Angel of Doom and an English Rose (Phantom of the Opera)

Chapter 27 - Letter of Explanation

Author's Note:

I know I said I wouldn't post until tomorrow but I was feeling inspired so I wrote this chapter. I know I am murdering your pheels but trust me, I have it all planned. Somehow I don't think that comforts anyone who knows my way of writing. Oh well, here you GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you like it.

sarahlet2999

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Rosetta's POV:

I pulled myself to my feet and left Harbringer to search through some of the caves. There were quite a few and I wasn't sure what I was doing. I stumbled down the narrow paths then came to a small cave, situated in a hidden spot. I walked in and saw the dying embers of a fire. I quickly lit a lantern I found on the ground and looked about.

Erik had been here. The dying fire, and the remnants of a camp all told me that he had. Then I saw something sitting on a rock. It was a leather bag and a white piece of paper. I hurried over to it and set the bag off the paper. It was a letter, sealed with red wax.

I tore the seal and this is what I read.

Dearest Rosetta,

I know you are probably wondering where I am. I have made up my mind. I am leaving. Rosetta, my love, please understand. I never deserved you. It has come to the point where I firmly believe you are better off without me. Thank you for loving me for that short week we were together. You showed me what love really was and for that I will be forever grateful.

I never knew love as a child. Never. My mother couldn't bear the sight of me. No one could. You saw something in me no one ever has. You have a big heart, Rose, and I have no doubt will get over me soon. You are but sixteen. I have left you enough money to buy your way back to England and enough for you to live a while on it. It is the least I could do.

I wanted to tell you one other thing as well. You deserve to know my past. You deserve to know the full truth. Maybe it will help you get over me sooner if you know what kind of a creature you showed love to.

I was born in a little town just outside of Rouen, France. My father was a stonemason who died before I was born. My mother was a spoiled girl since her childhood but a good woman to everyone but me. I lived the first nine years there until I nearly died of wounds sustained when the villagers killed my dog, Sasha. She loved me like her own and I loved her so dearly. She was my only companion.

My mother had been being courted by a doctor and he wanted me put in an insane asylum. Perhaps that where I belong but that is beside the point. I ran away so she could marry him. I wanted her to be happy and I wasn't part of that. I was captured a few days later by a group of gypsies. This is where the hell begins.

I was taken to be used as a freak for their shows by a monster. My master's name was Javert. I hated him. For several months I was simply shown off. My mask would be ripped off and the people would scream. So it was. There were also beatings. Horrible beatings. After a little while I managed to get a few bare necessities and then later, using my talents with ventriloquism, gain power of the gypsy band.

That power was my saving grace, for a while. Then came hell itself. My master tried to do somethings that you shouldn't not need to know about. Let's say, it would have been worse than the beatings. Aye, much worse. I killed him that night with a knife. That night, I became a killer.

I ran away from the gypsy band and for a year or two I was out on my own, wandering the streets. I had long left the gypsies circuit and had traveled into Italy. There I met a man. His name was Giovanni and he treated me well. He was the one who taught me the builder's trade. I excelled at it and was a hard worker. Our lives were content. Even once or twice I imagined I was like a son to him.

Then his daughter Lucinda came home from school. She changed everything. She refused to leave me alone and if it hadn't been for my affection for Giovanni I would have killed her. Now, I look back, I believe she might have been infatuated with me or my mask. But it didn't matter.

In the end, she demanded to see me without it. And Giovanni agreed with her. That hurt the most. He had turned on me. I was hurt and ripped off the mask in a fit of anger. Giovanni didn't act but Lucinda backed off the two-story balcony we were on and fell to her death. I fled that night. I couldn't stay. Giovanni would hate me and it was best I leave.

For years, I roamed. I began a traveling magician. I was well know for my talents and for my voice. My voice. It could hypnotize and haunt. It was my most powerful feature. Sometime when I was about twenty, the daroga of the shah of Persia came to find me. He offered me a job as a builder and assassin. I took him up on the offer. I was heartless. I didn't care about how much blood I spilt.

We returned to Persia and I took up my job. I met Reza and was befriended by Daroga. My first friends in years. I trusted him with everything but my past. We became quite close. This went on for four years. Then you, my lovely English Rose, came.

I remember when you first smiled at me. A woman smiled at me. I didn't know your name but I felt drawn. Then you practically tracked me down. You wouldn't leave me alone. But, unlike, Lucinda, you hadn't just taken with the novelty of being a friend to the great Angel of Doom. You had befriended me. The monster behind the name.

When in a fit of anger I killed your father, I feared you would leave me. I couldn't bear the thought but I couldn't stop you. When you agreed to stay, I made sure you did. Once you were my slave there was nothing you could do. It was selfish reason for which I bound you to me. I am a selfish creature, Rosetta, a very selfish creature. Then, I fell in love with you. You held me, you comforted me, you were always there, you never once betrayed me. I was safe with you and could be calmer around you. I was able to drop my walls.

Then, you told me you loved me. I haven't ever heard those words from another living human being. Never did I hear those words. But I heard them from you and this demon was permitted to hold an angel for a week. I was allowed heaven for a week. But, a demon can't live in heaven as an angel can't live in hell.

As I said before, I am gone. You will not find me. I beg you not to. Go find a man who deserves you. A man instead of a monster. And, I will leave you with the following words, I love you more than my own life, Rosetta Williams.

Love, Erik (Angel)

I read the letter through twice more before I broke down on the stone floor and sobbed. He was gone. He had left me. He had really left me. He believe he didn't deserve me. He left because of the way he thought of himself.

I felt a warm breath on my cheek and looked up to see Harbringer looking down at me. I reached up and rubbed his nose while tears continued to course down my cheeks. My heart was breaking. It was laying in pieces on the floor of the cave.

I reached out and looked through the bag of money. It was at least three thousand pounds in English money. That was more money then I had ever laid eyes one. I looked through it and suddenly knew what I had to do.

Erik had begged me not to look for him but I wasn't going to listen. I would find him if it took the rest of my life. I wiped away my tears and tried to heal my broken heart with the hope I would find him soon.

I put the bag and the letter in Harbringer's saddle bags and spurred him to the north. I was going to France. And if he wasn't there than I would spend every last penny to find him. I didn't care that the night was no place for a lone woman on horseback. I didn't care that I was in great danger because I was technically a fugitive. I didn't give a rip about it all.

I was going to find Erik.