sorry for the lack of updates. here's a nice long chappie for ya to make up for it. i expect to update again sometime next week

Chapter Three- Because I'm Different

Sita gasped as light came flooding back to her. She was in the strangest place she had ever been in. She was seated in an underground grotto that was lavishly decorated in all sorts of clutter. They were candles everywhere and heavy velvet drapes covered what Sita suspected to be mirrors. More drapes covered passages into other rooms. The only exit Sita could see was by the opening in the small lagoon which, much to Sita's dismay, was covered by a portcullis. Next to her was an enormous organ covered with candles and music. Sita felt like she was in a pirates cave.

Erik smiled at with amusement at the girl's wide eyed wonderment. He sat down at his organ, his movements bringing the girl out of her awe for a moment.

"What is this place?" she asked, gazing at the candelabras on the water and the small gondola. Sita's awe warmed Erik's soul. She is such a child. "This is my home."

Sita snapped her attention to the strange man. "You live here?" she said in disbelief. Sita studied Erik. He was such a puzzle to her. He she first met him, she found it very odd that a finely dressed man would be wandering the sewers. But it further puzzled her that he would live down here.

"Yes, I live here."

"Why?"

Erik turned towards Sita, all amusement from his face gone. His white mask glared at her as he whispered harshly, "Because I'm different." he turned away from her, and began furiously writing on a piece of parchment.

Her question seemed to have offended Erik, but it was one any person would ask. Sita recognized the bitterness and hatred towards the world in his voice, caused form being hurt and shunned. Sita understood what it was like to be shunned for being different. But she was a gypsy, why was Erik shunned? The only thing different about him was the white mask that covered half of his face. That side was turned from her, and Sita noted that his uncovered side was very handsome. Watching his irate writing, Sita noticed Erik seemed to be a bit mad, or perhaps he was just angry at her question.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offended you."

Erik paused from his writing and turned to again face the girl in his chair. She was sitting with her legs hugged to her chest, wrapped up in his cloak. She was so small that she fit perfectly in the chair, just the tips of her bare feet over the edge of the chair. Her beautiful eyes looked back at him, full of sincere remorse. She spoke again, "I just found it odd that someone would live underground. I've never heard of that before."

Erik softened at the girl's apology. "No apologies are necessary Mlle. Palak. I am just not used to have guests. You must forgive me for my manners."

Sita laughed slightly and said, "Well, my mother says I'm far too curious for my own good."

Erik laughed at that, happy that they were back in a better mood. Curious himself, Erik asked, "How old are you, child?"

Sita straightened up, putting her legs down and exclaimed, "I am no child! I just turned sixteen and in my culture that is practically an adult!" Sita glared at him for that indignity. Erik began to laugh. This girl was truly a little firecracker.

"What are you laughing at, Monsieur?" Sita was both angered and shocked at Erik's mockery of her.

"You, Mademoiselle. You are no adult, that much I can see. You are very much a child," Erik said calmly, not wanting Sita to rage at him. "An adult is stern, never laughs. Adults have no imagination."

"You insult yourself."

Grinning, Erik rose from the bench and knelt beside her. Sita leaned back in her chair, slightly uneasy by his closeness. "there are a precious few adults who escape this. They are the artists, the ones who retain all of their imagination, who can envision splendor and beauty beyond your wildest dreams."

"Do you mean yourself, Monsieur?" Sita said shakily. She wished that Erik wasn't so close. Sita didn't trust men, besides those who she knew very well.

"Yes. If you have not guess already, I am a musician. More so, I run the Opera Popularie, which is right above us."

Sita gasped, looking upwards. "You, run the Opera?" It didn't make sense. Erik lived down here and had made it quite plain that he was not accepted by the world. Then how could he run the world's most famous Opera house?

"Indirectly, one could say. I insure that the theater is run properly, help with the casting. After all, I did build this theater."

Sita was curled up on the chair again, eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. She looked very much like a child listening to a story. "You built the theater."

"Yes." Standing, Erik walked to the edge of the platform, his back turned to Sita. "Tell me, mademoiselle, why were they after you?" He turned to look at her and almost regretted his question. Sita curled into herself and her face, which had been full of laughter and delight, now held pain and fear.

"W-well I was walking in the square, looking for some apples for supper tonight," she began shakily. "I was just minding my own business, but a little boy fainted and started convulsing. I believe he had epilepsy." Erik was surprised she knew that word. Not many people did, other than doctors. Obviously, Sita was very intelligent. Erik liked this girl. "People were screaming, wondering why he was doing this, and then someone pointed at me and yelled that I had witched him. As if I could!" Sita was close to tears now, her voice rising and breathing irregular. "They started throwing stones at me, even garbage! And the yelling! They said horrible things, said I should be burned and that I was an evil whore." Erik winced at that. He knew what it was like to be ridiculed and abused like that. "I ran down the street away from the mob, but they ran after me, saying they would string me up at the nearest tree. I found an entrance into the sewers, but they still chased me. I didn't do anything. I was just there. Just there!" Sita was a sobbing mess now, the innocence of her youth showing. "Everywhere I go, people do this to me, but I have never done anything wrong. I swear it. Why? Why do the hate me, burn our camps, rape us and, why do they hate us? Its not fair!"

Erik couldn't bear her sobs and pain any longer. He scooped Sita up in his arms and sat down on the chair, Sita on his lap. She curled into him, sobbing on her shoulder. Sita's innocence broke his heart. Because of her youth, she could not make sense of the hate directed at her and her people. Just like he couldn't when he was a child.

Again, Sita was comforted by Erik's embrace. He was warm strong, he made her feel safe. Get a grip on yourself Sita, her mind berated her. He is a stranger, a man like any man. Leave before he can hurt you. but Sita would not listen to her mind, for once. Though they had just met, she felt as if she had known Erik all her life.

As her sobs subsided, Sita found her voice again. "Why do they hate me just because," Sita gasped at the sudden revelation she had. Looking deep into Erik's stormy gray eyes, she calmly whispered, "because I'm different."

Looking into her beautiful eyes, Erik saw her understanding, and the confusion that followed it. "Yes child, you and your people are hated for being different. But that's not the true source." Sita cocked her head, quizzical but silent. "There are people who can't accept anything different. And those people fear what they cannot accept. They fear anything that is unlike them because they feel threatened." again, Sita looked quizzical. "To protect themselves, the fear makes them lash out with hate, to keep what they fear docile and broken."

Sita remained silent after Erik finished talking. It all made sense. Hurt like hell, but made sense. Finding her voice, Sita inquired, "You speak from experience?"

"Yes." Erik grew uncomfortable by the girl's staring and suddenly said, "I believe the mob is long gone. Come, you should return home. No doubt that your family is worried about you."

Sita gasped. How long had she been down here? Papa must have had the entire camp scouring the city by now. She scrambled out of the chair and headed toward the gate, the only exit she saw. She was quickly pulled back by a strong arm.

"Not that way. That passage leads to the Opera House. We'll take the path we came by."

"We?"
"The city is too dangerous for a young girl to roam alone." Sita opened her mouth to protest to his implication of her strength, and hastily added, "I do not mean to discredit your strength, which is beyond what I would expect from a girl your size," this was true. Erik remembered the strength in Sita's struggles, how hard it was to keep her from running. "But never the less, you mustn't go alone for there are all sorts of monsters on the streets, who use other weapons than strength to get what the want."

Sita froze at his words. Sita tried to will her mind to dam up against the flood of memories that came to her, but her defensives were useless. Sita felt like a million shards of glass were in her skin, digging deeper, reminding her of the numb pain that had been her life. no, its over. Don't think about it. He can't hurt you anymore. WHY CAN'T I FORGET HIM? Sita let the tears pour from her eyes as she surrendered to her memories. Memories that tortured her mind, poisoned her dreams. Memories she could never forget.

Suddenly she felt something warm warp around her, easing her mind a bit. A second later, she placed the warm shield as Erik's arms.

Erik cursed himself for causing her pain. He didn't know what had happened to her, but he felt a sudden rush of hatred at himself for endowing her with whatever was torturing her mind. He enclosed her within his arms, hoping she would feel safe, protected.

She did. Sita felt safer than she ever could. Erik's arms around her chased away the demonic memories ravaging her mind.

"I am sorry for causing you pain, Mademoiselle," Erik said to her. He tightened his arms around her, as if to keep her lanky frame from shattering. But she was stronger than that; Erik could feel it. Pulling back, Erik lifted her chin with his finger and looked deep into her damaged, yet defiant and hopeful eyes. "I'll return you to your home. As long as your with me, nothing can harm you. I promise."

Warmth spread throughout Sita, chasing away the monstrous memories. "Thank you. May we please go now? My family will be worried."

"As you wish."

The way he said those three words made Sita shudder as he blindfolded her again. But from what? Certainly not from fear. Sita pondered this as she felt Erik take her hand and led her out of his home.

so, we're finding out more about this sita. review!