Epilogue
Erik
Tying my cloak around my neck I skimmed last week's headlines: Queen Antoinette Renoir Declared Dead After Horrendous Accident!
Beneath the headline is a brief article about how Mélodie's brother, Prince Dantes Renoir, had recovered from his coma and came to Paris to tell his sister himself. Then it read:
It pains me to have gone so long without seeing my sister Antoinette and to have her pass away in my arms. Words cannot express the despair that I am feeling. New France has lost a great woman and a great queen.
That they have. A great woman and a great queen.
Even though I no longer needed to sneak my way through the Opéra Populaire, I still weaved in and out of the shadows. A hand touched my arm and I quickly turned. It is Violette who touched my arm. She kept her gaze averted to her laced fingers, her voice quiet and shy, "Monsieur Erik."
I looked down at her, her head barely coming to my chin, "Bonjour, Violette."
I waited patiently while she fiddled with her hands, "I know I have already apologized but," she glanced up at me then back down to her fingers, "please...you must know how sorry I am. If it wasn't for Maurice and I-" she cut herself off, her voice cracking slightly.
While Violette composed herself Maurice walked by, still dependent on the crutches. He saw Violette and me here in the semi darkness. Maurice and I locked eyes for a moment before we nodded at eachother and he continued on.
Violette looked back up at me, "Please, Monsieur Erik, forgive us."
This has been Violette's plea everyday for the past week. I thought about Mélodie. She wouldn't want me to forgive them but if it wasn't for Maurice and Violette I wouldn't be here today. After all it was Violette who lead Mélodie's brother to us and stopped Valentin's men.
I looked into Violette's pleading blue eyes, torn between what I thought I should do and what Mélodie would want me to do.
I let out a deep breath.
Mélodie wouldn't want me to forgive them but at the same time it was her who pushed me to be a better man. In the end, forgiving them would be the right thing to do, right? I mean, how many mistakes have I made? Countless, really. And Mélodie had forgiven me for them. All of them.
I sighed, focusing on Violette, "I know you did what you did to protect Mélodie. Knowing my reputation, I would have done the same thing if I were in your place."
There was a moment of silence, her big eyes blinking up at me. Swallowing, she asked, "So you forgive us?"
Shifting onto my left foot I said, "Yes, I do."
Out of the blue Violette smiled brightly and hugged my torso, nearly knocking me over, "Thank you, Monsieur! Thank you!" She hopped up and kissed my cheek, sending a wave of shock and embarrassment through me. I waited until her red curls were out of sight before I discreetly wiped my cheek.
It felt strange walking down the Opéra Populaire's front steps in broad daylight. I kept my hood over my face to cover my mask, wanting to limit the amount of stares I received. The carriage ride to the manor was short, the passing scenery white with fresh snow. Arriving at the large manor I walked past the guards and into the office without any resistance.
"Ah, Monsieur Destler, right on time." Mélodie's brother stood from behind the desk to greet me. He offered me a seat, which I took, and he sat on the opposite side of the desk. His smile seemed to light up the papers spread out between us, "It is a great pleasure to finally meet the famous Opera Ghost my sister used to obsess about."
A small smile came to my lips, "I heard many of you thought her obsession with me was unhealthy."
He had a warm laugh that made him immediately likable. Much like Mélodie's laugh. Dantes and Mélodie share the same curly hair. The difference is Dantes' hair is black, not brown. Dantes' eyes have the same mischievous sparkle. It made me miss Mélodie's amber eyes. A lot of things make me miss her. Everything makes me miss her.
Dantes' leaned back in his chair, the smile never leaving his face, "Yes, many people thought it wasn't good for her to obsess over a...criminal." He said the word cautiously and I let him know I didn't mind the word. It's what I am, why deny it? He continued, "But like her father she found great joy in music and had loved yours." His smile softened, "I could see the change in her face when we first heard you sing. I knew then she had fallen in love with you. It would have crushed her if the authorities took you away and...well..."
I nodded, fully understanding what he meant, "I thank you for that. I am forever in your debt." If the authorities had taken me away it would be an immediate death sentence.
Dantes spoke softer this time, looking at me with Mélodie's kind and sincere eyes, "And I am in yours, for making my sister so happy."
I looked away for a moment, examining the gloves on my hands that I already knew so well, "There aren't enough words to convey how much happiness your sister brought to me. Without her I...I would be dead. For real this time."
He chuckled slightly, "Mélodie can bring happiness to anyone. After our mother and her father died we were all eachother had. She took good care of me. I shall miss her."
I nodded again. A comfortable silence settling between us.
We turned to the door that had just opened and Valentin walked in. I tried my best to hide the satisfaction I felt at seeing the bandages on his face and the cast around his broken arm. He stiffened and frowned when he saw me sitting here.
Dantes smiled at him and stood up, "Valentin! Excellent.
Now that you both are here we can get started."
Valentin took the seat next to mine and Dantes shuffled through some papers. Valentin and I eyed eachother. I stared at him with an arrogant smirk and he eyed me with unspoken hate.
Setting a paper in front of me Dantes pulled Valentin and me from our eye battle, "So, are you sure you want to do this?"
Taking the pen in my hand I signed the paper, "All my life I have wanted to be treated normal. Never have I wanted to be treated like royalty."
I set the pen down and pushed the paper back to the smiling Dantes who said, "Well the deal is done. You are no longer king of New France and all criminal charges against you have been dropped."
I could tell Valentin felt uneasy about the last part but I couldn't care less. I had kept to myself for years until I met Mélodie. I never intended to terrorize anything anymore. All I wanted was a happy life with my lover, Mélodie. Even that proved to be difficult.
Now that my business here was done Valentin left, stiffly shaking my hand, and Dantes decided to walk me to the front door. He walked with his hands behind his back and I briefly remembered Mélodie doing the same thing. We walked side by side, Dantes only a few inches shorter than me. His voice came out gentle but firm, like my Mélodie, "So my sister...she is with you?"
I lowered my head and cleared my throat, "Yes." I need her close. I need her near to make that empty chamber in my chest feel whole.
When we reached the door Dantes squeezed my shoulder and shook my hand, his brown eyes smiling, "Well, then, Monsieur Destler. Like I said it was pleasure to finally meet you. Be sure to come to New France. I would love to hear your fantastic voice again. I am sure it is even better than I remembered it."
A smile tugged at my lips, "It would be a pleasure."
He called after me when I reached the bottom of the stairway, "And remember, I'll be visiting in June!"
I nodded and left, getting back into the carriage. The driver leaned down and asked me where I wished to go. I told him, "The flower shop. The one next to the cemetery."
The carriage sped off and I watched the buildings blur into one as we went. At the flower shop I bought a bouquet of blood red roses and the carriage driver took me where I need to be. With my Mélodie.
I walked up the ramp to our bedroom and smiled at the sight that greeted me. This is where I need to be. Home. With my Mélodie. My Angel of Music.
Mélodie
Erik left about an hour ago and I have been lazing around the lair in one of his shirts. Lifting it up I peered sideways at my reflection in the mirror located in our bedroom. Running my hand over my stomach I turned the other way. So far nothing. No bump. No movement. Nothing. I feel like knocking on my stomach and asking if someone is truly in there.
I hadn't noticed Erik walk in until the bouquet of red roses appeared in the mirror. A second later his arms were wrapped around me and I held the bouquet to my nose, smiling brightly, "Erik, they're beautiful. Thank you, mon ange (my angel)."
He whispered a "you're welcome" in my ear and raised my shirt to show my stomach again. His ungloved hands spread over my exposed stomach and I remembered how he held me like this during one of our first singing lessons. Smiling he asked, "Any word from our son?"
I raised my eyebrows, my smile permanently on my face, "Son? What makes you so sure it's a boy?"
He kissed my neck, "Because I know these things."
I laughed and tilted my head, exposing more neck for him to devour, "I forgot you can see through my flesh and determine the gender of our unborn child."
His chest rumbled against my back as he chuckled, "How is your head?"
I touched the place where I fell and hit my head last New Years, "Still sore, but alright. How is my brother?"
He rested his chin on the top of my head and met my gaze in the mirror, "He is now King of New France."
I smiled, proud and happy for my brother, "He will be a great king."
So far our plan has worked perfectly. I had awakened a few days after the new year in the swan bed, Erik and my brother there at my side. They told me how someone had knocked me over and how the blow to my head had knocked me out. After Dantes heard the story of Erik and me he understood why I was unhappy being queen. So, Queen Antoinette Renoir was declared dead, making Prince Dantes Renoir King of New France. That is, after King Erik Destler - who is king because his wife Antoinette Renoir is dead - stepped down from the throne and passed it on to the next heir.
Now I am no longer Her Majesty Antoinette Renoir, Queen of New France. I am Mélodie Destler, Wife to the Phantom of the Opera. I smiled to myself. That title fit me better than queen.
I turned in Erik's arms and wrapped my arms around his neck, "I missed you while you were away."
He smiled against my lips, "I missed you more." Nibbling on my bottom lip he murmured, "I have been thinking about devouring that perfect body of yours."
I giggled into his kiss, "Shh, the baby will hear you. He mustn't learn such things from his father."
Erik's green eyes twinkled when he smiled, "He should know that if it wasn't for his father's desire for his mother he wouldn't be in there now, being stubbornly silent."
I kissed just below his jaw, the one place I can reach without going on my toes, "He or she gets their stubbornness from you."
Erik let out a fake scoff, "I beg to differ."
I giggled again as Erik began to gently sway us back and forth, almost like a dance, "You're a nuisance, child."
He chuckled and turned us around, "Coming from my wife who is only twenty two years of age."
Laughing again and I held him close. He buried his face in my neck and inhaled the scent of my hair. Pulling back he rested his forehead against mine, talking low, a hint of caution in his voice, "You know, Violette and Maurice miss you."
My smile faltered. Closing my eyes I spoke, not caring about the coldness in my voice, "I know."
Maurice had been the one who jumped in front of Erik when the guard shot his pistol. And if it wasn't for Violette my brother would never have found us. I suppose I had to forgive them eventually. I whispered up to Erik who is waiting for me to speak, "I'll talk to them today."
He smiled and began kissing my neck again. I giggled and hung onto his shoulders, my breath hitching, "Erik, I'm going to be late for rehearsals."
He lifted me up and pinned me down to the bed, making me squeal. He kissed below my left ear, his voice muffled, "Rehearsals can wait. Your husband cannot."
I laughed and squirmed beneath him, "Erik! If I am late for dance rehearsals one more time I will send my dance instructor down here to release her wrath on you! Then you will be the one with sore muscles!"
I giggled and squealed and squirmed to no avail. Erik pinned my hands above my head, his nose brushing against mine, "Stop ordering me around like a queen and kiss me."
His words from the night we met came back to me, "If we were playing a game you would lose in a heartbeat."
He is always right about that.
I remembered myself as a small girl, thinking of the masked man I saw on stage and seeing the articles about his death, utterly crushed. I had prayed and hoped and wished for him to be alive, still hiding somewhere in the shadows. On my last birthday I had wished hard for a life with Erik.
Papa's fairytales were right. Dreams do come true.
Fin.