Chapter 20

"Don't be scared to fly alone; find a path that is your own

Love will open every door; it's in your hands, the world it yours

Don't hold back and always know, all the answers will unfold

What are you waiting for, spread your wings and soar."

-Christina Aguilera, "Soar"

In about half an hour, Erik met Julianna back in the living room after taking a nice warm bath. And just in time, too. Within seconds, William, Elaine, and their children walked in the door, all smiling and laughing. Julianna grimaced inwardly. They make being happy look so easy, she thought. Must be nice.

Julianna walked over to them and greeted them, as cheerily as she could. Actually, she was pretty cheery … because of what happened earlier with Erik. At first, she was torn between guilt and happiness, but then she decided, what the hell. Happiness doesn't just hand itself to you that often.

Julianna looked at William, and then Elaine. "Did you have a nice walk?" she asked, politely.

"Yes, thank you," Elaine replied, smiling. "Your estate is beautiful."

"Thank you," Julianna said, smiling back. "I'm glad you like it." Julianna liked Elaine so far, even though she hardly knew anything about her. Elaine was the kind of woman that didn't let her marriage and children hinder her independent personality. That's unusual, Julianna thought. Most women these days are too overly dependant on men. Julianna definitely liked Elaine. Besides, they were about the same age, give or take a couple years. Elaine was one of the rare people that Julianna could befriend.

Julianna suddenly realized that she didn't have many friends. Actually, none anymore, unless you count Erik and Christine. Oh, wow, she thought, glumly. I have two friends. All the rest of her old friends were either dead or didn't want anything to do with her. And she didn't have any family living, except for her mother, but that didn't really count. Her mother surely didn't want anything to do with her either.

Julianna was brought out of her thoughts as Lewis and Adora asked their mother if they could go play with Erik. Elaine turned to Julianna. "Is it alright?" she asked.

"Of course," Julianna replied, smiling. "Erik absolutely adores your children."

"Oh, good," Elaine said, watching her children run over to Erik. "I was hoping I could talk to you… you know, woman to woman."

"Sure," Julianna said, hoping she could raise her number of friends up to three. "Shall we go somewhere private?" I've spent too much of my life in isolation, Julianna thought. I need a good woman friend.

"That would be nice," Elaine said. "I just haven't had another woman to talk to since we left England."

"England?" Julianna asked, surprised. "That's a long way to travel all at once … especially with children." It all makes sense now, Julianna thought. William is from England. They must have been living up there and then decided to come down here to Paris. Elaine is French … maybe she has family here.

"You've been there?" Elaine asked, as Julianna led her to another grand living room where they could talk in private.

"Yes, actually I have," Julianna replied, sitting down on a luxurious, satin and mahogany sofa, and motioning for Elaine to sit beside her. "I was there with my father, but I don't remember much. I was very young."

"It's not that great anyway," Elaine claimed. "France is much more beautiful."

"Yes, I used to think France was the most beautiful country in the whole world," Julianna replied. "I used to travel with my father a lot … I've been to many countries."

"Really?" Elaine said, excitedly. "That's amazing! Have you been across the ocean to America? I hear it's nice, if you're willing to make such a long journey."

"Beautiful, yes," Julianna replied. "But the land is untamed. Hundreds of miles of thick forests and mountains as far as the eye can see and beyond, without any traces of civilization. It's absolutely huge! Bigger than many of the explorers ever thought, in my opinion."

"Wow!" Elaine exclaimed, grinning. "You really have been everywhere!"

"No, not everywhere," Julianna said, proudly. "But I have traveled to a great many countries."

"So I guess you settled down when you married Lord Erik?" Elaine asked, harmlessly.

"Wha- … Oh! Yes… no more traveling after we got married," Julianna said, hoping Elaine couldn't tell that she was lying. That question had caught her by surprise. She'd forgotten about Erik for a second there. Julianna decided she'd have to be more careful … and always prepared for innocent questions about Erik.

"So," Elaine continued, apparently oblivious to Julianna's deceitfulness. "Tell me about Lord Erik. He seems absolutely charming … and good with children."

"You can just call him Erik, Elaine," Julianna insisted, trying to think of a way to change their subject of conversation. She knew she was going to have to tell a few lies; harmless little fibs … but still lies all the same. Well, you're supposed to be his wife, Julianna told herself. You better come up with something convincing. "So what do you want to know?" Julianna asked, cautiously.

"Well," Elaine said, nervously. "If you don't mind me asking … why does he wear a mask?"

Julianna frowned. She should have known that would be the first thing Elaine would ask. "He doesn't like to talk about it…" Julianna started.

"Oh, I understand," Elaine said, quickly. "I'm sorry. I meant no offense. I was just curious."

"No, it's alright," Julianna insisted. "Just promise me you won't tell anyone … not even your husband." Julianna didn't know whether she could truly trust Elaine or not, but she decided that it couldn't hurt for Elaine to know about Erik … as long as she kept her word, and didn't tell anyone.

"I promise," Elaine said, sincerely. "I won't tell a soul."

"Well, he wears his mask to cover a birth defect, a deformity, the result of a disease," Juliana said. She didn't know if that was the complete truth. Julianna never thought to ask Erik about it. His deformity, his face had never been a problem for her. She liked Erik just the way he was, and she wouldn't change a thing about him, even if she could.

"Have you seen it?" Elaine asked, eagerly. "Have you seen beneath his mask?"

"Of course, I have," Julianna said. "I'm his wife."

"Is it bad?" Elaine questioned, eager to know more.

"Well," Julianna said. "It's not that bad. It's just unusual." Julianna could hardly bear to say those things about Erik. It made her feel so terrible. Truthfully, she didn't think his face was that bad at all, but that was just her opinion, and her opinion didn't count for much. Most people these days rejected and shunned people like Erik.

"So, it is pretty bad then?" Elaine persisted. When Julianna didn't respond, Elaine continued. "You're a very beautiful woman, Julianna. You knew about his deformity, and yet you still married him. So I guess you married him for his money, am I right?"

Julianna frowned. She thought Elaine would be different. Not just another hypocrite. I guess I was wrong about her, Julianna thought, angrily. She's no different than all the rest. Julianna stood up, towering over Elaine's small form. "I married Erik because I love him!" Julianna spat, anger clearly showing in her voice, and then she stormed out of the room, only to find Erik waiting outside. He'd apparently been listening to their little chat.

"Oh, Erik…" she cried, falling into his strong arms. "You heard?"

"Yes, I heard," he whispered, pulling her to his chest. "Thank you. You stuck up for me. That's more than anyone has ever done before."

She pulled him into the nearest vacant room, which turned out to be another library, only this one was smaller and more cozy, with only a couple shelves of books, a small table, and a few plain, unadorned chairs. "Sit," she instructed, pulling out a chair for him. He sat down in the chair, and Julianna pulled up a chair beside him, and did the same.

She held his hand tenderly, noticing that his once warm skin was now as cold as death. She held his ice-cold hand against her thigh, trying to share her warmth. "So," she said, sadly. "This is thehell you've had to put up with your whole life?"

He nodded his head solemnly, and held onto Julianna's hand tighter, glad for her companionship … and her warmth.

Julianna felt a tear slide down her cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I forget how cruel people can be. I wish there was something I could do." Suddenly, she grinned, mischievously. "Do you want me to kill them all for you?" she said, with an evil glint in her eyes.

"You would do that for me?" he asked, lovingly. "Wait, no!" he said, realizing that she wasn't joking. "You don't have to kill anyone for me. You've already killed enough."

"Oh, but couldn't I just kill one more?" she begged. She realized she was being very protective of Erik. She cared about him so much that she wouldn't hesitate to cripple anyone that said bad things about her beautiful Erik.

"You actually like killing, don't you?" he asked, putting his arm around her.

"Hey, I'm a pirate," she said. "It's in my blood." She grinned playfully. "I'm not the only one that enjoys killing," she said, running her fingernails down his arm. "Am I correct?"

"I do not enjoy killing," Erik said, firmly. "Well, maybe a little," he admitted. "Only a little though."

"That's what I thought," Julianna said, kissing his neck roughly, nipping at his tender skin gently with her teeth.

He moaned quietly. "What was that last thing you said to Elaine?" he asked, passion starting to show in his voice.

"You heard me…" she said, continuing to torment his neck with her violent kisses and animalistic nibbling on his flesh.

"I know…" he said, breathlessly. "I just want to hear you say it one last time."

Julianna closed her eyes, and ceased her torture of his neck. "I said I married you because I love you."

"No," Erik whispered, kissing her neck. "Say it as if you were talking to Elaine."

"Um… I married Erik because I love him?" she said, leaning her head back, giving him better access to her delicate neck.

He took the opportunity to press his mouth to her neck roughly again, sucking at the soft skin. She let a moan escape her lips. "Yeah, that's it," he said, sitting up and pulling her into his arms. "You sounded pretty convincing back there."

"Well, I try," she said, leaning back against his quickly returning warmth.

"Thank you," he said again. "I've never had anyone show such kindness to me before. It's truly hard to believe that anyone would. Especially someone as beautiful as you." He remembered what Elaine had said, and he began to wonder. Why did Julianna like him so much? Why wasn't she afraid or disgusted? She knows about my face, he thought. And yet she still likes me. She still cares about me.

"Erik, I would do that for you any day," Julianna said. "You're a good person, and an even better man. Better than all the men I've ever been with, and I'm actually very picky when it comes to men."

"How many men have you been with?" Erik asked, suspiciously. Had she had many lovers? he wondered. Probably… She's beautiful, smart, strong … any man's fantasy.

"Not that many," she said, awkwardly. She felt guilty. She'd been with several men over the years, but only one of them did she ever love. And that ended in a complete disaster. It had been years since she'd had a lover though. She gave up on men long ago. Or maybe her broken heart wouldn't allow her to love another.

"So why aren't you married then?" he asked, curiously.

"Men are pigs!" she spat, angrily. "Except you, of course, Erik," she added, gently.

"I agree with you there," he said. "Most men only want a woman's body, not her love."

"Not you?" Julianna asked, innocently.

"Of course not," he replied, guilty look on his face. "I'm too old to care about such things."

"Oh, Erik, you're not old," Julianna said. She smiled at him, and patted his perfect chest. "And just to let you know, it's perfectly normal for a man to have such sexual desires."

"Well, at least I'm not abnormal in that aspect," he said, grinning.

"I know," Julianna said, playfully. "You don't have to tell me twice. I found that out earlier," she said, rubbing his thigh, suggestively.

He laughed, heartily. "Yeah, I guess you did," he said, happily.

"Wow, you're in a good mood," she said, caressing his cheek.

"Who wouldn't be?" he said. "After a day like today? It was absolutely perfect." He kissed her lips lovingly, lingering there for a moment before pulling away. He couldn't believe how happy he was. It was just not like him to be so happy and carefree.

"But… what about Elaine?" Julianna questioned. He couldn't have just forgotten, could he have? Elaine's words were extremely rude and hurtful, yet Erik seemed very undeniably happy.

"Doesn't matter," he said, squeezing her tightly to his chest. "You more than made up for her cruel words."

"I'm glad," Julianna said, resting her cheek on his. "I like it when you're happy."

He was at a loss for words. She liked it when he was happy. For her, he would be happy all the time then. He smiled, and a tear ran down his cheek. Julianna quickly wiped it away. "What's wrong?" she asked, tenderly.

"Tears of happiness," he said, kissing her flawless cheek.

"You really are happy, aren't you?" she asked. He was so beautiful when he cried. She wanted to hold him forever and never let him go. Never let Christine have him. Christine must have hurt him bad, she thought. She doesn't deserve him. How could she refuse him, in all of his magnificence and splendor? How could she hurt him so bad? How could she?

"Yes, I truly am," he whispered. "All because of you."

Julianna smiled, and held him close to her. Had she really made him happy? Beautiful Erik… happy because of her. She hadn't made anyone happy in a long time. And that made her feel happy, and it also made her realize … she didn't want Erik to leave her. She didn't want to be left all alone again with no one but herself to talk to. She didn't want to grow old alone; she didn't want to die alone. But that was the fate that she was condemned to. Her punishment for all the sinful things she'd done.

Suddenly, she was brought out of her thoughts, as she noticed the sun was beginning to set. "Erik, I have to go make dinner…" she said.

"Of course," he said, helping her up. "I'll go play with the children. They must be missing me by now. I left them with their father."

Julianna smiled. "After dinner, we can talk more, if you'd like."

"Yes, that sounds nice," he said. "If you want to."

"Of course, I want to," she said. "I love talking with you. You're so much more interesting than anyone else around here."

He laughed. "If you say so."

With that, Julianna went to the kitchen and began to prepare a lovely dinner for the six of them, and Erik went back into the living room, where the children were impatiently waiting for him to come and play. He smiled, thinking of how privileged he was, having these adorable children to entertain, and having a beautiful woman who enjoyed his company.

Well, there's Chapter 20. I hope you liked it. Thank you all for reviewing. I'm glad you like my story. : ) So, keep reading and reviewing. Thanks.