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Christine awoke to the sunlight shinning in hey eyes from the window. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the sight of birds flying outside the window. When she rolled over, Erik wasn't there beside her any longer but the sound of the piano filled her ears. The sound was horrible, and nothing like the beautiful music Erik always played. As she rose, and began to walk down the stairs, the sound got worse. Once she was down stairs, she noticed that it was Clorinda who was behind the piano.
"Sweetheart? What are you doing?"
Clorinda kept trying to play and stopped when she heard her mother's voice.
"Monsieur Kire is teaching me how to play. He said that I need to practice to get better."
"I thought that you and Monsieur Kire weren't getting along."
"We're not, but I'm respecting him mother."
Then Clorinda began to play once more, as Christine walked over to the fire pit. She was going to place a kettle of water over the fire to make herself some tea but to her surprise, there was already a kettle there over a burning fire. She then noticed Erik sitting two inches away from it keeping his eye on it.
"So this is where you ran off to."
"Yes, I couldn't lie there any longer. It was driving me absolutely crazy being confined to that bed and all. You know me better than to be the one to lie around all day. I came down here to fix myself some tea and then decided to teach Clorinda the piano instead. She's got to practice hard if she wants to be a great pianist like me. It seems that Mary had a little lamb will keep her busy for quit sometime. But forgive my horrible manners, how are you my angel? Would you like some tea? It's just about done."
Christine smiled at her husband, and kissed him on the forehead.
"Yes my angel, I would love a cup of tea. I would love it even more if after breakfast we all took a walk. It's actually very pleasant outside this morning, better than those nasty winter days we've been having."
Erik poured Christine a cup of tea, and handed it to her before pouring himself one.
"Ah but winter is at it's end and soon the flowers that are as beautiful as you will bloom once more and bring the summer's warmth into the air. I would love a walk my angel, but my leg isn't in good spirits today. I think that walking with a staff wouldn't go too well in the woods."
"Then we'll take the horse. A ride would be just as lovely Erik."
"Perhaps, let me deicide how I feel after we eat breakfast."
Christine nodded and began to prepare some more jam for breakfast. Once they had eaten a few biscuits smothered in jam Clorinda tugged on Erik's cloak. Erik looked down at his daughter wondering what she wanted.
"Could you and I take a walk?"
"Yes we're all going to go. You, me and your mother."
"No, I was wondering if maybe you and I could go alone."
Christine who seemed surprised at this gesture nodded at Erik to go. Once they were outside, Erik climbed up onto his horse and was surprised to see Clorinda wanting to climb up with him as well.
"Wouldn't you'd rather walk than be up here with me?"
"No, I wanted to talk to you and it be kind of hard to do if I walked."
Erik began to ride with Clorinda sat in front of him as they descended into the woods on his horse.
"I've been practicing all morning as you've told me to do."
"That's great Clorinda, practice truly makes perfect and hopefully one day you'll get to be as good as you want to be."
"I've never had a father before Monsieur Kire, and I'm sorry that I've been causing you problems lately. I know sometimes I treat you with disrespect but when I'm mad it's just a natural reaction. I'm glad that you're my father because my whole life you've treated me so kind."
"Clorinda it's not hard to treat you and your mother kindly because I love both of you so much."
"Don't I disappoint you though? I'm probably the worst daughter around."
"No Clorinda, you're the best daughter in the whole world. The first time I laid eyes on you I fell in love. You and your mother mean more to me than life itself and I would do anything to make you and your mother happy."
Erik stopped at the brook that was far back in the woods, and lifted Clorinda down off of the horse before walking to the edge of it to have a seat. Clorinda through small rocks into the water as Erik sat watching her. He couldn't have been more happy to know that Clorinda loved him than he had ever been in his whole life.
"Monsieur Kire?"
"Yes?"
"When are we going to go back to the opera house? I miss Petri and Madam Giry."
"We shall return soon enough and when we do I'm sure they'll be happy to see you too. I just needed some time alone with you and your mother but we shall return soon enough."
"When summer comes again could we go swimming?"
"Yes, sure."
Clorinda then continued to throw rocks into the water as Erik watched. Erik smiled as he watched his little girl stand before him because he couldn't help but notice how much alike they were. When Clorinda was born, she had definitely become his twin in every way. It seemed as if they had sat at that brook all day, doing nothing more than talking and spending well needed time with each other. When night began to fall, Erik knew that if he didn't return soon Christine would get very worried and wind up coming to look for him.
"Come on Clorinda, we better get back before your mother begins to worry about us."
Clorinda yawned, and hopped up on the horse with Erik as he began to get them back to the cottage. Once they arrived, Erik tied his horse up to a tree and walked inside with Clorinda. The cottage was lit by candle light, and Christine was no where in sight.
"Christine?" called Erik as he began to look around in worriment.
Seconds later, Christine came through the door carrying a lantern. She removed the hood of her cloak and ran to Erik hugging him as if he were back from the dead. Erik hugged her back and looked his angel in the eyes.
"Christine, where have you been?"
"Might I ask you the same question! I've been worried sick about you and Clorinda, you've been gone all day. I thought that maybe you got hurt in the woods…..please never ever do this to me again!"
The rage in Christine's voice, sent shivers down Erik's spine. Clorinda immediately jumped in front of Erik and looked up at her mother.
"No Mother, please don't be mad at him. It's my fault, I was too occupied with throwing stones into the brook to keep track of time. It's not papa's fault I swear."
After hearing that, both Erik's and Christine's eyes darted to Clorinda.
"Papa?" questioned Christine with such surprise.
"Is it wrong to call him that?" asked Clorinda with such curiosity.
"No Clorinda, I'm glad you're calling him that."
Clorinda hugged Christine, and ran to her bed. Erik smiled at Christine and helped her remove her cloak.
"I like the sound of that Christine."
"So do I Erik. Go tuck her in and meet me upstairs."
Erik gave her a quick kiss, and walked over to Clorinda's bed and tucked her in.
"Sleep tight Clorinda."
"Goodnight Monsieur Kire."
Erik looked at Clorinda with such confusion, and had a seat at the end of her bed.
"Clorinda, I kind of liked it when you called me Papa."
Clorinda sat up, and hugged Erik with her small arms.
"I like calling you that too, but I also like calling you Monsieur Kire. It's just so hard to stop calling you something that I like calling you."
Erik looked away and got to his feet to walk away. Clorinda lied down and blew out the candle at her bedside.
"Papa?"
Erik immediately turned around and smiled at Clorinda as she smiled back at him.
"Goodnight Clorinda, I love you."
"Me too Monsieur Kire."
Erik then walked up the stairs to get to his room where Christine was waiting for him. He limped over to the mirror, and began to get undressed as Christine watched him from the bed. From the mirror, Erik saw her looking at him as he unbuttoned his shirt.
"Something wrong Christine?"
"No, I just like watching you. Sometimes you undress in the most elegant way possible."
Erik smirked and continued to take off his shirt to change it into his loose white night shirt. Afterwards, he easily unbuttoned his trousers and took them off to replace them with looser ones. Once he was completely in his night clothes, Erik began to limp over to the bed when he tripped and fell flat on the floor causing his mask to fall off his face and slide across it. Christine immediately jumped out of bed and ran to his side. She tried to get under his arm when he stopped her.
"No, I can do it myself!" he shouted in such rage.
"Erik, you're hurt let me help you."
"No! just…..just let me do it myself."
Christine backed up and picked his mask up from off the floor, as she watched Erik brace the end of the bed and slowly push himself up to his feet. Once he sat himself on the bed, Erik lied down and moaned in pain as the injury from his leg began to pain him once more. Christine lied beside him, and handed Erik the white mask offering to place it back over his disfigured flesh.
"Thanks, but I don't think it's healthy for me to constantly keep it placed over my face. Sometimes sleeping without it gives my flesh fresh air and a break from constantly being covered."
After setting the mask down on the night stand, he noticed Christine analyzing his disfigured flesh.
"You're not kidding, maybe keeping that mask off for a while is the best thing to do."
Erik pulled the covers over him and Christine and ran his fingers through her chocolate curls.
"Your hands are so soft my angel."
"More like as cold as death my love."
Christine turned Erik's face to hers, and began to passionately kiss him in the dark.
"I love you Erik."
"As do I my angel."
Erik then deepened the kiss and let his hands wander on her body. When Christine tried to do the same, Erik ached in pain and broke away from the kiss.
"Something wrong?"
"My body hurts dreadfully."
"Where my angel?"
"My knee."
Christine lied her head on Erik's shoulder and began to gently rub his injured knee as she received comfort from her angel.
"That feels amazing Christine."
Before Christine could even answer, the sound of Clorinda's shouting filled the room. Quickly Christine jumped out of bed as Erik tried to do the same but fell flat on his face. He was now alone and on the floor trying to pull himself up. As he got to his feet, he heard Christine begin to shout as well. Erik quickly limped to the stairs and hobbled down each wooden step until he was down on the first floor. Once he was there the front door was open and neither Christine or Clorinda were in sight. After hobbling out the front door, he saw to his horror Christine and Clorinda being drug away by 3 men with horses.
"Hey! Let them go!" shouted Erik as he tried to limp over to them but fell once again. Christine yelled for him, but he couldn't get up.
One of the men jumped down from off of his horse and walked over to Erik's body.
"The Countess has warned me about you Monsieur. She told me to take what ever precautions were necessary to get the lady away from the likes of you!" he replied.
Erik looked up at the man with such confusion and was then kicked in the chest by one of the man's boots.
"Erik!" shouted Christine with such fear.
Afterwards the man jumped back on his horse and lead them away as Erik lied there helpless and in pain. Christine and his daughter was all he could think about and knew that if he didn't act fast he was never going to see them again. Quickly Erik pulled himself to his feet and hobbled over to his horse and climbed onto his back before galloping into the darks woods. Faster and faster he forced his horse to run so he could catch up to them. Once he made it to the river, Erik saw them crossing over it as Christine and Clorinda tried to fight their way free from the men's clutches. The river was rough, but Erik forced his horse to press forward. One of the men looked behind him and noticed Erik getting pretty close to them.
"Seems as if we have ourselves a guest."
"Let my wife and child go or so help me God I'll…."
"Do what? Fall off your horse? Please let me have the pleasure of helping you."
With that being said, the man took out his bow an arrow and shot Erik in the shoulder causing him to fall off his horse and land in the rough waters of the river.
"Erik! Erik!" Christine was furious as she watched Erik struggle against the current of the river.
"Help him! don't let him drown! Help him damn it!" shouted Christine.
The men didn't listen to her, and kept moving forward as Erik got further and further away. As Erik kept struggling in the waters, his leg was caught on the rein of his horse, causing his horse to walk in terrified circles.
"Sto….stop moving!" shouted Erik as he tried to get a hold of the reins that were attached to his foot. Erik only had his one good arm because his other one had an arrow pierced through it. It was at that second his horse got scared, and began to run through the waters with Erik still attached by the foot. The pull was so painful on leg along with the rocks of the river's bottom hitting his back as he was drug.
"Stop it! Stop it! Wow boy!" Erik tried all he could to stop his horse from running, but couldn't get his attention. Just then as his horse jumped over a huge rock, Erik hit the back of his head against it causing him to black out and continue to be drug through the woods unconscious.
More to come soon!