Chapter Thirteen

Erik woke two days later and stretched lazily in the watery sunlight. It was quite early. He wondered if Christine was awake yet. They had come to an unspoken decision that they would not share a bedroom until they were wed.

He lay for a moment and then realised something. There was something different about the house this morning. What was it? He was still for a moment and then realised.

There was something cooking. That in itself was enough to worry him. He sat up and washed in the bowl of water on the dresser before pulling on trousers. And then a scream ripped through the still air.

"Christine!" He shouted, throwing open the bedroom door. He half-fell downstairs and ran into the kitchen.

Christine was stamping on something. Something that was on fire. Erik swore, seized a bucket of water and threw it over the object before turning to Christine.

"What happened? Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine." She said. Erik stared at the blackened mess.

"What the hell was that?"

"Breakfast." She said dolefully. "It was supposed to be bread."

Erik stared at her and then laughed helplessly at the miserable expression on her face.

"Don't laugh! Why can't I do something as ridiculously simple as cook?" She pouted.

"You'll learn. We'll throw that away and try again later." He said and glanced down at the bread. "I don't suppose even the birds would eat it now."

"I suppose not. Never mind. If at first you don't succeed…" Christine said, brightening. And then she stopped and flushed.

Erik was not wearing a shirt. Christine knew she should look away but… well, she was only human. Erik realised what had captured her attention and smirked, lifting an eyebrow. Christine scowled.

"Go and get dressed. I'll make tea. At least I can do that right."

When Erik returned to the kitchen, now decently clad, Christine had poured tea and set out some fruit. Erik glanced at her.

"I was planning on going to town this morning."

"We only went yesterday. Do you need something?" Christine said, peeling an apple. Erik paused.

"I thought that I might speak with the priest and see how soon we can marry."

Christine looked up and smiled.

"Really?"

"Yes. Would that please you?"

"It most certainly would." She said happily. Erik lifted a slice of apple to her mouth and she accepted it with a smile.

The small army stopped just below the crest of the hill that stood beside the house. Around eighty men, most with horses, some on foot. They brought with them two carriages. One was a conference and travel carriage that Raoul, Philippe and Charles has been using to meet with Piangi and discuss various scenarios.

The second carriage was a holding cell. I need not say what use it was intended for.

Philippe strapped his sword on and turned to Raoul, Charles and Piangi.

"We'll go to the top, keeping low. If Christine and Destler are there, we'll see them. Then we can make out move. We can't give Destler a chance to get away."

The four of them climbed the final stretch of hill, crouching as they approached the top, peering down at the house. For some time nothing happened, but they kept watching, talking in whispers. They had the advantage. The house was in the centre of the valley and they had the high ground. They would be able to surround the house with no difficulty.

It was after about forty minutes that Raoul tensed.

"The front door." He hissed. They all looked down as a figure stepped into the sunlight. It was Christine, wearing a plain dress, her hair loose. She stretched her arms above her head as the men pulled out spyglasses to watch.

Christine picked up a basket and went to the flowerbed in front of the house. She wanted to brighten the house up a bit and there were some lovely flowers around here. She took out some scissors and began to snip various flowers, placing them in the basket carefully.

Charles frowned.

"If she's a prisoner, why isn't she locked up? Destler is allowing her an awful lot of freedom."

"Someone's approaching from the north-west path!" A soldier called. They turned their glasses to look at the far side of the valley, where a figure on a black horse was racing towards the house.

Christine looked up as she heard hoof beats and smiled, standing and turning to watch as Erik came into view. The horse came to a halt and Erik dismounted, pulling his cloak off. He looked over at Christine and held out his hand. She went to him and he embraced her.

"What did he say?" She asked excitedly. Erik nodded with a smile.

"Tonight. Does that suit you?"

She laughed and Erik kissed her quickly, unable to resist. He adored her laugh.

"It's so soon!" She said.

"Too soon?"

"It's never too soon." She promised, lifting her arms around his neck. "Never."

"Good." He said, and kissed her again. "I was afraid you'd change your mind and wouldn't take me."

"That's because you can be quite ridiculous. I'll always want you. Even if you don't want me."

"That would never happen." He murmured, kissing her for a third time.

And then they jerked apart as the thunderous sound of hoof beats echoed around the valley and a crowd of men came galloping down the hill.

"What is it?" Christine asked, clinging to Erik, frightened. He looked resigned.

"It's your father. And Raoul." His arm slid around her tightly as the men surrounded them in a wide circle. Erik looked down at Christine. She was standing closely to him, one of her arms twined around his and her hand clutching at his shirt, crumpling the material tightly.

Raoul, Philippe and Charles dismounted their houses. Erik bowed his head to them, before standing tall.

"Your Majesties. Your Highness. Welcome." He said, respectfully. Charles stepped towards them.

"Christine, thank heavens your safe!"

"Papa, what's going on?" Christine said, looking around fearfully at the armed soldiers. Philippe glared at Erik.

"Release the princess, Destler!"

"Why?" Erik asked calmly. "She does not wish to be released."

"Let her go!" Raoul shouted, his hand on his sword hilt. Erik looked down at Christine. She looked back uncertainly. He closed his eyes, moving away from her, untangling her hands from his shirt. She watched him in horror, looking completely lost.

"Go, Christine. If you wish to leave, go now."

"No!"

Everyone started but Christine ignored them. Charles blinked and Raoul's face was a picture of confusion.

"Christine-"

"Erik, I'm not going to leave you!"

"What is going on here?" Philippe demanded of no one in particular. Christine ignored him, watching Erik. He was gazing at her with utmost adoration. She moved towards him and he held out his arms. She stepped into them, wrapping her own small arms around his waist.

"Destler, explain yourself." Philippe hissed furiously.

Erik looked up and said quietly.

"It's quite simply really. Christine and I left together because we want to get married."

Stunned silence met this remark. And Philippe snapped.

"Arrest him!"

Christine cried out as Erik was wrenched from her. Piangi gripped her arms as he was dragged away. Christine tried to reach him and he stretched his hand to her but was pulled back, to the holding carriage, which had been brought down the hill.

"Erik!" She screamed, kicking against Piangi.

"Christine!" He shouted back as they threw him unceremoniously into the carriage, slamming the door shut.

"No! No, Erik! Let him go!" Christine cried. Charles put a hand on her arm and she turned to him, tears threatening to spill over.

"Papa! Papa, let him go!"

"Calm down, sweetheart."

"He hasn't do anything wrong, you can't do this!"

"Actually he has." Philippe said.

Christine turned to stare at him.

"What?"

"He stole the fiancée of a member of the royal family. He has committed treason."

"But… but he didn't steal me! We came away together, I wanted to come! How can you do this?" Christine wailed.

"You and Raoul took the betrothal vows, you were bound to each other! If you weren't royalty, you'd be just as guilty as he is!" Philippe shouted. Christine glared at him.

"You can't do this! We came here so nobody would get hurt, you can't-"

"Destler will be taken back to Hirlos tomorrow and will be put on trial." Philippe said coldly and turned away. Christine looked at her father.

"Can't you do something?"

"This is a Hirlos matter, not a Rymansian one. I have no power here." Charles said. Christine looked around desperately and saw Raoul nearby, staring at her. She stepped towards him.

"Please, Raoul. Don't do this."

"It's not my choice." He said icily. Christine let out a sob.

"What… what will happen to him?"

"If he's found guilty, he will be imprisoned for life." Piangi said. Christine cried out, and covered her face with her hands. Raoul stared at her and then burst out angrily.

"Why, Christine? Why did you do it?"

"I didn't mean to! I didn't... I fell in love with the wrong person. This isn't Erik's fault, Raoul, it's mine. Don't punish him for my wrongs!"

Raoul didn't reply. Christine touched his arm.

"Please, Raoul… don't do this." She whispered, her dark eyes pleading with him tearfully.

"…Destler will be put on trial." Raoul spat and wrenched his arm from her grasp, arching away. Christine stared after him. Charles put his hand on her shoulder.

"Christine…"

She pulled away and ran to the house, slamming the door shut.

Philippe, Raoul and Charles spent the rest of the day in the conference carriage. Erik, in his imprisonment, had struggled at first, beating the walls and door before falling silent. And Christine sat alone in the house, weeping. She had locked all the doors, forbidding any of the soldiers to enter. She had not even let Charles in.

Night fell and in the morning Erik would be taken from her forever. The gold band glinted in the lamplight and Christine choked back a sob. They should have been married by now. Instead they had been torn apart.

She got to her feet and looked out of the window. The soldiers were camped outside, a large fire in the courtyard. Christine hesitated, wrapped a blanket around herself and then slipped out through the kitchen door, around the side of the house and to the rear of the holding carriage. There was a small window, with bars over it and she peered in. Erik was sat on the floor, his head in his hands. Christine felt tears pricking.

"Erik?"

He looked up sharply and his eyes widened.

"Christine…" He clambered up and fell towards the bars, his hands closing around hers. "Christine, you have to be careful. If they catch you-"

"I don't care. Erik, you're so cold." She pulled the blanket from her shoulders and pushed it through the bars, with some difficulty. He took it gratefully and she kissed his hands, rubbing them with her own to try and warm them.

"This is so unfair. We haven't do anything wrong." She mumbled, her head bowed. Erik didn't reply.

"I'm coming with you to Hirlos." She said suddenly.

"No, Christine."

"Erik, I have to! I won't let them take you away!" Christine said forcefully. Erik sighed.

"You can't stop the, Christine. If I'm found guilty-"

"But you're not! How can you be guilty when you haven't done anything wrong?" She cried, tears falling again. Erik put a hand on her face, wiping the tears away.

"It was only a matter of it before they found us." He said regretfully. Christine sniffed and swallowed.

"Then I wish that they'd have come tomorrow. Because then we could have married today as we planned and at least we'd have had one night together. One night, Erik. Is that too much?"

Sorrow overcame her once more and she pressed her face to the bars. Erik put his lips to her forehead as she wept. The clock tolled midnight. Erik lifted her chin.

"You must go. They're changing the guard and if they find you…"

"Erik, I love you. Please… I can't be without you, I love you so much, more than they'll ever know. Don't let them take you away, don't let them…" She whispered, her voice trembling. She knew full well that he could do nothing and hated herself for asking. Erik kissed her swiftly and she made to go. But she paused and turned back.

"Christine, I love you." He whispered, his throat tight. "But you must go." She bit her lip tightly as she back away, slipping into the darkness. Erik fell to his knees in utmost despair, not knowing that a dark figure had seen everything and was following Christine towards the house.

Christine didn't reach the house before she broke down again. With a cry she fell against the wall of the house, sobbing into her hand, mourning all that she had lost.

"You still cry for him?" Raoul's voice floated through the darkness. She looked up. He stood a short way before her. Christine composed herself and stood, trembling.

"I cry for what we will lose in the morning. And for what we should have had tonight." She said quietly. Raoul frowned and she swallowed hard. "Tonight was to be our wedding night."

He didn't reply but his eyes widened slightly and he appeared to deflate. Christine didn't look at him, twisting the band on her left hand.

"He'd just gotten back from talking with the priest when… when you came."

"Christine-" He stopped, not knowing what to say.

Christine was silent and then looked up at him.

"Raoul, I will marry you. If you can persuade Philippe to let him go, I'll-"

"Stop it!" Raoul said harshly. Christine fell silent and he stared at her in disbelief, mingled with disgust.

"Christine, I will not marry you to save him. I love you! I won't marry you for that reason! I wanted to marry you because I love you more than anything in this world and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you! He said angrily.

Christine couldn't have described the guilt that flooded through her. She looked away.

"Why do I always hurt the ones I love? Papa, you, Erik. Even Philippe." Seeing the look on his face. "Yes, Raoul. I do love you. But not in the way that I was supposed to. Not in the way that you wanted me to. And I can never tell you how sorry I am for that. I thought I could love you, you see. That's why I said yes. I wanted to forget Erik. But I couldn't."

Raoul looked at his feet, his heart twinging painfully. Christine hesitated and then said,

"I know that I have no right to, but can I ask you to do something for me?"

"What is it?"

"If he's found guilty, let me stay in Hirlos. Let us marry, even if I'll never get to see him again."

"Marry?"

"I know its stupid but… don't send me away. Even if it's just a little house in the town, I have to be near to him." She pleaded.

Raoul couldn't reply. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? He loved her and seeing her in this much pain was killing him. She was watching him, pleading with him. He took a breath.

"If he's found guilty, you won't be allowed to marry him."

Her face fell and Raoul thought furiously.

"Where is the town?"

"Two miles north-west. You take that path." She pointed and Raoul asked,

"Where is the priest's house? If I bring him here and he marries you now…" He was cut off by Christine's gasp.

"You would do that?"

"Yes."

"His house is by the church, it has a blue door."

"I'll be back within an hour. Be ready." He said, and disappeared into the darkness.

Christine ran up to her bedroom and searched through the wardrobe for her dress. It was the only white one she own, a loose slip with a white silk ribbon around the waist. No corsets here, thank god. Christine left her hair down and sat to wait, tapping her fingers nervously.

Raoul knocked on the kitchen door fifty-six minutes late, the priest beside him, looking rather bewildered at the whole situation.

"We have to hurt." Raoul warned as the three figures hurried to the carriage. Raoul stopped the other two beside the carriage and went to speak with guard, who left a moment later. Hurrying the priest and Christine inside. Erik was staring at them.

"What the hell…?"

"We planned to marry tonight and we will." Christine said firmly. Erik took her hand.

"Christine, you can't. If I'm locked away-"

"At least we'll have had our chance at happiness." She said.

He gazed at her and Raoul cleared his throat.

"We have to hurry."

"Raoul?" Erik noticed him for the first it.

"Shall we start?" The priest asked. Christine nodded and looked up at Erik. He met her eyes and then smiled as the priest began.

It was hardly a ceremony at all. They missed out just about everything except for the vows and exchanging of rings. Raoul watched in wonder as Christine clung tightly to Erik and how his eyes never left her, his hand protectively on her waist. It hurt, Raoul realised. But as the same time it made sense. It seemed strange that he hadn't noticed before. It seemed so obvious now.

He would have to apologise to Meg Giry for this one.

Erik kissed her and Christine held onto him. Raoul felt terrible as he said, "Christine, we have to go." Reluctantly they released each other. Christine stepped back, her eyes never leaving his.

"I love you." She whispered, almost inaudibly. He repeated the words and Raoul caught her arm.

"Christine…"

Slowly he pulled her away, leading her and the priest out. The courtyard was in shadows, the soldiers all sleeping. Christine turned to Raoul.

"Thank you."

"Go inside, before someone sees you." Raoul whispered and she began to move away. But a lamp suddenly flared up, followed by several more. And they were held by Philippe, Piangi, Charles and several guards. Christine's heart sank.

"What is going on here?" Philippe demanded. "Raoul, what are you doing?"

"I let Erik and Christine marry. They are now legally wed." Raoul said.

All eyes went to Christine. She stood tall and proud in her wedding dress. Charles moved towards her.

"Christine, what have you done?"

"I've married the man I love. Even if you take him away, we are bound to each other." Her eyes met Philippe's. "Lock him away if you find him guilty. But where he goes, I go. Where he stays, I stay, I am coming to Hirlos and I will be present at his trial. I will defend him even if no one else will!"

She was shouting, she realised, but didn't care. Philippe turned back to his brother.

"And you put all of this together? What were you thinking, Raoul?"

"No more, Philippe. Cancel the trial and let them go." Raoul said tiredly. His brother shook him.

"Raoul, he is a traitor!"

"No, Philippe. I've had enough. Let Erik go and let's go home. This is over."

Philippe mouthed wordlessly. Christine watched him, her heart in her mouth. Raoul looked towards her and smiled bravely.

"We've made our peace. The matter is settled. Let's not involve the court. Nobody needs to get hurt." The king of Hirlos stared at his younger brother who suddenly seemed so much more mature. And then he glanced at the nearest guard.

"Bring Destler here."

Charles put a warning hand on Christine's arm and she forced herself to stay still as Erik was dragged from the carriage. He stood before Philippe, his head high. Philippe looked at him carefully. Erik met his eye and then lowered his gaze. He caught sight of Christine and he seemed to inhale sharply. Christine tried to move towards him but Charles kept a firm hold on her. Philippe began to speak and Erik dragged his gaze away from Christine.

"Erik Destler, it is my wish that you be taken to Hirlos and put on trial for treason. Furthermore, your marriage to Princess Christine Daae of Rymansia would be annulled without question.

"No!" Christine cried. Erik didn't move, didn't react. Philippe looked at him more closely.

"However, I am not the injured party here. Therefore, I pass your fate to my brother. He will decide what is to be done. I will play no further part in this."

Christine and Erik both turned to look at Raoul, who seemed to be stunned. Christine bit her lip, watching him fearfully. Raoul caught her eye and then looked at Erik.

"He is free. Release him now."

The guards stepped back and Raoul looked at Christine. She gave slight smile and he returned it. And then, without looking at her father or at Philippe, she moved slowly towards Erik. He watched her, his hair dishevelled and his clothes crumpled.

Suddenly she broke into a run and he was moving towards her. Erik caught her, holding her so tightly she was lifted off the ground and she clung to him tightly, her ribs aching with the strength of his arms but she didn't care.

They could not be parted now.

A/N: Phew, long chapter. Anyways, this story is only just getting started, there's a whole lot more to come.

To avoid confusion – Why did Philippe let Raoul decide on Erik's fate when he knew what would happen? Its Philippe's job to do what is correct. He couldn't let Erik go himself, so he let Raoul do it, because it isn't expected so much of Raoul.

So… let me know what you think!

Lotsa luv

Katie