Disclaimer: I do not own any of the POTO characters. They belong to Leroux, Kay and ALW, from whom I have borrowed in order to write my story. However, the plot and the characters of Léandre, Gaspard, Etienne, Pierrick, The gendarme Captain, and Dr. Julian Morel are mine

Queen's Knight captures Pawn

Raoul left for the place Erik had told him immediately. The instructions were precise and he found Christine well but frightened. When she saw him she ran to him and hugged him. She felt so right in his arms that it was as if the last few weeks had never happened.

Raoul put his arms around her gingerly not wanting to end the moment.

"Where's Erik? He's hurt isn't he?" Her eyes were glazed with worry.

How could he answer her questions and not rip her heart out? "He's alive" Even that might be a lie. The man had looked like death but he would not hurt her.

She pulled away and asked "But is he well? What happened? Why are you here? Why didn't he come?"

"Calm down Lotte. He sent me to get you. He couldn't come himself and was worried about your welfare"

Her eyes began to well up with tears "He's hurt! Oh Raoul" She held on to him for support.

"Let us leave here and I will explain."

Erik woke up to realize that despite the collar, bindings, scrapes and pains he actually felt better with the morphine gone from his body. His thoughts were coherent and even with his face exposed he began to plot. They brought him the gruel, bread and water in the usual dog's bowls. Instead of tossing it away, he ate it, nourishing his body. He also began a regimen of concealed exercise which the guards would not notice but would tone up his muscles. Despite his discomfort Erik listened to every comment the guards made in his presence.

Léandre no longer came everyday. When he did come he still enjoyed Erik's session in front of the mirror. As much as he tried Erik was never able to look upon his face and control his reaction to it. This gave much pleasure to Léandre who watched Erik's eyes and expressions to see the pain and misery reflected there. He always added comments about Christine's 'true' feelings regarding his deformity. This ploy never failed to elicit doubt and desperation in his eyes.

Erik forged an escape plan. He began to undermine the guards by using ventriloquism. He learned to imitate all their voices. Erik told them that he was the Devil's emissary and they had to let him out or evil would befall them. They did not believe him but with the strange voices in their ears made them very nervous. When Gaspard, the older guard mentioned that he and his daughter had been caught in a down pour Erik got an idea. From comments he heard he deduced that Gaspard was a widow and that he doted on his daughter. He whispered in Gaspard's ear that he should go home because the child was sick. Gaspard was upset and went home abandoning his post. Next day the man came in haggard looking he said he had stayed up all night with the child. Indeed, she had caught a fever. Gaspard told all the other guards about Erik's prediction or curse he wasn't sure. The other's dismissed his ranting as superstition. However, their attitude changed and when Erik began to talk in Greek which they took to be the Devil's language. To Erik's luck Etienne's wife left him for another man that night. The abandoned man did not consider his lifelong abuse of the woman but took this to be a sign of Erik's power.

Raoul entered the small home and stood just inside the door after greeting Madame Giry. Christine rushed to him and kissed his cheek.

"Raoul!"

The sweet sound of his name on her lips was enough to confirm his decision. He is dead now! He must be. The Creature knew he would die and that is why he gave her to me. I am doing what he wanted me to do. I don't owe him anything!

"Raoul did you learn anything new today?" She sat on Lucette's couch and motioned with her head for him to join her.

"Yes, I have an appointment with the Captain for tomorrow. I'm certain I will get an answer then"

If he took Christine away from the Creature's influence she might realize her mistake. He had to do this for little Lotte! Inside Raoul felt an ugliness grow. It was still small but it was there growing and feeding on his actions. He feared it would consume him. This is for her not for me. He is probably dead by now anyway. What good would it do to have her continue to suffer?

"Raoul are you sure Erik is safe where he is? He is not injured?"

She stood facing him her face inches from his. "Why can't I go see him?"

"No one is ever 'safe' or comfortable in a jail, but he was not injured, he had no wounds" Erik's broken body bound to the wall flashed in his mind. God help me! "Would you like to get tea at the café Boulange?"

"It is very lovely of you to invite me but I am too worried. Thank you Raoul"

"It would do you good to take your worries off your mind" Raoul took her hand in his.

She left her hand in Raoul's and turned to face him fully "Erik is everything I am. How do I take myself off my mind?"

He dropped her hand and covered his own face.

"Do you not remember how he stole you from the garden?"

"Oh poor Raoul! Didn't you know I was waiting for him?"

He looked up at her stunned. He knew she had left because she wanted to but had she actually been waiting for him? He recalled how frequently she had taken long strolls in the gardens after he'd left her. "Lotte, why do you insist with this…madness?"

Christine shot up off the couch. "Insist? Insist with this madness?" Her small fists clenched at her sides. "I have nothing but madness without him. Do you understand that we are but one? Apart or together we are one!"

His face broke then and she saw his shoulders heave in sobs. "I'm sorry Raoul, you cannot sow anything in my field because it hold's another man's crop"

He looked at her perplexed.

"Don't worry Raoul, your noble sensibilities do not allow you to understand"

The child's fever had not abated and Erik offered Gaspard the remedy in exchange for freedom. He threatened him with the child's death in case of a betrayal. Erik told him what to buy and told him to bring everything to him. In his cell he mixed the ingredients in the right proportions, with a slight smirk said some Greek words over the potion and gave a bottle to Gaspard telling him give this to his daughter Marie. "How do you know her name? I…I know I never told you". His eyes were wild with fear. Erik turned from him and continued to speak in Greek. Gaspard had mentioned his daughter's name in a casual conversation to another guard early in Erik's imprisonment; the man did not remember the event.

"Madame Giry is she eating more?"

"Vicomte she had three cups of tea and a piece of bread with butter for lunch. I suppose she is eating more since she has had nothing on other days"

He hated the serene condescending tone Madame Giry used with him. As if he were a dull boy that needed spoon feeding.

"Do you think a ride in my carriage will do her good?"

Lucette fixed him with a cold stare. "I imagine it would do her some good if she would go" She circled him without taking her eyes off him. He did not dare take his eyes off her either. "Christine mourns her lover Monsieur" He felt the daggers in her eyes strike deep. However it was her tongue he feared most. "It would do her best if you can get Erik out of that monstrous place and back to her"

Lucette saw the fear in the vicomte's eyes. Fear and guilt! Worse yet she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Hope for what? Christine's love? She had a strong suspicion that the Vicomte wasn't doing his best to get Erik out. She had to plant the seed of doubt in Christine. Lucette hoped the vicomte would be unable to withstand her supplications. There was no doubt that he loved her but this childish love could cost her child his life.

"If you really want to see Christine survive this ordeal save him. Monsieur Vicomte" Her thick braid whipped about her as she turned and walked away without another word. "I will see if she can have visitors".

Next day, he came in quietly and went straight to him. Erik kept his back to Gaspard, terrified the child had taken a turn for the worse.

"I'm not much of a believing man but I prayed to GOD and he did nothing" Gaspard looked ashen.

"Go on" Erik was waiting for something to crash against his head.

"She's walking about this morning, Sir."

"Of course" Erik breathed again and slowly, turned around to look the man in the eye. Gaspard began to tremble when he looked deep into Erik's eyes. "I will keep my promise to you, Lord. I will let you out into the world of men."

"You better or I will keep mine" Erik responded in his most menacing voice.

Gaspard blanched.

"Do not worry about your child. Save your money for she will marry high"

Gaspard gasped at this. "How…how high lord?"

"Higher than your imagination"

Erik knew that now greed would complete the circle of his influence over Gaspard. This last promise was so far fetched he only needed to make it sound plausible.

"I have to make sure the others are busy before I let you out."

"That will not be necessary. Put this" He put a small bottle in Gaspard's hands, "in a bottle of wine and serve it to all of them. They will relax and sleep. Of course you will not drink any!"

"I will serve it for their midday meal" Gaspard paused for a moment. "Do you have a name lord?"

Should he lie? What did it matter? "Erik but it is a name you must not say or you will have to follow me into the nether regions" Erik managed to keep a straight face regardless of Gaspard's open-eyed terror.

"Your name will never cross my lips lord. Never!"

"Good. There is, something else you will do for me"

Erik saw Gaspard tremble from head to foot. "As you command my lord".

A/N: this story is coming to an end. I may write 2 or 3 more chapters. Please do review it keeps the creative juices flowing.