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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 06

Marianne was at a loss. As she entered her house a short while later, she realized that instead of feeling peaceful now that she was finally free of that boorish oaf, the carriage ride had only served to confuse her to an even greater extent.

As Louise came to her side, she gave her a dismissive nod and ascended the stairs to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against the doorframe, trying to calm down and think clearly. She glanced at the clock on the mantle of the fireplace and realized that a little over an hour had passed since she had departed from her home to pay that ogre a visit, and yet it had seemed like hours to her.

‘What is happening? I can not understand him. First he rescues me and is so polite when I snap at him for no apparent reason, and then when I go to apologize to him, he dismisses the whole matter so courteously that I cannot even believe it. On the other hand, he doesn’t say a word when I’m asking him totally acceptable questions. And it’s not just that; he got mad at me on top of it all. What did he expect? That I would sit around, begging him to speak to me?

I cannot believe that he attacked me! Well, he didn’t exactly attack me now, did he? He just held me back when I tried to flee his company hysterically. But I had good reason for that hysteria… The tone of his voice was absolutely terrifying. As opposed to his embrace that is… I thought I would melt when he held me in those arms of his. No! That’s normal. It was a perfectly legitimate response to such close proximity to a male body. Well, not any male body. A male body similar to his… He seems so strong and powerful, I simply couldn’t resist.

Control yourself Marianne! What are you thinking? He’s a man like everyone else. Well, not exactly…

No! Stop that! Stop thinking about his body and those piercing eyes of his!’

Marianne shook her head and tried to purge all thoughts of the mysterious Monsieur Destler from her mind.

Erik stood and watched the carriage that carried Marianne away as it vanished into the woods while he tried to calm himself. Stepping into the house and closing the door behind him, he started making his way to his private chambers. As he ascended the stairs, he realized that his hands were still clenched in tight fists.

‘Get a hold of yourself Erik! You are no longer the Phantom of the Opera Populaire. You left the Opera House behind to leave him behind. To leave that part of yourself behind. How did this happen? I’m better than this. I came here to prove to myself that I’m better than this. No one else matters, I should have learned that by now.

How did I let myself get carried away like this? I haven’t felt such rage in so long… Well, I haven’t been in contact with anyone other than my servants in so long, so I guess that makes perfect sense. What I have been doing all this time is trying to heal my wounds. Wounds that were brought on by my own stupidity. Maybe some wounds are not meant to heal. Maybe they are meant to scar you for life…

What disturbs me the most though isn’t the fact that I lost all control and I behaved like the Phantom that I once was; what worries me is that all of this was brought on by a woman. A woman that I find quite appealing nonetheless.

She is nothing like Christine though. Christine was so much like a child. So docile, never arguing with me; at least when I was still nothing but an angel of music to her.

This woman though… She is simply infuriating! Wasn’t it obvious that I was in no mood to answer any of her nosy queries? Still, she kept pressing on. And how about the fact that my voice doesn’t seem to have any effect on her? I was certain that she would behave herself when I asked her to follow my orders, but she was completely unmoved by it. Christine always responded to the sound of my voice in such an obedient manner; what makes Marianne Pinon so different?

I must admit that she didn’t do anything wrong really. I am the boor that couldn’t answer her reasonable questions. How could she know what kind of life I have led and that I cannot explain to a total stranger what it is that I’m running away from?

No, Marianne is not the infuriating one; it’s me. I’m the one to blame in all this. However, if she ever dares to touch me again, I will snap her pretty little neck like a twig!’

Marianne stood by her window staring at the gardens of her estate in a haze.

‘Was it something I said? Then again, what could possibly be so offensive that drove him to such madness? The only thing I asked was how he chose the Rouen countryside to lodge in. What could be the harm in that?

Perhaps he is hiding something. He certainly isn’t eager to get acquainted with anyone in the community; hiding out in that great estate of his for all these months. But, what could a man of his wealth be running away from? It doesn’t make sense!

Perhaps it is because of the mask… What could be so horrible that such a handsome man keeps half of his face covered by a mask? That must be it! He lost all control when I asked him about the mistress of the house. Although up to that point he refused to answer any of my questions, it was exactly at that moment that he became furious. That must be it! He is running away from a woman! That’s why he came to Rouen! It must have been rather serious for him to move and stay locked up in that mansion for so long.

I don’t care! I simply don’t care! He threatens me, orders me around, and I am sitting here feeling sorry for him? I have to stop thinking about him. After all, I am never going to see him again. I have to avoid him at any cost!

That music though... It was such a haunting melody and so becoming of him. I’ve never heard anything like it before in my life. Could he possibly be the composer?

No, he couldn’t possibly be! Such a rude man could never possess such talent.’

Marianne started undressing, trying to calm down. She felt her corset so constricting that she could barely breathe. She tried undoing it herself, but couldn’t reach her back. She tore the dress from her frame, the only remaining clothes on her body the chemise and corset. Again she attempted to get rid of the offending undergarment on her own, but it proved to be impossible. A disconcerting thought passed through her mind, terrifying her; it was as if the corset was as tight around her waist as his arms had been.

She rang the bell for Louise in an almost hysterical state. The maid came in shortly thereafter and immediately followed Marianne’s orders, undressing her mistress. Louise stood there for a couple of seconds staring at her, before Marianne dismissed the girl curtly.

“Let no one disturb me.”

Once alone again, Marianne sat upon her bed breathing heavily.

‘I am not going to dwell on him any longer.’

She laid down, trying to regain control of her senses and wishing for sleep to come to her.

‘I should never have grabbed her like that. The only thing I accomplished was scaring her off her wit’s end. Why? Why did I have to do that?

To be honest, I didn’t do it out of anger. I simply didn’t want to let her go… And the fact that she stood up to me, made me want her even more.

Want her? Can it be true that I’m attracted to her?

No! My heart isn’t that fickle. I love Christine, the fact that I am even contemplating this is unfathomable! I loved Christine and it never even crossed my mind to embrace her like this; here I am, but a few months later, holding another woman in my arms, the only thought in my mind what her lips would taste like. It is just a physical reaction to her beauty. It has to be.

I have to compose myself; it is no use thinking about her anymore.’

Erik treaded into the music room, sitting on the bench of his organ and caressing the ivory keys absentmindedly. Slowly he started playing a new melody. Closing his eyes, he pressed venomously on the keys, producing a haunted sound. As he lost himself in the music, images of Marianne in his arms came unbidden to him, threatening his sanity.

Marianne gasped as she sat up on her bed, drenched in sweat. She tried to regain her senses and recall the image of the dream that had awoken her. As her breathing evened, the dream came back to her.

Erik had her in his strong arms, but this time she wasn’t trying to escape him. He had not been threatening or frightening her. The feeling that overwhelmed her was not one of loathing, but serenity. This wonderful feeling intensified as she remembered that Erik had been kissing her passionately in her dream.

‘I’m in trouble.’ she thought.

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No Easy Way