Of Masks And Roses

The Cemetery Part 1

I jolted from my sleep as a loud knock at my door woke me. I muttered in annoyance, quickly noticing that the sky outside my window had only just begun to get light. Everyone in the Opera Populair was on break until the managers and Patron could decide what to do about Erik's opera, so whoever had decided to wake me up so early was seriously going to hear it later.

I groaned and turned over in my bed, pulling my sheets up to my chin to keep out the cold. I had only just begun to fall back asleep when the knocking began again, this time harder and louder. I sighed and threw the covers off of me, tumbling out of bed. My bare feet padded across the freezing floor as I rushed to my door, turning the handle and throwing it aside. I was ready to give whoever woke me a piece of my mind, thinking that it was possibly Jacob Baseeri, but my face fell at who was standing at my door.

"Christine?" I asked, puzzled, "W-What are you doing here?"

Christine stood at my door wearing a white nightgown, her hair falling across her shoulders in dark brown curls. Her face was full of worry as she stared at me.

"Scarlet." she whispered.

I tilted my head at her, "Yes, Christine? What is it? Is something wrong?"

Christine took a deep breath, "I know we're not on good terms right now," she began, "But I didn't know who else to ask. I know that Raoul wouldn't let me go without half of the navy with us, Meg would be too scared to even try and leave the Opera House. And Madame Giry would have been completely out of the question. She'd bite off my head as soon as I'd ask. I just... didn't know what to do, or who else to come to, and I didn't want to go alone."

"Wait, wait, wait," I said, putting up my hands to stop her rambling, "I'm too exhausted to take in so much information at once. What are you talking about, Christine?"

Christine's mouth closed and she gulped, "I... I just..." she took a nervous glance behind her, then turned back to look at me, "I need to see my father's grave," she whispered, "I used to do it once every other week if I could, but I haven't for the past month. With... with everything that has been going on...I just..."

"Got sidetracked?" I finished for her.

Christine nodded slowly, "I just... I just have this funny feeling that if I don't go now I never will again. And I don't want to go alone. It's alright if you refuse, I just wanted to ask you."

'Shoot.' I thought to myself, 'It's the grave scene. With all the worries of the Masquerade and Erik's Opera I completely forgot about what was next to come.' I looked around for a moment, then turned to look back at her. In her white nightgown and curly hair, her doe eyes looked even more childlike; innocent. Unbeknownst of what was to come in the next few days. I sighed and smiled.

"Of course I'll go with you."

Christine smiled at me and grabbed my hands, "Oh, thank you, Scarlet!" she whispered, "And another thing," she continued, "I apologize for Raoul's behavior yesterday. He didn't really mean to get so upset. He just..."

"Was trying to protect you. Don't worry, Christine. I understand."

"He really regrets his actions. From the moment we left the Populair yesterday he wanted to come back and apologize to everyone."

"Well, once I hear it from him I think we'll be on good terms again." I said with a smirk. Christine giggled and nodded.

I rolled my eyes, but the corners of my mouth were still turned up into a grin, "Ok, ok, go get ready, I'll meet you down by the stables, alright?"

Christine nodded and hurried away. I gently closed the door behind me and rested my forehead against the wood, "What am I getting myself into?" I whispered., "Erik's probably going to kill me the moment he sees me in that carriage... Probably."