The Sultana didn't have to wait long at all. It was shortly after her guests left that she decided that she was bored. She sent a servant to fetch Erik to carry out an execution, figuring the act would brighten her spirits. The servant came back a few minutes later trembling. Erik refused to come.
For two days, Erik refused to leave his quarters. His sole focus was Christine. During the day, he lived in heaven. There was nothing save music and Christine. When Christine would admit to being tired and needing to rest, Erik would send her to bed and work on plans to get them out of the place she so dreaded.
It was on the third day when Christine was taking a nap that a servant came rushing in saying Nadir needed him. Erik figuring Nadir had gotten him the supplies he needed left a note for Christine and went.

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Hazif had been waiting patiently. The plan had been sent. The problem had been finding a servant who would lie to Erik. It was easily solved. The servant was never told the truth. In passing, Hazif had simply mentioned to one of the servants that Nadir wanted to see Erik immediately.
Hazif watched Erik leave and head toward Nadir's quarters. When Erik was out of sight, he snuck into the apartment and went into the bedroom. The moment he opened the door to the bedroom, Christine sat up. If there was anything that Christine knew about these people, it was Erik hated Hazif and would never have allowed him in the apartment for any reason. Erik would kill him if he found him in here.
"What are you doing in here?" Christine climbed out of bed. She had to find Erik. She didn't trust this man. "Where's Erik?"
Hazif simply smiled at her until she started shouting for Erik. He couldn't allow her to continue. Erik would kill him if he saw him here. He grabbed her as she tried to get past him and put a cloth to her mouth. The smell came trickling into her nose. "Shhh. We wouldn't want to ruin that voice of yours. The Sultana would be most displeased. I am going to let go now. If you scream again, the Sultana will punish you. Do you understand?"
Christine nodded her head, wanting him as far away from her as possible. 'He lied' were the last things Christine thought as the world became hazy and then nonexistent.
Hazif had taken his hand and the cloth away from her mouth, but he didn't release the grip on her arm until she started to fall to the ground. He had picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. The shah had said he would pray to Allah about Hazif request, but the Sultana was placing Christine in his care until Erik learned his lesson. He hoped Erik chose to be stubborn about it. Maybe the Sultana would allow him to do more than just hold Christine.

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Christine awoke a few hours later in the Sultana's private chambers. Her mind was cloudy, and she could simply remember going to lie down. However, Christine knew this was not where she had gone to sleep. She tried to move and get to Erik. Erik would clear things up for her. Erik always knew everything. Christine found herself being held back by something. She turned to see what it was and saw him.
Everything came rushing back to her. She tried harder to get out of his grasp. He just continued to calmly sit there. It was no trouble at all for him with her being so small.

He no longer found her attempts funny when she began to show her violent side. He was about to show her a woman's place when the Sultana interfered. "That's enough, Christine."
Christine stopped and gave the evil woman her undivided attention. "I want Erik."
"Erik has to learn his lesson first. Until then Hazif will keep you company."
"I don't want Hazif. I want Erik."
"Why don't you sing for us, Christine?" Hazif nudged her a little bit to try to get her started, but Christine simply shook her head.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Nadir was surprised at how quickly Erik had actually managed to leave Christine to come discuss with him. Normally, Erik ignored the servants, and Nadir was forced to go after him himself. Today, however, was an exception. Nadir was curious, though as to why the servant hadn't returned.

His questions were answered several hours later when the servant returned. The man bowed before Nadir. His head hung in shame. "I am sorry, Master. I couldn't find him. He wasn't in his room, and I searched everywhere I possibly could numerous times, but he was no where to be found."

Erik turned around to question Nadir about the idle chatter was about. Nadir was puzzled. "He's right here. You found him hours ago and sent him."

"Christine." Erik began to flee the room. Nadir chased after him.

"Where are you going, Erik?" Nadir was having trouble keeping up with Erik's speed. The man seemed to forget that he moved at an inhuman pace. It was no wonder many had mistaken him for a spirit in the midnight hours.

"I will strangle him."

"Who Erik?"

"Hazif."

"Erik, you can't. They will be furious."

"No one touches what is Erik's. No one." Erik growled out his statement. Nadir had heard his voice change like this before. And it had never turned out good.

"How can you even be sure he's touched Christine?"

"The way he looks at her." Erik threw the doors of the apartment open and began calling for Christine. His fears were confirmed when he walked into their bedroom and found her missing.

Before Nadir saw him leave, Erik went directly from his room into the hall connecting to the throne room. He could hear the Sultana laughing and trying to get Christine to sing for her. Erik threw the doors opened.

The Sultana smiled at Erik when he came in. His eyes were filled with murderous rage. It only got better as he looked over into the corner to see Hazif sitting with Christine on his lap. His arms circled around her waist. Christine was trying desperately to get out of the man's grip as he fondled the underside of her breast.

"Christine, come here." Erik's command was sharp and given in a voice that would send death running. Christine tried even harder to get out of the man's grip. Now was obviously not the time to keep Erik waiting. While the fondling had stopped, the man refused to let go of her.

"NOW." Christine had been scared the entire time she had been with the Sultana and her minion. Now she was terrified. Erik was going to kill her for disobeying him. It wasn't even her fault. She was trying. The man still refused to let go despite of Christine's attempts. Christine was trying her hardest not to cry.

"Calm down, Erik. Christine has merely been keeping us company. Haven't you, Christine?" The Sultana put on her most innocent voice. She had pushed Erik by taking Christine. However, she realized she pushed too far by letting Hazif touch her. The Sultana turned to see Christine barely nodding her head in agreement. It was obvious the girl was terrified of Erik right now. It would serve her right, having to go to Erik in his current mood. The girl's stubborn streak was starting to match Erik's. A quality not desirable for either of her pets. If Christine had simply sung for her, she might have made Erik come back later.

"Hazif, let go of Christine so Erik can take her back to her room."

"I'll have his promise first." Hazif was furious. If it hadn't been for the fact the Sultana wouldn't let him, he would have already beat Christine for not doing as he commanded of her.

"Erik, promise Hazif you won't hurt Christine for her infidelity." The Sultana smiled. Inside she was laughing. She knew Erik was furious over Christing being in Hazif possession, and she knew Hazif was furious over Christine not willing to sing and repeatedly asking for Erik. Erik gave one simple nod of his head before Hazif let go of Christine. Christine walked over to Erik as quickly as she could possibly manage. She attempted to look brave in front of these people.

Erik could see the tears in Christine's eyes and was thankful she didn't begin to shed them until after they had left the throne room. All the way back to their apartment, Erik kept his rage apparent to everyone they came across. He could hear the servants and slaves whisper about what was going to happen. Some were even predicting that he would kill her for leaving the room without him.

When they got into the apartment, Erik locked the door and left Christine on the couch. He came back a few minutes later to find her curled into a ball, crying. He sat down and merely pulled her from where she was sitting onto his lap. He moved her hands away from her face and began washing her face with a warm, wet cloth.

"Erik, I swear I didn't do anything."

"Shh. Stop your tears." Erik softly spoke.

"Erik, you have to believe me." Christine was near begging. She didn't what else she could do. She hadn't done anything wrong.

"I know. Let's not talk about it. I shouldn't have left you alone." Erik began a soft melody and watched as Christine drifted off in slumber.