She awoke early the next morning to find Erik in a deep sleep next to her. She went down to breakfast as normal, but barely ate anything. Her stomach felt weird.

"Kerri dear, are you sure you're feeling alright." Her father asked.

"I'm just not in the mood for eggs, that's all." She drank her orange juice just to make him happy. She tried to keep her mind off of the night's events, but no matter what, thoughts broke through. Not necessarily bad ones, just nerves; her head trying to get her to be rational.

By two o' clock, she had resorted to pacing like a caged tiger.

"Kerri, sit down. Stop worrying. We'll be fine."

"I can't sit. My head won't let me."

Erik pulled her into his lap, holding her down when she tried to get up.

"Kerri, everything is going to be okay. I've spent my life plotting. Nothing will go wrong."

"I know that, but I just need to pace. It's a nerves thing."

"Well, your nerves thing is irking my nerves thing."

"You have a nervous tic?"

"Yes, I do."

She laughed. "That amuses me."

"Well, I'm very happy for you."

Kerri laid her head on his shoulder.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

"No."

"Neither am I."

"But you planned this whole thing!"

"I'm still a cynic. Especially when it comes to myself."

"That's kind of depressing."

Erik nodded. "You haven't had to live with it."

"Well, we'll just have to break you of that habit."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"With lots of this."

She kissed him fervently, pushing him back onto the mattress. He let his hands wander all over her body, pulling her up so that they were level.

"Kerri, Raoul's waiting for you downstairs." Marie shouted. Kerri broke the kiss almost violently, straightening herself out.

"You're leaving me for your brother?" Erik exclaimed.

"This is the last day I'll get to see him for who knows how long. Of course I am."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I'm not that naïve." She snorted.

"Raoul!"

"She jumped into his arms, causing him to stagger backwards.

"Hello to you too, Kerri." He chuckled, hugging her back.

"I take it you missed me."

"You have no idea." She let go of him slowly.

"Mother told me about meeting Erik."

Kerri nodded. "They loved him."

"Are you really going to go through with all of this?"

"All of what?"

"Marrying him."

"Yes, I am."

He shook his head, but didn't argue.

"Why did you say that Christine and I knew him?"

"Because you do."

"Not in the way mom assumed."

"She shouldn't assume things."

"You shouldn't lie."

"I didn't lie!"

"You said that you met Erik through us, Kerri."

"I did. I followed you and found him."

Raoul snorted.

"You're such a twerp." He ruffled her hair. "Come on, we're going shopping."

"Why?"

"Christine's birthday is coming up soon, and I have no idea what to get her."

"And you think that I do?"

"No, but you're coming anyway. You need to get out of the house."

"Alright, let me go tell Erik."

She ran back upstairs to grab her cloak and inform Erik that they would be back later.

In truth, Kerri was glad to have a distraction. It kept her mind on birthdays and off of dinner.

They ended up purchasing a very nice earring/necklace combination, with her birthstone set in it, along with some other things.

"So what are your plans for Erik?"

"What do you mean?"

"I doubt mom will be thrilled when she hears you've been engaged for a few months. How will you tell her?"

"I'm still working on it."

"Tell me you're not going to marry him and then tell her."

"No! She'd kill me."

"I know." He nodded. "That's why I asked."

"Where are you going to go?"

"Assuming we get married?"

He nodded.

Kerri preoccupied herself with a cart of pastries on the street.

"Nice."

"That's a long way away."

"I know. But that's where Erik has a house." She paused.

"Why do you care?"

"Because you're my younger sister. It's my job to care."

"He's not trying to break us up, if that's what you're thinking."

"Then what is he doing?"

"Raoul, we both want to leave the city. He has a house in Nice. It makes sense that that's where we would go."

"You could find someplace closer."

"Raoul, I don't want closer. I want peace. Away from mom, away from the Duke…"

"Away from me?"

"No. You I will actually miss."

He smiled.

"Good. Let's keep it that way." He held out his hand.

"A truce. No going back on it, no overreacting or chopping each others heads off."

Kerri grinned.

"I would accept, but I'm not the one you have to peace-talk with."

"I thought you might say that."

Kerri was tapping her feet under the dinner table. She ate and drank quietly, answering everyone's questions. If she was being this civil, they would know she wasn't feeling well. Which meant she would get to leave after dinner.

It was raining outside, but Kerri took that as a sign of good luck. She liked rain, and it made things harder to see in the dark.

She wanted to go, God damn it! Why was everything taking so long? Even the candles burned slower. Finally, everyone was finished. They talk some more, topped off the wine in their systems. When she felt enough time had passed, she spoke.

"Mother, I don't think the fish agreed with me. May I go lie down?"

"Yes." Alayna was still angry with her for leaving with Erik. That suited her just fine.

She took her time going up to her room, trying to remember everything about the house. It may have seemed silly, but Kerri hadn't known any place else. It would feel weird to leave.

She raced around her room, changing into a simpler dress and putting on her cloak. Erik opened the door quietly, waiting for her.

"Hold on just a minute Erik. I think Delia moved my bag." She looked under her bed frantically.

"You were expecting monsieur Delacroix? What for?"

Kerri gasped.

It wasn't Erik.

"I could ask you the same question." She swallowed hard, standing up slowly. Weapon…weapon….there was a pen on her desk. If she could move him over that way….

"By now Kerri, you have realized my intentions to marry you." He approached her, but she moved so that she was near the door. But she didn't have her bag. She wouldn't leave without her bag.

"And you've realized mine to say no."

"So it appears that one of us is going to have to give in." the Duke moved again. So did she.

"Your mother was right; you know swordplay." He commented on their footwork. Now she was near the desk, but he was on the other side of the room.

"I'm prepared to accept your apologies, Duke."

"For what?"

"For coming into my room uninvited, invading my personal space, and threatening me."

"I haven't threatened you."

"You're thinking it."

He smiled, taking a step towards her.

"I can think whatever I want about my wife. That's the beauty of this arrangement."

"I am not your wife."

"Not yet you aren't." He ran towards her, but she stepped out of the way, grabbing a pitcher of water and breaking it over his back.

"Never rush your opponent." She said, moving to the other side of the room. Where the hell was Erik?

"Kerri, you are going to marry me. I'll make sure of that."

He had backed her into a corner between the bed and her nightstand.

"You can try." She would never let him know that he scared the crap out of her.

His eyes suddenly rolled into the back of his head, and he collapsed into a heap.

Erik stood behind him, blunt end of a candelabra in hand.

"Oh my God! Is he okay?" As much of a pervert as he was, Kerri really didn't feel comfortable with him dying on her bedroom floor.

"He's not dead, if that's what you mean." Erik dropped the weapon. "Come on, we have to go."

"Wait! Where's my bag?"

In the carriage. Come on! We only have a half an hour."

Erik pulled her out of the room and down the stairs. The tea room door was cracked open, but no one was sitting within its view. They snuck past it, crouching low. Erik was soaking wet, and Kerri was afraid his boots would squeak on the marble floors.

Finally they made it out the door, running for the carriage.

"Kerri?"

She stopped just short of the door, her freedom. She turned around slowly, and found herself looking at Raoul.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I can't tell you. Just please, let me go."

"Not until you tell me what's wrong."

Tears started welling up.

"You can figure it out, Raoul. But um, the Duke…he's unconscious on my bedroom floor."

"Did he hurt you?"

Kerri shook her head. "No."

"Did Erik put you up to this?"

"No!"

She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck.

"You have to let me go, Raoul. Just please let me go." She whispered. He hugged her tightly.

"This would all make so much more sense if you would just tell me what's going on."

"I can't tell you. I wish I could, but I can't…" She let him go slowly, sobbing.

"Kerri." Erik called, holding the door open for her. Adonis barked.

"One second." She hugged him again.

"I'll write."

She ran to the carriage, climbing in and shutting the door behind her. The coach raced off into the night, leaving Raoul confused, wet, and alone.