I apologise for the long delay between chapters.
I would like to dedicate this chapter to My Beloved Mum who died just before Christmas.
I do not own anything by Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay or Andrew Lloyd Webber, everything else is my own work.
Calisthenics, Sandals and Such
Although there was the rest of the run of Orpheus, with the gala such a success, the opera company threw themselves into the rehearsals for Faust. With twelve weeks to go, the excitement created with the plaudits for Orpheus, was carrying through to the next opera.
Well everyone was excited; except for the wardrobe department; they had hit a few snags with the costumes for the upcoming production. Problems that Bernadette was outlining to Madame Giry during their morning coffee.
"The blouson breeches that would suit her shape she refuses to wear, and she looks awful in the tight fitted style that she insists are better!" Bernadette sighed as she sipped her coffee.
"She looked like a pair of overstuffed sausages from what I saw yesterday!" Madame Giry commented in response.
"To make it worse, she split those trying to put her shoes on!" Bernadette declared forlornly, "I feel like she is going to split her breeches on stage and then it looks like my department makes shoddy costumes!" she added miserably.
Madame Giry patted her friends hand companionly, "I am just not sure what we are going to do about the costumes for Siebel," she said, "Unless she loses some weight, that is…"
"It would take a Miracle worker to get Carlotta into shape before the gala of Faust!" Bernadette sighed.
"I think if I ask nicely, especially via his wife, we might just have one of those!" Madame Giry responded with a smile.
ooo
Meanwhile ensconced in her dressing room, Carlotta was venting her spleen to her husband. "I do not see why they cannot understand that I will not wear breeches for baggy old men!" she grumbled, "to make it worse, the only fitted breeches they had were created for the Daae girl when she was my second fiddle!" she continued to whine, reaching into a box from the local patisserie.
Ettore was worn through; this was an ongoing battle; his darling wife might be more pleasant to work with since she was no longer the reigning Diva, but she had started feeling sorry for herself and relapsed her strict vocal diet, almost constantly snacking on Pastries and sweets, so the weight was piling on. "Bella Donna, you have abused your sweet tooth far too much, and I for one am fed up with telling you that you do not need all the sugar and pastries you currently enjoy." Ettore stated, "As for Madame Christine, she won her place as La Jardinier fair and square." He added, beginning to lose patience with his wife.
"So, you are enchanted with her just like everyone else!" Carlotta huffed as she lift her hand from the box and waved a cream and chocolate filled choux bun at him, looking like she was going to cry.
Ettore sighed, "I perform with her and that is that!" he huffed, "I love only one fiery Redhead from Spain myself," he added kissing his wife's forehead as Carlotta sighed and bit into her treat. This was ridiculous, Ettore had to do something before his wife turned into a soprano choux bun. Kissing her cheek, Ettore headed off to seek counsel with one person who might be able to help; La Jardinier herself.
ooo
Christine was feeling like she wanted to scream, when she opened the door of her dressing to see Ettore standing there, looking hopeful. She sighed, "Do not tell me, you want to know how I keep my figure and if I have any advice for your wife!" she exclaimed with exasperation.
"Yes, how did you know?" Ettore asked puzzled.
"Currently I have the Wardrobe Mistress and Madame Giry, trying to get the same information out of me!" Christine told him, "Come in!" she added as she stood to one side and Ettore squeezed into the small dressing room.
It was an odd meeting, Christine sat there as three people all begged for her assistance. In the end Christine had, had enough! "Fine I shall ask Erik for some assistance, since I have no other ideas on how to help." Christine told them all. "Now please can I have a moments peace!" she begged as a grateful Ettore, Bernadette and Madame Giry left the harangued Diva to relax.
ooo
Erik was in a cheerful mood, a successful day in the office, four designs completed, and thanks to Jean three more new contracts, had indeed put a spring into his step, and all Erik could think of was a rewarding lesson with his angel and a delicious soak in a hot bath for two, before… Well before a lovely early night with little sleep.
His plans came crashing down around his ears as he entered the sitting room of the lake house to see Christine, standing there with a winsome look on her face. Erik knew that look meant he was going to be kissing goodbye to his plans for the evening before they even started.
"Give me a moment petite!" Erik exclaimed as he took off his mask, placed it on the table beside his chair then went straight for the liquor cabinet and poured himself a generous brandy before sitting in his chair by the fireplace. "Right, what have you broken, said or volunteered me for!" he asked suspiciously, taking a swig from his glass.
"I may have accidentally volunteered you to assist Carlotta to lose weight!" Christine replied succinctly, as Erik promptly choked on his mouthful of brandy and spat it into the fire; where it turned the flames an interesting colour for a moment as he coughed and spluttered.
"You did what!" Erik yelped, his unmasked face a picture of abject horror, "after what she did to me last time!" he added.
"Erik, Ettore says she is miserable since she lost the Prima Donna's position, she is comfort eating and… Well I also promised Madame Giry and Bernadette from Wardrobe that I would help them with her costume issues," Christine pointed out lamely.
"No!" Erik decided immediately, "No and do not try your puppy pout on me it will not work this time." He declared, "Ask Darling Raoul to help her!" he instructed.
Christine looked at him with her big doe eyed expression, "But Erik, Raoul is not as fit and athletic as you, and Carlotta, she is not as resilient as you and… Please help her!" she begged.
Erik sighed, he was not prepared to budge on the matter, and Christine was giving clear signs she was not going to give up either; this was going to be a long night.
ooo
The following morning, Erik was still in a foul mood. Not only had last night no flesh based pleasures, his angel had once again won over his resolve. "She will need some flat shoes and some loose clothing; the outfit with trousers I have suggested is preferred as she cannot do any calisthenics in her gowns!" he instructed as Christine made a list to hand to Ettore.
"What exercises are you thinking of starting her with?" Christine asked.
"An ancient form of gentle movements from Asia called Tai Chi," Erik grumbled, as he leafed through an old manuscript. "That and a strict vocal diet, with no sugar or cream!" he added.
Christine folded the complete list and placed it in her bag, before walking over to her sulking husband and giving him a passionate kiss. "Thank you for this, You really are so very kind!" she murmured against his lips.
"You have turned me into a soft touch!" Erik grumbled.
"I think you have always been a soft touch, for me, and I love you so because of it!" Christine added placing another kiss to his unmasked cheek with a giggle, before grabbing her cloak and heading to rehearsals.
ooo
Up in the opera house, the senior cast had a small break, Ettore was delighted when Christine told him that Erik was going to help, and then a little nervous when she handed him the list of clothing that Erik insisted Carlotta would need to wear.
"My wife does not own any trousers, and where would I procure such items as your husband suggests?" Ettore questioned looking worried.
"Do not worry about the Shalvar and Jameh," Christine assured the nervous tenor, just make sure she has some flat shoes, "Erik will procure the clothing required." She added.
Ettore smiled, "Indeed my wife has Spanish flat leather slip on sandals that she wears around the house, just warn your husband not to upset her when she is wearing them!" he continued.
"Why?" Christine felt she had to ask.
Ettore sniggered, "If your husband is as well travelled as I suspect he is, he will know the dangers of 'La Chancletas'." He finished, turning towards his wife's location, as Christine shrugged, feeling puzzled at this weird warning and headed back towards her own dressing room.
ooo
Christine had barely made it into her dressing room when Erik materialised beside her, "La Chancletas!" he said making his wife jump slightly, "According to my studies it is an item used by Spanish mothers to discipline children since before the Conquistadors," he whispered into his wife's ear, "and nothing to worry about since she is neither my mother or I her child!" he declared.
Christine sighed, "Erik please be nice to her, for me!" she asked sweetly, before remembering Ettore's concerns. "Ettore cannot get any trousers for his wife and does not know what Shalvar and Jameh are!" she added.
"Fine!" Erik huffed, "If they are still there, I know where I can lay my hands on Shalvar and Jameh that will fit our Rubenesque Second Soprano," he assured his wife "I think the colour will suit her!" Erik remarked as he kissed Christine and then vanished into the shadows.
Christine sighed, rubbed her forehead and went back to rehearsals.
ooo
Nadir was enjoying a pleasant late morning at home when his hearing picked up the faint scratch of lock picks followed by silence, then the squeak of his armoire doors then more silence. Standing up and rapidly dashing out the sitting room, Nadir caught his intruder, strolling calmly out of the front door with a large bundle of raspberry red and gold embroidered cloth in their hands.
"Erik!" Nadir barked, before watching his friend instantly turn around to face him. "What are you doing with those Shalvar and Jameh?" he asked as Erik stepped back inside and closed the front door again.
Erik smiled, "I have urgent need of these particular items, to solve a costuming problem." He answered succinctly before smirking. "I saw you still had them when I tried to raid your armoire for the masquerade!" he added fondly.
Nadir laughed, "Yes I still have them a reminder to never let you go shopping for my clothes when you are high!" Nadir remarked, "I still cannot believe you thought that I was that size let alone that I would wear Raspberry pink!" he continued, his face becoming serious. "So, what do you want them for? A costuming problem? Surely the costume department can make a set of Shalvar and Jameh if they need them?" Nadir questioned suspiciously.
Erik looked uncertain for moment, before finding his words, "This is a delicate matter, my darling angel has roped me into the Carlotta Giordano Weight loss programme." He explained.
"That does not explain your filching from my armoire!" Nadir pointed out.
Erik gave up trying to be tactful. "It does if the lady in question is too fat to fit her costumes and needs to do some calisthenics!" Erik pointed out, "she cannot exercise in her gowns!" he added.
"So, let me get this straight!" Nadir sighed, "Christine talked you into helping Carlotta again, now you are absconding with a set of my clothes to give to her to exercise in so she can lose weight?" Nadir reiterated, "So, who is going to be teaching her these exercises?" he asked for clarity.
"Me of course!" Erik replied stoically.
Nadir failed to stifle his sudden sniggers, "Seriously, after how she scared you last time?" he said still sniggering.
"She did not scare me!" Erik replied with a glower, "she merely overwhelmed me! Especially since her chaperone, failed in his task!" he added with a growl.
"I often wonder," Nadir said pondering, "If I was her chaperone or yours? I thought you wanted me to protect her from you, not the other way around!" he finished with a grin.
"I will not be singing, so there is no risk this time!" Erik stated confidently, effectively ignoring Nadir's last comments.
"The 'Exercise with Erik Weight Loss Programme'," Nadir mused, "this I have got to see!" he added brightly, reaching for his astrakhan hat and jacket.
"Is your attendance really necessary?" Erik asked in exasperation.
"If you want to use the Shalvar and Jameh, yes!" Nadir replied.
Erik sighed, "very well! Come along I have not got all day!" he barked heading out of the front door followed by an amused and curious Nadir.
ooo
It had taken Ettore putting his foot down before Carlotta accepted responsibility for her current costuming issues. And as she and Ettore waited for Erik to arrive, the former Diva stared longingly at the wastepaper bin, where Ettore had just thrown the box that contained the latest half eaten choux bun he had caught her consuming when he walked in.
"If they just make my costumes to fit there would be no problem!" Carlotta huffed still eyeing the box.
"My wife, you are ruining your voice and pleasing figure with all the sweets and cream!" Ettore pointed out..
"A few treats make me feel better!" Carlotta grumbled back.
Ettore knew she was going to continue to put up a fight, but he had had enough, time to put his foot down, something Ettore felt he should have been done a long time ago. "You need something else to make you feel better!" he declared, "I feel that it is time you limbered up and moved past this block, to start we, I mean you will cease all sugar and cream, and to fill your boredom, I have engaged a coach to help you." He instructed, his voice brokering no argument.
Carlotta raised her brows and stood swiftly up, "Now see here!" she declared glaring at her husband, "I do not take orders!" she shouted, wagging her fore finger in his face.
"You do now!" Ettore roared back, "It is high time you got off your pedestal and started accepting some responsibility for your own career!" he finished, as Carlotta looked at him thunderstruck; No one had ever shouted at her before… Well except the Opera Ghost and as far as Carlotta was concerned he did not count. So, she did the only thing that made sense to her shocked mind, and for once in her life, she gave up.
ooo
Erik dragged Nadir all the way to the house on the lake, so he could change before the two made their way to Carlotta's dressing room.
"You are serious about this?" Nadir questioned as he looked at his masked friend who was wearing a black silk Shalvar and Jameh set complete with kammerband, his own flat footwear whisper quiet on the stone floor of the tunnel they were using to get backstage.
"Of course!" Erik replied, "I promised Christine I would help!"
"Here we go again!" was all that Nadir could manage before the two friends reached the door that lead to Carlotta's dressing room entrance.
Erik put his hand up to open the door but stopped, turning his head to fix Nadir with a steely eyed glare, "I trust that the chaperone will not negate his duties this time?" he asked coldly.
"Only if the call of nature outweighs the call of duty!" Nadir replied with a grin.
"Perturbing Persian!" Erik grumbled as Nadir sniggered, and with that the two left the tunnel and headed to Carlotta's door.
Ettore opened the door to receive a face full of raspberry cloth, which he took as Erik and Nadir entered to see a shocked Carlotta staring at them both from her seat at her dressing table.
"Good Morning," Erik announced to Ettore, as he strode into the room, "I have been asked to assist your lovely wife, by my wife La Jardinier."
Ettore looked over the black clad and masked figure before noting the sunrise sized grin on the Persian's face. "Are you planning to assassinate my beloved?" he asked suspiciously as Nadir started to snigger before turning the sniggers to coughing at Erik's sudden glare.
"No, I am not an assassin!" Erik declared "I merely like to keep in shape and find that these clothes are appropriate for my exercises." Erik replied, still glaring at Nadir.
"And this cloth is?" Ettore asked, looking down at the large pile of raspberry red and gold cloth in his hands.
"It is a ladies version of the exercise clothing I am wearing." Erik replied, "My friend is from Persia and I gave him instructions to procure a set for your lovely wife in a shade most becoming of her fair complexion." Erik added saccharinely.
Nadir's coughing became choking at the overly sugared and completely untrue explanation, which Erik chose to ignore.
"I have taken the liberty of asking your wife's dresser to assist her with changing into her exercise wear and notifying myself when she is changed and ready to start." Erik informed Ettore, "Until then I shall be watching the rehearsals of Faust from backstage." Erik added before elbowing the still coughing Nadir and turning to leave.
Ettore shut the door as Erik and Nadir vanished from sight, "Well erm, it seems to be all sorted out!" he announced slightly puzzled as he handed Carlotta the outfit and watched as she opened out the clothing and gasped in delight.
"Oh, the darling man, he knew what my favourite colour is!" Carlotta declared happily as she looked at the trousers and tunic before her, before another delighted gasp, "It has real gold thread woven into it in beautiful patterns, and it is made of the most luxurious silk!" she added cuddling the items.
"Humm, I think that he has spent far too much attention on your personal details as far as I am concerned!" Ettore grumbled.
Carlotta smiled, her Ettore was jealous of another man's attention to her, something she had not experienced in years and she was very flattered. "I only have eyes for one man and that is you my husband!" she purred reaching for Ettore's hand.
"That is how it should be Bella Diva!" Ettore replied turning to place a kiss on his wife's forehead, when a knock on the door interrupted the two love birds.
"Senor Giordano, Monsieur Reyer requests your presence on stage please!" a voice called out.
"Adieu until later!" Ettore called out as he made his way out of the door to be replaced with Carlotta's dresser.
ooo
Meanwhile Jean and Meg had just come the dance foyer with a few issues of their own.
"Maman will lose her wig if she figures out what you are trying to smuggle into rehearsal, you should have left her in our apartment!" Meg hissed at her husband.
Jean adjusted his grip on the now growling and wiggling blanket under his arm; "I am sorry, but you know the little rat will not settle without human company!" Jean whispered back.
"Peaches is not a rat!" Meg hissed "she is a sweet little Pomeranian!" she added as the contents of the blanket tried to bite Jeans fingers.
"Ouch!" Jean yelped under his breath, as he moved his fingers away from the little teeth that appeared through the blankets material, "sweet indeed!" Jean continued, "and you just had to agree to look after her for Mama." He added.
Meg giggled, "Really Jean, your Mama and Papa have their first ever trip to England, to see her cousin, Peaches cannot go with them and she does not get on with the rest of your mama's dogs, how could I say no?" Meg replied succinctly, before adding, "you only dislike her because she left a little message in your slipper last night."
"You call it a little message, I call it…" Jean started.
"Language!" Meg reminded him.
The blanket wriggled some more, and Jean sighed, I shall have to find a quiet corner to sit with her and watch your rehearsal," he added looking around.
"Could you not have taken her to work?" Meg asked.
"Erik is here today; something about exercise…" Jean mumbled "so no work for the morning." He added locating a small chair at the side of the dance foyer and sitting down, as Meg went to get changed for rehearsal.
ooo
Meanwhile backstage, Carlotta's dresser had notified Erik that the former Diva was changed and ready.
"Are you coming with me?" Erik asked as the current run through of the duet between Christine and Ettore came to an end.
"No, I think I shall stay here and listen, I am finding that I quite enjoy Faust." Nadir replied, "and anyway you are planning to use the practice room behind us so I will join you both there." Nadir finished as on stage Monsieur Reyer instructed everyone to run the scene again.
ooo
Reaching Carlotta's Dressing room Erik politely knocked on the door and waited… and waited… and knocked again this time less politely; then he opened the door just in time to see Carlotta spin around from facing her dressing table to face him with her hand to her mouth, her jaw moving and a guilty look in her eye.
"You try my patience Senora!" Erik snapped stepping forward menacingly as he realised that the hand in front of Carlotta's face was most likely hiding a mouthful of something containing cream and lots of sugar.
Carlotta did not recognise the danger she was in but her subconscious did and her body took an unconscious step back, then her backside reached the dressing table with the sound of crumpling paper then an odd squelch.
It did not take Erik even a second to work out what had happened, and with the recognition came a roar of laughter, Carlotta realised what she had done and turned her head to see in her mirror the remains of the illicit pastry along with its lashings of cream stuck to the seat of her new exercise trousers.
"Senora, this does indeed prove that sweet pastries increase an already expanded bustle!" Erik declared loudly between laughs.
Carlotta immediately forgot about her current clothing incident and glared at a still sniggering Erik. The Garnier's second soprano then promptly forgot she was supposed to be a lady. "Cerdo Arrogante!" she yelled as she promptly picked up her glass bowl of face powder and hurled it at Erik, closely followed by her stage rouge, "Bastardo!"
Erik had stopped laughing but was still amused, apart from a light dusting of pale pink face powder, he was pretty much untouched, and the rouge just bounced off the door frame… However, his masked face then fell, as like a bolt of lightning from the gods, Carlotta had wrenched one sandal off her foot and was aiming it in his direction.
"Merde!" Erik yelped as Ettore's warning rang in his ears again, and for once in his life, Erik did not stand and fight; like anyone facing la Chancletas, he turned and ran!
"Vuelve aqui maldito cobarde!" Carlotta yelled as with one bare foot and the remains of a choux bun adhered to her clothes she took off at surprisingly high speed after him.
ooo
Nadir had gotten comfortable on a little stool tucked in the wing stage right. He had forgotten why he was actually there and was lost in the heart breaking love duet between Christine and Ettore as Margarita and Faust within the prison cell set on stage. It was quite a rude awakening for him when his ears picked up the distant sound of Erik swearing.
"Merde! Merde! Merde! NADIR!" Erik yelled as he got closer to his bemused friend.
All of a sudden just as Ettore and Christine reached the climax of the piece; the melancholy was suddenly destroyed as a Black clad masked figure shot across the stage and raced passed the two onstage lovers.
"CHRISTINE! Get her off me!" Erik yelled as he dashed passed.
Carlotta had reached the right wing of the stage and was just about to dash out when she realised that if she ran after Erik he could outrun her. She stared across at Erik who was now stage left watching her warily.
Nadir picked himself up off the floor where he had been knocked to by Carlotta's rampaging dash to get his masked friend and stood there watching the standoff between Erik and Carlotta. In fact, Ettore, Christine and the Orchestra as well as everyone who had heard the kerfuffle were trying to quietly see what had happened and what was going to occur.
Erik made a mistake and got cocky, grinning at the peeved soprano, he turned to walk off when a whistling sound from stage right caught his ears just before a ladies sandal smacked into his ear and nearly knocked him off his feet.
"Ouch!" Erik declared rubbing his now abused ear, at the same time as a roar of laughter with a Persian accent erupted from stage right..
Carlotta strode onto the stage, "Disculpas o Voy a tirar otrol!" she yelled lifting her still sandaled foot and reaching for the remaining dreaded Chancleta.
Erik was rapidly considering his options when a high pitched yapping interrupted his thoughts, followed by Meg's yell of dismay "Peaches! Jean you let her escape!".
ooo
Monsieur Reyer was sure someone had designed this day as a practical joke, not only had one of the most emotional duets been ruined by a sandal chucking soprano and Erik Jardiner's screaming dash across the stage. But now as Reyer stood on his podium and hung his head in his hands, there was a little golden ball of fluff that had charged yapping loudly onto the stage and headed directly towards Carlotta; who realised the small dog was heading in her direction and more importantly towards her rear, where the last remains of a chocolate choux bun were adhered, so she yelped and ran; the little dog following her noisily.
ooo
Erik stood stage left and watched open mouthed as Carlotta took off with the little dog following close behind yapping all the way, rapidly being chased up by Jean holding what looked lie a torn blanket and Meg; her crinoline tutu fluttering as she ran.
"I do not know how you do it?" Nadir questioned as he arrived beside Erik, "You are yet again causing chaos here," he pointed out.
Erik turned around to retort when the little dog's yapping and Carlotta's screaming got louder again. Suddenly Erik grabbed Nadir and threw himself and his friend to one side as Carlotta shot passed, followed still by the dog and Meg, Jean tailed behind panting heavily.
Nadir got up from the floor, as the furore went past and dusted himself down, "I suppose I should thank you for preventing me getting stampeded," he sighed as Erik stood up beside him, now sniggering. "What may I ask is so funny?" Nadir demanded as Christine and Ettore joined them stage left.
"I think I have found the way to get Carlotta to lose weight!" Erik declared happily.
Ettore looked at Erik and then glanced backstage where his wife was now trying to climb a ladder into the flies to avoid her little golden fluffy pursuer.
ooo
So, began the worst few weeks of Carlotta's life. She swore that Erik Jardinier was crueller to her than the Opera Ghost had ever been.
ooo
"What have you done with Peaches?" Meg asked the following morning, as she and Jean left their apartment for the day.
"Erik picked her up first thing this morning, he said he would exercise her well for us and I for one could not refuse, since I have several clients to meet with today." Jean replied as he escorted Meg to the Opera House.
Meg sniggered, "I can just see Uncle Erik with Peaches, strolling in the Tullieries" she added as they arrived at the stage door to be met with an angry Madame Giry.
"Before you two go any further, I want proof that there is no Pomeranian Pest hidden anywhere!" Madame Giry growled, "There will be no repeat of the disaster yesterday do you hear me!" she added as she started a pat down search of her daughter and Jean.
"Maman, we do not have Peaches!" Meg declared as Madame Giry scowled at them, having found no little dog hidden away.
"Monsieur Jardinier has her!" Jean informed his mother in law, "He said he will return her tonight." He added.
"Oh, sweet sanity," Madame Giry replied, "What is that man up to now?" she asked as she stared into the sky for divine assistance, before allowing Meg and Jean to enter the stage door.
ooo
At the same time down in the lake house, Christine was putting her cloak on ready to head upstairs for rehearsals; as she watched Erik fussing the little dog in between attaching a length of thin rubber on which was strung a leather cup to the tines of a metal tuning fork.
"Erik what are you plotting?" Christine asked suspiciously.
"This is all part of my master plan to get Carlotta to loose weight!" her erstwhile husband replied airily.
Sighing, Christine picked up her bag, "You know what; I think I do not want to know." She declared as she kissed Erik and headed up for the day.
ooo
Ettore and Carlotta had just arrived in her dressing room and were chatting as Carlotta's dresser arrived carrying a now clean bundle of raspberry and gold cloth.
"What do I need this for?" Carlotta asked as her dresser laid out the all too familiar exercise clothes.
"Monsieur Jardinier informed me that he will arrive in half an hour for your first session Senora." Her dresser replied as Ettore opened a bag he was carrying and pulled out Carlotta's house sandals.
Carlotta sighed as Ettore looked at her pointedly, "Very well but if he insults me again I will throw both Chancletas at him this time." She remarked as she went behind her screen to change.
"Of that I have no doubt!" Ettore commented as he left his wife to change.
ooo
Erik was just leaving the house on the lake, with Peaches tucked under his arm, when Nadir caught up with him. "What is that?" Nadir demanded as Erik stood locking his front door.
"This is a Pomeranian dog called Peaches" Erik replied casually as he turned to head up into the opera house.
Nadir sighed, "I know that the little golden ball of fluff is a dog, I mean what is that funny contraption you have tucked in your jacket breast pocket?" Nadir queried, as he pointed to the strange assembly of rubber tubing and leather strung from a tuning fork. "A new weapon for Carlotta perhaps? He added cheekily.
"You are not so far from the truth o' probing Persian!" Erik calmly replied, it is a Rogatka, a type of Russian handheld ballister you might call it a catapult." Erik replied sweetly, "slightly updated as I have used Rubber tubing instead of traditional stringing to give it more power over distances that Spanish sandals cannot travel when thrown." He added morosely.
"Why do you need a dog and a catapult, what are you up to now?" Nadir asked resigned to being dragged into the situation again.
"Let us walk since we are due to meet with our exercise client shortly!" Erik instructed before setting off at a brisk pace, the little dog in his arms licking his hand excitedly.
"Give me strength!" Nadir declared under his breath before chasing to catch up with an accelerating Erik.
