Mob

The mob gathered quickly, grabbing pitch forks, knives, torches and anything else they could use as a weapon. Those who did not join quickly returned to their houses, closing and locking the windows and door. Raoul went up to his family's house and quickly saddled one of the horses in the stable. As he turned to leave he was blocked by his brother.

"Move," he growled.

"Raoul, what do you think you're doing?" Philippe demanded, "what is going on?"

"Move, we're going to the castle to get rid of the monster who kidnapped Christine."

"Raoul, you aren't making any sense. Christine is back, I've seen her in the town."

"He's trying to get her back," Raoul shot back, trying to push back his brother, "move, Philippe!"

"I can't let you do this, brother," Philippe replied, "you're talking about murder, Raoul."

Raoul growled and shouldered past his brother fiercely, knocking him to the ground, "You can't stop me, Philippe. The creature who took her deserves whatever fate he meets."

"Where is this castle?" someone shouted over the noise of all the others, "where does this monster live?"

"Does anyone know?" another man called.

"I do," Raoul replied coldly, "follow me and I will lead you to the castle!"

The mob gave a cry of support as Raoul mounted his horse and turned to face them. The animal snorted and shied away from the crowd, but Raoul quickly turned the animal around to face the mob again. He was handed a torch and turned and kicked his horse forward, leading the mob towards the forest and the castle.


"Sick?" Christine breathed, "what do you mean sick?"

Nadir sighed and hung his head, "Erik is…he's dying, Christine."

"Dying?" Christine gasped, tears burning her eyes, "wh-what do you mean? He was fine when I left…wasn't he?"

"I-no, he was not. I'm afraid he has been sick for some time now."

"But-but why didn't he tell me?" she stammered, tears beginning to choke her.

"I think that he did not want you to worry," Nadir replied."

Christine shook her head and closed her eyes as tears began to streak down her cheeks. She then turned and hammered her fists against the door, "Then we have to get out, if we don't warn him then they'll get there first and kill him! Is he's that sick then he won't be able to defend himself we have to get out…we have to…we have to."

She stopped and slid down to the floor. She knew that it would be no use, the door was locked and there was only a tiny window in the back room, and there was no way that anyone would ever be able to fit through it.

"Christine," Gustave breathed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "it will be alright, don't worry, everything will be fine."

"No it won't be," she sniffed, wiping at the tears, "Erik's right…there aren't any happy ending in real life, there are no knights in shining armour that come to the rescue…and love never does anything but confuse you."

"Oh, Christine," Gustave said, kissing his daughter's head, "don't give up so quickly."

Christine sniffed again and shook her head, "No…I guess I shouldn't."

"There, now chin up. We will find a way out of here, won't we?"

"I guess so," she replied, standing up and dusting her skirts off.

"Who know," Nadir said, "maybe there will even be a knight in shining armour."

Christine gave a small, half-hearted laugh and nodded her head, "Maybe."

Just as she said that they heard a sound at the door of the room. Nadir quickly shouted that they were inside and the door handle jiggled. They heard someone curse underneath there breath and for a moment all they could hear were footsteps and the scraping of furniture and the clink of bottles. They the handle jiggled again and someone shoulder the door forcefully.

"It must be locked," Gustave muttered.

"Lets just hope they're strong enough to get it open," Christine murmured.

"Hmm, perhaps this is our knight," Nadir teased.

Christine smiled at his just as the person on the other side rammed into the door again. This time they heard a loud crunch and the door flew open. Christine smiled even wider at the sight of the man on the other side.

"No knight," she teased, "just Philippe."

"Thank God I found you," Philippe breathed, "there's a mob, Raoul said they were going to the castle. It sounds like they're planning a murder."

"Thank you so much, Philippe," Christine breathed, giving him a quick hug, "but we have to go and war Erik…the man who lives in the castle."

Philippe simply nodded his head and they all rushed out to the street. Nadir whistled and the two horses he had brought trotted over. Christine mounted the black stallion and Nadir the chestnut gelding. This time Gustave took hold of Christine's reins.

"Wait, I cannot let you do this. It will be too dangerous, who knows what the mob will do if you try to stop them."

"Papa, please, I have to go."

"No, I won't lose you again, Christine, at least let me come."

"But…we only have two-"

"Take mine," Philippe said, handing Gustave the reins of a grey horse, "she's fast and good natured, just hurry. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Please, Christine, you may be the only one who can talk sense into my brother."

Christine nodded as Gustave mounted the grey mare. Then she kicked the stallions side and they cantered towards the forest. She silently prayed that they would not be too late.


Raoul pulled on the reins of his horse, stopping the animal and turning it to face the crowd behind him. There were a few angry shouts that were silenced quickly.

"We'll need something to open the doors," Raoul called, "cut down a tree, there should be enough of us to carry it. We'll use it as a battering ram to knock down the doors!"

There were a few murmurs and several men went into the forest with axes to start chopping down a tree. Within a few minutes the sound of it falling echoed and the sound of chopping filled the air again as they began tocut off the branches.


"Sire," Antoinette said gently, "a mob is approaching. They're coming towards the castle, ready to attack. What should we do?"

"I care not," he replied dismally, chin resting on the rain of the balcony, "why should I?"

"Please, they mean to come and destroy this place. They mean to kill you!"

"I am already dying, so what does it matter?" he muttered, "leave me alone."

Antoinette bowed her head and stepped out of the dark room. Meg looked at her hopefully and all she could do was shake her head. The light of hope left her daughter's eyes and was replaced with the shine of tears.

"We can't just give up," Meg sniffed, "we have to try and stop them."

"I know, so we will bar the door as best we can…but we must hurry. From what I could see from the tower, they were cutting down a tree. The locks will not keep them out for long."