Chapter 14

It was a little after three in the afternoon, and an hour before Erik had said he was going to run some errands. It was odd being by myself in his lair, so I started strumming on our piano. It seemed so strange how, after feeling more like a guest in his abode for so long I finally felt very at home. It used to be a dungeon to us both, a depressing escape for Erik and a forced unwanted fate for me. Together we had somehow made it not so dreary, but I had dreams for one day leaving with Erik to a sunnier place where we could be away from the rest of the world. It was a dream the both of us shared now, and more and more I could see it in Erik's face. I got up and started playfully dancing around the room. Twirling about purposely making myself dizzy, I started thinking of the upcoming ball. I imagined how beautiful my gown was going to look, sparkling about the room for all eyes to envy. I stopped twirling, for I had ran into Erik's bookshelf, knocking over a few. As I bent down and picked up the books that had fallen, I noticed one book looked familiar. It was the book of old myths, the one I had been reading the first few nights I stayed with Erik, the one that told me of shadows that show your fate. I studied the book a little, and it sent chills down my spine just feeling the old withered texture of it.

Suddenly brightly colored objects appeared infront of my face. I gasped and jumped backwards, throwing the book up into the air. Then I saw they were flowers Erik was holding infront of me. I heard the book thud behind me so I shuffled over to it with embarrassment and shoved it back into the bookcase in a clumsy manner. Erik chuckled and walked over to me, apologizing. Though I was flushed with embarrassment, his flowers brought a smile to my face and I took them to my face, letting their aroma drench my senses. Erik leaned in and gave me tender kisses on my cheek, making me giggle while trying to turn away from him. I placed the flowers in a vase, and gazed at them for a long time. Erik then asked me if I was alright, and I turned to his direction nodding.

"Erik, would you like to go somewhere today?"

His eyes stayed fixed on me with curiosity. I glanced back down at the flowers and slightly caressed one.

"It's just that it IS near the end of spring and I bet the fields of wildflowers are gorgeous this time of year."

I paused and spoke to him more quietly.

"Have you ever really been to the outskirts of Paris?"

He seemed extremely interested, but tried hiding it with his body language.

"Well -- If I ever have I don't remember it."

I smiled and took his hand.

"Come Erik, there is so much I want to show you today."

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It was in the evening now, and we were miles away from Paris. I sat in the carriage watching the number of houses and people go past me become fewer and fewer. Erik was dressed in a black cloak, covering his face as he steered the horses. The weather was peculiarly warm, and the breeze seemed to be getting softer than ever. Soon surrounding us were beautiful trees and vast fields, and I told him to stop the carriage. I stepped out of the carriage only to find Erik already walking closer to the field infront of us, flourished with flowers. Wisps of wheat grew amongst the wildflowers that adorned the field near him and I stood there for a moment, taking in his awe. There were poppies showing off their bright red colors, which blended beautifully with the blues and purples of borage plants dancing in the breeze that crossed the entire field. They were in full blossom and radiated the landscape as a whole. The sun was setting, and the deep golden light glistened over the entire field making it shimmer with rapturous poise and charm. I walked over to Erik and placed my hand on his shoulder. He slightly turned toward me, but did not break his eye contact with the meadow surrounding us.

"Is there something wrong, Erik?"

He did not respond for a moment, but I saw a sad smile beginning spread across his face.

"No Christine, at this very moment I cannot think of one thing that troubles me."

It was a powerful statement, especially for Erik. I saw him slightly lift his eyes to look at the big bright orange sunset stretched across the sky, gleaming soft evening light into his sad eyes. He continued speaking.

"You know I – I never thought that anything one could see with their eyes alone – could ever bring someone truth and happiness….or peace. I've always detested the naked eye, being that the naked eye was what shoved me away from the rest of the world, what made me so miserable, so different. And if I had the power, I used to swear; oh I swore that I would make the world black! Doused in blackness because nothing good EVER came from things visual! I wanted everyone's eyesight blinded so that no one could see anything, so that they could not see me, but hear me."

He paused, and then slightly shook his head, glancing over the pasture. Then he quietly spoke.

"But this Christine…this field and its beautiful grace…it's almost as if it heals me."

I saw tears streaming down his face, sparkling as the light hit them, and he turned away from me.

He knelt down and I knelt with him, putting my arm around his shoulders. I saw a small closed bud next to me and I plucked it from the ground.

"Do you see this bud, Erik? It feels different from others, so it is afraid to blossom in the presence of sun. But little does it know how beautiful it really is."

Erik took the flower from my hand and looked at me. I smiled at him.

"It may think that only in darkness is it's time to bloom, but perhaps gorgeous daylight will embrace it even more."

Erik silently wept while smiling at the flower. I pulled out my soft linen handkerchief and started dabbing the tears off his face, not realizing I myself had started tearing up.

"Oh my dear husband," I said in a slight giggle "You're a mess."

He looked into my eyes so deeply that I almost lost my train of thought. We both stood up slowly and he took my hand and kissed it with warm romantic gentleness. The soft breeze picked up and wrapped itself around us, as if we were one. I was completely and fully in his spell. But this wasn't a spell of his voice or his talents, or even his ability to awe me. At that moment I let my whole being fall into this alluring spell he had me in, the spell of true love.

"Not one thing Christine, not one thing in this universe has enamored me the way you have," his words were rich and his voice was deep and calming.

"I can tell you that I am deeply and ardently in love with you, but that wouldn't ever come to be near how I truly feel, and for that reason I am lost for words. I have been lost in your eyes, your smile, your hair, your voice...I have admired you from afar since the day you walked into the opera house as a child. And, that pain I used to see in your eyes – your beautiful young eyes – all I ever wanted to do was take it all away. And that is why…when I thought you were going away with another man, I didn't want you to. Because if you were ever shoved aside or viewed as anything less than a bright star shining in the hearts of so many, or not loved the way you deserve to be – I wouldn't be there."

I pulled him closer to me, and he placed his forehead on mine. Soft faded sunlight seemed to be the only thing between us now, and we held each other as the sun finally sank into the earth.

When we came back to his lair, I started dressing into a nightgown and stopped when I saw my father's picture. I smiled at it, finally feeling at peace with his death. Finishing up my routine, I reached for a brush to comb my hair, but It wasn't long before I felt Erik coming up from behind me, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the side of my face uncontrollably. He was a very affectionate husband, which I was growing very fond of.

"Erik," I giggled.

I turned around and he took my small hand in his. He nervously caressed it, and I looked up into his eyes.

"I wrote a new piece for you, Christine."

He had written many pieces for me, but never had he actually announced them. He would just play them and I would overhear. He led me to his piano, and I stood at a distance as he sat on the piano bench. I closed my eyes, expecting one of his strong passionate type pieces. When Erik started to play, a soft, higher-octave sequence of single notes filled the room. Notes that were sweet and calming, totally different from his usual pieces. He strummed peacefully on the keys, producing a beautifully touching melody that felt like a recollection of precious childhood memories you thought were long forgotten. I stood there behind him awed, feeling his song soar it's way into my heart. And then he began to sing.

_

And so she drifts into the night

She is safe with me, she will be alright

She shall cry no more, not one sweet tear

Because she shall know that I am here

_

And she must know I love her in many ways

I will be her hope, and she my brightening day

And if ever she walks alone, if her spirit shall ever die

Then may she remember this night I sing her lullaby

_

And until then, if anything should cause her harm

Then I will take her in my arms

_

No one on this earth has heard the voice of an angel

Because no one on this earth has ever seen

Such a lovely essence, such a genuine heart,

Such a beautiful grace, as my Christine.

_

I did not realize I was crying until I blinked a couple times, which caused a few more teardrops to rapidly escape from my eyelids. He had written me a lullaby. A beautiful, heartening lullaby. The lyrics were still swooning their way around me, causing me to not notice Erik turning to face me. He stepped closer to me, and did not have a look of worry on his face as he usually does when he sees me crying. I was smiling, smiling with tears running down my cheeks. He slightly brushed my cheek with his thumb, not saying a word, and I reached my arms up for him. As he bent down I wrapped my arms around him as tight as I could, burying my face in his shoulder. I then tried to say something, but I stopped and realized I was speechless. Erik seemed to understand my gesture, and smiled as he took my face in his hands. In blissful emotional breaths I tried to sound out the word 'how' while almost laughing, and he seemed to have a very pleased look on his face.

"I've told you before, that I am just a poor dog ready to die for you Christine," he said, as if repeating this statement for the hundredth time amused him.

I nodded my head, still smiling. A feeling swept over me at that moment. A feeling that I knew surely surpassed any feeling I had ever experienced while being with Raoul. I ran my fingers through his thin hair, not being able to keep myself off of him anymore. He seemed to enjoy my sudden burst of loving gestures, just as any 'poor dog ready to die for me' would. It was only moments before he became just as affectionate, keeping himself as close to me as possible as he tenderly yet eagerly caressed me while I wrapped myself around him, kissing him with devotion.

end note: Yes, I wrote the lullaby. Thank you for the compliments :)