Home

Philip was grazing by the house when she returned and she put both the horses in the field before entering the small cottage. She resolved to look for him in the morning. It would be easier, there would be light and the wolves would be sleeping. For the moment she curled up in the armchair and waited for the sun to rise.


Morning seemed to take forever to come and she quickly went to the field and mounted Alouette. The forest seemed more welcoming in the daylight, but it took until afternoon to reach the shortcut they had taken the day before. Her progress was slow as she stopped to look for her father and would take up to fifteen minutes to look around. She found where they were first attacked and spent nearly an hour searching in the nearby areas.

"Papa!" she called before remounting Alouette and continuing her search.

It was nearly dark when she arrived at the gates of the castle. The stone building loomed before her and she felt a thrill at the sight of the old gothic castle. She dismounted and led her horse up to the gates and discovered that they were open. Upon entering she tethered Alouette and walked up to the doors.

"Hello?" she called, "is anyone there? I'm looking for my father! Has anyone seen him?"

Her voice echoed through the halls and she wondered if anyone inhabited the building. It seemed clean, there was no dirt or dust on the floor and that lead her to believe that she was being ignored.

"Please, anyone!" she called, "I need to find my father."

A flash of movement caught her eye and she could see the shadow of a person going up a staircase, "Wait!" she called and began to follow.

The shadow was always just far enough ahead that she could not see who it belonged to and it said nothing. It led her up, always up until they reached a large spiraling staircase that went up to one of the towers. Then the shadow stopped and ducked behind a wall.

"If you are looking for you father," the voice of a man said, "continue up the stairs. But be warned, the master of this castle will not approve. If he comes immediately raise you hand to the level of you eyes."

"Thank you Monsieur, but who-"

"Go!"

Christine nodded and took a torch from one of the brackets before starting up the stairs. They seemed to continue forever, up into the icy cold tower with only the torch to guide her. Pulling her cloak closer she finally came upon the door and pushed it open tentavely.

"Papa?" she whispered, inching into the room, "papa, are you there?"

"Christine? Christine, is that you?"

She looked around and found him looking at her through the bars of a large wooden door. Rushing over she dropped her knees and grasped his hands tightly.

"You're freezing cold," she commented, rubbing his hands, "oh, we have to get you out of here. Someone warned me, the master of the castle is-"

"Christine you have to go. Leave me here, don't let him find you, he's horrible Christine."

"Don't be silly, I could never leave you here, just give me a moment and I'll-"

"You'll what?" the question came just as the door to the tower shut.

Christine heard her father gasp as a shadow loomed over her. Squeezing his hand reassuringly she stood and faced the man. She gasped and took a step back when she met his glowing yellow eyes

"You, you're the master of this castle?"

"I am," he replied coolly, "and who are you to trespass on my land?"

"I'm here to rescue my father," Christine said, pulling herself up to appear taller, "please set him free."

"Why would I do that?" the man asked, "he trespassed on my land and he is now my prisoner. If you do not want to meet with the same fate then I suggest you leave."

"Christine, just go," Gustave begged, "go back home, don't worry about me."

"Listen to your father Christine, he knows what is best."

"No! I won't leave you papa, you're freezing and you're sick. Please Monsieur, let him go. He won't do you any harm."

"You try my patience Mademoiselle," he growled, "leave."

"I can't leave my father," Christine said firmly, "please…take me instead."

"Christine!"

"Silence old man," the man barked, "what did you say Mademoiselle?"

"T-take me instead, please, just let my father go."

"You would stay here in the castle?" he asked warily, "forever?"

Christine swallowed the lump forming in her throat, "Y-yes…forever."

"I will hold you to that promise…Nadir!"

Christine jumped when he bellowed for the man who rushed into the room and panted, "Yes my Lord?"

The man wrenched open the door of the cell and flung Gustave at Nadir, "Take this man back to the village immediately."

"Master?"

"Do as I say, Nadir."

The man seemed flustered but obeyed his master and clambered out of the room with Gustave. Christine could hear her father shouting and ran to the window. She saw The other man shove him into a coach and climb into the drivers seat. As she watched them disappear into the forest hot tears spilled down her face and she collapsed.

"You monster!" she shouted, "you cruel, ugly monster! You didn't even let me say good bye and I will never see him again…never!"

Christine barely registered the young blonde woman who entered the room. Meg stood silently behind her master, head bowed, but eyes up and looking at Christine with curiosity.

"Master, maybe you should give her a room," Meg suggested, "if she'll be staying for so long."

"Yes…" he muttered, kneading the edges of his cloak nervously. Then he seemed to notice his servant's presence, "who sent for you?"

"Nadir…he suggested that I come up to help."

"Very well then. Girl!"

Christine looked at him with teary eyes, "What?"

"Follow me and I will show you to your room."

"But I'm your prisoner, why would I-"

"Would you rather live up here?" he snapped.

"N-no…"

"Then follow me."

Christine stood up and gave a last look out the window at the forest before following him. He didn't talk the entire time and the blonde girl continued to glance back and forth between him and Christine.

"Master," she whispered finally, "why don't you say something?"

"I hope that you will like it here," Erik tried, Meg urged him to go on, "this castle will be your home now. You are allowed to go anywhere you like, except the West Wing."

"Why not the West-"

"It is forbidden!" he snarled.

Christine accepted the terms without protest and continued to stare at her new master's back. He was tall, oddly so and all of his movements seemed graceful, he wore all black and the cloak swept the ground as he moved.

"This is your room," he said, pushing open a door into a lavishly decorated bedroom.

"This?" Christine asked, staring at the large four poster bed and all the furniture that adorned the room.

"Yes," he replied simply, "I believe there are clothes in the dresser, they are at your disposal."

"Master," Meg whispered when he turned to leave, "dinner?"

"Oh yes, you will join me for dinner tonight. That is not a request."

He closed the door behind him and Christine finally gave in to her emotions. Warm tears spilled from beneath her lashes and she flung herself onto the bed. She already resolved that she wouldn't join him for dinner, she would never join that monster. She had barely met him and she already knew that she hated him. She had never truly hated anyone before, but she could hate him.


"Mademoiselle?" a small knock came at her door.

"W-what?" Christine asked, sitting up and wiping at her eyes, "oh, enter."

The blonde girl entered the room and bowed, "Mademoiselle, I came to help you get ready."

"Get ready?"

"For dinner, you can't go dressed in those. Oh, how rude of me. I am Meg Giry, servant of the castle."

"I'm Christine Daae, prisoner of the castle."

"You're not a prisoner, you're our guest."

"Guest?" Christine scoffed, "I'm never allowed to leave. I'll never see my father, or my home, or my village again."

"This is your home now," Meg said, "now come on, lets get you ready for dinner."

"This is my home?" Christine asked, "no it isn't, it can't be…"

"Pardon?"

"My papa always said the your home is where your heart is, and that is not here for me. Its cold and dark and if that monster thinks that what he did was right then he has something else coming!"

"He isn't really so bad," Meg said, opening the wardrobe and searching through it, "if you just get to know him."

"I don't want to get to know him!" Christine exclaimed, "he's locked me away in this castle for the rest of my life. I'll never see anyone I care for again and…and…he hasn't even told me his name."

"Master's name is Erik," Meg informed her, then pulled out a pink dress, "oh this is lovely! I think you should wear it to dinner."

"I told you I'm not going."

"No?" Meg asked, then took out a green dress, "this one then?"

Christine turned away from the other girl and folded her arms over her chest, "I'm not going,. You can tell your master that!"

Meg chewed nervously on her bottom lip and gave a small curtsey before exiting the room. Delivering bad news to Erik could very well mean signing your own death warrant depending on his mood, and at the moment she expected it to be foul. Instead she went to the kitchen to find her mother.

"Maman, Christine says that she won't come down to dinner," she said nervously.

"Who can blame her?" Antoinette asked her daughter, "she has lost so much in a mere matter of hours. Dinner will not be for a while, she may have changed her mind by then."

"And if she doesn't?" Meg asked.

"It was about time Erik learned to govern that temper of his. Perhaps the presence of a lady will force him to do so."

"A lady?" Meg said indignantly, "well what are we then?"

Antoinette chuckled and patted her daughter's hand, "My dear, we are servants of this house. Besides have you ever felt anything towards him? Hmm, I thought not."

"Do you think she could be the one though?" Meg persisted, "to break the spell?"

"I do not know my dear…I simply do not know."


Nadir stood behind his master, "You called?"

"Yes…did you return Mademoiselle's father safely."

"Of course my lord."

"Good, now I have another job for you."

"And what is that?" Nadir asked nervously.

"It is a simple request so there is no need to be so nervous. I simply wish for you to get our new guest for dinner. I will be in the dining room awaiting her arrival."

"Yes master," Nadir murmured, then gave a bow and left.

Erik sighed heavily and went to the dining room where he found Antoinette and Meg just finishing with the table settings. Both of them curtsied when he entered and averted their eyes.

"Such formalities," Erik said in a light tone, "you all of a sudden decide to use your manners?"

"Are we not supposed to?" Antoinette asked, encouraged by his seemingly light mood.

"It makes no difference to me," he replied dryly.

Nadir knocked gently on the door, "Mademoiselle, may I come in."

"Yes," she replied and he pushed the door open.

"Mademoiselle," he repeated, giving a small bow, "I am here to inform you that dinner is about to be served. If you need a minute to prepare then I will allow it. Otherwise we may go."

"I'm not," Christine said.

"You're not?" Nadir asked, "pardon me Mademoiselle, but you're not-"

"Going," she replied shortly, "I am not going to dinner."

Nadir paled as she said this and swallowed to try and wet his suddenly dry throat. The announcement did not surprise him, far from it. He would have been more surprised if she had joyously agreed to go along. But he had not expected such an outright refusal and feared informing Erik of it.

"Are you ill?" Christine asked him, "you look pale."

"Please Mademoiselle," he said desperately, "come to dinner. You must be hungry and it will not be that bad."

"No! I will not eat with that monster. I would rather starve."

"Very well," Nadir said sighed, "if you are certain then I will inform my master of this."

"I am."

Nadir nodded his head and exited the room, closing the door gently behind him. He took his time heading to the dining room and when he finally entered he felt his throat dry again as he watched Erik pace steadily back and forth, yellow eyes darting up at his entrance. For a moment he almost thought his master anxious, but quickly dismissed the idea.

"Well?" Erik asked curtly, "where is she?"

"She…she says that she is not coming, Sire."

"What?" Erik demanded in a low voice.

"She said," Nadir began, taking a deep breath to steady himself for the inevitable explosion, "that she is not coming to dinner."

"I see."

The statement would have seemed normal for any other man, but not for Erik. Already he strode towards the door and into the hall, anger etched in every line of his being. He was not used to being refused and would not allow such insolence from a prisoner in his castle.

"Sire," Antoinette tried to reason, "she is most likely tired after the days events and could use some rest."

"Silence!" he barked, "she is in my household, she is my prisoner! She will have to learn to do as I tell her, even if it doesn't meet with her plans."

His gloved fist hammered against the door and he stood perfectly still, waiting for a reply. When none came he slammed his fist against the thick wood, leaving a dent where his hand had collided with the door.

"Answer me!" he snarled.

"Go away!" she replied shrilly.

" I told you to join me for dinner!"

"I don't want to."

"I do not recall asking if you wanted to," he spat, "I told you to join me, now open this door!"

"No! I am not hungry, I am not coming to dinner and the last thing I would ever do is open the door for you!" she shouted, "Go away!"

Once again his fist collided heavily with the wood and caused the dent to splinter, "Fine then! If you do not wish to join me for dinner tonight then you will tomorrow, and until you join me for a meal you will sit in this room and starve!"

He turned away and nearly collided with Antoinette. She looked at him sadly and shook her head slightly before stepping aside.

"What?" he growled.

"Nothing," she replied softly, "its just…you aren't behaving very much like a gentleman."

"She is being difficult!" he snapped angrily.

"No, you are being unreasonable," she retorted, knowing only she or Nadir could ever say such a thing, "be patient, she has lost a lot today."

"I stand by what I said, she is not to eat. Make sure of that Madame."


Christine waited until the sounds of voices and footsteps stopped before venturing towards the door. She opened it a crack and peered out into the hall, making sure that there was in fact no one there. Then she carefully opened the door and looked at it, she had heard the wood crack when his fist had crashed into it and wasn't surprised when she observed the splintered dent.

Closing the door she went over to her bed and lied down on it. Her stomach growled softly but she ignored it. She rolled over and crept under the covers, hoping that sleep would claim her quickly. Perhaps if she was lucky she would wake up back at home only to find this all to be a terrible dream.


A/N: Dum dum dum! Another chapter up for you reading pleasure, and I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for all of the reviews I truly love them. So keep reading and reviewing!