The carriage started driving away from the house. We saw Donata waving to us as we drove away, a smile on her tiny face.
The ride was long. It took a whole day to get to where we had planned to spend our honeymoon. We arrived after I slept in Erik's warm, strong arms. I looked out and saw the Canal Grande, or the Grand Canal. We had arrived in Venezia, Italia (Venice, Italy) and checked into the hotel. We went up to the honeymoon suite and Erik effortlessly carried me through the door. He put me down and we shared a long, passionate kiss. He then asked me,
"Do you want to?" I nodded and he preceded kissing me. He fumbled with the zipper to my dress and it fell in a heap behind me. I took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, which he shrugged off. His chest was as beautiful as ever. He unlaced my corset and it fell to the floor, and he stared, breathtaken, at my chest. Then he pulled me close and guided my hands as I took off his pants. He led me to the bed and with one fluid movement, removed my underwear and his own. He laid next to me, exploring. He kissed my face, neck, and breasts. He slowly touched my breast and then cupped the warm flesh in his hands. My aching for him was unbearable. He finally mounted me and slowly, gently entered me, kissing me passionately. His pace was slow and loving, not furious and agonizing like Raoul. It was so pleasurable to be having sex as a choice, not being raped as I had those so many months ago. He softly kneaded my breasts and kissed my neck and face. He was so gentle, probably afraid of hurting me. Our fluids mingled as he thrusted, and he stroked my hair. He finally stopped thrusting. He withdrew and laid next to me. He caressed my neck and started singing in the angelic tenor that filled my dreams.
"I gave you my music
Made your song take wing,
Before, you had betrayed me,
But now you are back with me,
I was bound to love you,
When I heard you sing,
Christine, Christine…"
I replied, my eyelids drooping,
"You alone have made my song take flight,
Now it's here, the Music of the Night…"
I fell asleep in his fond, warm embrace. I happily dreamed of my life that would be spent the rest of with my love, Erik.

Chapter 16
two weeks later
The carriage pulled up to the house and we saw Donata's smiling face peeking through the boards in the fence. I smiled as Erik undid the latch and let us in to the yard. Donata ran to us, yelling,
"Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" I scooped the child into my arms and held her close, and felt her heart beating against me. Then I handed her to Erik and he lifted her to the sky while she laughed out loud. Naiomi and Jaclyn hurried out of the house and almost knocked me down with a back-breaking hug. Erik then said,
"How are you girls?"
"Your bodygaurd was a great help in gaurding Donata, thank you for hiring him," Jaclyn said, and nodded to Naiomi. I saw in her eyes that she was going to be the breaker of bad news. But Donata got there first.
"Bad man camed to our house, daddy. he hitted Auntie Jacwin and Auntie Neimi and he hitted me. Bad man camed Bad man!"
Erik looked at our daughter with a vague expression. Then he slowly put the child down on the emerald green lawn. He then kneeled down and hugged her close.
"Did the bad man have a name, Donata?"
"Bad man name is Roool, daddy,"
Erik looked at her, and said,
"He beat my wife, my wife's friends, and my daughter. He will PAY! I hate him!"
"Erik, calm down. What is in the past is in the past. You can't change it!" I told him. I took one of his hands and placed Donata's in it. I took up Donata's other hand and I led them both to the house.

Chapter 17
There were bruises on Donata's back. Big purple-blue patches that I cried over. We were in Donata's room, a large room decorated in yellow, lime green, and orange. I helped the tiny child into her nightgown, and placed her in her crib. She fell asleep instantly, and I looked at her. She was okay besides her back, and I felt guilty that she had been hurt at all. It was my fault for leaving her just with a stupid bodygaurd, Naiomi, and Jaclyn. I knew that Jaclyn and Naiomi could care for her fine for short amounts of time, but 2 weeks? I should have thought before I left them alone. But there was nothing I could do about the past, just as I told Erik. I walked into our bedroom and laid down next to Erik who pulled me close and held me. I fell asleep and had nightmares about Raoul beating our daughter. It was the most uneasy sleep I had since Erik proposed.