Chapter Two
Satine and Christian decided that they would go to the train station first and then decide what to do next. Since the duke was undoubtedly going to realize or had already found out that she was gone, Christian said that it was important to get as much of a head start that they could. He quickly packed up the small amount of things that he had with him, and they both set out into the cold pre-dawn light. For September in Paris, the wind had an unusual frosty bite to it, and their breath fogged out in front of them like a finely wrought mist. Satine shivered, chills racing up and down her spine in tiny jolts. Christian, ever the gentleman, shrugged out of his coat and placed it around her shoulders. She smiled gratefully and leaned into his side as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist. He sighed happily, the warmth of her body banishing any effects of the cold. When she had died, there had been such an indescribable sadness it didn't seem that life was worthy of living
anymore. *What would I ever have done if she was really dead?* he thought, a brief icy grip of fear tearing at his heart. But it quickly dissolved to be replaced by the warmth of love. *Thank God I don't have to face that.* They rounded a corner that put the gate out of Montmarte into plane view, lit almost eerily in the nighttime mixture of light and shadow. Satine bowed her head, letting the brim of the hat obscure her features. People she didn't want to see and could ruin everything if they saw her lurked in the corners of alleyways and streets. It was best that, to the people of Montmarte, Satine, the "Sparkling Diamond" of the Moulin Rouge, remain in her grave. They strode through the gate, and Satine didn't look back. That part of her life, being the jewel of the underworld, was dead. Christian, as if sensing her thoughts, smiled and pulled her closer to him.
"I love you darling." He said quietly, the simplicity of his words fading away any lingering doubts.
"I love you too." Answered Satine. Yes, this was brighter, purer, and more wonderful than anything at the Moulin Rouge. They crossed the street to a parked carriage, the driver breathing into his gloved cupped palms to warm them. The horse whinnied, half out of impatience and half out of the dry cold, his stomping hooves stirring up dew from the street.
"To the nearest train station, monsieur." Said Christian, helping Satine into the carriage.
" It is unusual to have costumers on such a cold night, and at such an unfavorable hour." Said the driver, surveying the couple with something akin to suspicion. Christian gave the driver a very firm look that said plainly, "you don't ask questions, we don't ask questions."
"Alright, alright. Your business is your own, so as long as you pay." Said the driver, shifting uncomfortably. He clucked to the horse, who trotted out happily, eager to get warm. Satine leaned up against Christian inside, feeling the excitement that had given her a much needed rush start to drain away.
"Tired love?" Christian asked with a smile.
"Oh, yes Christian, very much." Satine tried to stifle a yawn, but it came anyway. "Mmm, wake me when we get to the station, please?" she didn't wait for an answer, but yawned again and snuggled into Christian like he was a giant teddy bear as she closed her eyes. The carriage rolled along quietly, only the echo of the horse's hooves and the faint creak of the wheels to be heard. Finally it rolled to a stop next to a sleepy, almost vacant train station.
"Darling, we're here." Said Christian as Satine shifted and opened her eyes sleepily.
"Oh, do we have to get out? Let's stay in Montmarte just one more night. I'm so tired..." she attempted to close her eyes again, but Christian sat her up.
"Come on. You're just always a bit grumpy when you wake up." Said Christian with a wicked smile.
"Oooh you...! Well, you're grumpier." Pouted Satine as she got out. Christian paid the driver, who still surveyed them oddly, and walked up to the ticket booth. There was a train already on the platform, and the sleepy conductor looked like he'd much rather be in bed than at a cold deserted train station. Christian looked at the train schedule before turning to Satine.
"Well, where should we go?" he asked. Satine read the times carefully and her eyes lit up as she read over one name.
"Oh Christian!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement like a small child. "Let's go to-." But before she could finish, from the entrance strode a strangely familiar figure.
"Going so soon my sweet?" said the person in a nasal voice. Satine gasped almost inaudibly. " Yes, I heard you leave my house. Such a naughty girl. And naughty girls must be punished." Continued the duke in an almost taunting voice. Christian walked in front of Satine, hiding her from view.
"You can't scare us. We're leaving, and there's nothing you can do." He said fiercely.
"My dear boy, I believe you're forgetting one thing. Satine is bound to me, until *my* dying day." The duke chuckled darkly. "Ironic, don't you think?"
" Dear duke, " said Satine, stepping boldly forward, " I do believe that you are in our way. We are leaving *now*" she said, clutching Christian's hand and walking unwaveringly forward.
"No, I believe the only one's leaving *now* are you and me, Satine." Said the duke gesturing into the darkness. "That is, unless you want your precious writer killed." From behind him came his manservant, Warner, who briefly opened up his jacket to reveal a gun. Satine inhaled shakily, the familiar tightening in her chest choking off her breath. How well he played this game. She lifted her head. But she could play it better.
**Author's Note** End of chapter Two! Hope you enjoyed it! ^_^ I noticed some minor inaccuracies between chapters one and two (I'm stupid, I know! Hehe) And changed some very small things in chapter one. I also decided to cut out all the French, as I thought it was a little distracting and didn't really work in the story. Chapter three will be up soon! Enjoy!
Satine and Christian decided that they would go to the train station first and then decide what to do next. Since the duke was undoubtedly going to realize or had already found out that she was gone, Christian said that it was important to get as much of a head start that they could. He quickly packed up the small amount of things that he had with him, and they both set out into the cold pre-dawn light. For September in Paris, the wind had an unusual frosty bite to it, and their breath fogged out in front of them like a finely wrought mist. Satine shivered, chills racing up and down her spine in tiny jolts. Christian, ever the gentleman, shrugged out of his coat and placed it around her shoulders. She smiled gratefully and leaned into his side as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist. He sighed happily, the warmth of her body banishing any effects of the cold. When she had died, there had been such an indescribable sadness it didn't seem that life was worthy of living
anymore. *What would I ever have done if she was really dead?* he thought, a brief icy grip of fear tearing at his heart. But it quickly dissolved to be replaced by the warmth of love. *Thank God I don't have to face that.* They rounded a corner that put the gate out of Montmarte into plane view, lit almost eerily in the nighttime mixture of light and shadow. Satine bowed her head, letting the brim of the hat obscure her features. People she didn't want to see and could ruin everything if they saw her lurked in the corners of alleyways and streets. It was best that, to the people of Montmarte, Satine, the "Sparkling Diamond" of the Moulin Rouge, remain in her grave. They strode through the gate, and Satine didn't look back. That part of her life, being the jewel of the underworld, was dead. Christian, as if sensing her thoughts, smiled and pulled her closer to him.
"I love you darling." He said quietly, the simplicity of his words fading away any lingering doubts.
"I love you too." Answered Satine. Yes, this was brighter, purer, and more wonderful than anything at the Moulin Rouge. They crossed the street to a parked carriage, the driver breathing into his gloved cupped palms to warm them. The horse whinnied, half out of impatience and half out of the dry cold, his stomping hooves stirring up dew from the street.
"To the nearest train station, monsieur." Said Christian, helping Satine into the carriage.
" It is unusual to have costumers on such a cold night, and at such an unfavorable hour." Said the driver, surveying the couple with something akin to suspicion. Christian gave the driver a very firm look that said plainly, "you don't ask questions, we don't ask questions."
"Alright, alright. Your business is your own, so as long as you pay." Said the driver, shifting uncomfortably. He clucked to the horse, who trotted out happily, eager to get warm. Satine leaned up against Christian inside, feeling the excitement that had given her a much needed rush start to drain away.
"Tired love?" Christian asked with a smile.
"Oh, yes Christian, very much." Satine tried to stifle a yawn, but it came anyway. "Mmm, wake me when we get to the station, please?" she didn't wait for an answer, but yawned again and snuggled into Christian like he was a giant teddy bear as she closed her eyes. The carriage rolled along quietly, only the echo of the horse's hooves and the faint creak of the wheels to be heard. Finally it rolled to a stop next to a sleepy, almost vacant train station.
"Darling, we're here." Said Christian as Satine shifted and opened her eyes sleepily.
"Oh, do we have to get out? Let's stay in Montmarte just one more night. I'm so tired..." she attempted to close her eyes again, but Christian sat her up.
"Come on. You're just always a bit grumpy when you wake up." Said Christian with a wicked smile.
"Oooh you...! Well, you're grumpier." Pouted Satine as she got out. Christian paid the driver, who still surveyed them oddly, and walked up to the ticket booth. There was a train already on the platform, and the sleepy conductor looked like he'd much rather be in bed than at a cold deserted train station. Christian looked at the train schedule before turning to Satine.
"Well, where should we go?" he asked. Satine read the times carefully and her eyes lit up as she read over one name.
"Oh Christian!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together in excitement like a small child. "Let's go to-." But before she could finish, from the entrance strode a strangely familiar figure.
"Going so soon my sweet?" said the person in a nasal voice. Satine gasped almost inaudibly. " Yes, I heard you leave my house. Such a naughty girl. And naughty girls must be punished." Continued the duke in an almost taunting voice. Christian walked in front of Satine, hiding her from view.
"You can't scare us. We're leaving, and there's nothing you can do." He said fiercely.
"My dear boy, I believe you're forgetting one thing. Satine is bound to me, until *my* dying day." The duke chuckled darkly. "Ironic, don't you think?"
" Dear duke, " said Satine, stepping boldly forward, " I do believe that you are in our way. We are leaving *now*" she said, clutching Christian's hand and walking unwaveringly forward.
"No, I believe the only one's leaving *now* are you and me, Satine." Said the duke gesturing into the darkness. "That is, unless you want your precious writer killed." From behind him came his manservant, Warner, who briefly opened up his jacket to reveal a gun. Satine inhaled shakily, the familiar tightening in her chest choking off her breath. How well he played this game. She lifted her head. But she could play it better.
**Author's Note** End of chapter Two! Hope you enjoyed it! ^_^ I noticed some minor inaccuracies between chapters one and two (I'm stupid, I know! Hehe) And changed some very small things in chapter one. I also decided to cut out all the French, as I thought it was a little distracting and didn't really work in the story. Chapter three will be up soon! Enjoy!