Chapter 10: Visitors of the night
Raoul's POV
The next day went by in a whirlwind, what with the preparations for the opening night of Hannibal the following day, and with Christine and I spreading our joyful news about. I was so ecstatic about Christine's pregnancy that I felt as though I were walking on air. Christine and I had been praying for a child, and now here one was! I didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, just the mere thought of being a father thrilled me.
It was around ten o'clock or so and Christine had just fallen asleep with a peaceful smile on her face. I bent over and kissed her forehead ever so softly, then blew out the candle that sat upon my bedside table. I had just lain my head down on the feather pillow when I heard the distinctive noise of something breaking downstairs. I sat straight up and got quickly out of bed. I went out into the hallway and partway down the stairs, careful not to be seen. My blood ran cold when I heard two raspy and unfamiliar voices in the parlor.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked one unsurely.
"Of course I'm sure you idiot," answered the second one in a harsh tone." The family crest is on the front door that we just broke the window of."
I felt my breath becoming rapid as I moved a bit closer, until I finally came into the view of their rough looking faces. One was large and bald, his head covered in ugly tattoos, one of them being a serpent wrapped around a lily. The other was tall, shrimpy, and mousy looking, with droopy, bloodshot eyes. I listened once again.
"But why here?" asked the tall one. "Why not the older brother?"
The tattooed one sighed in an irritated fashion. "Because if we attack the younger one first, it will leave the older one weak and vulnerable. And besides, I hear this one has a beautiful wife, if you get my drift." He snickered.
I felt and intense and fiery anger filling me, and though I knew it was rash, and though I knew I should have thought about it first, I dashed down the stairs and straight into their line of sight. I had to put all of my efforts into preventing them from getting upstairs. I couldn't care less if they stole all the money or valuables that I owned; I couldn't let them get to Christine. They stared at me for a minute, as though terribly surprised. I moved next to the hearth where I knew my sword lay.
"Excuse me," I said in a harsh tone. "But what the hell do you think you are doing breaking into my home!"
The larger one spoke first, an infuriating smirk on his face. "Have you not heard of our deeds around Paris monsieur? By the way, where is that darling wife of yours, the opera singer?" he questioned, his voice bitingly sarcastic.
I heard the mousy one chuckle and my heart began to thud in my chest. I couldn't let them harm my beloved; I would have rather died a thousand torturous deaths than have that happen. "That would be none of your damn business!" I said as I drew my sword.
I saw him draw a large knife from underneath his vest. "I shall and I will take all of your riches, along with her."
"I don't care if you take my money, but you will not take my wife." I practically growled.
"Ah but I want both de Chagny, and I always get what I want." He replied as our weapons clanged together. "But I must say you are on of the very few who has fought back when we have robbed other nobles."
"And I have no intention of losing!" I yelled.
The mousy one stood by and snickered as we fought; I seemed to have the advantage, and I now thanked God for my sword skills. But then my worst fear came true; I saw Christine coming down the stairs, her brown eyes half open from slumber.
"Raoul what on earth?" She stopped as she set eyes on the two gypsies.
But before I could even move, the tattooed gypsy was right next to her. He ran his grimy fingers through her curly locks, and I burned with anger.
"Get away from her!" I said, moving carefully for fear that he might hurt her.
He smirked as he moved ever closer to her. "You are a beautiful woman…." He murmured.
"Unhand me!" she screamed as she slapped him across his horrible face.
Faster than lightning, his knife was at her throat, and I saw a trickle of blood on her cheek. "I'll teach you to talk to me that way, wench!" he roared. "Now Vicomte, surrender or your love dies!"
My eyes widened as I felt my stomach churn, a sick fear running through my veins. Christine looked up at me, and I saw there, amongst the terror, a message of love for me. A single tear slid down her cheek, falling slowly until it intermingled with the blood from her cut.
"Alright," I said in a resigned tone. "I surrender, just please let her go!"
He removed the knife and then shoved her roughly aside, to which she responded with a dirty glance. I pulled her behind me as the two criminals turned and began to look around for things to steal. But I had no doubt that they had not only burglary in mind, but murder. I was proven right as the fat one ordered the mousy one to begin putting things into sacks, and then turned to me and began to pull out his knife. But before he had the chance to attack, I pulled my sword out from behind my back, and slammed the fiend across the forehead with the broadside of it. I watched him fall, as a cry of pain echoed through the room. I wasn't a fatal attack, for I wanted the police to be able to capture and interrogate them; but he would be out for hours. I immediately turned to Christine to make sure that she was all right.
"Christine," I said as I gently touched her injured cheek. " Are you going to be okay?"
She winced slightly as I touched the small wound. "I'll be all right Raoul, don't worry." She whispered as she leaned into me, shaking violently.
I held her tightly, breathing in her scent of vanilla soap and freshly cut roses. But our brief moment of peace was broken by a gruff voice that came, surprisingly enough, from the mousy gypsy. I turned around sharply, still holding one of Christine' s hands.
"You'll pay for this." was all he managed to say as I saw him pull out a gun and point it directly at my heart. I narrowed my eyes, my blood boiling.
I knew my sword was too thin to block the bullet and I couldn't move for fear that it would hit Christine. Then at the exact same moment, he fired and I kicked him in the gut. I then pushed Christine to the floor and shielded her from the bullet as I myself braced for the hit. I watched the bullet fly through the air, and I simultaneously watched the man fall to the ground, unconscious. It was then that I felt hot lead pierce my skin, mere inches from my heart. I felt my hand slip from Christine's as she desperately called my name. And then I was enveloped by darkness. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A/N: Hey everyone, sorry for the long wait, I had midterms, which are now over, yay! I also got accepted to Flagler College yesterday, so that's a big yay! Anyway, I know I left a cliffhanger, but to be nice I will tell you that Raoul is going to be perfectly all right. I could never kill him, I love him too much, and without him there would be no story, and it would be against canon. Anyway thanks for the lovely reviews everyone, please continue with that! Anyway, Long live Raoul and yay RC!