I thought this might be my Christmas gift to you. I'm sorry it's taken me this long so I wont delay you any further.

Disclaimer : I don't own POTO

A Tale Never Told

Chapter 3

Two days later.

Erik searched the cabinet for some liquor but had no luck.

"Looking for something?" A smile spread on the dark skinned man as he entered his lounge. Erik let out a grunt and continued his search. "You won't find it there Erik," he said as he walked to a chair hearing Erik mutter something along the lines of 'Why is the rum always gone?'

"Anyways, what are you doing here invading my privacy?" Like always Nadir added in his head, Erik had always had unscheduled visits.

"It's the housekeeper's fault!" Erik stated.

"Madame Giry? What she done now that's made you fled your own home?" Nadir smirked, having already received a letter from Madame Giry explaining that Erik may visit and if he did to send him on his way.

"There's a marriage going on there." Erik stated now walking to a chair opposite Nadir.

"Yeah? Who's?" Nadir asked, knowing that after what happened, Erik hated the idea of marriage.

"Mine." Erik murmured looking at Nadir with fear in his eyes.

Christine started to get nervous as they passed a village which indicated that they would be shortly arriving at the Castle of North. She could not help but wonder what her new home would be like. What Erik would be like as well as what she would make of his daughter Angelina? She would become a Mother! This made her nervous. What if she wasn't a good mother or even a good wife at that? She looked out of the carriage to find that they had arrived at the castle grounds. Immediately she found her nerves disappearing.

She had never imagined it would be like this. The grounds surrounding the intimidating castle were truly breathtaking. She wasn't even sure whether or not to even call it grounds as it was far too large. There were many orchards as well as gardens full of flowers as far as the eye could see and to top it all off, the sea could be seen towards the back of the castle. To the east there was a small lake and then beyond that, a forest.

Wow, I must be dreaming. Someone who owned such beauty couldn't possibly be interested in marrying her.

"Christine…" Amelia called, pulling Christine out of her own world. She saw Amelia outside the carriage and her father a bit ahead, walking towards the gigantic doors. She got out and walked in silence beside Amelia. It wasn't an awkward silence but one that asked lots of silent questions, the most important: Who was this man?

Once they passed through the doors, they entered a courtyard and there stood a woman who greeted their Papa.

Nadir was speechless. It took him a couple seconds to respond.

"Yours?" Nadir questioned in disbelief. That woman certainly had some nerve, more nerve than him and he had known Erik since childhood. Another thought ran through his head. Erik was hiding – from a woman who he had not met yet. This alone caused Nadir to start laughing.

Erik stared at the man coldly. How could he laugh so much at a time like this?

Nadir tried to stop laughing, but the laughter emerged every time he would even look at Erik so he started muttering out words.

"Your…your…oh my word...hiding!" he laughed louder but tried to continue in gaps "…From a woman! The Erik Destler hiding from a woman, who he hasn't even met yet!"

"I am not hiding." Erik stated, knowing that it was false truth. "Why would I even run from my own home?" He glared as Nadir made his way over to him.

"That's the thing, my dear, dear friend. You already have." Nadir smirked but couldn't help but release a chuckle.

"I am not running! I came here to visit you and tell you personally since you are a dear friend." Erik stated and began walking towards the door. "I'll send you a letter when the date for wedding is set."

"Yeah? I think you'll see me sooner than you think. I want to see how this turns out with my own eyes!" Nadir called out loud enough for Erik to hear him.

Christine found herself humming as she braided Amelia's hair, knowing that it may be the last time for a while that she get to do so. Tears formed in her eyes which Amelia immediately spotted via the mirror. She got up and embraced her sister needing no words to explain what Christine was thinking.

"I know... Chrissie look at me." She gently pulled away wiping away a tear that was half way down Christine's face.

"Look at me…getting all emotional!" She let out a small chuckle while inside, realization hit her that she was soon to part from Amelia and her Papa.

"Chrissie!" Amelia exclaimed while rolling her eyes.

"Amelia you listen to me. I'm not going to be here to get you out of trouble from now on nor am I going to be there to give you advice – "

"I'm not 5 anymore Chrissie – "

"Amelia it's rude to interrupt…" A thought ran through Christine's mind. "…And besides, I happen to know that a certain DeChagny is interested in someone in this room who is not I." With that Christine ran across the room giggling.

Amelia stood in silence, processing the information while Christine had already backed up near the bed and was grabbing a pillow with a big smile plastered on her face.

"CHRISTINE! What did he say? How did he say what he said?" Amelia rushed to Christine also grabbing a pillow as she did so after she had noticed Christine holding a pillow.

"Not saying…" Amelia hit Christine with the pillow after hearing her answer. "Not good enough!"

Five minutes later Madame Giry stood outside the chamber pondering what on earth was going on inside the room. All throughout the corridor she could hear pitches of laughter, screams and shouts of 'never!' and 'tell me!' She shook her head as she braced herself on what she was about to witness and then opened the door.

She smiled as she saw two women who were half ready, chasing one another around the room with pillows.

"Girls, well I never!" She spoke loudly enough for the two to hear. They stopped immediately but could not control their giggling. "I send the two of you to rest and get ready in your own separate chambers only to find that the two of you are in here chasing and hitting each other with pillows!" Madame Giry spoke with integrity while trying to suppress the urge to laugh. Christine was definitely what everyone needed around here, including herself.

By the end of Madame Giry's speech they had both stopped laughing and had guilty expressions on their faces. Christine stepped forward and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by laughter coming from Madame Giry.

"Youth! This takes me back…" She smiled while shaking off her memory. "Now. Amelia off to your own chambers and get ready."

With that Amelia gave a smile to both Christine and Madame Giry and left.

"Christine, I have something for you." Christine looked away from the door Amelia left through and turned to Madame Giry in mild curiosity, "Come and stand in front of the mirror and close your eyes." Madame Giry smiled as Christine did as what was requested. Knowing Christine has closed her eyes; Madame Giry removed the packing of what she was carrying and displayed it before Christine.

"Open them." She spoke gently.

When Christine opened her eyes she did not expect to find a dress in front of her. Let alone a dress so beautiful.

"Put it on." Madame Giry insisted, turning to look away leaving Christine no time to object but she didn't expect to receive a brief hug from behind.

"Thank you." Christine spoke gently. Madame Giry smiled and said, "Now, put it on will you. I want to see how it looks."

Christine carefully put the dress on and looked at the mirror.

"I'm done." She informed Madame Giry.

"Why Christine…you look wonderful! I knew the moment I gazed upon you that this dress would finally have a home! Oh, it suits you perfectly." Madame Giry briefly gazed at her watch, when she noticed the time. "Ahh, how I must leave you now, I have to go see that dinner is set. I will send someone to let you know when dinner is ready." She smiled as she spoke.

Christine smiled at Madame Giry and watched her leave.

She turned back towards the mirror and looked at herself. The dark blue dress came down upon her ankles and had a low neckline whilst not revealing too much skin. It hugged her skin in the right places showing her figure.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in." She spoke loudly.

A maid around her age opened the door and informed her that dinner is ready. The maid reminded her of Madame Giry but when Christine meant to ask the maid her relations to Madame Giry, she had already left.

Did you like my gift?

I'm sorry for the very long wait but I promise you all that I will finish this off but I may procrastinate from time to time and maybe some friendly threats from you may help me write if I haven't uploaded in a long time. Again I'm sorry.