She could not recall the last time she had run this fast.
As she panted with the strenuous effort of her sprint, her breath always seemed to be a few steps in front of her—unwilling to stop long enough for her to catch it. Her arms loyally fought at her sides, moving back and forth with purposeful swiping motions to keep her from running into any obstacles her eyes could not perceive before her. And her legs took on minds of their own, leading her around tight corners and down dank hallways, trying to find any place of shelter in this twisting labyrinth of rooms where he might not think to look for them or their lovely, flushed owner.
But alas, for as fast as she tried to go, he was faster.
He caught up with her behind a shelf of the library; she must have assumed she had finally lost him and thought it safe enough to stop and gasp for the air her mad dash had deprived her of. He stalked up behind her like a jungle cat, silently and carefully reaching into his waistcoat for the trusty instrument he had mastered so many years ago…
He was going to do it; he had to finish what he had started. And nothing she said could stop him, not now!
Damn her for being so beautiful… damn him for being unable to resist the urge to capture her…
He turned the smooth, cylindrical object over in his hand… it was time to put his special tool to work. He reached forward, while she was still distracted by her own heavy breathing…
"You think you can outrun me?"
Sccrrrritch. Scratch scratch scratch. Scraaaatch…. scritch…
"Oh, damn you, you ridiculously persistent man!" Serena scowled in surprise, then turned her back on him and glowered at her defeat.
Erik chuckled, but did not look up from the sketching pad he held in his hands, trying to finish the portrait he'd started of her as soon as he possible could before she ran again. "It is a personal necessity, Serena dear," he began, shading in some of the lines with his charcoal, "that I finish everything I start. Pieces of art, especially. It is useless to attempt to argue with me…"
"No, what is useless is sketching a portrait of a blind girl!" she returned with a snort, though the ghost of a smile crept onto her full lips.
"Well, when she is looking so lovely, bathed in the perfect yellow lighting of the kitchen hearth—"
"Lovely and incredibly busy trying to make your breakfast!" She folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I was not bothering you," he smirked in reply, "you could have easily just gone on preparing the meal… I would have been done by the time you cooked the eggs, anyway."
"Stubborn and self-assured…" she rolled her eyes, smirking right back at him, "what a dangerous combination I am learning that to be!"
"Please let me finish."
"You are going to be late for work."
"If you had not taken it upon yourself to fly from the room, making this into a game, I would not be leaving so late."
"A game? I was not—"
"You were laughing quite audibly, actually."
"Still! This is far from my fault. I did not ask you to begin to draw my likeness."
"No, you're right… your hair in the firelight did."
"Go to work, Erik."
"After I finish."
Serena reached over and managed to get a firm hold on the sketchbook, pulling it from his hands. "After you get back. I promise I will sit still then if you'll only listen to me now, and ask nicely later. Is that good enough?"
Erik straightened, and contently relinquished his precious sketchbook. He refrained from asking whether she would let him pose her as well, and nodded. "Perfectly so. Many thanks, Mademoiselle."
"Good. Make sure to eat some eggs before you leave, or you'll be positively famished by your lunch," she instructed, then held out her hands with a breathtaking smile, "have a good day, Erik."
"I wish the same to you, Serena. Try not to get too bored playing hide-and-seek by yourself, with me gone," Erik smirked.
Serena flushed. "I apologize for that… you just surprised me. I never did like having my portrait done. Seems like nothing but a mockery." She then shook her head and chuckled, "Though the ennui is inevitable when you are gone. There is only so much one can do to entertain oneself while alone and confined to the house."
Erik opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again when he realized that she was entirely correct. She had the garden—but it was only good for as long as it needed tending to. She could cook—but what happened when she used up all the ingredients in his cupboards in tedium-born attempts at culinary experimentation?
She could always play the piano, which he never tired of when he was being swallowed by its music— but, though she had not admitted it, she was having a difficult time practicing the more complicated pieces he'd been giving her because she could not read the music, and would forget the sequence of keys as the sonata swelled. And she had the cat—every now and again, that is. It appeared and disappeared at seemingly random times of the day… only consistently returning when a meal was being put out on the table.
And even if all of these things could last her more than a few hours, what then when they finally ran dry? She could not leave the house, not without an escort he trusted. And with Nadir busy with work of his own, he did not have that for her. She was stuck in safe but solitary monotony.
He was immensely bothered by that thought, and set to resolving it as soon as possible. Perhaps even on the way to the construction site… as if he did not before he began working, it would not cease in distracting him all day! He simply had to think… and he knew that he never could do much of that with Serena herself standing close by.
He brought her hands up to his lips, kissing them gently, trying to hide his unfading amazement that this had become a regular and friendly gesture between them in these past few weeks. He relished the feeling, and often lingered far longer than he should while playing the gentleman. "I am very sorry," he told her apologetically, "I have not considered that as much as I should. I will figure out how to make things more engaging for you during the day."
"Oh, don't apologize… I didn't mean that to sound as lamentable as it did," Serena laughed, "I am fine, truly. I have plenty of things to keep myself occupied."
"For today, perhaps… but nevertheless, I will work on keeping that from remaining a problem in the future." He gave her hands one last squeeze, then smiled and turned around. "Until later, then?"
"Work hard!" she called after him, then sighed and started her daily routine.
~o~0~o~
As soon as he left the house, however, Erik had his solution. He marched right over to Nadir's dwelling, where the Daroga was just preparing to leave for his rounds.
Nadir looked up when he heard him come in. "You know, it is very rude to walk into someone's home unannounced. What would happen to me if I were to reciprocate the favor?"
"You'd very soon find yourself hanging from the rafters," Erik replied smoothly, as if speaking about the state of the weather and not instigating the threat of an intricate and painful murder.
Nadir sighed. "Always a pleasure talking to you, my friend. I only object at it being a bit early in the day to be plotting my demise. Yet I imagine, by the looks of your purposeful stride, that this is not why you have come."
"Indeed not," Erik nodded, then turned his gaze on Darius, who was busying himself with helping Nadir into his shoes, "I actually need to speak with your manservant."
Darius froze, and, though his back was to Erik, he was certain that his face had just turned ashen. He knew that the boy was a nervous wreck around him… but why so quickly defensive? Had he committed a crime for which he expected to be punished?
Nadir crossed his arms, sensing the sudden tension in the room. "Whatever for?" he questioned his masked friend, "I hope that he has not somehow upset you—"
"Not at all. Or, at least, not that I am aware of." At this, he took a moment to stare at the back of Darius's head, willing his gaze to make him just anxious enough that he might be able to find out whether there was any validity at all behind his sudden, indirect accusation. The younger man's stiff persona did not change, but did not worsen in any visible way, either.
"Then perhaps we can move on to your initial reason?" Nadir said pointedly, cutting his intimidation short.
Erik nodded civilly, backing down. "Of course. Well, Darius, I was wondering if your Master here could spare you for the day to run a little errand for me."
Darius stood up and looked submissively up at Erik, nodding with the sort of eagerness that comes from having just had your heart jump into your throat. "I believe so, Master Erik. For unless Master Nadir says otherwise, I never go with him on his patrols. I simply ready the house for his return each evening."
"And I do not say otherwise. What is this errand, Erik?" Nadir jumped in curiously.
"Don't you have someplace you need be right about now, Daroga?" Erik asked irritably.
Nadir raised an eyebrow. "Don't you?"
"Yes, which is exactly why I need Darius. I am just having him run to the market to get Serena some things," Erik explained in exasperation, "Why must you always stick your nose where it does not belong and necessitate the explanation of every detail of every small thought one has?"
"That is my job, is it not?" Nadir smirked, opening the door. "Darius, see to it that Master Erik's errands are completed within the hour. And try to at least get a word of greeting out to Madame Serena this time… I have taught you so much more in the ways of etiquette than you make it seem."
Darius flushed, and nodded quickly. "Yes Master Nadir."
"Good. And Erik… remember that he is doing you a favor," Nadir demanded deliberately, before wishing them both a pleasant day and disappearing out the door.
Erik's attention snapped back to Darius, who was standing at the ready almost too closely behind him. Erik had never had a valet before, nor had he ever desired one. The proximity alone and constant involvement in his business was enough to make the idea completely repulsive to him. Still, it would be nice to have someone to run errands for him when he needed things done while he was otherwise occupied. Perhaps he should give the idea a second consideration…
"Darius, I need to you to run down to the market to place an order for me," Erik told him.
Darius did a little bow. "As you wish it, Sir. What sort of order, Sir?"
"I am hoping to acquire some very special gifts for Serena…"
A/N: Ooh… what could this gift be?
Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to get something out to you all as soon as possible despite being out of town. More to come soon… lots of travelling means lots of downtime in between arrivals for writing! Drop me a review… especially any guesses about Erik's special gift!
QOTW: How are you today? (I'm going to work on responding to everyone's reviews… and I feel like I don't ask this enough of the world's best readers. :)
SOTW: "Be Careful, It's My Heart" by Frank Sinatra. ~DonJuana