Wait, it can't be...can it?

Yes, I updated! I figured that since I made you wait this long, I would update one more chapter. It was incredibly easy to write for some reason.

I just wanted to mention that this story will be much shorter than my previous one (All paths lead to you) and the relationship between Erik and Christine will move forward much quicker. In this one there is no pesky past between them. ;)

Anywho, I really hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for your feedback, favourites and alerts, they all keep me going! :)

The weeks flew by and before Christine knew it, one month had passed since she and her father arrived to Alterwood. The castle and its surroundings were beginning to feel more like home to her. She met with Raoul on a semi-frequent basis and while she was a little disappointed that they did not have much in common, she tried her best to befriend him nevertheless and tried to find a common ground. As such, their conversations were still a little awkward, it was not unusual for them to just sit in silence and observe what was happening below them in the courtyard if they sat in the library or on one of the balconies along the main keep.

On the other hand she was delighted with her new friend Meg; she and her mother had been very kind to her and the young blonde woman's personality made her feel at ease. She did not have many friends while they were back in Baideanach, so to have someone like that so early on after their arrival made her happy. While friendships between common maids and nobility were basically unheard of, nor Christine or anyone else had any problem with it.

She kept herself busy during the day with various tasks such as embroidery, some reading and also her studies on what it entailed to be the wife of a future king. But when dusk fell, her heart sped up at what it implied - her music lessons with the Marquis. Erik. Christine loved the time when the castle's hustle and bustle slowly died down at this point of the day and everything was quiet with just the two of them tucked away in their little music world. Ever since that night when he first showed her his animal sanctuary, Erik had been her tutor for the harpsichord. To her surprise his offer had come with one condition; that she would sing to him. Christine readily accepted and each day looked forward to her lessons.

She felt so comfortable around him and while music was what initially brought them together like this, they also enjoyed spending time in each other's presence, getting to know the other better. True, she talked more than him but he listened attentively, asking her relevant questions that sparked more debate between them. While Erik was reluctant to share his past, she had treasured the little he had told her of himself and about his travels, the interesting people he had met, the tales he had heard from the locals and what had enthralled her the most was his description of the ocean. She had never seen it but the way he had described it had made her want to go immediately. Her enthusiasm had brought a smile to his face, something she decided he had to do more often. While his smile was rare, it was not uncommon to hear her laughter floating out of the room at times.

Apollo had been a permanent fixture during their time together and when she hadn't been practicing on the harpsichord or standing beside the instrument to sing, his head would claim her lap once again on the sofa as he slept. Despite his size he was a very gentle dog with kind heart and in short time she came to love him dearly. His owner became her close friend, someone she could talk to about almost everything.

This morning Christine and her father joined the King for a ride in the woods. As she saddled her horse, she noted with surprise that Erik's horse was gone. She knew he loved to ride Cesar and the sense of freedom it gave him, especially in the morning when rarely anyone was up and the sun was just beginning to rise. She envied him and meant to ask him later if she could join him sometime. Christine didn't do much of riding in her life but Erik's passion for horses was infectious and she wanted to catch up on what she had missed.

Their ride was pretty much uneventful, if not a bit boring. Gustave and King Charles talked about Baideanach, the capital and their history, while she just listened without paying any real attention. They simply let their horses walk on the forest path but Christine craved some excitement, feeling the wind in her hair as the animal galloped through the beautiful forest.

"May I ride ahead?" She asked her father when the opportunity presented itself. He simply smiled at her.

"Of course, sweetheart. Be careful." After assuring them she would, she set the horse to motion in a lively trot. When she turned around the bend and could no longer see her companions, she urged to horse into a wild gallop, chuckling to herself as her pulse quickened in excitement. She slowed the horse down as they came to a crossroad; the left road curved back around the castle, the other led deeper into the woods. She could faintly see a clearing in the distance to her left and chose the direction to let her horse rest for a while. She rode on until she came to a thick bush barrier and paused when she heard strange sounds coming from behind the bushes. Christine stopped and listened carefully, realizing the sound was caused by a bow and an arrow hitting a practice target. Who would practice archery here outside of the practice range on the castle's grounds?

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she directed her horse around the bushes, finding a way in. She had to duck under a few low hanging branches but finally came upon an entrance. What, or rather whom, she found took her by surprise; Marquis Erik was practicing archery on what seemed to be an old practice range. She watched him for a moment; he did not notice her yet and she took the opportunity to observe him and his skills. She noticed Cesar grazing nearby and Apollo lying in shade under a tree. The dog finally noticed her and raised his head, his ears forward. When he realized it was her, his tail waggled happily, flattening the grass under him. Erik noticed his dog's alert state and turned his head in her direction. Her breath caught when her eyes met the infinite green depths.

"Christine." The way her name rolled from his tongue made something in her stomach flutter and she swallowed before giving him a small smile. He set the bow down against the tree and walked to her direction. He was wearing a simple black tunic and breeches, his hair was tied back and he looked far from how she first saw him, dressed in all finery, although he held himself the same way. He approached them, giving a pat to the horse and motioning for Christine to dismount, steadying her with his hands on her waist as she did so.

"My father and I joined the King for a ride in the woods. It was rather boring, so I rode ahead." She answered his unspoken question and watched a ghost of a smile play around his lips. Apollo rose gracefully and trotted over to sit in front of her. Knowing what he wanted, she patted his head with affection and scratched behind his ears. Meanwhile Erik led her horse over to Cesar and left them grazing. Picking his bow back up he drew an arrow, shooting the target with precision.

"Why do you not practice within the castle's walls?"

"I find the archery range has been too crowded lately. I like the peace of this place. It used to belong to the castle before the new range was built." Christine knew he was not fond of crowds but saw how he would prefer this, being in the nature rather than surrounded by people and stone. A sudden thought came across her mind and she bit her lip.

"Do you want me to leave? I did not mean to interrupt." Another arrow struck the target dead in the middle. Erik turned to her, the corner of his mouth quirked upwards.

"You did not interrupt. I enjoy your presence, Christine." Her heart quickened at his reply and she moved closer to him, watching the play of his muscles on his shoulders as he drew the bowstring back and then released it. He gave her a look and noticed her curious gaze. "Would you like to try?" She bit her lip; she had always wanted to try archery but for some reason she had never been taught.

"I do not know how." She admitted, biting her lip. She had always wanted to try archery but for some reason she had never been taught.

"You have not been taught?" The visible side of his face showed surprise; it was common that noble ladies knew how to operate bow and arrow and Christine guessed that her father was simply protective of her and did not want her to get hurt.

"Nay."

"Then we must remedy the situation." He beckoned for her to come closer and on light feet she obeyed. He unbuckled a piece of leather from his forearm and she watched him curiously. "This is an arm guard, which protects you from injury when the string comes back. It is also good to contain loose clothing which could get caught in it. I noticed you are right-handed, therefore you need to wear this on your left arm, which will hold the bow." Erik explained and she held out her left arm for him. He fastened the leather around her forearm, then took off the leather glove on his right hand. "This will be a bit large for you but it will protect your fingers as you draw the string back." She put on the glove, noting the warmth left over from his hand.

He picked up the bow and she instantly felt a bit wary. He had noticed her apprehension and let a small smile touch his lips.

"Bows are made to fit the archer. I am afraid this is the only one I have right now but if you truly want to be taught on a regular basis, we will need to get you a shorter one. For now, let us just try this." He handed her the weapon; she had not expected it to be this heavy by the way he carried it, but she felt her left arm sink from the weight and if it weren't for his quick reflexes, the bow would have fallen on the ground. She was grateful he ignored her small mistake and this time she gripped the bow tightly.

Christine wordlessly followed his instructions; feet slightly apart, shoulders down and in straight line with the bow. Her left arm was trembling a bit but she managed to lift the bow and aim, all her focus was on what she was doing. Erik helped her place the arrow in the correct spot and she drew the string back and released it. The arrow made a pathetic downward curve a short distance from where she was standing. For some reason it greatly amused her and she started laughing.

She heard his low chuckle and turned her head to the side, his eyes were shining with merriment.

"Let us try again. I will help you this time." She didn't know what he meant but felt him step close behind her. His left hand softly grasped her left elbow, anchoring her and making her hold on the bow strengthen. Christine was hyperaware of Erik's closeness; she could feel as his chest expanded into her back as he inhaled and felt his warm breath ruffle the hair at her temple as he exhaled. Even through clothing his touch made her skin tingle and the fluttery feeling in her stomach began anew as her heart sped up. She swallowed several times when his right hand covered hers on the bowstring, helping her draw it back. His body was a solid wall behind her and she held her breath when together they released the arrow and let it sail forward through the air. She closed her eyes momentarily before she heard the arrow struck the target. Opening them again, she was surprised the arrow was perfectly lodged in the centre of the target.

Filled with excitement, Christine turned around with a grin, not taking into account their close proximity. She stared up at Erik, the grin slowly fading as she looked up into his eyes. The sun shone above their heads, illuminating tiny golden flecks in his green orbs, making them even more enchanting. She was pressed against his strong form, her heart galloping in her chest at his intense gaze. Everything was quiet around them, except for the birds in the trees and the sound of blood rushing through her ears.

Somehow they met halfway, molding their lips against each other in a kiss that stole her breath away and made her knees weak. Unnoticed, the bow fell from her hand onto soft grass as his arm circled her waist and his other hand delved into her hair and gently held the nape of her neck. Her eyes drifted shut in pleasure; she had never felt like this, the sensual slide of his warm and surprisingly soft lips against hers awakened something inside her. The spark that existed between them since day one ignited into a flame. She could vaguely taste cinnamon from breakfast on his lips but her senses were overloaded as he slightly deepened the kiss. One of her hands came to rest upon his shoulder, the other one settled at the base of his throat, her fingertips brushing warm skin above his tunic. A tiny moan escaped between their lips; she wasn't sure whom it belonged to but did not care as it unfurled a strange heat in the pit of her stomach. She could feel the muscles of his torso as she pressed even closer to him, and this time a soft moan came from her.

Awareness of the world around them returned with the sound of two voices coming closer to their location. For a moment they locked eyes before they stepped away from each other a respectful distance away just in time to see the King and her father enter the clearing on their horses.

"There you are, Christine. We wondered where you ended up." Her father smiled at her and she managed a smile back, steadfastly trying not to look in Marquis Erik's direction. Her lips still burned from their kiss and her skin was covered in goosebumps that were left in the wake of his touch.

"I found Marquis Erik practicing. He showed me how to use the bow and arrow." Christine tried to suppress a blush but felt her cheeks getting hotter.

"Thank you, my Lord. I am very grateful for I have never found the time to teach my daughter." She saw the Marquis only giving a nod from the corner of her eye and looking at her afterward. She unbuckled the leather arm guard strapped to her forearm and took off the leather glove, walking towards the Marquis to give him the items back. Their fingers brushed briefly and the shock of the contact made her look up at him, his eyes intense as they connected with hers. Her heart still did not cease the mad gallop and her blush deepened.

"Thank you for the lesson, my Lord." She said politely, ducked her head and went over to her horse, quickly mounting it and directing it towards her earlier companions.

"You are welcome, my Lady." His voice was calm and even, which ironically set her more on edge. She saw him lick his lips absentmindedly and averted her eyes.

Erik bid all of them a good day and the three of them set out on the trek back to the castle. This time Christine did not even attempt to pretend paying attention as the King and her father conversed between themselves. She licked her lips discreetly, catching his taste on her bottom lip.

The knowledge that she had a lesson with Marquis Erik later that day set her heart thundering in her chest once again.