Author's notes: Whoa, people! 30th chapter! And we're way past the half of the phic! Replies are in my profile, as usual. Chocolate for all who discover the two lines from a musical in this chapter and name them. One is worded a bit differently.

X X X

Chapter XXX

X X X X

Days passed surprisingly quickly, even though Christine had expected the opposite, since she wanted to leave the country with every fiber of her being. She had no other reason to stay now. The only positive aspect of it all was that Raoul had come to comfort her a bit after he found her looking as if someone had died.

While he didn't really find out what caused her sadness, he proclaimed that he had been neglecting her for too long, and that the stay was supposed to be a gift for her, not a punishment. However, unlike Christine, he noticed the occasional, brief looks of triumph the khanum spared Christine.

In a few days, at a ball organized for the Europeans, Christine was almost completely happy again. Naturally, thinking of Erik hurt, but she had been doing everything in her power not to. And he was making it easier – he had vanished from her sight and she hadn't seen as much as a shadow of him ever since. At least she had stopped singing – or rather, whispering – the aria "Ah, ich fühl´s, es ist verschwunden" whenever she was alone.

The ball had been organized as a celebration of Christmas for the visitors and as an ordinary display of the palace's splendor to the wealthy visitors from the point of view of the natives. She spent the evening dancing with Raoul, who rather didn't bother bringing up that she looked much happier now.

Christine did not expect to get any gifts for Christmas, not after so many she had received when they came to Persia for the first time, so when Raoul presented her with a diamond diadem, she resembled a wide-eyed ingénue more than ever, since she stared at the jewelry with no attempt to hide her shock and surprise.

Once Raoul´s chuckle brought her back to reality, she backed away a bit. "Oh, no, Raoul. I cannot accept this." She said, defensively putting her hands in front of her.

"Christine, please." he said calmly, but a bit insistently, "It is a gift to you, and refusal would be insulting. Besides, you could say it symbolizes my faith that you will secure the most important role in the upcoming opera production in Paris when we return." She was about to interrupt, but he silenced her with a move of his hand not unlike her own defensive gesture. "I have told Philippe that his idea of your return to Paris isn't a bad idea."

"Even if I would accept that idea, I thought that Signora Giudicelli is your current leading lady. Wouldn't she be the one wanting that role?"

Raoul smiled. "That is beauty of it. She can't. The high F, I believe, is beyond her range."

Now knowing exactly what he meant, Christine laughed. "Mozartean repertoire is my specialty, yes, but I would be lucky to get even the part of Papagena, being a newcomer."

"That is settled, then." Raoul said firmly, "You'll come with us."

The end of December passed with any unusual events. The same could not be said for January, however. News swept the palace that the Grand Vizier had been murdered, his veins opened by unknown assassins. Still, few were in doubt who was responsible for the order. Even Christine knew by now how enemies were eliminated in Persia.

Philippe was slightly intimidated by this, but nevertheless chose not to mention his opinion on the barbaric ways that would have been normal in the Middle Ages, perhaps, but not in the civilized world of today. Now that their main function as ambassadors was done, he felt a bit caged, since he was more of a man of action than the simple sitting around and being entertained that filled their days now.

Nadir Khan wasted no time and interrogated Erik about everything, but got the whole story only after he received a scorpion bite. Fortunately, the antidote was at hand. Still, despite knowing that the Vizier had been dead before Erik could arrive at the scene of the crime, some of the words they exchanged haunted the Persian.

"I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless, soulless animals who excel at nothing else. But you, Erik ... you love all the beauty in this world... you are a genius in so many different fields. Why do you set yourself beyond the pale of humanity by such a despicable crime?"

"This face which has denied me all human rights also frees me of all obligation to the human race. My mother hated me, my village drove me from my home, I was exhibited like an animal in a cage until a knife showed me the only way to be free. The pleasures of love will always be forbidden to me ... but I am young, Nadir, I have all the desires of any normal man."

"I hated him! I hated him for being wise and respected ... and loved. I hated him for making me look in the mirror of his eyes to see the loathsome thing I have become ..."

Despite the death of the Vizier, a wedding was to take place soon. Even as Nadir thought of it, he felt sick. Any man may force himself upon a woman and say it is the custom? He actually felt ashamed of his own country when Erik spat that out. Yes, the Vizier's widow, the shah's sister, was to marry the son of the new Grand Vizier.

The celebrations were, naturally, made far more interesting by Erik's performance with a literally "living" corpse that rose from its sarcophagus at his command. Christine was looking at her lap all the time – Raoul assumed it was because she was disgusted by the scene – and only heard the collapse of the skeleton when Erik clapped his hands.

Erik retrieved the skull and from its jaw withdrew the prime minister's signet ring, tossing it at the feet of the stupefied Vizier's son with a gesture of contempt.

"I trust your Excellency's son will prove less careless with his second-hand possessions," he said pointedly.

After a stunned silence, however, Christine heard something being tossed and an applause broke out. That probably meant that the political undertones of the performance had been ignored for the time being. Exhaling a bit, she felt Raoul grip her hand reassuringly.

The following "party" went surprisingly pleasant for most of the time, though Nadir and Christine exchanged a few glances that plainly assured them that they were both thinking the same thing – that this little display was way too dangerous. However, it seemed that nothing was going to happen.

Caught in a conversation with several of the court members, the two de Chagnys didn't notice what Christine did moments later – Nadir had vanished. With a deep frown, against her better judgment, her eyes searched the surroundings for Erik. He was also gone. Making a polite excuse, Christine hurried away. She didn't like this at all.

Leaving the chatter and lights behind her, she continued walking away until she almost slipped and fell on something. Looking down, she saw something red poured on the floor. It was too dark, too foreboding to be a simple spilled cup of wine. Her heart froze for a second. She was almost certain that it was…

"Blood." she whispered, her voice shaking. Looking up, she thought she saw a figure of an animal – or two – a camel… or a horse, she couldn't tell, no matter how much she squinted her eyes.

"Christine?" someone put hands on her shoulders, and she recognized Raoul´s voice behind her. She didn't move. "What's the matter? Are you alright?" Finally tearing her eyes away from the space in front of her, she turned to Raoul with a stoic face.

"I… I'd like to return to my chambers, Raoul. I feel tired."

The Vicomte sighed but nodded. "Yes, tonight has been exhausting. Shall I escort you, Christine?"

"If you wish it." she said quietly, receiving no reply, other than the hand that took hers and she was led, supported, back into the palace.

X X X

The next day, Christine immediately went in search for Nadir. She found him rather quickly, surprisingly – it seemed that he had been looking for her as well, judging by his rather hurried pace and almost desperate expression.

"Christine! At last…"

"What has happened to Erik?" she interrupted immediately. The Persian sighed deeply. "Nadir, I saw the blood. I know something has happened and I demand that you tell me what happened yesterday after you disappeared from my sight."

"He has been poisoned." Nadir raised a hand to silence Christine's gasp of terror. "I cannot say what poison it is, but judging by the symptoms, it's fatal. He… demanded to be brought to Mazenderan… to finish explaining the palace plans. He fainted several hours later, but fought in delirium. Saying something about someone called Sasha – a pet, I'd guess, from what he said – and a fall… a cage… and you."

Christine lowered her eyes for a moment. "The khanum showed me her entertainment." She said, answering the unspoken question.

There was a pause. "Christine, I beseech you to forget what you have seen. You do not know the khanum as well as most of those around you. She showed you this for precisely this reason – to separate you. So my fears have been confirmed." The Persian sighed again. "I would say she only suspects. If nothing else, she sees that Erik has an interest in you. This is her way of securing that even if his face wouldn't scare you off, you would want to have nothing to do with him."

"That might be the truth, but I can never come to terms with what I have seen."

"You have seen how law is enforced in Persia. To live among the wolves, you must learn to howl like a wolf, or they shall tear you apart. And I daresay that Erik's life was far from being like yours – filled with only light and pleasures. Not all see past his face, like you and I. and even fewer are willing to see. Whatever you may believe, he loves you like he loves nothing or no one else. It borders with obsession."

Christine laughed humorlessly. "You are saying I should succumb simply because otherwise I am risking his wrath?"

"No. But know that if anyone can change the horrors you saw, it is you and you only." Nadir said, "He's calling for you in his sleep… I've come to ask if you would at least give him the final comfort of forgiveness. Before he…"

"I'll come." Christine said before he could finish. Saying it out loud would make it too… final, definite.

X X X

Upon their arrival to the house, Christine was welcomed by Reza, who, looking more pitiful than ever, seemed determined that Erik will wake up if he is spoken to. When Christine was led to the room where Erik lay, she paled. Never did he look more like a corpse, which was saying something.

Immediately, she walked towards the bed and sat down next to it, touching a deathly cold hand. "Please bring me a bucket of hot water and a cloth." She ordered. Upon receiving that, she put away all the jewelry on her hands, she placed the wet cloth on his forehead, her left hand still holding his.

"I don't believe that will do much good." Nadir said when he returned after about an hour. Christine didn't look up, merely noted that it won't do any hard either, so there was nothing wrong with doing it.

Christine didn't cry as would have perhaps been natural – the inability to do anything to help had brought a passive acceptance of the situation. She spent several hours sitting there, with the occasional interruptions of Nadir or Reza – only for the first three times – and continued with her work, silent.

"God shan´t allow you to die, Erik." she finally whispered when night had fallen, "God is merciful and He loves you. I love you." she said after a pause.

"I heard that." Came a very quiet whisper and Christine almost knocked over the bucket of water in shock when a pair of eyes wearily opened a bit. "And as your teacher, I command you to say it again."