Silent Night (Castagne)

[anastasia]

If there was one thing she missed most of all here in 'jolly ol' England', it was the Christmas light decorating outside the homes. So many beautiful lights and displays that just made the Holidays the best compared to any other holiday!

Wandering about outside in the cold of night out in the gardens having checked on the horses, she just stayed outside to enjoy the silence of the winter night. Soft fluffy snow blanketed the whole land, making barely a crunch but a soft 'foosh' under her feet with each step.
So calm. So peaceful.
Gazing up at the stars as she just stood there out in the middle of the vast expanse of the grounds. It was so clear, so crisp, so beautiful and perfect. Though she was mature from what life had put her through, it only made her appreciate those little moments in life like this. To just slow down and savor the timeless moment around her.

Wrapped in a long fleece coat with a hood, in chenille gloves and hat and scarf. The cold nipping at her nose and betraying her every breath. It was moments like this that felt like time was no longer linear.
Believing she was alone outside this late at night, she wandered slowly towards the groves near the pond and weeping willow which were one of her favorite type of trees. They always had that sort of Southern mystic about them.
Softly and slowly she began to sing-

Silent Night,
Holy Night,
All is calm
All is Bright
'Round yon Virgin,
Mother and Child
Holy Infant
so tender and mild
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
Sleep in Heavenly Peace

[Erik Castagne]

Erik was ready for another of his night walks and he slipped out of the mansion quietly as usual. He walked slowly and barely felt the cold winter wind. The world had been transformed by a blanket of white and Erik's boots made a soft crunching sound as he walked. There were several other sets of footprints in the snow and he noticed one turned off toward the lagoon and the weeping willows. Smaller footprints, he surmised they were a woman's. He looked up and saw her in the distance. He stopped, not sure of where to go. He didn't care to meet anyone, although, as he had decided the night before, he wanted, nay, needed to find Christine Joy again. The only way he could do so, without seeing her somewhere himself, was to speak to other people and inquire after her.

He continued on his way. If he caught up with the woman he would speak to her. If not, it must wait for another day. Then suddenly, he heard the strains of a lone voice singing a Christmas carol. His mother had sung carols to him and he had learned all the words to them as a small child.When he was older, they even sang together as she played the piano and he played his father's violin. It was seldom that this happened, but those were cherished memories for Erik.

He drew closer to the woman as she finished the last verse. He walked a bit faster. This woman had brought back a lovely memory for him. He must speak to her.

[anastasia]

Enjoying the canopy of diamonds on black so very high over head that was perfect with the silence of the cold winter's night. This was on of life's simple pleasures that she often tried to take time for when it was allowed; a cherished moment that made life worth living. She softly hummed a little more of silently not slowly but only the first two lines so separated from one another by a few seconds.

Taken back to the reality of the moment when the sound of snow being displaced captured her attention. Twisting her head around to see a dark figure move towards her. Of course there was a moment of fear and tension wondering if that being would attack her in some manner or form but she forced herself to relax as the darkly cloaked figure almost seemed familiar. For a moment she thought perhaps it was Lenoir and smiled. She had begun to value his friendship and desired his presence more often as he seemed to comfort her in such a way that could never be explained. It was as though they knew each other for ever it seemed, or so it felt to her. They had connected so easily. And tonight was one of those nights where she would like some comfort from a good friend.

Her visage slightly changed in the darkness of the cold moonless night as she realized that the figure approaching did not have a white half-mask upon his face. The man approaching was not Lenoir!
So... who was he? This mysterious dark man that approached her? Lavalais? Carriere? No. Not Carriere, didn't carry himself like that gentle Phantom. Trying to peer through the dark of the night to see who it was as she noticed the mask was nearly covering the face and almost looked like a real face.
Standing there fully facing the approaching Phantom - ironic since the figure even looked like a phantom or shadowy figure that could simply disappear at any given moment from right before her eyes.
"Hello?" Her voice gentle but strong, moderate depth but feminine. She awaited to see who he was and hear his response. Crossing her arms slightly as though she felt cold or a chill. Perhaps she did but she would not betray that to anyone.

[Erik Castagne]

The woman was dressed for the winter cold in a long coat with a hood. As Erik approached her, she turned and gazed at him. At first she seemed to stiffen with fear, but then she relaxed. It was subtle, but Erik noticed it. He felt a bit of fear clawing at his heart. Not that he was fearful of the woman, indeed she had a lovely voice. But he was fearful of simply speaking to her.

"Bonne nuit, Mademoiselle," he greeted her and bowed slightly. What came next, he thought. Ah an introduction. "Je m'apelle Erik. (I am called Erik.) "Et vous? Votre voix est jolie. Il rappelle Erik de son mère chant pour lui ...(Your voice is lovely. It reminds Erik of his mother singing to him...) Erik felt more comfortable speaking in French. But by the look on the woman's face, he realized she must be an English speaker.

He tried again. His English was good, but heavily French accented. Erik used his hands when he spoke. "I am called Erik." This was generally the only time Erik did not use third person in his speech. There was really no other way to say it. He touched his chest with the inside of his hand touching himself as he said the word I. He had a soft and pleasant baritone voice. "And you? Your voice is lovely. It reminds Erik of his mother singing to him."

Speaking that much at one time nearly wore Erik out. What would he say next? He hoped the woman would reply or else he would have to excuse himself and leave. He almost hoped she wouldn't say anything so he could leave. Christine Joy was the only woman he had ever been able to speak to face to face comfortably. He could speak to men in his capacity as architect earlier in his life, but he had become very reclusive of late and it was difficult to speak to anyone.

[anastasia]

Standing there in the cold, almost shivering but she was not. The fleece kept her body nice and warm except her face which was utterly exposed to the night elements. Watching as the masked shadowy figure approached, narrowing her eyes to try and catch a better glimpse of who was coming towards her. T'was best to keep a level head and greet who ever was out here and yet stay on her guard.

When he spoke, she was slightly stunned and delighted. He was an Erik when he mentioned the name but that was all she understood when it came to his French. He spoke it rather well and she rather smiled for a moment but stood there dumbfounded and blank, not knowing what he said. She was about to tell him she did not understand him at all until he spoke in English... with a strong French accent which delighted her and she smiled for sure this time.
Blushing in the cold night though it was hard to tell in the darkness and the chill that froze her face, but she was more than touched and humbled by his words. It reflected upon her face at how much she thought it was darling and yet she was shy about anyone hearing her singing. Glancing down and smiling still before looking up, her eyes filled with tears that nearly froze and blurred her vision. Barely a noise came from her that matched her frozen but sympathetic visage.

She shifted to see if she could get a better look and figure out which Erik she was dealing with now.
"Why thank you," she said, the cold night air betraying her breath. And with that, she slowly took one step towards him and held out her hand. But this time she could see the painted face mask that looked familiar. Raking her brain to figure out which one when she recalled this was the silent movie Erik! She almost seemed to brighten up in realization and stood there. "I'm glad I could bring back a warm memory," she said, with a hint that she was somewhat getting cold or a shiver in her warm, moderately deep, slightly sultry, gentle and strong voice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Erik," she continued after a moment, "I'm Anastasia. Please... call me Ana." And smiled warmly at him in the cold of the night.

[Erik Castagne]

The woman said her name was Anastasia. "It is a lovely name," said Erik, gesturing toward her with his hand. She seemed as if she were cold. She held out her hand to him and seemed happy to see him. Erik wondered why she would be happy to see him if she had never before met him. His face would have shown confusion if it had been visible.

"Why is Mademoiselle out on such a cold night?" said Erik, surprising himself as his thoughts actually became words. His brown eyes glinted yellow in the moonlight. He watched her carefully. There was something different about her. Perhaps it was a casualness about her, a different attitude than emanated from most women that Erik had met. But then Erik had not really known many women. So how was he to know?

He didn't know where to go with the conversation, if this was a conversation. The he remembered his resolve. "May Erik ask a question of Mademoiselle?" He paused a moment to put his words together. "Erik is looking for someone he knows, someone who belongs to Erik. She is called Christine Daaé. Does Mademoiselle know of her?"

He looked at Ana hopefully, but the only emotion she would be likely to discern would be from Erik's eyes or the gestures of his graceful hands.

[anastasia]

With a smile, and almost a blush, but so sincere, "Thank you," she said softly. Gazing back at him, as they were pretty much at eye level of the same height. She had come to the conclusion of which Phantom this was and recalled the old silent film with a very slight smile. Knowing so very well the face now that was hidden behind the mask. Tilting her head very slightly as she gazed back at him, into those eyes. The mask was indeed far more scary than his face just as she always thought. Never understanding why the mask just continued to creep her out but it did. She would not force nor ask him to remove the mask, not out in this cold air for most likely that mask was keeping him warm. Lucky for him.

Glancing down with a smile then looking up beyond the canopy of trees. "The stars," she simply stated while gazing up at them for a moment before returning her gaze to him, "I like gazing up at them from time to time. It's one of those perfect nights to observe them. Even on a cold night like this. They sparkle at their brightest when there is snow on the ground and the sky is cold and clear." Looking back up at the various constellations.

"Christine... Daaé?" Pausing, "I've heard of her." Looking at him with a slightly furrowed brow. Dare she mention anything about the one Christine she had met already? No, best not. Most likely the Christine he was seeking was his own. The whole of the various Phantoms with their respective Christines and other characters still bewildered her. She'll have to have Lenoir explain it to her sometime.
"Why do you ask?" Which was an obvious if not absurd question to ask the Phantom.

[Erik Castagne]

Ana seemed to be staring at Erik's mask. It made him uncomfortable. He hoped she was not thinking of pulling it off as his angel Christine had done. She had been so very afraid. And he had been so very angry. It had not been a good thing. But Erik had had a second chance, here at the manor. He had found his Christine and she seemed not to have remembered the terrible scene where he told her that he would keep her forever in his subterranean world. No, she had forgotten for some reason. So Erik had decided to tread lightly and be very careful around Christine. For she was his joy in more than just name.

He realized he had been thinking of Christine again and his thoughts had left the present. Ana commented on how lovely the stars were. He looked up and nodded. They were indeed lovely in the dark cold sky.

Then he mentioned out loud, the question which had lingered in his mind ever since Christine's disappearance. He asked if Ana had seen her. And she answered with a question, Why do you ask? Erik must find Christine. She is his Angel...she belongs to him. He has been teaching her to sing." He swallowed. His mouth was dry from the nervousness of speaking. But he bravely went on. "Christine has disappeared. She was her, and now is not been seen by Erik for a very long time." His eyes showed his sorrow, the sadness of losing his loved one, once again.

[anastasia]

She listened to Castagne with a slight rise of her brows and a somewhat unlikable look. Belong to him, she thought? Good lord, the man was clingy and obsessive! Thinking that a girl should choose. But she sighed and dismissed it realizing once again this was indeed an Erik, obsessed over a Christine.

Disappeared? Now this confused her. Did not Lenoir state that no one could leave the Manor? If that was so, then why did that particular Christine vanish? A sinking feeling in the pit of her core made her feel nervous about what happened to those who disappeared if they were here. Were they all in danger then?
Doing her best to regulate her breathing as she then shook her head. "I'm sorry, I don't know where your Christine is." And the look upon her face showed how she was pained at his loss. His sorrow did draw out her sympathies.
She moved to him and placed a hand upon his shoulder, as oddly as it felt really that she was so bold to take that particular action, "I'm sorry," once again sincere." I shall keep my eyes open for her. Promise." Trying to smile slightly with a soft, kind voice.

Doing her best to comfort him, oddly, patted his shoulder before she stepped back and half turned to gaze back out at the stars. "Did you come out here to think and gaze at the stars ,too?" Hoping to at least strike up a conversation and try to get to know this Phantom, too.

[Erik Castagne]

Erik studied Ana's face. She gave him an odd look when he spoke about Christine. Ana said she had not seen his Christine. He wondered how she could be so sure. He had not even described the girl. Ana touched his shoulder gently, almost in sympathy it would seem. She smiled softly, but sadly. He wondered why she would look so sad. Yes, Christine was not about, but perhaps she was in some other area of the mansion. And it was unlikely she knew how to come back to his lair. The lift was surprising and almost frightening to him the first time he had used it; how much more it must be for the young girl.

Erik put his hand over Ana's and smiled under the mask. His eyes became softer and his look was gentle. "There is no need to be sorrowful for Erik, Mademoiselle. Erik has every hope he shall find Christine again."

When she gazed up at the stars, his glance followed hers. "Erik, too, has a great love for the stars. They are as diamonds. The sky feels warm and darkly inviting." Erik wondered why he was speaking more than usual. Was it this woman? Was she somehow as easy to speak to as Christine? At the thought of his lost love, he became sad again. Would he ever find her? Was she in trouble? All he could do was speak to people. Perhaps this was good practice...

[anastasia]

A bit surprised when she felt this Erik's hand over her own hand that rested upon his shoulder, but she tried not to show her frozen shocked state by doing her best to mask it with a warm smile. Listening to every word of his gentle humble plea complimented only with that softer look in his eyes since she could not see his face. It only caused her to smile more in return. Then she silently nodded in graceful understanding.

Her eyes were gazing skyward even while he spoke about the heavenly wonders sparkling above. As he just finished the 'darkly inviting', she turned to gaze back to Erik with curiosity the a very slight smile appeared again. Shifting to stand beside him now as she gazed up at the stars with a smile. "There's a whole vast universe of wonders and possibilities out there far beyond this world. Makes us seem so fleeting and insignificant. And yet," as she continued to gaze up at the stars with a childlike wonder upon her face with barely a pause, "goes to prove how each one of us is so very important."Another pause while still looking up. "I used to dream as a girl of traveling through the stars. From planet to planet, Galaxy to galaxy. To see all the wonders and experience all that could be out there."
Now she was starting to realize as she was staring at the stars how philosophical she was becoming and started to smirk with almost a snicker. No doubt Lenoir would have a glorious time conversing about such trivial things. She wondered how this Erik would react to such in depth thoughts though.
Yes. What a glorious opportunity she had been given. Perhaps it was quite a gift to find friendship and family in those who strangely appeared, especially those by the name of Erik.

[Erik Castagne]

Erik did not quite know what to think of this woman. She was friendly and seemed not afraid of him. She almosst seemed to know him. It was very o dd. But comforting too. He did not have to break the ice as he had with the few other people he had met. With the exception of the little girl, Roselin. She seemed to know all about Erik before he introduced himself too.

She seemed to be interested in the stars. As a child, Erik had spent hours with his telescope and had become very familiar with the night sky. "So Ana dreamt about going from one planet to another. Erik did also. As a child, he would calculate the time it would take to go from one to another. But unfortunately, it would take several lifetimes." There it was again. Ana was encouraging Erik to speak and he was becoming less fearful of speaking. He smiled under the mask. She was very nice, but there was something underlying, something about her that he could not place a logical finger on, that Erik liked.

[anastasia]

As she stood beside this Phantom, gazing up at the stars with him, it was rather a strange, warm feeling that kept a smile upon her face. Being here had proved her wrong and fears slipped away. This place was changing her, perhaps for the better. Feeling like she was growing and in a time when it was a mix of the galactic alignment and the Holiday season. Sensations of every sort would be amplified one hundred fold! But there was another reason perhaps. One that she didn't know quite yet. Or she may never know at all! Either way, she was becoming use to these varied Phantoms and welcoming them. Getting to know them. Again, it was a youthful dream coming true. She was accepting that.

A broader smile spread upon her lips as the cold night air continued to betray her every breath and nodded. "The stars are magical in their own way, aren't they? Holding a promise of hope and dreams, ever encouraging us to strive for better." Pausing a moment then nodded again. "Alas, it would take many lifetimes. Unless we found a way to go from planet to planet in mere moments." And began to think of the sci-fi shows she had watched like Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate. The thought of traveling to so many places, with the adventure of the unknown was thrilling to some and frightening to others. "Perhaps it will happen some day." Smiling at Castagne.

Glancing up again to scan the cold, clear night sky. "Do you have a favorite constellation?" Wondering this as she scanned for the Big Dipper that she was mighty familiar with as well as her favorite constellation.

[Erik Castagne]

Erik gazed at the stars without answering for a bit. Then he said, "Non, Mademoiselle, Erik does not have a favourite constellation. For the ancients put their ideas on the patterns of how the stars appear to us, but the patterns do not look that way to Erik. In truth, the stars are suns of varying luminosities and distances from each other and from the earth." Erik blushed a bit behind his mask. He was not one to show off his knowledge like others did. It was simply there, a fact, and he stated his knowledge of the facts. But he did enjoy looking at them and they did seem more than simply concepts in a book. Of course he had studied them with a telescope many times when he was younger, but keeping to himself and staying underground, he had let go of this particular pursuit.

This woman was very nice. He was beginning to feel a bit more comfortable around her, but not too comfortable. He was never sure what people would do. Now Christine, after studying her, he could almost predict what type of behaviour she would have. Anyone else, he was not sure. Erik was not a good predictor of human behaviour really. He had been alone too long and had been surprised too many times before that to be sure of anything when it came to people.

However, he did think this woman very nice and perhaps there would come a time when he would feel comfortable speaking with her.

[anastasia]

Her brown eyes had been watching the stars as they shimmered and flicker against that vast dark background only to shift to look at him now. With a quizzical visage she listened to his words and was astonished at the same time. How ever did he knew this?!? She wasn't aware that men had know the stars were more than just bright lights in the sky. At this moment, she felt put in her place that a man such as Castagne was once a gifted child to see things beyond any common man. Just like with Lenoir, Carriere and Lavalais, she was astounded and shown the true sublime nature of what it was to be an Erik.

Blinking as she watched him, barely glancing up at the stars now. "How did you know all that? You saw all that from your telescope?" Not that she doubted him but she was astonished to no end. She had looked at the heavens through a telescope, too, when she was a child but none were strong enough to really give her a true idea. All she saw were the stars just a little larger. Though she was able to see the details of the moon though.

Stunned and delighted as a slight smile curled the corners of her lips, leaning closer to him and gazing up at the stars in a soft almost magical voice, "You should see the images they've been able to get recently from a massive telescope they have in orbit around Earth. The images are incredible! Nebulas, far off stars, pulsars, galaxies, even a black hole. The nebulas are the most stunning." Then turned to look at him to see his reaction.