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No Easy Way	By : secretlysecretly Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Het Views: 7568 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Phantom of the Opera, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Chapter 33

A satisfied smirk on his lips, Olivier Dervaux rode back to Marianne’s estate, expecting to find Raoul indignant over the ridiculous accusations made by Erik Destler and Marianne concerning his wife. The truth of the matter was Olivier had been surprised when Raoul De Chagny had granted the life of that monster, but he was confident his old friend would end the Phantom’s miserable existence as no self-respecting gentleman could ever fathom of allowing such heinous lies being uttered regarding his wife.

Apparently though Raoul had been moved by the sympathy Marianne had for the monster but, sooner or later, he was bound to take the life of that thing and make Olivier’s task of winning the Duchess’ heart that much easier.

Alas, the sight that greeted him as he entered Marianne’s estate was quite unnerving as the first thing he noticed was Raoul De Chagny in a frenzy, a suitcase laying beside him as he paced the grand hallway. Unable to contain himself at the prospect of Raoul leaving him to deal with the Phantom and his cousin alone, Olivier closed the door behind him with a loud thud, putting his hands in his pockets as he spoke.

“What are you doing old friend?”

“Isn’t it obvious Olivier? I am preparing to leave. I have been waiting for the coachman to prepare my carriage and I will be off.” the young Viscount replied, a pained look in his eyes.

“Leave? Whatever has possessed you Raoul? How can you even think of leaving at such a time?”

“There is no time better than this to take my leave Olivier. It appears I have overstayed my welcome as it is. Apparently I have been acting under a misapprehension all along.”

“Raoul, what are you talking about? You should be on your way to that monster’s house right now, a dagger in your hand to gut the bastard as it is!”

The look the other man gave him was one of utter confusion as he regarded him like he was laying eyes on him for the first time. “I have never known you to be cruel Olivier. You would have me made a coward, terminating the life of a man who could right now be lying on his deathbed by my own hand?”

“Don’t forget what that very man did to you Raoul! He has made a fool of you, making advances on your wife while shamelessly courting your cousin!”

Raoul shook his head and replied dejectedly to his old friend “After having read the note addressed to Erik Destler by my wife’s own hand, I am quite hard-pressed to make excuses for Christine. That is precisely why I’m rushing to her side in such a haste. If what I think has happened is true, the only sure thing is that Erik Destler is not to blame for this pitiful situation I have found myself in. As for my cousin, she seems quite smitten with him…” he trailed off, suddenly reminded of the frantic manner in which Marianne had turned on him when the Phantom had been wounded by his hand.

“Smitten with him?” Olivier shouted indignantly. “She is in no way interested in that monster! Marianne is my fiancé Raoul. I had planned on making it official but with the situation being what it is, I decided against making the announcement.”

“You and Marianne?” came Raoul’s disbelieving reply.

“Indeed my good friend. Your cousin has finally decided to see reason, and we plan to marry in less than a month’s time.” said Olivier, his satisfaction evident.

“The way she conducted herself this morning around the Phantom, I must admit the thought crossed my mind that Marianne has succumbed to her romantic notions of love overcoming all obstacles, falling for that monster.” insisted Raoul, trying to understand what was happening. “Where is Marianne as we speak?” he asked, confused.

“You know your cousin Raoul… She can be impossibly stubborn sometimes! She insists on befriending that fiend and today when she saw him lying on the ground severely hurt, she insisted upon going to his estate to care for him in any way possible. Regrettably I couldn’t change her mind, but finally decided to allow her to go to him to ease her mind somewhat.”

“I see…” Raoul replied, still awed by this new information. So, Christine had been wrong in presuming Marianne harbored feelings for the Phantom. Christine… suddenly terror gripped his heart and he knew he had to make haste upon his departure.

“Olivier, please convey my heartfelt apologies to Marianne for leaving so hastily, but I have to travel all day today if I want to make it to Paris by nightfall.”

“Of course my dear friend. Marianne will understand, although I am sure she will be sorry to have missed your departure. She cares for you so…”

“As do I.” replied Raoul, smiling at the thought of his dear cousin. “At least this time I leave her knowing she will be taken good care of.” he finished before picking up his suitcase to step towards to the door.

“Do not worry Raoul. I will care for Marianne; I always have. You need suffer no qualms about her well-being.”

“Thank you Olivier. I know I can always trust you to look after my cousin. I leave here today with a light heart, knowing you will be by her side.”

“I shall see you in a month dear friend. You shall receive the invitation to our wedding through the mail. Now go, you have a long journey ahead of you.”

“Goodbye Olivier.” said Raoul, shaking his friend’s hand and turning to exit the house.

“Fare thee well my friend. I hope your journey to Paris will be a pleasant one.” Olivier bided him farewell, as he too exited the house, closing the door behind him.

As he walked to the stables to retrieve his horse, the Baron smiled to himself, satisfied with this new turn of events. All he had to do now was wait. When Marianne would return from that monster’s house, she would be his forever.

A light breeze drifted through her hair as Marianne gazed out the window from Erik’s bedroom. Close to two hours had gone by since the moment Erik had been penetrated by Raoul’s sword and since then she had been agonizing for the life of the man she loved more than anything. The doctor had left less than an hour ago, telling her that Erik’s condition was a grave one, instructing her to do anything in her power to refrain him from moving, giving her a small vial containing laudanum that would keep him sedated for that purpose.

He had dressed the masked man’s wound and told her to change the bandages regularly so as to prevent any infection. Satisfied that Marianne would follow his instructions to the letter, the elder man had left her alone with Erik Destler and went on his way shortly thereafter, telling her he would return the following morn to check on the patient.

Since then, Marianne had remained by Erik’s side, fretting for his situation. Although the doctor had eased her mind somewhat with the confidence he expressed regarding Erik’s recovery, the sight of the strong man who always seemed to be impervious to anything just lying there, ignorant to her presence and all around him was slowly killing her. The sole thought that went through her mind was what she could have done differently to prevent all this.

If she had been there sooner, if she had managed to prevent this ridiculous duel for a woman whose honor had never been compromised by anyone but herself… then perhaps Erik would not be lying in his bed right at this moment, fighting for his life. Thinking back to the previous night when Raoul had announced to her that he wanted to satisfy his wife’s honor by dueling with Erik Destler, she realized that she couldn’t possibly have done anything differently.

She had been taken aback by Olivier Dervaux’ cruelty, unable to comprehend how her childhood friend could find it in himself to threaten her like this. She shuddered, still unable to imagine spending the rest of her life by Olivier’s side, especially after the way he had terrorized her into dismissing her dreams of happiness with Erik and agreeing to marry him. The fact that Olivier was threatening to have Erik arrested and executed for his previous crimes against society was enough for her to succumb to his sick intentions, forever sealing her fate.

She sighed and let her gaze drift back to Erik’s still form lying on the bed. He seemed to be in pain as his eyebrows converged and her name issued forth from his chaffed lips. She ran to his side, tears welling in her eyes and knelt beside him, running her fingers through his hair in an effort to sooth him. When she touched his brow, he turned his face to her, opening his eyes for a moment, trying to focus his gaze but failing and she realized she had to do something to ease his pain.

She reached for the vial of laudanum, opening it and bringing it to his lips. Slowly she took his head in her hands and raised him somewhat to pour the crimson liquid into his mouth. She saw him grimace at the foul taste but insisted until he took in a few drops and she felt him go limp in her arms. Finally she set his head back upon the pillow and caressed his face tenderly, leaning over him to touch her quivering lips upon his.

A tear ran down her face as she stood and put her arms around herself, her body wracked by sobs as she finally let herself be overtaken by emotion. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she quickly wiped her eyes dry.

“Come in.” she spoke with a broken voice.

Vincent entered the room, visibly shaken by all which had transpired that day. His gaze drifted over to his master lying peacefully on the bed and then he looked over to Marianne, trying not to let her see he had noticed her puffy eyes. “How is he Mademoiselle?”

“He seems to be calm Vincent. The doctor said he will get better soon, as long as he remains unmoving.”

“That is good to hear Mademoiselle de Duchess. I am sorry to disturb you but there is a visitor here to see you.”

“A visitor… to see me? Who could it possibly be?” she asked, perplexed.

“It is the Viscount de Chagny. He requests that you go to see him immediately.”

Marianne turned her back on the old man, setting her shoulders stubbornly. “Tell him that I do not wish to see him.”

“But… Mademoiselle…”

“That will be all Vincent. Please leave me in peace.” she stated matter-of-factly.

The butler turned to leave and closed the door behind him, leaving Marianne to her thoughts. She walked back to Erik’s side and sat on the bed beside him, taking his hand in her own, caressing his fingers. “Why? WHY?” she yelled in the stillness of the room, unable to control herself any longer.

She didn’t notice the door open as Raoul, followed by Vincent, entered the room unbidden striding to where she was sitting. “I am sorry Mademoiselle, but the Viscount insisted.” he apologized only to be cut short by Raoul.

“Leave us!” he yelled to the butler before he turned his attention back to Marianne. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, beside himself with anger at the sight before him.

When she didn’t turn her attention to him, he insisted. “Get away from that monster Marianne!”

Slowly, she raised her head to look into his eyes indignantly.

“You do not belong here. You should be with your fiancé.”

“It is you who doesn’t belong here Raoul. Leave this instant!” she yelled at him. “Why did you have to do that Raoul? Why?” she shouted, standing from her place beside Erik’s sleeping form.

“You acted like a common murderer! Striking a man who has done nothing to you, all for that harlot wife of yours!” she said, advancing on him.

“Watch your tongue woman!” he warned but Marianne could not be stopped anymore.

“Is it not true then? You read her note to Erik yourself! You saw with your own two eyes that she was the one who threw herself at him with no propriety, in actuality begging him to sweep her away from your tedious embrace!” she shouted, out of control.

“It is not true! Christine loves me! She would never do that to me, let alone succumb to this monster who once threatened to end my life to win her affections.” he countered.

“It is not only the note she sent him Raoul. I myself witnessed the way she behaved around him, trying to seduce him with her charms at the ball we attended. Erik was in no way affected by her presence and in fact felt so bad with the turn of events that he left the party early, uneasy at her vulgar manner.”

“It cannot be true; you are lying to me. I don’t know why but you seem almost too keen to defend this beast!” he yelled at her, pointing to where Erik was lying on the bed.

“The real beast is not Erik Raoul, it is your wife who sent you here to make his life even more miserable than when she left him to die three years ago.”

“What do you know of that time Marianne? How could you know what transpired three years ago in the catacombs of that Opera house?”

“I know what Erik told me and I trust him enough to know he would never lie to me! He has confided everything to me about his past. Even the fact that he killed for her!” Taking in his astonishment, Marianne scoffed at his reaction. “Yes Raoul. I know all about your precious innocent wife who plotted against the demise of the man who took her under his wing when she most needed someone to care for her during her childhood years. I know how he trained her voice to make a diva out of her, how she called him her angel of music when she needed him and then abandoned him at his hour of need. This man needed nothing more in his life than someone to care for him. As a friend or otherwise. But no, Christine not only rejected him due to his deformity but also helped you and the owners of the opera in forming a plan that would lead to his capture by the authorities.”

“Enough!”

“Indeed my dear cousin. Enough. You both have done enough to bring this man misery and immense pain. Leave him be… Please Raoul, allow him to live the rest of his days with the dignity he so deserves.” she said, her eyes pleading with the man before her to listen to reason.

“Why do you care so much for this man Marianne? What could possibly bind you to him?”

“He is my friend Raoul. Difficult as it might be for you to understand that, I care for him deeply, especially since he confided in me with the tragic story of his life up to the time he moved to Rouen.”

“He is a murderer Marianne. An extortionist…” Raoul said, trying to make her see reason.

“He is only what society made of him Raoul.” she retorted, her eyes never wavering from his.

Understanding that it was no use to argue with her any longer, Raoul shook his head apprehensively. “I am sorry for this Marianne but I have to leave. I will return soon however; I promise you that.”

“I understand.” she said, bitterly.

“I cannot say I agree with your presence here Marianne but I will not argue with you any longer. After all, I am confident Olivier will take good care of you while I’m away.”

She smiled ironically to herself and spoke as calmly as she could. “You may be certain of that my dear cousin. Olivier, after all, has always been considered the perfect man for me, has he not?”

Perplexed by the irony lacing her voice as she spoke of her fiancé, Raoul walked over to her, taking her in his arms and hugging her tightly to him. “Farewell Marianne. I promise you I shall return for your wedding to Olivier.”

He turned to leave, his shoulders sagging as he walked to the door and grasped the doorknob in his hand, but Marianne’s voice stopped him.

“Raoul, as much as I believe Christine Daae is not the right woman for you, I hope for your sake you will be able to make your marriage work. I can see how much you love her. Perhaps if you try hard enough, you will be convinced she indeed is the innocent wife who would never even think of sending such a note as the one in your pocket.”

For a few seconds, no words passed between them as Raoul simply stood there frozen to the spot. Finally, he turned to Marianne with a pained look in his eyes and almost whispered to her. “Whatever you need, remember I will always be by your side Marianne. Anything…”

With that, he closed the door behind him and Marianne let the tears flow freely as the silence once more enveloped her.

A/N: Here you are BRP! That was a quick update, wasn't it?!
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No Easy Way