Dreams of the Stage (Èrik)

[Erik Spectre]

The moment he asked the question, Érik knew he had reign again. He gave a toothy smile beneath his mask, not that she'd see. But her words were indeed... confusing, to say the least. His first thought was to correct her and call her absurd... Then he realized the weight of her words... 'Someone who looks like me? With my name?' How could this be possible?

It was now that he remembered Lenoir and his mentioning of various "versions" of himself... Though if this woman were to mistake him so closely with someone else... He could only begin to imagine the life another man just as himself had gone through. He felt a pang of pity, and then... Jealously?

He gazed upon the woman with quizzical eyes. Whoever this man was had been traveling with her until a few months ago? Unbelievable! This woman had a magnificent, exotic beauty about her, and this doppleganger of him has been in her company for "a long time?" Rage boiled within him, however his countenance was completely blank.

"It is lucky for you that I know and have met men in this very mansion who share my name and also wear a mask, else I would find your story completely ludicrous... However..." Érik pressed the fingertips of each hand together in a contemplative gesture. "I have inquiries, Mademoiselle Lavalais. Where exactly did you travel with this companion of yours?"

((hope this is alright babes. I find it complete crap, but I figured we probably don't want to play out the old fight just to get this thread done faster. <3))

[Teressa Lavalais]

Teressa sighed in relief. He believed her. "We've travelled to many places, really, after he found me in Austria....England, China, India, Morocco.....and then we were both in Persia when we were brought here. We travel to keep ourselves alive, really..."

Teressa looked out into the house. She was a little nervous, talking a little fast...spilling a bit too much information...Erik would kill her if he knew. If he knew that she was telling his twin information about them and their lifestyle. How they always had to run because they knew too much, or because they couldn't live properly otherwise....

With the mention of each country, her mind had flashed back to those times...some of them were good times, and some were horrible. But they'd always done what they had to do together. Seventy years of together....

[Erik Spectre]

Teressa listed off place after place. All places he had been. His fingers pressed tighter together, but otherwise his movements were fluid. Érik stepped... and stepped closer to her, until he was peering down closely at her. "Persia...?" he uttered, a guttural sound coming from his throat. "Ah, yes. Your dancing."

He stood, hands still pressed together. His eyes were slits to her. They were visible in this lighting, like two fireflies flickering with the heat of a summer night. "Tell me... what is it that you and your... companion do in these countries? Why do you... run?"

If his grin could be visible, it would be unnerving to her. He tilted his head, preparing himself for probably unsatisfactory answer. This was extremely interesting... and unnerving to himself. He must by any means understand how this woman could even be in his presence...

[Teressa Lavalais]

Teressa shuddered a bit. He was practically on top of her! If she was going to run, she had to run in the next few minutes...but she'd play along with him, she'd talk to him...answer his questions, and be cordial...after all, that was how she calmed her own Erik down when he was seemingly under stress like this man.

"We pick up odd jobs, and work to our strengths....we run because we must...surely you understand. When people think you're different...." One of Teressa's hands involuntarily twitched toward her mask. They'd been chased, sometimes, from towns for being different. People were so cruel sometimes...

Taking a chance, she tried to stand, just to get some space away from the man. She didn't want him to take advantage of her being in a chair....