-blushing- GalindaxlovesxErik... thanks for that review, wow... glad you like it! And Goddess-of-dead-love, Lucille didn't know it was a Christine doll, now did she? She could only wonder why he had a such a doll... It'll probably come back to her sometime in the future...

Well, here's the next chapter, hope you like that too. Please R&R - Atrice...

Part 20 - Leaving tomorrow

Erik didn't hear her answer, and didn't understand why. The way back to the lair suddenly seemed very long, and he tried to make his way faster through the water. He found Lucille sitting by the piano, and quickly he jumped off the boat, swished the cape off and went up to her.

"Lucille… why didn't you sing?" he asked, a bit worried. She didn't look very happy at all, she rather looked depressed or something. He knelt down next to the chair, on which she sat.

"Why should I sing to a man, who leaves me alone without a goodbye?" she asked quietly, not facing him yet. He sighed, this wasn't exactly how he had planned to return.

"I couldn't exactly leave a note for you, could I?" Erik said. He hadn't been gone that long – had he? And he didn't want to wake her up, she had looked so beautiful in her sleep.

"Then you should have told me you left… I begin to doubt if this will ever work, if the man I love leaves again without telling me." She said with a sigh, and Erik got up again. Wandered a bit around, not answering her. What were these strange thoughts, where did they come from? But he didn't want to loose her again. He just wanted her to be happy, so that he could be happy himself. And they would be happy, he was sure about that. Especially after all the arrangements he made. Erik wanted to tell her about them, but now didn't seem like the right time. In fact he now wanted to keep it as a secret, to surprise her.

"Fair enough… I promise never to leave you alone, Lucille. At least not without telling you… but please understand, I did it for us. For our future." He took her hand and got her up to stand too. He had to tell her this the right way, the only way right to him anyway: "Say you'll dwell with me, every waking moment. Turn my head with whispers of your love. Say you'll leave with me, now and ever. Promise me, that you will stay with me – Lucille, that's all I ask of you…"

Lucille turned her head against the song, listening to the lyrics of it. Leave with him… but where to? She didn't care really, as long as he stayed and didn't leave her alone. And he promised her – he had kept his last promise, he had shown her light. She finally smiled, knowing just what to answer.

"Let me be your safety, let me be your light. I'll stay, right here beside you, run off if I stay with you. All I'll be is your wife, a light with no more dark. And you, always beside me, to lead me and to guide me." Erik smiled too, when he heard her song. Everything would be great again, and he would never leave her alone again – only if he had to. He pulled Lucille with him towards the bed, and they both sat down in it, holding each others hands.

"So… what do we do now?" she asked him, now they were friends again and he would never leave her alone again.

"We wait… until tomorrow morning." Erik replied, and she wondered a bit what time it was. It had to be Wednesday now, around noon perhaps? There was a long time until the next morning, and what would happen then?

"What happens tomorrow morning?" she asked, but he was secretive. Just smiled to himself and kissed her chin. Everything would be perfect.

"You'll see… and I know you will be delighted. We'll start a new life, away from this city and this country. It never did me good anyway – but we'll be together." Erik said, happiness in his voice. Lucille just became more curious, why wouldn't he say? She knew he wouldn't tell her, even though she begged. So she changed the subject.

"If we really are leaving, will you help me write a letter then?" Lucille asked, and of course Erik would help her. He got pen and paper, and she told him what to write.

"Dear Coretta

I write this letter as a goodbye. Erik says we are to leave the city tomorrow morning, and we will never have to return again. I don't know where we are going, but I look forward to it. He is my love, my light and my fiancée now.

I just want to thank you for everything we have shared together, all you did for me. You were my best friend, and I will never forget you. Maybe we will meet someday in the future.

Tell Artus that I am thankful for his love, and sorry that I can't return it. Take care of him, I think he needs it.

Your friend, Lucille."

Coretta read the letter through several times, before she put it away. So they would leave… the maid already missed her friend and mistress, but was happy for her too. She left her own small chamber – outside it was dark, everyone had gone to sleep. She went to the guest room, where Artus still were. He was not ready to be moved yet. Coretta saw light under the door, and knocked carefully on it.

"Who is it?" Artus' voice asked, sounding surprised that someone knocked at this hour.

"It's Coretta… may I enter?" she asked, and he said she could. He lay in his bed, putting a book he had been reading away. He looked speculating at Coretta. She closed the door behind her and sat down. "I had a letter earlier… from Lucille." She saw his face becoming sad as she said it, and wished she could do something to make him feel better.

"And why tell me you had a letter from her? She doesn't want anything from me…" Artus said with a gloomy voice. Like he was fighting something inside. The maid pulled herself together to tell him what the letter said.

"She said to tell you, that she's thankful for your love – and sorry that she can't return it. I actually think she cared, Artus. Just not the way you wanted her to." Coretta explained, but his face didn't change. He just looked more depressed.

"She cared enough not to love me. And who would love me, a man who tried to kill his beloved's lover? I shouldn't have done that – I can't believe she still has so nice words to say to me." Artus said, starring out the window. Coretta wanted to say something, but didn't know what. She felt so sad for him, and really wanted to take care of him, like Lucille had asked her to do. She just wasn't sure how to handle it yet, she needed time to think - but she would take care of him, that was for found herself hoping, that Artus didn't recover too soon from his wound.