The Phantom Ascending |✔| [Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction]

The Persian Plot

So if Nadir does leave with this man, he will face possible execution. For several moments I wondered whether I should just withdraw from this murky affair and let things happen as they will. I could become a permanent master of the castle without dirtying my hands... No. That wouldn't do.

Here I had a good chance to repay Daroga and impress Christine, and besides, it amused me to have a chance of using my old tricks again.

"Arash, you are indeed very clever. You must know this then -- how is the shah to be assassinated?"

He described to me the details of the plot, but I was worried that I ventured too far with my interrogation. My grasp on him was weakening, and the dawn was fast approaching.

"When you wake up tomorrow, you will suddenly realize that you don't wish for Nadir to return to the shah after all. You will see that his presence might endanger your plot. You will leave this place alone."

"Y-Yes..."

"Now follow the star again, Arash. You are falling deeper, deeper into sleep. You are getting lost, so follow the star and follow my voice. My commands are your anchor. This is very important. Your plans and life depend on it."

"Yes, yes, tell me."

"When the shah asks you about Nadir, you will do the following..."

I worked on the instructions as quickly as I could, guiding him in and out of the trance several times, never breaking his sleep, and all to make sure that the hypnotism would hold. It helped that he was under the influence of Valerian, but on the other hand I spoke my instructions in a broken Farsi.

The process was exhausting and I was relieved when it was finally done. I brought him back into regular sleep and crept out of the room.

Outside the windows, the light was winning its daily fight against the darkness, and the workers in the north wing would soon be up and about. As for Daroga, I doubted he had any sleep at all. I climbed the winding stairs of the west tower, where his private apartments were located.

I knocked on the suite entrance and Darius let me in, looking me over as if judging the change in my appearance and nodding with satisfaction. The meddling fool... Yet I was glad he had sent Christine to me. He took me to Nadir's study and then disappeared to the lower levels.

"You're early," Daroga commented.

He was sitting at his desk, arranging some papers. He offered me to sit and I accepted the offer, relaxing for the first time since I last saw Christine... Two hours. A glance at the clock told me it's been two hours, but it seemed a lot longer.

"Have you expected me?"

"Yes..." he rubbed his trimmed black beard. "I have decided that it would be safest to obey the shah's demand and go to him as I am instructed."

"No. This is a trap."

"Of course it's a trap! Don't you think I know that? As soon as I get there, Arash will do all that's in his power to prove me a traitor and have shah send me to Persia to be imprisoned or worse. He had tried this before."

"Why?" I found myself curious.

"Political ambitions and a personal insult. He wanted me to marry his sister. I refused him. Twice."

"Was she that unappealing?"

"Not at all. A dull but nice girl. I wished to stay a simple widower," he remarked. "In any case, here are the papers that leave you in charge of all the contractors, as well as the entire Rosier estate. Use it well. I will ask only one thing in return. A simple favor -- allow Darius to stay in every comfort. I will trick him and lock him up in the south basement to prevent him from following me. Take care of him for two weeks and then let him out. I hope to be out of reach by then."