Our Music Of The Night Sky (A short story dedicated to my friends - Shamine and Jasmine!)

Our Music of the Night Sky

The night sky above Paris never seemed to grow completely dark. The stars never dusted the sky with their true beauty, and the moon was never the most glorious light beaming out over the rooftops of Paris. The Opera Populaire outshone them all, making the darkest night into a splendid, glittering day, even into the early hours of the morning.

On this particular night, the Opera was even more dazzling than was customary. It was the farewell party for the former manager, as well as the welcoming party for the new manager and his lovely wife. The old manager, Monsieur Valentine, was retiring to the tropics after fifteen years in his role. The new manager, Monsieur Genesis and his wife, Madam Angelique, were new to the arts. They had earned a reputation in the medical field for their coronary research, but aged doctors and professors of medicine made for very dull company after a time. The Opera Populaire was the exact opposite of dull. It had divas, dramas, diamonds and wine, royal patrons, red carpets, sensational gossip, mysterious legends – even its very own resident ghost, if the little ballerinas were to be believed. Excitement was something the Opera had in abundance.

The farewell party was no exception – toasts, food, wine, dancing, more toasts, speeches from the leading artistes of Paris, speeches from the management, both old and new, then even more toasting. The celebration lasted until dawn, and everyone went to bed quite drunk. It was, in short, a party only the finest theater in Paris could throw – the dawning of a bright new era.

~If Music Be The Food Of Love, Play On~

                                    -Shakespeare, Twelfth Night:Act 1, Scene 1-

In the dark and deserted backstage area, a crack of faint light filtered into the narrow hallway from under the door of one dressing room in the performers' wing. The light was nothing more than a single lamp, and the room which passed for a dressing room was hardly more than a closet – one closet among many, given to the most insignificant cast members at the Opera. Along with the filtering rays of light, a soft sound could be heard from under the door – a gentle tenor voice singing a soothing melody.

Within the dressing room, the singer was bent over her wash basin, interrupting her singing each time she splashed water on her face. Strands of golden hair clung to her face damply until she brushed them away with a hand towel as she dried her face. Lilith, a simple chorus girl, had taken advantage of her lack of importance and escaped the party shortly after dinner. The noise and chaos of the crowd was tiring – thankfully, she would not be missed. Rather than waste the evening getting drunk and dancing, she vanished into her dressing room to freshen up. She also wanted some quiet time to practice – although she did not sing the more difficult solos, Lilith understudied for several of the other singers. Some she was assigned to as an understudy, but often she studied extra parts, just in case.

Tonight she was singing Don Giovanni. Lilith had no real hope to have an important role any time soon, so there was no need for her to be practicing Lá ci darem la mano, and yet…perhaps she simply liked the song. Even if she is a female.As she folded and put away the hand towel, her warm tenor voice expressively sang the famous romance.

"Give me thy hand, oh fairest, whisper a gentle 'Yes,'
Come, if for me thou carest, with joy my life to bless."

As she sang the words of the famous womanizer, Lilith loosened her blouse and ruffled her hair, shoving away the uncomfortable stiffness of the party. Finally, she sang the servant girl's lines in a sweet falsetto.

"I would, and yet I would not, I dare not give assent.
Alas! I know I should not; too late I may repent.
Ah! Too late I may repent."

Then she stopped, quite suddenly falling silent in the dressing room, tilting her head as though listening. Had that been an echo? A trick of sound that seemed to be another voice? Was she hearing things now? She could almost swear she heard the next line, "Come, dearest, let me guide thee," fading away in the silence.

Frowning, Lilith stepped to the door of her dressing room, opened it, and glanced around the deserted passage. Seeing no one, she returned inside and began to sing again. "Give me thy hand, oh fairest, whisper a gentle 'Yes…'" The echo suddenly came back, more audible than before, singing Giovanni along with her.

This time, Lilith did not merely examine the passage. She opened the door to the dressing room on the right of her own – it was dark within, but she brought her lamp and searched, making sure it was empty, then did the same in the dressing room on her left. She would have sworn the other voice was close – if not in the room with her, it had to be in the passage or just next door. Yet she found no one, and was eventually forced to return, empty-handed and puzzled. Almost laughing at her own silly fancies, Lilith sang, "Ah! Too late I may repent," again in the playfully high tones of the servant girl.

Instantly, she heard a deep voice follow with, "Come, dearest, let me guide thee." The tones were rich and deep, impossibly beautiful, and yet she did not recognize the singer at all – a strange thing, for Lilith was very familiar with all the lead male singers at the Opera.

Standing in the centre of her dressing room, bewildered, she followed with the servant girl's next line: "Maseto sure will chide me!" Her playful falsetto wavered uncertainly as she looked around the empty room.

The deep voice followed at once. "Danger shall ne'er come nigh thee…"

Gulping, Lilith remained silent, moving slowly to sit down. She did not follow with the next line; she merely waited. After a long pause, she heard the voice begin the song again, from the beginning. Softly, it seemed to drift into her dressing room from…she knew not where.

"Give me thy hand, oh fairest, whisper a gentle 'Yes,'
Come, if for me thou carest, with joy my life to bless."

Lilith strained to pinpoint the sound, but she could not. It seemed to be all around her, beside her, near and far at the same time – beautiful. Deep, sweet, and yearning – calling to her, tempting her to play along. Curious, Lilith took up the part of the servant girl again.

"I would, and yet I would not, I dare not give assent.
Alas! I know I should not; too late I may repent.
Ah! Too late I may repent."

At once, the voice followed her: "Come, dearest, let me guide thee."

Lilith did not miss her cue this time. "Maseto sure will chide me!"

The voice answered her, sounding for the entire world as tender as a lover. "Danger shall ne'er come nigh thee."

Completing the first verse, Lilith let her own voice take on some of the emotions of the hesitant servant girl. "Ah, that I could deny thee! Oh that I could, that I could deny thee!"

From there the voice led her through the repetitions of those first lines, the music of their harmony escalating as the cadences of the song carried them onward to the crescendo. The strange voice was no longer faint or distant as it sang the final lines, and Lilith listened in awe to the sound that seemed to fill her room without a source in sight.

"With thee, with thee my treasure!
This life is naught but pleasure.
My heart is fondly thine."

The music faded away, the voice vanishing as though it had never been, and Lilith realized that a certain sense of presence had gone as well. She had hardly noticed until it left, but as the unknown voice sang, she had felt almost as though another soul were with her in the tiny room.

Sagging back into her chair, Lilith relaxed – she had not realized until now that she had been tense from head to toe as she listened and sang together with the voice. Blinking as though waking from a trance, she glanced around the still-empty room. Mystified, she whispered to no one, "Who are you?"

The faintest echo seemed to sing again, answering from far away, "My heart is fondly thine."

~There's Beggary In Love That Can Be Reckoned~

                                  -Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra: Act 1, Scene 1-

The Opera Populaire's new season always captivated Paris with excitement. The first season under new management was even more highly anticipated than usual. The whole city was keen to see what sort of productions the Opera would offer under the guidance of Monsieur Genesis and Madam Angelique. The announcement of Faust garnered the most public delight, but Tristan und Isolde was almost as highly anticipated. Parisians loved a good tragic romance.

For Lilith, the new season meant her first solo. Having only ever been in the chorus, to receive a roll in Tristan und Isolde was a great honour. True, her part was only as Isolde’s maid and her solo merely amounted to a few lines in the first, second and third act – for the rest of the performance she would be in the chorus as usual – but it was still cause for celebration. And her childhood friend, Adam was delighted with the opportunity to plan a party for her.

"This is wonderful news!" He clapped his calloused hands in their smooth, white gloves. They were at a café close to the Opera, having tea. "Mother will be very pleased for you. She has always believed in your talent; at last you can begin to be recognized! I must write to Eve at once. I think she shall have a holiday from her studies soon. I am sure I can persuade her to return for a visit so that we can all be together for your party…"

Agreeing to the idea, Lilith let Adam chatter about plans for a bit as she listened with a fond smile. She and her little sister, Eve, had known Adam since they were all children – since Adam’s parents had taken them in as wards of their family. The Count and Countess de Cantarella had stepped in as gracious benefactors to the young orphaned Sinclair girls, and had supported Eve’s education and Lilith's training in the arts. Adam de Cantarella has been almost a brother to them both. Lilith had always felt that she could tell Adam anything. Today, when the conversation gave her an opportunity, she had something in particular she wanted to discuss with him.

"And while I was waiting for you in the foyer today, I met little Kairi, the ballerina, and she told me she had heard the chorus master comment to her mother that your singing was so much improved, of late, that he thought you really should have been given a larger part, only the managers thought it best to introduce you a bit more gradually. Is not that marvellous?" The handsome young Count radiated happiness and pride. "You shall surely become the leading tenor one day, I always believed it!"

Flushing slightly at all the praise, Lilith dared to confess, "I have been told I was improving, lately. I did not think it was quite that much, but… Actually," she glanced up at Adam, assuring herself that he was listening. "In the last month, since our new managers came, I have been…receiving some special instruction. From a new tutor."

Blue eyes lit up even further, delight mingled with a touch of surprise. "Oh! I did not know Mother was paying for additional lessons. Who is instructing you?"

“She is not…that is, I am still studying under the voice instructor she chose, but I have met someone else as well. Someone who wished to offer his guidance without accepting money. At least," her words trailed off into a murmur, not really speaking to Adam anymore, "I do not think he wants any money…"

A tiny, confused frown appeared on the Count immaculate brow. "Oh? How strange… Who is this teacher?"

"I…do not actually know," Lilith confessed. Her expression had become clouded with doubt. "I think you will not believe me but…but the truth is that I have never met him!" She blurted it out suddenly, leaning in and locking her eyes with her confused listener, seeking to wordlessly assure him of her honesty.

"Never met him?" The young man repeated. "How can that be?"

"You will laugh at me, and think I am telling you a false story…" Lilith shook her head, fidgeting a bit with her teacup.

"I will do no such thing, unless you are telling a tale," the man declared. "But if you swear your word is true, I will believe whatever you tell me. I have never known you to lie, dear Lilith."

His sincerity calmed her fears, and Lilith nodded gravely. "I swear I am not lying. This teacher… I hardly know how to begin!" She half-laughed at herself, at her own difficulty in finding words. "A month ago, when I was practicing alone in my dressing room, I heard a voice singing along with me. I did not recognize it, and try as I might I could not find the singer, though I searched the surrounding rooms. Since then, I have heard the voice often, always when no one else is about. He only sang at first, but then he began to speak to me a little, and he offered occasional advice for my singing. Soon, his advice became proper voice lessons, and I could only obey his instruction. His guidance seemed to bring more out of my voice than I had ever suspected I possessed. It is…difficult to describe how he has taught me, how much he has shown me of music…"

Deep blue eyes remained steadily focused on Lilith's face, listening. "And you say you have never seen him? Even now?"

"I have looked for him over and over," Lilith promised, "and I can find no one. The voice is always simply there, in my dressing room with me. No matter where I search, the voice becomes faint and soon vanishes once I leave the room. I cannot find him."

"How very eerie…" Adam murmured. When Lilith did not answer at once, he glanced at her again. 

"Don't you think so? Is not it frightening?"

"I…" She struggled for words to help him understand better. "I might have thought so, yet…the voice is so beautiful, Adam. You can never imagine such a deep and strong, yet gentle voice. And his instruction is so kind…" She glanced down into her teacup. "I confess, at first I was a bit uncertain…until he spoke to me. Speaking to him is like…like speaking to an angel. A kind guardian angel who teaches me how to sing the melodies of Heaven itself."

"Like the Angel of Music? From the stories you told me, the ones your parents once told you and Eve?" The Count smiled at her, yet Lilith understood he was not taking her story as amusing. He seemed to believe her entirely, and once Lilith denied feeling any fear, his expression had changed from worry to happiness for her.

Returning his smile, Lilith nodded. "Very like him, I think. I always thought it was merely a story, yet…of late, I have begun to think the Angel of Music is real, and visiting me in my dressing room."

"Well," Adam shook his head with a smile, "I can hardly tell you otherwise. If that is what you believe, Lilith, then I can only say, thank Heaven for your Angel! And let us hope he continues to visit you and inspire your voice." His kind eyes sparkled at her affectionately. Lilith understood his sincere wish for her happiness and success, and though the conversation turned back to more mundane matters after that, she still remembered his support as they parted, and thanked him for it silently with a gentle kiss on his cheek. It was good to have a confidant such as him – someone to whom she could tell almost everything and still trust that he would not change toward her.

Yet there was one small part of her story which Lilith could not confide, not even to Adam. She had barely begun to admit it to herself. When that mysterious voice visited her in her dressing room, Lilith could not account for the way her heart raced in her chest, or the warm flush of pleasure that tingled all over her skin, or the painful ache of yearning she felt when the voice left her alone again. What could she do? Although the signs were plain enough, she did not even know if the object of her thoughts was human. How could she ever tell such a thing?

~"Let the world stop turning, Let the sun stop burning, Let them tell me love's not worth going through. If it all falls apart, I will know deep in my heart, The only dream that mattered had come true ...In this life I was loved by you."~ 

-Bette Midler (1945~) American Singer. Entertainer, Actor-

The Opera was in chaos. The chorus master was swooning, the managers were in a panic, Julio Duarte Armendari’z , was throwing a tantrum, the ballerinas were chattering excitedly, the stage hands were gawking at the mess and enjoying every minute, and the diva, la Roxela  had stormed out – causing the ruckus and taking herself out of it in one fell swoop.

The Opera's leading tenor had been handed a note by a ballerina just before the start of the dress rehearsal for Tristan und Isolde. The girl could not say who had given her the note, as she had not been paying attention, but it turned out to be a letter, written in Julio's hand, to an unnamed lover. 

One would have thought that the letter was meant for Roxela anyway, except for a few subtle lines toward the end which clearly referred to the star tenor in somewhat deprecating terms, urging the recipient to keep their affair hidden from his co-star.

Roxela had instantly made the brilliant, obvious deduction that her somewhat-secret lover, Julio, was seeing an even more secret lover behind her back. She had confronted him at once, on the centre of the main stage, with a long string of scathing curses and accusations in their native Spanish. Julio had screamed back, evidently infuriated at being accused and the few members of their audience who understood a bit of Spanish had excitedly offered impromptu, patchy subtitling to the rest of the audience. As such, the details of who had wronged whom and how was a bit muddled, but the expletives came through loud and clear.

The curtain fell on this sudden drama when Roxela switched back to French and announced to everyone that she refused to sing, as she was disgusted to "play the lover" to such a promiscuous… More Spanish cursing followed, but nearly everyone understood enough of that language to know the word "bastard" when they heard it. Then, the diva left the stage and the Opera, and the theater fell into a panic.

Tristan und Isolde opened in six hours, and no longer had an Isolde.

The managers, knowing very little about opera, immediately began screaming at the chorus master to bring out the understudy. The chorus master screamed back that Roxela could not be understudied and no one else could sing it. Monsieur Genesis grabbed the actor playing Steersman, claiming that he sounded "well enough" – couldn't he do it? The chorus master wept tears of fury and frustration, grinding his teeth and explaining that Steersman was a baritone, not a soprano, and he could never sing the tenor's part in… A long list of specific scenes and lines followed, the chorus master's voice climbing to the very heights of insanity as he ranted.

Madam Angelique cut him off before he could have an apoplectic fit, pointing to the other male actors onstage. At first, she mistakenly suggested King Marke, causing the chorus master's eyes to bug nearly from their sockets – for that part was for a bass, and Vincent's range was so far from tenor that the suggestion nearly killed the chorus master. But then Angelique, seeing her error, quickly pointed to a few of the smaller parts – the "young sailor," and the "maid."

The young sailor immediately panicked and cried out that he knew almost none of Isolde's part, even if he had a slightly feminine voice, and he began weeping and wailing about the horror of having Isolde singing from cue cards on opening night. He made such a fuss that no one pressed the matter further, and the maid was forgotten along with the sailor. Had there not been a quiet tug to the chorus master's sleeve, the situation might have truly ended in disaster for the Opera.

But the tug caught a tiny corner of the chorus master's attention, and a quiet, straightforward voice spoke in his ear, "Your maid, Lilith, knows the part quite well, actually. I have heard her singing it to perfection with my own ears. Have her sing it for you."

The chorus master turned with a frown, wondering who was speaking. His frown only deepened when he saw the old lady, Madame Jasmine, who was in charge of the little ballerinas and who kept them from mischief within the Opera house. "Madame, what are you saying? She is a chorus singer. I have heard her voice; it is not powerful enough for Isolde."

"What? Whose voice? What are you speaking of, there?" Monsieur Genesis, looking rather wild-eyed, interrupted them.

The chorus master sighed, running two hands through his frazzled gray hair. "This lady claims that Lilith – the maid you see there – knows the part, but I simply do not think…"

"Lilith!" Angelique cut him off again, calling to the stage. "Which is Lilith? You?Step forward, girl, and sing a bit of Isolde for us. Yes, step up, step up, and sing something! Now!"

Wide-eyed and bewildered, Lilith was creeping forward onstage. Julio took one look at her and wailed, falling into a dramatic swoon. The other performers snickered or stared. Lilith looked blankly at the chorus master, who sighed in resignation. "Act Two, scene two if you please then, Lilith. Start from the fifth movement." To the orchestra he added, "Page seventy-three."

The music began, the tenor who had been blessed to be cast as a mere maid opened her mouth, and she sang, “Is your beloved keeps it, in her own house, so did my love once, defiantly foster it, in his heart, bright and devious:
Tristan, he that betrayed me! Was it not day that made him false, when he came to Ireland, as a suitor to court me for king Marke to dedicate loyalty to death...”

The chattering house fell quiet as the solo continued. The chorus master nearly forgot to continue conducting – complete surprise painted his face. This was not the voice he remembered the chorus girl singing with before. Julio woke suddenly from his swoon and sat up, listening with a sharp frown. The managers watched with intense concentration on their faces, struggling to determine if the girl's voice was good enough or not – to their ears, it sounded fine, but then, they were both still a little unsure as to the difference between a baritone and a tenor.

At the end of the piece, the chorus master immediately called Julio up, if he was quite well, to sing one of the duets with Lilith. He needed to assure himself that his voice would not overpower the former maid's. Surprisingly, it did not – Lilith held her own, with remarkable strength, and her voice matched perfectly with the man’s – an even more shocking development for those who understood opera. That she could sing la Roxela's part was one thing, but that she could sing opposite Julio – that was truly wondrous.

The music ended and the house was silent – all breaths were held, all eyes suddenly turned to the managers. Monsieur Genesis took a quick look at the chorus master,then commanded loudly, "Get her in the costume!"

Chattering and frenzy resumed as the Opera sprang to life again – there were quite a few last-minute adjustments to be made. Isolde was suddenly half her former height, shorter than her Tristan.

~"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."~ 

-Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180AD) Roman Emperor, Philosopher-

The moment the curtain closed on the opening of Tristanund Isolde – already being hailed by all present as the Opera's latest triumph, the season's most spectacular "must-see" – Lilith was swarmed with congratulations. Her performance had been, according to everyone, flawless, brilliant, magnificent, et cetera. A gentlemanly clad young man embrace herinto his arms, and it took Lilith a moment to realize that it was Adam, decked out suavely to attend her first solo performance, and chattering nonstop in his excitement, wanting to know everything – how had she come to getIsolde, not the maid, and why hadn't he ever heard her sing so wonderfully?

Exhausted, Lilith tried to answer him briefly and return his embrace at the same time, still thanking those who offered congratulations over the young man's head, but her first thought and wish was to sit down and take her shoes off. She had been forced into some ill-fitting shoes that had extra slim heels, lending her a few more inches of height. Julio, for his part, had been made to exchange his usual soles for flat slippers, and Lilith had barely managed to stand level with him.

By now, her feet were hurting rather badly, but she endured it a while longer, particularly as Adam had rushed backstage to congratulate her. His exuberance was overwhelming to the already-exhausted songstress, but she could not keep from smiling at him – of all the words of praise being rained on her suddenly, his dear friend's meant the most.

Fortunately, Adam could see how tired she was. After securing a promise to meet for tea and tell him the whole story, he bid her goodnight. The other performers and theater employees were already beginning to celebrate the success, bottles of wine appearing from hidden stashes. Lilith took the opportunity to slip away from the crowd, limping on sore feet to her dressing room.

Lilith lit a lamp and immediately sank into her chair, sighing as she finally wrenched the miserable shoes off. She was weak with exhaustion, but breathless with lingering adrenaline from the final curtain call. She could not quite sit still. Rising to her aching feet, she went to the washbasin and splashed her face with cool water, cleansing away much of her stage makeup and running dripping hands through her long hair. As she finished, she suddenly paused, standing straighter and listening. Was that an echo in her mind, replaying the just-finished performance? She seemed to hear a soft melody and a yearning voice calling to her, "Let us in untroubled bliss share the Night…"

"Master?" She whispered in the dimly-lit room, waiting with bated breath.

For answer, the singing grew closer, clearer. Isolde's lines resonated beautifully, yet not in a crystalline soprano – instead a deep, murmuring voice sang, "Extinguish the light's last glimmer! That it may fall completely, give Night its signal!"

Eyes falling on the single lamp in her room, Lilith remembered the play. Isolde sang those lines as she waited for Tristan, and she doused the light as a signal to her lover. Then Tristan could come to her, and the lovers could meet in secret… Heart racing and hand trembling on the key, Lilith turned the wick down in the lantern until the flame died. The room was plunged into such total darkness that she could see nothing, yet she was not afraid. Sore feet forgotten, she waited breathlessly, wondering if now, at last, she was going to meet her mysterious tutor and discover his identity. Would an angel truly appear to her? Or would it be someone else? Someone who could answer this longing in her heart…?

She waited, eyes straining in the darkness, seeing nothing but hearing the music continue as the voice sang to her, growing closer and louder. "Do you not know the Love Spirit, not know her magic's power? The Queen of boldest courage, Regent of the world's course? Love and Death are subject to her, she weaves them out of bliss and sorrow, transmuting envy into love." On the final words, Lilith sensed a presence within the room. She blinked into the darkness, seeking the source of the voice but still unable to see anything.

The singing ended, but the presence lingered, and without thinking, Lilith reached out blindly. 

"Master? Where…?"

A tender murmur answered her from within the walls of her dressing room. "I am pleased, my child. Your performance has done justice to my lessons. Now…" Lilith' heart leap in her bosom as her outstretched fingers were gently brushed. "…Come."

The light touch was solid and warm – fingers wrapping around her own, clasping her hand in a larger one. He is real. Lilith trembled slightly, realizing that her teacher was no angel or spirit, but a physical being…whom she still could not see. A slight tug drew her forward, one hesitating step in the blackness of the room, and Lilith felt lightheaded and dizzy with sudden apprehension. Who is he? And where will he take me if I follow?

Almost as if sensing her distress, the voice began to sing. The tune was soothing and low, not an opera but a lullaby – an old tune Lilith remembered from her childhood, a sweet melody her beloved mother used to sing. Her tension eased as the voice sang to her, her body obeying the gentle pull and stepping forward, following the singer in the darkness, forgetting her unease. The voice…he is real. A living man… For the first time, hope flickered to life in her heart.

Like walking in a dream, Lilith let the voice lead her onward. Soon, she felt vaguely aware that she should be walking into the wall of her dressing room – yet her steps continued, following the gentle leading of the singer, and Lilith felt the air around her change, becoming cooler. The space around her shifted too, altering the quality of the voice and the way the music sounded. She felt as though they passed into a place that was quite narrow, at first, but then the air opened out and the voice began to echo off of far-distant walls. The ground slanted downward beneath her feet, and Lilith felt her other hand lifted as well, steadying her and guiding her onward.

Time seemed to fade from her awareness. Though she should have been keenly attentive to every detail of this strange journey, Lilith found herself slipping into a trance as she listened to the soft, soothing melody, sung by the familiar yet unknown voice – the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. It seemed that she could scarcely spare a thought for anything other than listening, enchanted by music, and she forgot time and everything else as her guide charmed her heart and soul with just a simple yet beautiful song.

Afterward, she could remember very little. Descending for a long time…a pause, then being led to sit down.A rocking motion and the sound of water lapping nearby, like being in a boat.Then walking again, upward now…softness. Lying down, suddenly weary to the bone, and being covered in blissful warmth. A hand stroking her hair with soothing tenderness, over and over, and the voice was still singing as Lilith fell asleep, the lullaby following her into her dreams.

~"Love: A temporary insanity, curable by marriage. [The Devil's Dictionary]"~ 

-Ambrose Bierce (1842-1913) American Author, Editor, Journalist-

When Lilith woke, she opened her eyes to the soft, radiant light of countless candles. She glanced around, taking in the sight of a luxurious bedroom from her perch on a massive four-poster bed, draped with a majestic red velvet canopy. The room was empty, and Lilith’s heart felt a pang of regret that the voice was not here to meet her.

She rose daintily and walked to the only door she saw, gingerly touched the handle, and opened it a crack, peeking out before opening the door any wider. An even brighter room lay before her – an ornate but inviting room that seemed to be both a sitting room and a music studio at once. Various musical instruments were scattered about, along with soft, comfortable-looking chairs and settees. Stands for sheet music were placed out of the paths of travel, with stacks of papers waiting on them. Food waited on a sideboard – a modest yet pleasant meal.

Venturing into the room, Lilith found all these things standing ready, as if silently waiting just for her. Strangely, however, there were no other doors – the only door she could find joined this room and the bedroom. The walls, too, had no windows, no view to the outside. On the sideboard, she found a note in an elegant, cursive hand:

"Dearest Lilith, Do not be afraid. Everything is for you. You cannot see me yet, but be assured that I am near, watching over you. Your Faithful Servant, the Opera Ghost"

This signature puzzled her more than anything else. Until now, Lilith had never thought herself haunted by the rumored Opera Ghost – to be sure, she knew of the story, but she had never given it any thought, and so had not connected it with her unseen tutor. If she recalled, it was some morbid and tragic tale often repeated to the little ballerinas, as a warning to behave themselves within the Opera and not touch what they shouldn't or go where they shouldn't.

According to the story, sometime fifteen years ago a fire had broken out in some of the backstage sections of the Opera – no doubt due to a careless hand knocking over a lantern somewhere. The fire had been stopped before it had grown too large, yet it still devoured a substantial section behind and below the stage. The ghost was said to have been a little boy who worked backstage, most often opening and closing the curtain. He became trapped in the fire and could not be reached by rescuers in time. He was last seen desperately trying to escape when several large, burning beams fell from the ceiling and apparently crushed him – his screams echoed to the high, vaulted ceiling of the Opera, but the heat was too intense, and no one could get close enough to save him. The intense heat was later given as the reason that nobody was ever found, and the boy became an Opera legend – his tortured spirit was said to wander through the theatre, sobbing in pain as though his flesh were still being burned away from his bones.

What does a child ghost want with me? Why should he provide all this for my comfort and entertainment? Why even bring me here in the first place? Lilith ate her provided meal in thoughtful silence. An Angel of Music would have made more sense to her, though the house where she now found herself and her reason for being here would still be difficult to explain… Yet Lilith felt no fear, even at the mention of the eerie ghost. The voice which had brought her here was no child's voice, and the hands which had touched her own were not ethereal or cold as death. Their warmth had been real, and her heart did not want to abandon the hope which that warmth had given her.

Lilith wanted very much to know where she was and why, but she felt that she would not understand until she met her host and if so, there was nothing for her to do but wait. And, perhaps, explore the gifts that had been left, apparently for her diversion.

With no way to track the time, Lilith could not tell how long she spent in that room. She played some music on the instruments she was familiar with, and she experimented with the instruments she had never learned the use of. She sang to her own accompaniment, and out of long habit found herself practicing her roles – particularly Isolde.

After a while, she felt weary again and decided to lie down and rest. Her host had still not appeared to her, so Lilith returned to the bedroom. The candles had either burned down or somehow been extinguished, and it was very dark in that room. She peered inside nervously, letting the light from the music room illuminate the shadows within. No one was there – naturally. Feeling a bit foolish over her fears, Lilith went inside. However, she could not quite bring himself to close the door and plunge the bedroom into total darkness, so she lay down with the light from the music room shining in, easing her worries and allowing her to slip into a light doze.

~The Course Of True Love Never Did Run Smooth~

                                           -Shakespeare, A Midsummer's Night's Dream: Act1, Scene 2- 

In her dreams, she relived some of the shining performance. She was Isolde, and the stage lights were bright on her as she sang her part, hardly aware of the other performers and seeing nothing but darkness out in the theatre, beyond the stage. But then, somehow, it seemed that she was no longer alone –There were new lines carried by another voice, a deeper one that came from the darkness, as Lilith played the audience, standing alone on the stage.

"Day! Day!
Which shimmered round about you,
to there where she
seemed like the sun
in highest honour’s
radiant glow,
Isolde withdrew from me!
That which so
delighted my eye
made my heart sink
to the depths of the earth:
in the bright light of Day
how could Isolde be mine?"

The voice shifted, seeming nearer – the darkness of the house mingled with the light on stage, and Lilith stood in a dim twilight, listening to the voice take Tristan’s part and calling to her…

"I wished to flee
into Night,
to take you with me,
where my heart would bid me
end all deception,
where the vain premonition
of treachery might be dispelled,
there to pledge to you
eternal love,
to consecrate you to Death
in company with myself."

A shadow hovered on the edge of Lilith’s vision, but Lilith could not seem to turn and look properly at it, try as she might. Instead, she found herself taking Tristan’s part, answering the song with her own. She sang with an almost dreamy, wondering voice, and as she did the shadow seemed to draw closer.

"Amid the vain fancy of Day
he still harbours one desire:
the yearning
for sacred Night
where, all-eternal,
true alone,
love's bliss smiles on him."

On her final words, darkness seemed to wrap itself around her, along with the beautiful voice which continued singing…and Lilith opened her eyes suddenly. She blinked rapidly, but saw nothing – there was only darkness to see. Darkness…and the voice.

The voice was there, in the room with her, singing Tristan's part again – so softly that the opera could have been a lullaby. There was infinite tenderness in the sweet music, and Lilith held her breath and listened.

"Thus might we die,
that together,
ever one,
without end,
never waking,
never fearing,
namelessly
enveloped in love,
given up to each other,
to live only for love."

Lilith felt a light touch brush through her hair on the final line, and she tensed, drawing in a sudden breath, eyes wide and searching the nothingness before her. Her skin tingled all over with anticipation…but the voice stopped singing, the touch withdrew, and after pause, she heard a whisper in the silence.

"You are awake?" Heart racing, she could not quite bring herself to answer. "I apologize for disturbing you," the voice spoke again, and Lilith knew it to be the voice of her tutor. He sounded very near – beside the bed, if not perhaps on the bed with her.

Swallowing a few times, Lilith finally made her dry throat work. "Master?"

A faint sigh. "Yes, dearest Lilith. Do not fear. You are simply a guest in your tutor's home, tonight. Here, we can become better acquainted. I assure you, you are safe. No harm will come to you."

The words meant to allay her fears were unnecessary. Wistfully, Lilith murmured her more pressing desires, "I cannot see you…" she blinked blindly into the darkness, still trying to find the face of the man she adored.

"No," her tutor answered, a slight smile in his voice, and the gentle touch returned, brushing in Lilith’s luscious hair and smoothing over her brow and down one cheek. "Your eyes know the light of day, my dear one. But I can see you, and I will protect you even in the deepest night."

Tentatively, Lilith reached up and placed her own hand over the one that lingered on her face. She could feel the solid shape – large and bony, but warm and quite human. The pounding of her heart quickened again. "Can…can you not light a candle? I have wondered for so long if you were even real…I long to see your face and know who you are."

The deep voice lost the smile. "Alas, child, you may know me, but you must never see my face. Let that be enough for you."

Clinging to the hand which still touched her cheek, Lilith answered at once, "It is enough, Master, I will be content, but…" She turned her head, causing the fingertips of the man's hand to brush across her lips. "…I beg you, tell me your name. Tell me what you want of me, that you have brought me…here, wherever this is."

Silence rang in her ears for a long moment before the voice answered simply, "Lucifer. My name…is Lucifer."

Lucifer? Lilith caught her breath, recognition making her heart skip a beat. "I…knew one called Lucifer, once…" She hardly dared say more or voice her memory, for fear it was wrong.

"When you were a little girl, lost in the cellars of the Opera, perhaps?" There was a note of sweet hopefulness in the question.

"Yes…" The memory, so long forgotten, came flooding into her mind. She had never connected that incident, years ago, with the angelic voice who had begun to visit her lately. She had been a child taking voice lessons at the Opera, courtesy of her new guardians, and she'd wandered off to explore. "I was crying beside some big crates because I could not find the way out…and it only became darker the further I wandered…and then a cloaked figure appeared and spoke to me…"

"Why are you crying?" The voice in the darkness – Lucifer's voice – spoke on cue, just as Lilith remembered.

"Yes, that is right…"

"And you said…"

"I'm lost and cold and my legs hurt and I'm hungry and the rats will eat me up." Lilith breathed a faint laugh at the end, amused by the memory of her silly childhood fears. "You were wearing a cloak with a hood…and a scarf or something tied around your face…"

"And you forgot your fears almost as soon as you told me of them, and pointed and asked if I was a gypsy…"

"I had seen the dress rehearsal for Carmen that day," Lilith chuckled fondly.

A shift on the bed that felt like Lucifer moving closer…and Lilith could just barely feel warm breath on her face, now, when the voice in the darkness spoke. "I told you no…told you my name…"

In a soft voice, she finished for them both, "And you played with me, and drove the shadows away, and then carried me back through the maze and left me in a backstage hallway, pointing me toward my voice class. You patted my head and…disappeared. And no one could ever tell me who 'the man in the cape' was. Small wonder," she added with an ironic smile.

Lucifer's voice drew closer still, so filled with tenderness. "I watched over you always, after that. Whenever you came to the Opera…I half wished you would wander off again, but you did not. I always wondered if you thought of me at all."

"I did," Lilith admitted, "but…time made me forgetful, soon enough. Yet you came to me again, and you have helped me again. You are…my savior. Speaking with you now makes me so happy…I do not want you to slip away from me again." Her voice dropped to a breathy whisper, her heart growing bold as she dared to ask, "Please…tell me I am yours."

A faint moan in the darkness, a soft rustle of fabric and shifting of weight on the bed…and then a second hand joined the one she held, framing her face with a touch that trembled. "Oh my jewel, my treasure, that is all I want. I brought you here for only that purpose, if you are willing. I…I…" The hands shook harder, and Lilith placed her free hand over the second, cradling them both as they cupped his face. His tutor gathered himself, steadying his voice. "For so long I told myself I should not reach for you – a creature of the light was too dazzling for one such as I to touch. Yet your voice called to me, and I thought perhaps…perhaps for music you might leave the world behind. I offer you a paradise of music which you cannot yet fathom – beauty unlike anything you have ever heard. And…and I myself will be yours for eternity, if you will only choose me and forsake the light of day."

Forsake the light of day? Lilith drew in a long breath. Does he wish me to stay here, in these two windowless rooms, forever? Her mind shrank a bit from the prospect of such a solitary life. To give up her career on the stage, when she had only just begun to gain recognition… And what of her friendships, her family? Would she be able to see them again? "Why should you not return with me, instead? You have such a beautiful voice…surely the Opera is a better place for us to share our love of music?"

A pause, then… "No. I cannot go; you must stay here."

Lilith bit her lip, confused by the curt answer. Hesitantly, she ventured, "You say you watched over me, so you must be no stranger to the Opera house. Why must you now stay away?"

The pause that followed this was longer, the touch on Lilith’s face drawing back slightly. She tightened his grasp, not letting Lucifer pull away. Finally, the beautiful voice answered with unusual roughness, "We are not 'away' at all, child. We are merely far underground. The Opera is above us, and I have been there often enough, but I cannot be seen by those who walk in the daylight. You will stay here, with me." The voice gentled again, becoming tentative. "A week…you will stay with me that long. After a week's time, you may choose to return to the world above and hear from me no more…or you may stay forever."

The hands Lilith still held were pulled away. The nearby presence left the bed, and without another sound Lucifer was gone, leaving Lilith to stare sightlessly into the dark after him.

~Love Goes By haps; Some Cupids Kills With Arrows, Some With Traps~

-Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing: Act 3, Scene 2-

All the following day – or what passed for a "day" in this place, for Lilith had no way to count the time – her host did not return. There was food in the same place, and Lilith ate. The music room held the same pastimes for her – and the same emptiness. The time dragged slowly. Music was Lilith’s passion, of course, but it was no companion. Left to herself, Lilith could not seem to fully immerse her thoughts in the songs she sang, and worries plagued her mind. She thought of the Opera, of her family and her future as a performer – and she wondered at the idea of exchanging all that for this little corner, this life of seclusion somewhere deep within the earth, and the mysterious but fascinating musician who had brought her here.

Through her hours alone, Lilith found herself aching for Lucifer over and over…even if she could bring a little more than the man's voice and warmth to mind. Her memory from childhood was of a man shrouded in a cloak and scarf, and only two brilliant, piercing blood eyes showed from beneath the fabric. She could imagine those eyes…watching her in the darkness that had surrounded them both the night before… Lilith shivered. Let him talk of staying here forever…I will not mind, so long as he comes back to me and speaks with me again!

 Occasionally, Lilith would suddenly stop playing or singing and fall still, holding her breath. As if from far away, she was almost certain he could hear music – and the more she listened, the more she felt that this music was unlike anything she had ever known before. The distant strains were so painfully beautiful – she felt that if she could fully hear this music surrounding her, she would helplessly listen in ecstasy, forgetting all time. The music was heavenly. If she could hear it clearly and have Lucifer's company…Perhaps these two rooms would no longer feel small.

After bearing several weary hours alone, Lilith decided to rest. It was probably too early, for she did not feel sleepy yet. Still, she could not ignore her hope that Lucifer would return as before – while she slept. Thinking to hasten such a meeting, she entered the bedroom and shut the door behind herself. She had to fumble blindly for the bed, arms outstretched in the darkness. Finding it, Lilith lay down atop the blankets. Staring into the darkness above her, she fidgeted impatiently. He will come, won't he? If he intends to keep me for a week, surely he must want my company for at least part of that time. Why else would he bring me here at all?

As impatient as Lilith felt, however, she told herself that in this place, the darkness around her did not mean night had fallen. There might be hours left before she could expect a visit. A line from Tristan came to mind – "Descend O night of love" indeed. If only…

In the dark bedroom, with nothing to do but wait, Lilith began to softly sing the duet from the second act.

"Descend,
O Night of love,
grant oblivion
that I may live;
take me up
into your bosom,
release me from
the world!"

Falling silent, Lilith listened, holding her breath. For a moment, she thought she had heard a familiar voice joining her, taking Isolde's part in the duet. The deeper tones of the male voice harmonized perfectly with her own – so perfectly that she was not even sure, at first, if someone else was singing. 

However, even as Lilith paused to listen, the other voice drew clearer, closer, continuing the duet alone.

"O eternal Night,
sweet Night!
Gloriously sublime
Night of love!"

Heart racing, Lilith sat up in bed. He is coming to me! He really is! Raising her voice together with Lucifer's, she let the music entwine them both, drawing them closer as Lilith welcomed her long-adored tutor and long-lost rescuer.

"How our hearts
are borne aloft!
How all our senses
pulsate with bliss!
Longing devotion's
burgeoning blossoms,
yearning love's
blessed glow!
My breast bursting
with exultant delight!
Isolde! Tristan!
Broken free of the world,
won for me!
You my only awareness,
utmost rapture of love!"

The voice was in the room with her, and as the duet finished, Lilith felt the bed shift under another's weight. Instinctively, she leaned toward the presence approaching her. Warm arms enveloped her all at once, but Lilith did not flinch away. Resting her head against Lucifer's shoulder, she sang the final lines, listening to her tutor's voice resonating deeply in his chest.

When the final lines of music died away to silence, Lilith sighed. There was so much she wanted to say – admiration for Lucifer's music, uncertainty over the idea of staying forever, yearning to do just that…to stay with him and share their love of music. If she could only see Lucifer, perhaps she could find the words… Perhaps I could tell him what is in my heart.The aching, sweetly painful feeling of desire that made her wish to forget reason and sense and just give herself away…to Lucifer.

A cautious hand brushed her cheek, cupping her face softly, and Lilith leaned into the touch, closing her eyes – it made no difference if she kept them open, as she could see nothing, yet closing them still felt like a sweet surrender. The arms around her clutched tighter, and Lilith could feel the pounding of the other man's heart. She found all her words dying away to nothing, and instead of speaking her thoughts, she simply reached upward, blindly trusting…and her parted lips immediately met the warm pressure of a kiss. A kiss that had been waiting for her to begin.

All her desires suddenly found their answer in the simple touch, and Lilith pressed eagerly into the kiss, her hands clutching at fabric – probably Lucifer's shirt front. A soft sound like a sob broke from the other man, but Lilith caught the sound with his lips and silenced it, filling the contact with her joy, instead. Her hands slipped upward, wishing to touch Lucifer in return, but before she could feel warm skin, Lucifer broke away from their kiss with a gasp. Two hands grasped Lilith’s fragile wrists and moved them back down. "No…" The whisper sounded strained in the darkness. Confused, Lilith let her hands be guided to his tutor's ribs. "Like this…" Lucifer breathed, and then Lilith forgot the momentary interruption as burning lips kissed her again.

Opening her mouth to the kiss, Lilith moaned softly. Large hands lovingly caressed her face, and she let her own arms wrap around Lucifer's body, drawing him closer. Lilith shivered at the eager caresses of Lucifer's lips – a strong contrast to the hesitating, almost fearful touch of his tongue as it slipped carefully just within her mouth. Surprised by the man's lack of confidence, Lilith smiled slightly into the kiss…and plunged her tongue into the other man's mouth, ravishing them both with pleasure and showing Lucifer how to truly kiss the way Lilith wanted to.

Surprised gasps and helpless moans welcomed her advance, and Lucifer returned the heat Lilith gave him. Lilith abandoned herself to Lucifer's kisses, to the passionate joining of their mouths. A deep groan vibrated from Lucifer's chest, and the next moment Lilith found herself pushed onto her back and pressed down into the bed by the heavy weight of the other man on top of her. Her heart beat so hard and so fast Lilith thought it would break, and she arched into Lucifer, her hands beginning to roam over the man's back as she kissed him desperately. Heat spread through her body – an unfamiliar sensation, but one Lilith welcomed without a moment's doubt. She had never been so willing in all her life – she did not know what would happen, but her heart and body were screaming for it.

Arching upward, Lilith gasped as her hips met Lucifer's – and she felt her whole body shudder from the slight friction. She had touched an unexpected firmness – it made her realize that her own body was in the same condition – but before she could move again and explore more of that deliciously thrilling sensation…Lucifer drew back, breaking the kiss.

"No…no, not yet. Not tonight, my dear little minx." The words were gasped as Lucifer moved, shifting off Lilith and settling beside her. Lilith could hear the sounds of heavy breathing – from both of them.

"Why…?" Unashamed of her desires, Lilith made no attempt to conceal the disappointment and yearning in her voice. "Please, Lucifer. I…I love you." Emotion made her voice tremble on those words, yet they were true and sincere.

Another sound like a sob came from the darkness, and a worshipful touch traced over her delicate features. "Oh, Lilith…oh most dear, most precious, my…my love…" A soft, warm kiss pressed to her wet and swollen lips. Lilith hungrily met the touch, but before passion could sweep them both away again, Lucifer drew back, breaking the kiss while it was still chaste and sweet. "My love, my love…" The whisper in the darkness was repeated over and over as hands caressed Lilith’s face. Aching to respond, Lilith reached for the other man, but found her hands once more caught before they could touch.

"Lucifer…" Confused and saddened, she let Lucifer stop her. Her own desires would be meaningless if Lucifer did not share them…yet Lilith so desperately wanted Lucifer to share them, and she did not understand…

The man's hands moved to clasp together with her own rather than restrain them. "I know, love. I am not rejecting you. I have loved you since before you were capable of loving me." Their hands came to rest on Lilith’s chest, and Lucifer left one of his hands clasped in both of Lilith’s while the other returned to her face and soon was stroking through her hair.

Squeezing the hand she held, Lilith whispered, "Then…why?"

"Time, my love. You have only known me for who I am since yesterday. Let us learn more of each other first; we have as much time as we need. Nothing need be done rashly or in haste." A soft kiss pressed the bridge of Lilith’s nose and she closed his eyes again, simply feel.

"Will you stay with me, then?" she murmured. "Not just here, in the darkness, but in the light as well? Will you talk with me, and sing with me, and let me come to know you better?"

"I had not intended…"

Squeezing Lucifer's hand gently, Lilith interrupted. "Please…"

With a moan, Lucifer pressed more kisses to her face – her cheeks, eyes, brow…lips. "If you ask it of me, I will find a way. I simply cannot refuse such a sweet request."

Leaning up, Lilith met the lips brushing her own, pressing deeper into the kiss. "Thank you." Her eyes drifted open a moment – she still could not see, but she could guess where those ruby jewel eyes were. Perhaps, after all this time, I will finally see them again when I wake.

Comforted by this sweet hope and the other man's closeness and gentle hands brushing through her hair, Lilith drifted off to sleep.

~"How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?"~ 

-Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-born American Physicist-

Lilith woke to candlelight…and an empty room. For a moment, she still held on to hope – until she found the music room empty as well. Her heart sank at the discovery – she had felt certain Lucifer would be with her when she opened her eyes.

Ignoring the food, she poked spiritlessly at the keys of the pipe organ that stood against the far wall. Her voice lifted only the loneliest strains as she sang folk songs about broken promises.

Between songs, Lilith paused and listened to the silence for a moment…and jumped suddenly and spun on the organ's bench when she heard a voice behind her.

"I do apologize for being late…but I think betrayal is a harsh verdict on a man who was simply detained…"

"Lucifer!" She cried the name excitedly as she turned, but then froze. Her smile of welcome faltered, surprise and confusion clouding her face. The tall, black-cloaked figure who stood by the door to the bedroom was Lucifer – she knew by the man's voice, and there…if she looked closely, the brilliant red eyes were watching her, the same as she remembered. No…far more bright and deep than I remembered. Yet the first thing to catch her attention was not Lucifer's eyes – but the mask.

It was almost featureless – it covered the entire face, only leaving small holes for the eyes and mouth. There were painted swirls and patterns covering it – Lilith was almost certain it was actually an old opera prop from a show many seasons ago. The thought flashed across her mind, but she gave little attention to it – she was more concerned with the fact that Lucifer stood before her, at last, and yet seemed more determined than ever to hide herself from Lilith.

"I…why?" she tried her best not to let her disappointment show. What can he mean by this? Why does he hide from me? Lilith rose slowly and took a hesitant step closer, her eyes searching red for the answer. He need not fear me…what does it matter how his face looks? The strange concealment was making Lilith realize that, in her heart, she truly adored her tutor, and she would adore him just the same, without regard for his features…but she did so want to see those features even so, if only to have a face to bring to mind when Lucifer was away and Lilith had nothing but her memories to enjoy.

"It is…necessary." Lucifer's familiar voice was strangely muted behind the mask – the small hole for the mouth barely allowed air to pass through. "You must…trust me, Lilith." He took a step forward, tentatively extending his hands. "My…love…I can stay with you now. But you must accept this mask, or our meetings return to blackest night."

Sighing in resignation, Lilith crossed the remaining space between them and wrapped her arms around her beloved tutor, leaning her head against Lucifer's chest. "For how long?" she whispered. "Will I ever be able to see your face?"

A racing heart thudded against her cheekbone as Lucifer drew in a slow, deep breath. "Someday, perhaps…if you…if you choose to stay…" Her voice became more certain at the thought. "Yes, yes, if you choose to remain with me forever…then, then I can show you my face..."

And if I do not stay… Lilith sighed again, then leaned back to look up. "I understand," she smiled sadly.

With that, they spoke no more of the subject. Lilith ate, and then she and Lucifer began an eager perusal of music together. Lucifer sang with Lilith a little, but his voice did not sound so well, muffled by the plasterboard mask. So instead, he played the instruments – mostly the organ – and Lilith sang for her teacher once again. As she did, Lucifer would instruct her as before, and Lilith felt awed once again by the genius of the man's understanding of music.

They passed several hours in each other's company that way, scarcely aware of the time slipping away from them. When Lilith’s caramel colour eyes began to droop sleepily, Lucifer rose and led her to the bedchamber. Immediately forgetting her weariness, Lilith walked to the bed with a racing heart, while Lucifer stood by the door, letting the light in to allow Lilith to find her way. He did not let the door shut until Lilith lay on the bed – and pitch blackness fell around them again.

A slight shift of the mattress was, again, Lilith’s only warning of Lucifer’s nearness – and then her lips were claimed warmly. Sighing, Lilith hungrily met the caresses – she had been yearning for this for hours, but there was clearly no way to kiss Lucifer’s lips with the mask in the way. Now, in darkness, she returned her tutor's kisses passionately. Lucifer’s weight pressed her down, his hands – which Lilith had admired as he skillfully played the organ – worshiped her features, and neither of them spoke nor drew back for several minutes.

Enveloped in an even more intense heat than the night before, Lilith clung to her teacher…her lover. Untainted by fear or shame, Lilith freely expressed her love and desire, kissing Lucifer deeply and letting his hands caress and her arms embrace her – though she made no move, now, to touch Lucifer’s face. She wanted to encourage the man to continue; she did not want another interruption, another withdrawal.

Fortunately, it seemed that Lucifer had no fears of Lilith touching him, apart from his face. The young singer let her hands become her eyes in the dark, exploring the broad, strong body above her, feeling his warmth under the loose black clothing. Lilith’s hands mapped arms, chest, stomach, and back, painting a picture in her mind and lavishing Lucifer with her adoration at the same time. Their kisses were like fire, and Lilith rapidly began to lose her mind to the heat.

Yet, the moment her hands began to wander lower – the moment she pressed her hips upward, seeking Lucifer’s – the man drew back, breaking the kiss with a gasp. "Not yet…"

Arms tightening to keep Lucifer close, Lilith moaned wantonly, "Why?" Words and arguments failed her feverish mind, and all she could do was let her desire fill the aching question.

Those large hands found her shoulders, ran down her arms, and drew them away. Fingers knitted together with her own and pinned Lilith's hands gently to the bed on either side of her head. Lucifer’s words still came unsteadily through heavy breaths as he replied, "Your desire makes me so happy, love. You cannot imagine… But wait a while more. Until…yes, until then…" A soft kiss barely brushed her lips again. "If you choose me, if you choose to stay – then after that. We will have…our wedding night. I will make love to you then."

How unfair… She sighed, disappointed and frustrated. Still, voice soft with resignation, Lilith only answered, "I understand."

She lay in Lucifer's arms for a long time before falling asleep.

~"Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other."~

 -Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) Czechoslovakian-born German Lyric Poe-

When Lilith woke, Lucifer was gone. However, Lilithwas not as troubled this time. She knew Lucifer would be coming soon. Today would follow the pattern of the day before, no doubt, and be spent in shared love of music. And tonight… Lilith shivered with anticipation, even though she knew that the closeness she would share with Lucifer would end too soon, leaving her in a hell of denied desire. She sighed, thinking again, You are so unfair. You tell me to make a choice, yet hold everything away from me until I choose you. You are making it impossible for me – how should I live if I go back? I would forever wonder; I would never have peace of mind again.

Lilith keenly felt that, although Lucifer called this a choice, her conditions were beginning to make it no choice at all. And what could Lilith do? At the moment, it seemed that Lucifer expected her to merely accept this limbo, this world within two rooms – as if a few more days of music and kisses in the dark would give Lilith what she needed to choose between a life of unknown and untasted possibilities…and her own familiar life, her family, her friends.

Perhaps a person of stronger faith could accept such a situation. Or a person of lesser ambition, someone who was accustomed to simply allowing others to direct her life. But Lilith was not such a person.

Before long, Lucifer appeared, apologizing for his absence. He was wearing a different mask today – the solid part only covered the upper half of his face. A scarf of black silk hung from the bottom, covering the rest of his face. Before Lucifer could even begin to explain, Lilith smiled in understanding. Stepping close, she grasped her teacher's hands, lacing their fingers together, and leaned her head on Lucifer's chest. "Did you wish to sing together with me, without any obstruction altering your voice?" Still leaning against Lucifer, she angled her head back to look up into ruby eyes, watching him intently from behind the mask's slits.

"Yes…" Lucifer breathed, and his voice sounded exactly as it should. Lilith smiled and squeezed Lucifer’s hands. Then, on impulse, she raised herself up on her toes and sweetly pressed her lips over the black fabric, just where Lucifer's mouth would be. The silk was the wrong texture, but she could feel the man's warmth through it – and the softness of his lips.

"I am glad," Lilith murmured, pulling back and coming down from her tiptoes. "I do love to sing duets with you."

So they did. Together, they passed several hours singing duets – most often romantic ones. As Lilith sang, Lucifer would listen intently, instructing her from time to time and bringing more beauty and power out of Lilith’s voice. Even when Lucifer merely sang with her, offering no instruction, Lilith found herself reaching beyond her limits, striving to match the perfection of her partner's singing. At times, when they were reaching a crescendo together, Lilith nearly lost herself in the ecstasy of music, of singing as she had never sung before.

Yet some small part of her mind refused to be swept away. That part remained grounded, reminding her with every glance at her teacher that she had a choice to make, and this fascinating man still refused to reveal his face to Lilith.

They sat together at the organ, Lucifer playing their accompaniment as their voices rose and seemed to shake the earth above them. Lilith was Isolde, singing with her Tristan, and the passion and desperation of the song filled her as she sang the final lines with Lucifer: "Let Day
give way to Death!" Then she was gasping for breath as the music continued a few more bars – the lovers would be playing out their doomed romance in silence on the stage. Lilith listened with rapt attention, picturing the tragic scene…yet even in that moment, when she looked at her mysterious lover, she could not forget the thought, What is he hiding from me?

Lucifer continued to play, the organ's music filling the small room, seeming to press against the walls as though it would burst from such a tiny prison and fill the night sky with passion. And Lilith, unblinking eyes fixed upon her teacher's hidden face, raised her hand – slowly, deliberately – and grasped the edge of the mask, snatching it away in one lightning-swift motion.

The music crashed into silence, a furious scream filling the air instead. Lucifer flung himself away from Lilith, covering his face with both hands – too late. Even though she had only glimpsed it for a moment, the crystal-clear image was frozen forever in Lilith’s mind. Shocked, she sat where he was, mask still gripped in her hand.

Horrible. She gaped wide-eyed at her tutor, hunched over and turned away from her, spitting curses through his fingers. His face…what happened? "Lucifer…"

Whipping around, blazing red eyes transfixed her. Without warning, Lucifer flung his hands aside, his voice harsh and venomous as he yelled at Lilith, "There! You wanted to see so badly? Look!" He stood and crossed the distance between them in two long strides. "Traitorous child, look, since you are so determined to see! Do not turn away!" Crushing hands grabbed her wrists, yanking them forward. Lilith could not flee, not even by a few inches – she could only stare into the ruined face before her, now a mask of fury and pain. "Look well, Lilith! I hope you enjoy this sight you were so impatient for, because it is the last face you will ever see. The last! Your choice is made – you will never leave this place again!"

Choking on tears of fear and sorrow, Lilith tried to look into her tutor's face…yet her eyes kept falling to the side after a brief glance. The white-hot rage in those eyes terrified her, and the face… The skin was all uneven, raised webs of white and red, the eyebrows were nearly gone, the nose was crooked, and two dark gouges marked the face unevenly, one under each eye, as though something had sliced downward and narrowly missed the eyes, catching on the cheekbones instead. "Why…how…?" Her voice broke on the words.

Some of the fury began to fade, the unmasked man leaning back from Lilith again, but still holding her wrists in a tight grip. Despair filled the beautiful blood eyes now, and that pure, heavenly voice was rough with unshed tears. "Fire..." Lucifer swallowed, then continued in a colder tone. "But what does it matter? This face would be the same, no matter how it got this way. And your fate is sealed, now. No one would choose to spend their life gazing at this," Lilith’s wrists were jerked sharply, bringing her eyes up again for a moment. "You cannot love me now. The nearest feeling you will ever have is pity." He spat the final word with disgust and scorn. "If you had chosen me first, loved me for myself first…perhaps.But not now. No, now there is only one future for us both – you will be my prisoner for the rest of your life. Welcome to Hell, Lilith…" The lovely voice choked in agony as Lucifer released her and turned away, "for the constant presence of a sight so gruesome will surely be a torment for you as long as you live."

Lucifer vanished into the dark bedroom, and although Lilith rushed to follow him a moment later, by the time she reached the doorway and peered into the shadowy chamber, it was empty.

~"The most precious possession that ever comes to a man in this world is a woman's heart."~ 

-Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881) American Author

All the rest of that day, Lilith searched for a hidden door. She knew there must be at least one, perhaps more. Somehow, Lucifer was able to come and go from these two rooms. There was a way out. And she had to find it. Her mind echoed the words over and over, "You will be my prisoner for the rest of your life." Whatever his original plans had been, it seemed that Lucifer now intended to keep Lilith locked here, trapped within two small rooms until she breathed her last. Would her last sight be a view of the canopy over that bed, as she lay there – a withered, ancient corpse, pale as a ghost from countless years without even a ray of sunlight? Or – Lilith shuddered, but could picture it all too clearly – would her final sight be her own blood, spilling over her hands as she crumpled onto a velvet settee, a dinner knife buried in her chest? Would the madness of this lonely place and this tormented man drive herto the unthinkable – to take her own life simply to escape? God help me, no! I cannot…I must not…!

So she sought for a hidden door.

The scarred, burned face of her tutor had frightened her, yes, but Lucifer's wrath had been truly terrifying. Choosing between her old familiar life and the one Lucifer offered had seemed almost impossible, before. But to lose even that choice – to simply accept a lifetime of imprisonment deep within the earth – that was too far beyond imagining. Even if she cared nothing for the stage, she could not simply vanish and leave her sister and Adam to wonder if she lived. Even if he catches me and drags me back in chains, if I can only speak with Adam first, tell him that I am alive… It was not the best outcome, but for the moment, it was better than the alternative.

Yet after hours of searching the floor for trapdoors and tapping the walls as high as she could reach, listening for hollow spots, Lilith had to give up. She was exhausted – through every moment of her search, her nerves were on edge, wondering if Lucifer was about to suddenly reappear. Fearing his reaction if he found Lilith trying to escape. I will rest a bit…then continue after I have slept. Surely…surely he will not return for a while yet. He was so angry…

Exhausted as she was, Lilith could not fall asleep. She tossed and turned for a long time, doubts and worries running around and around in her mind. At last, she began to drift off – yet right on the threshold of sleep, she suddenly felt…no longer alone. A presence was in the room with her. Fully awake again in a moment, Lilith opened her eyes and slowly sat up. The next moment, her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a scream.

A few weak candles pierced the darkness, dimly illuminating the figure standing by the bed – Lucifer, without a mask. The shadows darkened the scars that crisscrossed over his face – he no longer looked like a man in the shadowed darkness. The eyes watching Lilith were burning from a monster's face.

"L-Lucifer…" Lilith gasped, fighting down a shudder of fear. There was no smile, no sweetness in the dark eyes – only the flickering reflection of candlelight. In that moment, Lilith realized that she was not sure what Lucifer had come to do.

"What is this, Lilith?" The voice that answered her was hollow, dark. "You greet me differently tonight." With a sudden lunge forward, Lucifer was on the bed beside her, leaning over her. Lilith flinched back; her blood ran cold as Lucifer’s expression darkened. "Oh? Why don't you reach for me like before, Lilith?" His tone was bitter, harsh. "Why don't you welcome me with sweet kisses? Where are your whispered words of love now?" A frightened whimper escaped Lilith’s throat as Lucifer pressed closer. "I expected you to be happy, Lilith. We can have our wedding night now – is not that what you wanted? Didn't you beg for my touch just last night? Well, you can have it now! Why aren't you happy?"

Oh God, do not tell me he is going to…to force… Lilith choked on a terrified sob; words were beyond her for a moment. Yes, she had wanted… Yet now, with Lucifer’s eyes burning with anger and pain? No. I do not want that.

"Please…" she choked out hoarsely, shrinking away from the threatening form looming over her. He would not. Not after all we have shared… Music, companionship, trust…words of love and yearning kisses in the dark. I thought he felt…I thought he would never hurt me…

A fist gripped the front of her shirt, yanking Lilith back around to face her tutor, throwing her on her back. Lucifer did not let go, but pressed her down into the mattress harshly. "Face me! Do not turn away!" His other hand gripped Lilith by the hair, words growled from lips that hovered close, so close… "You wanted me – I am yours! You asked to see, you said that you…that you…l-loved…" He choked, his voice breaking, hands shaking violently where they gripped Lilith. "You said you loved…me…" Hot droplets of water splashed Lilith’s cheeks. Lucifer's beautiful voice was flooded with pain as he sobbed, "Why?Oh Lilith…why?"

Heart breaking at her beloved teacher's sorrow, Lilith felt her own tears slip free. Her fear melted away, and all she wanted to do was embrace her lover again – kiss his lips as they had kissed in the dark, and show him that Lilith’s heart was still the same toward him. I still adore you, oh please…if you will only treat me gently, as before! I was frightened, nothing more…

Opening her mouth to speak, Lilith gasped instead as Lucifer suddenly stood, lifting away from her swiftly. His voice was rough and brusque, now. "Well. My mistake. I should not have cherished hopes over promises you made before you saw this…my face." He turned, striding toward the door. "I will not deceive myself so foolishly again."

"No!" Lilith cried after him, but the bedchamber door slammed on the word, silencing her protest. Scrambling up, Lilith fought to detangle herself from the covers and stumbled quickly across the room, yanking the door open again.

The music room was already empty.

Hopeless honey gold eyes gazed around at the furnishings. Lilith sagged, fresh tears slipping from her eyes. "You do not understand," she whispered, bending to bury her face in his hands. "I feared your wrath…but I never stopped loving you. Lucifer…"

The room did not hear, nor did it answer.

In sleep he sang to me
In dreams he came
That voice which calls to me
And speaks my name
And do I dream again?
For now I find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind

Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you
Grows stronger yet
And though you turn from me
To glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your mind

Those who have seen your face
Draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear
It's me they hear

Your/my spirit and your/my voice
In one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your/my mind

He's there
The Phantom of the Opera
Beware
The Phantom of the Opera

In all your fantasies
You always knew
That man and mystery
Were both in you

And in this labyrinth
Where night is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside your/my mind

Sing, my angel of music
He's there, the Phantom of the Opera

The walls were like insurmountable cliffs all around her, and no matter how Lilith searched, she could find no openings, no secret crevasses to slip through. Though they seemed to part like water before the master of the house, letting him come and go without being seen or heard, to Lilith they were prison bars she could not break. Nevertheless, she combed every inch of her cell, then did it again – searching and searching for a door, a latch, a trick wall, anything. Even though she could not know what waited on the other side of these walls, she had to believe that it would be easier to escape than the two rooms that held her. Whatever came after, she would deal with it as swiftly as possible, but she could not even begin to flee until she escaped his rooms.

After hours and hours of useless seeking, her vision was blurring, her arms and legs were weary from reaching, her knuckles red and pained from rapping at every inch of paneling…and her hopes were fading into blackness. It is too solid. I cannot find the way out. He…he has me. And he promised to keep me as his prisoner forever. Never again to see Eve, or Adam, or my fellow performers…never again to stand on the stage and sing, or even to walk in the sunlight and breathe fresh air under the bright blue sky…I cannot! To live in fear of his temper, never knowing what he will do next…whether he will cease to respect me as a person, in time, and…use me… A sick feeling rolled over Lilith, her stomach clamoring against the idea and threatening to vomit. Oh, that paradise I once tasted when he held me in his arms! Destroy me, imprison me, take away anything, but God, do not let him ruin that!

Tears filled her eyes, blurring the wall in front of her, and desperation and frustration rose up within Lilith. With a cry, she turned and grabbed a nearby chair – sturdy-looking, but not too heavy – and swung it with all her might at the wall. With a loud thud, it ricocheted off, shivering in her hands from the impact. A little dent appeared in the wall, but Lilith hardly saw it. All her pent-up fears and frustrations rushed to the surface, finding an outlet at last in mindless violence, and Lilith lifted the chair again and again, throwing it against the same spot on the wall, not caring whether it made any difference – just relishing the loud bang! bang! and the force of each impact that vibrated up her arms.

Tears blinded her, the chair's legs broke off one at a time, and the wall became gouged and chipped, but Lilith did not see it. She could only feel that the barrier remained, refusing to crumble, and she threw all her strength into beating against it, sobs of despair choking her angry screams.

Arms closed around her from behind, locking her in a powerful grip and suddenly immobilizing her. 

"Lilith! Lilith, stop!" For a moment, Lilith still strained to get free – a voice in her ear softly chanting soothing words over and over. At length, she sagged against the arms holding her, her hands dropping what remained of the chair. Lucifer drew gently her back from the wall, sitting her down on something soft and velvet. Lilith slumped, feeling utterly drained and hopeless. After several minutes, she finally looked up, meeting red eyes that watched her carefully – worried.

The moment their eyes met, Lucifer stiffened and turned away. "Are you calm, now?"

Lilith stared at his back. It took a moment for her to process that the face she had seen had been uncovered – ruined by scars that showed clearly in the room's bright light. The realization hardly affected her, however. Lucifer seemed more fearful and determined to hide than Lilith was repulsed by the sight. In fact, the scarred face hardly repulsed her at all, at present. She hesitated a moment, thinking, and a distant thought surfaced – It is because he is not yelling at me. Is he…he does not seem angry at all, right now.

Though the idea did not even begin to give her hope that Lucifer would relent to her pleas, Lilith could not withhold her request. Her voice, empty of emotion after the outburst, spoke without caring for consequences. "Please…let me go."

Shoulders hunched slightly. "Never," that once-lovely voice growled back at her.

So it is true… If there had been any hope left in her, it would have died, then. Still, she could not stop pushing, against all hope, just as she could not stop trying to break the wall with the chair.

"Oh please, Lucifer…please. I…you spent so much time in teaching me these past few months…you have made me a better singer than I could ever have been without you. My voice is yours. And yet only once did I stand upon the stage and let the world hear what you had taught me – your instruction…your genius. I cannot bear to remain here and let your work disappear into oblivion. If I could only stand on the stage once more and sing – sing for you – and let all of Paris hear true music, your music through me…if I could do that, then I would return to you, here, and never ask to leave you again." Please…please believe me…

Lucifer’s head was inclined slightly – he was listening. "Paris…Paris does not deserve the gift of your voice."

"No…" Lilith thought quickly. "But I could make them stand silent, in awe of the music you have taught my voice to sing. And then I would return to you of my own free will, and stay with you forever. And our…love…"

Lucifer’s head turned on the word, a backward glance over his shoulder pinning Lilith with famished green eyes. "Yes?"

Reaching forward, Lilith laid her small hands on her teacher's back, leaning gingerly against him. "It would be just like before. Everything you wanted – I will give it all to you. I will love you with everything I am, Master."

Lilith’s heart beat loud in the silent pause – she hoped Lucifer could not hear it. Finally, Lucifer snapped, "Am I to believe that you brought that wall halfway to ruin," he nodded toward the torn paper and beaten-up boards, "all because you were desperate to prove your love to me? Not because you were trying to escape from me?"

What do I say? What will he believe? Lilith swallowed. "I…I'm sorry. I was frightened. You…you left me, and…" He felt Lucifer's breathing stop – waiting, listening. Yes, that is it! "I was afraid you hated me now…and would not return. I was trying to follow you, but I could not get out."

Silently, the man turned to face her fully, searching her eyes – yet even now, Lucifer held his head slightly turned down and away, as though he could not prevent himself from shielding his face from others' eyes. Steeling her racing heart, Lilith moved with intent. I must make him believe me. She raised both hands, placing them on Lucifer's gouged and marked cheeks, feeling the uneven skin beneath her palms and not letting go, even when her tutor flinched slightly from her touch. Bravely, Lilith held on, leaned close…and placed her lips chastely over Lucifer’s.

She felt and heard a soft gasp, yet she held the kiss, letting it linger until the tension melted from Lucifer’s body. With soft, tentative pressure, Lucifer finally returned the kiss. Oh Lucifer…please forgive me. Carefully, sweetly, Lilith caressed Lucifer's trembling mouth with her own. I do love you…I do. But I must return, if only once. Forgive this lie – I will make amends someday soon.

It was true – Lilith knew now that the feeling which had been growing inside her since she first spoke with the beautiful voice…was love. Yet even as she loved Lucifer, this new side of the man – his wrath – terrified Lilith immensely. She hated to deceive the one she loved, but if it was that or risk angering him again…

I cannot. Forgive me.

~"I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, all the world would be wise, since everyone suffers. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable."~ 

-Joseph Addison (1672-1719) English Essayist, Poet, Statesman-

Monsieur Genesis and Madam Angelique sat and stood, respectively, in their office, staring aghast at the chorus girl before them. It had been bad enough, the sudden new sensation disappearing the night of her genius performance in la Roxela’s role. It had been a mortifying task to cajole the diva into singing again, when the chorus girl had immediately gone missing. And as if these problems were not enough when added to the hassle of running a large, famous theatre, both managers had been handed letters earlier that day – Madame Jasmine had stated that the letters were from the Opera ghost, and could tell them nothing more. She knew nothing about their contents.

Genesis blessed Lady Luck that Angelique had been elsewhere when he received the letter, and Angelique thanked the heavens that her husband had not been present when Madame Jasmine had found her. Both letters were of such a sensitive nature that neither manager wanted their respective partner inquiring what it was about. In fact, they had each thought that no one else knew the fact detailed in the letters, and both were distraught over the final line:

"My final message will arrive later today, and you will do as she says, or these above mentioned facts will soon become widely known."

Genesis cleared his throat, still staring at Lilith, who stood quietly waiting; having placed the parcel of papers she carried on the desk. "So am I to understand that this…Opera Ghost…has written a new opera, and he wishes me to stage it at once, without delay, casting you – our lately-absented chorus girl – as the lead tenor…or else some sort of disaster will occur?"

"That is my message, sir, yes." The girl’s caramel eyes did not quite look at either manager, fixed unflinchingly on the wall above Genesis’ head, instead.

There was another long, dreadful pause. Genesis frowned, picking up the sheaf of papers and beginning to flip through it. I absolutely cannot let anyone find out about what I did to Ignis… "Well this is all very irregular…" He gruffly complained.

Angelique watched, her own stomach knotting up badly. I absolutely cannot let Genesis find out about Aristzid in la Rue Saint-Denis. It is bad enough if he learns I dally with another man…what if he saw his face? Angelique shuddered. Even Genesis – who sometimes failed to notice things that did not interest him – could not fail to see the resemblance. That alluring man looked just like him. If anyone saw him, they would guess at once… "I say," she cleared her throat, "that is in rather poor taste and all, but we do not want any more trouble, do we? We have had quite enough as it is…"

Genesis hummed, nodding, half his mind elsewhere – distracted by guilt over his betrayal of a good woman. "I am not fond of threats, but our accounts will hardly bear another disaster this month."

"And the press have been clamoring to see our young star again," Angelique mused aloud. "We would certainly sell out if we cast her at this point."

Genesis grunted. "Indeed. And this…it is not half bad, I think. We shall give this to the chorus master and see what he thinks of it." He dropped the opera back on the desk and stood, looking at Lilith over again. "Well, girl, I hope your voice is still in good form, regardless of whatever secretive little corner you have been hiding away in. You shall have an audience again in…a week, I think."

"A week?" Angelique’s eyebrows went up. Oh thank God – that will surely be soon enough to keep the "ghost" from fulfilling his threat.

A curt nod.I dare not delay, he will think I mean to ignore his order…he might reveal the secret without warning… "A week is enough time for a short piece such as this. We have a free night coming up; I can schedule it then."

Neither manager chose to mention the havoc this decision would surely cause for everyone at the Opera. They dismissed Lilith and sent for the chorus master, who would never have a chance to express his shock upon reading the opera – his objections would be overruled with a firm and simple "Make it happen."

~"You say that love is nonsense - I tell you it is no such thing. For weeks and months it is a steady physical pain, an ache about the heart, never leaving one, by night or by day; a long strain on one's nerves like toothache or rheumatism, not intolerable at any one instant, but exhausting by its steady drain on the strength."~ 

-Henry Brooks Adams (1838-1918) American Historian-

Although the entire Opera was in chaos for that week, Lilith was unable to slip away for even a moment. At the centre of all the panic and hurry, every minute of her time was filled – she had barely a few hours each night to collapse on a settee in her dressing room and sleep like the dead. And what was more, she knew – she could feel the unseen eyes, and she knew that she could not leave the opera house. If any task took her in the direction of one of the building's exits, she would feel the powerful, weighty presence of her watcher. At night, though her sleep was dreamless, she woke with memories of a hand brushing through her hair, soft whispers and songs accompanying her in the lonely hours of the morning. She was never, ever free.

Yet her fear was not as great as it might have been. She knew that Lucifer would not drag her away against her will. She had promised, and Lilith had sworn to return to her tutor willingly, with open arms. She felt almost sure that Lucifer did not believe such a thing could ever happen, yet at the same time, she knew that Lucifer yearned for it more than anything – and he would wait. He would not take Lilith as a prisoner again as long as he could still hope that Lilith would choose to return to him.

So Lilith poured herself into the performance, yet always watched for Adam. She thought perhaps that he would come to see her – the new opera and her role in it had been announced, and he would certainly have heard of it. Yet Lilith knew that, even if Adam did come, someone would most likely turn him away, telling him that she was too busy and could see no one. The thought made Lilith's heart ache, imagining him trying to come speak with her, worried and wondering where she had been for who knew how many days, only to be put aside like a commoner from the streets… No. Do not think such things. I will see him. I will speak with him. I will tell him not to fear for me, ask him to give my love to Eve. They may not understand, but they must at least know that I am safe and well and…happy. She hoped it would not be a lie.

And she reminded herself that, even if she was bound to the opera house and he was unable to meet her, surely he would come to the performance. Adam had always been her strongest supporter – he would see her sing no matter who tried to hold him back. And if he came, surely she would be able to steal a moment to speak with him after the performance. Just a moment to explain, to reassure him…and then she would go to Lucifer.

And he will forgive me, and we will be as we were before. All will be well…I am certain.

~"Things base and vile, holding no quantity, Love can transpose to form and dignity. Love looks not with the eye, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."~ 

-William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English Poet, Playwright, Actor-

Fallen Rhapsody Garden opened to a full house – as the managers had predicted, Paris was wildly curious about the new, unknown tenor. What was more, no one had ever heard of this opera before, and the managers billed it, mysteriously, as a "romantic tragicomedy" – a genre which basically meant, "We have no idea what it is, but people like romances, tragedies, and comedies, so this should bring in absolutely everyone." That was, essentially, Genesis' proclamation while ordering the advertising materials, and Angelique agreed wholeheartedly. The Parisian upper class, right on cue, became exactly as interested as the managers wanted them to be, and opening night sold out.

Lilith took the stage as though it belonged to her. At least, to the audience's eyes, there was no hesitation, no wavering – only powerful, captivating music from a voice stronger and more beautiful than any they had ever heard. The startlingly attractive youth showed no fear or uncertainty – but her eyes constantly reached out to her audience, as though drawing them in, begging them to pity the young heroine's plight.

In truth, she was searching for Adam, and when her eyes found his, she could only silently plead for him to come speak with her after the performance.

But first, Lilith must sing. Her role was a naïve young noblewoman called Elsa-Maria, recently released from the world of education and home into a foreign city – beginning her foray into the liberties of womanhood. As the opera opened, Elsa-Maria met a worldly lady several years older than herself – Marie-Luise. The woman immediately took it upon herself to guide Elsa-Maria, and Lilith followed la Roxela – who was controlling her fury at being given the secondary role – as Marie-Luise took her out for a taste of "the city's finest." The woman's idea of the city's finest proved to be a house of pleasure, and Lilith hung back, singing Elsa-Maria’s reluctance and uncertainty as her new "friend" pulled her insistently through the brothel's doors.

Elsa-Maria was overwhelmed by drink, dancing, and men. The scene involved a rather riotous ballet before finally ending with Lilith in the center of the stage, sinking out of sight as countless bare arms reached for her, caressed her, and pulled her down. Lilith sang Elsa-Maria's final lines – the cry of a woman unable to resist seduction, yet still fearful of the unknown consequences.

Oh beckoning, passionate ecstasy

Oh soul-deepest sorrow!

I yield to beauty on this night,

And dread to face tomorrow!

The scene closed, and the next one opened to show that Elsa-Maria was fast becoming as much as a succubus as her friend. This scene also introduced Pryce, the handsomest man at the brothel. Elsa-Maria was taken with him immediately, and Lilith had a long duet with Julio who played as Pryce in which Elsa-Maria and Pryce clearly became lovers. The act ended with them swearing eternal faithfulness in a brothel bedroom, just before – apparently – consummating their new relationship.

There were murmurs of unrest and shock from the audience, and Lilith did not want to dwell on what Adam must be thinking of this performance. It did not matter now, anyway – the show must go on.

In the second act, Elsa-Maria was forced to take a journey, traveling for several months. After a tearful farewell to her sweetheart, she had another duet with Julio. Marie-Luise promised to be friends with her lover, and Elsa-Maria left, trusting her friend to take care of him.

The moment she was gone, Marie-Luise seduced Pryce.

Lilith had a short break backstage while this happened, and she was able to more closely observe the audience. Many faces were beginning to show disgust –Fallen Rhapsody Garden certainly did not pay heed to the ordinarily accepted boundaries of decency. She found Adam again and chewed her lip as she watched his reaction. He was frowning in confusion and concentration – not entirely understanding, yet not entirely missing the point either. He probably did not understand every innuendo, but he surely knew enough to see that the opera was far more risqué than any other. He must be wondering why we are performing this, why I am singing such a role… Oh, what will he think in the third act…?

She could not dwell on her worries too long, however. Elsa-Maria appeared onstage again, far away on her travels, where word of her lover's betrayal reached her, thanks to a letter from a former schoolmate. Lilith sang a heartbroken Elsa-Maria, cursing her love and yet still expressing her passion for him – far away, lonely, longing for the warmth of his touch, the delight she felt in his bed…

The scene shifted again, back to Marie-Luise, but Lilith had almost no break this time – Elsa-Maria returned from her travels unexpectedly, bursting in on her former lover and Marie-Luise. The act ended in a shattering, dramatic catfight in which Marie-Luise wounded Elsa-Maria but refused to take her life. Elsa-Maria, bleeding on the floor, cursed her friend, who fled, then called in agony for Pryce – but he, too, was gone. He followed after the woman, leaving Elsa-Maria almost dead in his chambers....

Applause followed the second act as the curtain fell – the drama and action seemed to have momentarily wiped away the viewers' shock at the rest. Yet Lilith still dreaded the response to come.

The third act was set several years later – Elsa-Maria, now a married and established young noblewoman, returned home on one ordinary day, greeted her lord husband, and retired to their chamber– only to find a letter from her former friend, Marie-Luise. The mysterious note said little – merely asking that Elsa-Maria come to a certain tavern at a certain time of night. Marie-Luise promised he had something to tell, something Elsa-Maria would wish to hear, and then she swore to never disturb her again, if Elsa-Maria wished.

After an aria in which she went back and forth – recalling her old misery, the betrayal, and the events that brought her home and saved her life after that – Elsa-Maria decided to hear Marie-Luise out. She arrived at the tavern and met her friend –la Roxela wore a coarser costume, showing the ravages of time on Marie-Luise. Lilith sang yet another duet with her, playing the role of Elsa-Maria a little differently now – less naiveté, less trust, more maturity and sobriety.

Marie-Luise, however, soon launched into a solo in which she told Elsa-Maria"the story you knew not" – Pryce, she claimed, had always been unfaithful. Elsa-Maria had turned a blind eye in her love. Marie-Luise had seen this, and, "With no thought but all for thee, with no desire but to set you free"she had seduced the man to get him away from Elsa-Maria before he ruined her.

Lilith, crumbling into a seat in the tavern, sang as though torn apart anew by this – yet she could not be sure if Marie-Luise was speaking the truth or not, and she expressed her doubt.

Marie-Luise answered her doubts, telling her that Pryce had lately died of a disease gotten in the brothel.

The music began to build rapidly as Lilith sang a solo – Elsa-Maria lamented her foolishness and cursed men, revealing that she had always clung to some small spark of hope in her heart that he had loved her – "But now, no more, no more! Let him die, let my heart release the curse!" As Lilith sang this part, she felt strangely…watched. Of course, through the entire opera she had felt countless eyes upon her at all times – Adam’s among them. Yet now, she felt a ghostly shiver, as if another watcher was here now – close.

Then Roxela began to sing with her again. But it was not only the diva’s voice which Lilith heard.

Soft, sliding under the strong tones that the tenor projected out into the opera house, there was another voice. A voice that seemed to snake up from beneath the stage, singing Maire-Luise's lines, wrapping Lilith in the words, in the music, as though there was no audience, no scene, no Elsa-Maria and her friend – only Lilith and the soft, secret voice that sang to her.

Marie-Luise – la Roxela, and the barely-there voice that joined her – began to comfort Elsa-Maria, who leaned on her old friend's shoulder, forgetting her former distrust in the face of the truth about Pryce. The older woman's arms wrapped around her gently, rocking her softly as the solo became almost a lullaby. Marie-Luise told Elsa-Maria to forget about Pryce, to cast off such shallow attachments, for:

"All men are distrustful, and such infidelity must

Take woman's deepest love, and exchange it for dust."

Echoing from beneath Lilith’s feet – love.

Fallen Rhapsody Garden ended with a final song, a grand finale:

Love, at last! Pleasure unending

Burns away the wasted years.

His strong arms embrace me,

Became no more!

I love now! I am true

Today, forevermore –

Most faithful, truest friend

Thee I adore!

La Roxela and Lilith lifted walked together offstage as the curtain fell. Applause followed, but it was weak, polite applause, mixed with murmurs that sounded displeased. Lilith knew that Lucifer's opera would never be staged again – though perhaps, after the critics had expressed their full outrage at the plot, perhaps one or two of them would venture to admit that the music had been brilliant, unlike anything they had ever heard before. Because…he is a genius. Perhaps some of them will eventually see that, when their shock has faded.

Adam easily found his way through the backstage crowd – those gathering to congratulate Lilith and the other stars were far fewer and less eager than usual. Lilith accepted everything with a weary smile – she had known it would be this way – yet her heart lifted in sudden relief when she caught sight of Adam. Quickly, without a word, she embraced her dear friend, then took his hand and began to drag him away from the others, to her dressing room. "Thank you so much for coming, Adam – I must speak with you at once!"

Hurrying after her, the young man answered with bewilderment, "Lilith, what…that is, I must speak with you as well, you disappeared and so much has happened… And the…the opera just now…"

Steps quickening to almost a run down the hallway, Lilith threw back over her shoulder, "I know, I am sorry Adam, I hope it did not shock you too badly, but please, put it from your mind. We have much more pressing things to speak of now, and very little time."

"Little time?" Adam echoed as they reached his room and Lilith hurried them inside. "Why would we only have a…"

"I cannot explain, Adam, but we have only a few minutes at most, so please, let us speak as quickly as possible," Lilith gasped in a rush. It was almost as if she could sense the ghostly footsteps following her, trailing through the walls, under the floor, making their way from the main stage to her dressing room, here. And I must be ready to meet him when he comes. I must be ready to go to him.

"If that is the case, Lilith, I must beg you to promise to visit me at home tomorrow. Mother is quite insistent; I have had the most horrible time trying to delay her, telling her you were too occupied with rehearsals, when in truth I had no idea where you had gone…"

Shaking her head, Lilith gently held the man's shoulders. "I cannot visit tomorrow, Adam, you must tell your mother that…"

"But Lilith, she is insisting on meeting with you to discuss our betrothal!"

She felt her heart stop and her breath freeze in her lungs. "What…what betrothal?"

The young man flushed, suddenly stumbling awkwardly through his words. "Yours and…and mine. Mother seems to have decided that you and I…"

The blood drained from Lilith's face in a rush. "But…but Eve! Eve's education…she is studying everything she will need to know to be a proper lady! Her accomplishments…all womanly arts, everything she puts her hand to and excels at is all to make her better suited for you! I thought your mother had always intended…"

Flush darkening, the young man bowed his head. "I think she did intend to betroth me to Eve…but you know Mother. She can be so whimsical at times, and she was so terribly taken with your sudden success. I do not think she ever believed you would become such a star, as I always knew you would, and the glamour of it all…"he was struggling through the words, clearly torn. Reluctance, unhappiness – and yet not misery, for how could he be miserable? Lilith knew, she understood – they had always been close. Adam could never hate her, nor could he gather together a strong objection to her. If his mother was set on marrying them, Adam would make the best of it. They were dear friends, after all.

Yet Lilith also knew what her childhood friend had never spoken – perhaps never even realized, until now. She was dear to him, yes – as a sister. But Eve had never been quite a sister to her, as Lilith had…and Eve was also very, very dear. The whole family had always expected Adam and Eve to be affianced, and no one had ever been unhappy with such an idea – least of all the two young people themselves.

Adam was still rambling unhappily, trying to explain. "She has not even spoken to Eve yet, but she is adamant about speaking with you at once…"

A footstep…. A creaking board…. A presence….He is here…

"I do not think she even means to ask your opinion. She talks of wanting to arrange things with…with your schedule." Oh God, he is here. "So that the wedding and honeymoon do not interfere with your performances, as much as possible…"

“Come with me!” Lilith voice rasped hoarsely, and again, she grabbed Adam’s and drags him with her.

I cannot let him hear of this, I do not know what he will do… But oh, he will be furious. Will he even let me explain that I did not know if it?

"Lilith, what…?" she didn't stop, didn't listen. She rushed from the dressing room and fled.

"We must get away…go somewhere safe, where no one can hear. Hurry, come!"

"But we were in your…ah! Wait, slow down! Heavens Lilith, where are we going?" Adam clutched at her hand, as he hurried after Lilith, climbing spiraling stairs to the upper levels backstage. They reached the last narrow staircase leading to the catwalks, and Lilith nimbly raced upward. The depths are his, the walls are hollow for him – we must find a place away from both. Up, up, a final ladder and a trapdoor and she scurried out onto a small ledge on the high-domed roof of the Opera Populaire. Adam awkwardly crawled out behind her, then froze when he saw the vast expanse of Paris spread out beneath them. Instantly, he glued Lilith to him, clutching her hand worriedly. 

"Lilith…" His voice wavered in, "why must we come up here?"

In the embrace of the young man, Lilith tried to ease his fears. "It is all right – the railing is solid, you see?" she pushed on it hard, still holding him tightly, then turned to look into his wide blue eyes. "We must talk, Adam, and I must be sure no one else overhears our conversation."

Swallowing hard, he nodded seriously, attempting to put his nerves aside. He relaxed his tight grip on Lilith, but continued to hold on to her, and his eyes focused on her exclusively, almost as if he could make the height go away by not looking at it. "Yes…we should talk. There must be something we can do. I know you have no desire to be distracted from your music by such a marriage…"

Placing a hand over his lips, Lilith stopped his words. That dark shadow had returned to his eyes, and she wanted to banish it. "Adam. It could only be an honour for me to be given your hand in marriage. 
 You are my oldest and dearest friend, apart from my dear sister. If I thought I could bring you happiness, I would gladly spend my life in the attempt. But…" she smiled gently at him, meeting his eyes, "you would be far happier with another, wouldn't you?"

With a small sigh the young man threw his arms around Lilith. "Oh Lilith, I do love you so very dearly! You know that I do, don't you? You will not be hurt, or think that I do not care, will you Lilith?"

Squeezing him gently, Lilith was about to reply – she knew well enough what he meant, knew he wanted to make sure she did not feel abandoned if he loved Eve more – yet in that moment, she thought she heard an echo, a sigh of Lilith carried on the night breeze. The skin on the back of her neck prickled. Is he here?

She swallowed. "Adam," she began seriously, "You need not fear. Your mother will forget this temporary idea. The marriage will proceed as we always expected. I am sorry for the trouble I have caused you, but I promise that soon, nothing will stand in the way. But now I must tell you something vitally important, and you must listen and have faith in me. Can you?"

The young man nodded curtly. "I always believe in you, Lilith."Lilith, Lilith… The rooftops seemed to echo back. "What is wrong?"

Glancing around with searching, nervous eyes, Lilith forced her voice to steady as she faced her friend again and spoke, "You remember the music tutor I told you of? The one I had not seen?"

"Yes, of course."

"Well, I have seen him now, Adam. When I disappeared, I was with him. I have been with him all this time…and tonight I must go back. I think…this time I will not return. You must explain to Eve and your mother, give them my love…" The man was shaking his blonde head slowly, horror masking his face. Lilith would have continued despite this, for she had to make him see, and quickly…but suddenly his blue eyes were not on her anymore. They widened, looking behind her, and a sharp, startled gasp left his lips.

God, no… Lilith knew, even as she spun around, what she would find – and she did. A towering black shape had just emerged onto the roof and his face – Oh Lucifer, why? The mask he wore over his face bore a perfect resemblance to a skull.

"Lucifer, please…"

"Traitor…" The word was as icy as death, heavy with finality.

"No, I…!"

"So everything was a lie." The unrelenting voice cut her off. "You tricked me with your cruel promises, all so that you could rush back to your charming sweetheart." A slow step forward… then another. Lilith shrank back, drawing Adam closer as he trembled in uncertainty. "You think you can escape me so easily?" Lucifer's voice was ragged with desperation. "You think I will wait for you forever, alone in the darkness, while you run to this creature's arms?" His arm shot out and gripped Lilith’s shoulder with terrible strength. "I. Will. not. Allow it! You promised to be mine, so mine you are, Lilith, and I will kill anyone who tries to take you from me!"

A shout reached her as she was harshly yanked away from Adam. Her friend’s hand grabs to her, but Lucifer was too strong, and he easily broke his hold on Lilith. Then, before Lilith could react, her back hit the sloped roof, knocking the breath from her lungs. She gasped, struggling to remain on her feet, and saw with horror a dark shape closing in on her childhood friend. "No…" she coughed, straining for air. Hands shot out and grabbed her dearest friend, pushing him toward the railing – and the dark abyss below it. Paris was a long way down, from here.

"Lucifer, stop!" Staggering, she sucked air into her lungs and pushed every ounce of strength into her legs, throwing herself across the space between them and grabbing Lucifer’s arm, hauling him back. It took all of her power just to make the man waver. Lilith had never noticed how incredibly strong Lucifer was.

"Still so desperate to have your fairytale ending with your fiancé?" Lucifer growled bitterly. "Beg and plead all you like – I will never listen to your lies again!" The man was almost screaming in his rage, but Lilith heard more. She heard the sound of a sob buried under the anger, and before she knew it, she was sobbing too. He will never believe me now…what can I do to save Adam?

Then – she knew. And the moment she thought of it, she acted. Springing to the railing, she latched on tight and jumped over, planting herself on the steep roof and holding on. Her footing was so shaky that she could have been hanging in midair, for only her grip on the railing was keeping her from falling to her death. She fixed Lucifer with a determined look and ordered, "Let him go!"

All the towering, solid fury went out of Lucifer in a rush as he dropped Adam at once, eyes wide and panicked behind the mask. "Lilith! What are you doing!?"

Adam coughed and stood away from Lucifer at once, and Lilith closed her eyes a moment in a silent prayer of thanks for his safety. Then she opened them again and met Lucifer's. Her voice was lower, but still firm and serious. "Making you believe in me again." Holding Lucifer's eyes, refusing to waver, even for a moment, she continued. "Lucifer – you have terribly misunderstood. Adam is my friend, and this talk of marriage has surprised us both. No! Stay where you are, and listen!" Lilith snapped suddenly. Lucifer's eyes had begun to cloud with doubt again, and Lilith feared losing her attention now. "Do not move, Lucifer, or I swear I will let go and be crushed on the streets below us."

Frozen in place, the masked man trembled, a sob escaping him. "No Lilith, I beg you, come…come back to safety and I will hear you, please, only do not place yourself at risk, oh please Lilith…"

Unwavering, Lilith answered, "No. You will listen or I will die. Will you listen?"

"I will listen, Lilith, I promise!" The reply was immediate.

A brief nod. "As I was trying to tell you, I knew nothing of this marriage, and I have no intention of accepting it." She laid stress on every word, eyes locked with Lucifer's as she willed the man to understand and believe her. "Yes, I wanted to speak with Adam. I wanted to explain my disappearance to him, so that my family would not fear for me from now on. Because I am keeping my promise, Lucifer." Her voice softened just a degree, yet remained filled with sincerity. "I am coming back to you. I do love you, and I wish to stay with you. Forever, if you will let me."

With a low, tear-filled moan, Lucifer crumbled to his knees, sobbing. Adam stared at Lilith, blue eyes wide and occasionally flickering uncertainly to the broken man between him and Lilith. "Adam," Lilith added softly, "I think it best if you go, now. Please…do not fear for me. And I think," Lilith glanced a moment at Lucifer again, "…I think you will see me again. I will explain everything to you soon." she smiled warmly at him. "I must come to your wedding, after all. Eve would not forgive me if I missed it."

At last, a smile flickered in the young man’s eyes. He looked about to speak, but with another glance at Lucifer seemed to think better of it. Instead, he met Lilith’s eyes with a warm, trusting gaze, and nodded once. We will meet again. Be well until then, dearest friend. Then he turned and disappeared through the hatch as Lilith slowly pulled herself back over the railing and onto solid ground. She walked to Lucifer and knelt beside her, gently placing her arms around the man's shoulders. 

Desperate hands flew out to grab her, pulling her in close and tight embrace as Lucifer sobbed over and over, "Lilith, Lilith, Lilith…" He buried his masked face in Lilith’s neck and clung to her so tightly that it hurt, but Lilith made no move to pull away.

"I wish you could have trusted me a little better, Lucifer," she murmured, stroking the long black hair. "I would have returned to you. Will you ever be able to believe that I love you?"

Voice muffled and thick with sobs, Lucifer answered, "I am trying, Lilith, but whenever I think of it… How can such a thing be true? It seems so impossible."

"Why should it be impossible?" Lilith softly asked, bringing her hands to lightly touch the grotesque mask. "Because of this?" Slowly, carefully, Lilith lifted Lucifer’s face and looked into his eyes. Then, with a reassuring smile, she lifted the mask away, revealing Lucifer's marred, tear-stained face. Dropping the mask, she returned to that face, tracing her fingers over the uneven skin. "I love you deeper than this, Lucifer. It is only you who minds these scars at all." And leaning forward, she tenderly pressed her lips to Lucifer's forehead, then her cheeks, kissing each dark scar in turn, his crooked nose, his chin, and finally his open, trembling lips.

It seemed at first that Lucifer could not accept her kiss – he flinched away slightly, stiffening, frozen and unable to return the caress. Yet Lilith pressed forward, refusing to relent, and kissed her reluctant lover more deeply. At last, Lucifer broke. He answered with a kiss that was rough and tense with need, and Lilith accepted that, too.

When she finally drew back, tears were running down Lucifer's cheeks again. "But you…you were terrified," the man choked out. "With one look, I saw the horror in your eyes…"

With another brief, quick kiss, Lilith silenced him. "I was surprised, at first, and yes, I was afraid – of your fury, not your face. I was afraid that in your anger, you would…hurt me. You became so violent, and you are stronger than I…"

"I will never hurt you," Lucifer declared, his voice rasping. "You are precious beyond measure; I would destroy anyone who threatened you, but never would I raise my hand against you. I could not bear to see you hurt, Lilith."

With a little smile, Lilith sighed. It will take a while, I think, to convince you that there is no reason to destroy anyone. But for now… "That is enough for me." she embraced Lucifer with a firm pressure. "I will trust you. I know I am safe with you." Then she chuckled, leaning back and gazing into her lover's eyes, smiling but serious. "Please do not kill anyone, though. I would not like that at all."

And Lucifer promised that too, and Lilith felt her heart flood with warmth – Yes, this is him. This was the man she had believed in and begun falling for, even when she know no more than the disembodied voice. This kindness, this devotion – this was Lucifer. She had feared, for a time, that somehow she had been mistaken – that Lucifer was dangerous… perhaps evil. But now she was sure – that rage was not Lucifer, not a natural part of him. Lucifer was still himself, and Lilith loved him.

She rose, grasping Lucifer's hands and pulling him to his feet as well, then led the way to the little door. Lucifer followed obediently, and Lilith kept their hands clasped as they returned back the way they had come. They walked silently through the dark, hushed backstage area – it was late, now, and nearly everyone had gone home. Even the usual opening night celebration had slipped away quietly – Fallen Rhapsody Garden hadn't been the sort of opening night the company would stay up until dawn celebrating.

She stopped only when they were in his dressing room again. Lucifer watched her, puzzled, but Lilith simply turned to face him and smiled. "I am returning to you of my own free will, Lucifer, as I promised. But you will have to show me where to step next, for I do not know the way."

The next moment, Lilith was enveloped in the tall man's arms. Lucifer held her tightly for a long minute, and Lilith simply let him. At length, without a word – but with fresh tears showing on his cheeks – Lucifer turned to the mirror on the far wall of the room. His hand slid behind it and touched something, and the mirror silently swung aside, opening a door to a passage beyond. Without hesitating, Lilith took up a candle and stepped through the opening, Lucifer flowing her as they began to travel downwards.

Leading the way, Lilith only paused when the path split and she had to ask Lucifer's guidance for the way to go. At length, they reached a massive underground lake, with a rowboat waiting on the shore. Guessing that this was the boat she had travelled in once before, she calmly took a seat and allowed Lucifer to take the oars, carrying them over the water toward their destination.

She could see the house from the outside this time – an odd, rambling structure on the far shore of the lake, parts of which ascended beyond sight in the darkness. It certainly consisted of more than two rooms, and Lilith wondered what the rest of it would look like on the inside. Then, as they reached the shore, she began to wonder how to get inside. She did not see a proper door anywhere…

Lucifer led her forward from there – around a corner, up a flight of stairs, and through a door hidden from the front. Lilith found herself in a room that looked like the interior of a cathedral, in miniature proportions. At the very end of the long room, a massive pipe organ filled the wall. Below and in front of that, where the altar would have been, the gothic archways suspended over a large bed. 

Books and sheet music surrounded the area, and velvet curtains hung waiting – it looked as though they could be drawn around the smaller "bedroom" area, enclosing it, but at the moment they were pulled back. Gazing up at the organ, Lilith imagined that the sounds of Lucifer’s music must resonate magnificently in this room when he played. Perhaps that was the music I heard from far away, when I was here before. Then she looked again at the soft, lush bed and imagined what a paradise it would be to lie there and listen to Lucifer play. Or to sing together in this room, where their voices would resonate together, amplified a hundredfold by the arched ceiling above them.

Very soon. She promised herself. We will share all of that…oh, yes, very soon. Now however, they walked forward hand in hand – neither one leading the other.

Almost to the bed, Lilith suddenly chuckled. Looking up at Lucifer, she smiled brightly. "This room…and the way we are walking right now – it almost feels like I really am walking down the aisle with you."

Ruby eyes gazed at her, dazed with happiness and love. "To have you by my side like this, willingly…it means more to me than any ceremony presided over by a stranger." They reached the foot of the bed and stopped, Lucifer turning to her with hope in his eyes as he took Lilith's other hand as well. "Shall we…say our vows? Even if it is only a game…"

Squeezing those hands, Lilith shifted closer. "It is no game, Lucifer." Then she took a deep, slow breath, and began speaking softly, "I, Lilith Sinclair, ward of the House de Cantarella, take you, Lilith, as my avowed husband…"

"And I, Lucifer, former phantom of the Opera Populaire, take you, Lilith Sinclair, as my avowed, beloved, cherished…wife."

"To have and to hold," Lilith prompted with a smile, leaning closer and lifting their hands to let their bodies press together.

"To have…and to hold," Lucifer whispered the echo.

"From this day forward, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness or in health…"

"From this day forward, for all eternity, no matter what may come," Lucifer choked and spoke briefly, as his voice began to waver.

"To love…" Lilith whispered, laying her head against Lucifer's chest contentedly, "…and to cherish….Until death."

Lucifer buried his face in Lilith’s' hair. "To love more than any other, to cherish above life itself, until the grave, and even after."

At perfect peace and filled with bliss, Lilith sighed, then lifted her face to Lucifer's. They kissed, and it was a painfully sweet kiss that seemed to go on forever…until as last, Lilith shifted against her lover and began to ignite some heat within the tender moment. Lucifer's response was like fire – flaming up suddenly, then intensifying into a hot, insistent burn. His mouth claimed Lilith's deeply, their arms twined around each other, and their breaths came unevenly, gasped in the scarce moments when they parted.

With a soft moan, Lilith sank down onto the bed. When Lucifer did not follow at once, she reached up to pull gently at the man's arm. "Come, Lucifer. It is our wedding night at last."

"Lilith!" Her name was a gasp of purest longing from Lucifer's lips as he knelt on the bed beside Lilith. Then his arms were wrapping around Lilith again, and the warmth surrounding her as she embraced Lucifer felt more perfect than anything she had ever experienced. She shivered with delight as Lucifer's hands roamed over her lithe body. At last, Lucifer was touching her, without fear holding her back. He no longer tried to stop Lilith hands from touching his face, he only trembled slightly every time Lilith’s fingers brushed the uneven skin. And his touch – so urgent and yet gentle – was making Lilith melt.

Hands slipped under her clothing, and Lilith smiled as she let Lucifer slowly begin to undress her. As the fabric fell away, Lilith felt the heat between them climbing. She let her own hands gently tug at Lucifer's clothing as well, and when they were both bare and Lucifer drew her into another embrace, Lilith pressed herself close to Lucifer and marvelled at the smooth, delicious feeling of Lucifer's skin against her own.

They were so close. They were becoming intimate, closer than Lilith had ever been with anyone, and it made her breathless with happiness. Lucifer touched her so carefully he was almost as a timid lover, but his hesitation only made Lilith more willing. She needed Lucifer so deeply, and she would not have withdrawn, even if Lucifer chose to be forceful. Yet Lucifer did not lose control or rush ahead – he cared for Lilith, paying attention to each detail, preparing her slowly, and giving her pleasure…as she gave herself away.

And it was a gift, when they finally came together. It did not feel quite perfect at first, and Lilith felt a little shy, in spite of how much she ached for more. Still, she was one with Lucifer…and it was wonderful. She knew at last what it meant to belong to someone, to experience pleasure together, to show their love to each other. And as she experienced the ecstasy of being joined to Lucifer, she listened to the man's beautiful voice whispering to her, over and over, words of love and adoration – words he answered with promises of his own.

The heat overwhelmed her, erasing everything from her mind – except Lucifer. Their passion grew more intense, too much for either of them to bear…and then they reached the climax, surrendered to the sweeping pleasure, and finally collapsed in each other's arms. Lilith gasped and panted for air, clutching Lucifer as though the solid strength of his body would anchor Lilith and keep her from fainting. She felt utterly spent – and perfectly safe, accepted, and loved.

After they could breathe easily again, they shared more kisses – and these kisses, to Lilith, felt far more intimate than the ones before. They still conveyed the same love, yet now there was also a familiarity, a sense of belonging in every kiss that made her smile helplessly. He is mine. He truly is. Red eyes opened and looked into her own, and Lilith smiled broadly. When Lucifer looked at her this way, Lilith felt that she had no other words to describe the man – Lucifer was, quite simply, beautiful.

When she touched Lucifer's face and told him so, renewed tears spilled from his eyes, but that only allowed Lilith to kiss them away. And I will always kiss away your tears, doubts and fears, Lucifer…until you have none left.

Then they slept, exhausted and delightfully sated…and together.

~"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you and may posterity forget that ye were once our countrymen."~ 

-Samuel Adams (1722-1803) American Revolutionary, Statesman-

It was several weeks before Adam heard from Lilith. It was not that Lucifer attempted to forbid Lilith from leaving again. Lilith simply felt that she should wait before mentioning the topic. She felt sure that Lucifer would have allowed anything she asked, even if she wanted to go visit Adam at once, yet she wanted to give them both time to spend together. She knew the last few weeks had been difficult, and she wanted to replace those memories with new, sweeter ones, so that Lucifer would not even feel a flicker of fear or doubt when Lilith spoke of leaving the house on the lake for a short time.

The wait was wisely chosen, and when she did finally begin to speak to Lucifer of it, her lover did not even hesitate. Lilith had been slowly explaining things to Lucifer – not just telling him about Adam, but relating everything about each of her close friends and family members, so that Lucifer would have more than just Lilith’s word that her love was only Lucifer's – the reclusive musician would now be able to see and understand, from Lilith’s accounts, that the other people in her life were beyond even considering. She could not take her heart from Lucifer and give it to another, because her other loves were different, and she could not change that feeling into the one she felt only for Lucifer.

Now, she was readily freed to go and visit her childhood friend – Lucifer even showed her how to leave the house and return on her own. He still watched Lilith carefully as she departed, almost as though a shiver of fear still lingered – worrying that Lilith would not return. But he let Lilith go regardless.

Knowing that a visit to Adam would take several hours, at least, Lilith postponed such a trip. Instead, she used her time above ground to write a letter to him, assuring him of her health and happiness, and promising to visit him and explain everything soon. She posted the letter, then went and spoke with the chorus master, apologizing for her absence and explaining that a personal emergency was taking her away from the stage for a few more months, perhaps.

Her disappearance had not caused too much upset, as it turned out, since further performances of Fallen Rhapsody Garden were all cancelled, and for the rest, Lilith was always either a chorus member or a small role, easily replaced. The managers had been asking questions – they still wanted to capitalize on their new found star – but the chorus master knew that they could not really put Lilith on stage as the star this season. Lilith was not ready to take over every lead tenor role, and la Roxela would throw a fit and retire permanently if they took even one of her already rehearsed and performed roles and gave it to an understudy for the season. It would be an unbearable insult to the singer – though the managers had not realized that yet.

Next season, perhaps, Lilith could be cast as a lead in one or two operas. Next season… but not now.

She thanked the chorus master deeply for his help, as well as for permission to be absent for a while.

Then, without delaying, Lilith returned to the house on the underground lake. Lucifer's relief momentarily overpowered her, but Lilith was not discouraged over the fact that her lover had worried. This once, this first time, it was understandable. Next time, he would have fewer doubts.

And so, on Lilith’s second visit to the world above, she was finally able to meet with her dearest friend – in their usual café, for their usual tea.

The moment they sat down – after a long embrace – Lilith smiled, noticing a band of ring on his fourth finger. "I see the matter of your engagement has been settled in my absence," she prodded. The young Count smile.

"Yes…Eve had her holidays recently, you know, and they made the matter official while she was here. I think…"his smile widen. "I think, however, she was already well aware of it." His fingers touched the ring affectionately.

Lilith nodded. "I would not be surprised at all. It sounds like Eve."

But then, of course, Adam wanted to know how she was, and Lilith owed him quite a lengthy explanation. It was a very long chat over tea before she had satisfied all his questions and reassured all his fears for her.

"Well," he sighed at last, "It is an incredible and frightening story, but…you do seem very happy." he smiled at her. "I think I would not be satisfied with only your word in this case, if you did not seem happy, but…I can see that you truly are. I am not sure I understand everything, but if you truly love this man as much as you seem to…"

"I do." Her voice was quiet and confident.

Another sigh. "Then I can only give you my blessing." A small hand touched her own. "May you be happy with him forever, Lilith." Then, a tiny wrinkle appeared between his brows. "Yet are you absolutely sure he will not hurt you? From what I saw…"

"Yes, Adam, I swear to you, it was all quite out of character for him." she had already explained this a few times, but it did not frustrate her to repeat herself. She knew he was merely worried. And…it felt good to say it, too. It felt good to speak so confidently about Lucifer – to declare things like "He loves me" and "He will never hurt me" and to feel the truth of the words resonating in her heart.

So Lilith did not mind the many repetitions at all, and she very much enjoyed her visit with her dearest friend. And, when it was over, she happily returned to Lucifer.

She found the man at his organ, playing and writing music – not waiting at the door, watching for the boat on the lake, like the first time. Smiling warmly, Lilith joined her lover, winding her arms around the man's broad shoulders and kissing his face fondly.

"How was your visit?" Lucifer asked kindly.

"It was lovely," Lilith hummed. "He gave us her blessing."

A sigh of bliss from the man in her arms. "Next time, you must give him my thanks for it…and my apologies for our last meeting."

Next time… Lilith smiled proudly at Lucifer. Soon, they would be able to talk of Lilith’s returning to her stage career. Soon – but not yet. There was time enough before then to improve her voice, learn more from Lucifer's instruction…and time enough to spend simply being with Lucifer, loving him and building their trust in each other. And, of course, deepening their love for the years ahead…

….Fin…

*Does the Fallen Rhapsody Garden seems familiar? Well, it's actual a twist of a masterpiece call Don Juan Triumphant. I twiked a bit so it ease in the story.

*The video above is  The Phantom of The Opera but Metal version. Check it out if you like!