Chapter 3: Left Behind
Erik carefully packed away all of his music scores, inventions and designs with Claire assisting him,
"I have an old coat of mine that you can wear" Erik told her as he passed her the trench coat which she quickly accepted with thanks before pulling it on; Their fast packing came to a pause when a fierce knocking occurred upon the front door. Erik held a firm expression as he looked towards Claire,
"... Stay here" he instructed before leaving the room and closed the door before going to investigate whom was making the insistent knocking upon his door.
One of the shah's guards stood at Erik's door with a firm expression,
"What do I owe the pleasure for this unexpected visit?" Erik asked in a bored manner,
"The lord Shah wants to see you magician. Now" the guard informed and the masked magician could only follow the guard reluctantly in the direction of the shah's palace.
Erik grew increasingly more uneasy as he saw the throne room was empty apart from the shah whom was sat upon his throne nursing his goblet of water,
"... Why do you continue to disobey and refuse to give me the respect I deserve, magician?" the shah mumbled after a long moment of silence,
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean" Erik replied, watching as the shah gave a sinister chuckle before tipping his goblet and allowed the remains of his drink to spill upon the alabaster stone floor,
"Have I not been a overly generous employee, Magician?... I give you lodgings, money, fame... A place in my court and a wife to warm your bed. Tell me... Does she please you?" The shah asked with a smirk and Erik clenched his fist in attempts to control his anger,
"... Immensely" Erik replied, watching as the shah stood from his throne and allowed Erik to see his empty goblet,
"... My goblet is empty, Magician... And yet I am still thirsty but my water girl is no where to be seen" The shah told Erik whom chose to remain silent, watching as the Persian king smirked,
"... I know of your plans to leave Persia, Magician... Did you really think I would let you go so easily?" The shah asked, clicking his fingers signalling for two guards to drag Claire into the room and threw her on the ground before the shah; Erik tried to assist her but the guards prevented him,
"I don't like it when my property is stolen or when it tries to flee my kingdom" the shah said, kneeling down and ripped the wedding ring from Claire's finger before glaring at Erik,
"Did you really think I would be foolish enough to not notice a diamond missing from my throne?" he demanded, approaching one of his guards and retrieved the whip from his belt,
"No. Please my lord shah. Don't hurt him. This is my fault, punish me" Claire begged, looking up at him desperately causing the shah to smirk,
"Oh I intend too" he assured, turning his smirk towards Erik,
"You want freedom? You wish to leave Persia without trouble?... Very well. I am a merciful and bountiful ruler... I shall give you my consent to leave one you give your wife her punishment... I believe 20 lashes upon the flesh of her back will do" the shah told Erik, offering him the whip causing the masked man to look horrified and he slowly shook his head,
"No... I will never hurt her" Erik told him firmly but only caused the shah to chuckle,
"And still you disobey me?... Either you give her 20 lashes or I shall give her 40. The choice is your magician" the shah told him firmly as he forced the whip into his hand before going and sitting upon his throne as the guards restrained Claire.
Erik gritted his teeth as the shah smirked down at him,
"Remember to count, Magician. I wouldn't want to make you start again" the shah mocked... Erik allowed tears to fall down his masked face with every cry of pain that came from Claire's lips as the whip was brought down upon her back...
Claire laid upon the stone floor with tear stained cheeks as Erik finally dropped the whip after her 20th lash and he fell to his knees before crawling towards her and brushed a hand against her cheek,
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." he whispered over and over again as he allowed his own tears to fall whilst pressing his lips to her forehead as she clung to him weakly but the guards soon separated them after the shah clicked his fingers with a smirk upon his face,
"Take the girl to the dungeon. Have salt rubbed into her wounds so that the scars will forever remind her what happens when slaves disobey me" the shah ordered,
"NO!" Erik yelled, trying to reach for Claire's hand whom weakly did the same as the guards dragged her away,
"I said I would give you my consent to leave Persia... Not her. She is your wife for as long as I say she is and I say... She is your wife no more. DOROGA!" The shah yelled, summoning Nadir into the throne room whom was stunned to find Erik there,
"... Yes my lord shah?" Nadir asked,
"See the masked magician to the border. He just suffered a rather tragic divorce... The slave girl will be staying here" The shah ordered and Nadir had no choice but to escort a broken Erik from the throne room.
Nadir saw Erik to the border whom looked back towards the shah's palace,
"... This is my fault... I wasn't strong enough... I wasn't strong enough to save her... To stop him" Erik whispered brokenly,
"The best thing you can do now, my friend is accept the shah's consent to leave this place... Go now and don't look back" Nadir encouraged,
"But... What about Claire?" Erik asked,
"I shall look out for her as best I can... Just go" Nadir encouraged and Erik could only reluctantly mount the horse that Nadir had arranged to be waiting for them at the border.
Erik rode far but looked back one final time at the shah's palace and developed a firm expression,
"I'm coming back... I'll grow stronger and I'll come back for you" he vowed firmly before riding off, leaving Persia and Claire behind him.
Will Erik and Claire see each other again?! Review for Chapter 4!
Kind Regards,
TheAuthor1996