Chapter 24

Meg's POV

When my mother and I walked into the solarium, we could not believe who we found seated next to Erik. Her fingers were intertwined with his and they were kissing passionately. I thought immediately, what was she doing here? Why is he not angry with her? If she were here, then we should all be on the next train to Hamburg, and then on the ship heading anywhere, as long as it was far from her. Where Christine appeared, Raoul inevitably followed. The Vicomte would take Erik's life in a moment if he could get his hands on him and we would be prosecuted for helping him, or worse. I doubted that Raoul would be in a generous mood, after what Erik had confessed to us in the carriage.

Yet, despite the risks, here she was, my former best friend, once more tethering Erik's fragile heart on a string. Poor Erik, he was so intelligent in many ways; yet clueless when it came to affairs of the heart. I couldn't help but to wonder what my old friend's game was. Why would she follow Erik to Germany when she wanted him out of her life for so long? Why did she not accept that he needed to be free of her just as she wanted to be free of him? Or was Erik right? Maybe Christine did come to her senses and look beneath Erik's ugly surface and find the true beauty that he hid deep within his heart. A part of me acknowledged that I retained some jealousy. I found many aspects of Erik to be alluring and yet I was not really in love with him. Not yet. I simply had not yet had the time to explore that possibility.

I could see that, despite my doubts, she convinced Erik both of her innocence and her love. I couldn't resist but to tell her how she had brought him to the brink of killing himself; it was my subtle reminder that she had hurt Erik deeply. It was a very interesting set of circumstances that had brought her here. Either, she somehow found out our destination and followed us here, or it was an accident of fate. For Erik's sake, I hoped that it was the latter. I somehow think that it was not an accident, the world is a big place and yet somehow we all end up in the same place? Too much coincidence for me to believe in that! Reluctantly, I decided to forgive my friend, at least on the surface, for Erik's sake and for the sake our former friendship. I did miss having a best friend to confide in, particularly Christine. She was more like a sister to me than a friend. We grew up together and until recently shared everything. I wanted that person back in my life. I just couldn't trust her. I was not yet sure that I could give that trust back to Christine, at least not until she earned it. Despite all our hard feelings we all hugged and claimed to bury the hatchet. While Erik was distracted, I gave Christine a swift glance to warn her that I would still be watching. I know that maman was wary of Christine as well. She glanced at me as well, her eyes expressing her own concern. Why would we believe her? We both had been subjected to months of Christine mooning for Raoul, and confiding in us about Erik's hideousness and temper. I would never forgive myself if I were not a little wary of her late conversion. Perhaps she felt the same way about me.

At that moment, the door opened, and in walked the most handsome man that I had ever seen. Ironically, he had a face that was even more handsome than that of the Vicomte and he had the same aura of power that Erik possessed. I knew immediately that he was the cousin that Erik told us about, Christian von Mulheim. The afternoon sun hit his golden hair in a most beneficial matter accentuating his perfect face and form. He looked like a sculpture of a Greek god or more like a Viking warrior of old. He moved almost as gracefully as Erik. His eyes scanned the room and then I saw him look at me and stop. Our eyes met as if in recognition and I blushed in embarrassment over my reaction to him. I could feel the electric warmth of his gaze and wondered if my parents ever felt the same when they met. I had heard mention that people could fall in love at first sight but had never been a believer. At that moment I recognized the truth; this was more than love it, was a great awakening.

I could not pay attention to any conversation in the room because I was so mesmerized by this man. I did not even listen when Erik introduced us. I forgot my dark thoughts about Christine. I must have been apparent because I could hear Erik laugh at me. His introduction was laced with humor, as he stood between Christian and me and introduced us to one another. I wondered and hoped whether Christian felt the same way that I did, sensed the same attraction to me that I did to him. As a Frenchwoman, I instinctively disliked Germans. I remembered their brief occupation of Paris when I was eight years old, how my father referred to them as uncivilized Huns. My mother was less hostile to them, but still I was taught to despise them as uncivilized barbarians compared to the French. I knew that Erik was playing a role as a German but he was as French as any of us. He had to hide his origins to avoid raising suspicions. Christian looked acted and spoke with a strong German accent; despite that nothing else mattered but his warm green hued eyes, so like Erik's, but more open and less haunted. He was perhaps the man that Erik would have been if his face had been whole and not disfigured. Still in his elegant hands and demeanor, I could sense the same dichotomy of sensuality and death; though where Erik was a panther dark and lurking, Christian was a lion full of light. When approaching either Baron one should proceed cautiously lest one be prey to their dangerous yet magnetic allure.

He lifted my hand, as a Frenchman might do, and gave it a soft kiss. He spoke to me in perfect French. His accent was more guttural than a native speaker would possess, but it was not unpleasant to listen to.

"It is my pleasure to meet you Mademoiselle Marguerite Giry." He spoke my full name carefully as if seeking to take it from me and memorize it. He continued by turning to Erik and telling him "Dear Cousin, for a man who claims that women scorn him, you have three beautiful ladies here ready to attend to you. Now that I can see your talent for drawing beautiful ladies to your side, I will no longer permit you to complain to me about your so called lack of appeal to women, I would like to take lessons from you so that I might learn something from the master."

Erik looked at his cousin with amusement. I was rather shocked by the cousins' apparent comfort in one another's company. They had only known one another for a few weeks, but they had already started to behave more like brothers who had known one another for a lifetime, than like cousins who had only just met. What was even more surprising was that it was Erik who acted in this fashion, the same Phantom who trusted no one except perhaps for his Persian friend. Maman and I had both noticed a change for the better in Erik, but we could not know where to attribute the difference. The source was now clear; he had the security of family behind him for the first time in his life. I was so happy for him. I looked at my maman and I could tell that she felt the same surprise. Was the Phantom growing softer here in the welcoming arms of his ancestral home?

Erik told his cousin "I admit that my fortunes have turned around a little since our last conversation regarding my heart. However Madame Giry and her daughter are merely friends of mine, and have little interest in me in any other way. As far as Mademoiselle Daae is concerned I prefer to comment on the matter later this evening after I have had the chance to show her our well -tended rose garden. I believe that the young woman tried to show herself the garden last night; but was lost in the depths of the Chateau while attempting to find the exit to the garden area. After exploring the Chateau myself, I have concluded that our ancestors enjoyed building labyrinths that would rival the mythical gardens of Crete. I trust however that I can keep her safe, since I, the Minotaur, will be escorting her this time."

Christian replied "The only beast in the rose garden will be my temper if you do not stop complaining to me about your fate. The Schloss is built in such a fashion because it has been repeatedly expanded since the Roman's first built the Eastern tower as a watch tower over the Rhine, almost 2000 years ago. It was a border outpost between the Empire and the Germanic lands to the east."

"Yes, we have been trying to keep you on your side of the river since Roman times, and you keep crossing over the barrier and taking French land." Erik mused.

"Apparently without much luck, but as I recall you are as German as I cousin, at least for the moment." He joked.

"At least until the next war." Erik replied glibly. Erik turned to me with a knowing smile and then back to his cousin. "Christian, you know this place better than anyone here especially I. I would not want to see my newest guests lose their way as Mademoiselle Daae did last night. I would suggest that you give them a tour of the house so that they might settle in comfortably. You might want to introduce them to the Comtesse, who I understand is still resting in her room. She has decided to remain with for several days with us, while we find a suitable replacement for Christine. I am afraid that Christine will be remaining here for the indeterminate future."

Erik's announcement did not surprise anyone. I expected that she and Erik would be getting married soon, if Christine were willing to do so. I knew what Erik's feelings and intentions towards Christine always had been. I still did not know what her feelings might be.

Christian looked at Erik and smiled "I would be more than happy to do so. I wouldn't want either lady to run into one of our resident ghosts save of course you, the most famous ghost in all of France."

Maman shot him a look "Monsieur is it really wise to speak of such things out loud. I know that in most big houses there is usually a servant about. Do you want to put your cousin in danger?"

Christian replied smoothly "You needn't worry Madame Giry; there is no danger for Erik from any of the servants here. Their families have attended to ours for centuries no matter which country has ruled Alsace."

I did not worry about the servants here, nearly as much as I did about my old friend. I would speak to Nadir about making sure that he knew what the Vicomte was up to at present. If he learned where Erik was hiding I had no doubt that he would come and get his revenge on Erik.

Christian's POV

I am in heaven and hell at the same time. I did not know that it could be possible to feel two diametrically opposed feelings at the same time. I was already coming to like my cousin too much to follow my previous plan to find a way for an accident to befall him. The Comtesse made it clear to me, that if I had any second thoughts, she would finish him instead. I sometimes wonder whether it wasn't her that started the whole bloody business between our branches of the family. My father barely knew her, they had met only a few times, and yet this possibility has never crossed his mind. He had known only that his father had been disowned partially due to bad blood between Georges and Erik. My father had never met his uncle, and I had. He seemed to be a decent man and very family minded. He took me in without a single question, and I was forced to repay him in his own blood. The Comtesse on the other hand, seemed more than capable of murder. But if I were to go down that road, and advise my father that perhaps we had been mistaken; all of the blood that we had shed for both vengeance, and to keep our family safe, would have been a horrible mistake. It would also mean that it was we who were the monsters, not the other side. Suddenly I realized that I could not kill my cousin, or plot further against him, not before I knew the truth. I would not spill a drop of blood of what little remained of our family until I had some answers.

Our branch of the family had killed two of theirs that should have satisfied the spirit of the feud. Erik was not even aware of the bloodshed and did not need to know of it. I did not want, or need, to kill him to gain control of the Schloss. Erik offered to share the estate with me by offering to adhere to the ancient Salic law which gave equal parts of an estate to all heirs not just the eldest son. He told me that he had more than enough money to support himself and his friends for a lifetime or more. He respected my fine stewardship of the estate for all of these years. His generosity was yet another reason why I was growing to like him. When Erik had been no more than an abstract person, it had been easy to keep my word to my father and the Comtesse. He sounded like someone who it would be easy to kill and feel little in remorse for doing so. I knew about his bloody reputation from Persia where he was referred to as "The Angel of Doom". His reputation in Paris was equally horrible; he was branded a murderer. I expected to find an ugly, brutish and murderous beast but he was none of that; quite the opposite in fact. He was no longer an abstraction and definitely not a monster. I could no longer see an incentive for killing him. It would be wrong to do so to such a unique and talented genius as he. I would like to collaborate with him to bring continued glory to our ancient family.

In the meantime, there was a beautiful Frenchwoman who I wanted to get to know a lot better. She was the most beautiful girl that I ever laid eyes on. She was prettier even than my Ingrid, who I had always thought was the epitome of classic German beauty. This Marguerite Giry was dancer with a well -developed luscious form, azure blue eyes, and beautiful long flowing blond locks on flawless porcelain skin. I did not lie to Erik when I teased him about his abilities to attract beautiful women. All three of the newest arrivals to what had been, for several decades a bachelor's domain, were of uncommon grace and beauty. Erik clearly picked the right place to bury himself for a decade or so, in a nest of beautiful women. If these three women were but a sampling of the women that graced the Palais Garnier, then I should have come for a visit to find my cousin much earlier. Perhaps I might have if I did not expect to be murdered for daring to do so.

I was suddenly seized with a sense of hope, a feeling of lightness that I hadn't felt since before I was forced to kill the old man. Perhaps I could talk to my father and convince him to forgo this last act of vengeance. This Erik is innocent with regards to the past and he bears Apollo's mark, which has always to this point brought good fortune to the family. To kill him to avenge the dead is pointless. The dead will remain as they were, nothing can change that. I have wasted half of my life pursuing other peoples' agendas, and not my own. I wanted to pursue this beautiful Frenchwoman and find my soul mate before my life was over. Was that too much to ask of anyone? I started to think further and realized that I could not trust my own father to agree with me.

I resolved to look into the past more thoroughly, without arousing the suspicion of the Comtesse. I also decided to try to ascertain what alternatives she was planning should I turn out to be unreliable. It would not simply do to restrain myself, only to have the old woman find her own way of doing so. If I decided to switch allegiances I would have to do so cautiously. How would Erik react if he found out that my branch of the family had killed two members of his, both his father and grandfather? His wretched life might have been better if my father had not arranged for his father's death. Would he forgive me for it? Or had it been too late to pursue a friendship with him from the very beginning? Were we now doomed to be enemies? My feeling of lightness suddenly lifted, as I pondered the seriousness of my dilemma. My hope started to fail me once more.