The Art of Manipulation || Phantom of the Opera & Loki the God of Mischief ||

13. Twisted Every Way

His hands still occupied, Erik mumbled more to himself than to me, "Yes, yes. Erik is very busy. Do not disturb Erik right now."

I stood and watched for a moment, memorizing the way his muscles moved beneath his shirt, making the white fabric look like a vast ocean with waves rolling over the surface. Fiddling awkwardly with my fingers I half muttered, "It's Alouette, Erik."

Erik immediately raised his head and turned towards me, his hands stopping in the middle of tying two ropes together, "Alouette."

We stared at each other for what felt like hours. His eyes were filled with surprise while mine were filled with remorse. Dropping the ropes he had been working on, he came towards me and held my shoulders, "Oh, Alouette." He stared at me a moment longer, and then his eyes darted to the area around us like he was searching for something. He walked away from me, picking up random things and studying them like he was trying to figure out a use for them, "They have a carriage outside. The fool has already made the arrangements for their escape." I watched Erik as he fumbled around aimlessly, hoping he'll never know it had been me who had helped Raoul make the necessary arraignments to take Christine away. "He cannot take Christine from me. She is my Christine. Mine. I have never asked for anything in my cursed life. Erik never dared to ask for anything, knowing that a man - a corpse - with a face like mine doesn't deserve what he truly wished for. All Erik asks for now is a life with her, with Christine. I want a normal house with windows that look out onto the park and a normal wife to take on walks on Sunday's. That imbecile - that boy - will not ruin that for me. He will not ruin my one chance for normalcy. Just because he has money and a handsome face he thinks he is entitled to everything. He thinks he is more entitled than poor, unfortunate Erik. If he had had a life like mine his soul would be just as twisted and evil as my face, as me."

Forcing air into my lungs I spoke, the words shaking as they were released, "Erik, I know you're planning to be a part of Don Juan and I suggest you don't do it."

Erik whipped around to look at me with bewildered eyes, "Not do Don Juan? But, why? Alouette," he stepped over a heap of canvas on the floor and came over to me, "that is my chance, my chance to take Christine as my own, my chance to be normal. Alouette, you must help me. Help me capture Christine. She always listens to you. Everyone listens to you. Everyone likes you. Please, I beg of you, help me. You have always been my friend, my only friend. She won't come on her own freewill, not now, not after she's seen Erik kill, not after she has seen Erik's face." His eyes wandered away, the thoughts in his head distracting him, "If only she hadn't been so curious." He pulled himself back to me, his hands grabbing my shoulders again, begging me to see his reasoning, "But once she spends more time with Erik and sees that I mean her no harm. Once she can see the life Erik wishes to give her. I can give her so much, I would live for no other person but her. She must know that. She must see that and not Erik's face."

Unable to look him in the eye any longer, I lowered my eyes to my knotted mess of fingers, "I know that, Erik. I know that better than you think I do." If only he knew the life he had given her. It was a life that could make the Queen envious. And many other women, as well. Including me. "But, Erik, it won't be safe for you. They-"

"You mustn't worry about Erik, Alouette." He kneeled down to meet my eyes, "You always worry so much about me."

Trying my hardest to avoid his gaze I went on, my voice as weak and wobbly as I felt, "There will be police, Erik. They will be armed, you will be surrounded. If they catch you they won't just imprison you, they will kill yo-"

"They won't capture, Erik." He tried a different tactic this time, his hand cupping my cheek and bringing my face up to look at him, his touch oh so gentle, "They will not kill, Erik." His thumb wiped away a tear that defiantly fell down my cheek.

"Alouette." He spoke my name so softly, the sound caressing my senses like lovers embracing. Lifting his left hand, he pushed some of my hair back and held the other side of my face, "You've always been so good to me." He stared down at me intently, these last words floating on a soft breath.

Battling against the tears that had already fallen, I reached up and placed my hand over his exposed cheek, "Please don't do Don Juan. Pour moi (for me), Erik. Please."

A small smile formed on Erik's lips, his eyes taking in my face like he was seeing it for the first time, "If I have her and get taken away by the police, if I lose her to that boy, either way my fate would be the same." The backs of his fingers brushed over my jawbone, "I need this, Alouette. I need her. I love her. This is the only way now, this is the last option. Help me, Alouette."

Holding his wrist I ran my thumb over the back of his hand, the course hairs rustling like the trees outside. In the distance I heard the rumble of thunder and the moisture in the clouds gather for their decent. Looking deeply into Erik's eyes I whispered, "Run away with me."

Erik's brows suddenly furrowed, taken aback by what I had just said. His hands dropped to my shoulders, his left foot bumping against some coiled up chains on the floor as he took a step back, "What?"

"Come away with me. Now. Tonight." I glanced out of the small circular window at the darkening sky, "There's still time. If we leave now we have the storm to slow down anyone who may search for us."

Erik took another step back, the unmasked side of his face becoming cold, his voice growing hard, "You don't think I can pull it off. You don't have faith in me. You always had faith in me." His gaze dropped to the ground, his face looking wounded by my nonexistent betrayal.

Closing the gap he had created I stared up at him with pleading eyes, "And I still do! I will always have faith in you! But this is different, Erik! You don't know what your dealing with!"

"I've been dealing with people who have wanted to kill me my entire life, I know what I'm dealing with!" His tone grew angrier and more bitter with every word he said.

A heavy silence fell upon us.

If I told him what he truly faced he'd think me crazier than he does now. With Loki leading the brigade Erik will surly perish. But what can I do? I know Loki. I know his games. No one wins at his games but him.

There is nothing I can do. I cannot stop Loki, and I cannot help Erik. I can't help him win Christine for she is too far gone. My plan of pushing Erik away from Christine may have failed but my plan to push Christine away from Erik worked perfectly. Whatever glimmer of attraction she may have held for darkness has completely vanished now, Raoul's light drowning it out with an unsurpassed force. And I can't help Erik by getting him to escape Loki's vice grip that will crush him into pieces.

Dropping my gaze to the floor, I broke the thick silence, "I will not help lead you to your death."

Erik stiffened, pridefully straightening his tall form, "Fine. So be it. I was fine before you barged into my life and I will be fine now."

I winced at the word "barged", the pang in my chest too painful to hide. When he turned to leave I called after him, "Erik, wait, can we just-"

"Excuse me, Madame de La Hye, I have some preparations before tonight's performance." I winced again; my last name, the one I had given myself, on Erik's tongue sounded harsh and foreign.

Erik's retreating footsteps mingled with the sound of the gathering storm.