What Lies Behind the Mask (Phantom of the Opera x OC)

Chapter Twelve: The Attempt

 As she slipped through the catacombs, Orianne made sure to check for any sign of Erik's glowing amber eyes. She hid the stolen violin under her heavy cloak as she continued to make her way towards one of the many mirrors that lay in a deserted corridor of the opera house.

"Mother, what are you doing?" a soft voice called out from the shadows, causing Orianne to jump slightly.

"I'm going to work as usual," Orianne quickly replied, glancing over at his unblinking eyes.

"Mother, are you not going to tell me what exactly you are hiding under that cloak of yours? Perhaps a particular instrument?" Erik responded, tilting his head at her.

Orianne let out a heavy sigh as she answered, "Yes, I am taking the violin back. There is nothing that you can do to prevent me from doing so."

She was immediately blocked by her son, who crossed his arms over his chest. Brief fear flashed on Orianne's face as she assessed the situation.

Despite the fact that her son possessed a lanky frame, he could still harbor great strength when his rage was left unchecked.

A short silence passed between the two of them before his posture slackened, his mood clearly over.

"Erik, we really need to work on your regulation of emotion some more," Orianne said as she wrung her hands together. "As for the violin situation, I really must return it before someone notices that it is missing."

"This is the only instrument that I have besides the piano. I thirst to make the same music that I hear drifting down," Erik tried as his mother's lips pulled into a weak smile.

"I admire your passion for music, but this is not the way to go about it. Instead of stealing, you should wait."

"How long must I wait, Mother?"

"If you are patient, I will see if my boss will increase my pay. If not, there is always Christmas..." Orianne giggled as Erik let out a soft groan. "Even if you do understand such complex topics at such a young age, you are truly still an impatient child."

His irritation was thinly veiled as his mother moved around him and grasped the hidden contraption that would allow the mirror to swing open. She paused when she heard Erik's sigh.

"Look, I know something that might comfort you. The man that owns this violin is also passionate about music, and the return of this will greatly aid him-"

"I am also passionate about music, but I have not been given the same opportunities as him. Why should I feel happy about losing my chance?" Erik fervently yelled back, his fists clenching and his frame shaking with rage.

"Wait," Orianne sternly said as she flipped the contraption. "I will see you tonight. Eat the cheese that I left in the kitchen."

"Sure."

With that, Orianne successfully slipped into the opera house and slid the mirror back into its proper place. She quickly hurried down the halls in the direction of the orchestra pit, the violin clutched tightly in her hands.

- - -

"Well, where did you put it?" Louise asked, exasperated with her husband. She dusted her hands off of her apron as she laid the plates of eggs down on the table. Looking up from doing so, she noticed Alexandre's face was pulled into a grim expression. "You could have just misplaced it somewhere around here."

"I have no recollection of doing so," Alexandre replied as he continued to search through the two-room dorms. "If that violin is damaged in any sort of way, I will be ultimately damned. It costs far too much money to place somewhere and simply forget it." 

"If you did lose it and had to buy a new one, how much damage would it cause to our funds?" Louise hesitantly asked as her lips pulled down into a frown.

"I am afraid to say that it would cause a massive dent in it."

"Then, you better find it. Or else, I am going to force you to opt for a violin that is heavily used. Surely, it would not cost us that much money."

"Louise, that is not attainable. If I were to show up to rehearsals with a beat-up violin, I would swiftly lose my position, and we would not be able to stay in these dorms." Alexandre cringed when his wife let out a heavy groan.

"Find your violin!" Louise exclaimed as she marched over to the children's bedroom. "Please do not make it too obvious, or you will begin to upset the children. Kathryn might even yap about it in ballet practice, and we do not need any suspicion."

Alexandre wordlessly nodded and continued to search around the room, his eyebrows drawing together in worry. While he was doing so, Louise made her way over to the bedroom and moved inside to rouse the children from their sleep. 

"Wake up. You have practice in a few hours," she said as she tapped Kat on her cheek. The child merely moved her pillow over her head in an effort to silence her mother's words. "Kathryn Marie Holmes, stop dallying and get ready." 

"Yes, Mama..." she groaned before unearthing from underneath her heavy blankets. With the assistance of her mother, she changed into her training outfit and moved into the main room of their apartment. As she snacked on her eggs, she watched as her parents flitted from each room. "Did something happen today, Papa?" 

"What?" Alexandre looked back at his oldest child, his hair wild from having run his fingers through it. "Oh, everything is quite alright. Don't worry for a bit, dearest." 

Kat watched in amusement as they continued with their dance of sorts. She made sure to eat every last bit of egg before placing the plate in the middle of the dining table and slipping out. As she walked down the hallway, she noticed a cloaked woman sneaking around. 

"Hello?" Kat called out as she followed after the lady, her interest piqued. She stopped in her tracks when she realized that the woman had her father's violin tucked under her arm. 

The woman glanced quickly over her shoulder before scurrying in the opposite direction. Kat hurried after her before reaching a dead end. Instead of meeting the woman, Kat was instead greeted by her own reflection in the mirror.