Disclaimer: do I really have to do this each chapter? I do not own it
A/N: sorry it took me so long to update, but its been rather hectic at school. I will attempt to write longer chapters but I cannot promise anything.
Immokk, thank you for reviewing and for complimenting my writing abilities, I realize that my chapters are short but I just haven't had time to sit down and write a long one yet, and I'm still in the process of developing the story, hopefully this problem will be improved shortly
FFAMasquerade2005 and Twistedeverywayforerik, thank you for reading and reviewing and for adding this story to both your favorites list and you story alert!
How Nadir had managed to convince them to let me out of jail was an utter mystery to me. Nonetheless, he managed not only that but an appeal as well. Our first order of business was to hire an attorney. Fortunately, I had saved up quite a large sum from blackmailing the opera house managers. The next priority was a thorough investigation of the crime scene. This proved to be a rather difficult and aggravating process.
It started simple enough; just a large group of "trained professionals" poking and prodding about my living quarters, it started with the lake but somehow migrated into the house itself. My choice of furniture raised not only a few eyebrows but a few questions as well as suspicions. Apparently, the law enforcement in Paris is incapable of trusting people who sleep in coffins.
In the aftermath of my home's desecration I sat by the fire with a cup of Earl Grey tea whilst Nadir sat at a desk pouring over various papers in the dim light of the dying fire. I walked over to the desk and from over Nadirs shoulder I read:
…the man, if you could call him that, is a lunatic, honestly he should be put down for the protection of the people of Paris…and to kill an aristocrat! The nerve to murder someone of a higher station and worse! To be proud of it…
"Doroga? What is that?" I asked in a rather disgusted tone.
"That, Erik, is the testimony of one Raoul de Chaney. This is what we are up against; he is trying to convince the court that you are a menace to society, not to mention a raving lunatic, and therefore should be sentenced to death."
"What? Hung like a common criminal?"
"or shot, or guillotined, the method is of little importance, the point is that if Chaney gets his way you'll be dead."
"Christine would not allow it."
"Erik, Christine doesn't care. Get it through your head she is nothing but a selfish brat who uses her talent, which she would not even have if it were not for you, and her beauty, to get her way. Face it she used you to…" he broke off at the look on my face, I am sure it was murderous.
"Christine may not love me, but she did cry with me and no one, no one daroga, has ever showed me such compassion. Do not portray her as anything less than respectable."
A moment passed in which I understood Nadir's silent apology before he continued, "Erik, Christine is the wife of a man of high society. Women have no say in politics and wives of aristocrats have no say to their husbands. She cannot stop him."
"Then, what am I to do?"
"I suggest you take the matter up with your attorney, you pay him enough, and he had better be good. Surely, between his legal mind, your testimony, and my conviction to the case we will be able to prevent your execution. Keeping you out of prison is another matter all together. Somehow you must convince the court that your other murders were justified, self defense, if you will, or you could plead insanity, but, then you risk execution for being a menace to society."
"I need a drink" with that I quickly ended the conversation; it was giving me a migraine. I spent the rest of the night sulking by the strained light of the fire's glow with my old friend, a bottle of wine.