Hey, thanks so much again for the reviews, follows and favourites! Shoutout to Tam Lin's rose, Beagle Brother and my wonderful beta Mominator124. As always, I love reviews and am perfectly fine with constructive criticism :)
Warning: This chapter does contain themes that might be triggering to some individuals, including attempted rape, so proceed with caution. If you want to know what happens in this chapter but do not want to read it PM me and I will give you a summary.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Selena. Everything belongs to Leroux, Kay or ALW.
CHAPTER 10: THE DESERT
Spring 1851, Persian Desert – Erik's POV
Erik awoke early in the morning of their departure and was not surprised to find his charge still in her room, most likely asleep. It was expected as she was a noblewoman who was used to being woken up by a maid late in the morning, but Erik found it irritating to have to host such a pampered child. He was surprised she knew how to dress herself and make tea.
Aristocracy was not high on the list of things Erik liked having in his presence. He found them to be ignorant, narcissistic and utterly clueless about the state of the world. Sitting at the top of the world, being given everything without doing anything, trying to be gods.
Sighing, Erik stalked to her door, knocking loudly enough to wake her. He heard, with grim satisfaction, her gasp as she was startled awake and glared down as she opened the door looking blearily up at him.
"Good morning, Miss Turnour. I am sorry to disturb your sleep but I must insist that you get ready. The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive."
Selena, much to his chagrin, only nodded before closing the door in his face without so much as a world. The nerve of the girl!
He stormed to her breakfast, that was already waiting innocently on the table, to check its contents for a final time, knowing that everything was in place but needing something to do so he would not throttle the girl.
Their trunks had already departed so they would not slow down the procession. He had considered taking his violin but was too unwilling to allow any damage to come to it during such rough travels. His music would have to wait.
He turned to glare at Selena as she opened the door, finding himself slightly appeased when he noted she had dressed comfortably for travel and had already prepared a case of items that she would need for the journey.
She looked sheepishly up at him. "I'm sorry about my previous rudeness. I'm rather despondent when I'm tired."
Erik merely made a humming sound in response, gesturing vaguely towards the table in the parlour where a light meal was already waiting for her. "Eat quickly."
As Selena ate as quickly as she deemed appropriate for her noble manners and Erik glared daggers into her back, hoping that it would scare her into eating faster, four cowering servants arrived to collect their cases of necessities. After they had left, Erik was infuriated to find her still nibbling away.
"If you would like to finish sometime this century that would be lovely." Selena jumped at the comment and hastened her eating… slightly. Erik groaned internally and resigned himself to his fate.
After what seemed like an eternity, Selena finished and they departed, heading towards the palace entry where his faithful Orion would be waiting patiently.
Selena fidgeted incessantly by Erik's side, succeeding in irritating him even more. "What is the matter with you today?"
Selena flinched. "I am just not that excited to travel again after my last experience."
"What if you knew that journey would return you to your family. Would you mind so much then?"
Selena made no reply.
Erik was pleased to find that his horse was indeed waiting for him while indulging himself in the most water he would receive before arriving at Ashraf. The daroga and his ever-faithful servant Darius were also waiting with their respective horses, though the servant also held a gelding that Erik knew to be named Dana. He was a beast of gentle disposition so he assumed it would be Selena's mount. He had ordered for the servants to pick her a horse since he was unwilling to allow Orion to carry the burden of a second person for such a tiring journey.
The daroga nodded to them at their arrival and proceeded to introduce Selena to his servant and her horse before Darius turned to help her onto her mount.
Erik turned to greet Orion, offering him an apple which he chewed on happily. "Whatever will I do with that foolish child, my friend? She will be the death of me." Orion merely blinked at him in response and Erik sighed, moving to mount him.
Their journey began pleasantly enough as the sun had not yet risen so high as to glare mercilessly down on them.
Erik removed a small novel from a pocket in his cloak and began to read, hoping that it would ensure that he would not be disturbed.
Selena, he soon learned, was unable to discern some basic social cues.
"What are you reading?" she asked, riding up to him.
Erik glared. "A book."
"Well I can see that. What book?"
Resigning himself to the incessant questions that were bound to come spewing out of her delicate lips, he closed the book.
"Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. I do not presume you have any interest in such novels." He muttered through gritted teeth.
Selena scrunched her nose in disgust. "Oh no. Father banned us from reading it. I heard it is a rather blasphemous book about a man who wished to be God and created a monster."
Erik was disappointed to note that it was exactly what he expected her to say. "I disagree. Creation is not a great a sin as abandonment."
Selena bristled. "One cannot play God and expect no consequences."
What was left of Erik's temper snapped. "Do you not play God when you decide for yourself whose sins will lead to damnation and whose will not?" Selena tried to respond but he did not let her. "Do not try do deny it. How many times have you damned Muslims for their religion since you arrived? How many times have you damned a loose woman?" Selena remained silent. "You cannot deny it, can you? Know this, you naïve child, to give someone life only to abandon them when they are deemed unnatural is the greatest sin, the most damnable sin."
Infuriated, Erik urged Orion into a gentle trot to ride ahead, where he did not have to look at the infuriating girl.
It would seem that he would never find peace because shortly afterward the daroga made his way to him. To his credit, however, he did not speak, knowing that words would not be appreciated in that moment.
"What do you want, Daroga?" he asked eventually, knowing that he would not be left alone until the conversation was over.
"You know she meant no harm," the Persian responded simply.
"It does not mean that she caused none."
The daroga sighed but persisted. "She is ignorant, Erik. You cannot expect her to guess what you have not told her."
Erik was no fool, and clearly understood the daroga's not so subtal message. "Nor will I tell her. As you said, she is ignorant and will remain so until I find a way to get her out of this blasted country without compromising my position at court."
Nadir sighed once again and re-joined Selena and Darius, who seemed to be struggling to understand each other through their language barrier. The three quickly fell into a rather humorous conversation, leaving Erik to sulk alone.
Unwilling to observe them, Erik returned to his book, losing himself within the tale of Frankenstein's tragic creation, of his flight to the home of a kindly old man who took pity on him. His longing for companionship, his resignation to hiding in uninhabitable places where his horrid visage would cause no harm. Yes, indeed, Erik, like the Creature, was doomed to wander the earth, feared, unloved, unnatural. Talent is worthless if one isn't beautiful.
"Erik," the daroga called out, disturbing him from his thoughts. "We will make camp here tonight. Selena needs to rest."
Of course she does. Erik looked around and was pleased to find that the daroga had selected a sparsely vegetated area, with ridges that would provide sufficient shelter for the night.
They prepared to make camp swiftly, aware that night was falling fast. Only after a pleasant fire crackled in the centre of the camp and the horses were tended to did they sit upon their makeshift beds. Selena ate some dried meat and immediately excused herself, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and Darius followed shortly after.
Erik was left watching the daroga, who stared thoughtfully into the flames, his brow furrowed in worry and grief.
"You are certain," he began, "that there is nothing that can be done."
Erik grimaced. "Would that there were. Your son cannot be saved, Nadir. All you can do is make him comfortable."
The daroga seemed to choke back a sob. "He does not deserve this."
"No, but in my experience, people rarely get what they deserve."
The daroga merely nodded in response and they stared once again into the flames, plagued by their thoughts.
Erik broke the silence. "It is late, you should rest. I will stand guard."
Once again the daroga nodded his assent and went to his bed, leaving Erik alone with his thoughts.
There was no doubt that Reza would die. If he could he would take the boy's place but the world was not so kind. Perhaps someday it would be a more merciful place though Erik very much doubted it.
Erik took out his journal and began to write.
Human nature is the source of pain and evil. It has caused the world's greatest tragedies. It is laced in greed, bigotry, lust… there is little compassion in the world.
Compassion…
Compassion is underestimated.
So often people assume that compassion is weakness and ignorance. Such a simple thing, to be kind yet so difficult to do. All that must be done is to put aside one's differences and accept that all creatures are deserving of respect.
Yet good men kill every day.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. The wise words of the famed Aesop.
I do not pretend to be a good man. Or a merciful one. But I strive to be—
Erik's writing was interrupted by a shiver of warning that ran up his neck. Someone was watching them.
Erik casually placed his book into his cloak and rose, gently awakening the daroga.
"Come now, wake up, it is your shift. I must rest," he muttered, shaking the older man's shoulders.
The daroga grumbled but catching Erik's eyes stopped and nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Wake my servant up," he replied loudly, "I wish for some company."
Erik nodded and awoke Darius who also quickly deduced what was happening.
"Actually, my friend. I wish for some more… feminine company," the daroga exclaimed, "I am certain you do not mind sharing."
Erik felt a faint prick of jealousy but gulped it down, knowing that there was no truth in the daroga's words.
He awakened her with a shake and grabbed her squirming body, half-dragging her to the daroga. Amidst their movements he had time to mutter, "Play along. We are being watched." He then walked to his bed and pretended to sleep.
The men watching them, clearly having decided that it was time to strike, left their hiding places and ran towards them with a mighty roar.
"First mistake," Erik muttered in a thief's ear as he dispatched him, "trying to steal from me."
"Second mistake," Erik continued, slaying another, "being so dreadfully loud."
As he strangled a third man with his Punjab lasso he heard Selena scream. He turned to find her being dragged by a man onto a horse and riding away.
Erik muttered a string of French curses that would have made Mademoiselle Perrault swoon and ran to Orion, who, sensing his master's distress, immediately sped up to a gallop as Erik leapt upon his back and turned him in the direction where the other man had taken Selena.
Being petty thieves, the men were not skilled at covering their tracks and Erik followed them easily enough. The man had not gotten far, evidently too eager to test out his new toy.
He found the man hovering over Selena who screamed and struggled, hopelessly trying to dislodge the larger man who was trying to loosen his robes while holding her down. Blood poured out of her split lip, her face showing clear signs of bruising.
Erik swung his lasso about the man's throat and whispered into his ear, "Third mistake. Hurting her." With that he jerked his lasso taut and heard the satisfying snap of the man's neck breaking and he fell in a heap onto Selena who screamed and dislodged herself from the man, before getting up and stumbling to Erik.
He was surprised to find how pleasing it was to not be feared by a woman, to be trusted enough for her to hold onto him as if he were her salvation. He had little time to think of it however, since Selena seemed to be on the verge of panicking.
Instead he grabbed her shoulders, "You are all right, you are all right. I will check on your face when we get back to camp but we cannot stay here."
She nodded and allowed him to help her onto Orion and they rode back promptly, though it was not as rushed as the previous chase.
At their arrival, Erik found Nadir and Darius disposing of the bodies that littered their camp. Though Nadir had a cut on his brow and Darius was limping they appeared generally unharmed and seemed relieved to find that Erik and Selena were alive.
Erik helped the still trembling girl down from his horse and walked her gently to her makeshift bed, handing her a flask of water which she drank gratefully.
"May I look at your face now?" he asked gently, only approaching at her nod. He gently touched her cheek and for a moment mourned the fact that his hands were gloved, though he quickly dismissed his qualms. It was best that she did not require them touching her face.
Though her cheek was bruised and her lip was split she had no other injuries, and, other than a balm to help heal her lip there was not much that could be done.
Erik moved his hands away from her. It would not do to taint her with his presence for longer than strictly necessary. "You will be fine but you should rest."
Selena shook her head ferociously. "No, I can't."
Erik understood her fears. Dreams could often be far more terrifying than reality so he merely notified her that he would keep watch and left her to her own devices.
"Erik," her voice sounded through the darkness, after both Darius and the daroga had once again fallen asleep, "would you mind if I read Frankenstein?"
Erik looked at her terrified eyes, reflecting the campfire before her and realised that there was nothing he could ever deny the frustrating girl so he handed her his precious book, though not without voicing empty threats of what would happen should she damage it.
He watched her devour the book she had despised so much and found himself wondering how she could have wormed herself into his heart so stealthily.
