizabeth began to enjoy herself.

This time it was higher, extremely high. Elizabeth blanched; high notes were her weak point. She sang it weakly, but he demanded "Again"

She tried again, and again, and again until eventually he snarled "Enough of that!" and she flinched.

"Why must you do this every time?" he said firmly.

"I don't understa..."

But he turned to her with a frown and marched over and Elizabeth cringed for a moment. But he only too her chin and raised her head so her neck was straight. "Don't crush you're vocal chords." He said in his low voice "and stand straight or the sound won't come out." Elizabeth straightened her back "And finally, stop being afraid of the notes, sing them and should you fail then you will attempt them again, no singer can attempt a soprano perfectly on their first round."

Elizabeth really could not understand this man. One moment he was scolding her terribly, yelling at her in all his anger and annoyance, and the next he was speaking to her so kindly? She could never truly understand and she feared she never would.

"Now" he said "Do it again" and he pressed the key once more.

When it had faded out Elizabeth tried to sing it. She was almost there when her voice faltered as her nerves got the better of her.

He looked angry "You're not listening! I told you not to be afraid of them, stupid girl. Do it again and this time do it right"

'I'm trying! Perhaps the sound would come easier of you stop scaring it away' she thought humourlessly. Simply because she put up with his insults, it did not mean she liked it.

"What was that?" he said sharply and to her horror, Elizabeth realised that she had accidently murmured the words out loud.

"I'm so sorr..." she began but he interrupted

"So you think I am 'scaring the notes away?' well perhaps if you sang them correctly they would have no need to fear me." was he curt answer before turning to the piano "Now do it again. No opera singer sings only alto"

Was it her imagination, or was his voice laced with humour just now? He didn't sound angry.

As she attempted the note she watched him with half lidded eyes.

He always turned up for lessons in the same black cloak and ivory half mask. At first Elizabeth had been more concerned over her lessons and other things. But now she was noticing that he never took his mask of. Sometimes he would set his cloak aside but never his mask.

She sometimes wondered why . . . what could possibly be so bad that he would never take it off? The side of his face that wasn't covered was so handsome, the kind of face her sisters would love, why cover the other half. What did he have to hide?

Suddenly he clapped his hands once and Elizabeth stopped singing. When she blinked and was brought back to reality she noticed he had a pleased expression in his one eye "Finally" he said "You managed it."

Elizabeth realised that while in deep thought she had actually reached that high soprano note she had been aiming for, for many lessons now. Her eyes widened and her face broke out into a huge happy, rare smile "I did it!" she cried "I actually did it; I didn't even think someone like me could do that. This, this is amazing." She felt a rush of exhilaration go though her, pure happiness.

"I did it" she repeated "you were right, I just stopped worrying so much about how it would turn out and it came out properly, I did it."

She looked up at him as he nodded "You did well" he agreed "But don't become too enamoured with yourself, you still have far to go and that was only one note."

Always the stern and strict teacher, she smiled.

Her lesson continued, this time Elizabeth fought hard not to fear any notes.

HOW WAS THAT?

GOOD?

BAD?

PLEASE REVEIW