The Demon's Child and the Phantom

Chapter 31

Erik:

I watch as her face falls and tears start to form in her eyes again. Do all couples in love cry as much as we have today, or is it just because of my face poisoning our love that we cry so much? She leans away from me on the bed that we were somehow sitting on now, as she takes her hands off my face and starts twisting them in her lap. Without her touch my body feels cold and empty once more, but how could I expect her to keep touching this repulsive carcass?

"Don't call them that."

"But they are Rose. They are horrid, monstrous scars that match my foul soul."

"Stop it!"

I watched as she started to shake before she stood from the bed and rushed from the room at a speed I was unaware she possessed. I followed after her, afraid that she would hurt herself in this state, and was not pleased to see that she was rushing to the roof. I was but a few steps behind her when I found her on the roof on her knees shaking even as the air was around us was warm. She was staring out towards the buildings surrounding us but her eyes seemed to be far away from here.

It was then I realized she was having a flashback, something I once had in abundance of my own horrid past. I kneeled next to her on the rooftop and instantly pulled her into my arms knowing that something I said must have triggered her as she started to cry while still shaking in my arms.


Rose's POV: (Flashback)

It was a few days before we were supposed to escape, Florica and I, when Malik had drug me into his tent and chained my hands down. He poured himself a drink before he turned to face me, downing the harsh smelling liquid in one go.

"You know little demon, we've had some fun together you and I but there is one thing I will do before I lose you. Yes, I've sold you to a new owner and you'll be going with them tomorrow. But before you go, there is something I want from you, one last thing." (Malik)

I didn't know exactly what he was talking about for a moment until he walked over and started to undo his trousers. He sat on top of me and started to undo my corset as I screamed. He slapped me before he covered my mouth, in return I bit his hand and screamed again. Our scuffle lasted only a moment longer until I heard my savior come running into the tent.

Florica was silent only a moment, then she began to place a curse on him in Romanian. He immediately jumped off of me and started shouting back at her, all while I pulled at the chains around my wrists and attempted to cover my chest again.

"Both of you will face my wrath now! I no longer fear you old woman. Your punishment will be to watch me burn the little demon, and until you watch then I will keep burning it!" (Malik)

I watched as he called in Salin to help hold me and then watched as the iron brand was heated in the fire. Florica looked at me once before casting her eyes away from me as Malik approached me. I had been preparing myself for a burn on the arm or the leg but he surprised me with his choice. He moved my dress out of the way and made a fresh, new burn just along my collar bone right above my left breast.

The new pain caused a scream to leave my mouth, my first in several months, and a few tears even formed in my eyes. Florica however did not look, and in response Malik removed the brand and went to heat it again. Knowing that he would place one on the other side of my chest now I begged and pleaded with her to just watch it. She finally looked at me just as Malik placed the hot brand on my skin again, tears falling from both our eyes before I felt the cool air against the two newest brands.

"I may not get what I want from you, but no other man will ever want you anyway. Your body is covered with horrid, monstrous scars that match your foul soul perfectly." (Malik)

I watched through a pain filled haze as he started to laugh, Salin joining in after he got off me. I saw Florica rush towards me, undoing the chains around my wrists when she reached me, before placing her thin shawl over me before my vision grew dim and I was left seeing nothing but darkness.

(Flashback Over)


Eric's POV:

I held her tightly in my arms as she seemed to snap out of the flashback, tears falling from her beautiful eyes at a faster pace as her breathing only seemed to increase. She pushed against me and I let her go from my arms as she stood and made her way towards the edge of the roof. I stood slowly hoping that she didn't have the notion to jump from the ledge as I knew I would follow after her. I saw her knees give out again and it was then that I saw that she was struggling to breath. I kneeled down in front of her as I watched her continue to gasp for breath, my worry steadily growing as I watched my Rose in this state.

"Rose, what can I do?" (E)

"I.....I cannot....." (R)

I saw my Rose's words come out in strained and pained sounded gasps as she struggled to breathe and I knew she was panicking still as the flashback left her. I crawled closer to her before I took her hands into my own as I started to speak to her in as soft a tone I could imagine. 

"Shhhh my Rose, look at me, look into my eyes. I'm here, nothing will harm you ever again. I swear it. Breath with me." (E)

I saw her look up at me as I held her gaze and started to breath in a slow deep rhythm, one that she soon copied. I slowly took her back into my arms as she continued to stare into my eyes. I scooped her up and stood with her bridal style before she broke eye contact with me, closing her eyes as her breathing finally returned to normal as she laid her head against my chest as I sat down on one of the stone benches that lined the inner parts of the roof.


Rose's POV:

I breathed in the damp cool scent that clung to Erik and his clothes as he held me in his arms. I felt my breathing start to return to normal even as tears still fell from my eyes, each one a tiny betrayal to the strong front I always tried to maintain. That was by far the worst of the flashbacks that I had endured in quite some time, and I was angry that I was not stronger to ignore it. My anger grew stronger even in his arms and I forced myself to lean away from his chest and get out of his arms, relieved that he set me down without much complaint on his part.

I walked closer to the edge of the roof, away from Erik, who was still seated on the stone bench, looking up at the stars for a brief moment before I turned back to face him. I wrapped my arms around myself in both an attempt to hold myself together and stop the shakes that were still lingering. I finally met his golden gaze in the dark before I took a deep breath and said the words that haunted me now.

Eric's POV:

I watch as the tears forming in her eyes continue to grow as she suddenly snaps out of it, before she pulls away from me and out of my embrace as I set her down. I watched her walk closer still to the edge before she stopped and looked up at the sky for a moment, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned back towards me. I watched as she calmed her breathing on her own after a few seconds before looking at me with tears still shining in her beautifully unique eyes.

"You're right."

I heard the finality of those two words and I felt my spirit sink as I knew that was she speaking of what I had said about scars downstairs. I knew that she would see sense and reason and see that I was right, but there was a part of me that had hoped she would look past that unlike so many others before her had not.

"I know, it's why you deserve someone better than I Rosella. Someone with a clean soul."

I watched as tears fell from her eyes as she looked down to rooftop before a bitter laugh escaped her for a few moments. I stood and walked over to her to try to comfort her by pulling her back into my arms but she only pushes me away as anger starts to build in her eyes, as she walks farther away from me.

"A clean soul you say, if either of us have a clean soul then it is notme. I can guarantee it." (R)

I was prepared to argue with her on it but I was frozen as she turned back toface me. I watch still frozen in place as she flings her robe off and onto theledge of the opera house leaving her in a long-sleeved nightgown before me. Ibegin to rain curses down on myself should my eyes stray from her own as shestares at me, but it became progressively harder to do.

I watched in a tense frozen wonder as she starts to untie the strings at thetop of the gown. This can't be the proper thing for her to be doing right now,especially on the roof of the opera house, but I can't make my body move tostop her as I just stand and stare at the beautiful creature undressing beforeme. Her fingers suddenly pause in what she's doing as she looks up at me with apassive look on her face.

"Do you believe scars tarnish a person's soul Erik? That they serve as hideousreminders to others of how monstrous someone is?"

"Yes."

"I have heard it phrased that way only one other time, but I now find myselfagreeing with you both."

I watch as her face remains emotionless as she nods her head slowly in anunasked question it seemed. I watch with wide eyes as she begins undoing thelaces on her gown again with an angry determined look in her eyes as she staresat me. She gets it undone and holds it to her chest as she looks at me again.She turns and drops the gown on the rooftop and is left in a pair of shortlinen pants. I find myself absolutely frozen as she has her back to me.