My Angel of Music

Little Ballerina

I sighed as Erik turned away, refusing to speak to me.  

"Erik, please.  I just want to discuss this before you make any decisions."  I pleaded.  But, yet again, he ignored me.  I had been begging him to discuss the idea of letting Meg marry the doctor.  He refused to accept the idea.  Meg had already made her choice.  If only he would allow the idea enter his closed mind!  

"Erik if you would just-"

"I don't want to talk about it."  He snapped, as he whipped his head to the side to glare at me.  Tears formed in my eyes at his tone, and when he saw them, his eyes softened.  He scooted over in his bed and patted the spot.  I climbed in it beside him, and he drew me closer to his warm body.  I gratefully snuggled deeper into his chest and he began to pet my wild curls away from my face.  "Look, I love Meg like a sister.  And I would do anything in my power to keep her safe.  I would do the same for you, and you would do the same for me or her."  He whispered gently.  

My tears spilled over at the realization of his stubborn love.  He wasn't going to listen to me.  He was going to go to jail for her.  He caught my falled tears with his finger and kissed them away carefully.  "Please." I muttered.  He pressed his finger to my lips to quiet me.  "Please, Christine, let us just spend what time we have left together in peace."  He whispered.  The thought of our time running out made my tears fall harder.

But I didn't argue.  Instead, I just laid my head on his chest and cried.  

***

Later that day, as Erik slep soundly beside me, I wiggled free from his arms and dashed from the hot room.  I set out to find Meg, who had been away all day.  I found Tyler in the children's bedroom, playing with Annabel and Elsa.  Annabel saw me and immediatley grasped onto my legs, a wide grin plastered onto her pink face.  "Mother!  Mother, I've missed you."  She giggled.  I smiled at her and patted her wild hair.  Then her face grew serious, a rare thing for a six year old.  "Where's Father?  I wish to see him."  She asked innocently.  

I bent down and scooped her into my arms.  "Angel, your Father is ill.  That's why we are here, remember?"  I reminded her gently.  She frowned, unsatisfied with my reply.  "Okay.  If you behave, then tonight I will take you to see him."  I bargained.  She thought for a moment, her chubby cheeks turned down in a thoughtful frown.  Then she smiled and nodded, the brightness returning to her blue eyes.

I set her down to play and turned my attention to Tyler.  "Have you seen Meg?"  I asked.  He nodded and stepped closer to me.  "Well, yes.  She asked John to take her back to your house earlier."  He replied.  My eyebrows shot up.  "Our house?  But it's burned down."  I cried.  He shrugged and returned to Annabel and Elsa.  I sighed and sauntered to the door.

I found a horse from the stable, and asked the stable boy if I could borrow it.  He agreed, seeing I was a proper lady in distress.  I mounted the strong steed, and to the boy's surprise, took off high speed.  

The wind shook my perfect hair loose and blew it behind me.  I smiled at the freedom of the ride.  I loved how I could control every move the beast made.  It made me feel powerful and strong.  Something I didn't feel quite often.  All the fears and worries left my mind as I savored the scent of pine trees and the feel of the wind against my red skin.  But as soon as I began to really get used to the movement underneath my hips and the sound of the crunching leaves beneath the beast's hooves, I recognized a knotted tree and had to turn left.

And within minutes, my house was in sight.  It didn't really look as bad as my imagination had pictured.  Only the very top of the building was burned.  Black smoke marks flared out of the window, and some of the wood was falling apart.  I sighed a sigh of relief.  Only repairs were needed, no new house.  

I hopped off the horse and handed it over to the stable boy.  

The stench of smoke was overwhelming when I entered the charred household.  I held my nose as I followed the sound of footsteps upstairs.  I knew it was Meg by her graceful movements and sounds.  I smiled at the sound.  

Finally, I reached the room where the sound was coming from, and carefully cracked open the door.  I looked inside, and saw Meg, in a short simple tutu and point shoes, twirling gracefully.  I smiled at her beauty.  There was no music playing, but it was obvious that there was in her head.  She stood on her toes and slowly spun.  The look on her face was that of pure content.  She might not have been the best singer, but Erik, Meg, and I shared one thing.  A love of music.  Erik's and mine was different from Meg's.  She danced to the music, but the result was the same.  A feeling of happiness and passion.  

Meg suddenly lept into the air, her legs straight as boards, and her back arched like a swan.  I gasped at the move, making her stop and glare at me.  She cried out and took a step back in surprise.  I giggled and opened the door all the way.  "It's okay.  It's just me."  I said with my hands in the air.  She sighed and sat on a dusty bench.  I sat beside her as she caught her breath.  

"You dance when you're upset."  I stated.  It was more of a statement than a question.  She nodded and looked at me.  "Of course I'm upset.  One day everything is perfect, the next my world is literally hell."  She whispered.  I noddded in agreement.  "I understand."  I said and reached for her hand.  She sniffed and looked down at her lap.  

"But you really don't!"  She snatched her hand away and glared at me.  "The worst thing that has ever happened to you is you've had to choose between two wonderful men!  Do you know what is happening to me?  First of all my mother died.  Then my new husband died.  And now, in order to save your husband, I have to marry a dreadful old man!" She shouted, as she pulled at her tutu.  I remained silent for a while, thinking of what to say.  

"I'm sorry, Meg."  Was all I could muster.  She shook her head and looked back down.  "But really, I do understand.  My father died.  I not only had to choose between two men, I had to choose to be free or to kill.  Then, I was raped to save Erik.  Oh, and then, my husband was shot with an arrow.  And my husband refuses to accept his daughter.  And then, my husband risked his life to save yours.  And now, he is going to jail because he refuses to let you pay for his crimes."  I tried to say it without seeming competitive.  

 She grabbed my hand again and looked at me with pity in her sparkiling blue eyes.  "Wait, he's planning on going to jail for me?"  She cried.  I nodded.  She breathed out and shook her head.  "He is so stubborn."  She muttered.  "Look, then we've got to do it in secret."  She whispered.  I crinkled my brows.  "What?"  I asked, confused.  "The marriage.  I have to marry the doctor so he won't go to jail.  So we just have to do it without him knowing."  She gushed.  I sighed.  "Meg, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do."  I muttered.  

She snorted.  "Sometimes, we just have to sacrifice for the ones we love."  She whispered as she squeezed my hand tighter.