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The Black Shadowed Starling – lol, of course it won't be easy! That's the fun of it! They all got to go through more struggle before they come together! Thank you for the review.

Il Muto

Valere was the one who ended up finding him and Farren on the rooftop. He was not surprise. The Madame had probably sent her to look for him when he did not meet up with her during their usual time. The lynx came out from one of the many small spaces only a cat could fit through and easily spotted them.

Erik had heard her come towards them but did not move from his spot. He was sitting up with his back against the statue with his legs out in front of him. Farren was resting on his forearm and he stroked her feathers absently.

"Erik?" Valere came to them slowly.

He could tell that she was amazed to find him without his mask on, the first and only time she had ever seen him maskless was when he was in the circus and had been forced to show his face to the world. Years ago, he had made his mask and has never let anyone see his face again, including Antoinette and Valere. The mask that currently laid discarded a few yards away from where Christine had dropped it when she fell. He did not say anything to the lynx, but did not stop Farren from answering.

"Christine saw his face." The eagle mumbled. Erik could feel the rage she felt towards Christine. Erik was more temperamental while the eagle was extremely hard to anger, but the rare occasions it happened it took a long time to get her calm again.

"What?" Valere exclaimed. She went to the mask and turned back to them when she reached it. "How?"

Farren glared at the air in front of her. "She took it off while we were in a merge. The fool, it caused Erik to become primal for a few seconds as well."

Valere picked up the mask with her mouth and brought it over to them. She dropped the mask by his side and sat down next to it, observing the human and his companion.

"That does not sound like something she would do." The lynx stated in concern.

"Yes, well, she did and it was not a lovely reaction." Farren growled, the wing not facing Erik whipped violently once at her side.

"Her curiosity finally got the better of her." Erik whispered monotonously. He reached out with the hand that did not hold Farren and plucked the mask from the ground. He stared at it. He could clearly picture the look of horror and repulsion on Christine's face as if it happened seconds ago. He had forgotten how much that reaction towards his face hurt. The ache of such pain was that much worse because Christine was someone he cared for. "She was not prepared."

"Do not try to give that girl excuses." Farren hissed and tossed her head back. "She should not have done such a thing in the first place. Especially during a merge! With you primal, it could have gotten a lot worse than it did!"

"What now then?" Valere asked.

"I do not know." Erik whispered. He expertly put the mask back on with his free hand. "For now, I do not think I can bear to be within her presence."

Farren hopped off his arm as he began to shift to stand up. She watched him get to his feet.

"You will forgive her. I know you will." Farren almost sounded sadden by the prospect. Erik was not surprise. He was always the more forgiving one of the two of them, then again, the act was usually done to him so it made sense that Farren could not forgive someone easily when they had hurt him.

"Eventually." Erik admitted. "But until then, I shall keep my distance and have letters to write."

Erik moved to leave the roof and Farren and Valere followed behind him.

The rest of the week, Erik kept his word. Not once did he visit or speak to Christine. He did go to her performances, something Farren had protested, and he noticed that his protégé was, while good, appeared to not be completely present. When he told Farren this, he could tell she was pleased to know that the girl was apparently feeling guilty for her actions. Valere had of course told Meg, Leala, and Antoinette about what had happened and they had tried to visit him, but he refused their company. He only wanted to sulk for a while. That was all.

Erik sometimes wondered if Christine and he could truly go back to their former relationship. Two sides battled within him constantly. His dark side taunted him that it could never go back because from then on, every time Christine would see him, all she would think about would be his face and ultimately she would leave. Another, hopeful, part of him yearned for the option that Christine would learn to accept him and they could be mostly be what they were before.

The darker option was louder but was, luckily, usually silenced with Farren's soft chirping she used to comfort him when he got lost in those thoughts. No matter how angry she was at his protégé, she refused to let her human suffer because of his own thoughts, not when she could help.

He spent a lot of his time playing his organ, and roaming the tunnels and secret passages in the opera house but he also sent out a number of letters. One being to the Viscount, warning him to stay away from Christine. Just because he was upset with her does not mean he would allow her to take up with the boy. The music was far too important for that. Another was sent to the managers, one for each of them, one criticizing them for trying to get Carlotta back when they had Christine and the other was a reminder of his salary. He did not really need the money, he was quite rich after years of acquiring his payments, but he could not give in to them lest they would think they can deny him everything. He figured he would have to make more displays of his power before they will do as he said, but he could be optimistic when he wanted. The last one was sent to Carlotta, basically telling her that her career was over because Christine would be the new prima donna.

He had Farren deliver all these letters to Antoinette. He usually did the act, but did not want to talk to the Madame about what had happened on the rooftop with Christine. Though when Farren returned, she let him know that the Giry's and their companions were giving Christine the cold shoulder. The eagle sounded pleased with the news but Erik frowned.

"They should not do that. The Giry's are as much of her family as mine." Erik scowled in disapproval.

Farren shrugged. "I would say they are more yours than hers. You know how much Antoinette and Valere are protective over you and Meg and Leala adore you as uncle. I say their reactions make sense."

Erik sighed but did not argue with her, the eagle could be stubborn sometimes.

At the end of the week, Erik wrote another letter for the managers about what was to happen at that night's performance of Il Muto. He instructed that Carlotta was to be the page boy and Christine the countess, and, of course, that his box was to remain empty.

The page boy role was silent and the countess role needed charm and appeal, which Erik knew made his casting, in a word, ideal.

He had Farren take it to Antoinette.

When the eagle came back, she appeared annoyed.

"What is it?" Erik asked, watching her begin to aggressively preen her feathers.

"Fools, those managers are." Farren scolded. "They were able to bring Carlotta back and made her countess and Christine the page boy. Plus they sold box five. Do they really want to do everything opposite as you say? They are going to cross the line of our patience if this continues."

Erik's own eyes scowled at Farren's announcement. He turned away and his eyes rested on his kitchen.

A smile came to his face as an idea formed in his mind. He turned back to the huffing bird.

"I believe I have a plan for Carlotta that will bring about disaster for her career."

Erik took advantage of the fact that box five was occupied. Again, by the Count and his younger brother. Erik could not help but glare at the Viscount, knowing that he has been ignoring his instructions as well and has been trying to see Christine. He would have to do something about that but at least the younger looked uncomfortable in the box and that would have to do for now.

Il Muto began and Erik snuck to the backstage. Farren could not be with him this trip because he had to make himself more visible than usual and it would not do to have her be spotted. He could not risk having her be seen and ruining his ghost image. He was going to meet up with her in the catwalks above the stage once he was finished with what he needed to do to ruin Carlotta.

Erik easily found the spray Carlotta used for her voice and was able to switch it with his own mixture.

Now, he needed for her to use it and made his way up to the rim of the ceiling of the auditorium. There was an entrance that allowed him to step out and see the auditorium below but he was hidden from view.

Taking a deep breath, he let his voice boom through the opera house, surrounding everyone.

"Did I not instruct, that box five was to remain empty?!"

It got wanted he wanted. Everyone stopped and looked around to try and find him but they were unsuccessful. Their confusing gazes were entertaining to see but soon they all faced forward again. He watched Christine looked up and try to find him like everyone else. He could not make out her expression from this distance but she must have said something because Carlotta chided her and called her a toad. The unpleasant voice loud enough for him to hear.

"A toad, Madame, perhaps it is you who are the toad." Erik whispered with a smirk as he watch Carlotta go to the stage wing to get her spray.

He walked back inside the building and made his way to Farren; as he went through he could hear them start up the opera again. By the time he arrived Carlotta was croaking and everyone in the audience and on stage was laughing. As a panicked Carlotta continued to try and get her voice back in vain, the laughter rose in volume. On his way, he even spotted Antoinette watching from backstage with her hand covering her mouth but her shoulders were shaking in repressed laughter.

Carlotta let out a shriek and ran off the stage when the laughter finally became too much. The sound of amusement following after her.

"I believe that went well." Erik told Farren as he came to sit next to her. The eagle, sitting on the wooden rail, did not reply but she had an amused spark in her eyes as she sent him a glance which was enough for Erik.

The curtains were closed and a ruffled Andre and Firmin were in the front announcing that Christine was going to be countess, there was a pleased applause. While they waited, Andre demanded the conductor play the ballet scene from the opera. The curtains soon opened back up and a group of dancers began the scene. Most of his attention went to Meg, observing her movements and noted that she outshone the others dancers easily.

She is going to be as amazing as her mother, he thought, smiling softly, now content to watch the opera as he had pictured it.

Suddenly Erik heard a gasp and his head jerked up at the sound.

And…I think you know what's about to happen. ;) Got to see what Erik what doing this whole time now. Next chapter will be in Erik's POV again. Ooh, I'm so excited to hear your thoughts about this and the next chapter! So please review!