The Demon's Child and the Phantom

Chapter 27

Daroga's POV:

I was walking back to my office to wait for Rosella before we left for home for the day when I heard hurried footsteps ahead of me. I hastened my pace and saw Rosella, having known that Erik was having her down today with a sort of surprise in store of her. I didn't think much of her hastened pace at first, until a single sob escape from her mouth just as she opened the door to my office. I hurried to the door and opened it again, only to find Rosella now kneeling in front of the fire. I was about to say something to her but the words that fell from her mouth froze me in place.

"I HATE HER!" (R)

The amount of venom in her voice as she declared her hatred hit me with such a force it made me fear her ever directing that hatred to me. I wondered as to who it was she was directing it, doubting that it was either of the Giry's. I closed the door softly behind me, locking it as I did, and took a few steps towards her. Yet, it was as if she didn't even realize I was in the room with her. I could see her face as it was lit by the flames of the fire, a frozen look of hatred on her pale face, her eyes seeming to swirl with just as much hatred as her face held.

"I HATE HER!" (R)

There was just as much venom in this declaration as there had been in her first. And my mind started to search for a possible source of her hatred. Though I had none. I walked closer and gently placed my hand on her shoulder before even seemed to realize I was here. She turned and stared at me as I kneeled down next to her and met her hate-filled eyes with my own, losing none of their venom as she did.

"Rosella, my dear child, who are you angry with? Did someone hurt you?" (D)

"NO! She didn't hurt me. She hurt him! She broke him and because of her I may never have him. I hate her!" (R)

I saw a thin line of blood trailing down her face, a cut on the left side of her forehead the source of the blood. Though she seemed not to notice the blood, or if she did she seemed not to care. I saw her hands start to shake, but I knew it wasn't in fear but anger. As Erik's hands would often shake in a similar fashion. I was struck again by how similar the two of them were, and yet how different at the same time.

I rose from my place on the floor and retrieved some bandages, a wet cloth, and some alcohol from my desk drawer. I took my place next to her again and started to dab gently at the cut with the wet cloth to remove the drying blood and then the alcohol to clean it. She sat frozen and tense as I did so, her hands still shaking in her lap. I placed the bandage over the cut and then gently took her hands into my own and looked into her eyes still full of pure hatred.

"Rosella, who is it that you hate so much?" (D)

"Christine! She broke him! She broke him and now.......I can never have him. I hate her for hurting him in such a horrid way! She had no right!" (R)

It was then as I watched angry tears flow from her eyes that I understood the source of her hatred. I still did not know the source of the cut on her forehead, but I decided to discover it next now that I knew her hatred was only for Christine. I was not surprised at her hatred for the woman that had come before her and broke Erik's heart.

I gently squeezed her hands as I watched her eyes finally soften as the tears continued to fall, a look of sorrow passing over her face as she pulled her knees closer to herself. The tears now falling at a more rapid pace. She looked back at me only once as a broken apology left her mouth but I only shook my head and held onto her hand tighter as she did.

"Shhh.....shhhh Rosella my dear. You need not apologize, I understand. But you must have faith that he is not completely broken for if he was, we would have lost him long ago. And I know that you are helping put him back together again my dear. But now I must know what happened earlier today." (D)

I sat in silence for a moment before she finally raised her head and looked at me again. Every trace of emotion wiped clean from her face and her eyes, with no evidence remaining except the tears stains that remained on her face. She began to speak in a voice that was just as devoid of emotion as her face was, a talent that Erik had never learned to master but one that Rosella could perform flawlessly.

"I went into the Prima Donna's room, her room, earlier today. It was immaculate as if it was a shrine for her. It reminded only that no matter he would always love her first, love her more no matter what she had done because she was his angel of music and his beautiful muse. I was preparing to leave the room when I heard him playing the piano. The mirror door slid open and I followed the source of the sound. He was still playing the piano as I entered the room. There was music on the bed with a note asking me to sing the part that was starred, and he sang the other as the music started. It was a beautiful song. At the end he claimed he loved me, just as much as I love him. I kissed him and my heart seemed to soar, my soul had never been freer." (R)

I watched as she froze, her eyes closing for a moment as she took a deep breath. I had known of Erik's plan, and though it sounded as if everything went according to his own design I knew that there was more to tell. Rosella opened her eyes again and I knew in her blank expression that I was right as she began to speak once more.

"In that moment, I begged him to remove his mask as I had removed mine. He would not do it, so in my foolishness I removed it for him. I had whispered my promised pledge of love to him but he seemed not to hear it. I hadn't seen his face for longer than a second before he tossed to the ground. My head hit the stone floor and as he was lost to his own insanity I was lost to my memories. Neither of us able to help the other until I heard his sobs, but by then it was too late. I reminded him only of the love that betrayed him. I reminded him of HER! I HATE HER!" (R)

The emotion in her voice had only returned when she mentioned Christine once again. Her hate for the poor girl was real and I did not blame her for it. But I knew that in this moment I had a chance to help Erik. As I knew the real reason the room was spotless as Erik and myself had spent the last two weeks preparing it for Rosella should she choose to live there. I couldn't help the small smile on my face as I looked at her, wondering how two people could be so perfectly well-matched for one another. Erik hated anything having to do with Rosella possibly being hurt and Rosella hated just the idea that Erik had been hurt in his past.

"Rosella my dear, that room looks that way because we were preparing it for you. He wants you to move into the opera house so that he could keep a closer eye on you and watch over you. I guess you could say he doesn't trust me enough with your safety." (D)

I watched as her emotionless mask broke into pieces as she stared at me. A look of shock followed by surprise and happiness crossed her face. A ghost of a smile crossed her face as she looked at me, before she asked in a voice that was shaking with emotion.

"Are you certain? You are not lying Daroga.....he was....he was doing that for me?"

"Yes my dear, only for you." (D)

"But....but why?" (R)

"Well Rosella, as he told you through his song today. He loves you. Perhaps more than either of you can ever realize." (D)

I watched again as a ghost of a smile crossed her face but unlike the first one this one stayed in place. Her eyes seemed to shine brighter in the dim room of the office, the fire behind her outlining her as if she was an angel. Something I had often thought she was. I looked at the bandage on her head and wondered for a moment if living closer to Erik was a good idea after all. Neither of them had their sanity about them at all times, and yet Erik's often turned deadly.

"Rosella, I must ask. Do you feel safe with Erik after everything that occurred this afternoon? DO you still wish to live here in the opera house?" (D)

She immediately found my eyes in the dim room, a look of confusion crossed her face before she took one of her hands away from my own and traced the bandage on her forehead. She sat still for a moment before she started nodding and looked back to meet my eyes.

"Yes, I feel safe with him. It was an accident, and he did nothing wrong. The fault is with me. I....I betrayed his trust just as she did so long ago. It was not his fault it was mine." (R)

"Well, if you still feel that way, I suppose we should hurry home to have you packed so that we may get you settled into your new room tonight. If you wish." (D)

"I would like that very much Daroga. Though, I may never know how to repay you after everything you've done for me. You've been like a father that I never hoped to know. How can I ever repay you?" (R)

"Please my dear there is no need to repay me, as you have been like the daughter I've never had. Come my dear, let us go home to get you packed. I have no doubt that he will want to see you tonight, even if you don't see him." (D)