"You know you are in love
when you see the world in her eyes,
and her eyes everywhere in the world..."

Chapter Ten

A Proposal from a Scorpion

"Mademoiselle?" Anita said, coming into the dining room where Christine now ate.

"Yes?"

"A letter came for you today," Anita said. Christine looked up in both surprise and confusion. Who would write to her? No one knew where she had gone. She took the letter from the maid and slowly opened it, wondering who in the world it could be from. She glanced down at the name at the end of the letter and gasped in surprised pleasure. Meg Giry! Oh, how she had missed her childhood friend! But how had Meg found her? She decided to worry about that later and eagerly began reading.

Christine,

Oh, I have missed you terribly! I hope everything is going well for you and you are happy with the Vicomte. Mother and I have been worried about you and I would desperately like to see you! Do you think you could possibly meet me for supper tomorrow evening at the little cafe down the street from the opera? I would be so pleased to see you, please try and come!

All my love, Meg

Christine smiled. She had missed the woman she thought of as a sister dearly and was so glad to finally have some contact with her. The idea of getting out of the house and into the city was appealing as well. She had a lot to tell Meg, the first being she was not with Raoul. Now to find Erik and let him know.

xXx

"Absolutely not!" he said infuriatingly calm. Christine took a deep breath. He was being unreasonable about the whole situation and he knew it.

"Erik, all I want to do is go and have supper with a friend," she said softly. Erik turned away from her and placed his hands on the keys of his piano.

"I said no, Christine, end of discussion," he said, beginning to play. Christine felt her fist clench in anger. Why did he not want her to go?

"Well until you give me a valid reason why I cannot go I plan on leaving in an hours time," she replied, turning to leave the room.

"Stop right there, Christine," he hissed, his voice suddenly cold and lifeless. Christine froze in midstride. She felt him come up behind her and Christine had to surpress her shiver.

"I said no, and you will listen to me," he growled against her ear. Christine turned to face him, their breath mingling with their close proximity.

"I just want to know why," she whispered, her blue eyes holding his green one.

"My reasons why are my own, you will obey me in this," he said softly.

"You have no right to tell what I can and cannot do," she whispered. This seemed to take Erik by surprise and he said nothing for several long moments.

"Really? And why is that?" he asked.

"I do not belong to you," Christine replied, realizing she could use this oppertunity to her advantage.

"You do and always will belong to me, Christine, do not doubt that," he hissed. Christine backed away from him, shaking her head.

"No. Until it is your ring upon my finger I belong to no one, especially not you," she replied. He smiled grimly and reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling something out and closing his fist around it.

"Then I hope this will do," he whispered, looking away from her the same instant he offered her his hand. Christine walked toward him slowly, a million thoughts racing through her mind. He sucked in a long breath when her hand touched his. Very gently she pried his fingers away from what it was he was holding so tightly. Christine gasped and her eyes frantically searched his.

In his hand lay the most beautiful ring Christine had ever seen. The ruby it had was ruby red in color, a shade that could put the most brightest blood to shame. It seemed to gleam from the candlelight and Christine felt her hand shaking as she gently picked it up, almost afraid to touch it. She looked at it closely, almost unbelieving that it was real and in front of her. Once more Christine's eyes found Erik's.

"Are...are you asking me to marry you?" she whispered. She had wanted this desperately but had not believed he would ask her so soon. Erik sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair.

"I believe that is what it signifies when a man gives a woman a ring. Perhaps I am wrong, is that not how you humans do it?" he asked. A smile spread across Christine's face.

"Yes...yes, that is how we do it," she whispered. Before she could help it she had begun to cry. Erik's face creased in a frown.

"Christine...I did not mean to upset you...please do not cry," he pleaded. He had not expected this reaction. He had expected many things, but this was not one of them.

"Y-you did not upset me...I am happy!" she whispered. Erik froze, wondering if he had heard her correctly.

"What?" he whispered. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. Erik stood stiffly in her arms. Christine looked up at him with a smile.

"Yes...I say yes," she said softly. Erik had no choice but to turn away from her. There was no way this was happening, was it possible that she had just accepted his proposal? He glanced at her. She was slipping the ring onto her finger with trembling hands. Her eyes were round in delight.

"Oh, it so beautiful, Erik," she whispered. Erik turned away from the admiration he heard in her voice. He did not deserve to hear that tone from her.

"Erik...are you alright?" she asked softly, lying her hand on his back. He tensed only slightly under her touch.

"I am fine, Christine...you may go and have supper with Meg if you so wish," he whispered. Christine smiled, although she was bewildered by his acceptance and sudden melancholy. She turned his face gently towards her and pressed her lips to his, just like he had done in her room. She pulled away and smiled as brightly as she ever had before.

"You will make a wonderful husband, Erik, I just know it," she whispered, meaning it more then he could know.

xXx

Christine glanced up at the sky as Erik's carriage took her to the city. She realized it was going to rain before she reached Paris and she sighed. Such dismal weather. She looked at the ring resting on her finger and smiled. The ring itself was beautiful but it was the man who had given it to her that was on her mind. Erik...she was going to be his future bride.

The idea both frightened and scared her. She wanted to show him life in a different perspective and this would help her in that quest. It would show him that he was loved. She felt something hit the carriage and suddenly they were stopping. The carriage door opened and to her complete and utter disbelief Raoul climbed in. He hit the top of the carriage and they began to move once more.

"Raoul?"

"I knew you would come if I wrote to you as Meg," he said, satisfied. Christine gasped.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded.

"Home."