A/N: Alrighty, time to find out who our mysterious little girl is! (As if you hadn't already guessed.)
Erik awoke the next morning to the plaintive scrabbling in his dresser drawer. Taking a second to remember fully where he was and why there was something in his drawer, he walked over to the little lizard, stretching and yawning on his way. Picking the little creature up, he inspected its leg to ensure its splint remained. Taking it into the main part of the apartment, he set it on the floor of the balcony. Looking over his design ideas at his desk, he went back to his bathroom to wash. He would not allow his appearance to suffer from the last dregs of tiredness that refused to leave him.
Smoothing back his hair and replacing his mask, he went to see how his little reptilian friend was fairing. Looking around momentarily, he quickly found that the lizard was now happily chewing a rather juicy looking fly. Erik could not help but smile at his newest companion's contentment.
Walking over to the rail, he kept an eye on the little creature so it would not think it was completely free to run off. It would most assuredly fall if it tried climbing the wall or walking off the balcony, and he would not allow it to see such a cold fate after working so hard to save it from his own unknowing act of injuring it.
Erik sighed in the hot sunlight, feeling it heat his perpetually cold fingers. He knew spending too much time in this harsh light would burn his thin, pale skin, but for now he let the simplest of things fascinate him as his nearly reflective hands turned in the dry air.
Letting his gaze drift downwards to the ground many feet below his balcony, he observed he was above the Rose Garden. This pleased him as the graceful movements of the birds always managed to calm him. What sent him almost jumping over the railing, however, were not the fine feathered aviary he so adored. Down, partially hidden amongst the surrounding grassy plants and flowering bushes was the girl he had seen the day before.
He remembered absently his favour to Nadir as he rushed to retrieve his lizard and return him to the safe confines of the drawer. He had promised to abstain from searching her out until today, and thank God it was today! He practically flew through the halls and passageways of the palace that he had explored a bit the day before on his way to the garden, and most importantly, the girl that wandered there.
He came upon the sight of her, however, and all urgency left him instantly. He wanted to simply stand there and watch her forever. Her porcelain skin was somehow untouched by the hard rays of the sun, and only shone in its pale brilliance. Her gently curving lashes framed her shining grey-green eyes wonderfully. Her hair, long and only partially pulled back, curled and spiralled down her back in long, thick locks of the most velvety dark brown. Everything about her was beautiful, and her figure, carefully displayed in her billowing outfit of white, was equally lovely if not a bit thin. Her fingers were what entranced him so, though.
She beckoned with a voice like silver bells to a small ball of grey fuzz. She smiled and nuzzled her pert little nose with the playful beak of the bird. Laughing that glorious, heaven-sent laugh, she relaxed her hands down a bit before turning to look right at Erik.
'Hello,' she offered, smiling softly and raising her eyebrows as if to say, "Well? Don't just stand there."
Erik opened his mouth, but found it completely dry. He had jumped back slightly when she had turned her gaze upon him.
'You have a baby swan?' He asked instead, after an odd silence had formed between them.
'They're called cygnets, and yes. Would you like to come see him?' She offered, holding the bird up to her breastbone and out to him just a bit.
Erik felt himself walk over to her, but truly he was lost in her eyes. They seemed to will him forward while his mind drew a blank. He felt his breath catch in his throat when he realised how close he was to her. He looked at the little bird as it shied away from him slightly before curiosity got the better of it and it edged closer to him. Reaching out a tentative hand to it, he let his fingertips swirl and stroke in the soft down of the youngling's feathers.
'Don't you find them ugly?' He asked before he could manage to restrain his potentially damning words.
She looked up at him with horror, and he braced for her inevitable rejection of his company. Just do not let her scream, he pleaded to a God he did not fully believe in.
'No, I don't.' She disagreed firmly, slightly offended by his harsh words. 'They are quite cute to me. Besides, it's what's inside that counts. Outward appearances generally mean little and tell even less of true character.' She nodded at her own words as if teaching him a lesson.
Erik only marvelled at her more for her words. How he prayed she truly believed in them without exception. He knew he was reaching too high, but already he felt himself being wrapped up and addicted to this strange girl's company.
She set the little cygnet down into the protective branches of a nearby shrub. It clearly had a home built there, but no sign of its mother concerned Erik.
'Where are its parents?' He asked, scanning the pond.
'He was doesn't have any.' She answered with a tinge of sadness. 'He wandered away from the nest too young and they won't accept him back. I have to take care of him now.' She explained, giving the bird one last loving glance. 'Even so, I think he'll grow up into a fine black swan.' She announced proudly.
Just as Erik was about to assure her of her good parenting, he was interrupted by the oddest of noises out on the pond. From the sparkling waters came a yipping as one might expect from a relatively small dog. Immediately, however, this was proved not to be the case.
A rather large black swan was wading in the lake, ducking his sleek head up and down in fluid movements and occasionally flaring his wings and fluttering them impressively. The undersides of his silky wings were pure white with a thin band of grey between the two stark opposite tones. The bird continued this, facing them, with some vigour for a few seconds until Erik's unusual companion released a long sigh.
'My not so secret admirer.' She nodded tiredly at the eagerly displaying bird. 'He's quite enamoured with me.' She told him knowingly.
Turning to the bird wearily, she curtseyed theatrically.
'Forgive me, oh great dark prince of the lake, but I cannot return your affections. Though I appreciate the sentiment, I cannot love you. You're a swan, I'm a girl. It would never work between us.' She told him with false dramatics.
She shook her head slowly. 'I honestly don't understand why he loves me so.' She said, clearly talking again to Erik. He was still looking at her with surprise and took a moment to shake it off. 'I must be the most hideous swan he has ever seen.' She said as if it were nothing.
Erik was about to tell her just how beautiful she really was and to harshly scold her for thinking herself anything less –no matter the species-, when she interrupted him with the most wondrous gift she could have given him.
'My name's Christine, by the way.' She said, looking up at him with a soft smile.
Erik felt himself soar with admiration at her name. The angels themselves could not have named her more beautifully.
'What's your name?' She asked, looking at him as she had already expected him to tell her.
Erik paled at the idea. 'I'd rather not say.' He had no basis for refusing her, but something in her large dusty green eyes made him shy away from revealing more of himself than was absolutely necessary.
'Well what am I going to call you, then?' She asked, putting her hands on her hips in playful frustration.
She thought for a moment before her face lit up with an idea.
'I know,' she held her finger up as if it were some form of evidence. 'Every time you see me you can tell me a new letter of your name. That way, if you really are set against my knowing, then all you have to do is not see me.' She grinned at him cleverly.
'I think you're getting more out of this than me.' He told her, though in truth he did not mind all that much.
'Fine.' She sulked, thinking again. 'I'll answer one question for every letter revealed. Fair?' She held her hand out, hoping the deal would stick.
'Very well.' Erik sighed. 'How old are you?'
'Come, come, where's my letter?' She argued.
'E.' He answered after a weighty pause.
'Well, E, I am not yet eighteen.' She told him, smiling warmly at her new name for him.
'That would explain a lot.' He muttered to himself.
'And what's that supposed to mean?' She once more put her hands on her hips. 'I wouldn't think you much over twenty.'
Erik gave a laugh at this. 'I'm about nineteen. You over guessed.' He looked at her, revelling in his little victory.
'Men are always harder to judge.' She waved him off. Suddenly her clever grin broke into a broad smile.
'Nadir!' She called across the pond, waving at the man.
'You know the Daroga?' Erik asked her, daring to turn just enough to feel a bit of his ever watchful companion's fury.
'Everyone knows Nadir.' She looked at him as if it were ridiculous to think otherwise. 'I wonder what he's here for.' Christine snuck a knowing glance up at her dark shadow of a cohort.
Erik gave a deep growl in his chest at the man's plain displeasure, startling Christine a bit. She did not know a man could sound so much like a tiger. Letting her surprise melt into another cleverly knowing smile she started to back away.
'I hope to see you again soon, E.' She waved at him as if she were condemning him to the lion's den as she retreated before breaking into a light skip.
Erik watched her leave, savouring every bit of her motions long after she had ducked out of sight. She seemed like she perpetually existed just a few inches above the ground, as if the world were too heavy for her to rest her light tread on. Her billowing clothes continued to encourage the image of her as a bird. She was as light as a sparrow, clever as a finch, and as elegant as one of the swans she so openly adored.
He thought then of her name. Christine. It was like music to his ears. He found himself coveting the title that a mortal had graced an angel with. No other name rang the same or sang so perfectly for her. Yes, he would see her again, of this he found himself unquestioningly certain.
It was not until the shadow of an angry Nadir came over him that he remembered others existed upon the Earth.
'What did I tell you about seeing that girl?' He accused more tiredly than angrily.
'I kept my promise and waited.' Erik told him with slight mirth.
Nadir was certainly surprised to see such a happy shade, but it only made him more suspicious. 'What all did she tell you about herself?' He questioned. Erik did not seem to mind, the more distrustful tone momentarily lost upon him.
'Just that she's not yet eighteen, taking care of a baby swan (which are called cygnets, by the way), and that her name is Christine.' He found himself sighing the last.
Nadir simply nodded thoughtfully, still wary of what to do about his companion's newfound obsession.
'Why do you ask?' Erik finally found himself in the presence of mind to ask.
'Oh, just curious what she decided to reveal to certain stalking strangers. I've known her quite some time and wondered how she would take to you.' He brushed off, though keeping his tone with an edge of sternness. 'I still don't think you should make a habit of seeing her.' He finally confessed to Erik's continued questioning looks.
'Why the Hell not?' He shot back, not in the mood to be told of some petty and mysterious limitations his bothersome acquaintance decided to force upon him.
'I think it best you hear it from her, but only when she is ready to tell you.' He explained cryptically, watching Erik throw his hands up in frustration and start to walk off.
'And how will I know when she's told me?' He fired over his shoulder as the pesky Persian continued to follow him.
'Oh, you'll know.' Nadir said darkly, muttering it more to himself, but knowing Erik's impeccable hearing would pick up on it anyways. Nadir watched Erik and noted a slight change in him. He prayed to Allah it was not the growing fires of love that burned in the man's eyes. It would not do anyone any good for one such as Erik to fall in love. Especially with Christine. The Daroga hated himself a bit for thinking as such, but could not find any flaw in his reasoning. It would be a dark day indeed when Erik fell in love, but having Christine in the mix would most assuredly bring a swift end to the world and potentially the universe around it.
Nadir tried to push such thoughts from his head and remember the purpose he had been sent with in the first place. He now found himself in Erik's living room, quite confused as to how he had gotten there so quickly.
'Oh, Erik, I've come with a purpose.' He announced.
'You mean besides being a complete ass?' Erik asked, once again returning to his old dry wit.
'The Shah had requested I follow and look after you.' He ignored the insult as he had learned to do early on in their trip to Persia.
Erik stopped storming about, trying to find something to do to make himself look busy and give an excuse to asking the Daroga to leave. 'You mean to spy on me.' He assumed, reading between the not so thin lines.
Nadir looked down at the floor, only serving to confirm it.
'Good God! I've only been here a day and already they want me watched? What, do they think I'll run away? Their newest jewel just disappear?' He fumed, feeling like he was being cornered. Well, he thought, he would show them what a bad idea that was!
'Easy, Erik. It'll give me a chance to help you to understand the customs of this place and hopefully keep your head off the chopping block. Besides,' he put in, seeing that his other words did little to placate the man. 'I can give you inside information about court.' He knew Erik fancied the idea of power, and that politics would be his easiest way into it. He saw the change his words brought instantly wash over him. At least he had gotten his fixating mind off Christine.
'Fine.' He said tersely, not eager to show his acceptance to the idea. 'When am I to meet this Khanum who has ordered me all the way from Russia?' He asked, laying it on thick that he still did not like the idea of being ordered like some package.
'Today, actually, though I would not encourage you to be excited about it. The Khanum is a very demanding and sharp woman. She will not back down, and will eat away at you if you're not careful.' Nadir warned.
Erik grinned wickedly. 'Sounds like my kind of opponent.' He got a special glint in his eye that Nadir was not eager to name nor enjoy particularly. Something about it threatened to send chills down his spine in the most disheartening way.
Erik came back from his visit to the harem, fuming. He stormed into his apartment and slammed the door. He was vaguely aware that Nadir had followed him back and was now outside with the front door having been thrown in his face, but he did not care. Leaning on his balcony, he took his head in his hands. Why? Why did the humans always feel the ridiculous need to see his face?
The Khanum had been impressed by his tricks, but had clearly been holding out for one specific form of entertainment: his face. She had stared at him like he hated to be stared at. The screams of fear dug into his ears like nails on a chalkboard, the flustering hurry to run made him feel like lead, and the sheer terror that prevented any movement made him wish to shrink into the ground, but this. This was different. This was the torment he feared more than anything. That look of pure, morbid fascination that kept them staring. He hated that look and all that it entailed. A fascination would turn to solid fixation and a desire to possess. Yes, Nadir had been right, this woman, this snake, was one to watch out for. And yet, if he pleased her she would be the one to see that he rose to a form of power. A tough predicament indeed. As always, he was playing with fire.
Straightening and with new resolve, he went back inside, going over to visit his lizard who he had rather forgotten about since that morning. Taking the small creature out of his drawer, he placed it on the balcony floor and settled himself to watch it limp about to snatch up its meal.
Erik sat there, remembering his time with Christine. She really was lovely. She looked at him as no one else did. She made him seem human. If she had noticed the mask, which surely she must have as it covered all but his mouth and chin, she did not say anything about it or look at it as being unusual. Perhaps she thought he was only wearing it as some sort of game or a silly effect. He groaned inwardly as he wished that were the case. If only she knew what lay beneath, she would understand why he hid. No, she should never have to endure such a sight. Besides, no one truly understood. They were all too busy being scared to even consider him as anything more than the frightening monster he was. Only those with that damned fascination truly came close to understanding, and then they simply did not seem to care.
Turning away from the balcony and the dark thoughts that seemed to lurk there, he went into his kitchen to see what he could make. He hated when he felt hungry, but had grown to accept that he needed to eat. At least he only needed it once a day.
'I fear I've broken part of my promise to you,' he told the lizard. 'I have yet to find you a more permanent home. I fear you will be spending some time in my drawer, but I will do my best to remember to find you a proper terrarium tomorrow.' He explained, though he doubted the creature was really listening. It did not really matter, he thought, he had something to talk to besides Nadir…and maybe Christine. He found himself missing her already, but a quick inspection of the Rose Garden below his balcony proved she was not out at the moment. He wondered if maybe he could go searching for her, but quickly shook his head clear of the thought. He remembered then her little game he had somehow agreed to. With a short name it did not prove many opportunities for learning who she was. He would have to spend time thinking about what he should ask her.
A/N: Thank you Mel2121 and annabelle2491 for following this story and to annabelle2491 for giving its first review! Yay! I'm amazed at the higher numbers on the traffic stats because the musicals/plays Phantom section is so much smaller. Hope you all continue to enjoy, and I look forward to hearing what you all think of this growing tale. I'm also considering adding Sunday as an update day, but no promises as yet.