A few hours passed since Mahtab's abrupt runaway when Christine tiredly went to call the children for supper after she finished forcing some spoonful of soup into Erik. Flo and Noel ran to sit at the table, but Mahtab was missing. Christine looked at the boys questioningly and asked if they had seen their sister. Both of them answered no. Christine, forgetting all of her tiredness, ran through the whole house, but she couldn't find the girl anywhere. She was gasping heavily, and shaking in her whole body. No, she should not panic, the other children will be afraid. She put on her coat and hat to protect herself from the wind and snow and stepped outside to peek out in the garden, but Mahtab wasn't there either. It was already dark, and the trees in the garden now looked to be so threatening. She shuddered with cold and fear and brokenly returned in the house to think through what to do. Why and where did she go? Her winter clothes disappeared as well, making it obvious that she was outside somewhere. Well, they did not want or need anything more than this! Trouble always comes in groups, Mahtab was ill, now Erik is seriously ill, and the child disappears… and she is alone with two young children and an ill husband. They have to find Mahtab as soon as possible! She is only a nine year- old child, many potential dangers were threatening her… GOD!
She tried to compose herself enough to be able to think logically when the doorbell rang. Christine jumped up as thunder struck her and hurried to answer it, hoping it was Mahtab, but it wasn't. The Doctor stood there with a worried expression upon realizing Christine's panic.
- What has happened? Is Erik worse?
- Mahtab… Mahtab… - She gasped, looking around nervously.
- She fell ill again?
- Disappeared! – Christine sobbed.
- Oh dear… well… I go to check on Erik, give him some laudanum and after I take you around in the city to search for her. Don't worry, go and take care of the boys, put them to bed, then we go and look around at the neighbors or friends you think she could have gone to. Please be careful. Don't worry, here everything will be fine.
After the doctor calmed her down a little, she hurriedly fed the boys, and sent them to the bathroom and to bed after dinner. When she tucked the boys in and left the room, the doctor was washing his hands in the guest bathroom and stepped out in the hall.
- Is he better? – Christine whispered.
- Well enough. He isn't too cooperative, but I gave him some laudanum to make him sleep. He did not really want to take it.
- Do you think he will develop rheumatic fever?
- I am not sure yet. His joints look normal to me yet. But it can happen.
- I think… if you are really willing to help me… we should go to de Chagnys. They have a daughter whom Mahtab adores. I think she went to visit her… I hope so.
Even though it was too late for a visit, Christine asked Yvette and Raoul if Mahtab was there or not, but sadly, they haven't seen her the whole day. In her final despair, Christine asked the doctor to ride to the Persian. Darius wasn't too happy to be woken up so late at night, and wanted to tell Christine to go home and come back in the morning, but she was way too hysterical to accept that, and her crying woke the Perisan up, who hurriedly put on a shirt and a pair of pants and went to meet Christine. He quickly dismissed Darius and put his hand on Christine's shoulder.
- What has happened, Christine?
- Mahtab… ran away…
- Oh Allah… not that…
- Yes… yes… I… she… did not go to Raoul…
- Ssssh! Christine, it is all right… please calm down a bit. I put on my clothes and we go to your house. There we work things out, please. Doctor, thank you, but don't spend time here, we will fetch a cab.
The doctor left and Christine did not remember how they got home with the Daroga. Everyone else was asleep. Both the kids and Erik, who sometimes shivered with fever, but other than that he slept.
- Christine, when did you notice she was missing?
- She wasn't here at dinnertime… until that I took care of Erik, I don't know.
- Why do you have to take care of him, is he ill?
- Yes.
- Did she take any money?
- I don't think so.
- Does she have any money on her own?
- Erik gives her allowance of 5 francs a week. He wants to teach her how to handle money.
- That's not too much, thankfully, she won't be able to travel far with that, and I doubt she would walk on foot.
- Erik says one can learn to economize only if they don't have too much.
- He has a point. Don't you think where could she go?
- I am clueless. I only thought of Sophie, but she isn't at the Chagny house.
- Can you guess why did she leave?
- No.
- Did Erik and she had a fight, perhaps?
- No, Erik did not see her since he is sick.
- What is his illness?
- Scarlet fever.
- Mahtab's scarlet fever?
- Yes…
- I think I know why she left. She accuses herself for Erik's state of health.
- God…
- She ran away not to cause trouble. We have to find her. Did not she mention a place she would want to visit?
- I… don't… well… but yes, now I think… she said… Persia.
- Persia? Well, that's a bit of far, but… at least now I have a clue.
- Do you honestly think that a nine year- old child could travel alone to Persia?
- Of course, not. But I now go and try to search for her on the street, and I am not coming back until I find her. She is sure still near. She just got better of an illness, she is not that strong yet and can't walk that fast as earlier. Take care, Christine. I am sure we return soon.
Morning came, and noon followed. The other children felt that Mama was nervous, and tried to act normally, which fact made Christine thankful. Her hands were constantly trembling of being worked up. Nor Mahtab or the Persian showed up, and she got more nervous minute by minute. She chose rather not to tell this to Erik as she did not want him to worry about Mahtab as well – it was bad enough that he was ill. He should focus on getting better and… she should just hope for the best.
Erik, however wasn't stupid.
He figured out something was wrong, so he asked Christine when she sat down to give him a plate with toast and a cup of tea.
- What is your problem?
- Nothing. – She hurried to assure him everything was fine.
- Really? – He leaned closer, even though it required him a lot of effort as he felt weak and his head throbbed.
- Really, Erik, I am fine.
- You are trembling. I know you for 13 years. I can tell by a move of your eye if you lie to me. And now you do.
- You are ill and I am worried.
- There is something more than that.
- No.
- Yes.
- It is just that. – She wanted to hand Erik the tea, but he hit the cup out of her hand, which shattered to a million pieces on the floor.
- YOU LIE! – He yelled and grabbed Christine by the arm, who wanted to collect the remains of the cup from the floor and pulled her close to himself. – Tell me what happened!
- Erik…
- It is with the child, isn't it? Mahtab!
- No…
- YES!
- She is fine…
- PROVE IT! – He shook Christine's arm and gripped it harder. – SHOW ME THE CHLD!
- Erik stop it please!
- SHOW ME MAHTAB!
- I… I can't…
- Why? – Erik's tone suddenly changed to a soft, almost whispering madness, which was even more frightening than his yelling before.
- Because she is asleep.
- You LIE! – Erik grabbed Christine by the neck, hissing. – It is broad daylight! Where is she? I want to see her!
- She… she is… not here… - She tried her best to free herself, and she was lucky Erik was weaker than usual, as she was able to get away from Erik. – Disappeared…
- Disappeared… - Erik stopped with a loud gasp. – Disappeared… dis… - He, without another word, got the nearest object that was close to him, which was the plate with the toast, and threw it towards Christine, who had only enough time to jump away with a scream and shut the door in front of herself. The plate hit the door with a loud clash. It was followed by some other objects and suddenly an even louder clash could be heard. The doorbell rang, but Christine found it a better idea not to try to calm Erik down – she was too much afraid to go inside again. She ran to answer the door, and thanked God for the sight of the doctor standing there with his bag.
- What is going on? – Doctor Bonsanté arrived just in time for the afternoon visit, and upon hearing the wrecking in the bedroom, he knew it was a huge problem.
- Erik… found out the truth about Mahtab. – She backed away from the door as the doctor went to open it and warned him to protect his head.
- Don't worry, just stay here. – He replied as he quickly got in then shut the door.
- GET OUT, LEECH! – Christine heard Erik's unrecognizable roar, something breaking again, some scrummage and finally a painful cry, by Erik again.
After some minutes the doctor opened the door to inform Christine it was now safe to get in. The room was a chaos. The remaining pieces of the cup and the plate were laying across the floor with some spilled out tea, broken and soggy toast, the mirror on Christine's vanity was broken and Erik's left shoe lay on top of the vanity table among some tumbled down bottles of nail polish, a broken perfume bottle with its contents dripping on the carpet, giving the whole room a too much undiluted flowery scent, and some lipsticks fallen to the ground.
Erik was lifelessly laying on the bed, with his mouth wide open, but eyes closed shut, drooling, snoring and knowing nothing of himself. His shirtsleeve was rolled up and his fingers were unintentionally moving sometimes. His hair was messy and sweat covered his face due to fever and overstraining himself.
- What the Hell? – Christine asked with astonishment, but slapped her mouth for the profanity.
- I know he looks alarming, but he is just asleep. I had to give him a very effective tranquillizer drug to be able to stop him from breaking everything, including himself. He is going to sleep for hours.
Christine tried to occupy herself by cleaning the room of the mess Erik had caused, then sat beside his bed, crying. When Erik opened his eyes after six hours of deep sleep, he felt somewhat better physically, but emotionally he felt totally empty.
- I am sorry. – He said rather monotonously, looking at the crying Christine. – I did not mean to.
- Do you need anything? – She asked coldly, showing that she was in o mood for keeping up with Erik's mood swings.
- Pen, ink and paper.
- What?
- Pen, ink and paper.
- What for?
- Writing.
- What?
- A sonata.
- You are ill, you should not compose.
- I don't give a damn.
- Why do you want to compose a sonata, you can hardly sit up.
- For her. – He closed his eyes, and turned slightly away to wipe some tears off by the sleeve of his shirt. – I want to finish it by the time she returns.
Christine burst out in a painful sob while entering Erik's study to collect the things he asked for. It isn't too good for him right now, but at least he occupies his thoughts and writes. At least his soul calms somewhat. He started working on a piano sonata which got the title "Moonlight of Persia". It had melodies borrowed from the musical experiences Erik had in Persia, sounded magically, but it was simplified enough for the girl's current skills, so she will be able to play it without any problem when she returns home… because she will return. She must… If he did not feel that lousy he would jump into his car and drive along the streets to find her, but he simply felt too exhausted. He was struggling to write it without a break, even though he was tired and in pain. His head throbbed, he had trouble focusing on the sheet music and his hand was painful to lift up, but he just kept writing and writing, page by page. Suddenly, when he finished the first movement, his head turned to the side, and he dropped the pen on the floor. His hand shook a bit then knocked against the carpet, he let out a deep sigh and the paper slipped down from his lap.
Mahtab, even though she wasn't a child who gets scared of her own shadow, soon found out that her plan was a bit of too hectic and abrupt. She left the house without any necessities for such a long way to go. She had only a few centimes in her pockets, and even though she did not know too much about financial issues yet, she realized it was way too little to buy important things. She did not even know which direction to take. Papa taught her how to use a compass, but she did not have one, so she did not even know how to tell where North is. Erik, however also taught her one can use a pocket watch as a compass, but to tell the truth, she forgot that part. She'd need it now. She was tired, hungry and uneasy. Her nerves were calmed a bit, as she stopped crying and cool air made her head clean out. She wasn't even sure if it was a good idea to run away from home, but she was now afraid that Papa died overnight, and did not dare to check if it happened, and to tell the truth, she expected of some very bad punishment if she now just walks home. Will they spank her? It is not a good thing to sleep all alone in a dark corner of a house cellar. She just snuck in a stairwell and hid under the stairs for the night, where she found some old newspapers and curled up in the corner. She did not sleep much as she was scared of every small noise and she missed her home and family so much. There is no Mama to wish her good night with a kiss, no Papa to tell her and the boys a Tale of 1001 nights, here is cold, and she is afraid and alone. She did not really dare to walk openly among other people as she was afraid of hatred she received because of her face. She covered the worst parts of her horrid little face with a huge scarf, but her different colored sunken eyes still weren't too aesthetic sight. Her stomach growled. She reached into her pocket again, checking on the small amount of cash there, but really, it was just 20 centimes. How should she travel to Persia by so little money? Well, she would need a free way to travel. On foot was sure for free, but she was already tired. A cab, a train or a ship, all cost money. Lot of money. She remembered back of a story where Papa talked about a flying carpet. She was sure things like those do exist, but to get them, she has to travel far to the East- exactly where she was going in the first place. Yet… maybe she can find it someway closer as well, and Tonton Mohammed sure knows how to get to Persia from here, so even if she borrows his flying carpet, she still have to ask for directions.
She hid on the back of a carriage to take her a lot closer to Rue de Rivoli. She was lost and too tired to walk. Maybe Tonton Mohammed will give her something to eat as well as she is way too hungry to tolerate it. When she arrived to the house of the Persian and she knocked on the door, Darius was shocked and happy to see her. For Allah above! The Master isn't home. But the child came here to search for him. Don't go away… don't go away!
Darius led Mahtab inside the house and asked her to wait in the drawing room until the Daroga arrives back home. She obediently sat down on the couch and started gobbling up the biscuits and tea Darius had prepared for her. She then fell asleep on the couch after a badly needed supper.
The Daroga arrived home for the night in a bad mood. He was searching Mahtab all day long and still nothing. He once even met Raoul de Chagny, who was also looking for her, but that small thing is sure out of Paris by now. He has to rest for some time and tomorrow… he doesn't know what to do.
- Master, there is a guest in the drawing room, waiting for you.
- Oh not now, Darius, please. I am tired, tell them to leave.
- I think you should take a look at her, you will find out why would it be a bad idea.
- Oh… well.
The Daroga opened the door with a tired sigh and stepped into the salon, and upon noticing the lost and found child on his couch, he let out an excited and relieved gasp, happily whispering:
- Moonlight! Oh praise Allah for his miracles!
To tell the truth, he could have spank that child right at that time, for scaring the soul out of her whole family, but the peacefully sleeping and noticeably healthy and safe child melted his heart at the same time. He sat down in the armchair next to the couch to collect his strength before taking the child home where she truly belongs.
