Why Fear The Face ?

Chapter 11

Rose's P.O.V-
"No," I muttered backing away into the corridor but the two guards standing my watch made certain I didn't get too far before they dragged me back into the waiting room where my father stood with open arms.

"My darling what's the matter?" He asked in a fake tone, wrapping his arms around me, embracing me into his false fatherly warmness. I cried banging my fists against his chest but It all seemed hopeless now. I saw no reason to fight against him, I'd lost the battle, he had won.

He bailed me off with a great sum of money, he took my hand gripping it a little too tight, leading me outside onto the streets where 2 carriages awaited that I had never seen before. The strange man followed behind us and had not yet spoke a word.

"Phillipe, would you please escort my daughter home, I have some relatively important business which must be dealt with straight away." Father addressed the tall blonde who looked kindly towards my father, if only he knew what he was really like.

"Of course, it would be my pleasure Sir." He smiled and held the door open to the first carriage for me, I begrudgingly got in, only to get away from Him.

Phillipe got in behind me slamming the door.

"Well to be honest I was expecting a far more hostile welcome." I grinned darkly "What business have you with my father?" I stared him down trying to get an answer.

"I'm but a friend of his, I'm sorry to disappoint but I mean you no harm." His eyes twinkled in a sweet schoolboy kind of way but I was not to be fooled.

"Unfortunately any friend of my father's is not a friend of mine." I laughed and looked out the window at all the passers going about their daily business. I had only been in a carriage twice before. Once when I sang for the Mayor at the town hall and the 2nd  was regretfully for the funeral of my mother.

"Well I don't see why that is so, your father is a good, honest man."  I couldn't help but laugh in an almost un-ladylike way which felt rather inappropriate in this mans presence.

"You obviously do not know my father well then." I scoffed.

"On the contrary Miss, I've grown to know your father quite well over the past week, he employed me to help find you. He cares for you quite dearly you know, he's been out of his mind with worry."

"So that's who you are then, my dads own little henchman."  I grinned, I was being so rude to this strange man who had shown me nothing but a caring smile but I no longer cared, I'd lost hope of having my own life.

"I hardly think that's fair." He pouted slightly but still had a cheeky little smile plastered in the corner of his mouth. The carriage drew to a halt but we were not on the familiar street in which I had spent my childhood growing up.     "I thought you may like me better if I took you back to your real home first." Phillipe grinned as he opened the door and stepped outside, revealing the opera house behind him. Before he could change his mind I stepped outside the carriage and smiled at him in disbelief.

"He's going to kill you for this you know?" I questioned him hoping he wouldn't deny me the joy of being back where I belonged.

"I'm well aware." He grinned down at me "Just know that you can't run from him forever, tonight we're all coming to watch the opera which is on tonight, I'll keep my eye out for you Miss." He winked at me making my cheeks blush an I welcomed shade of pink before we went our separate ways and I rushed back into the welcoming arms of my home at the theatre.

Erik's P.o.v-
I was about to rush out of the house after my brief meeting with Madame Giry, but before I could do so she came running into the opera house banging the stage door behind her.

Her cheeks were a subtle shade of pink which contrasted greatly against the grey tone of her pale skin.

"Hello..." she whispered as a slight smile graced her lips.

"You look like hell." I told her with no direct intention, it was just the first thing which sprang to the front of my mind.

"Yeah you don't look too great yourself..." the 10-year old girl inside of her giggled which made me smile.

"Rose?!" A high pitch voice squealed from the balconies above where we stood.

"I'm glad you're safe; I'm sorry." I smiled taking her hand and kissing the top of her bruised knuckles softly before I ran off into the shadows as what seemed like hundreds of ballerinas clambered down the stairs, all in a rush to get some little slither of the drama. It was Madame Giry's daughter who took the first piece out of her. She threw her arms around Rose in self pity, her eyes streaming with tears.

"Oh Rose! How could you do such a thing?!" She cried making me repulsed by her shrill like nature.

"I didn't do it. Do you really think that I would be here if I had of done?" She grimaced making me laugh a bit by her sarcastic nature.

"No... No of course not! You just had me worried was all. Now let's go get you cleaned up before you say another word, I have something to ask of you..." Her voice died off as she and Rose went to their bedroom and closed the door behind them.

Thank God she was safe.

Rose's p.o.v-
"Nope! Not a chance!" I cried out sitting myself down on my makeshift bed.

"But Rose, you're an amazing dancer! Isn't that what you came here to do?" Meg asked puzzlingly.

"That's not the point Meg, I don't know the dance I don't have anything to wear, I'm just not prepared!" She had asked me to fill in a gap in tonight's show where one sole ballerina usually fills in an interval of music. Unfortunately the ballerina which usually fills this spot is off ill with the flu so now she needs someone to fill her place. And that person will not be me!

"You can improvise! The costume people can get you kitted out with something to wear, and I'm sure you already have your pointe shoes with you." She knew me too well.

"I'm not at all happy about this..." I grimaced putting my head in my hands.

"Wait is that a yes?! Oh thank you Rose, thank you!" She embraced me in a tight squeeze before running off to tell the other ballerinas the 'good' news.
Well tonight was going to be certainly, interesting.