Candle 8: Captured

1 week

Erik slipped their things into the carriage and Meg looked at Erik.

" What is it?" Erik asked

" I just have a bad feeling," Meg replied, " about leaving at this time of day."

Erik walked to her and took her into his arms and promised her that nothing would happen to them. Erik kissed Meg on her head, then helped her up.

" Here Erik, take this," Isabelle said

Erik turned to the servant girl and she handed him a basket of fresh baked bread, with cheese and wine. Erik smiled and thanked her and then climbed into the carriage. Meg undid her bonnet and sat it down on the bench across from her. Erik shut the carriage door, then joined Meg.

" We're getting married," Erik whispered, " a life time with you is all I need to be happy."

Meg smiled and kissed him, then laid her head on his shoulder. The carriage took off and started the half day trip to Paris from Château de Colville. Erik held Meg in his arms as he read a book he found in the library, Meg listened to his voice as he read each line with emotions. To her it sound like a play when Erik read a book, she closed her eyes as she pictured them lying in the fields reading to one another and laughing. She felt at ease and let happiness take its course. Erik soon fell asleep as they entered the thick forest. A coolness settled in the carriage and everything went dark like night. Erik opened his eyes feeling the chill touch his face.

The carriage stopped and Erik felt as though something did not add up. Meg stirred and opened her eyes and Erik silenced her before she said something. Erik pulled from underneath the bench a box which held two silver pistols with a silver skull on each. His blade, which he discovered in his uncle's study, was the exact replica of his own skull blade. Erik lifted the shade a little then handed Meg one pistol.

" Use it if necessary," Erik whispered, " What ever you do, do not set foot on these grounds."

Meg nodded and Erik slipped the second pistol in his holster and sheathed the blade. Erik opened the carriage door and looked up, he climbed up to where the coachman was and found he was missing. A black tip dagger was in the place he sat, Erik pulled it and looked at the blade.

" Gypsies," Erik thought

He looked around and waited for their attack, but they did not make one. Erik got the horse moving again and then he looked ahead. Lanterns dangled in midair and the air around them became thick with fog. Erik continued and warned Meg with a silent call and no longer heeded the silence. Erik forced the horse to make haste and they flew down the pathway.

" Why have they come it is early?" Erik thought, " They travel."

Suddenly, flames emerged from the ground and the horse reared. Erik cut the reigns and hopped onto the horse. He opened the carriage door and pulled Meg out and away they went jumping through the flames. Meg hung onto Erik with all her strength and watched as the carriage burned.

" Erik what's going on?" she asked

" Gypsies," Erik replied, " they know we're here."

Erik heard the sound of an arrow flying and Erik changed his direction. Arrows flew and Erik felt one pierce his shoulder. He growled and continued and Meg looked seeing lanterns appearing.

" Erik, their coming," she cried

Erik slapped the horse with his hand and the arrow rode in his shoulder still. He felt blood taste his flesh as another struck him in the leg. Erik pulled his blade and struck at what came at them. Meg felt tears stream down her face as Erik defended them.

Suddenly, they were lassoed around their waist, Erik cut the ropes and continued. As they rode with fast pace, a rope laid on the ground and Erik rode towards it. As he crossed it; it came up and tripped the horse. Erik and Meg hit the ground and a net came up and caught them. Erik started cutting the rope when he saw someone walk out. The sounds of bells followed their steps and Erik watched as the lanterns followed.

" Well, look what we have caught?" a young woman's voice rang

" What do we do with them?" a deep voice asked

Meg clung to Erik as he stared at the shadow of a woman.

" Who are you?" he questioned

" I am Ellen," she said, " the queen of this clan."

She drew a sword and cut them down and then grabbed a lantern. She walked over to them and smiled.

" Hello Erik," she said

" Do I know you," Erik hissed

" You know me quite well," she said, " You were 8 when you were bought from a client and well it seems your face hasn't changed a bit."

Erik narrowed his eyes at the woman with great hate. Meg wrapped her arm around Erik as the woman approached him. She pulled the arrows from his shoulder and leg. He hissed in pain and the woman hit Erik with the hilt of her sword. Erik fell unconscious and Meg stood up.

" What do you want with us?" she questioned

" What I want with you two…nothing," she said

" Then let us go!" she shouted

The woman looked at her and slapped Meg across the face. She turned on her heals and looked at her companion.

" Take them to camp now," she said

The behemoth of a man lifted them both up and carried them off.

" What are we going to do with them Ellen?" he asked

" Make money of one, the other will be a slave," she said

Ellen's wavy black and silver hair danced in the cool breeze. She had Erik tied and Meg tied to a center post in the camp.

" Listen all you bums, these two captives are not to be touched," Ellen announced

Meg listened in a drowsy manner and looked behind her.

" Erik," she whispered, " answer me Erik."

Several of the young girls marched in at the end of Ellen's message.

" Lorraine, there's two captives," a young gypsy girl said

" Who are they?" the girl asked

" That strange man with his disfigured face and the girl too," the young gypsy girl chirped

They pushed through and both looked at Meg and Erik.

" Idiots," she said

" You better listen to Ellen," the behemoth man said

" Goliath, your such a coward," she said

Lorraine waited for Ellen to leave sight and she patted Goliath on his large arm. She walked off and tied her hair back, then washed up.

After an hour Erik opened his eyes feeling a wine like smell. He looked up and saw the young gypsy girl.

" Not you again," Erik mumbled

" What do you mean not me again? Why I aughtknock you back out," she hissed

Erik felt his wrist burning from struggling to get free. She knelt down and looked at his shoulder where the arrow struck him.

" Seems to me Ellen's arrows are more than her usual arrows," Lorraine replied

Erik looked at the dried up blood on his white shirt.

" It's only a flesh wound," Erik replied

Lorraine looked at him and tended to his shoulder wound as quickly as she could. She heard the lookouts coming and vanished into the escaping shadows. Meg remained a sleep and Erik looked at the stars.

" Perhaps fate has brought me back to my past," he thought

Erik closed his eyes and let his mind fall away from reality as he slept.

" Erik, wake up," a voice said

Erik opened his eyes and felt a softness under his head. He looked about finding himself in a white room. The walls freshly painted, the bed covers white.

" Why do you look around Erik?" a voice said, " It's just as it was before."

Erik pushed the covers back and walked to the woman that stood staring out. Erik stopped and she turned around and smiled softly at him, her white gown glittered with silver stars. Her hair decorated with silver stars and her earrings dangled with stars.

" Christine," he whispered

She walked to him and took his hands and kissed him on the lips.

" You're here with me now," she said, " tell me Erik what were you dreaming…it certainly did not seem pleasant?"

" Christine, what are you doing here?" Erik questioned, " I let you go that night."

Christine laughed and kissed his cheek.

" Don't be silly Erik, I stayed with you," Christine said

" No," Erik whispered

Christine looked at him and touched his face and she slipped his half face mask on. She dabbed his face with makeup to cover his deformity, she looked at him then kissed him.

" What is on your mind Erik?" Christine asked

" How can you look at me? How can you lie to my face?" Erik whispered, " This is all a dream."

He brushed past her and opened the door to reveal a dark hall. Christine grabbed his hand and he turned around to her.

" Erik, I truly love you. Why must you run from love?" Christine whispered, " Why?"

" It's a dream," Erik said, " A dream…I am getting married and your not in my life."

Erik walked through the door and suddenly everything became black.

" Erik, Erik, wake up," Meg's voice called

Erik opened his eyes and looked around, finding they had been moved. Erik looked about and then noticed their legs were shackled. Meg leaned over to him and kissed him. He looked at her and kissed her back.

" What will happen to us?" Meg questioned

" I don't know…we must wait," Erik whispered

They both fell asleep close to each other unsure what may happen.