Sorry agian for being a way for so long. Winter break kind of meant a break from everything. Now I'm back in college my creative juices are flowing, and while sitting in boring lectures I'm working on the story.

So here is the first of my new posts and always read, review, and enjoy.

The candles in the lair were still burning but the fire in the fireplaces had died down to embers. Talia shivered at the dampness that was trying to reclaim the cave. Erik noticed her trying to hide that she was cold and cursed himself for his lack of chivalry. He pulled the heavy velvet lined cape off and draped it over her shoulders.

"I'll build up the fire in the library. It stays nicer in there." He said trying not to sound offensive to her. He had learned enough of her temperament that if he made her mad or frightened her she would run back out into the storm.

Talia just nodded and pulled the cape tighter around her. The smell that lingered on the fabric was stirring to her. A combination of Erik, candle smoke, and horse, smells that most would find offensive seemed to make her think she knew this man from someplace. She remembered this smell.

Erik watched her follow him up the steps into the library. She was quiet beautiful with the black cape hiding her body and sand brown hair trying to escape from the scarf she had wrapped around her face. She had been looking down as she walked up the steps toward him, like a bride afraid to look at the man she loved, then she brought her blue green eyes up and looked at him. She could make him forget his own name with that look. She trusted him.

He turned away and walked swiftly to the fireplace. He added some kindling wood and then coal over the top and got the fire to start to burn well again. When he stood back up he saw that Ayesha was in the place Talia had sat last time. He scooped the cat up into his arms ignoring the protests of her being moved from her warm place.

"Please sit." He gestured to the chair and then took a seat in another, but was trying to think of something else he could do. "Would you like something? Warm wine perhaps?"

Talia sat on the edge of the chasse lounge and looked at him. He's nervous. "Anything you get will be fine." She said hoping to make him at ease. He seemed to lose some of his cat like grace as he stumbled out of the library. What is he nervous about? It's me who's in a place they don't know well.

You would think you're a frightened schoolboy Erik get a hold of yourself. She's just a woman! He looked in the kitchen he had built in the lair just because he had to give in and eat. He pulled out two wine glasses, and found a bottle of brandy. You can just get her drunk. No, you can't get drunk. He fumbled around and found a loaf of bread he'd bought yesterday and a block of sharp cheese.

This really looks good. She's a noble they are served feasts and what do you bring cheese, bread, and wine. Erik put the stuff on a tray and walked back to the Library.

Talia was still wrapped up in the cape and intently staring at the fire. She smiled at Erik. When he sat the tray down on a table she got up and moved to the sofa the table sat in front of.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled still standing and looking down at her.

"What for?" Talia asked.

"It's not a meal that you would be served in you own home." He said.

Talia made a humph sound and then smiled. "I don't like formal meals. I like simple things. I usually don't eat a lot anyways." She tore a piece of bread from the loaf. "Besides I didn't expect any of this. I just happy not to be out in the hail." She took a bite. "Aren't you going to sit and eat anything?"

Erik sat quickly down at the opposite side of the sofa from her and grabbed a piece of cheese. "Sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It should be me. I'm the one who keeps dropping in uninvited."

"I invited you this time, and the last."

"Not really, your just be chivalrous this time. Not many men would leave a woman out in the cold."

"Humph." Erik snorted.

Talia thought for a second. "Tell me about your horse. What kind is he?"

"He's a Friesian Andalusian cross. I stole him from the opera house because the stable hands found him too temperamental to deal with and I didn't want him going to an auction."

"Does he have a name?"

"Caesar."

"A good strong name for him."

"What about yours, Alexander right?"

"He is a Hanoverian. My father brought three mares and one stallion from Germany and he is one of their descendents. He usually never spooks like that."

"The weather and then the underground probably just got to him. He'll be fine though."

Talia took the initiative and poured the brandy into the two glasses and handed one to Erik. "Thank you for pulling me out and calming him down. You're very good with horses."

"They are easier to get along with then people."

"I understand that." She took a large swallow of the amber liquid.

"Besides horses and books is there anything else that interests you…Talia." It seemed magical to call her that.

"I write, a lot. I don't know if any of them would ever be published but it gives me such freedom that most don't understand it. I mean I can be in anytime, anyplace, and anybody. Like a lady in Scotland facing the heads men for loving an English man in time of war, and she was thought guilty of treason, or maybe a man traveling through Europe trying to understand who he is." She stopped and looked at him. "Do you have anything like that?"

"My music." Erik became very quiet.

Talia rolled her lower lip over her teeth and bit down on it. "I wish I could have heard it. I love music but I've never had the talent to play it and I rarely go to concerts."

"Why?"

"You've seen my face, can you imagine the looks I receive at them." Talia tossed the rest of the brandy back.

"I go."

"But you have ways to go without being seen."

"True."

"You don't have to but would you…maybe…play?" Talia asked waiting for an explosion of his temper and a lecture of how he would only play for his love Christine.

Erik sat the glass of brandy on the table, got up, and then held his hand out to Talia to help her up. She reached up without hesitation and took his gloved hand and got to her feet. So amazed at the fact he was going to play for her she did not notice the cape had fallen from her shoulders. She followed him out of the library and to the organ.

"What would you like to hear?" Erik asked sitting down in front of the beloved instrument.

"Anything." She said hoping he would play something he wrote. Something like the pieces that Christine sang that made her want to weep with the feelings in them.

Erik eyed the keys and then let his conscious thoughts go and just played. Talia leaned against the side of the organ and let the haunting dark tune call to her soul. Christine's singing could not do his music justice. You had to be there and hear it for yourself to understand it. Talia lost all track of time and just listened, but when he stopped she stayed silent in admiration of his talent.

"It was beautiful." Talia said trying to hide that she wanted to call him a genius and curse the world for its cruelty.

"You're cold again." Erik said watching a shiver claim her.

"I must have forgotten the cape and I didn't feel it till you stopped." Talia said crossing her arms over her chest.

Erik got up and took her hand. "You're freezing." He could feel her fingers through his gloves. He did not give her a chance to fight he just walked her back to the library, grabbed the cape, wrapped it back around her, and then pulled her onto the sofa next to him.

Talia accepted the actions with no fight. She was cold and though she didn't think she was tired the gentle sound of Erik breathing and his strong-arms around her made her feel comfortable and safe. She was soon asleep with her head lying on his shoulder. Erik tucked his cape around her to make sure she kept warm. He knew she must be tired and he actually enjoyed having her there and just listening to her breath. It was its own type of music one that made him feel alive. He soon found his own self drifting off to sleep.

Hours later when Erik woke to the tingling sensation in his arm he found that Talia had just sat up letting blood return to his hand. She looked at her watch and then walked to the desk picking up a pen and paper when she finished she started back to the path to the stable. Once she had left he got up and read the note that she had left him.

Erik,

Thank you for you hospitality, I did not mean to make you feel obligated to care for me. I have enjoyed your music immensely. I shall not trouble you anymore.

Thank you,

Talia

He read the simple words and wished that he could call her back to tell her that he wanted her to come, to come as often as she liked. Her face meant a change from his dismal life. Immediately he sat to write.

Milady Talia,

I would wish to invite you to a concert tonight at the Grand Hall. Please arrive promptly at nine at the hall. I shall meet you at the outer steps of the main entrance. If you can not attend send a note to the return address, my friend will make sure I receive it.

Your servant,

Erik

Alexander tossed his head and snorted at Trivan when the stable master reached for the bridle. "What's the matter boy you would think you didn't know me."

"I think the storm shook him up a little." Talia got down.

"Probably. You stayed at Anna's I assume." Trivan led Alexander to his stall.

"Yes. I wasn't about to ride home in hail." Talia said and walked into the manor house.

"Lady Talia Philip wished to see you the moment you returned, he is in his office." Colover told her.

"Alright." Talia straightened her hair and scarf and walked to Philips office.

"Talia." Philip said looking up from his papers. "I was worried you had been caught in the storm."

"I got a little wet, but then I turned around and stayed the evening with doctor Demay." Talia sat in a chair in front of Philip's desk.

"I wanted to see you so I could ask two favors."

"Yes."

"First I wanted you to talk Christine shopping. You know the finer stores, let the world see she is a Chagny. Second I wanted you to help organize a masquerade."

"A masquerade?" Talia asked thinking it was strange.

"Yes I've invited the Countess De Cristo of Austria here for a visit. She will be arriving a few days before Hallows Eve, and on All Hallows Eve I wish to have a masquerade ball to show her the lavishness of Paris without over whelming her." Philip explained.

That's what has gotten into my brother. He's in love. Great almost everybody around me is falling in love. Instead of torturing me with the fact nobody could love me with this face why don't you just execute me and get it done with. "Is there to be anything special about this party?"

"No, just the masquerade part. Be sure to invite the Demay's, and Louis Mour and anybody else you think should be there. Of course a certain number of the noble families must attend."

"Would some of Christine's friends from the opera be appropriate?"

"Fine, I want it large but not too large."

"Aright, is there anything else?"

"No, I do not believe so. Does this mean you'll do it?"

"How could I refuse my older brother." Talia got up from her chair and left.