Gemini

By DonJuanTriumphs

A Phantom of the Opera Fan Fic

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from the Phantom of the Opera besides the few I created myself for the purpose of this story. Those characters and this plot are mine, nothing else.

Rating: M for violence sexuality

Pairing:E/C

Author's Note: This story is a twist on the classic Cinderella story and Tristian and Isolde, and was inspired by the novel by Sasha Lord. The title 'Gemini', means twins in latin. I have several chapters of this written, and have also taken into consideration many of the things people have said about Dark Prince, and I hope this story is better for it.

Thanks: I would like to send my thanks to my friend and beta for this story N.S.L. Jewelles, for all of her help, without her this story would have never gotten started, I hope you all go and check out her stories, she had amazing talent! Thanks, my friend!

Brief summary: Christine's father dies when she is young, leaving her in the hands of his second wife- Katerina-who has hated Christine since she was a young child. Katerina is constantly putting her down, telling her she is worth close to nothing and no man would ever want her for his wife. Years after her father's death Christine is convinced that what her mother says is true.

Meanwhile rumors are beginning to spread about two twin brothers and their fight to win their inheritance. Both have faces better fit for gods, but one of them was scorned to have half of his face deformed, having to cover it with a mask when his brother was flawless. The masked one went by the name Erik, and his perfect brother, once known as Samuel, had deemed himself Lucifer. Lucifer was always the favored one, always given the affection because everyone turned in revulsion of Erik's face, and yet Lucifer grew to earn the name he had given himself.

Prologue: Gemini

"Just a little further, my lady!"

Madeline paid little attention to the ramblings of the midwife. She continued to push, panting and screaming in agony. Her body seemed to be on fire and she knew this must be what death felt like. Her perfect blonde hair lay plastered and limp to her neck and face. Her full lips were tight and drawn, her skin clammy and moist. Blood stained the sheets beneath her, the very sheets she clutched in her pale white hands. Her screams had been echoing in the chamber the entire night and into the cold morning for the past two days.

"There is the head, my lady!"

The midwife wiped her brow with the back of her hand, exhausted. This was a difficult labor, and if God watched over her it would be a miracle if Lady Madeline survived this. So the midwife was doing everything in her power to save her heir. Lord Julius, Madeline's husband, was a harsh man who had very little tender feelings for his wife, something the lady knew all to well. If she were to die in childbirth it would mean little to him as long as his child was alright. And if it were a girl, all the more reason for Madeline and the whelp to die. Women were no good for anything but warming beds and bearing children. If she was not satisfying in either than Julius wanted little to do with her.

Madeline screamed when a great tearing seemed like it was going to rip her in two. She felt instant release and a gush of liquid. She collapsed onto the bed, moaning in pain. The midwife called hurriedly for a handmaiden and the young girl took the now squaling infant. Madeline silently swore to herself that if she lived through this Julius would die before she let him touch her again. Nothing was worth this pain-especially from a man she had no tender feelings towards.

The midwife, Lucy, turned when her lady cried out in pain once more, a hand wildly going to clutch at her stomach.

"Lucy!" she screamed. The older woman rushed to the bedside once more only to find that the labor was not yet over...twins. The lady was having twins. She was screaming in more pain but Lucy told her to push.

"I have been pushing!" Madeline cried. Why was this pain not over? Her babe lay squaling in a basket and yet the sharp pains in her stomach only continued as before. Lucy crooned words of encouragement that did little to calm the young woman down. Once more she pushed and panted, pleading to anyone to help her end this torment. Another few minutes went by before that tearing and Madeline lay limply on the bed, unmoving as the midwife bustled to clean the other child.

Murmured voices and soft exclamations slowly made their way to Madeline's half-concious state. Lucy and the other young girl in the room were hurriedly whispering to eachother and she felt dread into her heart. Stillborn. The second baby had to of been stillborn. She had yet to hear it cry and from the worried voices that was the only possible reason. With what remaining strength she had left Madeline pushed herself upright with one arm. The two other women met her gaze fearfully.

"My children?" she demanded. Lucy glanced at the basket for a moment before turning her gaze back to her mistress, saying nothing. "My children!"

"Both are healthy and alive, my lady," Lucy mumbled. Relief flooded over Madeline. That, at least, would go well with Julius.

"Boys?" she asked hopefully. Lucy could only nod mutely. So it would seem God was merciful after all. She could not help the small smile that came over her. Two boys. Surely Julius would be proud? Now he had two sons instead of one.

"Bring them to me," Madeline demanded. Lucy glanced at her handmaiden before turning back to her mistress.

"My lady-"

"What is wrong with your hearing? Bring me my sons!"

Lucy and the young woman carefully picked up each child, cradling them close as they brought them to the woman lying on the bed. Her first son was handed to her, the one who continued to cry. Madeline gazed at his perfect face, the stunningly brilliant green eyes and the shock of black hair on his head. He gazed up at her and she stroked a smooth finger down his cheek, deciding that all of this pain was in fact worth every moment of it. She raised her head to look at Lucy, who still held her other son.

"Give him to me," she said softly. Lucy glanced down at the still silent baby. She knew she would be punished if she tried to disobey even one more time so she hesitantly handed the child over. Madeline took him and held him close to his brother. The first thing she noticed was the identical traits the two boys shared. Same green eyes and same dark black hair. Slowly, however, her senses began to realize that something was not right. She gazed down at the right side of his face, seeing only perfection...but the left...

"Sweet Mother of God!"

Lucy watched in horror as Madeline dropped the second son, the infant falling to the floor with a loud, piercing cry that caught all of them off guard. It had not sounded like an infants cry...the voice was rather-beautiful. Lucy rushed to the child and hurriedly pulled him into her arms, rocking him gently back and forth. Madeline was staring at the bundle in horror, clutching her perfect son close to her breast. Lucy tried to hold the babe out to the young woman, but Madeline shrank back in horror.

"No! Get that thing away from me!"

"He is your son, my lady," the midwife insisted. The boy at Madeline's breast began to cry and she silently moved her bodice aside, watching him lovingly as he nursed from her breast.

"Nay..." she murmured, "This is my son."

Lucy had been a midwife since an early age, taking her mother's place when she passed away from a plague. In those many years she had seen things that would be better left unsaid. Children coming out deformed was not something unusual for Lucy, and as she gazed at the ravaged side of the baby's face she felt white hot anger gurgle inside of her. With every deformed child she had ever delievered the parents had been, of course, shocked and dismayed, but none had ever pushed the child away in disgust. She gazed at her mistress, knowing her hate was in her eyes.

Since the moment Lord Julius had married the Lady Madeline, none could ever come to like her. True she had been young when she wed Julius, but nothing warranted the hate in her beautiful green eyes. But for her to push her own son to the side? Did the woman have no decency? Only her status as a lowly midwife kept her tongue still. Lord Julius would not take well any midwife having an outburst at his wife.

"My lovely Samuel," Madeline murmured, gazing down at the infant.

"My lady?" Lucy whispered. The young woman glanced at her quickly before looking away, not wanting to see that thing she held in her arms.

"What?"

"He needs a name, my lady," Lucy murmured. Madeline thought about this. What name did one give a monster? Samuel had been her father's name, and she had loved him dearly. Her firstborn would be named a name of honor. But that...she thought back to very long ago, when she had been a very young girl. A rather wealthy lord had come to the manor with a band of his knights, having come to speak to her father. That very same night she had been unable to sleep and had gone to the stables, the horses always managing to soothe her. One of the lord's knights had been there grooming his horse. They began to speak to eachother and he seemed to know all of the things a young girl wished to hear. That night she had lost her innocence in a hay loft. He left the following morning and two short months later Madeline learned she was pregnant.

Imagine she, Lady Madeline, carrying inside her some lowly knights whelp! The shame it would bring her father! She had gone to a midwife that many claimed was a witch and the wizened old woman helped her to remove it from her body. Her father never knew and Madeline had always hated that man for almost ruining her life with that child. The knights name had been Erik.

"Erik...his name will be Erik."

Lucy did not reply, knowing that the lady always had a reason why she did everything. She was saved from having to ask what to do with Erik when the chamber door was thrown open and Lord Julius stepped into the room. His massive frame seemed to fill the entire doorway and Lucy and the handmaiden bowed immediately.

Madeline studied her husband silently. His dark black hair was beginning to gray and his dark gray green eyes roamed over her with predatory intensity. Black armor encased his muscular body, his sword at his side, hands clenched into fists. The angles of his face were sharp and angular, nose straight and jaw strong. He was not an ugly man, but Madeline knew outer appearences were often deceiving.

"So?" he demanded.

"Sons."

Julius brought his brows together in confusion, looking at the bundle in Lucy's arms as well as Madeline's.

"Two?"

"Twins," Madeline confirmed. She missed the rush of pride he had in his eyes because his face remained emotionless. Julius took a step toward Lucy.

"Nay, my lord!" Madeline cried. Her voice was so sharp that he stopped, looking at her in confusion. She held out Samuel.

"Here, this is your son," she said, unwilling to let Julius see the other one yet. He frowned at her and demanded that Lucy remove the blanket surrounding the baby in her arms. He took a step back, seeing the deformed child lying there. Madeline made a noise, managing to sit up in the large bed.

"My lord! That can be taken care of! You have this son!" she cried, as near to desperate as she had ever been. Julius could have her killed for giving him a child that looked like that. He growled and his cold gaze found her.

"This is how you talk about my son?" he demanded. Her eyes found his in disbelief before droping her gaze.

"My lord..." was the only thing she could think to say. Both of his large hands took Erik out of Lucy's grasp, holding him with more gentleness than expected of so large of a man. Madeline looked away from the sight and held Samuel a little more closely. Her husband went to the bed and offered the babe to her. She shook her head.

"Do not ask that of me," she demanded softly. Julius growled.

"There are three reasons why you still breathe. You warm my bed, you give birth to my heir, and you will nurse my heir into a man," he said very softly. Madeline shook her head and gestured to Samuel.

"This is your heir!" she insisted. That thing would not take Julius' legacy!

"I was not in this room when they were born. I do not know which one was first. And I refuse to take any of your words for it. When they are grown I will decide who inherits everything."

"You cannot do that!"

She whimpered when he backhanded her.

"Whichever man I decide is my heir will be. For now it is undecided."

Madeline knew why he was doing this. He wanted them to fight eachother when they were grown. He wished to see who was the weaker man. Who deserved to take his place, he cared not for what Erik looked like. He would not put everything he was on one small babe. They had to prove themselves, and until then his heir would remain unknown.