The Demon's Child and the Phantom

Chapter 40

Rosella's POV:

I was riding back through the streets of Paris, the sun only just beginning to rise in the east, when I heard my name called and stopped my horse from it's continued trot towards the opera house. I looked and saw Daroga rushing towards me on foot, a look of relief mixed with panic on his face as he neared my horse and slowly reached out and took the reigns into his own hand. 

"Rosella! There you are, where have you been?!? You're freezing my dear, we've been looking everywhere for you. Erik is half-mad with worry, come we must find him." (D)

I didn't have the energy to respond, the insanity and anger that had fueled me had run dry an hour or two ago and I was left feeling frozen and empty. I barely registered the fact that Daroga was holding my hands as I let go of the reins completely. I felt a shiver rush up my spine as the cold seemed to nip at me at last. I saw him climbing up behind me on the horse and wrapping his cloak around me as the greying of the sky turned to a light pink in color, as the sun started to rise, before I felt my head start to swim.

"Rosella?" (D)

"Tell Erik, I'm sorry." (R)


Daroga's POV:

I barely heard her whispered plea as she fell silent and backwards into my chest. I could feel how chilled she was even through the cloak I had just wrapped around her. I had told Erik to meet me in front of the opera house before dawn, so I could only hope that he had listened as I rode there as quickly as possible. I praised whoever would listen as I saw his figure pacing on the bottom step of the opera house as it came into view. Not a second passed before he froze as he saw me riding towards him with Rosella passed out in front of me.

I had just reached the steps when he rushed to us and quickly but silently took her off the horse and carried her up bridal style into the opera house. I called for a stable boy that appeared to have just woken and handed off the horse before I rushed after him. He had been silent, not saying a word since he had taken her off the horse, but I could feel his worry over her as it surpassed even my own.

He rushed into her room, nodding in a somewhat stiff greeting at Florica as she nodded to both of us, having already gotten Sage up and dressed in the clothes that I had provided her with last night. I nodded in greeting to them both, prepared to escort them to Madame Giry this morning so that Erik would have two less sets of eyes to worry over but it seemed that even as questions were growing the young boy's eyes, Florica's seemed to already know what happened. 

"What's wrong with Rosy?" (Sage)

"Shhhhe Sage, she is resting. Come, we will make ourselves useful to Madame Giry this morning." (Florica)

I nodded in thanks as she took the boy's hand and led him gracefully and peacefully out from the room. I had no doubt that she would fill Madame Giry on what happened as soon as Sage was entertained in some other way. Erik had already laid Rosella down on the bed and covered her with an extra quilt before he looked back at me, his golden eyes blazing in the dimly lit room.

"What happened?" (E)

"I wish I knew, I came across her on the outskirts of the city bareback no less. She looked as if she had been riding half the night. The only words she spoke were to tell you that she was sorry before she passed out on her horse, though for what I do not know." (D)

I watched him nod before his attention was snapped back to her as she shivered and moaned, her eyes fluttering for a moment before becoming still again. We sat in silence for the next hour, watching the slow but steady rise and fall of Rosella's chest as she breathed in and out. It was another hour before she started to stir in her sleep again before I saw her eyes flutter open. She immediately saw Erik sitting next to her on the bed and offered a weak smile at him before she did the same to me.

"Rosella, my dear are you alright?" (D)

I saw her start to answer before a harsh cough left her mouth instead, her body shaking as she started to once again shiver under the many covers we had placed on top of her. I fetched her a glass of water, handing it to Erik before my attention was turned back to Rosella as she became still again on the bed her eyes already closing again. It was then I knew that further help was needed.

"I'll summon Doctor Pierre." (D)

"Thank you my friend." (E)

Erik's POV: 

I watched as her eyes started to open again a few minutes after Daroga had left to fetch the only doctor I would ever trust. Her gentle gaze again met mine as she attempted to sit up and I quickly moved to help her sit up against the headboard. I watched with a pain in my heart as another soft moan left her mouth as she shivered before she looked back me. 

"Erik I-" (R)

"Shhh my Rose, don't speak just rest."

"No, I need to explain what I did, please." (R)

I saw the plea in her eyes before I nodded watching as she looked down at my hand holding hers on the top of the quilt. I gently squeezed her hand in mine as a shaky breath left her body. She looked back up at me and I could see that tears were starting to flood her eyes much to my dismay.

"I....I was just so angry when I woke up and I went....I went to see her and I told her some of what he went through and that he was no longer at the caravan. She assumed he was dead and I didn't say otherwise, only that an Angel of Music was now watching over him as she wished. I.....I'm so sorry." (R)

I watched as the tears started to fall from her as she struggled to pull her hand away from mine but even as I let go of her hand I gently pulled her into my arms for a hug. Her shaky arms wrapped around me as I gently ran my fingers through her hair, feeling a few tears fall from her eyes and onto my shirt before she started to pull away from me again and I let her go.

She looked up at me and traced the left side of my face with her eyes first then with her hand. I watched her wince as she went over the bruises just as she had last night, though I would never complain, for it was just as soft and loving as the first time she traced a bruise she had given me. She reached up with her other hand stopping just short of my mask, silently asking for permission to remove my mask which though I hated to do so outside my lair I agreed to her wish. I would never deny her anything I could so easily provide.

I closed my eyes as she removed it opening them only when I felt her hand gently trace my face and all it's deformities that existed. I met her eyes and saw them as light and bright as they had ever been as a smile spread across her face. I finally felt one form on my face as she pulled me gently closer to her and my lips met hers, and for once I didn't feel like a monster or a hell-spawned demon. I felt like a man kissing the woman he loved. She pulled away from me as another shiver ran through her and she leaned closer into my chest, resting her head against my shoulder before placing a gentle kiss on my neck.

"My Rose, you need to rest. The doctor will be here soon." (E)

"Don't....don't leave me?" (R)

"Never mon ange." (E)

I kissed her gently on the forehead seeing the ghost of a smile spread across her face before her eyes closed again as I lay her back down on the bed. A few minutes later I heard footsteps rushing towards the door and quickly slid my mask back into place. I nodded in greeting to Doctor Pierre and Daroga as they rushed into the room. I stood on the left side of the bed, Rosella's hand still in my own as Doctor Pierre began to examine her.

"Hmmm her heartbeat is just as strong as ever but it's her temperature and her lungs I'm worried about. It's much too high, we need to cool her off as quickly as possible. I would recommend your lair, it's the coolest as well as alcohol soaked towels."

"Consider it done." (E)

I didn't wait a moment longer than I had too, having watched Pierre give her a shot of antibiotics before allowing me to take her in my arms again. I scooped her gently into my arms and carried her through the mirror and down in the lair. I barely heard Daroga bid the doctor farewell before he followed after me. I didn't say anything as we walked in silence down into the lair and finally into the living room of my dwelling. I carried her into the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed as Daroga set down the bottle of alcohol and cloth that he had brought. He looked at her for a moment before he looked up at me.

"I will leave her in your care now Erik, but only under the understanding that should her condition change for better or worse you will send word to me." (D)

"It will be done. I swear it my friend, thank you." (E)

"No thank you." (D)