Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera does not belong to me, only my own characters do.

Author's Note:

To phantommistress: I hope you enjoy the background I'm dishing up in this chapter and yes, you'll get your wish, but in a later chapter. BTW, you must be psychic because that's what I've got planned in the future.

To foxgodess07: Enjoy this next chapter, already have the next one partially written.

Also if I get enough requests, I'll see if I can manage a picture of S'ray and Erik. But remember if you want to see it, you have to ask by writing a review *wink*.

Thanks to all who have read and reviewed; the more you review, the more I write. I plan to post a chapter every week, depending on how busy I am at work. I work at a call center and do my plotting when we're slow. Anyway, on with the show and as promised more of S'ray's background and whiskey.

Phantom of the Glen

Chapter 4 - S'ray's Story and More Whiskey!

"I'm heavy cavalry and was shot from behind by a Drow archer with an iron bodkin. If you look at the back of my armor you can see where it went right between the scales on the right shoulder," she explained taking a sip from her glass. "I was lucky I was hit from behind or I would have fallen off my mount."

"Iron is bad for the Alve if I recall correctly," he said picking up the bottle and filling his glass.

"Very true," she replied leaning back against the desk. "It's like a poison. By the time I'd landed and had it pulled out; my shoulder was black and so was my right arm down to the elbow. By the time it had stopped spreading my right arm was black down to my fingertips, it had crept over onto my chest, across my back, and up my neck to the ear.

"The healer wanted to take my arm," she said taking a long drink of whiskey, "but I wouldn't let him. So they sent for my two younger brothers to take me home to in all probability die."

"What about your parents?" he asked swirling the whiskey in his glass.

"They were still fighting the Drow, like I said before; none that could fight could be spared from the battle. Well, they brought me here, the last Guardian," she said motioning to the portrait above the fireplace, "was my uncle on my mother's side and he left me this place when he picked me to replace him."

Erik looked up at the picture; the man portrayed had a thin, angular face. His eyes, a deep purple, were intelligent and kindly. He had long, almost white-blonde hair that was held in place by a silver diadem. The man was wearing the dark colored clothes of a woodsman and his right hand rested on the head of a silver coated wolf.

"Then my pregnant sister showed up," S'ray said rolling her eyes, "and decided to take over. If you think you've seen domineering divas in the opera, you haven't met my sister."

"I'm guessing you were not happy with that," he smiled over his glass.

"Not one bit, I sent her home myself. Besides we never really got along on the best of days."

"And that was not a good day."

"No and I was angrier than a wet hen. She had the nerve to tell everyone that I was going to die and I should pick the next guardian. Never asked me if I was dying, which I wasn't," she said and took another drink from her glass.

"So how did you heal yourself?" he asked curious.

"After my sister left I had my brothers help me to the kitchen and bring me Uncle Dandel's books on healing. I found the poultice he'd created for iron poisoning and put them to work making it," S'ray explained.

"How long ago was that?"

"About 15 years and it wasn't until 5 years ago that I really regained the use of my right arm."

"How did you manage? Surely your younger brothers weren't able to stay the entire time?"

"The brothers and sisters that I get along with would take turns staying with me. But it became easier once the iron started coming out of me. The hardest part though was learning to use my left hand instead of the right," she explained filling her glass again.

Erik nodded in understanding; he was feeling very relaxed and warm. "Must have been frustrating for a smith," he said leaning back and closing his eyes.

"You have no idea," she answered, "there is absolutely no way that you can do any smith work with one hand."

They sat in silence for a while, each wrapped in their own thoughts. The only sound was that of glasses being refilled from the bottle between them. "I've read what the papers said happened," she said turning to gaze at him, "but what really happened?"

"What happened?" he laughed taking another drink of whiskey, "I fell hopelessly and completely in love with a girl who was studying ballet and sang with the voice of an angel."

"I still can't forget the first time I heard her sing. I was in a tunnel near the chapel when I heard this voice crying and singing at the same time. It was so beautiful I had to find where it was coming from and then from behind the stained glass I saw her. My heart leapt in my chest and I just wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her forever," Erik said his eyes looking backward to that day.

"First love?" S'ray asked.

"Yes," he replied with a nod. "I was about to sing back to her when Meg came flying in and warned her not to wander the Opera House alone because the Phantom might get her. Ridiculous, as if I would have hurt any of those children. Perhaps frighten a bit if they wandered where they didn't belong, but never harm them."

S'ray nodded and waited for him to continue his story.

"So I followed her and kept watch like I did with all the new children that came to live and work at the Opera. I kept her safe from the dangerous parts of the building and the lecherous stage hands. I even asked Madame Giry who she was and where she came from," he said filling his glass again. "And then one day I heard her singing and asking for an Angel of Music, so I sang back and called myself the Angel of Music and began teaching her to sing."

"Her voice was so incredible, so achingly beautiful that I knew she could be one of the greatest sopranos of all time. I poured every bit of my heart and soul into our secret lessons. And her voice became more and more beautiful every day. I was in heaven when she sang for me, but I had to keep reminding myself that I was her teacher and nothing more," he said taking another drink.

"How did you manage to keep something like that a secret from the rest of the residents of the opera?"

"We didn't, Christine told Meg that she was getting singing lessons from an angel her father had send to her. Meg then told her mother of course and one day I was confronted by an angry ballet mistress in my own lair.

"I explained about her voice and I was only trying to help the child become the great singer I knew she could become. Madame Giry consented to let the lessons continue and they did for four more years.

"Finally the chance I'd been waiting for came. The opera was changing hands, on the day the new managers got the keys I managed to put Carlotta into such a fit of rage that she walked out of the final rehearsal for Hannibal on opening night. Madame Giry had Christine sing for them and they had her take Carlotta's place that very night. And she was so beautiful, the gowns, the jewels in her hair, the lights and dear God, that wonderful voice of hers. I fell in love with her all over again that night when she sang 'Think of Me'.

"Then that prat Raoul showed up spouting some nonsense about Little Lotte and acting like he'd been responsible for her success. I made up my mind then to take her down to my home and let her meet her Angel of Music.

"I led her down the secret tunnels to my lair after the opera had quieted for the night, singing to and with her the entire way there. I held her in my arms she leaned against me and sighed," he said leaning his head back and finishing off the glass before pouring another. "It all must have been too much for her in one night and she fainted in my arms. So I put her in my bed and waited for her to wake up."

"When she woke she found me easily enough and sang to me. But then the dream shattered when she removed my mask and screamed," Erik said as tears started to leak from his eyes again. "I became enraged, I cursed her and threatened her and God forgive me, I frightened her."

"Things were never the same after that," he said pulling his knees up to his chest. "I tried to make it up to her, but everything I did drove her into the arms of the Vicomte."

S'ray could see the anguish that reliving this was causing him. She moved closer and put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Then on the rooftop when she sang to that boy and promised to always be with him, she may as well have ripped my heart from my chest. Never in my whole life had I felt such pain, I became enraged and vowed revenge.

"I retreated from the opera to plan my revenge for the pain they caused me. The night of the masquerade ball I delivered it, Don Juan Triumphant. I told the managers to put it on or else and that Christine would be the star. Then I saw the ring on the chain around her neck, another would to my still bleeding heart. I tore it from her and went back to my lair in a rage.

"Several days later I followed her to her father's grave, I only wanted to talk to her, to explain my actions. But that damned boy showed up and ruined it. I lost my temper and we fought, my rage made me fight poorly and he would have killed me. But Christine, she stayed his blade and rode off with him," he said taking a shuddering breath.

"Then came the night of Don Juan's performance, everything was set. I knew the police would be there, but I had laid my plans carefully. I replaced Piangi in the role of Don Juan midway into the first act. I sang my heart and soul out to her, told her everything I was feeling and waited for her reaction.

"She pulled my mask off again, in front of a full house. Women screamed and men shouted; there were guns pointed at me from all directions. I was desperate to get away, so I cut the support for the chandelier and dropped Christine and I through the trap door into the cellars.

"I dragged her back to the lair with me and of course her fiancé, the Vicomte, followed us. I made her choose me by threatening to kill him if she didn't. I was standing in the lake, holding the noose around his neck and she walked to me and kissed me. I had never been kissed before, not even my own mother would kiss me. Then she drew back for a moment and pulled me down for another kiss. It was then I realized that I had to let her go, so I told them to leave and forget about me. The mob was coming and I didn't want them to hurt her. They left and I went down a secret passage to hide from the mob," he said covering his face with his hands.

"After they'd all gone I came back, changed and left the opera. Somehow Raoul found me and pursued me to this forest and you know the rest," he said wiping his face with his hand and turning to look towards her and her reaction.

"You can stay here as long as you wish," she said squeezing his shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered covering her hand with his own.

"I just realized that you never told me your name, I can't just keep calling you phantom or opera ghost," S'ray smiled.

"Erik, call me Erik."

Coming up in Chapter 5 – Erik In and Out of His Element.