The Demon's Child and the Phantom

Chapter 14

Rosella's POV:

I woke up slowly at first until I realized that someone was holding me. I panicked silently for a few seconds until I looked and saw that it was Erik. I then realized why he must have laid down with me, as my hands were wrapped tightly in his shirt. I slowly unwrap my hands as I sit up and stare at him. I know that his face is probably hideous underneath the mask, just as his hands were not the ideal hands of a man or a lover, but I love them just the same as if they were.

The same goes for his face even though I have yet to see it without the mask. I gently trace the mask with my fingers, knowing that I will never remove it or see underneath it unless he lets me. I smile as his chest rises and falls with each deep breath he takes, his face peaceful looking for once. I run my hand through my hair and then my smile disappears.

This isn't real. I mean it is but the kindness he's been showing me isn't romantic. I'm nothing more than a friend to him. I could never replace the love he has for Christine. I sigh as I watch him in his sleep. The half of his face that I can see looks so peaceful as he lays there. I slowly lay back down and place my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and I swear even that sounds like music. This man is truly music and night personified.

Yet, he will never be mine to hold like this forever. I sit up and away againas I look at him. I stand up slowly and leave the room just as I feel a few hotangry tears fall from my face. I hold back a bitter laugh as I realize that thefirst time that I cry for a reason other an a beating is over a man that I lovebut can never have. I walk out of the room and over to the organ bench, staringat the inviting keys as the music in my head grows louder and demands to bereleased. I sit down at it and start touching the keys gently creating themelody in my head into music, allowing it to escape as I will never be able to.

I know it's a sad melody, but it's what is echoing in my mind as I think ofErik. The tears have stopped and for now I'm grateful for that, though I know Ishould be more worried I suppose. Six years without a single tear shed despitethe torture and pain, and when I do cry it's only a few tears. This time abitter laugh does escape as I start playing my song with more intensity. Themusic in my head and on the organ quickly turns dark and I lose myself in it asI play.


Erik's POV:

I sat up with my lasso gripped in my hand as I heard what I thought was themusic in my head amplify. I look around the room and see that Rose is nowhereto be found. I listen to the melody and its sadness is overwhelming to even myears. I stand from the bed and walk out into the main room and see her playingthe organ. Normally I would kill a person for just touching it but she playsalmost as well as I do, and looks so beautiful doing it. I watch as she losesherself in the song as her delicate fingers play the keys. I close my eyes andlisten to the pain she is displaying in her music.

She may keep her face and her eyes as blank as possible but her music, it showsevery emotion she feels or has ever felt. I listen as what sounds like a bitterlaugh escapes her beautiful mouth, and then the music starts to change innature. I begin to hear the anger and the anguish start to come out as shecontinues to play. The organ is playing music that is as dark as mine has everbeen if not darker, and it creates a chill on my spine to think what she hasgone through to be able to create it. I walk up slowly behind her and gentlyplace my hand on her shoulder.

The music stops in the middle of a harsh note as she whips around and grabs mythroat and my wrist with her hands, screaming "NO" and breathing heavily. I seeinsanity in her eyes, close to what I see in my own every once and a while, asshe shoves me away and lunges towards a corner of the room. I start to walktoward her but she........she growls at me with insanity to match my own.

"Rose-"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!!!"

I walk toward her more slowly thinking of how much I care for her and then Isee brief recognition flash through her eyes. She starts to stand up in thecorner, running her hands over her face as she takes a few deep breathes as theinsanity in her eyes starts to dim. I start to walk closer to her but before Ican get any closer she lunges at me.

"DAMN YOU MALIK!!!!"

I watch as the insanity comes back full force in her eyes as she slaps me inthe face and punches my chest. I raise my hands to deflect her blows, wonderinghow to snap her out of this when I can't even snap myself out of my own insanity.She lunges back into the corner as her breathing stays rapid and franticsounding. I see her looking everywhere around the room, looking for an escapejust as I used to in moments like this.

"STAY AWAY!!!!!"

"Rose, look into my eyes, it's me Erik."

I watch as makes eye contact with me and after a few minutes the insanitybegins to fade again as she straightens a bit in the corner. Her breathingstarts to slow and I watch as tears form in her eyes but they don't fall. Sheburies her head in her hands for a moment before she looks back up at me with asorrowful look in her eyes. I watch as she walks up to me again and I preparefor her attack but instead she simply looks up at me with her eyes becomingblank once more.

I don't move away and neither does asshe. Instead she just continues to look up at me and I see her expression isblanked once again as I meet her eyes, one red and one blue and silver, with myown golden eyes. I can't tell what she is feeling as I stare into her eyes,with all of her emotions hidden perfectly behind her own mask of sorts. I watchas the remainder of the insanity that was lingering in her eyes disappears asshe looks at me.

I see her slowly raise her hand towards me and I tense and prepare myself tostop her should she reach for the mask. She doesn't though, instead she gentlytraces what I'm assuming to be her handprint mark on my left cheek with amournful expression passing across her face. I don't regret it though, I wouldwelcome a thousand slaps from her if it meant that after each one she would sogently trace the mark as she is now. A few blessed moments later and her warmsoft hand leaves my face and becomes still at her side, her blank expressionput back in place.

"Erik, forgive me for striking you I......I simply lost control."

"Rosella, it needs not forgiving. I understand. What triggered you?"

"I was caught up in the music of my mind and you just surprised me faster thanI could prepare for it. I should not have touched your organ without asking foryour permission, so the fault is entirely my own."

"Rose it is fine, I am not hurt and neither is my organ, the slap you deliveredwas nothing my dear. You play beautifully."

"Thank you."

"Where did you learn?"

"Florica let me play on her piano when I was younger. I just play the melodiesI hear in my head or that someone else plays first."

"Who is Malik?"

"He...he was one of my keepers you could say, while I was with the gypsies.'

I slowly nod my head as I fight the emotions that are running through me rightnow after hearing the hatred that filled her voice when she said his name. I donot press her further about the insanity that she just displayed in her eyes,her music, and her behavior towards me and I feel that she is grateful forthat. Though I feel anger towards the gypsies that kept her, I am grateful tothe woman who showed her some compassion and let her express her soul in music.

I also realize the unexpected sense of companionship with Rose as I realizejust how similar we are. I hear Daroga call for us above in the Opera House andI take her hand into mine as we leave the lair and I escort her back to thesurface through a side tunnel.

I watch as she leaves with Daroga down the hallway and my mind races withquestions as I walk back to my lair. What else did the gypsies do to her forher to have the same kind of insanity that I have? Did they treat her as theyonce did me? Did they harm her? Beat her? Why does she keep herself so guardedin the emotions she shows? What is she hiding behind her own mask? Could shetruly care for me?