A Lasting Promise (A FANFIC)

A Lasting Promise1

Christine had long left Erik behind, she sat alone in Raoul’s grand home. Christine sat alone in the lavish art room. She was surrounded by magnificent paintings and divine sculptures. She studied each one with such profound detail, she could lose herself for hours in there. She stared at a painting that had become a favourite of hers. It was of a young couple sitting, watching a sultry sunset, their bodies embraced. She stared at the painting for a time and sighed. She wished she could just leap into the painting and be deliriously happy like the subjects in the picture. But alas, it was no more than a wild fantasy. Christine Daae was beautiful, she was stunning, more womanly and feminine than one could imagine. Her long shimmering hair tangled itself into glorious curls, they framed her face, so stunning it could have been carved by angels. Her divine figure and tall frame made her a sheer goddess and one it has to be said, of unearthly beauty. It was no wonder Raoul had fallen in love with her. She sighed, she knew he was at the opera house wooing every beauteous girl who passed his sight. She wandered to the music room where she sat down at the piano. She looked at the keys for a moment, before playing a sorrowful melody. She played three or four verses before she began to sing. She was so alone but it was loneliness not solitude. Solitude is the greatness of being alone and loneliness is the sadness of being alone. She knew from experience the heartache life could bring her. She sighed, she didn’t want to be alone anymore… 2

Raoul opened the front door to the sound of music. It was a sweet tune he recognised but he had no idea where he had heard it. He assumed it was a lullaby from his younger years or a song Christine had composed in homage to great penmanship. He walked up behind her and kissed her cheek, startling her slightly.3

“Oh Raoul you scared me so!” Christine said, abstracted.4

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to. Christine what is that beautiful song you were playing?” Raoul asked, softly.5

“Oh, it’s an old Parisian lullaby from when I was small, everyone from my district knows it,” she replied.6

“Please would you play it again? It was simply divine! I recall hearing it when I was small, and I was certain it had words. This time sweet Christine, sing the words,” Raoul answered as he kissed her unblemished cheek softly.7

Christine began to play the melodies once more, but this time singing with superlative deftness. 8

“Roses whisper goodnight, under silvery light, as the dew drops turn to rain, the sun will rise again. Oh light, oh light, how you whisper goodnight, oh light, oh light, how you whisper goodnight…” Christine finished the last note as Raoul pulled up a chair beside her. He put his arm around her and placed a kiss on her temple. Christine shivered, she did not know whether it was from pure delight or overwhelming passion but she succumbed to his fervent advances…9

A great composer of music lurked deep within the catacombs of the Paris opera house. A disfigured musical genius, who had become mesmerised by Christine Daae. Erik, the dark seducer and great master of music, listened in the darkness of his lair. He felt such cold indifference for Raoul, but yet such pity as the young suitor needed Christine, he was dependent on her. “Oh what a lovesick fool!” He thought to himself and then he sighed, purely because he realized that he suffered the same lovesickness that Raoul shared with Christine. He longed, too for Christine’s loving embrace and welcoming smile. He wanted to touch her soft hair and hold her in his arms. Alas, she would never return to him. He often managed to steal a glance at her when she visited the opera house, but he could not let her see him. He was spiralling into madness, he was racked with doubt in himself. He longed to question his existence, for what is the meaning of life without love? Be it a question to ponder or to disregard as unanswerable? He did not know, but he longed to. Why should he be denied the sweet delirium that others felt? 10

He climbed onto the boat and sailed his way down the loch, he was to venture up to the opera house once more. He was desperate to steal a glance of her, he knew exactly where she’d be. On the roof with that fiend, whose name he could not even bear to utter. He dismounted the boat and flicked his head around nervously. He spiralled up and up through grand hallways and debonair stairways until he finally reached the roof. He moved like a shadow of the night across the snowy rooftop, behind an angel statue that stood monumentally above him. It was diminutive however, to the vast panorama of Paris that spread for miles around him. 11

He took a moment to admire the view when he was disturbed by a man’s voice. A young man, accompanied by a girl. The voice, feminine and sweet he heard reply to the man, was that of Christine. He would know that voice anywhere. They stood precariously close to the edge and Erik, although a man of compassion, seriously contemplated pushing them both to their deaths. Raoul and Christine sang of love and sweet bliss. Erik found himself lost, mouthing Raoul’s words of love from behind the statue, he was broken, lost in despair. As Erik moved closer across the open, vast roof of the opera house, his shadow gradually consuming Raoul’s, his mind racked with hurt and anger, so much so that he could push them, watch them plunge to their deaths. Alas his sensitive pitiful side overthrew the tyrant that was his demonic side. He shrunk back down behind the statue, his head in his hands. 12

Erik was disturbed from his lonely stupor by Christine. She was saying goodbye to Raoul, who was by now at the door leading back into the opera house. Raoul left in haste, and Christine rested on the very statue that hid Erik. He whispered her name hoarsely through tears; “Christine…”13

Christine looked around in surprise, she backed away from the statue. “Christine…”14

She tentatively moved to the opposite side of the statue where her eyes met with Erik’s. She was shocked to see him again after he swore for her never to return as he wouldn’t make her happy. “Erik! I’m so glad I found you, I’m so unhappy” Christine whispered, overcome by tears. “Oh Christine, has Raoul been bad to you?” Erik asked, his voice calming and soft. “No…well, he hasn’t…he is very fickle Erik, he woos many girls he meets. I get the feeling the love we used to bear, although still remains is slowly fading...” Christine spoke, sadly.15

“Oh how awful of him! Where is he now?” Erik asked, his voice raised in suspicion.16

“Visiting one of his many loves I imagine. He is so handsome, he has the good life Erik…” Christine spoke wistfully. 17

Erik replied, “My love, why not return to me? We could be happy, I will never stop loving you Christine,” 18

“I can’t Erik, I want to, I really do…but Raoul would be terribly upset…he does love me…I know he doesn‘t always show it but I know deep down he does. He is like me Erik, we have a lot in common, we…we…” Christine replied, sadly, she couldn‘t even finish her sentence.19

Erik’s eyes became hurt as tears began to well up in them, tears of sorrow ready to flow freely. “Erik…” Christine sighed, tears in her own eyes.20

“Take this…to remember me…this is the only way we can be together…” Christine handed him a red rose. The colour resembled her crimson cheeks, flushed from her tears. 21

Erik tied a black ribbon, that had been attached to his cape, to the rose and placed a shimmering diamond ring from the ribbon on the stem, and there it sparkled. It was all he had of Christine. She kissed his cheek and gazed longingly into his piercing green eyes. She then left without another word. She loved Raoul, she had no choice but to leave Erik. Raoul provided her love, comfort and sweet embrace, the very things she needed incidentally. Erik promised to always watch over her like her father once promised, the angel of music promised to protect her and guide her. Erik never saw Christine again… 22

Many years passed, Raoul had parted from Christine in due time. Christine was alone, as was Erik. Alone in separate worlds. The day Christine died and was buried something magical and touching happened. 23

The monumental mausoleum stood, surrounded by beautiful flowers, as Raoul placed white roses in a vase close to the grave. Erik promised to watch over her forever, to guide and nurture her. He kept that promise. Even though he died alone, Christine was always with him deep in his heart. Likewise, Erik remained in Christine’s heart until the day she died, now he watches over her from the night time sky. The end of life is now so dear, a release of pain and of fear. Eternal heart, eternal love, now he watches, from above. Left by the grave this single letter, a note for worse, a note for better…24

My time on earth has gone and passed,25

We can be together, now, at last,26

I love you more than words can say,27

I loved you until my dying day, 28

Part of me is always with you,29

There lay my red rose,30

And ring, for you,31

Where we are, nobody knows…32

Their souls still resound within the air, like the colours of the wind. Erik left this message, just before he died, when Raoul saw this message, he broke down and cried. Although he left her, he never stopped loving her. Nothing would stop him loving her. For even Raoul knew that Erik, the angel of music, was watching over her forever. At least she was safe with the angels. True love lasts for eternity, true love grants immortality. For there, at the grave, lay a single red rose tied with black ribbon. On it, a shimmering diamond ring and there it sparkled on the stem…33

Fin34

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