And Then He Came
Always AoM


Song 1: A Little Night Music

She placed a delicate, gloved hand over her mouth, stifling a yawn. Her gaze, weary, as she looked upon the wealthy elite enjoying themselves, delighting in the splendid sights and sounds, without any cares or worries. This was to be her engagement party, yet all Christine could think of was far from this place, deep within the bowels of another.

Startled back from her reverie suddenly, she found herself in the arms of her fiancé, unsure of just how she had gotten there.

"Enjoying yourself, my dearest?" His voice was soft and warm, as beautiful to her ears, as was his face handsome to her eyes. His boyish grin, elicited a fond smile from his bride to be.

"I..." She wanted so badly to tell him what she knew he wanted to hear, but she felt she needed to be honest with him. "Not as much as I should be, but more so now that you are beside me, Raoul."

"And why not, Christine? This party is our announcement to all of Paris that we are finally going to be wed." Unsure of what was going through her mind, his smile faltered a bit. "This is what you wanted, isn't it?"

A little too quickly. "Of course it is." She looked into the deep blue, reflective pools of his eyes, the color all too similar to her own, searching for something she couldn't quite find. "I think I just need some air."

"I'll go with you. It's a lovely night, the air is warm, and you can feel the summer approaching on the breeze."

She had already left his side, and he was moving to catch up to her, when she turned back to face him. "No, thank you, Raoul. I think I need a moment to myself." She could tell the disappointment scrawled across his refined features. She hated to make him feel of so little importance to her, when, in fact, he was her whole world. "But I do hope you will spare a moment to meet me in the garden at midnight, my love?"

That made up for all of it. His smile was once again beaming as bright as when he had first come to her. He nodded his approval. She smiled, relieved that he had consented, and kissed him sweetly on his lips. "I love you, Raoul. I promise I won't be too long."

He took up one of her hands in his own and brushed a kiss upon her palm. "I love you, too, Christine. Hurry back, my love."

@}-}----------

Once out in the garden, she released a sigh. Raoul's mansion shone brilliantly from its golden silhouette in the full moon's light. Her steps where light, where as she felt so heavy with all her skirts and trim. Her long black hair fell in soft curls down her back to the small of her waist. Her light skin seamed to glow an eerie white, quite a contrast to the deep burgundy of her velvet dress and the blackness of the shadows.

She had managed to make her way to the very end of the large span of land that was referred to as The Four Rose Quarters. The reasoning behind it's title, were the four rather large, rather grand, statues of goddesses carrying baskets of the most detailed roses anyone had ever seen. The mansion, now half its original size from this new distance, was no longer a threat to her.

She took a deep breath and felt herself settle upon one of the marble benches nearest one of the goddesses. "If only I knew this was the answer..." She half mumbled the statement to herself. She didn't understand how she could be so sure of her love for Raoul one moment and then be so unsure the next. She knew she loved him, so why did the marriage frighten her so much? Perhaps leaving the theatre was what kept nagging at her heart. Or, perhaps, it was leaving...

A rustling in the bushes next to her made her jump. She stood just in time to see a squirrel run out from under one of the bushes and into another nearby. She closed her eyes and exhaled, fear had made her heart race and she was afraid she might faint. Before she could open her eyes, she felt a hand close over her mouth, a rushed whisper telling her not to scream, then darkness.