A/N: Sorry for the long wait on updates. Stuff happened and it smushed out the creativity for a while. I hope it will be worth the wait.
Carlotta's jaw dropped in shock. Christine couldn't help but smile—how many times had she called Christine a "little toad"? Carlotta looked very much like a big fat bullfrog at the moment.
Keith's smile was one of quiet serenity.
"This way, my future queen. Is there anything here that you would like to take with you?"
Christine thought about her room in the attic, her ragged clothes. Chance and Squishie raced down the stairs. Squishie's tail was wagging so hard that it looked like a wheat-colored blur. Cocoa trotted after them, her snooty little nose in the air as usual. They all came to stand beside Christine.
"Only my family," she answered.
Just when Amanda, Regina, and Carlotta started forward, Christine held a hand up.
"Not you…my real family," she said coolly, "but I do hope you come and visit once in a while. Goodbye, stepmother."
As Keith helped Christine into the carriage, they heard a blood-curdling scream come from the house. Cocoa had already settled herself into one of the cushions and merely sneered at the sound.
"Will she be all right?" Keith wondered out loud.
"I'm sure she will," Christine replied.
The wheels began to turn. Christine felt the butterflies shooting cannons in her gut and tried not to dwell on them. The morning was crisp and clear and the town was just starting to wake up. She looked at the sky, the trees, the buildings, and wondered why she hadn't taken the time to appreciate them all before.
"Prince Erik will be very pleased," Keith said gratefully, "he was in a very foul mood this morning…don't worry, dear, it's only because he missed you."
As they approached the castle, Christine could hear violent and stormy sounds. It wasn't until they were at the gate that she realized it was organ music. She gulped back the nervousness.
"He is composing," Keith explained.
"It sounds so…sinister," she shuddered. She could actually feel the anger pulsing through the music like a thundering dark heart.
"First things first, my dear, let's get you settled in. Mrs. Giry, our head of household, will see that you have everything you need."
Though he never said it directly, Christine understood the message: she wore a raggedy limp dress, one regular shoe and one glass shoe, and her hair was probably as tangled as a bird's nest. Yes…she wanted to look presentable for the prince. As they walked through the massive hallways, she felt more and more out of place. Afraid of being lost, the three animals huddled in around her feet. Cocoa seemed perfectly at home and walked slightly in front of Christine. Squishie and Chance needed a good brushing and a bath…she hoped that Prince Erik was an animal lover (or at least an animal tolerator).
"You found her?"
This came from a tall, thin gray-haired woman in a simple black dress. Christine guessed that she must have been a beauty in her youth.
"Yes…would you do the honors of helping this young lady settle in? I must go and inform Prince Erik at once of her arrival."
"Of course. This way, Miss."
Christine reluctantly followed her.
The room was very large. A giant four-poster bed dominated at least a quarter of it. The décor consisted of the signature red, gold, and black of the royal family. The two windows had been opened wide to let in the clean morning air and the sheer curtains floated daintily on the breeze. A bouquet of fresh flowers (red and yellow roses) stood in an ornate glass vase on the polished vanity table. There was also an adjoining bathroom with the largest and most beautiful tub that Christine had ever seen.
"We will have gowns made for you, but you will have to make do with one of the Queen's dresses for now," Mrs. Giry informed her, "you will find some to choose from in the wardrobe. There are already towels and soaps in the bathroom. Will you be needing anything before breakfast is ready?"
"Some tea," Christine replied hesitantly. She hoped it would calm her nerves, but she felt strange asking another person to get her something.
"I will bring it right up," Mrs. Giry said, already halfway out the door.
Christine inched towards the tub and turned on the tap. Near one side of the tub was a set of shelves with numerous glass bottles. After uncorking several, she inhaled deeply. She chose a lavender one.
Before she undressed and got into the tub, she bathed Squishie first. Squishie wasn't fond of water or baths, but she tolerated it for Christine's sake. After Christine dried her off, Squishie ran to the rug and flopped over on it. Everyone chuckled as she rubbed around and tried to get the dampness out of her fur.
"How did you stand this every day?" she asked Cocoa, who seemed particularly amused.
"Ready, Chance?" Christine asked.
"Cats don't need baths," he said firmly, "we can bathe ourselves."
Christine shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
There was a knock on the door.
"Your tea, Your Highness," Mrs. Giry said, producing a beautiful china cup.
"Thank you."
Christine sipped at it. The sweetness of honey and chamomile warmed her insides and steadied her churning stomach. After Mrs. Giry had left, she stripped off her ragged dress and sank into the tub up to her neck.
While Christine was enjoying her first uninterrupted bath in history, a proud Keith swaggered confidently up the stairs. The loud organ music didn't phase him in the least—he was used to Erik's mood swings.
"What do you want?" Erik snapped, never ceasing in his passionate, dark chords.
"We found her, sir."
The quiet was abrupt after all the tumultuous racket.
"Found…whom exactly?"
"Her…the girl! The one you sent me out to search for! She's here, Erik."
"I don't see her," Erik said acidly.
"For now, she is in one of the East Wing rooms. She wished to freshen up before she sees you again. Her circumstances are most unusual."
"Circumstances?"
"Yes, sir. She is a servant. That is why she was so difficult to find…and I suspect why she ran off yesterday. She was afraid you'd be disappointed."
Erik thought that one over. On one hand, the courtiers would be ruthless with her…he wasn't sure he wanted to put her in that position. On the other hand, he wasn't about to let her go over a silly thing like that. She inspired him. She was his Angel…
"Only one thing would disappoint me, Keith. That would be if she ran away again."
Keith smiled warmly.
"I suppose I will go and get ready for dinner, then. Take the rest of the night off—you've earned it."
"Yes sir."
Keith bowed humbly and walked off to enjoy his newly found leisure time. Erik settled down on his organ bench again. The hours of catharsis had left him drained and weary, but he was content for now. The monster inside of him was satisfied.
There was a knock on the door. Queen Mary came in, her soft lavender skirts swishing about her legs.
"It's awfully quiet in here," she said gently, "have you finished your song?"
Erik glanced at the sheet music that was filling the small shelf.
"I believe so," he said.
"You know, you've grown so much in such a short time…I realize how quickly time is slipping through our fingers," Mary sighed, "I haven't had a chance to talk with you before."
She sat beside him on the bench.
"As you know, your father and I aren't going to be around forever and it will be your job to take over as king of this wonderful land. I know you thought we were hard on you, but we wanted you to be prepared for that. Being royalty can get quite…lonely…at times. That's why we're so happy that you found Christine."
Not sure where she was going with this, Erik squirmed uncomfortably.
"Well…anyway…there will be times that you don't always agree or see eye-to-eye and you won't get along a hundred percent of the time. The key is to remember that it's normal…don't assume you'll never fight. The important thing is how you deal with it and overcome it. Talking about it will get you much farther than icy silences."
Erik cleared his throat.
"All right, then, Mother. Is it time for dinner yet?"
"Yes. I'll let you get ready for it."
He sensed that she'd been feeling as awkward as he was. Rising from the organ bench, he decided to go and get cleaned up. After being awake all night, he was feeling decidedly disheveled.