Disclaimer: As much as I wish, I have absolutely no claim to owning POTO. No characters, music, places, etc...are mine, except those you don't recognize 'cause they came out of my mind. So don't sue me, I'm not making any money off this and I don't really have anything you would want, unless you count my piano and cats...
Erik stopped at the sound, turning his head in the direction it had come from. There it was again, this time accompanied by sobbing. Setting down his bags, he quickly strode off towards the sound, heading into the forest that surrounded his new home. The woman screamed again, louder and more frantically. As he made his way further into the dense trees, new sounds were added to the ever increasing screams. Scuffling, leaves rustling, pleas and whimpers now could be heard as well. It seemed the woman, whoever she was, was rapidly losing against whatever she was fighting.
As he crept closer, he was somewhat surprised to come upon a semi-cleared path in the woods. And just ahead, he saw what all the commotion was about. Something surged inside of him, his vision grew red, and he swept down the path.
The man smiled wolfishly at the woman struggling beneath him. Every scream, every moan, and every effort to fight him off only served to excite him more. He had had many women, and many more had wanted him. Only this one had refused him. Time and time again, she had scorned his overtures, even though she knew it was pointless to resist. Now, he would take what was rightfully his. As he prepared to complete his conquest, he was suddenly yanked away and thrown several yards. He sputtered in pain and frustration. Looking around, he saw no one. Lunging back towards the woman, he suddenly was met with an immense figure. Cloaked and hooded, the massive man struck out at him, catching him squarely on the jaw. Without a moment's hesitation, the stranger struck him again, this time in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He collapsed onto the ground, gasping. He swung out wildly at this man who dared to interfere, missed, and was swiftly dispatched into unconsciousness.
Erik stood for a moment over the prone figure of the man he had just fought. Once he was sure that the fiend was out cold, he glanced back at the woman. She was huddled on the ground, sobbing, trying to cover herself with the tattered remains of her dress. Erik walked towards her. As he neared her, she cried out and feebly tried to get to her feet. As her legs collapsed beneath her, she wailed in terror. Erik quickly realized why she was still so frightened. He stopped quickly. "Don't be afraid. I promise, I will not hurt you," he said in a calm, soothing voice. As if to reinforce his words, he took his cloak off and held it out to her. She looked at him with large, terrified eyes, afraid to trust any man. Erik remained standing, holding the cloak out to her. As she slowly began to move towards him to take the proffered garment, her legs again refused to hold her weight. As he saw her crumple, Erik moved swiftly to catch her. She cried out in fear, and used the remainder of her strength to hurl herself away from him. She continued to fall, now too far away for Erik to catch her before she hit the ground. He cringed as her head hit with a sickening crack. She lay on the ground, imobile.
Wrapping the woman in his cloak, Erik lifted her into his arms and strode back towards his house. It took him some time to reach it. 'I must have gone further than I realized,' he thought as the houselights came into view. Reaching the door, he knocked impatiently. The door opened to reveal a woman of about 45, tall, with a reserved expression. She looked at the man with the woman in his arms. "Yes?" she asked.
"I'm Erik Destler," Erik said briskly. "This woman needs attention. Be so kind as to direct me to a spare room, please. And have someone bring my bags, they are sitting on the walk."
"Certainly, Monsieur. Come this way," the woman said, leading him towards the staircase. "I am Adèle Dumas, your housekeeper. Madame Giry told us to expect your arrival, so everything is in order." She stopped at the top of the stairs. "Madame said that your room was to be the last one on the left. The room next to it is a spare bedroom. Will that suit you Monsieur?"
"Yes, yes, that will be fine," Erik snapped. The woman had begun shaking and trembling in his arms. He could tell she was cold, and probably in shock as well. He followed Adèle down the hall and waited impatiently as she opened the door. She quickly turned to light a gas lamp, then another. He laid the woman down on the bed. Glancing around, he saw the fireplace."Please send someone up to light this," he said, gesturing to it. "And bring some warm water and towels." He stopped briefly to consider the woman's ripped dress. "Are there any women's clothes in this house?" At Adèle's expression, he quickly added, "This woman is hurt badly, she will need something else to wear."
"There may be something in the armoire from Madame Giry's room," Adèle replied uncertainly. At his dismissive gesture, she scurried away. Erik looked down at the woman lying on the bed, eyes still closed. He sighed.
"Who are you?"
