A/N: Hey, hope everyone is doing good. Finally got a chance to update. Sorry it took me so long. Alright, here is a recap of the last few chapters. Erik and Christine went on a horseback ride. On the ride, Erik spotted something unusual. This lead to him bearing his soul to Michael about his feelings on Christine. Let me clarify something here. Erik thinks Michael will be useless on a battlefield, but he knows that Michael would kill to protect a lady's honor. Christine left Erik a letter and is returning to England. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review.

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Erik clenched the letter and ran to door. He had to find her before anything happened. He would be able to bear it if his temper had caused harm to his angel, His salvation. Apparently, she didn't know how wrong she was. How much she meant to him. She was not an insignificant burden. She had come to be the most important thing in his life. His very reason for existing. He did not know how or why he had existed before she came into his life.

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Erik had rode for nearly an hour when he finally caught up to her. He managed to grab the reins on her horse.

"Let go, Erik."

"No. Christine, you must listen to me."

"No, I don't. I never have to listen to another word you say ever again. Now let go so I can be on my way." Christine secretly prayed that Erik wasn't mad and wouldn't hurt her. She wasn't afraid of him. As much as she wanted to go back to England, her heart was torn and wished to return to Erik's arms. However, the few precious years that her mother was alive, she had taught to be strong and not to put up with a man's infidelity. It may have been common for a woman to ignore a man's wanderings, but she would never accept it. It was in her best interest to return home before she and Erik killed each other.

"Please, Christine." Erik had been delighted and had felt a sense of hope and pride when he saw her. However, all of those feelings had been torn from him when she refused to listen to him and felt as if he was losing her all over again. "You've got to come home."

Although Christine could hear how desperate he was in his plea, she knew that she had to remain strong and deny her heart's desire. In an instant, she recalled all of the reasons why she was leaving. Her tone suddenly changed. "Don't. Don't you dare think that you can manipulate me. I am tired of you and everyone else thinking that they can tell me where I have to be. You think you are this great, mighty warrior, but you can't bother tell the truth for one single moment. You lack the basic thing that makes all men trustworthy and great. Erik, why you had to ruin both of our lives with your lies, I have not the slightest idea. You could have just left me in England where I belong, and you could have kept up with your whore. But once you brought me here, you had an obligation to everyone. I know that I may not be the brightest person. I know that I am not pretty like Kelsey. But I know that at least in England, there are people who love and care for me. I refuse to be treated this way by you or anyone else, especially when I can go back where I am loved. Grow up, Erik." Christine dismounted her horse. She was in no mood to sit around and wait for Erik to let go of the reins.

Erik let out a laugh. He had never thought that she would have so much spirit. Now he just had to get her back home and smooth things over.

"What is so funny?"Christine fumed and clinched her fists, resting them on her hips.

"Here, I have been speaking in English to you. My men go around telling jokes that would offend you in Gaelic thinking you didn't understand. Now I found myself being screamed at in Gaelic by you. Either you are a very fast learner or you have some explaining to do."

Christine blushed as she realized that she had not spoken a word of English since she left the castle. Suddenly, she was found it another reason to be mad at him. "I don't have to explain anything to you, especially considering the fact that I am going back to England, and we will never have to bother each other with stupid things such as what language we're speaking in since that is your main concern." She started to walk off hoping that he would eventually let go of her horse, and Nightingale would come to her mistress. She suddenly found herself being picked up by Erik and carried back to his horse.

"Let me go."

"Never."

"Erik, put me down right this instance."

Erik set her down on his horse and mounted behind her. He grabbed the reins of both horses and began the journey back home. "How long have you spoken Gaelic?"

"Erik, how dare you try and change the subject. I demand that you let go of me and give me back my horse."

"Christine, I am sorry I told you to leave. I didn't mean for you to leave me. I love you, and I don't want to exist in a world where you're not by my side." He had bared his soul to her and held his breath in wait for her response.

"Oh." Christine thought about this for a minute. Was he simply saying these things to shut her up or did he truly mean them? "Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

"Oh, Erik." Before she could say another word, Michael rode up on his horse.

"Erik, McGill's borders have been broken. They are requesting our help. Bernard has already taken several men down there." Erik looked apologetically at Christine.

"Alright, please make sure Christine gets home safely and remember what we discussed." He put Christine onto her own horse and gave her a kiss before he raced his horse off into the distance. Christine watched as Erik rode off. She hadn't forgiven him, but she knew that it was not a smart idea to try to get back home when there was a battle raging out there and she was clueless as to where the McGill land lay.

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