Ok so I know that I left you on a fairly violent note last chapter, haha, but I will be explaining those drastic measures that Erik state—please don't argue, you will understand in time! Anyway, recently I have memorized "The Music of the Night" on the piano (ALW version ugh haha) and will be performing it for my band director on Monday, if I get good feedback I shall post it on our favorite internet channel youtube!
This is a two parter because i feel it would be better to split this chapter up. This is the first part and i will be posting the second part sometime soon (hopefully if school doesn't get in the way).
Chapter 19: Cut the fun short
Christine sat petrified, yet still holding Erik's hand, on the chair with him. Madame Giry had just finished telling them that the Vicomte has called upon her for a private audience, what does that mean? What does he want from me now? I do NOT want to see that man ever again but yet he is always there trying to take me away from the life I have always known and push me into the darkness where there is no music—and where there is no music there is no happiness.
She stared vacantly at the lake wondering if this would be the last time that she set her eyes upon the glories and wonders of Erik's domain. If it was their last night together she wanted to make it memorable for the both of them. Yet she also found that if she wanted to make it unforgettable then Madame Giry would not be here for much longer or else Christine felt that she would go crazy if she could not have Erik to herself for at last one more night.
But then she remembered Erik's plan about killing the Vicomte, it was horrible and utterly wrong but it made a point about ending their worries…unless his parents sought revenge. If the DeChagny's wanted to, they could kill anyone in all of France just because the person looked at them wrong—they had absolutely too much power and it frightened Christine to no end. How could someone live with so much power? Christine felt that it would eat her alive if she were ever in such a situation.
Erik looked over at Christine worriedly, he had no idea how she felt about this entire situation. He knew that Raoul was her childhood friend, thankfully nothing more, and the fact that they were discussing how to kill him must be traumatizing the young girl. Erik began to gently rub Christine's back in the only way of reassurance he could muster right now and held her hand a little bit tighter to make her know that she is safe. When he saw Christine's eye look up at him he made sure she knew how much he loved her just through his eyes. Instead of the reaction he thought would happen, he was surprised to see Christine jump out of the chair and start crying.
"Why does he keep coming after me? Why does he have to see me tonight, alone? I do not want to see him but I will have to in order to make sure that everyone is safe. Ever since he came along nothing has been going right, he keeps getting in the way of my, our, happiness and now look at the extent that his obsession has gone to! He is ordering and threatening people I love to get what he wants in the end—me. He won't ever stop until he gets what he wants in the end and that is me. How can I just give myself over to him? It's impossible, I would never be able to willingly give myself up to him. Therefore, I know that people I love will get hurt before this is all over," with all that said Christine fell into a pile on the floor and cried all of the tears she had been holding back lately.
Madame Giry and Erik were both slightly shocked at the spectacle that Christine had made of herself. Normally, Christine would never allow her walls to break down in front of other people but they also knew just have much pressure has been on her shoulders lately so they were not entirely shocked that Christine had finally released all the built up tension from the events that have taken place—Buquets death, the cemetery, her rising stardom and now this.
Erik walked over to her and gently picked her up before placing her into his lap on the couch. He knew how improper it must be considered in Parisian society to do such a thing before marriage, AND in front of other people but he felt that he had every right to do so at such a moment—besides, Madame Giry wasn't refusing him so what was holding him back?
"Christine, darling, I really do need you to go see the Vicomte. He obviously needs to discuss something of great importance with you and I feel that if you do go and see him then that would give us the upper hand in this situation," Erik spoke softly as he held the crying form in his lap. At the end of his explanation he could tell that her crying that significantly decreased, and he was pleased with himself so he continued on in his speech.
"In fact you will not be alone, not even for a second. Things are never what they seem my darling girl, because in the manager's office there is a small opening to watch you through along with a secret passageway behind a curtain that no one has ever known about. I will be behind the small window watching you. If you ever feel like you are in danger cross your fingers behind your back and then I shall turn off all the lights and we shall escape through the passageway. Please do this Christine, for me? For our future?" Erik pulled out their courtship ring and attached chain from his jacket pocket as he spoke about their future and watched as Christine became excited by the small trinket.
Christine immediately took it from Erik and began to replace it around her neck once again before looking at him once again. She knew that whatever Raoul needed to tell her was dire to know in order to secure safety for her and Erik's future. Maybe this meeting will not be as bad as you think it is, Christine chided herself, in fact maybe the things that Raoul wishes to discuss are something. With a deep breath Christine looked up at Erik and nodded in consent to this meeting. She knew that Erik would be watching over her and that he would never allow any harm to come to her.
"Very well Erik, I will go and see the Vicomte DeChagny but I will not enjoy a second of his attention. In fact I will almost hate it, and so, therefore I will try to make this little meeting done as quickly as possible without letting him to stray off topic" Christine vowed to the man standing in front of her. Christine did not know what it was, but there was something about Erik that made her want to impress him and make him happy every chance she could get. She refused to let him down, and would do anything to keep him safe.
As Erik watched Christine make her promise to him, he could not help but start to laugh a little near the end. Of course this promise was done in such a serious manner, but it was because of the manner and facial gestures Christine made that made the whole thing quite funny! After he began to chuckle slightly he began to regret it almost instantly because of the seriousness of the situation at hand. So before Christine could understand what he was doing he covered the laugh with a hard coughing fit and excused himself to the kitchen to relieve his itchy throat, insisting that he was okay and that a glass of cold water would be sufficient to sooth his throat.
Christine sat in silence for a moment with Madame Giry as she concerned herself with Erik's health despite Erik's attempts that persuading her that he was alright. She was nervous, she knew that much, but she couldn't let if it was from Erik's health right before the meeting, the meeting itself, or the fact that Madame Giry was still there silently watching everything Christine did. Christine looked down and saw her hands playing with themselves, her nervous habit that she had picked up from her father, and was disappointed in the lack of authority over herself that she had. Maybe all her nervous habits would stop after this has finally been finished.
Madame Giry watched as Christine sat nervously waiting for Erik's return to the sitting room. It was self-evident to Antoinette that Christine has grown to have a large attachment to Erik and it both pleased and scared her a little how much Christine depended on Erik's presence. Was it normal for such a young girl to hold such strong feelings for a man that has seen so much cruelties of the world? Madame Giry soon began questioning how much Christine truly knew of Erik's past, for if she knew nothing of Erik's pat life it would make their relationship harder.
As Madame Giry continued to question Christine and Erik's relationship she suddenly stopped herself from thinking any more negative thoughts of their pairing. She almost forgot that she too had married at a young age and had fallen deeply in love with her dead husband Gabriel, God rest his soul. They had flirted for many years. Gabriel had begged her father to court her when they both turned eighteen and with his permission they courted as often as was possible with them both having careers at the opera house—him being the leading tenor and her as the prima ballerina. It was only a year before they announced their engagement and within the first year of their marriage Antoinette had found herself pregnant with Margaret. On the night that she went into labor with Meg she had sent her maid to go to Gabriel to inform him at work that was just down the road. According to the maid Gabriel had run across the street when a rogue carriage had come out of nowhere and the driver couldn't stop the horses from running—Gabriel had been run over by the horses and carriage. Antoinette had given birth to Meg while listening to the maid tell her that her husband was dead and from then on she was a widow with just a babe to keep her alive.
She watched as Erik came back and sat down next to Christine as he smiled at her. Antoinette wished deeply that they could live in happiness when she could not. Of course they were her family and she loved them dearly, but nothing was the same after her husband had died. She prayed to God that all their troubles and woes will go away by the end of the week so that they could live out the lives that they both deserved. With a quick glance to the clock it showed that she and Christine had only twenty minutes to go to Raoul before he would become angry. So as she quickly stood up and cleared her throat to catch the attention of the two young love birds in front of her.
"Christine, if we are to make it in time for the meeting with the Vicomte DeChagny we must leave now. Erik will also need ample time to make it through the secret passageway so that he can witness everything the two of you say to each other—it would be best for all of us to hear what plans this boy as in store for the 'Don Juan' performance tomorrow. Come dear, let's go," Antoinette ushered Christine towards the door but allowed the young girl to hug Erik goodbye for now. She watched as Erik kissed Christine's forehead and Antoinette almost began to cry at how sweet their sentiments were to one another. To keep the tears from falling she slightly scoffed playfully to get Christine on her way to the manager's office.
Christine picked up the bottoms of her skirts and rushed to catch up with Madame Giry. It surprised Christine that the older woman still had so much energy left in her that she would be able to outwalk Christine herself, and Christine had prided herself with the ability to walk quickly. I guess that is what I get for having pride in myself, for pride is a deadly sin. Once she caught up with her foster mother, the two woman walked in silence towards the large dark oak doors that separated the interior of the spacious manager's office from Christine and Antoinette. The young soprano looked towards Madame Giry with worry painted across her eyes not knowing what to do now.
"Don't worry child, I will be near in the room across the hallway. You will be protected, do not be afraid—no harm will come towards you if I have any say in the matter. Now the sooner you step foot into that room the sooner you can step out of it." Antoinette opened the door and pushed Christine gently towards the entrance, with a small rub to her back Antoinette shut the door and prayed to God that Christine would be ok.
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Christine walked into the darkened room to find the silhouette of Raoul standing in front of the blazing fireplace. She did not want to get to close to the man that she didn't trust so she walked until there was fifteen feet of space in between and spoke softly to acknowledge her presence.
"Madame Giry told me that you had wished to see me for a private audience?" Christine spoke softly without any emotion to make it seem that she wanted to be here, because that was far from the true feelings that she had felt. But she remembered what Erik had told her and she knew that she could not give away any emotions or of a deeper relationship with Raoul to make him think that they were meant to be together.
"Ah yes, I am glad that she brought you tonight. It would have been a shame if she hadn't because I have something very important to talk to you about." Raoul told Christine as he began walking to the large chair behind the desk. He pulled it out and sat down in it, gesturing for Christine to sit in one of the smaller seats in front of him. As soon as Christine had made herself comfortable in the smaller chair, Raoul pulled out the red leather cased copy of 'Don Juan'. He flipped open the score absentmindedly and began reading through some of the lyrics before continuing.
"It seems my dear that the Phantom of the Opera has grown to hold some kind of attachment towards you. I would even go far enough to infer that he is infatuated with you," Raoul sneered near the end with sarcastic mockery. He fully intended to end this nonsense that the "Phantom of the Opera" had started with his Christine.
"I was unaware that the Phantom held such strong feelings for me Vicomte," Christine replied as innocently as possible to the accusation. Inside Christine could feel her blood boiling with hatred towards Raoul for the petty way that he was acting towards another man solely because Erik had something that he could not have—Christine's heart.
"Do not play games with me Christine it is quite obvious how he feels for you! Why else would he send notes to all the important people at the Opera Populaire to give us strict instructions about how your career should progress? Why else would he singly point you out in the crowd during the Masquerade to make you the star of his opera that he wrote? Why would Meg warn me about everything that she knew about the Phantom to make sure that you were safe?" Raoul's voice grew progressively louder every time he brought something up, he felt such hatred for the man that ruined his chances of happiness with Christine. He wanted the Phantom of the Opera gone. Permanently.
Christine audibly gasped as she heard for the first time that Meg had been speaking about her and Erik behind their backs to Raoul. She instantly grew worried and curious as to what exactly she had told Raoul, for if she told him too much then everything was going to be ruined. Meg would be the reason that Christine would not be able to find happiness with the one man that she loved now. However, there were more important things to discuss than Meg for now and Christine silently counted to ten to calm herself once again.
"Monsieur DeChagny, why exactly was I called here for?" Christine implored Raoul and she watched as a terribly big grin shaped itself upon Raoul's mouth. She knew that whatever it was that she was going to hear was something that she didn't want to. She did know that he wanted her to sing at the opening performance tomorrow night—that she knew from Madame Giry, but now Christine felt there was more to this than anyone else knew.
"I want you to perform as Aminta at tomorrow night's opening performance. It is quite obvious that the Phantom of the Opera will watch you perform in his box if we should leave it open for him and, then, we will take care of him," Raoul stated proudly as he stood up and held his hands behind his back as he looked once more into the fire. Raoul silently wished that the Phantom would burn in the deepest pits of fire in hell.
"What do you mean by 'take care of him' Monsieur le Vicomte?" Christine knew that she was treading on a thin wire at this point. Things were beginning to turn scary and she was afraid that she knew what Raoul was soon going to tell her would happen to her Erik. Raoul was going to…
"Kill him," Raoul finished Christine's thoughts unknowingly and turned around from the fire to face Christine once more. His cheeks were slightly reddened from the flame's heat, thankfully covering the slight blush as he thought of him and Christine finally together. He touched the light bulge he felt in his pocket and looked at Christine.
"Don't you believe that is a very rash action monsieur?" Christine questioning Raoul as she watched him walk closer to her with every stride that he took.
"Of course not my dear Christine! He is a madman that belongs in prison behind bars, once he is locked away we will finally be together again." He finally made it to Christine and he stood there as he smiled down upon her and brushed her cheek with his finger. When she moved her face away he grinned knowing that she was too shy for now—later on he knew that she will show her true feelings for him once this entire mess was over.
"Together again? Please monsieur, I do not mean to be disrespectful but we were never together in the past. We were childhood friends, and then once my father passed away we had to go our separate ways. Yours led to the navy for many years and mine led me to the Opera Populaire where I grew to have a career with money in my pocket and a roof over my head," Christine spoke passionately about her life in the opera house because it was the only other place that held dear memories to her heart besides the small house by the sea that she and her father used to live in.
"Oh but my darling Christine you would not have to worry about this dirty place any longer. You won't have to busy yourself around these commoners and sing for money, once we are together you will not have to worry about anything. I promise I would be your most devoted husband till death do us part," Raoul got down on one knee and protruded the engagement ring. Christine felt her mouth drop as she stared at the ring for a second. There was no denying its grandeur beauty—it obviously cost the man quite some money. But after a few seconds Christine closed her mouth and shook her head as she closed the box.
"I'm sorry monsieur but I cannot accept this offer. I will take the role as Aminta because—" Christine watched Raoul's face turn from hurt to betrayal to anger in a matter of seconds. She saw his gaze fall upon Erik's courtship chain and ring around her neck and she cursed herself silently for replacing the ring back on before she had come to the meeting with Raoul. She had a bad feeling that Raoul's temper would get to the best of him now and she was worried for her safety and the safety of others tomorrow night as well.
"You cannot accept my offer because you are in league with the Phantom!" Raoul bellowed as he made an attempt to rip the chain off from around Christine's neck. He was furious with how she had played all of them: the managers, the conductor, the cast and crew, and mostly himself for these past few months. Now he definitely knew that the Phantom of the Opera was going to pay.
"Of course I am not! How dare you accuse me of such a thing monsieur?" Christine had to think of a plan quickly before Raoul busted from the anger she saw that was self-evident on his face. She had to make him think that she was with someone other than the Phantom, even though she was. When the idea struck her she continued on in her tale.
"Erik DeNuit, the man who escorted me to the Masquerade Ball, was and still is courting me. We have been seeing each other for many months now. He had accidentally discovered the hidden room that you and the Phantom had both plummeted into and found the ring abandoned on the floor in front of one of the mirrors. It took him a while to escape, but he knew that he had to very quickly if he wanted to make it out of there before the Phantom caught him and took him as ransom. I am not surprised that the Phantom is intrigued with me, but I know that he would take my beloved Erik in a heartbeat if it meant to get me to sing for him at the performance," Christine finished her little performance with a few tears building around the corners of her eyes. Oh god how she hoped that Raoul fell for the act that she had put on.
Raoul was still angry, even more so, that there was yet another man with his eyes set upon Christine. He found it funny how he has never seen the man that Christine had claimed she was courting and he decided to bring that up to see if she was faking everything.
"Where is your Erik now?" Raoul asked menacingly.
"He is at his home, sick. He caught pneumonia from the snow outside. Now if you please monsieur, I have agreed to be in the performance of 'Don Juan' may I please leave to get some rest?" Christine felt Raoul's hand wrap itself around her arm and she felt extremely uncomfortable in such a possessive manner. How dare this insolent little boy, this stranger to her lifehold her in such a manner to make it seem like he had a possession over her. By God she was glad that she had chosen Erik over this man, but Raoul was not a man. He was a spoiled little fop.
"Yes you have agreed to star as Aminta, but you have yet to agree to be my wife. Sadly, I cannot let such an opportunity leave so suddenly without a fight," Christine was shocked to hear Raoul telling her these protective and slightly scary thoughts of his. She began to walk towards the door to shield her frightened face from his view and as she pushed down on the doorknob she heard him call out to her once more.
"Oh and Christine? I even know that the Phantom is in love with you—here is my ultimatum: Choose me and live in a life of luxury, or choose him and watch me blast a hole through his cold heart".
Oh my! I cannot believe Raoul would say such a thing about such a cute Phantom! I wonder what Christine will say to that hmm? Next chapter is all about Erik and his side to all of this!
PhantomFan01 I loved your idea, and so i included it near the end? Did you see it? :D did ya like it?
If there is anything you want to see happen/said or have questions about please review and i will do everything in my ability!