Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait-college keeps a girl busy! So yeah, this is a chapter and I hope you like it. Please leave a review! Enjoy!

Shackled

Christine entered the room after Raoul, who immediately proceeded to make himself comfortable. He threw off his shoes to one corner of the room, tossed his socks into another, and put his feet upon the table.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Christine made a face of disgust that once again went unnoticed. She threw his luggage unceremoniously into the corner. The heavy suitcase landed with a thud, successfully diverting Raoul's attention from his surroundings to his future wife.

"How about a foot rub, Chrissy?" Raoul said, flexing his toes. Before Christine could reply no, he continued. "Maybe it will turn into rubbing something else, if you're a good girl." He grinned saucily and winked, a lecherous look entering his eyes.

"No, I don't think so, Raoul." Christine said firmly.

His eyes narrowed. "Fine, later then."

He reached for the television remote, but Christine was quicker. Snatching the clicker and putting it on a shelf, she turned to the annoyed-looking man sitting on her couch.

"Hey! I was going to watch that!" he complained.

"Raoul, we need to talk."

"Talk? But why?" He rose from the couch and walked to her. "Can't we just let our bodies do the talking?" he said throatily. He gathered Christine into him and let his hands start to wander her body. His actions reminded her of Erik's hands the night before, and she was not surprised that she experienced no such warmth with Raoul. She pushed him away forcefully.

"Why are you here?"

Raoul gave her an affronted and annoyed look. "What, you're not happy to see me? Chrissy, we've been away from each other for a whole week! How could you not miss me?"

"Raoul, I never said that I didn't miss you," Christine said. "You're jumping to conclusions. It's just that this vacation was supposed to be some alone time for me. Before we…you know?" She could not bring herself to say marry. "My visit here was supposed to be relaxing and solitary."

Raoul put his hands on her shoulders, looking contrite. "I understand Christine. But just think - now you can be alone with me. Won't that be fun?" His voice was condescending and held not the least bit of repentance.

She shot him an angry look and shrugged his hands from her shoulders. She started to walk deeper into her room.

"Look, I can tell you're upset…" Raoul said to her turned form.

"Really, Raoul? What was your first clue?"

He ignored her sarcasm. "But I'm already here. What do you want me to do? Fly back home?"

Christine faced him and raised her eyebrows. Raoul could not misinterpret the meaningful look she gave him.

"You want me to leave? You actually want me to go?" His voice was rising higher and higher, and his face was turning red. He advanced on Christine, who held her ground against his fury.

"Unacceptable, Christine. First you neglect to call me and now you want me to leave. Unacceptable. Well, you know what? I'm not going to leave. I'm going to stay with you for the remainder of the trip and you're going to enjoy it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Raoul, don't order me around! I'm not a child and what's more, I am not your possession. I am a grown woman and can make my own decisions. And I have made mine. Leave, Raoul. Let me have the rest of my vacation alone, the way I intended it to be," Christine said sternly.

Raoul's face was agape with Christine's brash words. Never before had she spoken to him like this.

"Not my property?" he repeated, mocking her. "You are to be my wife."

She glared at him, furious. She was about to say something in retort, but Raoul started up again. Violently, he grabbed her left hand, bringing it between their faces.

"So put on the ring, you bitch."

Tears filled Christine's eyes. Raoul's insult was simple, but it stung nevertheless. Mostly because she knew he was right. Glaring at him, she whipped around and marched to the desk. She sighed as she reached for the ring and was tempted to throw it at him there and then. Instead, she slipped the ring back on, a tear or two spilling from her brown eyes. She felt as if she was shackled to Raoul, his prisoner for the remainder of the trip.

Calmer now, but shreds of anger still evident in his voice, Raoul said, "Let's spend the day at the pool, Christine. Then we'll have some dinner and just go to sleep. This has been a long day for us both."

'I am his prisoner,' Christine thought with a quivering chin. 'He's ordering me around like a jailer would. I need to get away from him.'

XOX

The 'happy' couple was receiving congratulations all the way down to the pool. Raoul insisted they swim. Afraid of causing a scene in front of the other château patrons, Christine acquiesced. Right after though, she donned her sunglasses and faked sleep in the warm Rennes sun.

Her thoughts were utterly depressing. 'How am I to tell Erik now? With Raoul here, I can barely go to the bathroom on my own. And what if he saw? Erik knows everything that happens in this place. Oh my God,' Christine realized. 'If he saw, he'll never listen to an explanation. He'd never consent to hear me out. I'm doomed.'

Dinner was, in Christine's opinion, a perfect disaster. Raoul filled Christine's plate, not bothering to ask what she wanted. She tried to be pleasant while talking to Mme. DesChanels, but it was difficult with Raoul at her side; he was constantly interrupting her story of how they met and his boisterous laughter was obviously annoying the other diners.

Christine was beyond thankful when the meal was finally over. They walked wordlessly to Christine's room and silently changed and slipped into bed, putting as much distance between each other as possible.

After a few hours, Christine felt that it was safe to leave. Like ten years prior, she quietly snuck out of her bed.