End of Swedish story

[igenlode]

Right, I think I've got an ending for this 'Swedish' story, although not quite the one I expected... which means I'm now landed with the responsibility of actually writing the thing, having done all the 'fun' bit!

10. Raoul is astonished to find that the sick woman whom he reluctantly visits is Christine; she is babbling about how 'a bear took her', but to general relief it turns out it was the calf that died. Christine was found alone and rescued by Sami. Woman nursing her very disparaging about 'dirty Lapps'.
    Christine is astonished to find that Raoul is alive and safe. He has developed a young beard during the shipwreck, which helps convince her -- in her various hallucinations of his drowned body she never once imagined that.
    She rather likes the beard, which reminds her of her father -- "but I shall have to be careful when doing this". She reaches up and kisses him -- rather to his embarrassment. And surprise, given the note on which they had parted; but they have both been within sight of death, and she is no longer willing to wait for proprieties or anything else.
    
11. He is carrying dispatches and has to leave -- very reluctant to leave Christine, and she is adamant that she will go with him. (What's the worst that can happen -- they insist we get married?) But the next morning, despite everyone's misgivings, she is up and warmly dressed and insisting that she is fit to travel. Down in saloon, wrapped in blanket. Cheap ring since Raoul has very little money: this doesn't feel real. It isn't! No, silly -- this is not how I dreamed my wedding night ?journey?) would be. Rose petals in bed; Raoul dubious!
    
12. In Paris, Count Philippe has aged ten years; believes Raoul dead after news of wreck. (Shut himself away so that he hasn't heard d'Artois' news? Cable probably sent.) He is so glad to see his brother alive that he is quite reconciled to their marriage (especially since Christine is adamant she has lost her voice, despite Raoul's hopes for a cure). Quiet wedding suggested -- but maybe not with rose petals. Private joke confuses Philippe.
    
13. They will never be safe until the Phantom is hunted down -- how can you defend him, Christine? And also Christine's possessions and papers are still there. Back to Sweden; check first on Madame Valerius. A voice told her that Christine was safe with the Angel of Music -- Greta was afraid to report Christine missing for fear she would be blamed/sent back to institution. Nobody even knows she is gone. Raoul proposes they get married in Sweden; he has his papers and a written permission from the Count, they will wait as long as it takes, see the magistrate (and find a priest?) Unless you'd rather have it done properly back in France? Raoul, I don't want to wait. A blush.
    
14. Christine insists on coming with him on Phantom-hunt (honeymoon journey!) She is the only one who can recognise hut -- and he doesn't speak Swedish. Hire a carriage and guide -- we'll do it properly, like the English abroad ;-p Hunting a needle in a haystack: Christine doesn't know where she was, or how they got there. Surely some trace of man travelling in haste with an unwilling girl and concealing his face? Raoul knows where she arrived on coast; how many days were you in mountains? Can guess roughly where she started from -- travel to that area and search north and south.
    
15. Tracks get rougher; they are riding to next farmhouse guide has arranged for them on ponies. (Raoul's injury?) Her husband looks at home in saddle, Christine has not ridden since old farm horse as a child. Locals very unhelpful, then they are met by cow, who recognises Christine and leads her back to hut -- she escaped and found her way back home!
    Raoul and guide enter; guide almost killed by Punjab lasso (vicious weighted catgut; Raoul has never seen such a thing) but Erik is too weak. Hut smells foul. Erik is lying down with high fever, looking like animated corpse. Angry to find Raoul alive - furious exchange
    [Edit: I'm sure it's deeply significant that I managed to forget altogether 'Erik's story' at this point of what has been happening at his end! "Erik is dead and Christine is dead and you are alive. Why are you alive when no-one wanted you?" Raoul tells guide to keep Christine back from entering.
    After Christine runs off "so foolishly" from her wedding, Erik chases after her downstream, towards civilization. Asks all the neighbours (guide: so they were in on it all they time. I knew they were hiding something). Then he realises she must have fled from him up into the mountains. He sees a pitiful bundle of rags at the bottom of ravine -- tries to climb down to reach her, but falls and injures his arm. He can no longer climb; lies there waiting to die near Christine. But after a day and a night when he doesn't die, he finds a stick and laboriously crawls back to the cabin. Now it seems he is dying after all. He has killed his Christine. She rushes in: oh Erik, I'm not dead] He faints as soon as Raoul touches him.
    Raoul defends himself against Christine. Arm hideously swollen and infected: wound-fever. Raoul has seen men die of it on ship.
    Christine tries to give him water. He realises her presence for first time: Mme de Chagny I presume? I always knew you were in love with that young man, though you tried to deny it. Yes, Erik.
    There is a little cold soup and remnants of food. Christine tries to give him some. Raoul, he needs nursing. If we carry him on horseback it will kill him. He tried to kill me and many died -- why should I not shoot him now?
    Such a brave young man. Take her then and leave me the gun. Raoul cannot; imagines riding away from lonely hut waiting for shot. Tells himself he doesn't want Erik in possession of weapon.
    Isn't there something we can give him for this pain? Erik has cache under stone outside hut; guide sent out (and summons Raoul: monsieur, you should see this. Money (remnants of 40,000F)).
    Give me this and I can sleep. And will you wake? Maybe not. Raoul meets his eyes and understands that he means definitely not; mutual male bond of silence. Raoul gives him knowing overdose. Christine holds him but it is Raoul's arm he reaches out to grab. Burn it all. The hut -- my body -- don't want my skeleton on display in museum. Destroy the music (manuscript all over place). There is too much of Erik in it, Erik and his Christine. Such things are dangerous. The ring, Christine, I want you to have it. I am so glad you're not dead.
    
16. Raoul and Christine watching pyre (they will use Erik's money as compensation to owner). We are free (?ring?) Christine trying to comfort cow from smoke; Raoul refuses to let her take animal back with them. She would hate the journey. And she is a Swedish mountain cow (and would look very odd at Chagny, he thinks privately). Unless... you want us to stay and live here? Nurse Mme Valerius? But she no longer even knows me... leave her here, it's kinder. And you have your duty. Let's go home, Raoul. Besides, I want to see my husband take credit with the rest of the d'Artois expedition... even if I have to see him shave off his beard to do it ;-p
    
17. Epilogue. Christine and Philippe at window watching parade of returned sailors/scientists. Raoul walking alongside eminent geologist. Philippe smiles proudly at her. He'll go far, our young Raoul. He'll always come back, I hope. I rely on you to make sure of that, my dear.
    

Phew. Well, I make that at least seventeen chapters -- any story which ends up taking that many days to tell usually comes out massively long, given how long it takes me to write a 'normal' length story in three or four scenes. Mind you, on fanfiction.net stories are expected to extend over far more chapters than mine normally do -- not sure if that is because they make them up like soap operas as they go along, or because I always jump between 'highlights' instead of showing the much-advertised 'slow burn' of the characters gradually falling for one another over weeks or months...

Comments

[betweensunandmoon]

It's perfect! :D

[igenlode]

If people are actually going to read my blog, I possibly shouldn't disclose my entire plots beforehand ;-p
(One of my reviewers on fanfiction.net mentioned that she occasionally looks at this page as well...)

The first scene of this has actually got to the stage over the course of today when I ought to start writing it down, but I'm really too tired; I was typing this until 5am this morning, then had to be up at 9.30.

[igenlode]

It also occurs to me that if I finish this (an issue that's always a question-mark over every story) then it will, I strongly suspect, be the first "Phantom of the Opera" fanfic ever in which the d'Artois expedition actually gets rescued :-D

I thought today that I might call it "Some Far Place Where He Will Never Find You" (with deep irony, of course) -- but not only is that really much too long for a title once written down, it also turns out to be a misquotation; what Raoul actually said was "some unknown place" (un coin inconnu du monde, où il ne viendra pas vous chercher: "an unknown corner of the world where he will not come to look for you").
Which is not only even longer, but no longer fits to the setting of the story -- Norway and Sweden are far from France, but also far from unknown :-p

[sallymn]

That is huge, I'm impressed! (I write short stuff due to a total inability to do this thing called PLOT)

[igenlode]

I do usually make my plots up literally as I go along, scene by scene (it's a little odd to look back and remember that there was a time when I hadn't the faintest idea what was going to happen after a certain point in the story). But they don't usually come out that sort of length before they reach a resolution. I think this one is complicated by the fact that the characters are having adventures in parallel -- and that they are having adventures, rather than just standing around and talking all the time. (Although when it comes to writing it, it's effectively just going to be a whole lot of dialogue scenes written consecutively.)

I really ought to get round to reviewing some of your 'short stuff', a good many of which have been in my favourites for years...

[sallymn]

Thankee! I am just grateful for the labels 'vignette' and 'mood piece' with which to cloak my lack of anything actually happening...

I once did get quite a way through a carefully plotted original story - may even have ended up a novella if I hadn't, umpteen words in, realised I had totally missed a plothole the size of Alpha Centauri that was completely unable to be skirted round. It's still on a thumb drive somewhere around here...