I don't own POTO. I have finished Point of No Return! I will be writing a Love Never Dies Prequel very soon! Thanks for the positive feedback. Also, check out Easleygirl01's story, Phantom's Songbird.
Chapter 4: Have you Forgotten your Angel?
By PittsBurghFuzz
Ledoux and Erik went to dining room to have dinner with Arzu. The table was covered with various fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and wines to please any person for the rest of their days. They both sat down at their seats. Arzu had apparently invited most of the noblemen from Belgium to her feast. Ledoux sat next to Erik, while he sat next to Arzu. All Arzu could talk about at the dinner was how amazing Erik was. Erik did not have much to eat that night. He had a few pieces of ham and cheese, and a glass of water to keep his mind clear and ready for danger. All of the other guests left and Ledoux decided to go to bed.
"Erik, can I speak to you for a moment?" Arzu asked with a puppy dog face.
"Sure." Erik replied, depressingly. She told her servants to get out of the room and they did just that. Arzu stared into Erik's eyes.
"Erik, why are you acting like this?" Arzu asked.
"Its nothing, may I go now? I need some sleep." Erik said turning from her. Arzu was shocked, the old Erik never slept a wink and now he desires sleep?
"Erik, something is upsetting you and I know what it is." Arzu told him.
Erik turned back to Arzu and said: "How do you know of what makes me so melancholy?"
"Its the young soprano. She left you."
Erik got up and threw his chair across the room. "How do you know of her?"
"Everyone I knew was talking about Christine and the mysterious phantom. I also saw you crying at her picture."
"How dare you invade my privacy! I always knew you were curious, but you should stop you little prying Pandora!" Erik roared like a monstrous beast. Most people would shriek in fear of his voice, but Arzu knew all too well about Erik's temper tantrums.
"Why love something you don't even know or doesn't even love you Erik? Explain the logic in that." She asked him. She touched his chest. "We have history Erik, unlike the Daae girl, I know all about you."
"All except my face. Christine saw my face. Most people would shriek and run at its appearance, but Christine just cried for me. She redeemed me!" Erik sat down in a different chair and buried his face in his arms and tears. Arzu went to comfort him. He looked up to her face, hoping for some form of a response. Arzu then tried to take his mask off, but Erik threw her to the ground. She looked up at him, almost unable to recognize the Erik she loved in Persia.
"Erik, I thought you were better than this!" Arzu cried out. "I thought you had humanity!"
"Please, humanity as done nothing but destroy this world and their own kind. That was something I never understood. How can humanity mean peaceful when humans themselves are warlike and malicious?" Erik pointed out. "If anything, it is not my fault the way I am, for it is man's fault for not accepting my appearance."
"Why can't you just be nice to others Erik?" Arzu asked.
"Nice? That method clocked out the moment my mother forced me to wear my mask on my own birthday. Do you know what it is like not to know what your own face looks like? When I fist saw my face, I thought I was looking at an illusion of a gargoyle. This inspired me to become a magician. I thought to myself, I can make anything but my face, disappear."
Arzu continued to be both petrified and intrigued by Erik. He was so mysterious and cautious to keep the secret of his face from anyone, that him yelling would probably be more terrifying than his actual face. Erik walked away and leaned his head into a nearby wall. He pounded his fist into the wall and cursed God and all of his ugly creations.
"Fear me God, for it represents man's cruelty to man, a creature you created in your own image!" Erik cried loudly as he roared to the ceiling while the rain poured and the thunder roared. He collapsed to the floor crying, and Arzu came to his aide and tapped him on the shoulder. He lifted his head. She gave him a pitiful look, and took off his mask. He covered the other half of his face, but Arzu shook her head and pulled his hand away. His face appeared to be that of a child between a skeleton and an angel. He looked handsome on one side, but he appeared equally frightening on the other side. She held both sides of his face with her hands, and kissed him. He again pushed her off, almost agonizing in pain. He covered his face with his hands and went onto his knees to cry to the heavens.
"My angel! My soul was weak, forgive me!" Erik cried. He felt as if he betrayed Christine. Arzu walked over to Erik and tried to touch him, but he got up and grabbed her hand. He nearly crushed it, like he did to the clown when he was Red Death. Erik loosened his grip and Arzu fell to her knees. Erik went down on his knees to comfort her. She looked at him with tears rolling down her eyes. Her eyes were like green jewels glowing in the light.
"Erik, why do you treat me like this?" Arzu asked. "You were angry at me and now you ask for forgiveness?"
"I'm sorry, I just don't want people I care about to see my deformity, so I have to take these extreme precautions." Erik told her. He picked up his mask and placed it back on his face. He offered his hand to Arzu and she took it. He led Arzu back to her room. He took her hand and gently kissed it. She closed the door very slowly. Erik went back to his room and yearned for Christine's presence. He played on his organ, composing the music of the night.
Erik stayed up all night, which was not much of a feat for him, and Ledoux got up.
"Good morning Erik." Ledoux greeted Erik.
Erik yawned: "Good morning Ledoux, how did you sleep last night?"
"Very well, except I heard you and Arzu fighting last night."
"Please, do not remind me, it will only cause pain and misery for the both of us."
"Very well then old friend." Ledoux and Erik walked out of the room to eat some breakfast. Erik felt much better than he had been for the past few days. He and Ledoux finally arrived at the table. It took Arzu a few minutes to get to the table and eat breakfast with the two men.
"Good morning." she greeted.
"Good morning." both Erik and Ledoux replied back.
The three of them ate breakfast in complete silence. They each did not want to talk. Erik was upset, Arzu was mad, and Ledoux did not even want to interfere with this relationship.