Chapter 10

I allowed Erik to rest as long as he needed, remaining by his side in case he needed something. He slept for the rest of the day and even missed dinner. It was nearing the lights-out hour, when the guards would turn down the oil lamps so that it became nearly dark as night inside the cells. My knees were scraped up from kneeling on the stone floor and I could feel a cramp starting in my thighs. I stood up, stretching my legs, and went to my cot to grab the flimsy blanket and pillow. As I returned to Erik's side, he began to mumble in his sleep and shift uncomfortably. I knelt back down and ran a hand over Erik's cheek that he wasn't laying on. "Shh... You're safe here, Erik." I whispered. Erik suddenly whimpered and I felt that ache in my chest. Not now... Please not now.

Pushing my feelings aside, I positioned myself as comfortably as I could on the ground. I then rested one arm on the edge of the cot and ran my fingers through Erik's thin black hair. It was soft as a feather and I hadn't ever noticed that it was so thin. My fingers gently ran over his skull in a rhythmic motion. Soon enough, I had begun humming a song my grandma had sung to me when I was young. At first, I started out humming the tune, but I recalled the words and started to sing softly.

"If there are times

You find that you are feeling weak

Lie next to me

I'll hold you till you fall asleep

At any time of day

There's nothing to explain

I'm always on your side

Hold on to me

I'll steal you from the hardest days

Don't be afraid

You have me here to guide your way

Through storms I will be here

I will not disappear

I'm always by your side

Always

Always

Always

Always

Hand on my heart

I promise I will see you through

When pain arrives

I'll be right here to hold on to

With laughter and with prayer

I promise I'll be there

Always by your side

At any time of day

There's nothing to explain

I'm always on your side."

Erik had stopped moving and was quiet once again. I smiled, glad that I had remembered that song. My grandma had sung it to me when I had caught pneumonia when I was eight. She sat by my side all through the night. When I awoke from a fever induced nightmare, she sang that song to me as she wiped a cool, wet cloth across my forehead. I fell back asleep after her singing and didn't awaken until morning. It was one of my favorite memories of my grandmother. She had passed away a couple years ago and I missed her more than words could explain. She was the only one who would tell my mother that she was being too hard on me, that I needed room to be myself before taking on my duties as the daughter of the house.

Just as I had expected, the light left the room as lights-out began. I slowly and quietly laid down on the ground next to Erik's cot, staring up at the dark ceiling. The floor was uncomfortable and I wanted to go to my cot, but I had promised Erik I would be right there next to him. Eventually, I began to drift off into sleep, but was suddenly sitting back up at the sound of Erik's soft call of my name. "Flora?"

"I'm here." I said. "I saved you a piece of bread from dinner if you're hungry." Reaching into the pocket of my dress, I started to pull out the measly slice of bread.

"Not hungry." Erik said sleepily. I stopped. I could barely see the outline of Erik's head as he turned it so he was facing me. His amber eyes seemed to glow in the darkness and I wondered if they had always done that. "I didn't know you could sing."

A blush spread across my cheeks. "Everyone can sing if they try." I was thankful for the darkness because it hid my flushed cheeks.

Erik scoffed. "Yes. Anyone can sing, but most sound like the wailing of an injured cat." I stifled a laugh. "What song was that?"

"It was one my grandmother sang to me." I answered. "It took me a little bit to get the words. Sorry if I woke you with me wailing."

"No need to be sorry. It was... nice." I felt my cheeks heat up once again at his words. "You didn't sound like an injured cat. I've heard plenty of those at the opera house. Namely, La Carlotta." I quietly chuckled. The room fell silent for a little while after. That silence was broken by the audible growling of Erik's stomach.

"What was that?" I asked with a teasing tone. "Did you say you were hungry?"

"That piece of bread does actually sound good at the minute." I reached into my pocket and produced the bread. Erik slowly lifted the arm closest to me and took the bread from my hand. As he moved the bread to his lips, he groaned. "That blasted Vicomte. Making it difficult for me to simply eat." Erik took a bite out of the bread and allowed his arm to relax as he chewed. "You wouldn't happen to have some water, would you?"

"Sorry." I replied. "He didn't let me keep the mug." 'He' being Charlie.

"Oh well." Erik sighed, taking another bite of his bread. When he finished, I laid back down on my makeshift bed. "Thank you, Flora."

"You're welcome, Erik."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I echoed back and closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift off to sleep.

...

"Everybody up!" a guard called out from the hallway. It was time for another trip out to the Yard. Erik was still sleeping and I had to wake him from his deep sleep. His eyes fluttered open and met mine.

"I'll see if they will allow you to remain in here. A guard just left you a new shirt and, surprisingly, another burlap sack." I told him. He nodded and I went over to the open door where a guard stood waiting. "Excuse me officer." He looked at me. "My cellmate is... incapacitated. He won't be of any harm to anyone that enters."

"Little lady, I cannot allow..." the guard began answering. Saville, who happened to be passing by, interrupted him.

"The freak can stay." Saville said. A wave of relief rushed through me.

"Oh thank you, sir." I said, not allowing the name calling of Erik to anger me. If Erik was allowed to rest, I would be civil to just about anyone. I went to join the rest of the prisoners, but Saville caught my arm. I turned around with a confused look.

"You can come with me." Saville began walking away and I quickly followed, hoping that I wasn't going to be in trouble by doing so. The prisoners that I passed gave me dirty looks, something that I was used to, but they seemed even more so now that I was getting out of going to the Yard. I followed Saville until we reached a solid wood door, which he opened and motioned for me to enter. Upon entering the room, I saw that it was an office, but that wasn't caught my eye first. As soon as I had walked through the door, I recognized the slightly grayed blonde hair and dark green dress that was nothing less than matronly. At the sound of my light footsteps against the stone floor, my mother turned to look at me.

"Flora." she said as if she had missed me. Saville brushed past me and went to his desk, sitting down across from my mother. My mother stood from the chair and approached me. Her brown eyes found mine and she looked as if she were about to cry. "Oh, my darling girl. I am so glad that I found you. I am here to take you home." My mind screeched to a halt. My mother stood before me, telling me that she was here to take me home. She was here, after kicking me out onto the streets, inviting me to come back.

"Why?" I asked. "Why are you so eager to have me back after kicking me out?"

"Throwing you out was a rash decision and I have been too preoccupied with something to find you sooner." she answered. "Flora, your father has become very ill and we fear he won't be living much longer. He demanded that I find you so you can say your goodbyes." Her words hit me like a wall and I felt my heart drop into my stomach. Tears welled up in my eyes and I thought of how much I loved my father. Then I thought of Erik. My father had my mother while Erik had nobody. If I left here, I had no idea what would happen to Erik. At least my father would have someone he loves at his side when it was his time. Taking my silence as absorbing the idea of my father dying, my mother attempted to comfort me. "It's okay, sweetie. He won't suffer for much longer and seeing you would raise his spirits."

"I know." I loved my father, but Erik needed me more. "Mother, you threw me out. That is not something a mother would do to her child, even if they were as angry as you were. I love papa and I hope he passes quickly and painlessly, but I cannot go with you."

"Flora, you cannot stay in this place. It is full of criminals, which I have convinced Monsieur Saville that you are not. I will not allow you to stay here any longer. You're coming home with me." She reached for my arm, but I stepped back and out of her reach. "Flora Ashby, you will obey me."

"No, mother. I am a criminal. I stole from a gendarme. I stole from him so I could buy myself some food." My mother's eyes widened, shocked at my confession. "That is what I had to do to survive living on the streets. I am just as guilty as every criminal I have met. Do you want to bring a lowly thief into your home? How can you be sure that I won't steal all of your goods and run for it? I lived in that house for all of my life and I know where everything valuable is hidden away." Disgusted, my mother backed away from me.

"Monsieur Saville, I apologize. But I no longer wish to take this ungrateful hellion anymore." she spoke. "The Marquis family wouldn't stand a thief being married into their noble family." I gasped in shock. My father wasn't ill at all. She was just trying to marry me off again. Saville begrudgingly handed over a satchel, from which the sound of clinking francs came, to my mother. "Good day." Without even acknowledging my presence, she brushed past me and out of the office.

"I hope you're happy, missy." Saville said, coming around his desk towards me. He grabbed my upper arm roughly and pulled me out of his office. Saville continued walking down the hall, towards my cell. "You just lost me some good money and yourself a way out of here. I know that you wanted to stay because of the ugly freak you fawn over constantly. Perhaps we'll have the Vicomte for another visit tomorrow. We can put some literal salt over the animal's wounds."

"Please don't." I begged.

"Well, why not?" he stopped, letting go of my arm. "Your sweet mother offered me three hundred fifty francs for your release and your confession ruined that. I think you owe me something for costing me that much money. The Vicomte will be visiting tomorrow whether or not you want him to."

"I'll take his punishment." Saville looked at me and began laughing. "I mean it, monsieur."

"Oh sure." he breathed, recovering from the good laugh he had at my expense. Grabbing my arm again, he led me on down the hall. We stopped outside the cell and Saville pulled his set of keys out. He unlocked the door and turned to me. "We'll see, mademoiselle Ashby. We'll see." Saville opened the door and shoved me inside. Erik looked up at me from the cot, a worried look on his face.

"What was that about?" Erik asked as I walked over to my cot. Saville had already locked the door and left Erik and I alone. "What did he mean by 'We'll see'?"

"I don't know." I answered, sitting down. If I told Erik, I was sure that he'd be angry with me for offering to protect him. "I do not know." Erik let it go by staying silent, something that I was thankful for. I couldn't tell him about losing a chance at getting out of here and away from danger without surely earning his disapproval. I would never let him know that I did it because I was coming to love him.

A/n: Ooooh! Hope you liked it, my dear readers! The song in this chapter is Always sung by the lovely Sutton Foster. Reviews are much appreciated! Until next time!