A/N: I am going to warn everyone early that things will go a little darker for a bit. Erik will not look too good in a future chapter. There will be a violent rape so if anyone has problems with that please skip the chapter. I'll warn you when that chapter is posted.
Chapter Seven
Live for Tomorrow
As Antoinette, Meg and Erik did not have much to pack things moved along rather quickly. Raoul and Christine had already had the servants preparing everything for their departure. One of Raoul's footmen had been sent days ago to make arrangements for sleeping along the way.
Raoul's servants were given ample compensation for termination of services. Only a handful would be staying to try to protect the estate from marauders. Raoul gave strict instructions that no one need endanger their lives to save what was essentially brick and mortar. Everything of sentimental value had already been loaded on his yacht or sent on to England by freighter. All else left behind could be replaced whereas lives could not.
It took three coaches that day to travel to the coast where Raoul's yacht had been brought in readiness for their departure. Even with having most things already sent ahead they managed to fill all the empty spaces rather quickly. Antoinette, Meg and Erik felt somewhat like poor relations.
Along the way they came upon detachments of the army looking for dissidents. They did not search Raoul's coaches as they respected his family as the name and title still held power. After the smoke cleared in this new skirmish who knew what the people of France would hold in high esteem. Those of privilege and noble titles may well find themselves being deported if not executed. It had happened before and history had a way of repeating itself.
They all loved their country but could also deplore the habit of its citizens or at least the habit of the government to seek out war. France it seemed always had a disagreement with one country or another. The people grew tired of war while they had less and less to show for it. The rich added to their riches while the poor were left with nothing. As in countries all around the world revolt of citizens against their government seemed to be inevitable.
The journey took three days. Stops had been planned ahead of time. Of course the inns had only been alerted to only two guests.
The innkeepers did the best they could to provide adequate sleeping quarters for everyone. They raised their brows upon seeing Erik's masked face. Good manners prevented them from uttering a word. It did not keep them from staring or speculating. Rumors had begun to filter out of Paris about the opera house and the disaster that had occurred.
Fortunately none were killed other than the tenor Piangi. Authorities had released a statement that indicated the tenor died before the fire as a rope had been found tied around his neck. At the moment no suspects were under scrutiny. They had their hands full trying to find the mysterious man who had taken the stage in Piangi's place and brought down the chandelier. Descriptions were so varied they would be hard pressed to ever find the man. The only clue that they all agreed upon was that the man had a deformity on the right side of his face.
All those innkeepers may have had their suspicions but could not risk displeasing the Vicomte and his companions if they were proved wrong. Times were fast approaching when business would all but dry up. They needed to make as much profit now as could be made for the future had suddenly seemed quite uncertain.
Erik had been forced to share a room with Raoul. Neither one of them could claim to be happy with this arrangement. If Erik could have constructed a brick wall in the bed between them he would have.
Everything about Raoul irritated Erik, from his perfect hair to his perfect face. Erik damned the fates or God for not giving the man one ounce of fat. The man had muscles that no nobleman should have. They tended to run to fat from lack of exercise and excess of the good life. Erik's only consolation was that Raoul was still young and there was still time for him to begin to grow lax in his personal care.
Erik would not undress completely in front of Raoul. He had nothing to be ashamed of as his body had been honed from years of climbing and walking up and down many flights of stairs. Erik's problem had been his lack of ever having been seen by anyone without his clothing or his mask since he had been quite small. Erik could count on one hand the number of people who had seen his body or his face naked. He intended to keep things in that state. Erik's mind seemed all too eager to remind him that a full opera house of people had seen him without his mask, all thanks to his beloved Christine.
All of them breathed a sigh of relief when they arrived where the yacht sat bobbing on the water. The tiny seaside village had been chosen by Raoul to anchor his yacht as the trouble in Paris and the larger cities had not yet reached this sleepy seaside village.
Even with everyone helping it took over an hour to unload everything from the coaches then onto the yacht.
Meg had astounded them by requesting that they give her a moment of privacy. She had rummaged around in her small trunk. She had grabbed the pair of men's trousers waving them triumphantly overhead.
Going behind one of coaches Meg had changed from her traveling dress into the trousers and a ruffled shirt. Sitting down on the ground she had pulled on her knee high boots.
Meg had sweet talked a young stable boy out of all of this. That and a couple of kisses. The young boy had only been sixteen and never kissed a girl before. When Meg had asked if she might buy some britches and a pair of boots from him, the calculating little Casanova had bargained with Meg for a couple of kisses.
What were a couple of kisses anyway? She had gotten the better part of the bargain. The young man would have argued that point with her.
Christine had gasped when she saw Meg wearing those trousers and boots. Women only wore trousers on stage not in public.
"Meg you are not going to wear those are you? They are highly improper."
"Well if I did not intend to wear them it would have been quite foolish to put them on considering how hard it is to put on and take off a corset as well as all those petticoats." Meg continued to tuck in the shirttails.
"Megan Louise Giry you will not speak so vulgarly in mixed company."
"Oh so it would be fine to speak of corsets and petticoats if the men were not here? Besides Maman I do think they have seen a woman's undergarments before. Saying the words out loud does not make them any more sinful. Ah, now I am ready. What is everyone standing around for? Do we not need to catch the high tide or something?"
Erik did not miss how Raoul's eyes had roamed over Meg in those tight britches which followed her form faithfully. The shirt being a couple sizes larger than needed allowed the front to droop giving tantalizing glimpses of Meg's firm, young bosoms.
Erik could not help the stirrings in him just as he felt sure Raoul had those same urges overtaking him. What man who could claim to be a man would not find Meg attractive and appreciate what she put on display? Erik could not help but think that she wore more now than she had for some of the operas she had danced in, yet oddly he found her more alluring than he would have thought possible. He found it quite easy to conjure picture after picture of Meg despite thinking he had always ignored her.
Antoinette's exasperated exclamation broke into Erik's reminiscing of Meg's past performances. Had he really stored so many of her performances without being aware of them?
"Meg I swear I do not know where you get these liberal ideas. You never used to be so…so…so loose with your morals. You have always been a good girl."
"Oh Maman if you knew half the things I did you would have been gray headed the year after I turned ten. Why do you think all those young boys followed me around? It was not to learn how to dance. And Christine you need not look so disapproving. I seem to remember you being quite eager to go along with some of my more risqué escapades."
"Risqué? Escapades? What in the world have you done that I had been blinded to?" Antoinette had always thought she had kept a close eye on her two daughters.
Erik had been doing some wondering of his own. He had kept a close eye on Christine. He had monitored all of her activities. The only time she had not been under his eagle eyes had been when she left the opera house or when she had gotten older and had her own dressing room. He did not invade her privacy there. Carlotta's dressing room had been another matter entirely. For the short duration Christine had been in the diva's room Erik had kept watch over Christine like a hawk over its prey.
"Maman set your worries aside. I only ever lead those boys around by the nose so they would do my chores. I never even kissed them. Now the neighbor boys at Uncle's farm well they were a different story. I am sure you remember them well Christine. Did you and David not have a little romance brewing?"
"Megan Louise Giry I will thank you not to spread such lies. Besides did we not swear on our first born not to tell Maman the things we did when we broke free of her watchful eye?"
"Yes well, I suppose you have me there. So now that a little of my wicked past has been revealed let us be on our way. The gendarmes or some of those dissidents could come along at any minute."
"You know Meg I shall have to make the effort to get to know all about you. I think you will prove to be a fascinating woman." Raoul could not help but like Meg. She had been good for Christine. Christine had always been somewhat withdrawn from life. He had to use considerable charm and persistence when they were younger to get her to play as a child should.
He could only imagine how devastated she had been when her father had died. He had gone away by that time. He could not believe his good fortune to find Christine again after so many years. He had thought fate brought them back together as if they were fated to be one soul.
"Huh, if you think this little drama fascinating then the rest of my life story will astound you. I have been a very wicked woman over the last nineteen years let me tell you."
Christine giggled and grabbed Meg's arm to walk up the gangplank with her. Meg always made her feel better just with her presence. Erik used to have that same affect. It had only changed as Christine had grown older and began to suspect her Angel of Music not to be an angel at all.
She had kept up the pretense of believing so well that as time passed she had almost begun to believe her tutor really was an angel. How foolish she had been. So much could have been avoided if she had only confronted Erik and forced him to tell her the truth.
Raoul showed everyone where they would be staying. There were plenty of rooms so no one had to share. Raoul's stateroom and a cabin for Christine had been all that the crew had prepared as they had only expected two passengers.
The crew got busy at once preparing the extra cabins. Erik had paced about nervously while waiting. He had not been around so many people this close in a long time. He had maintained a distance between himself and the opera house personnel. He only used his voice or his notes to make his wishes known.
His irritation had little to do with not having his privacy really but more to do with his growing awareness of Meg. She confused the hell out of him. He tried to keep her pigeonholed as only Antoinette's daughter. She refused to let him do that as she forced him to view her in a different light. He thought her to be far too progressive. Women should not be so bold. Men observing her behavior could be forgiven for thinking her of easy virtue.
Having brought that thought to the forefront of his mind he began to wonder if she had been intimate with anyone. How far had those kisses gone all those years ago? Erik chastised himself. She had been a mere child, how far could things have gone? He had known of girls in the opera house that began intimacies around thirteen when pressured enough by some noble with more money than morals or good sense. Those kind of thoughts did not ease his mind.
Meg watched Erik pace even as she pretended to give Christine her full attention. She could not help but admire his long legged stride which made short work of the small sitting room.
There were many rooms on board they were just rather small. They were large enough for ten to twelve people to be comfortable without poking one another in the eye or tripping over one another.
As soon as that thought presented itself Meg's mischievous side caught hold and the little imp on her shoulder whispered in her ear to stick her foot out and trip Erik. Without further consideration Meg did just what the imp told her to do. Erik walked past her and Meg stuck her foot out at the last moment sending Erik sprawling across the floor.
Meg bit her lip trying to hold back her laughter. Christine poked her in the side giving her the look from when they were small and Meg would pull some practical joke.
Meg smiled shrugging her shoulders just as she looked in Erik's direction. He had not missed the exchange between the two women or Meg's careless shrug.
He dare not do anything now but that little chit would pay. He did not know how but he would get even.
"Oh Erik I am so sorry. I am not used to these men's boots and forget how much bigger they make by feet." Meg batted her eyelashes as she had seen many of the opera house performers do. She hoped to soften him up so that he might forget seeking some form of revenge. She began to regret listening to that troublemaker that sat on her shoulder all the time.
"It was not the size of the boot that tripped me. It was the length of leg placed deliberately in my path that caused my fall."
Meg only just kept her mirth from leaving her mouth. She did not know why she felt this irresistible urge to torment and taunt him. Perhaps it was the arrogance he did not even try to temper with an ounce of consideration for others.
Yes he had lived a hard and untenable existence but so had many others in Paris. Erik had always had a roof over his head and food in his belly, at least all the years he had been haunting the opera house. Meg did not know of his life before that but she could imagine it had not been easy or why else would he bury himself in the ground?
Meg knew she should be more charitable toward him but something about him rubbed her the wrong way. Her skin felt all prickly whenever he got anywhere close to her. From his reaction she could only assume he suffered from some similar irritation as he always seemed to snipe at her when he dared speak to her at all.
The cabin boy coming in to announce all their rooms had been prepared ended anything further from being said. Meg did not miss the glower Erik aimed in her direction or the threat of retaliation he would exact when an opportunity presented itself.
He would let her wait and wonder when he would do something. The wait would be far worse than what he might do to her. Erik could not grasp any clear reason why he felt so on edge around Meg. Whenever they were within a few feet of one another his skin felt as if hundreds of irritating ants were crawling all over him. The verbal exchanges while aggravating were stimulating as well. Erik could not remember ever having anyone oppose him at least not to his face. The managers may have tried to disobey his requests but soon learned the folly of their ways. When speaking to him directly or rather indirectly through one wall or another, their courage would desert them. It both intrigued and irritated him that Meg stood her ground with him and did not let him intimidate her. She gave as good as she got. He could admire that even as he deplored her using that strength against him.
All their cabins were much the same. The only real difference had been the color. Only the master stateroom and the room connecting to it, which Raoul had given to Christine of course, had a private bath. The others had to share.
This Erik found to be intolerable over the next few days. Just when he would decide to brave taking a bath or need to use the facility it seemed Meg had the same idea or had in fact already beaten him to the room. Her continued smirking whenever she won out over him began to rankle considerably.
On the fourth day at sea Meg had once again hurried down the hall just ahead of Erik to slam the door in Erik's furious face.
Erik began to suspect she listened to hear the creak of his door then exited her own just to thwart him.
Almost on the verge of reentering his cabin Erik paused to contemplate whether or not to do as his alter ego whispered in his ear. The Phantom part of him said go in and throw her out on her delectable derrière. Some small sane part barely emitted a sound of protest as to the inappropriateness of such an action.
Giving in to his darker side Erik strode back down the corridor not even stopping to consider if she might have already undressed or not. Erik threw open the door with a resounding crash against the wall as he practically shouted, "Damn it woman this is the last…" At this point Erik's eyes and mind registered that Meg stood completely nude in front of him.
Every delectable inch of her burned into his memory as he raked his eyes over her. Erik showed considerable restraint when he did not slam the door on the rest of the world and do as his mind kept urging him to do while the opportunity presented itself to him.
They both stood mere seconds in complete shock, with neither moving. Erik may be held stiff in shock but his eyes had decided to roam freely over every inch of Meg and commit every delectable inch of her to memory. Meg could not help noticing the wayward path his eyes took. While pleased somewhat she still felt dreadfully embarrassed.
Both of them seemed to come to their senses at the same time. Erik backed out just as Meg grabbed a towel along with the only object close to hand she could use as a missile. She tossed the bottle of bath salts toward him. The bottle missed hitting Erik completely, landing just inches from his booted feet.
"Oh you lecherous fiend. I dismissed all those chorus girls and ballet rats spreading rumors about your lecherous tendencies now I see I should have paid heed to their claims of being spied on or accosted in the corridors of the opera house."
"I dear Meg, have never accosted anyone. That may have been Joseph Buquet but not me. As to this…this incident it was completely your fault."
Meg asked incredulously, "My fault? How could this be my fault? I did not invite you in. You stormed in without an invitation." In her anger Meg had begun to lose her grip on the towel. Inch by inch Erik watched that little barrier reveal more and more of her. As a gentleman he should perhaps have turned his back or more appropriately left her altogether. The Phantom in him said to hell with that. He would stay and see the show until the very end.
Hearing the others clamoring down the steps, no doubt to inquire about all the shouting, Meg leaped forward to slam the door closed. The last Erik saw of Meg had been the towel dropping to the floor as she lost her grip when she shot forward to shut the bathroom door.
"Erik what in the world is all this shouting about? Has there been an accident?" Antoinette ran her eyes over him to ascertain whether or not he needed medical aid. He seemed to be alright.
"Just a misunderstanding is all. I thought I should have first crack at having a bath as Meg seems to use all the hot water every morning. We had a slight disagreement is all. Nothing to worry about." Even as Erik gave this explanation his mind inconveniently had pictures of Meg parading through his head.
That incident seemed to have deterred Meg from trying to monopolize the bathroom or irritate Erik if that had been her intention. She now waited until he had used the facility first then went about her own routine of bathing.
Calm seemed to have come to everyone as they eased into a cease fire from animosities. A boat, even though rather large did not have the privacy or space for feuding parties to have continued confrontations.
Raoul had given his word as a gentleman he would not be seeking to run Erik through any time soon as long as he promised the same. Christine had extracted the promise of peace from both men.
As Meg and Erik had continued to rub one another the wrong way Antoinette and Christine felt they should have asked both Meg and Erik not to do one another any harm.
Captain Rivera had quietly married Raoul and Christine on their fourth day out. Erik and Meg had exchanged glances while both pretended to be doing no such thing.
Erik felt his heart drop to his knees when the captain announced Raoul and Christine to be man and wife. When they had kissed passionately he had turned away and sought solace in alcohol. Two crewmembers had carried him to bed.
Meg had been tempted to enter his cabin to assure herself he was alright. Hearing Erik moaning Christine's name in such anguished tones had her turning to her own cabin to cry quietly into her pillow.
Now they did not need to worry about any discord concerning past offenses or disagreements and peace came for all to enjoy. The future would provide all too many such opportunities for discord as new interests were ignited unwillingly in those who had no idea that fate had decreed they be together. Resistance would be futile but resist they would. Some of Erik's darkest moments were yet to come. His anguish would lead him to commit the most heinous of crimes. The pit he will dig may bury him once and for all.