The long-lost princess

4

"Am.. I the lost princess?" Melody whispered to herself as she was processing the new information that the phantom was telling her. She didn't understand.. "the stagehand thought he could capture me? His curiosity was his undoing." The phantom told her as she smirked. "Curiosity killed the cat, huh?" She said, hearing his laughter of agreement. Looking downwards, she noticed a few ants and used the insect jar in her bag to get them.

Turning her body toward the prop storage room, she began walking. Something black caught her attention and she grabbed the black knight piece, putting it inside. She then went into the under-stage and began rummaging through one of the boxes for anything that might help her. After a few minutes of going through the mess, she found a canopic jar with the head of Duamutef. Melody walked to the orchestra pit's door and placed the two sheets of paper she had found into the empty slots, going to the elevator lobby.

She frowned and went to the stage lifts where she looked up and shrieked. Hanging on the ropes was a coffin?! "Daughter, calm down. I will make sure you're not injured." He whispered to her as she calmed herself. Reaching inside her bag, she pulled out the hapy canopic jar and placed it inside the wooden stage lift. Next, she took out the canopic jar that had the head of Imsety and finally, the Duamutef jar. Unscrewing the machine top, she saw what seemed to be taffy all gumming up the gears.

Grabbing her jar of ants, she opened the lid and dumped them into the mechanism, freeing the gears. Finding a crank, she grabbed it and walked to the prop storage room. Placing it on the clown painting's nose, she began turning it. "Why isn't it moving?" She wondered out loud as she took out the nail clippers she got before leaving the powder room and clipped the nails of the fake bear, revealing a miniature version of her father holding what seemed to be a piece of paper.

Gently taking the paper, she placed it inside her bag and went to the orchestra pit's door. She slid it inside and climbed the ladder to the spy booth, out of the powder room and into the ballroom hallway. Going to the manager's hallway, she looked out the window and grinned. "There's something in the snow!" Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the stone tile and gripped it tightly. She threw the stone at the window as it shattered. Melody grabbed the canopic jar and placed it inside.

She went inside the office and took out the black horse piece, placing it on the chessboard. Going back to the powder room, she climbed underneath the stage and smiled upon finding the last symbol card. Walking to the door of the orchestra, she slid the last card inside; watching the blank door was decorated with symbols and began tapping them to open the door. Melody smiled as the door swung open a few minutes later as she stepped inside. The room darkened with shadows as some caressed her creamy skin and cheeks.

She smiled, hearing her father's voice. "You've come quite far, sweetheart. Bring me another red rose." He said to her as she frowned. "I'm sorry.. I am still trying to find one for you, phantom.." she replied, going to the orchestra pit mess and going through it. After she rummaged through the mess, she found a statue of Horus, an Egyptian god. Remembering the history lessons she had, she began to rearrange the statue and jars. Melody pulled the lever as the coffin was lowered onto the ground.

Going to the prop storage room, she began to go through another mess to find the key to open the coffin. After a while, She found a sun disc and put it inside her bag; going back to the stage lifts. Standing in front of the coffin, she took it out and placed the disc on the empty spot. Moving the lid, she saw a pair of bony hands and bit her lips to stifle a scream. That was then she noticed a rose.. this time, it was softer shade of red with matching green fading and light blue tips. "Excuse me, mister.. but I need to give this rose to the phantom, so if you do not mind me, I will take that." She said, gently taking the rose out of the hands.

"Here, phantom! I finally found the rose!" She said, taking the rose out of her bag. He broke the glass of the mirror and took the flower. "Who was that man in the coffin?" She asked him as he smirked underneath his mask. "So you saw Joseph? I did what I had to, for your mothers!" He said, taking the golden bronze haired girl into another memory.

(Flashback!)

Joseph was looking at Iris as she danced, her legs moving like fluid as her tutu hid her body's most hidden secrets from the audience. After he stared for a little bit more, he left to try to expose the phantom as he seemed to be a threat towards the stagehand in pursuing the ballerina and courting her. He was close, he could feel it in his bones! He just needed a plan. But Iris knew how the stagehand felt about her phantom and asked the masked man to be careful since she knew there was no telling in what he might do to him.

The phantom took out a noose and quietly walked over to him, ready to strike..

(End of flashback!)

Melody stared in disbelief, now realizing that the hands in the coffin were the stagehands! Of course, she understood why her father did what he did.. really, she did. But, Iris was very beautiful even when she was dancing.. "the stagehand should have stayed in his place. Now a threat to my plans of marrying your mothers, I would not allow him to pursue me any further. The scene of his demise was set.." he said to the blonde.

She noticed a key had fallen near her foot and she picked it up.

Melody was close to finding out the truth about her real parents..