How Long Must This Go On
She awoke to a knock on her door and drearily called out for whoever it was to enter. Meg bounced in and quickly threw open the curtains, allowing rays of bright sunlight to pour into the room. Christine sat up and looked around the room bleakly, its hadn't been a dream.
"Don't look so sad," Meg said cheerfully, "it's a beautiful morning."
"This room is very dusty," Christine observed as she watched the small particles dance in the beams of light.
"Well no one has used this room in a long time," Meg explained, "now hurry and get changed into something nice. The Master would like you down for breakfast."
"I'm not hungry," Christine replied even as her stomach growled, "tell your Master that."
"I'd rather not," Meg replied, "I'd like to keep my head. I saw what he did to the door and you probably did also. Well that is only half of what he could have done. I've seen him take entire doors off their hinges when he was in a truly foul mood."
"That doesn't make me want to see him at all," Christine sighed.
"Well if you're sure that you don't want to come to breakfast…there's lunch and supper still."
"No thank you."
Meg shrugged, "Suit yourself."
Erik hadn't expected her for breakfast but when supper came again he was furious that she had refused his offer four times already.
"That girl must be hungry!" he snarled, "why won't she come down?"
"Master please, she is just being stubborn," Nadir reasoned, "she will come down eventually."
"I care not," he said irritably, "she can stay up there and starve!"
Nadir winced as Erik's voice rang through the hall and seemingly the entire castle. This girl was certainly testing Erik's unstable temper. Still, he hadn't gone and done anything too stupid yet. Pounding on her door once and then locking himself in his room was certainly not the worst he could have done.
"I'll be in the music room, do not disturb me."
"Yes, Master."
Christine hugged her stomach as Erik's voice rang through the castle. She was hungry and desperately wanted to eat. But giving into his wishes seemed wrong to her.
"I have to eat though," she murmured, "if I starve then I'll never get out."
Careful to be quiet she opened the door and slipped out into the hall. It wasn't hard to find the kitchen but she was surprised to see Meg in it with her mother, eating a small meal at the servant's table.
"Welcome," Antoinette said, "come down for dinner?"
"Oh, yes I guess I have."
"Maman we're not allowed," Meg warned, "he said so."
"Rubbish! We cannot starve our guest into submission, whether Erik thinks so or not."
"But…what if he find out?" Meg asked.
"Then he find out," she replied simply, "he has locked himself away for the night, Lord knows when we will see him again."
"I don't need much," Christine said, taking the offered seat, "just something to tide me over."
"We're having stew," Antoinette informed her, "and bread. If you'd like a bowl then you can have one as well."
"Thank you."
No one spoke as they ate but Meg constantly glanced towards the door, expecting their master to find them. After a few minutes she relaxed a little and finished her meal.
"I should return to my room," Christine murmured, "I don't want to cause any trouble for you."
"You are not causing any trouble my dear," Antoinette said gently, "Erik has to learn that he cannot force people to do things. Still, perhaps you would join him for a meal tomorrow?"
"I don't think so."
"It would mean a lot to him dear, even if he does not let on. He has been alone in this castle for a very long time."
"Maybe…breakfast I suppose."
"Very well, I will have Meg wake you in the morning."
Christine nodded and left the kitchen, intending to go back to her room for the night. But as she walked curiosity overtook her and she decided to explore her new home. After all, hadn't he said that the castle was her home and that she could go anywhere? Well, not anywhere, the West Wing was forbidden to her, but that was the place that interested her the most.
She pressed her ear to the door and checked behind her before resting her hand on the cold handle. She checked behind her again and slowly began to open the door when a heavy hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. She came face-to-face with the dark eyes of Nadir.
"I would not recommend that Mademoiselle," he said sternly, "return to your room before he finds you out here."
Christine could only nod before rushing back to her room. Her heart was pounding when she sat on the edge of the bed, she hadn't seen or heard him. Perhaps there were passages in the walls. That thought made her shudder and she wrapped her arms around herself.
A knock on the door startled Christine awake and she quickly jumped out of bed, "Yes?"
"Breakfast," Meg called through the door, "you have about ten minutes to get ready."
"Th-thank you. I'll be right down."
Erik glanced up when Meg entered the room and curtsied, "She will be down in a minute Sire."
"Will she?" he asked, "very well then."
Meg left the room and Erik began to pace impatiently beside the table. His hand brushed over his mask and he began to fiddle with the edge of his sleeve. It had been a long time since he had eaten a meal with anyone and, though he hated to admit it, he was nervous.
"You are going to wear a hole into the carpet," Antoinette said, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, "nervous?"
"No."
"It would be understandable," Antoinette reasoned, "after all, when was the last time you ate a meal with anyone?"
Erik frowned, "Your point?"
"I have none. Just remember to be polite, try smiling perhaps and please, keep you temper under control."
"Leave me," Erik snapped.
"Temper," she repeated firmly as she left.
Erik sighed and gripped the back of a chair, digging gloved fingers into the wood. There was a small movement at the door and he glanced up to see Christine standing there, nervously fiddling with a strand of hair.
He opened his mouth slightly to say something and felt his throat go dry. Instead he closed his mouth awkwardly and stepped to the side of the chair, pulling it out and offering to her with one hand.
"Merci," she murmured, taking her seat.
Erik took his own seat and looked at her from across the table. He had no idea what to say and felt utterly helpless in the situation. He decided in that moment that he should not have sent Antoinette away, at least she would have had something to say.
"I-I, umm…" he lapsed into silence again and offered a weak smile, "breakfast should be served soon."
"Oh, I see."
"Someone should go in," Nadir murmured, "Madame may I suggest taking breakfast in now?"
"Just a few more minutes, I want to see what he will do," Antoinette replied.
"He will lose his temper and then we will all be in trouble," Nadir snapped.
"I think he is right maman, we should take the food in."
"Very well then, Meg take in the tea, I will follow with the food in a minute."
"Your tea Master," Meg said with a small curtsey, "Mademoiselle."
" Will there be food any time soon?" he asked irritably.
"Of course, maman is just bringing it now."
"Taking your time today?"
"I'm terribly sorry Sire…if I may be so bold, perhaps you should try talking to her."
"About what prey tell?"
"Anything, try finding out what she likes."
"Likes?"
"Yes, go on then."
Erik sighed and dismissed Meg with a small wave of his hand. She bowed out of the room, leaving Erik and Christine alone again.
"Have you explored the castle yet?" he asked.
"I have been locked in my room. When would I have had time to explore?"
"Maybe when you snuck out to eat," he replied.
"You knew?" she gasped.
"Of course."
"Breakfast is served," Antoinette announced, placing dishes of fruit in front of them, "bon appetite."
"Thank you," Christine murmured.
Christine ate her breakfast in silence and Erik did not even attempt to make conversation. She noticed that he ate very little, picking at his food and occasionally slipping a small piece of it into his mouth. It was somewhat unnerving.
"May I be excused?" she asked once finished her meal.
"Go ahead," Erik replied, setting down his own fork and standing.
Christine nodded her head and began to slowly exit the room. She paused beside him for a moment then hurried past and out into the hall. Once out of the room she let out a held breath. Being near him left her with a strange feeling and she waited for her heart to stop racing before moving on.
