anybody hate raoul? then you'll love this. sorry for lack of update and even more apoligies of you totally hate this chapter cause the writing sucks. its not my best writing. please review and tell me what you think.

Chapter One

It was night. They only sounds were the song of crickets and the gentle pattering of the castle guard patrolling the halls. All the court and servants were asleep, albeit somewhat uneasily. Without Richard's protective presence, all of England felt small and vulnerable.

And they had good reason to. Especially the Saxons.

In an old forgotten corner of the castle, two figures cloaked in black stood close together in whispered conversation. Both men emitted an aura of pure evil, making their little nook darker somehow.

"Things aren't happening fast enough." The shorter of the two said.

"Damn it John, I'm doing whatever I can. Erik is not the easiest man to get rid of. And there are other things to consider" The second man's voice was full of bitterness for the man he spoke of, full of jealousy and rage.

"What do you mean by that?"

"That Daae girl. She's always around him and is liable to discover the plot. She already suspects me.

"Then woo the damn girl. She's going to be your wife anyway. So take advantage of her, do whatever you want. Just get her away from De Noir. We can't afford suspicions from anyone, especially the king's ward."

"A murder won't get rid of him John; I've tried too many times to prove that. Were going to have to think of something far more clever."

"Fine. Just you do what is assigned to you. Remember, I hold your life in my hands. One slip up and it will be you the executioner gets next."

The taller man nodded to his companion and the two went there separate ways.

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Swoosh!

The brown, feather tipped arrow perfectly struck the tiny knot in the great oak tree. The firer of the arrow smiled as she lowered her bow, both her mouth and brown eyes smiling. She heard clapping behind her and turned, brown curls bouncing slightly.

"Did I do good?" Christine asked turning to the tall, masked man behind her. Erik was smiling, a very good sign, but one could never know.

"Yes child, you did very well. There is not much more I can teach you." This was true. Erik would never lie to his pupil, however poorly she did. But that never happened. She was always perfect, which in turn rewarded Erik with one of her beautiful smiles. Just like now.

"Do you really mean that?" Christine asked eagerly, with all the enthusiasm of a young child showing their first page of letters. Sometimes Erik was forced to remember she was, in fact, fourteen years younger than him and not yet quite a mature woman. One of the reasons Richard hadn't allowed her to be married yet.

"Yes. Would I ever lie to you?"

Christine knew he wouldn't. That was one of the things she liked about Erik. He treated her like an equal and never coddled her too much. While Richard allowed her to engage in swordplay and marksmanship, he tended to act like every overprotective father with a young daughter would. Erik on the other hand, never coddled her and never allowed her to quit even when her arm was so sore it felt like it would fall off or her entire body was covered in bruises and scars. Even when they were singing he was still a strict, militant teacher, pressing her to sing when her throat was raw, forcing her to reach heights she didn't know she could.

In consequence, Christine was on tough bird, capable of enduring things most grown men couldn't. And she was glad for it.

"Come, we must return to the castle. Antoinette will have my head if I keep you out after sunset again. And she is not one to be taken lightly."

"I find it hard to believe that your afraid of anything, Madame Giry included," Christine teased as the pair gathered their weapons and headed for the horses.

"One who isn't afraid of Antoinette is a great fool."

Mounting the horses, Christine laughed, the second most beautiful sound Erik had and would ever hear. The most beautiful sound was her singing.

"I'm not afraid of her. Does that make me a great fool?" she inquired, loving the banter they were getting into.

"You're a great fool anyways. Whether you fear Antoinette or not doesn't change that."

The two bickered all the way back to the castle, leaving the woods behind them.

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Christine walked down the stone corridors to Erik's chambers, feeling rather restricted in her simple green dress. She hated dressing like a lady, with long skirts that she always tripped on flowing sleeves that were always getting caught on something. In the woods, she could be however improper and scruffy she wanted to be, but in the castle Christine had to be perfectly clean, manicured and dressed just like a lady. She hated dressing like this so much that she would spend as much time in the woods as possible, especially now that Richard was gone.

At least there were singing lessons to look forward too.

"Now where would you be going, my fair lady?"

Christine spun on her heal and came face to face with the man she loathed above all men: Sir Raoul de Changy.

He was leaning against a stone pillar, looking every bit his usually, handsome, cocky, overdressed and repulsive self. Christine immediately went on guard, keeping herself ready and alert. She knew Sir Raoul lusted after herself and that always made her wary around him.

"Where I am going is none of your concern and I am not your lady so I would greatly appreciate it if you would not refer to me as such." Sir Raoul was one of the people she was always formal with, even if he wouldn't be with her. It was one of her ways of letting him know she was not interested in him.

"On the contrary, my dear. Your doings are most definitely my concern, Christine. I care about you very much."

Now Christine was angry. He had no right to refer to her in such an informal way and claim he had a say in her life.

"It is Lady Christine to you, Sir Raoul and I was under the impression you care for nothing but yourself."

Raoul turned bright red and quite visibly shook with fury. How dare she talk to me that way. When we are wed, I'll show her how much I care, how much I shall own her. Raoul forced himself to be calm. He could go and scare the girl. Or worse, get banished from court for unknightly conduct with the King's ward.

"Lady Christine, then, if that is what you want."

"Yes, it is." She turned to leave and go to her music lesson, for which she was most definitely late for by now.

"I do not like you spending so much time in the woods with de Noir."

Christine stopped at his comment. When she turned, he was right behind her. She took a step back to he wouldn't be so close. He took a step forward.

"What you like and don't like is of no concern to me. You should also refer to Erik as Sir Erik de Noir. He is a knight you know."

"Yes, and he's also a deformed freak who seduces young ladies and rapes them in the woods."

Before she could stop herself, Christine's hand went flying and came in hard contact with Sir Raoul's cheek. The loud smack echoed off the walls of the castle and Sir Raoul reeled back from the powerful blow.

"Don't you ever dare speak of Erik in that way again. He would never do something like that. He's not you!"

By the time she added that insult, Sir Raoul had recovered his bearings and grabbed Christine by her arms, pushing her against the wall. Christine put up a good fight, but Sir Raoul's larger body eventually succeeded in pinning her. Christine glared at him with so much hatred she was surprised he didn't burn.

"Listen to me you little wench, if you dare strike me again, I swear I'll-"

Christine didn't get to know what Sir Raoul would do to her. He was cut off by a much taller and stronger man grabbing him by the neck and throwing him to the ground.

"Don't you ever lay a hand on her again, de Changy," Erik roared. He was drawn up to his full height, face darkened with unspeakable fury. His white mask made him look more sinister than ever. For the first time in her life, Christine was actually afraid Erik. The man before her was so different from her strict, yet kind and gentle tutor. The man before her was a knight, a knight punishing some demon from hell.

Two guards came running at the sound of the commotion. They took in the scene and quickly assessed what had happened. They also looked rather afraid of Erik.

"Take him to the dungeons and leave him there. His punishment will be decided tomorrow."

The guards didn't question Erik, he was regent after all. They obeyed his command, picking up the crumpled Sir Raoul and dragged him away. When they were out of sight, Erik turned to Christine and was taken back by the fear he saw in her eyes.

After she was late to her lesson, Erik went out to look for her and found de Changy accosting her. Something inside him snapped and he completely forgot she was there, only wanting to punish de Changy in the worst way possible. Now, he had quite possibly shattered some of the trust he and Christine shared. Erik forced himself to be calm, for her sake.

"Are you all right?"

Christine jumped at his question. "Oh, yes. I'm fine." Christine could tell he didn't believe her. "Really."

Erik nodded and put an arm around her and led her in the way she had been coming. "Come, I'll take you to your chambers."

"What about our singing lesson?"

Erik shook his head. "We'll have to cancel it for tonight. I must deal with de Changy and I think you've done enough today."

Christine nodded and sighed, reluctantly following Erik's orders. This was the third time they had to cancel a lesson after Erik was appointed regent. His new duties were heavily cutting into their time together. Christine knew it was selfish of her, but she was getting rather annoyed with it all.

They soon reached her chambers. Stepping inside, Christine discovered that they were empty. She shared these chambers with her caretaker and foster mother, Antoinette Giry and her daughter Meg, Christine's Lady in Waiting and best friend. Where were they? Christine got worried for a minute but then remembered that Madame Giry's uncle was sick and they had gone to care for him.

"Please excuse me whilst I change into something comfortable. I won't be long."

"Do you wish for me to stay?"

"Would you mind?"

Erik smiled. "Of course not." Once more, Erik was rewarded with her beautiful smile. She practically skipped into her bedroom and emerged a few minutes later clad in her nightgown and thin, silk robe. Erik had to force himself not to let his mind wander into the fantasies that plagued his mind in his sleep. But she looked so beautiful just now, like a goddess reborn. Control yourself!

Christine walked over to the bookshelf and took out her favorite volume, Arthurian Legends. "Will you read to me?" she inquired in her sweet, childish voice. How could any man deny her when she spoke like that?

"Of course." They sat down by the fire, Christine in Erik's lap, and he read to her the exciting tales of the noble court of Camelot. In the middle of Sir Pelinore's hunt for the Questing Beast, Christine's eyelids began to droop, an act that did not go unnoticed by Erik.

"Come, I think its time you were off to bed." Erik scooped Christine up before she could protest and carried her into her bedroom. He tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead, wishing her sweet dreams.

"Erik."

"Yes Christine?"

"Do you know what tomorrow is?"

Erik smiled. "Yes, it is your sixteenth birthday and I have something special for you, but your not going to get unless you go to sleep right now."

Christine grumbled a bit, but was too tired to protest anything. Within a few seconds, she was sound asleep.

Erik kissed her forehead again, murmuring, "Goodnight, my sweet angel."

Tomorrow, you shall know everything, my love.

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John was angrier than he had ever been. Raoul was in prison! He knew that Erik was going to banish him for sure. That won't do, that just won't do. Erik had to be gotten rid of! But how?

John was so irate that he knocked over his nightly glass of red wine. Its contents spilled all over the desk, looking very much like a puddle of blood.

A small smile crept over John's face as he imagined it being's Erik's blood. Oh yes, I know just how to get rid of him!