Synopsis:
Between 1700 - 1900
Privateer, Erik de Chagny, is an exiled Lord and marauding sea commodore who is feared by all. He has lost everything, leaving him nothing but his pride and lust for revenge.
She is Christine, an orphaned woman, possessing an ethereal beauty, angelic voice, and uncanny affinity for the wild horses that roam across the island she calls home. In all her young life, she has experienced only peace and joy.
When a ferocious storm casts Erik ashore, Christine innocently surrenders to an untamed desire. And when Erik makes a promise to protect his newfound angel, he has no idea how that simple vow will transform his life.
A/N: Hello, welcome to my story. I hope you will like it. First of all, I would like to thank Fantomphan33 for being a wonderful beta and Erik'sTrueAngel for kindly reviewing my story. Last but not least, thank you Angel of Mystery 145 for letting me use one of her manips for this story's avatar.
Prologue
Under the silvery light of a harvest moon, two female figures hastily fled down a long narrow path toward the beach, their minds and bodies exhausted from the men wildly pursuing them. They snuck into the bushes growing on the sides of the road, desperate for a temporary place of concealment, and a chance to catch their breaths.
Shadows cast from the trees overhead shrouded them in protective darkness. Their hair and clothing were disheveled from the frantic running, splattered with mud from the road. The tall woman's brown hair was matted against her face, which was twisted with pain, and her vibrant blue eyes attempted to hold back the unshed tears that threatened to fall. Yet as she looked down at the infant she held tightly in her arms, the babe still miraculously sound asleep, she at last broke into a quiet sob. Large tears trickled down her cheeks as she hugged the babe, gently rocking it back and forth. With an inaudible sigh, she looked back, fearing that the enemy was close behind.
The ruffians were led by Lord Beaumont, a cunning, ruthless beast who lusted after nothing but gold and treasure. The precious blue diamond necklace, the Heart of Eternity, was exactly what he was after and he knew she had it.
Lord Gustave and Lady Emma Daaé was a happily-wedded couple, having shared a life and home in the northwest part of France, not far from the seashore. Sadly, their peaceful lives had been shattered that destined night when the couple were awakened from their slumber by a thunderous commotion. An explosion rocked the mansion, causing screams of terror to erupt as servants scurried everywhere, looking for safety in any corner that might conceal them. A band of robbers broke into the house, killing any who dared to stand in their way. They tore through the manor as if searching for some precious item, with the sounds of swords clashing loudly through the manor and the metallic odor of blood permeating the air.
Gustave gave his frightened wife and baby daughter one final passionate embrace. "Stay safe, my love and I promise that I will come find you both," he quietly said to his teary wife, tenderly kissing them before directing her to the hidden door behind the dresser, which led to the outside.
"You must join us!" Emma cried, hesitant to escape without her husband.
"I will protect you in the way I know best. Now take the baby and go!" Gustave responded, his voice filled with conviction. Then he handed her the blue diamond necklace, the Heart of Eternity, which was his present to her on their wedding day. Emma always kept it in a safe secret place and she only wore it only on special occasions.
"I'll go with her," said Agatha, Emma's most trusted maid. The young woman had been the first to run inside and alert the couple of the robbers.
Once the women were inside the secret tunnel, Gustave securely closed the door. Just then, the door burst open as the intruders aimed their weapons at him. Gustave was prepared to stall them as long as he could in order to give his wife a chance to escape.
Emma and Agatha descended the stairs down the winding tunnel, the maid holding a lit candle to illuminate their way.
Once outside, the women ran away from the mansion in search of safety. It was then that Emma heard her husband's cry of agony breach the walls from within manor. Somehow, she knew her beloved Gustave was dead, leaving her to feel as if she could not breathe, like a cumbersome boulder was crushing her chest. A great wave of grief washed over her body. How could she survive this pain? One cannot hurt so profoundly and live on, could they? It was unfathomable to her to spend the rest of her life in such anguish, without her dearest love by her side.
No, I must live. My daughter needs me! And with that ironclad determination, Emma looked up at the home the two of them had once shared. "Good bye, my love. May our souls reunite in heaven," she whispered, closing her eyes and pushing down the churning pain of the loss before continuing on in their efforts to escape.
While she had been lost in the agonized memory, Emma had not heard the sound of horses stampeding towards them until it was almost too late. Their bridles were now jangling close by. A brilliant stream of moonlight illuminated the surface of the sea, softly revealing the colossal mountains that towered far in the distance. The crash of nearby ocean waves mixed with the murmur of men's voices as they relentlessly continued to stalk them.
Emma breathed in quickly, trying to quiet her pounding heart, but her fear was too great. The men were getting closer, until she could actually see their faces. They were cruel and filled with hate, and as Emma looked down at her gorgeous daughter, the contrast was staggering. It was not right! She should not have to grow up in a world where merciless men could destroy everything that was lovely and beautiful.
With sudden determination, she discreetly slipped her royal-blue diamond necklace, the Heart of Eternity, into the babe's wrapper and lovingly kissed her forehead. She hugged her child, trembling with the force of her emotion, but the sound of the men nearby spurred her into actions. "Please, take care of her for me," Emma quietly whispered to her young maid before thrusting her precious daughter into the hands of the startled woman.
Bounding like a rabbit flushed from its burrow, Emma rose and raced forward again, trying desperately to cause a ruckus to distract Lord Beaumont's men. A shout from behind her indicated that they had located her only twenty lengths away. The men turned their horses around and charged toward the poor woman.
Horrified but relentless, Emma ran as fast as her feet could carry her, silently praying for the safety of her daughter. She ran in the opposite direction of where she knew they still hid. Yes, you vile idiots, come after me instead…and let my daughter live. Flames of tenacity were alight within her, Emma's only desire being her daughter's survival, and nothing more.
Agatha looked down at the child, a hint of pity for the infant showing in her eyes. Though her mind was a bit shaken with horror by the events, the young woman was pleased that her scheme to assist Lord Beaumont had been successful. He would get what he wanted and then reward her with the gold he had promised her, thus ending her pathetic life as a servant at last. She had seen Lord Gustave give her mistress the necklace before they went into the secret tunnel, causing Agatha to so adamantly insist she accompany her. She hoped she had successfully masked her motivation as being that of her mistress's welfare, and not of pure greed. However, that no longer mattered, what with Lord Gustave's apparent death and the fact that Beaumont's men had gone after Lady Emma, leaving Agatha alone with the baby hidden inside the bushes.
The question now, was what was she going to do with Lady Emma's child? Agatha might be greedy, but she wasn't so heartless as to kill a child outright. Quietly setting off in the opposite direction, the maid headed to the edge of the sea where she spotted a small boat beached on the sand. She stood there for a few moments, contemplating her options, before giving the bundle in her arms a final glance. The baby was just a poor thing that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, an innocent, yet ultimately not her concern. Still, out of some form of latent kindness, Agatha pulled a small bag of silver coins hidden in the cleavage beneath the neckline of her dress, and tucked it into the blankets. May Providence take pity on this child and lead the boat into the caring hands of someone more righteous than her.
Her mistress had been a kind person with great compassion and a generous heart to everyone, especially Agatha. The young maid felt a twinge of guilt for having placed her employer and his family in this disastrous situation. But when it came to her life over theirs, hers would always come first. Very selfish, yes, but that was how she had thus far managed to survive this wretched life.
After carefully placing the infant within the wooden vessel, Agatha slowly dragged the heavy boat down to the water. Then, with a quick glance behind her, she shoved the boat and the tiny sleeping girl out into the waves. Once the vessel was midway out to sea, Agatha turned around, picked up the front hem of her dress, and walked away without looking back. A satisfactory expression crept across her face. At last…
A/N: Thank you for reading my story. Please review.