With You, Here, Beside You

Erik's Eyes:

I knew I would love her forever. Pain infested me like a plague and yet nothing else resided in my mind besides her. Waves of throbbing, searing pain, like that from hundreds of daggers being thrust into my spine, made my body convulse. I wanted so badly to let unconsciousness overtake my mind, but I knew that if that were to happen, I could not dream of, nor remember my love and so I willed my mind to be patient. I had to admit to myself that rationally, this was idiotic…I didn't even know her true name…and yet I could not deny the feelings that had coursed through me after I had made her leave.

Once I had dismissed her, I knew that what I had done crushed everything in her heart and so I followed her, while remaining hidden by shadows. I watched helplessly as she ran into the man that was once her husband, and I immediately knew that I could not abandon her now.

I followed them until the carriage stopped at a graveyard. Hiding behind a tombstone gave me the proper shield from the man's vision, as he carried her into a tomb and through a barred window, I saw him chain her to the wall. It was retched for me to watch how he treated her and I nearly let out a roar of anger as I saw him rip off her clothes and whip her. I wanted only to strangle him at that moment and free her from her bonds. I knew though that he would kill her if he knew I was aware of what he was doing and where she was. It wounded me immensely to not be able to free her.

He locked the stone door to the tomb and left. After he was out of earshot, I cursed him and all who knew him. It was clear that I would never be able to get to her, so I had to leave and content myself with the knowledge of where she was. As time went on, I observed helplessly as he beat her into unconsciousness. At night in my bed, I would weep for both her physical and mental pain.

At last the day came that he forgot to lock the crypt's door. I found her out cold, naked, and in her own vomit on the stone floor. For an instant I thought she might have already passed on, but then noticed that she was still breathing. I let the breath I had held in out, in relief. Seeing her beauty hidden by scars, bruises, blood, and vomit seemed like a sin to my heart. I retrieved a rag and some water to clean her body off. After doing that, I scrubbed the floor until it was suitable enough to lay on. I carefully moved her body into a sum what comfortable position, considering the fact that her hands were attached by chains to the wall, and then laid my cloak on top of her. I tore at the chains that held her until my muscles gave out but, the bonds would not break. Daylight was coming and I knew I had to reach my home before the dark blanket of night was no longer available to conceal me from the world's eyes. I left the blossom of a rose and a note on which I had simply written 'I will return, my beloved' in the pocket of the cloak, hoping that she would be slightly comforted by this. The next day I returned to the graveyard and waited for her captor to leave. After he had done so, I snuck in and caught a glimpse of her, broken and sobbing on the ground.

"What do we have here? An angel fallen from heaven?" I said carefully, hoping I hadn't startled her. For a moment she stared in my direction with a look of confusion and anger on her face, but as soon as I walked into the light a look of longing and joy took over. Suddenly whatever strength was left in her ran out and her body collapsed, her head hitting the ground with an audible thump. I instantly rushed to her side and kneeled. She was so vulnerable and in defenseless, it nearly made me weep in front of her. But I had to be strong. I placed one hand on her lower back and the other on her shoulder to assist her into an upright position. Once she was erect I simply looked at her, and she turned her head in shame, refusing to look me in the eyes. I knew how badly she was humiliated by being in such a defeated position. There was a huge scar that ran across her entire neck and shoulders which made me gasp. I couldn't resist running my finger gently over it.

"Your body…I can barely see any unscarred flesh," I thought out loud. Tears rolled down her cheeks sorrowfully. She spoke my name faintly through her sobs. I could not withhold another gasp at hearing her so brokenheartedly say my name. I found my cloak beside her and placed it upon her for a second time. I grew angry at the chains that bound her, keeping her from being able to touch me and decided to take my rage out on the shackles that I knew wouldn't give.

"I have tried to think of how to break these chains for days now…they are made so strongly I fear I cannot! But I will NOT give up! I must free you…" I told her as I struggled frantically at yanking the chains from the stone. Each time the results were the same; failure. After some time I allowed myself to collapse next to her and breakdown. The failure I felt was more than I could handle and so I wept. I had once held a great sense of pride in my strength, but this one time, when I needed my strength most of all, it was insufficient. She must have realized what had upset me so and she attempted to reach out to me. Immediately she was jerked back, her eyes turned glossy with suffering. I noticed her attempts to reach me and quickly moved closer to her. I left nothing but compassion and love for her as I grasped her in a warm embrace. I could only imagine how depressing it was for her to not be able to wrap her arms around me in return. We sobbed in unison. After some time, I could not cry any longer and it was clear that I had to be strong for her sake. My tears stopped flowing and I spoke to her in the most calming voice I could.

"I must go to the police…they can come and free you…"

"No, you mustn't…you are a wanted man and they would kill you…" It was amazing to me that at a time like this, she could worry about my own safety.

"Even so…I would rather die than live to see you killed." It was the truth and both she and I knew it.

"And I would rather die than see you hang in the gallows." She stared at me as I met her gaze. I was slightly irritated by her stubbornness. I was the man, I was supposed to protect her!

"I will NOT let him touch you again…"

She smiled at me and explained how I had comforted her even when I wasn't present. The thought of me, I assumed was what she meant; That and my leaving the cloak. I then told her about how I had found her. I remembered dazedly how I first thought her to be dead when I finally had been able to enter the tomb. Her tears that were being shed on my shoulder diminished and I held her more firmly, in a possessive, protective way. She must have felt secure in my arms, because she let her exhaustion take her into a deep sleep. I was so glad to have her in my arms once again and didn't know whether I would ever be able to let her go. I made a vow to myself that no matter what she said, I would not leave to protect myself. I would stay with her eternally, even if it meant my death would have to be the price for her life. Oh, how I loved her!