She cried silently. Tears of sorrow and loss. Tears of love torn apart. Raoul de Chagney put his arm around her shaking shoulders and attempted to soothe her.
"Shhh, Christine. It will be okay."
His soft words did nothing to calm Christine Daae. Without warning, the sobs ripped from her throat in an anguished scream, and salty tears flowed down her cheeks. She thought nothing of the man who tried to comfort her. Instead, her mind was still aching from the emotional rip from the man she loved. Not even an hour ago she had been pulled from Erik; sent away by his concern and his love for her. And beacause of that love, she had obeyed. Oh God, she thought, I left him to die. Christine cried harder. How could I? I love him. Why?"Erik," she whispered. Forgive me, she said to herself.
That one spoken word cut through Raoul's heart like a knife. She still loves him. A love she will never feel for me. he thought sadly. He shut his eyes. Raoul knew that he should let her go back. But involuntarily, his arm tightened around her small body, pulling her close. no, I fought that demon for her and I will not let her return to his lair. He looked down and realized that Christine had cried herself to sleep. His head leaned back and he decided that he would make her forget all about Erik. And with that final thought he passed into sleep as well.Days passed and eventually Christine told Raoul everything. Her love for Erik, the power of his music, and to Raoul's surprise, his humanity. But even with her revalation Raoul still knew that she loved Erik more than even she herself knew. On occasion Christine would begin to hum a little melody, a small tune wich Raoul just barely seemed to recognize. Then Christine's gentle huming would slow and turn into tears. He got tired of seeing her do this over and over everyday.
"Christine," he said. No answer. "Christine!"
She jumped and looked at him from her chair. "What's wrong, Raoul?"
Raoul searched her face and decided that she honestly had no idea of what caused his irritation. "What is that song that you keep humming?" he asked, lowering his voice.
Her eyes got a wistful look. "Erik had a musical box that played the saddest tune. It had a curious shape, though. A barrel organ with a little monkey on top." She sighed. "It was quite odd but I learned later that he kept it because...because...," she broke off and began to cry. Raoul reached out but she evaded his grasp and ran outside. Quickly he moved to a window and watched her cross the yard to the edge of the cliff that overlooked a valley. He gave a sigh of his own and shook his head. She would never forget, never forgive.
Christine ran to the edge and dropped to her knees. Tears spilled down her face to the grass, blurring her vision. She looked over the cliff to the rocks below, about a hundred feet down. As she looked the world began to swirl around her, making her dizzy. Out of reflex, she pulled away from the edge, but the vertigo continued to disorient her. Christine fell onto her back and stared at the sky.
"Erik, forgive me...."
How many times she had made that plea, she was no longer sure of. The wind blew gently, carrying her soft words away. Then she heard a sigh filled with sadness. Standing up, she looked around the yard for the source. Suddenly she heard a single word spoken with love and longing:
"Christine...."
She almost fainted. That voice, the voice which had taught her, that had proclaimed love for her. Closing her eye, she thought, and sent me from him. Erik's voice that had spoken so much love and in a word, caused a lifetime of pain. She shook her head slightly and began to drift into the past.
"Angel I hear you
Speak! I listen.
Stay by my side,
Guide me."
The wind whispered once more and Christine could almost imagine he father's promise.
"When I am gone, my child, I will send the angel of music to take care of you."
Father, she pleaded, send him back to me.
To be continued...
Links
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