Like Father, Like Son | Phantom of the Opera

xx. The Unthinkable

JUNE 1918

ERIK

I had actually been productive as of late; it seemed as though the lessons with Lara had created a routine that I could follow. She was progressing beautifully though, in all honesty, I didn't believe she had told her parents that she was receiving lessons. Nevertheless, Gustave was in for a surprise when he got home.

I had been absentmindedly working on some sketches when a news report triggered me into listening more intently to the radio: "Breaking news out of Russia: the Romanov family has been assassinated. A Bolshevik squad invaded the palace, then shot and killed Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Tsarina Alexandra in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Their five children were also victims of the attack; all four of the Grand Duchesses, as well as their youngest child and only son, Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich."

The reporter listed out all the reasons why that might have happened and how the people of Russia were responding to the development and I couldn't help but feel a pang of pain as he listed off the names of the children. I knew none of them personally but I did remember their grandfather quite well from my time in Russia. He was very curious and asked questions about every little aspect of the tricks I performed. I had been brought on by the Tsar at the time to be a magician to keep the children entertained when I was needed. Though my time in Russia had been brief, the family did pay me well.

On the topic of Russia, the man who had dragged me away from it walked into the room at that moment; Nadir had come in and I hadn't even noticed. He sat down across the table from me and began looking over my sketches while I tried to listen to the reporter as he continued the story.

"Erik, who are-" my friend started to say.

"Be quiet," I told him. The reporter was saying that he was receiving new information and I hadn't wanted to miss a single word.

"For those of you who are just joining us now, the royal family of Russia have been brutally assassinated. The people of Russia are seeking to form a new government without the use of the old regime. It seems that the violence of the past few years will not end for Russia. I am receiving word that there has been a raid on the palace where the family once resided. Among the many luxuries found in the palace, it seems that a peculiar looking music box belonging to the youngest daughter Anastasia has been discovered."

Nadir looked absolutely stunned, to say the least. "The Romanovs are dead? All of them?"

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. It's like the world is flipping on its head." It took me a moment to process everything the reporter had said, but when I did, I realized something. "I made that music box, you know."

"What music box?" He was clearly confused. I suppose he hadn't paid much attention to the reporter after the reporter's initial statement.

"The one that was found in the palace. I made it for the grandmother at some point when I was there. I remember it." The image of that project was clear as day; the gold and green exterior, the figure of the Tsar and Tsarina dancing inside. It was certainly some of my better work. "She had commissioned me to make it. I suppose it was meant to be a family heirloom at some point. I even wrote the melody for it."

Nadir couldn't help but sigh, but the smile on his face with the mix of shock was quite amusing. "My god, Erik, is there anything you haven't done?"

"Firstly, I'm glad that I can still surprise you. Secondly, there is quite a list of things I haven't done, but you won't let me do them because you, my dear friend, are boring."

"I prefer the words 'concerned for your well being,' thank you very much," he replied with such a matter of fact tone it was almost irritable. "Honestly, though, I think you will continue to surprise me even when we are old and grey."