The Silent Wish

Katherine awoke at the sound of her maid’s soft knock on her bedroom door. She received a mysterious note which beckoned her to the gazebo. Although the card was unsigned, instinct told her that it was from the Phantom. Peeking out of the bedroom window, she saw Aurora and the Phantom arm in arm from a distance.

It was early yet, still dawn. Almost all of the servants were abed. Quietly, Katherine dressed and exited the manor as surreptitiously as she could.

“You mustn’t stay out here long!” she lectured, unable to stop from being a mother. “All of the police will be after you because of the Baron!”

Aurora and Erik were both thankful that she did not ask any questions. She merely wished for their safety. Even so, Aurora felt duty bound to explain.

“Erik had nothing to do with his death, Mama. I did it! It was self defense. He tried to...”

Katherine’s eyes brimmed with tears when she saw just what her daughter had suffered.

“Don’t say any more, baby,” she crooned, hugging her tight. “I understand.”

“Thank you for everything that you did for us, Mama,” Aurora cried out as she wholeheartedly returned her embrace. “Erik explained everything on the way here.”

“I just want you and the...Erik...” The name sounded unfamiliar on her tongue. “I just want you two to be happy. I would love for you to write to me at this address.”

Katherine handed them a small card.

“But you must not let your father know about it.”

Aurora nodded obediently.

With that, Erik alit from his horse and kissed Katherine’s hand.

“We owe you so much,” he said gruffly, not accustomed to such sentiment. “If you ever need me for anything, anything at all...”

“I need you to take care of my little girl and give me grandchildren,” Katherine smiled. “And I’m holding you to our bargain. No murder is going to get you out of that one.”

He smiled rakishly at her teasing, almost seeming handsome.

“Well, you had better be off.”

“I love you, Mama,” Aurora sniffled, throwing herself in her mother’s arms one last time.

“I love you, sweet baby,” she answered, stroking her child’s hair. “Take care, my dear. And be happy”

“I already am,” her daughter answered with a smile as she joined her masked lover on his white horse.

Just like in one of Katherine’s novels, the couple rode off into the sunset.

For a moment, Katherine only stood there, helplessly watching her daughter and the Phantom ride off into the distance. She thought that she would crumble for a second. That all of the regrets of the past would bury her alive in grief. And yet, she did not die. She merely returned to her place at her writing desk in the sitting room and began to pen a story.

This one would be her greatest masterpiece yet.

THE END

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A/N: Thanks so much for all of the encouraging reviews. For now, I think this story has reached its ending. Sorry for the short chapter, but you have no idea of the writer's block I've been suffering with trying to resolve this story. Yes, there are a few open ended issues such as Aurora’s ‘too easy’ recovery of the attempted rape and the possible retaliatory actions of Luciano. But I shall leave that for a sequel or a plot continuation at a later date once I have come up with more ideas. Again, thanks so much.