A/N: Lack of reviews make my heart ache.
The next morning Christine woke bright and early, relieved that most of her strength had returned despite the fact that emptiness within her grew and grew. She decided today she would do some exploring to take her mind off of things as well as get to know the home that would soon be hers.
She crept out of her room and glanced down the hall, grateful that no one was around. She knew if she headed right she would come to a staircase that would take her to the second floor. From there, there was another staircase that led to the kitchens. But if she went left what would she find?
She turned left and occasionally glanced over her shoulder, a sense of foreboding settled upon her since she left her room but she wouldn't allow it to stop her. She walked down the corridor and came to yet another staircase that led up. She quietly made her way up the steps though she stumbled once or twice since it was quite difficult to see in the darkness around her.
Finally she reached the top of the stairs and was met with a gust of icy wind. She looked around and saw that she was in yet another corridor, but this time all the windows were opened allowing for the icy air in. She looked out of one of the windows and in the dim light of dawn she could she several people moving about in the courtyard. Some were setting up carts, others were getting ready for a long day of work.
Christine realized then how blessed she was, true her parents were never wealthy but she had never had to work a day in her life and neither had her mother. They had always lived comfortably enough and if it wasn't for Erik, she might have been out of the streets begging for work after the deaths of her parents. The very thought made her shudder, though she had always lived a sheltered life, even she had seen the prostitutes which walked the filthy streets of most towns after dark.
She moved away from the window and made a right through an open doorway. She walked out a large open area, which over looked the land around the castle. She walked over to the wall and looked down, it was a rather long way down and the only thing preventing someone from a fall was this wall. She backed away and looked around, there was a small patch of earth to her left and she saw that it was used to grow some of the food for the castle, such as tomatoes and cabbage.
She continued walking to her left and came to a smaller courtyard, with a garden in the middle. It was absolutely breathtaking. For in the middle of the courtyard was the most beautiful fountain, with pink blossoms all around. She stood still, listening to the soft trickle of the water, not aware of the coldness around her.
When she started to shiver she moved her gaze away from the fountain, she spotted a large wooden door and headed towards it. It took much effort to heave the heavy wood open, but she managed and found herself in a long, dark hall. There was nothing in this hall, save for a few suits of armor and tapestries. Towards the middle of the hall there was a large fireplace, across from which was a window and a small round table.
It was then that Christine realized how empty the castle seemed to be. There were certainly more rooms than she could count, but she had yet to run into another person during her exploration of the castle. She found this odd and unnerving. It also seemed as if measures were taken to keep it as cold and dark as possible. It seemed rather foolish to Christine, but she couldn't help but feel as if the master of this castle wanted this privacy and did all he could to keep others away.
Perhaps her parents were wrong, perhaps Erik truly was as cold and dangerous as he seemed to be...
A gust of wind caused Christine to spin around only to find herself face to face with the very man who seemed as elusive as warmth in this castle.
"It isn't safe to wander deserted corridors at such an hour mademoiselle." Erik said, his voice low and dangerous, his eyes blazing with some unknown emotion.
"I doubt that the dark and cold could pose much threat since there hardly seems to be a living soul within this entire place." Christine replied, not allowing herself to be intimidated by the man before her.
"Do not be so sure." Was his cold reply. "You could have asked for a tour instead of sneaking around like a common criminal."
"I most certainly am not sneaking around. I would have asked for a tour, but since I see you about as often as I do anyone else I've had to resort to exploring on my own."
"I have other things to attend to, I should not have to worry about you getting lost and possibly hurt because you were too curious for your own good." Erik growled, advancing on her much like a predator on its prey.
"You don't seem to worry much about anyone but yourself it seems." Christine said curtly, she was growing more and more irritated with this man who seemed to be kind one moment and rude the next.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" He snapped, fixing her with a cold stare.
"Do you really think this is inviting?" Christine asked gesturing to the room about her. "Your behavior, this cold and darkness. No one would want to stay here long and I believe that is exactly what you want."
"You know nothing of what I want!" He shouted, causing the window to rattle dangerously in its encasement.
"Does anyone? Do you think you allow anyone to get to know you by locking yourself away in this cold and dismal place?"
"Have you failed to notice that no one wants to get to know me? My own mother despised me, I expect no different from strangers." He countered, turning his back on her.
"Are you so blind that you fail to see the people around you who care about you, who want to know you?" Christine grabbed his arm with surprising strength, causing him to face her once more.
"I offer them protection, they treat me like a human being in exchange. It's all an act." Erik refused to look at the girl before him, she was leaving him feeling rather vulnerable and he did not like it one bit.
"You are unbelievable! Do you hear how ridiculous you sound? What could possibly lead you to believe that all people are so cruel?" Christine could not even begin to image why this man before her seemed so sure that no one wanted anyone to do with him. Sure he had a cold personality at times, but the way he had held her when she had cried when her parents had left...when her father had died... she knew there was a good heart lying underneath his indifferent attitude.
"Are you blind, you foolish child?" Erik roared, grabbing her wrists and bringing his face close to hers.
The meaning was not lost on Christine. A white porcelain mask took up the right side of his face, from forehead to lip. The expression looked cold and dangerous, so very fitting for the man in front of her. Christine angrily pushed him away.
"Do not use that as an excuse! We all wear masks, Erik. Yours is not the one you wear on your face." Erik watched as Christine walked away, not caring to go after her. He didn't feel like arguing. In time she would change her mind and beg him not to make her marry him.
XXX
Christine was absolutely livid. She paced her room, her mouth set it a grim frown as she thought about her exchange with Erik. She knew he wore a mask for a reason, no one would walk around with a mask covering half their face otherwise. But she did not believe that was what prevented people from getting to know him. True the mask was a bit shocking at first, but one quickly got used to it and learned to see past it.
It was Erik, the way he behaved and the very emotions he exuded that kept people at bay. Surely a stranger would fear his foreboding presence, but if he would only show them the kind man she knew he could be, if only he would smile every now and then..She was sure he would attract many people, both with his personality and with his dark, sensual looks. Erik was a very handsome man, despite the mask. Surely he must know this? Could he not realize how his gray green eyes seemed to pull people into their dark depths? How his strong jaw with it's slight cleft in the middle and finely chiseled cheeks, nose and forehead gave him the appearance of a Greek god. Christine had noticed how his strong muscles seemed to ripple beneath his clothes, how he gave the impression of suppressed strength and power. Everything he did was captivating, the way he moved was hypnotizing, it was graceful and precise, he moved with purpose and agility. Much like a cat, Christine thought as she continued thinking about this man who both caused her anger to boil yet also caused her to feel things she had never felt before.
And his voice. His voice made her knees go weak. Even when raised in anger his voice sounded ethereal. It was a voice belonging to an angel, though Christine doubted that angels possessed such sensuality in their voices. She had never met one with a voice such as his, and she longed to hear him speak once more. Though she knew he must be as angry as she still was.
How would they ever get to know each other or develop feelings for one another if he kept distancing himself, if they kept arguing as they did before? Christine sighed and wished that she could talk to her parents.
Tears were spilling down her cheeks before she could hold them back, the thought of her parents had turned her anger into sorrow. She missed them dearly and wished she could be with them again. To look into their eyes and feel their embrace once more. To be in their comforting presence and feel her trouble vanish as they did when she was child. She closed her eyes remembering how her mother used to tenderly brush her curly locks as a child. Elizabeth would allow Christine to sit on the large bed which she shared with Gustave, then gently run her fingers through her daughters soft hair before running the brush through it. It was such a comforting feeling, her mother brushed her hair with such love, never once pulling the brush harshly or scolding Christine for wriggling around too much.
Christine opened her eyes then, almost expecting to see her parents room; but was met with the emptiness of her own. Reality was shocking and caused her to break down in sobs once more. She felt as if her parents were just out of reach, as if she was chasing them but would never catch up. It was if her heart had been cruelly ripped out. Everything had suddenly come crashing down, shattering into tiny pieces. Pieces which Christine knew she would never be able to repair on her own.
XXX
Erik growled angrily as he paced his room like a caged tiger. His anger was still at the surface and he longed to bang on Christine's door and to shout at her, to hear her shout back. She was a wild one, that was for sure. He had never dealt with anyone who had matched his temper with one of their own. Christine was a force to be reckoned with and it had fire burning through his veins.
Half of him wanted to shout at her, while the other half wanted to pull her into his arms and feel her soft skin against his. To feel her soft curves pressed against his hard body, a body which had been deprived of loving touch or caress for far too long. But her icy blue green eyes had him longing for her touch. Her brown curls looked so soft, and he had been so tempted to run his fingers through the long tresses. Though it would be useless since the thick black leather on his hands prevented him from feeling much.
He thought of how she had raised her voice as her anger came to life. Even in anger, her voice was beautiful. In anger she was more beautiful than he thought possible. How he wanted her, how he longed to see love for him reflected in her eyes, to feel her body intertwined with his own. But such things would never come to be. She would see him for what he truly was.
A monster.
A/N: Ahhh! School starts tomorrow and I've deprived you for far too long! This chapter is a bit disappointing in my eyes but please let me know what you think!
