The Shadow's Melody || The Phantom of the Opera || Book One

19. Letters of Desire

Alrighty my lovely readers!!!

I was listening to Pandora to help me study and they played "Masquerade Waltz" by Khachaturian and I was thinking it fits perfectly with the last chapter! After all Mélodie and Erik are at a masquerade ball and are dancing along to the waltz the orchestra is playing.

To add to the awesomeness I looked on YouTube to find a video to link and someone put "Masquerade Waltz" to "Masquerade" from the Phantom of the Opera!!! So everyone enjoy and picture Mélodie and Erik dancing along to that!

Chapter Nineteen || Letters of Desire

Mélodie

Light flooded in through my open curtains. I pulled the covers over my eyes to ease my headache. I heard a maid shuffling around, tying back the heavy curtains. My raw throat croaked as I groaned, "What time is it?"

Elaine's voice drifted through the duvet, "Almost noon."

I groaned again, not wanting to get up. I was already running late but who cares. I'm the queen for crying out loud. I can be late if I damn well pleased.

Rolling over I grimaced, rubbing my sore inner thighs. I sat up against my pillows, a dull but prominent pain forming deep in the pit of my stomach.

As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes Elaine asked, "Why are you smiling?"

My muscles were sore as I stretched, making me smile wider, "Nothing, Elaine."

I wondered if Erik felt as sore as I did. I wondered if he had done that before. If he had I'd like to find the woman he did that with. I could banish her. There are perks to being royalty.

Elaine laid out a robe for me, "Did you sleep well, Mélodie?"

I smiled dreamily and sighed, "I slept wonderfully."

That is, I slept wonderfully with Erik. We had made love again...and again...until he told me I should return. Ignoring my protests he had walked me back to the dark manor. He snuck us past the guards and to the balcony extending from my room. Making sure I was safe in the manor he kissed me once more before climbing down to the ground below. I saw his dark shadowy form make it outside the manor's walls just as the sun began to rise.

I had fallen asleep in my own bed, but it wasn't the same as sleeping in Erik's swan bed with his arms wrapped around me. I loved the tickle of his chest hair against my cheek as I listened to his steady heartbeat. Even that is musical.

I smiled again, remembering his request, "Marry me?"

"Mélodie?...Melodie?...Your Majesty?"

Elaine's voice snapped me out of my daydream. Blinking, I met her gray eyes, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was saying thank you. For last night that is. My husband and daughter really enjoyed themselves. And I haven't felt more beautiful in my whole life, thanks to the gown you gave me."

It took me a minute to understand what she was talking about. Realization slapping me in the face I exclaimed, "Oh yes! The Christmas Ball! Well I'm happy you all enjoyed yourselves! It was a pleasure to finally meet your family. And as for the dress it looked much better on you than it did on me."

She blushed just as the other maid with my breakfast tray came in. After last night's activities I am famished. She settled the tray on my lap and bowed before leaving the room. I am so sick of bowing. Everyone is going to get arthritis in their joints if they keep that up.

"Mélodie?" Taking a bite of toast I looked to Elaine who is walking over to me from the balcony doors, "This was on your balcony's railing."

I froze mid chew when I saw what was in her hands. Reaching my side of the bed she handed me my mysterious gift. I took the letter and the red rose, "Elaine, may I have a moment alone?"