Sara's neck muscles screamed as she moved her head. She had slept the whole night slumped outside her room and she would pay for it later. She quickly climbed to her feet, ignoring her protesting muscles, and walked into the room. She could hear Mme. Giry's slow even breathing and the occasional snore coming out of the older woman's mouth. She had to strain to hear Erik's soft breathing and sighed with relief when the sound hit her ears.
She crossed the room to the bed and sat down beside him, running a hand across his face. His skin was cool, which relieved Sara to no ends. His fever must have broke sometime in the night, but his illness was far from gone.
Erik moaned softly and his eyes fluttered open. He stared up at Sara, whose thumb was absently rubbing his cheek. He raised a hand and stilled her movements, making her jump slightly before a smile crossed her face.
"How are you feeling?" She asked softly, so as not to wake Mme. Giry.
"I feel like I've had a carriage dropped on me." He whispered his throat hoarse.
"Well, your fever was pretty bad, but it looks like you've made it through the worst of it." She told him, leaning down to kiss his forehead.
Erik's eyes drifted closed and soon he was asleep again. Sara quickly grabbed on of her many canes and made her way down to the kitchens. The maids curtsied, even though she couldn't see their actions they always showed her the respect she deserved.
"How is the master this morning Madame?" One of the girls asked.
"His fever has broken, he should be fine now." Sara told her. Would you please bring some tea up to my room, and put some more of the Laudanum in it, he needs to sleep."
The girl curtsied. "Yes Madame, right away."
Sara returned to the room and drew the curtains around her bed so that Erik's face would be hidden in shadows if someone walked in. It wasn't long before there was a knock and she stood to answer it.
"There were only a few drops left Madame." The servant girl told her. "It might not make him sleep, but it will be enough to keep him relaxed."
Sara nodded. "Alright, thank you." She said, taking the tray from the girl.
Once the door was closed she returned to Erik's side. She balanced the tray on her night stand and poured him a cup of tea. She gently shook Erik awake and helped him to sit up. She felt a little silly waking him up, just to make him fall back asleep, but he needed something in his body. He had to be dehydrated from all the perspiring he had done.
Mme. Giry opened her eyes and momentarily forgot where she was. She looked over at the bed and saw Sara holding the cup of tea steady while Erik took slow sips from it. He'd sigh and put his head in the crook of her neck each time he was done with the cup.
The foreign skin of his face didn't seem to faze Sara in the least. As Mme. Giry watched them, she realized how perfect they were for each other. Sara was unable to judge Erik since she could not see his face, and Erik could not judge Sara because of the way he had been treated throughout his life.
In fact, Mme. Giry had never seen a couple more in love with each other. Sure the D'Chagny's had been a beautiful couple, but their love was based on childish innocence, not the passion that Sara and Erik harboured for each other.
Mme. Giry cleared her throat, and even that did not make them pull away from each other. Instead they seemed to move as one to look in her direction, not want to be separated for an instant.
"I will need to go and pick up some more herbs if Erik is to regain his strength. I will need your help Sara." She told them.
Sara nodded and after a quick kiss from Erik, she pulled herself away from him reluctantly. Sara pulled a cloak around her dishevelled dress and the two women left the room, locking the door behind them.
They summoned the carriage and only when they were safely inside its privacy did Mme. Giry turn to Sara. "I heard your servant girl call you 'Madame', are you and Erik married?"
Sara shook her head. "No, we told the real estate agent and all of our employees that so as to explain our relationship. We plan to be married; it's only a matter of time though."
Mme. Giry said nothing for a long while. "And what about children?"
Sara shrugged her shoulders, "We haven't really talked about that. I would love to be a mother, but I'm not sure how Erik would feel about a child."
The carriage pulled to a halt and the two women climbed out and into the market place. Mme. Giry told the driver to return for them in an hour, and until that time he was free to do what he wished. Sara looped her arms through Mme. Giry's as the women began to make their way through the carts to find what they needed.
"Sara, you are like a daughter to me. I have watched you grow into a beautiful woman and you have found love." Mme. Giry said. "But I can see that there is something troubling you."
Sara sighed. "It's just that his past has been so traumatic. Mine I was normal except for losing my family in the fire. I was treated like a princess by my parents; I was loved throughout my life. When I lost my family, you, Erik, Meg, and Christine took their place. Erik hasn't known that love."
Mme. Giry pointed to several herbs on a cart and the man behind it quickly began wrapping them up. "He has experienced love. He experiences it through you. It might not have come until later in his life, but you saved his soul. By becoming his wife and if God wills it, you bare his child, you can help him experience the love he has never known."
Sara smiled softly. "I hope you are right. I just hope that fate doesn't try to interfere with our happiness."