Author's notes: This took way too long… sorry about that. I almost didn't add the first few paragraphs of the story, since I don't like writing too romantic stuff, but I promised you some good details, thus the first bit was born – written as the last part of the chapter, but it ended up as the beginning. So, here you go. P.S. Beware cliffhanger. You can't say you haven't been expecting that this might happen. (Read and you'll understand!)
Mina – heh, thanks for the support. Well, I didn't want Erik Punjabing Nadir yet, but I hope you find this a believable reaction. Here is the next chapter.
Nabira– thank you! Well, Meant To Be was something I had to get out of my system… but this is a joy to write! Thanks for reading, here is another chapter.
Mominator – well, I have a very special thing planned for Paris… you'll see later on. I'm wondering whether to make Christine leave now or go through the events in Kay… there's a lot to write about yet…
Deadly Serenade– merci, here you go!
AngelOfMusic387 – well, wait and see! Here you go!
Enrinye – success!
X X X
Chapter XXIIIX X X X
Bliss. That was probably the word to describe it. The world was gone. Reality was nothing. The only thing that mattered was feeling her lips against his. He had only retrieved the mask, not replaced it, as he would have usually instinctively done. But Christine didn't scream in fear, didn't show any repulsion… it was a dream.
Her skin was softer than the finest silk, perfect in every aspect. A stray strand of hair brushed against his marred face and he felt the need to feel more of her. Timidly, he moved his hand through the rich curls of her hair, immediately pulling her closer with the other that had slithered its way around her petite waist.
Christine didn't see or hear. It wasn't important. All that mattered was to feel… and she was surprised her heart hadn't exploded from the shock and the strange sensation passing through her entire body. Her knees seemed to be giving in, melting like ice on a hot sunny day, but she had never felt more secure.
The only thought that managed to penetrate the wonderful absence of thinking in her mind was that this might just be a pleasant dream… but if it was, it was a good dream. If she could only remain there, forever… she wasn't keen to wake up.
The wake-up call, however, had been far too abrupt. It took them too long to untangle themselves from each other, far too long to conceal anything, since neither seemed to be all that willing to let go.
Daroga, you are a dead man.
That was the message Nadir could quite easily read in Erik's eyes. Not that it was unexpected, after what he had seen seconds previously. The reaction wasn't unexpected… it was the action that was utterly unpredicted by the Persian. He could only stand there, still trying to absorb the information. It confirmed his theories, true, but it was still a bit too much information for him to accept that easily.
Once he got past that, however, the thought of just how much trouble this sudden revelation was going to cause came exceptionally quickly.
"I… I should go." Christine said very quietly, still studying the ground rather than looking up and tried to move past Nadir and get away from there, but the Persian blocked her path effectively.
"I apologize, Mademoiselle, but I can't let you go yet. You should really consider explaining your situation to me now, both of you." he added, looking at Erik, who was still motionless and silent, but if looks would kill, not even ashes would be left of the daroga.
"I found you only by accident… but that slave girl who is currently running to tell the khanum was probably searching for you."
At once, Erik blinked and almost winced, as if struck. Even Christine blanched, if that was even possible, and looked at Nadir fearfully. She didn't know of the full extent of the danger, but easily gathered that it wasn't a good thing.
"When… when did you see her?"
"About ten minutes ago." Nadir said, "And she seemed to be in a hurry. She probably didn't see you, but heard you. What were you doing here, before…?" he trailed off.
A faint amount of color returned to Christine's cheeks – Nadir assumed she blushed with embarrassment, but it was Erik who answered. "The Mademoiselle has been rather pigheaded when it comes to cheering up your son and to restore a pretty much good relationship from years ago, I offered to help her practice her vocals once again."
"I shouldn't have tried a loud song." Christine said, still pink in the face. "Singing "vivo vivace" was bound to attract attention."
The Persian shook his head. "No… that girl wouldn't have heard you if she wouldn't have gone down here on purpose. Your voice doesn't carry that far – the walls are thick, and we are deep under the palace. She was searching, not just passing by."
"Why would that damned woman send a slave searching? I had made it clear that I have no time to tend to her whims today – I have work to do, both this and on the palace concepts." Erik almost growled.
Again, Christine turned pale. She remembered about an invitation… "Raoul." she whispered.
Both men turned to her sharply, with equally quizzical gazes.
"Raoul… he said something about an invitation to lunch…" she raised her head fearfully, "He must have noticed my absence… and, let's face it, two disappearances in the palace are probably quite uncommon." She saw them exchange a look – evidently, that was untrue, but the disappearances of them in particular were suspicious.
"I want to help you, both." The daroga noted, glaring somewhat at Erik, "but I can't do that if you keep pretending everything's alright. Neither of you is that good a liar. You have to tell me everything."
"Your curiosity will one day be the end of you, daroga." Erik's eyes narrowed underneath the mask. "I see no reason for telling you anything."
"Erik," Christine breathed soothingly, "perhaps it would be better if…"
"No." was the immediate reply, "You don't know how things go in this country, my dear, and it is better that you don't. Trust no one, reveal nothing."
"I thought you were friends?"
She could sense a faint smirk form on his lips, but he said nothing. Even Nadir had to smile faintly. "Indeed, but he's the one with the Punjab lasso, Mademoiselle."
Christine frowned, confused, but thought it would be stupid to ask what a Punjab lasso was for. She decided she rather didn't want to know that. "Then I'll be the one to tell you, I should be safer from his anger than you." she noted, with a slight smile when Erik gave her an amused look.
Knowing full well that she knew only what she had seen, she began explaining things. The story was mostly accurate, missing only the detail of how Luciana died, because she was fully aware that Erik wouldn't appreciate anyone else knowing it, or her retelling the story. Years might have passed, but it was not a pleasant memory even for her, thus she assumed it would do no one good if she would be the one to bring it up.
Of their time of separation, she spoke only briefly. Neither of her listeners interrupted her, but she could sense that even Erik was genuinely interested in what she had been doing for those five years. When she came to the topic of Raoul, however, she didn't notice him clench his fists, if only slightly.
Then she retold the events of which even Nadir knew, from her perspective – the arrival to Persia, the reunion, and everything that had happened ever since then. Neither broke her narrative until the end, and a moment's silence followed when she finished her speech.
"If the khanum finds out about this, it will cause much trouble for all of us." Nadir noted after a minute. "Not to mention the fact that you are supposed to be engaged, Mademoiselle… this could end badly."
"What do you propose, then?" Christine asked, slightly breathlessly.
The Persian glanced from one to the other, "I suggest you get out of this country, return to France, and get married as soon as possible."
Erik snorted and paced around a bit. "Easy for you to say, daroga." He seemed to purposely ignore the last part of the suggestion. "The new palace won't just build itself – and I have no intention of leaving it for those amateurs to mess up."
"You would risk your life for a bit of masonry? You would risk her life for that?"
But Christine raised a hand to silence him – she knew that provoking Erik when he was frustrated counted as a bad idea. "We can't rush things. We can explain this somehow, say that we… we…" she thought for a moment, and came to a solution, "that we were preparing a surprise for the court – that I wanted to surprise them by performing something and asked you for help." It wasn't that far-fetched, for an excuse.
"You would have to actually perform something for them if they are to swallow that bait." Erik noted; his eyes fixed on Christine now. "And something grander than that aria you sang for the khanum."
"Maybe you could write something, Erik – you said you have neglected your music for long." Nadir suggested, "It would also explain why you were together here."
It was almost a silent agreement and they accepted it quickly. Christine left almost immediately afterwards, to return to her quarters as quickly as possible.
"Have you now satisfied your need to investigate my past, daroga?" Erik asked once she was gone.
Now Nadir really smiled, slightly mischievously. "For today."
X X X
Christine was reading when Raoul returned, about two hours later. He seemed to really brighten up when he saw her sitting in a comfortable chair in her room, after he was allowed to enter.
"You're back, Christine!" beaming, he sat down on a chair opposing hers. "I've just returned from the harem – I told you about how the khanum had been so kind to invite me, haven't I?" after she nodded, he continued, "I'm glad you're back. These sudden disappearances you seem to have a habit of making leave me worried."
"There is no need to fear anything, dear Raoul." Christine said with a soothing smile.
"Still, can't you tell me where you go all the time?"
Suppressing a cringe, Christine remembered what they had agreed to do. "That is a secret. And a surprise, I might add. Perhaps you will find out soon enough."
Though looking somewhat suspicious and disappointed, the Vicomte de Chagny smiled again. "Very well, Christine. I came to escort you to dinner, but I wanted to talk a bit before we go." Now, he seemed to be suppressing nervousness and an even brighter smile at the same time.
Christine frowned. It was not common for Raoul to act like this. She lowered her book, carefully marked her page and put it on the nearest table. Then, moving slightly forward on her chair, she spared him a quizzical glance. "What about?"
"You know that we will be leaving in a few weeks and returning to Paris… I wouldn't like to end our friendship once we return, you know, not after all the years of separation and all that. I'd like to keep in touch with you, perhaps support your career, if you would allow."
"I'd like to remain friends as well." Christine noted, finally smiling. But if that was all he wanted to tell her, he was being pretty ceremonious about it. She had a hunch that it wasn't all he meant to say.
And she was right.
Raoul, still smiling, seemed to be somewhat relieved that she felt the same. "I'm very happy, Christine. But I… wanted to ask something else. I know all this was just pretense, a game, but… I care for you, Little Lotte."
"As a friend." Christine added.
"Yes… but more than that as well."
The Swedish girl froze for a moment. If this would go in the direction she thought it would go, things would get even more complicated than they already were. And she knew just what she would have to say and do… even though she really, really didn't want to hurt her best friend like that right after their happy reunion after so many years.
Nevertheless, she knew it would be necessary to clear things out. Even more so when he left his chair, dropped to one knee in front of her and produced a wonderful ring in the shape of a sparkling flower – the one last piece of jewelry her set was still missing. Exquisite diamonds glittered at her, but she found them eerie, like the gleam of a guillotine prepared to chop her head off.
"Christine Daaé, will you marry me?"
The executioners – fate, destiny – knew no mercy.