Chapter Four
"A picnic?" Erik said distastefully, as though the word was sour on his tongue. Raoul nodded.
"Only in the castle grounds, although I believe they're quite extensive. King Charles requested your presence."
"I don't think so."
"Erik, we're his guests. If he wants you there, you should go."
Erik eyed the prince.
"And this wouldn't be anything to do with the fact that the princess will be attending?" A faint blush crossed Raoul's cheeks.
"I would rather you came, Erik."
"Would you now?" Erik already knew that he would go. He just enjoyed seeing the frustrated look on Raoul's face.
"Yes. So stop being so awkward and just say you'll be there." Raoul said irritably. Erik smirked and spread his hands.
"As my prince commands."
"Come on, Meg! Don't be so awkward!" Christine pouted. Meg sighed, stitching up a piece of torn lace.
"I don't think Mother will let me. She'll think I'm 'getting ideas'."
"Ideas about what?" Christine asked, confused. Meg shrugged.
"God only knows." She said, standing to fetch some thread from the dresser. She turned around only to see that Christine had picked up the lace, looking strangely evil.
"I'll talk to your mother. Say you'll come."
"Christine, put that down! I've been working on it for days and Mother will murder me if it's not finished!"
"Say you'll come!" Christine said. Meg hesitated.
"Fine. If you get Mother to agree, which will be a miracle in itself, then yes. I'll come."
"Thank you, Meg." Christine said sweetly, holding out the lace. Meg snatched it back.
"You're extremely bad mannered for a princess. Why do you even want me there?"
"Because otherwise Papa will be trying to get me to sit with Raoul for the whole time." Christine said, pulling herself up to perch on the windowsill as Meg deftly stitched the lace.
"I thought you liked Raoul."
"Well, I do. I just…"
"Don't want to seem too enthusiastic?" Meg suggested, cutting a thread. Christine nodded.
"Exactly. That's why I need you there."
At that moment Marie burst in.
"Marguerite, have you finished that lace? I need it before tomorrow, we're going to the picnic."
"We are?"
"Yes, so make sure you've finished! Christine, get off that windowsill and go and see your father." Marie snapped, putting away pieces of cloth.
"What for?"
"Because he wants you and I said so!" Marie told her crossly. Christine jumped down and scurried away, rushing down the main staircase.
In her haste, she accidentally missed a step and stumbled down the last few steps. She would have fallen if a pair of arms hadn't darted out and caught her. She gasped and looked up at Erik Destler, Raoul beside him looked amused. Erik straightened her.
"I'm sorry. I tripped." She explained weakly. Raoul smiled.
"No harm done."
"Excuse me, my father wants me." Christine said, hurrying through a doorway. Erik glanced at Raoul.
"On the other hand, she may just break her neck before you get a chance to marry her."
Erik looked around the area selected for their meal, appreciative of the pleasing scenery. A lake, surrounded by trees with a large rocky waterfall at one end. Raoul stood beside him.
"It's nice."
"Very picturesque." Erik agreed. Raoul turned as Christine and Meg climbed out of the carriage, talking cheerfully. Christine caught Raoul's eyes and she smiled.
"It's been so long since I came here last."
"Did you come here often?" Raoul asked.
"When I was a child. I stopped coming as I started getting older. Always too much to do." She explained.
They sat on blankets set out for them and plates of food were put down before the carriages were dismissed with orders to collect them in a few hours. Christine chewed on a sandwich as Raoul and her father discussed the scenery.
"Yes, it's all natural. The waterfall is particularly impressive, I feel." Charles commented.
The food was delicious and the weather was perfect. After they had all eaten their fill they began to walk around, admiring the plants and lake. Christine glanced around. Everyone seemed occupied for a few minutes. She began to walk briskly towards the waterfall. After a quick looked around she slipped through a wide crack in the rock. A few metres into the darkness the crack widened out into a spacious cave lit by… well, Christine couldn't say. Luminous rocks, really, for they seemed to glow of their own accord. But she went to the centre of the cave, standing beside a small lake, much tinier than the one outside but very deep. Christine looked up. A single break in the stone ceiling, where sunlight could enter. But the hole was overgrown. She would need to clear it first.
"What is this place?"
Christine gasped and span around. Erik Destler stood a short was behind her, at the entrance.
"What are you doing here?"
"I followed you." He said simply, examining the rocks. "What is this place?"
"I don't know. I found it when I was a child." Christine said, running a hand over the rocks. "Do you know what makes it glow?"
"A mineral in the rock." Erik said. Christine looked at her hand. There were luminous streaks n the skin.
She looked up at the hole again.
"I came here at night once. The moonlight had come in through that hole and was shining on the water and reflected all around. It was like magic." She said softly, dipping her fingers into the pond to rinse the light away. Ripples darted across the surface of the pool before dying away.
"Do you believe in magic?" Erik asked quietly. Christine didn't look up, staring at her reflection in the water.
"I used to. Not anymore."
"Why not?"
"Because if there was magic, I would be able to change things. My father would be well, and even if he wasn't he wouldn't lie and tell me that he's fine. I would be more proper, a good princess as I should be. And I'd be able to marry anyone, not someone I'd been assigned to."
Erik considered her as she dried her hands on her skirt.
"We should go back." She said quietly.
"There you are! We were about to send a search party." Philippe smiled. Christine laughed.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. We were examining the waterfall."
"This is a lovely spot." Sorelli commented. Charles nodded.
"Christine and I are very fond of it."
They sat, cheerful conversation going between them. Christine was sat beside Raoul and a few minutes of awkward conversation later they settle don the subject of art.
"I don't know much about it, but Erik has been trying to educate me."
"I expect you're brilliant at mathematics and science, aren't you?" Christine said.
"I certainly prefer them. You're more artistic. I can't play an instrument to save my life."
"Not for lack of lessons." Philippe added. Raoul laughed.
"I must hear you play, Christine."
"Perhaps." Christine smiled. "I don't usually play for an audience."
She tilted her face to the warm sunshine pouring through the trees. Christine noticed that Erik stayed in the shelter of the trees. She went to the edge of the lake and dipped her feet into the deliciously cold water.
"Is it nice?" Sorelli asked.
"Heavenly."
"I think I'll join you." She said, slipping her feet into the water.
"Be careful, the water is very deep." Charles warned.
Christine was about to reply when she caught sight of something moving in the tree above. A scrap of brown fur. A small kitten, clinging to the upper branches. Christine jumped up and ran bare-foot to the tree.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a kitten caught in the tree!"
Everyone peered upwards and Charles called,
"Christine, get down!" For Christine had clambered halfway up the tree.
"I'll just get the kitten."
"Christine!"
"I'm not leaving it there!" She called, reaching the branch the kitten was clinging to. She began to crawl along, legs swinging, skirt effectively ripping in the process. She pulled up onto her knees and hands, edging towards the terrified creature and ignoring the shouts form below.
"Here, kitty." She whispered. The cat didn't move but mewed. Christine edged a little further.
"Christine, be careful!" Meg cried. Christine went as far as she dared. She was now well out over the water and the cat was still out of reach. Just a little further…
Her fingers were millimetres from the cat when she heard three consecutive noises. The first was an ominous cracking. The second was a scream. The third was a deafening splash and then there was no sound, no sight, nothing but harsh pain as she hit the water.
Raoul had been the first one into the water, Erik the second by half a second. Meg, who had let out the scream, hovered on the waters edge as the two men dived beneath the surface. They reappeared a moment later, Erik pulling Christine after him. Philippe and Charles helped them ashore. Erik bent over Christine. She was still. Charles fell to his knees, haggard in the face.
"Is she…?" Erik lowered his ear to listen. No breath. He lifted her into a sitting position.
"A knife."
"What?" Charles looked alarmed but Marie handed him one instantly. Erik sliced the threads of the corset, loosening them before laying her back down. He didn't hesitate by placed his hands over her heart and began to push down, again and again. Water dribbled from her mouth.
"Raoul, breathe into her!" Erik ordered.
"How?"
"Do what I'm doing then!" He snapped, moving over. Raoul took over. Erik paused him and lowered his mouth over Christine's, pinching her nose. Her chest inflated and Raoul began again. They repeated the process before Erik pushed Raoul back and began to hit Christine's heart. Meg was sobbing in her mother's arms, Sorelli with a hand on Charles' shoulder, who had buried his face in his hands.
Erik felt fury rush through him at her obstinate lack of life.
"Damn you!" He shouted and breathed into her again. "Damn you! Just breathe! BREATHE!"
A spurt of water flew from Christine's open mouth and her eyes flew open, wild and terrified. She spluttered, rolling onto her side, coughing water. Erik sat her up roughly, hitting her on the back until she seemed to be breathing normally again. She blinked, rubbed her face and then looked around, her lank hair falling into her face.
"Is the kitten alright?"
Everyone stared at her and then Meg let out a noise halfway between a sob and a giggle. Charles took his daughter into his arms and held her tightly. She smiled weakly.
"Next time it can find its own way down."
Marie put Christine straight to bed when they returned, despite her protests that she was fine. The kitten was taken to the kitchens for food and a bed.
Christine lay in bed for a while. She felt a little cold, but not ill. And she was too busy thinking to sleep. She had been reaching for the kitten when the branch gave way. She vaguely remembered hitting the water and then nothing. And the next thing she remembered was staring up at the sky with Erik Destler looking down at her. Meg had told her that Erik had saved her life.
She climbed out of bed, wincing. Her back ached where Erik had been hitting it and she had bruises on her chest from their resuscitation efforts. She pulled on a warm robe. It was late but she was sure that he would still be awake. Wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, Christine went down the stairs, careful to be quiet. The door to the music room stood ajar and the room was empty. Christine frowned and turned just as Erik rounded the end of the corridor. He paused when he saw her.
"Your highness." He nodded slightly. Christine stepped towards him.
"I was looking for you."
"Oh."
"To say thank you. For saving my life." She explained. "Meg told me what happened. So… thank you." She finished weakly under his piercing gaze. Erik looked at her for a moment.
"You're welcome, your highness. Goodnight."
Christine blinked at his brief dismissal and he went into the music room, closing the door behind him. She turned to go back upstairs and was about to go back into her bedroom when someone hissed her name. She turned and saw Raoul.
"Raoul?"
"I brought you something." He said and handed her a small basket. Curled up in snug blankets was the sleeping kitten. Christine smiled and Raoul said,
"If anyone should look after her it should be you."
"She's so sweet. Thank you Raoul."
"I'll let you get some sleep." He grinned and lightly kissed the top of her hand before disappearing. Christine smiled and went into her room.
"Goodnight Kitty." She murmured before drifting to sleep, stroking her soft brown fur.