| Chapter 2 ~ The Masquerade |
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| The night of the Masquerade was sumptuous! It was New Year's Eve, and a shower of snowflakes had begun to fall, covering the city in white. The streets were filled with people bedecked in their finery, making their way to the Palais Garnier. I wore the gown that Raoul had commissioned for me, and I wore his engagement ring on a necklace around my neck, keeping it safely tucked away. "I wish you would wear that diamond for all to see," he couldn't help but grumble. "It was very expensive, you know!" "I am well aware of its worth," I said, thinking of what it would cost me to accept the ring and the proposal. I wasn't sure what I was ready for yet. |
Fortunately, the Opera House loomed before us and our discussion ended. The place was as beautiful as ever, and my pulse quickened as we entered the grand foyer. A thousand memories raced across my mind, and I feared that I might faint from the overpowering emotions. Raoul took my hand, ready to steady me with his familiar smile, and I returned the gesture with a grateful gaze. Raoul gave a gentle laugh at my shyness, and I couldn't help but giggle in conspiracy. We were two children, playing at being the prince and princess of this grownup world. He guided me into the throng of revelers, and I had to gasp. It seemed as if all of Paris was there! The place was alive with laughter and music, and I found myself completely enchanted. All of the masked faces made me think of Erik, and I grew nervous, wondering how we would meet and if we would get the chance to talk. I desperately wanted to speak with him, to hear his voice again, and my heart began to thud loudly in my chest. When and where would he appear? As Raoul and I moved through the crowd, I overheard the managers, Monsieurs Andre and Firmin, expressing their relief at not hearing from the Opera Ghost for the past six months. This news made me shiver to the core, and I worried that Erik had possibly done himself harm. I tried to disentangle myself from Raoul, hoping to make my way to my dressing room where I could call for my Angel of Music. Surely, he would hear me and come back at my call! But Raoul was ever-alert, refusing to leave my side. At last, I saw Meg Giry dance her way through the crowd. She was a welcome sight, costumed as a charming huntress, her blonde curls pulled back from her cherubic face. "If it isn't Artemis herself!" I said as I wrapped her in a warm embrace. "Christine!" Meg squealed, and she returned my sisterly hug then performed a quick curtsey for Raoul. "Vicomte," she breathed shyly. "Mademoiselle Giry," Raoul bowed to her. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you both!" Meg gushed. "Mama will be so pleased to see you!" "And how is your mother?" Raoul asked, his tone laced with suspicion. He had never forgiven Madame Giry for her protective stance towards the Opera Ghost. "She is well," Meg answered politely, then she turned to me. "Come, Christine! You must see her!" Meg took my hand and guided me through the crowd towards her mother. Raoul followed closely behind us, an irritated expression marring his handsome face. Madame Giry looked slightly less forbidding than usual. She still wore black, but her gown sparkled with sequins. She was definately a woman who exuded mystery, and though I wished I could hug her, it simply was not done! She greeted Raoul and me with a formal nod and inquired about my return to the Opera. "Will you be joining the cast again?" she asked. "Yes!" I answered quickly, but Raoul stiffened beside me. "We haven't discussed such a course of action yet," Raoul said sternly. "There's nothing to discuss," I sighed irritably. "Darling," he smiled tightly, squeezing my hand. "Let's not fight. Not here." I looked at Raoul, thinking of how aristocratic he suddenly looked, how proper and almost forbidding. I owed him so much. He had been so good to me. I should at least show him some respect in public. "You're right," I said guiltily. I nodded to Meg and her mother, and excused myself, letting Raoul lead me away from my friends. Who was I to be so bold? My father had always taught me to be a proper and gentle young lady. Even when we traveled to the many country fairs throughout Europe, Father had treated me like a princess. I was not like the gypsy girls who danced to tempt the fairgoers. I was like Little Lotte, an innocent, a pillar of purity, and I should strive to behave as such. Why, then, was I feeling so rebellious? Raoul tilted my chin to look up at him. "Let's dance," he said suavely. The he gave me a boyish wink. I couldn't help but smile and let him lead me into the ballroom. The music immediately lifted my spirits, and I felt myself relax in Raoul's arms. It'd be so easy to just drift, I thought, to let Raoul steer me through the easy life of a Vicomte's wife. No difficult decisions to make, nothing dire to trouble me... I sank deeper into my reverie, noticing the other dancers as they moved sensuously about us, encircling us with their beauty. Their masks and costumes sparkled in the candlelight, creating a rather hypnotic effect. I grew dizzy from the spectacle, and I felt as if I was drowning in lavish pleasure. Then I heard a cry of alarm, and everyone's attention was drawn towards a figure on the grand staircase. I, too, turned my head to catch a glimpse of the mysterious newcomer, and my heart rose into my throat. There stood Erik, in all of his glory, dressed in voluminous red velvet. His mask was that of a skull, and a red-plumed hat crowned his head. "The Red Death!" I heard people exclaim, and they quickly moved out of his path. He was quite an intimidating figure, dressed so elegantly, and moving with a dancer's grace. He descended the plush steps and approached Firmin and Andre with a menacing air. He threw to their feet a leather-bound score of music. "And now shall be acknowledged the presence of the Red Death!" he roared. The managers - indeed all of the revelers - seemed to be paralyzed with fear. Monsieur Firmin tentatively moved forward to pick up the Phantom's score. "I present my masterpiece, Don Juan Triumphant," Erik intoned. "You shall perform it per my instructions, or you shall taste more devastation than you can possibly imagine!" The managers grew pale beneath their masks, and I knew they were recalling the night of the shattered chandelier. They took the manuscript and cowered away. Christine... I heard Erik call me in the back of my mind, and I turned to face him. I could not stop myself from moving towards him. Even Raoul could not seem to hold onto me, and I approached my Dark Angel with a boldness and strength unknown to me. I was fascinated with his mask, and I longed to tear it from his body, to see him for what he truly was. Erik reached out to me, and I heard many people gasp in horror. I was trembling as well, but I could not tell if it was from fear or excitement. I had imagined this moment for six long months. I could not wait for him to speak to me, to touch me, to rekindle the passion that lay dormant within me. Erik did not touch me. Instead, he caressed the air around my face. Then he moved his hand lower down my neck, mere inches away from my breast. A proper lady would have pulled back from such a bold advance, but I was held by the intensity of his gaze. His eyes seemed to consume me, to ignite my body and face with a slow-building heat. I was completely enchanted by him and did not want the spell to be broken. To my surprise, Erik grabbed the necklace from around my neck and pulled it from my body. The magic of our moment dissipated as I watched him take hold of the diamond engagement ring Raoul had given me. The fire in his eyes turned to rage. "So you would prefer to be chained?" he asked in a deadly whisper that only I could hear. I shook my head in disbelief, not knowing what to say. "You are bound to me!" he cried. "You shall sing as I command!" And with that, he threw something to his feet that created an explosion of smoke. Raoul caught me in his arms and dragged me away while bolder men sought to take hold of the Opera Ghost. Erik was gone. All that was left was the sound of his wicked laughter ringing in our ears. ~ Chapter 3 ~ or Back to the Ghost's Story |
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| "All our fears are in the past!" ~ ALW |