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Portrait of the Soul	By : sirenofsaturn Category: M through R > The Phantom of the Opera > Het Views: 2723 -:- 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.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Erik/Sees Neko crying a river of tears/ Dare I ask what is the matter?
R-r-reviews /sobs/
Erik: No one reviewed?
/Glare/ Don’t underestimate me! That’s just it, people keep reviewing! I’m so happy/sobs/ you love me/sob/
Erik: I think they ‘love’ the story. So hopefully they will review again. Neko owns nothing but a few original characters and this fiction based plot.
Erik/sniff/ what if they don’t review again?
Erik: I’ll Punjab them.
/hugs/ I love my muse!
Erik: On with chapter nine! …You will let go soon…
The Garnier opera house was usually quiet on Saturdays off. Due to recent circumstances, a new production, most cast and crewmembers would be resting up or running errands that were usually put off by work. However, today was a special day. Today was payday. Most, if not all, cast and crewmembers were lined up around the manager’s office waiting to collect their individual salaries.
True, most staff were provided with dormitories, but food and personal items were not. An overly stretched, overly packed line stood its way through the main halls ending almost into the main theatre room. At the very beginning, a very stressed looking employee sat giving out envelopes to those who came by. Every employee received loose money in a single envelope after, most enthusiastically, giving his or her name.
Mia, after waiting almost twenty minutes, was almost next at the collection table. Ignoring the buzz of the people she continued to stare out into open thinking of Erik. It had been almost a week sense their last meeting. She had ‘indulged’ him with her sketches and they talked for hours about everything. Their conversation took them through a tour of favorite things, past memories, and even pets. Erik told her before he left that he would be returning by the end of the week, today. Mia was of course expecting him to hold his word. What Mia was not expecting was the compliment Erik had given her before leaving. It was his honor to see her work. Mia was only glad Erik had left when he did, just in time to avoid seeing her blush.
“That must be some day dream you’re having, because I have been calling you for five minutes.”
Mia snapped herself back to reality realizing she was being spoken to. “Theo?”
“Right, you okay? You’re still new, but I haven’t see you wander off like that before.” The red head asked, concerned.
“Oh no. I’m quite well.” Mia smiled. “Just thinking about our previous sets.” She lied. “I see you already received your salary. So early?”
“You have to be quick.” Theo smiled at his success. “I’ve been here sense six this morning! Now if you’ll excuse me I have to pay a few bills.”
“Bills? But you live in the dormitories. That means your bills should be included.” Mia explained confused.
“I meant my bills at the casino. Good day!” Theo called dashing out of the opera.
“He’ll be broke before night fall.” Mia mused. Moving up in line Mia noticed it was at last her turn. Stepping forward out of the corner of her eye she spotted a dark skinned man in an astrakhan cap. Guessing him to be a tourist, Mia approached the table and gave the employee her name. Receiving more than one envelope Mia inquired why she had received extras.
“One contains your salary, the other is from the management, and the third is personal mail.”
Mia raised her eyebrow at the last explanation.
Sighing the employee pointed to another door a few feet away. “That is the mail room, where you may pick up, or leave letters. That letter has been here over a month so it was sent out with your pay. We assumed you would come to pick that up.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed Mia thanked the man, before leaving stepping aside for the next employee. Deciding to take a less crowded route back to her room, Mia decided to go left, and take the short cut to backstage. Once most of the crowd was out of sight, Mia stopped as soon as she heard a clear voice calling to her.
“Excuse me, might I assume that you are Mademoiselle Sclar?”
Mia turned around after hearing the heavily accented French. Her eyes widened as she realized it was the dark easterner she had seen earlier, wearing the same astrakhan cap.
“Y-yes.” Mia stuttered. “May I help you?”
“I was just curious.” The man replied looking slightly uncomfortable. “About what sort of person you might be.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Are you happy? With the people in your life?” The man continued, taking a gentle step forward. “I realize this may seem out of the blue. I am merely asking as a friend of his if you are happy with him. He is treating you well, isn’t he?”
“He? Oh!” Mia smiled. “I understand now.”
“Wonderful.” The oriental smiled. “I was afraid to say anything directly. You must understand by now that he hears everything that goes on here.”
“That he does.” Mia agreed. “I’d just like for you to know, that I am happy with my relationship with him.” Mia replied. “However, you and I know of him in different ways.”
“I would agree so.” The dark man nodded.
“But you see, I am already commented and content with my religious preference to not be able to convert to yours.”
“…I-I beg your pardon?”
“I’ll give you this, you Muslims are very dedicated to spreading your faith, especially all the way to France. However, I was born Jewish, I may be reformed, but I am content in my way.”
“I think you’ve made a mistake.” The easterner persuaded.
“I am sorry you feel that way, but you should really acceptt that there are other faiths out there. As for this he you mentioned. Rather he be Allah, God, or a goat I think he is all the same. Now if you will excuse me Monsieur, I have much to attend to.”
“No, no. It was my fault.” The dark man sighed. “I should not have come here at all, without him explaining me to you.”
“You really are devoted.” Mia mumbled. “How did you even know my name?”
“Never mind. I am sorry for bothering you.” He said walking away. “Good day.”
‘What a yenta.’ Mia thought. Ready to leave the strange encounter, Mia turned to notice a brief sparkle on the floor. Crouching down lower, Mia picked up a gold chain. On the end of the chain was an amulet of a sheep’s eye. Recognizing it to be a charm of Muslim faith Mia stood up calling. “Monsieur! Monsieur!” Finding the strange man to be gone Mia tucked away the necklace. He would be back. Yentas always came back.
It was after evening when Mia first heard the knocking. She had been sketching her first designs from the new production, which she learned of from one of the envelopes. The first envelope, of course, was indeed her salary. After tucking that away in her hiding place, Mia went on to envelope two, the one from the managers. They were giving her fair warning of the next production so she would have plenty of time to begin work on the set’s designs. This was fine to Mia, considering it was one of her little demands. The last letter was about to be opened when Mia realized it was from Russia, her home. Assuming the letter had been written by her mother, Mia decided to open the letter at another time.
Beginning work on the new design Mia’s sketches halted as she heard three brief swift knocks. There was a pause before another series of triple knocks sounded. Mia was about to answer the door, when she realized the taps were coming from below. The pattern was repeated again; this time Mia copied the pattern with her foot. After she ceased stomping, Mia was shocked to see a square portion of her floor fold over. The wood seemed to swing back on an unnoticed hinge when out through the dark hold a white mask popped out. Once the mask rose up into the full body of Erik, Mia stepped back.
“I found a much more convenient way to continue our nightly conversations.” Erik shrugged, closing the trap door with his foot.
“I can see that.” Mia stared walking over to the trick to examine it. “When did you have the time to do this?”
“I assumed you would be out to get your salary today.” Erik replied. “And it just so happens that one of the many passages to my home runs under your floor. So I created this.”
“Ah, yes your home.” Mia mumbled. She had learned that his home was somewhere below the opera house. However, like Erik’s name and his presence, she was never allowed to say anything to anyone. She was even told never to attempt to find it; Erik promised her that she would die before she set foot in it uninvited. Although Erik’s tone was far from joking Mia did not feel too threatened. Erik had his secrets, and Mia would try not to press on things he wished to keep to himself. She believed that one-day; he would come clean to her if he wanted to.
“It must incredible.” Mia mused. “A person such as you would be expected to have a unique home.”
“I do not know if I have just been complimented or insulted.” Erik stated.
“Complimented!” Mia turned. “With my highest respect!” She insisted.
“You need not worry, my dear. I know now that you were being sincere.” Erik smiled.
“Good.” Mia sighed. “Tea?”
“Please.” Erik accepted looking around her home, eyeing the sketches and letter he inquired. “Am I keeping you from anything?”
Turning to see what he was looking at, Mia answered. “No, I was just sketching a first draft for the next production. The letter is from my mother, but…”
“…You may go on, if you wish.” Erik encouraged.
“Thank you, I just was feeling a little exhausted to deal with her tonight. Listen to me, Erik. All these miles apart and I can still be aggravated by something as simple as her letter. You must think terrible of me, but sometimes I feel this urge to drop something very large on her head.” Mia dreamed pouring the tea.
“You think I find you terrible? I still feel a similar urge, and my mother has been dead for years.” Erik turned abruptly hearing a small clattering noise. Mia had dropped a spoon, and was leaning over.
“Mia?” Erik’s question for her health was answered as Mia began laughing. Such uncontrollable laughter that caught Erik completely off guard, as he stared at her like a dim-witted child. “I-I am terribly sorry!” Mia gasped. “Really I am!” She giggled. “About your mother, it’s just the way you said it.” She chocked, a hand flying to her mouth in poor attempt to stifle her smile.
“Your body language would suggest other wise, but-“
“No!” Mia stiffened, clearing her throat. Smoothing over her skirts she stood straight. “I really am sorry, about your mother’s death.” She said solemnly.
“I am not.” Erik smirked. “I can understand how you feel.” He stood taking the tea from her hands, as he guided her to sit with him. “My mother and I had a particularly mutual relationship. We hated each other.” Erik sat down, taking a sip from his cup. “So much so we said it to each other’s faces. Shortly after that I ended up leaving anyway. It was the last time I saw her alive.”
“How old were you?”
“Around nine.” Erik recalled.
“Nine!” Mia gasped. “That must have awful for you, you were alone?”
“Yes.” Erik answered. “And though, I do have a few regrets of what happened during that time, I do not regret that it marked the beginning of my travels. It began my true learning experiences.”
“I understand.”
“Good, then perhaps you would answer a question for me.”
“Sure.” Mia replied sitting back.
“Might I ask where this lovely pendent came from?” Erik questioned swinging the sheep’s eye around with his finger.
“Oh,” Mia sighed. “That yenta.”
“Yenta?” Erik repeated. If Mia had encountered this charm from the certain busybody he was thinking of. Well the phantom’s agenda would be filling up quickly.
“This,” Mia stopped to find her words. “Eastern man in a astrakhan cap just started pestering me.”
“Pestering?” Erik asked the gold, in his eyes, starting to take over.
“Well,” Mia considered. “You’ve traveled before. I met people just like him when I got off the train from Russia. Always looking to convert.” Mia sighed.
“Convert?”
“His religion. He said he was wondering what sort of person I was. He was also curious of how my relationship with, ‘him’ was.”
“Him?”
“I assume he meant Allah. I told him I was Jewish, and thanked him for his time, and he apologized and left. He dropped his charm, I went to give it back to him but he was already gone.”
“I see.” Erik said. “I was just wondering.” Erik finished using his slight of hand to hide the necklace up his sleeve. He would return it to the…yenta Persian later, along with a piece of his mind!
“Well, did you bring them?” Mia asked interrupting his thoughts.
“What?”
“Your sketches.” Mia frowned, “You said you would.”
Erik sighed, giving a gesture to show he had come empty handed. “In all honesty, my dear, I did not know what to bring.”
“Anything or everything.” Mia answered, slightly disappointed. She had wanted to view Erik’s genius. “Though I can understand, it is an inconvenience to schlep your designs back and forth.”
Erik paused in his reply. It was, in logic, much easier and convenient to simply take the person, to the designs, than the designs to the person. ‘No’ Erik thought. He could not bring Mia to his home. If she knew the way, it would be permanent. She would forever have seen his home. She would be a permanent person in Erik’s life, just as Nadir had been. Though would that be wrong? Mia, as Nadir had put it, was his friend. Was it wrong to take a friend to his home? To serve her tea, and show her the things they shared common interest in? Surely if they were friends she could keep the secret. What if she did not? What if once she learned of his location she would rat him out? No, Erik told himself. A friend would not do such a thing. She had been loyal to him so far, had she not?
“Are we friends?” Erik blurted.
“What?” Mia asked slightly shaken by his outburst.
“Do you consider me a friend?”
“Yes, of course.” Mia answered, slightly shocked by such a question. “Erik, are you alright? Your face-I mean-“
“What about it?” Erik snapped.
“Disregarding the mask, the skin I can see, below your mouth…it’s pale. Are you alright?”
Erik shook his head, trying to clear it. “Fine, fine. Would you like to see? My house?”
“You want me to-“
“Yes or no!”
“Yes!” Mia answered, raising her voice accidentally.
“I.” Erik sighed walking to the trap door. “I want you to, but I-it’s hard for me to-“
“I understand.” Mia soothed. “I know it’s hard for you to trust people Erik, I wont force you.”
“Thank you.”
“Erik.” Mia spoke. “I trust you, and I hold our friendship very dearly. I-I just wanted you to know that.”
“Thank you.” Erik whispered, almost breathless by her statement. She trusted him. That gift he would hold dearer than his portrait. “I will come back tomorrow tonight.” Erik stated. “I might show you then, I’ll try. If I can’t though…”
“I understand.” Mia sighed. If he couldn’t, Mia was wondering if he would ever come back at all.
“If I can’t,” Erik repeated. “I’ll bring my sketches with me.” With that the opera ghost lifted up the trap door, and disappeared for the night.
Man, that turned out longer than I thought! I hope you phans enjoyed and will all continue to review! It helps me so much!
Erik/swings Punjab lasso around/ I’m sure they will.
No persuading the readers!
Erik: I wont. /Continues to swing Punjab lasso around/
Erik, that includes threatening them!
Erik: You don’t let me have any fun!

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Portrait of the Soul