A Midnight Meeting in the Graveyard (Giselle)

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik couldn't sleep, as was quite usual for him. His long case clock had had struck midnight and almost startled him. Restless, he decided to take a walk outside. Yes, it was winter, and yes, Erik despised the cold, but the weather had been warmer for the past few days, warmer for winter that is. He donned a wool coat and then for extra protection his trademark full length cape with the rhinestones, sequins and black embroidery on the shoulders and collar. It would give him a bit more protection against the cold. He put his black fedora at a jaunty angle and pulled on his winter gloves.

Leaving the warmth of his underground home, Erik took the lift to the main floor, then walked silently to the door to the garden and grounds. The temperature was not terribly cold, but the wind was whipping about. It caught the ends of his cape and it blew about behind him. He pulled it closer around him, then started out on the path through the gardens. There were vestiges of snow on the ground and it hardly made a sound as he walked. The warmth of the winter sun had melted much of the snow and evaporated the water left behind, so there was no ice either. As he passed by the weeping willow and the lagoon, he noticed there was some ice about the edges of the water, but it had certainly not frozen enough to skate upon.

Erik passed the gazebo then, further up the path and to his right. In summer, it was a lovely structure amid the flowers. Now the gardens were dead and covered with a trace of snow. The gazebo looked lonely. Erik felt lonely too. tonight. He continued on, past the stables and heard the soft whinnying of the horses. Even though his step was almost soundless, the horses' acute hearing had picked it out.

Then he came to the mausoleum and graveyard. It was quiet, lonely and dark. He walked quietly among the headstones, looking at the now familiar names and dates. He felt comfortable among them for some reason. When he was in the depths of depression, he oft felt half dead himself. He felt like the spectre he had been while at the Opéra Populaire in Paris. The Phantom,. whose face was never seen, but whose presence was acknowledged and feared...

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Christine was having troubles sleeping. Here in London, she couldn't go to her father's grave but perhaps a good evening walk and a little bit of thinking would do her some good. After she arrived to the graveyard, she opened the gates and just decided to take a look around.

It was beautiful, more beautiful than Paris's really. Smiling she touched a few headstones and said nothing for a moment. Knowing her father would be with her wherever she went. "Bonjour Papa" she said in a small voice. "How are you today?" she asked in a small voice talking to him in her mind and she sighed softly. "I miss you terribly, I wish you were here" she said sighing. Staring out into the view of London.

She had a strange feeling come over her and she blinked for a moment. Hearing footsteps she looked around her surroundings. "Hello?" she called nervously. "If someone is there please show yourself" she demanded. "I won't hurt you, I just....want to know if anyone is here with me" she told whoever was here with her.

Reaming where she she was she eyed the cemetery and she said nothing for a moment. Christine stood straight in her cloak and she waited for someone to emerge out of the darkness.

[Erik Lenoir]

Erik had thought he was alone in the graveyard. No one but he himself and a few other Phantoms ever came here. But even though the wind was whipping about, he could make out footsteps coming nearer. He stepped back into the shadows near the mausoleum to see who it was. He knew he could not be seen clearly there, in this dark, moonless night.

A young lady came into view. She wore a cloak but he could see little of her face. From the way she walked, he could not recognize her immediately. Then suddenly it came to him... it was his friend Erik Carrière's Christine. He had heard that she had arrived, then disappeared, then came back. But she was different than the first time. It must be another of the mansion's anomalies.

For some reason, she seemed to be aware of his presence. She called out and asked him to show himself. He stepped out of the shadows slowly and walked toward her, among the gravestones, the cold wind picking up the ends of his cape. He drew near to her, but just near enough to speak. "And who might you be?" he said quietly.

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Keeping where she was, Christine looked about her surroundings. It was a cold night and she moved the cloak more around herself and she said nothing for sometime. Trying to keep calm as she awaited for the man to appear or whoever it was that was out here late at night to arrive. Christine's eyes looked about where she was and she kept silent.

Her eyes continued to dart around the graveyard and she sighed softly. Perhaps her eyes were playing tricks on her and she was also tired. This wasn't Paris. It was a different place, and these graveyards were different. As long as she could talk to her father she'd be good.

Christine looked at the man who came near her and she stepped back for sometime. "My name is Christine Giselle Daaé..." she said in a soft voice. Keeping her eyes on him. "And who are you?" she asked quirking a brow remaining still and saying nothing else. Waiting for his response and she eyed him still.

[Erik Lenoir]

"Lenoir. Erik Lenoir," Erik said in answer to her question as to who he was. She stepped back a bit as he approached. He knew he looked a bit strange and frightening, emerging as he did from the darkness. And his face, even covered by the half mask, was odd looking, the eye, each a different colour, and the odd distorted lips."What are you doing out so late at night? Don't you know that there are frightening beings here in the dark?" His voice was soft. He wondered if she was frightened. She didn't appear to be frightened. "I have heard it said that ghosts inhabit this place, especially after dark. And especially in the graveyard. But more frightening than the ghosts are the strange people who reside in the mansion. "

He studied her face. He wondered if it was Carrière's Christine. She seemed different, although he had only seen her in passing, some time most likely last year. He knew that some of the newer people had met Phantoms in their lives previous to coming to the mansion. Undoubtedly this Christine had met her Erik, so she was used to masked men. "And you go by the name of Giselle? I do hope you are not known as Christine, for we have quite a few ladies with that name."

"Come, walk with me," he said, turning toward the mansion. "I am sure Carrière would be quite upset with me if harm were to come to you out here..." The ends of his cape were picked up by the wind and it blew around him, as the wind's eerie voice whipped and whistled among the gravestones.

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Christine's eyes widened for sometime as she heard upon the man's name that was in front of her. Christine blinked and stared at him still. This was the man that Edouard wanted her to stay away from? From the looks of it to herself, Christine said nothing and else and caught her breath in her throat. Breathing she looked upon him and said nothing for a moment. "Forgive me, Monsieur" she whispered. "You are the Lenoir everyone's telling me about?" she said softly. "I heard things. I heard....that I should stay away from you" she said moments later. Then she breathed and she looked at him again. Giving him a sly grin. "Well, Monsieur, I've been in much darker areas than here to be honest. And plus, its not even dark here.. the moon's out and you finally revealed yourself to me" she said looking at him. Lifting her hand off a stone and then placing it back on.

When Lenoir asked her if she went by Giselle, she nodded her head slowly. "I do indeed, sometimes. At times I'm called Christine." she said nodding her head and smiling a little. The blonde woman stood there and she looked upon him for sometime. "I trust you go by a different name as well? Due to the point there are many Eriks here as well" she told him softly.

As the Lenoir fellow in front of Christine told her to walk with him she simply nodded her head and she followed him. Pausing in her tracks she looked upon him. "You know him?" she asked moments later. "W-well I mean Monsieur Carriére..." she said softly. "How do you two know each other, if you don't mind on me asking?" she questioned looking over at him as she walked along side of him.

[Erik Lenoir]

Christine seemed surprised when Lenoir gave his name. "Yes, I'm the only Erik Lenoir here. And you may call me Lenoir if you wish." He paused and looked at her, not smiling. "I assume my reputation has preceded me? What have they been saying about me? What lies do they speak?" She told him that they had warned her to stay away from him. "Oh? And what have they given you for a reason to stay away from me?"

This was obviously his friend Carrère's Christine. Tall, pretty blonde girl. She seemed to be breathing a bit hard; was she frightened of him? He wasn't surprised. A few tales of how evil and despicable he was from someone at the manor who didn't care for him, combining with his odd looks and certainly she would be frightened. He would find out who it was that was telling tales and give that person a bit of a fright themselves.

"Who has been telling tales?" Erik said. This had put him in a rather bad mood, but he didn't intend to take it out on the girl, but instead whoever had filled her head with stories about him.

She spoke about having seen darker nights.... "Yes of course. But it is a full moon." He pointed up at the moon. "Any thing can happen in a full moon. Haven't you heard?" When he looked at her face, it appeared he was frightening her. He repeated that they should enter the mansion again. "It's cold out here and I am afraid I don't care for the cold."

She asked how he knew Carrière. "I met him at the mansion," he said as they walked along the path." Sometime after I arrived here, he arrived. We get along quite amicably." They approached the entrance and he held the door open for her.

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Remaining where she was she listened upon Lenoir's words and Christine said nothing for sometime. As he spoke his name, she looked at him and she hanged on every word that Lenoir had been telling her. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Lenoir" she said in a small voice. Christine looked at him agin and she struggled with her words for a moment. "They didn't say anything bad, I assure you Monsieur, but..." she paused mid-sentence. "People have just told me to stay away from you, but I needed to see for myself" she said softly to him.

Her voice was shaky and she was nervous beyond all reason to be with this man people had told her to stay away from. Christine looked at him and said nothing for a moment. "I...I do not want to give out names Monsieur" she said softly. "Please don't force me" she said to him lowering her gaze.

Christine followed his finger towards the moon, and she looked up at the moon. "Yes, perhaps your right" she said in a small voice. Giving a small smile and she looked at him. "No? I've not heard those kind of stories...." she said softly. Then she nodded her head as she walked along side of him still. "Very well, perhaps we should go inside and get warmed up and talk perhaps" she offered gently looking up at him.

As Lenoir spoke to her about her music teacher she smiled. "He's a good friend of mine, and my maestro" she said softly to him. She looked at him and she entered the mansion as he held open the door. "Merci, Monsieur Lenoir" she said softly and she looked over at him again. "Shall we go to the kitchen?" she asked as she watched him.

[Erik Lenoir]

Lenoir wondered who had been frightening this poor girl, telling her to stay away from him. He certainly would never hurt her. One of the Raouls, he thought. That must be the one who would tell her to stay away from him. But he wouldn't press the point further.

Holding the door for Giselle, she entered and he followed her. The kitchen and dining room are down this way." He nodded with his head, after removing his hat. There were several long corridors filled with art on the walls and valuable sculptures. Then he led her to the top of a marble staircase to the second storey. After walking part of another corridor, Erik stopped before a set of large carved wooden doors. He pulled one of them open and held it for her.

"This is the dining room, Giselle." An automatic light turned on the crystal chandelier, activated by movement. The room was charming, all done in greens with a bit of pink. The fireplace was made of green marbl, its mantle set with silver candlesticks. There were matching chairs in front of the fireplace. A long case clock stood at the furthest end of the room, near a swinging door. A settee matched the chairs and a baby grand piano sat in the corner next to the clock. There was a cabinet filled with Victorian treasures, tiny figurines and ceramic items. Tulip shaped gas sconce lights were seen at intervals on the walls. But the largest and most noticeable item in the room was the long and massive oak table with many chairs surrounding it and covered with a beautiful lace tablecloth. And there were fresh flowers in vases everywhere.

As they entered, Lenoir set his hat on top of a coat tree in the corner and hung his cape on it. He turned to Giselle. "What would you care to drink? The kitchen is fully stocked and I would be delighted to find us something pleasant to drink..."

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Picking up the ends of her dress so it wouldn't get dirty, Giselle followed Lenoir towards the manor again and she entered it. Turning her body to face him she followed him in to the kitchen and dining room. It was going to get a lot to get used to whilst she was going to be here. Giselle followed him and she soon took off her robe and hung it up on the rack and she sat on the wooden stool.

Once they were in the kitchen she took a moment to breathe and she said nothing for sometime at this point. "Just water would be nice thank you." she said in a small voice. As to Erik's question back before, she sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

"Forgive me Monsieur Lenoir. I do not wish to pry into telling you who told me these lies." she said in a small voice. "All they have told me was to stay away from you because of how you treated others and such. And I don't think that way at all to be honest" she told him. "From what I'm seeing, I think your a wonderful person. Why are people so afraid of you?" she asked tilting her head as she watched him and remain where she was.

[Erik Lenoir]

In the dining room, Erik put his cape over one of the wooden dining room chairs. He put his hat on the seat of said chair. Entering the kitchen, Erik looked to see what had been left for he manor residents to eat. "Are you certain you're not hungry? And water?" Here he laughed. "I can pour you a glass of water with lemon if you really want that, but I was planning to pour a bit of wine, if you'd care to join me. Tea or coffee...I can make either of those for you. I have learned to use some of the modern devices here in the kitchen. But perhaps it's a bit too late to take coffee or tea. It could very well deprive you of sleep. " He paused and took two wine glasses from the cabinet. "You're not going to let me drink alone, are you?" he asked with the hint of a smile playing about the visible end of his mouth. He looked at the label on the bottle. "It's a very good vintage..."He poured them both a half glass of wine and without waiting for her assent "There you are, my dear. And I shall bring you the water if that's what you really want..."

"And no as to the question of who is spreading lies about me." Lenoir rubbed his left temple. "There is no need to tell me . I have a few suspects and I will find out in due time."She said she had been told that Erik had not treated others well. "I see," he said, raising his eyebrow again." He sipped the wine.

Giselle continued on, telling him that she thought he was a wonderful person. He gave her a strange look. "You think I'm wonderful? You've known me about...." he glanced at the long case clock, "approximately 10 minutes and you think I'm wonderful? Could Giselle possibly be this naiive? Granted, he didn't like people making accusations against him, but Lenoir knew well what he had been in the past and what he could be capable of in the future.

"My dear, did you not know that there is an implicit danger in being too trusting of those you do not know? Tell me what you know of me then in our ten minute relationship. I'll start you off. I offered to take you to the kitchen for wine or tea or coffee...now continue please..."

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Once in the dining room she stood alongside of Lenoir as she walked with him. She watched him as he draped his cape over one of the chairs and hanged his hat on the edge of it. Then she followed him willingly into the kitchen where they were would be talking for long periods of time. Christine said nothing for a while and she looked up at him. "I think Water would be lovely" she said smiling. "Thank you, oh, no need for the lemon though. I think its fine the way it is" she explained. Raising an eyebrow at him she looked at him. Then she chuckled a bit. "Very well , I'll have one drink. Just one. I hardly ever drink, only on special occasions like gala performances and everything" she muttered to him.

As he questioned her she said nothing for sometime. Perching herself upon the stool near the counter she relaxed her arm on the island. Giselle tucked back her hair and she looked over at him as he spoke to her. "Well, you just seem like you would be for some reason" she muttered to him. "I have met two Eriks whilst I've been here. Monsieur Carriere and yourself now" she muttered to him. Giselle said nothing for sometime as she stared upon him.

Her eyes widened as he spoke to her suddenly. "I uhm, " she stuttered a little. " I just know a few things about you Monsieur Lenoir. I know you can be dangerous and violent from the things I've heard.... from different people." she said softly looking into his eyes. "You have warned me about how dangerous the graveyard can be when one's alone" she informed. "That's all I can remember really" she informed him again. Giselle said nothing else after that but just stared upon him in almost a frightful manor.

[Erik Lenoir]

Lenoir smiled at Giselle as he sat down after pouring them both a glass of wine.. "You will learn to appreciate a fine wine if you take up with a Frenchman, which I expect you will do eventually, whether it be your de Chagny or Monsieur Carriére. In France, wine is taken with most meals..." He sipped his wine. "Tell me," he said pensively, "what were you doing exactly when you were thrust into our manor? Had you met a fellow named de Chagny yet? It would seem most of the Christines have a fellow named de Chagny hiding somewhere in the wings."

"And have you sung on the stage yet? If not, you had better tell Carriére to start preparing you. I will be reviving the opera here at some time and I expect you shall want to be ready. I am planning for all the Christines to be able to sing at one time or another." He glanced at her again. "Tell me, have you met Carlotta yet? Any of them? A strange lot of women. I am not sure I wish anyone of them to sing upon my stage, yet, I don't know exactly how to handle them should they decide this is what they want. They are a headstrong sort..."

When Giselle had repeated to him the little that she had learned of him in the short time since she had met him, Lenoir nodded. "Then I shall tell you about me. I was born in Paris, but left it at an early age, for reasons so complicated that I shall not venture into them. After a few years, I became a world traveler.. I spent time in Persia and the middle east. Returning to Paris many years later, I became an afficianado of the opera, and spent much time there, finally rising to the position where I would oversee all of the productions and direct them as I saw fit. I was paid a tidy sum for my hard work and excellent advice."

"Unfortunately, it all came to an ignominious end when I was brought here. " He gazed vacantly at a spot across the room, wrapped in his own thoughts .Giselle brought him back to reality when she spoke about only meeting two Eriks and he was one of them. Lenoir laughed. He glanced back at her for the first time in many minutes. "There are many others. Some have come and gone; some are still here. It appears that I will not be able to flit in and out so easily. Although what their fate has been, I could only conjecture."

"Dangerous and violent, you say?" he repeated the words slowly as he finished the glass of wine and moved the glass absently between his hands. "And why do they say such things against me? I suppose they have lied and said that I have done such things as kidnapping, stealing and most likely murder." He caught her eyes in the gaze of his own mismatched eyes and looked at her somewhat menacingly. It was most definitely the best idea to bring out in the open the things he had actually done and then deny it completely, calling those who spoke of it as liars.

He continued to hold her in his gaze as he said in an utterly soft, almost whispered, yet menacing voice, "If I am such a dangerous and violent fellow, are you not afraid to spend even a few minutes alone in a kitchen with me?"

[Christine Giselle Daaé]

Sitting on the stool Giselle stared upon Lenoir as he spoke to her and she hanged on every word he said to her. A small smile slowly creeped upon Giselle's face and she looked at him a little more and then she watched him pour them both glasses of wine. "Merci for the wine" she said slowly raising it once he was finished. Closing her eyes she took a sip and sighed contently before coughing a bit. "Forgive me, Its just that I've not had wine in a while" she explained. "I'll be fine" she said looking up at him moments later. Giselle then looked over at him and she listened to his next set of words. "Well the only thing I do remember Monsieur is that I was on the stage of the Palais Garnier and picking up some costumes, or getting ready to set out some costumes for the next show" she said looking over at him. Chuckling she looked at him and then looked down for a moment. "What is his first name. Perhaps if you told me his first name it would jog my memory" she said meeting his eyes. "And to answer your previous question, I do not have anyone romantic wise, except for Monsieur Carriere" she explained truthfully.

Taking another sip of her wine she looked over at him and she shook her head. "No I have not yet Monsieur. But I am looking into it" she said nodding her head brushing her hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear. Giselle smiled and was interested upon this new opera that Monsieur Lenoir was planning. "Oh, I shall be sure to tell him then" she said smiling. "Monsieur Carriere has informed me that something was going on with the Opera and I would gladly sing. Knowing him, he would want me to" she said chuckling. "No, I've not met any Carlotta's, Strange of how many of us are there in this large place" she said softly. Giselle then giggled as he spoke about them. "I'm sure to keep that in mind as well" she said to him.

As Lenoir spoke about his life she frowned and she looked at him. "I'm sorry to hear that Monsieur, it sounds like you had a tragic life.. " she said tilting her head a little. "Persia?" she said lighting up a little. "What was that like?" she asked smiling a little more and saying nothing else for a moment. "What do you do if you don't mind on me asking?" she questioned wondering what his profession in the work field was.

As he stared at her, she looked at him and tilted her head. "What is it? Is there something on my face?" she asked. Noticing the silence between them before they spoke again. "It seems that way doesn't it Monsieur Lenoir" she said softly giggling. Giselle said nothing for a moment and looked down then back up at him. "I still wonder why we've been brought to this place. I don't know why we are even here" she said softly. "Do you know anything?" she asked looking up at him again curiously.

Giselle sat there still and leaned a little forward upon the counter and she looked over at him. "I don't know to be honest. I mean, for the times I've been here with you. You don't seem to be that kind of dangerous as the most people have said. And your rather harmless to me anyways" she said smiling. Giselle then sighed. "Perhaps people just don't know what to say at times..." she said looking at him. Then her eyes slightly widened. "What sort of things aside from kidnapping and stealing have you done?" she asked looking into his eyes a little. "Monsieur...?" she asked noticing the different look in his eyes.

Hearing the sudden change upon Lenoir's voice she looked at him and she didn't know what to say. "Because you've not hurt me, and I don't have any say in this..." she said looking at him. "I don't know the things you've done, to have me be afraid of you. Until now" she said looking at him still. Her eyes were wide with fear and she just sat there and watched him.

[Erik Lenoir]

"So you are not a singer? You took care of the costumes? That hardly seems right. Most of the Christines who have come here have been fine singers. Although, I haven't heard them all." She started to cough as she drank the wine. "Are you all right?" he asked. Then she asked him about de Chagny. ... she asked for a first name. "Normally all the de Chagnys are named Raoul. There is one Phillippe, however. I wouldn't know if yours had a different name. Most of them use their middle names. There is a Jacques also, another with no middle name, the previously mentioned Phillippe, a small boy named Gustave and his father, the notorious Edouard." It was plain that Lenoir had no use for Edouard, for he fairly spit out the name.

When she spoke of being involved romantically with M. Carrière, Lenoir smiled. "Yes, I might have expected that. A singer and his pupil....it almost happened to me..." He looked a bit sad for an instant, then smiled again. "And you've not met any of the Carlottas. Well, I should warn you to keep away from them. They believe they are wonderful singers, but when any of the Christines sing, it is quite evident that the Christines have the loveliest voices. Carrière's Carlotta was here at the mansion for a short time, and a more sour person I cannot imagine. She had quite a horrendous voice, according to Carrière, and was quite jealous of you. So, just giving you a simple warning. Fortunately the woman disappeared after being here only a short time and I say that was quite good riddance."

Giselle mentioned that Lenoir's life had been tragic. He said nothing. Much of it had been tragic. Since coming here, some things had become lovely, and then been taken away from him again, sadly. He knew he dwelt too much on these sad things, sometimes becoming quite melancholic. He looked over at her and smiled. "Sorry, I am a bit introspective sometimes..."

"Persia? Yes, a strange, exotic country. I built a hall of mirrors for the Shah and other edifices. I am an architect by profession. I built the Opéra Populaire in Paris and lived there and managed the place for many years. It was from there that I was plucked when I was brought here.:" He didn't mention that he had been running for his life and hiding from les gendarmes and the crowds who wished to hang him for his crimes..."I am also an accomplished composer, musician and artist, Giselle." Lenoir debated on whether to invite her to his home, which others called his lair, to visit his realm of music. He decided against it, for his reputation preceded him, not always with just cause, and he did not wish Carrière to think he would try to steal his friend's Christine. He would not do that.

"It took me quite a while, my dear, to discover why we were brought here to the mansion. It is haunted by spectres, some of them benevolent and others anything but benevolent. I did receive answers that were somewhat satisfactory from some of the spectres. I suppose you think me mad, conversing with spectres, do you not?" He looked quite serious. "The specctres have brought us here for their own pleasure, to amuse themselves, for they are bored. They have provided for us quite well, yet we are not allowed to leave the environs of the mansion and may venture no further than the village. One thing that is good and acceptable for me is that they have recreated my home at the opera house piece by piece here in the mansion. It is the only place that I care to live. But without an opera house to hear the most beautiful music in the world, I am quite sad, therefore I have begun work on restoring the one here. It has begun to have its former elegance but it will never be as grand as the one I built in the heart of Paris..."

When Giselle said that Lenoir seemed harmless, he laughed bitterly. "If only the people of Paris were so easily swayed and so understanding. You see, it takes only one look at someone whose face is covered by a mask and they think him mad." She asked him then what things had he done, mentioning kidnapping and stealing. His odd eyes, the left one dark blue and the right one a pale grey, almost white, gazed at her intently, and they had suddenly turned cold, as cold as ice. "Yes they say I am a kidnapper, simply because I invited Christine to my home. Unfortunately, she betrayed me. But it was not kidnapping. Stealing? They called it blackmail. I only requested to be paid for my valuable services to the opera house. I made the opera company the best in the world. And you didn't mention the last that I have been accused of...murder." He looked slightly menacing. "How would you feel if you were speaking to a murderer?"