Chapter 17:
Elizabeth wakes on her birthday and readies herself for rehearsal.
She's disappointed but unsurprised that phantom is nowhere to be found
Meg has secretly arranged a small party among her small group of friends
Andre approaches Elizabeth and wishes her a happy birthday. There is a small form of forgiveness between the two
Antoinette is missing from the opera house so it is not possible for practice to occur
Instead there is a gathering on the stage to wish Elizabeth a happy birthday
As the crowd disperses the four friends head to the dining quarters
There sits a table filled with gifts and treats
Notable is a bouquet of ruby red roses with a card that claims to be from a secret admirer
Meg is suspicious that they could be from the phantom
Following when Meg mentions this Giry appears with a gift in hand.
Elizabeth thanks her for the gift
The group celebrates for a bit
As Elizabeth is getting ready to leave Giry stops her and hands her a letter that is clearly from that phantom
The letter instructs her to meet him in the garden
She meets him there and they share a moment under the stars in which he gives her his own gift before wishing her a happy birthday, the composition he had been working on for so long paired with a silver bracelet that is embossed with a pattern of violets.
He puts the bracelet on and walks her back to their abode
Unbeknownst to them William has witnessed this exchange, "You will curse the day that you did all the phantom asked of you"
Maybe add a scene of Erik turning from his past with Christine, yay moving on.
Chapter 18:
Erik means to speak to Giry about what occurred during the ball but instead begins to rant about how troublesome the girl has become. Elizabeth approaches him when he returns asking what she has done wrong. He replies by implying that she has somehow wronged him by befriending William and Charles and allowing them to come close. She lashes out exclaiming that he hasn't learned anything about the costs of his jealousy. He becomes outraged and shouts at her saying that if she truly wants to witness the cost of jealousy she should obey him and convince her friends that she would be away with her parents and then hide away in the cavern. She doesn't understand but agrees, mainly out of fear.
Chapter 19:
The moment of truth. She packs and says goodbye to her friends before exiting the opera and walking a block following the sound of Erik's latest composition until she finds a secret tunnel. She enters it until she meets Erik and he leads her to a secret hiding place. After she is settled he returns to his organ, playing what will be revealed to be Elizabeth's song until the sound of footsteps begins to resound in the cavern. Elizabeth has to cover her mouth when she sees William and Charles charge into the cavern. The phantom taunts them. It is revealed that Charles is the child of piangi and carlotta and you know williams a jealous ass. Erik fights with charles and william but is clearly not capable or willing to kill the both. Instantly Elizabeth goes to help him pulling at william until charles strikes her. Thats the final straw for erik, yay punjab lasso attack. William fleas the opera, erik sits defeated and blaming himself for what has happened. Elizabeth quickly goes to mend Eriks wounds but he refuses her help taking the kit and walking into his bedroom.
Chapter 20:
Erik confesses to Giry what has happened while simulatanouesly the situations is revealed by elizabeth to meg. Antouinette comforts erik telling him that ghosts from the past can not be fully blamed on the modern man. He reveals that he has been pushing Elizabeth away in fear of the closeness that had grown to warm for his comfort. Meg weeps or the loss of Charles, but elizabeth is able to keep her outrage at his murder to a minimum when she reveals the damage Charles had done to her. As news spreads Andre becomes to worried for his daughters safety and approaches erik and giry in her office. Erik begruddgingly agrees to allow her to return to her parents if she agrees.
Chapter 21:
Giry calls the girls into her office where erik and andre are waiting. Erik sulks deep in the shadows the whole time, whilst Andre happily tells his daughter that she has been set free by the phantom. Not noticing Eriks presence and not being told that it is an option, Eriks good at teachign obedience clearly, she nods (although she is clearly a little sad) and returns to the caverns to pack. Whilst down there she is almost done packing when she stumbles upon the violet from the ball. Erik choses this time to come in and smiles when he sees her treasuring his gift. She asks him knowing how observant he can be who was the masked man she was dancing with that night. He frowns, saying if she's so invested in masked men why she is leaving. She says she has no choice. He tells her that she misunderstands freedom. Freedom is the ability to choose where she wants to be. Elizabeths stops clearly unsure of what to say or do. Erik places the violet in her hair like he did that night. She realizes, shock the maksed man is the masked man, that is was Erik. She stares into his eyes, he asks her to stay.
And that is it. The end of My Bane My Treasure. Again I am so terribly sorry that I could not flesh this out, but it just did not feel right. Thank you.
-callieweaver