Okay, here's another chappy. I don't own any characters (except maybe Rafe. Does he count?), and I hope to reintroduce Erik shortly. Right about the same time I end the story. Only a few chapters left, hopefully. Thanks again for hanging in there and dealing with my thrice-cursed laziness. Happy reading, guys!
Unexpected Fire
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly, Raoul and Rafe challenging each other's skills on horseback, as young men are wont to do, with Raoul usually coming out the victor. He had, after all, grown up on an estate run from horseback, and Rafe had been raised in the city. Christine rode quietly on her placid little horse, Donatella, an old Arabian mare. After a few hours, as the sun was beginning to set, Meg showed up again, much to Christine's delight.
"Meg, what are you doing here? You only left me here this morning! Did you miss me already?" Christine asked as she hugged her dearest friend in the stables as a gelding, Napoleon, was being tacked up for Meg.
"Of course I did! I came to see if Raoul would allow me to spend a few days here with you until you settled in. If that's all right with you, I mean."
"All right? More than all right, it's brilliant! I would love for you to stay with me, and I'm sure Raoul won't mind. There's an empty bedroom right next to mine. I'll see if I can get it set up while we're riding. Jaques!" A stable boy appeared in a stall doorway, pitchfork in hand.
"Yes, Mistress?" he asked shyly.
"Oh, don't call me that! It makes me seem so old. It's Christine, please. I'm no better than you are, so there's no need for titles. Anyway, do you know who I can talk to to get a room set up for Mademoiselle Giry?"
"I'll take care of it, Mistress."
"Jaques!"
"I'm sorry, I just can't get used to calling you by your name."
"Well, 'Miss' at the very least, please. Or 'Daae'. Or even, 'Hey you with the curls'. Just none of this 'mistress' business. I am not the mistress of this manor, nor do I ever intend to be..." She shook her head and smiled at Meg, then addressed Jaques again. "Thank you for seeing to the room. I am in your debt."
"Are not," the boy mumbled as he bowed and turned away. "I heard that!" Christine called after him, giggling and taking Meg outside. They mounted their horses and set off to rejoin the men.
"Meg, how pleasant to see you... again!" Raoul exclaimed at they rode into sight.
"Raoul, can she stay here with me for a few days? I would be glad of the company until I can get used to this grand place. It would be nice to have her around to help me adjust."
"Of course! You are always welcome here, Meg. Don't wait for an invitation; my home is always open to you. I'll send for someone to prepare the empty bedroom next to yours, Christine."
"I already did," Christine quipped. "I guessed that you would hold no qualms with Meg's appearance."
"Of course you did," Raoul said, amused. "Well, what are we waiting for? It's still a good hour until it gets too dark to see anymore. Let's go!" He spurred his horse forward and the four galloped across the estate, laughing and cajoling each other. After a while their exuberance calmed into merry companionship, and as it got dark they decided to start a fire under the clear, starry sky.
"Would anyone care for a cigar?" Raoul asked, pulling a pack out of his pocket and striking a match. Rafe took one, but the girls laughed off the offer.
"Vicomte, it's scandalous for a lady to be caught smoking a cigar!" Meg giggled. Raoul lifted an eyebrow at the petite blond sitting next to him on a log.
"Since when have you called me Vicomte? And since when are you a lady, little Meg?" he grinned at her kindly, obviously teasing, and Meg blushed and lowered her eyes. "Ah, shy, are we? Hmm, well, we'll have to make you a little more bold." He leaned in and began to whisper to her, eyes growing wider and blush deepening until even Christine began to feel uncomfortable in their presence. She knew that the girl was safe, however; she could never doubt Raoul's sense of propriety, and if his whisperings got too edgy, Meg would graciously deter him. Christine stood abruptly, seeing Rafe's own uncomfortable gaze through the flames, caught his eye, and said loudly, "I think we're running out of wood. Rafe, will you come with me to gather more?" He stood and grinned at her in relief, taking her arm and leading her into the dark woods. As they left, Raoul's voice got louder until they just barely couldn't make out his words. Christine turned and began to walk quietly back.
"What are you doing?" Rafe whispered, following her. "Are you spying on them," he breathed into her neck, hovering behind her shoulders. There was a trace of laughter in his voice.
"Shh. She's my best friend. She'll tell me everything he's saying later tonight anyway. And I have to make sure nothing goes wrong. If this starts to take a bad turn, I have to be here to make a convenient entrance and bail her out. They're my family, two of the people I love most in this world, and I couldn't stand to see either of them hurt. If you call that spying, then yes, I am."
Rafe kissed the back of her neck lightly. "I know. Raoul and I came through our roughest years together. He was like a brother to me throughout our teenage years. I understand. We are, however, running out of wood, and I think I can trust you to keep this situation with our "siblings" under control. Don;t wander off and get lost, hmm?" She swatted at him without even looking, intent on hearing the conversation, but Rafe was already gone.
"Do you think they've gone yet?" Raoul's voice asked in normal conversation volume.
"Probably. It's been about ten minutes," Meg's voice responded quietly. Quiet was her normal volume, though.
"Good. I really did want to talk to you, Meg, but I wanted it to be private. I knew pretending to say things which make you blush in such a pretty, maidenly manner would run them off!" He laughed, and Meg joined in softly. "Meg," he said gently. "I find myself... thinking of you often. Increasingly often, it seems. I realize it seems a bit ridiculous, since I only just began to understand that Christine doesn't love me, and my love for her will die slowly. But you are such a different person! I am drawn to you calm, you self-assurance, your... innocence. I don't know if I can ever come to love you, but I want to try. If I ask your mother for permission, may I court you?"
There was a long silence, which quickly turned awkward for Raoul. Suddenly Christine heard Meg laugh, and she could imagine her friend hugging him. "Yes," she breathed, "yes. yes. I would like nothing better." Christine could make an accurate guess as to what would happen next, so she quietly slipped through the shadows to the edge of the firelight. Just as she'd predicted, the pair was close together on the log, and Raoul leaned in to slowly claim Meg's lips. Christine knew it was Meg's first kiss, and almost revealed herself by laughing in pleasure. Meg was at first resistant, more shocked than anything, but slowly she gave in to Raoul's persistence. Their kiss was sweet and tender, unhurried, as though they had an eternity to begin to know each other.
Christine's joy quickly began to fade as she remembered her own last kiss. It had been so different from the one she witnessed now. There had been no room for patience, for tenderness. It had been frantic, almost desperate, and passionate, fueled by the hunger for a love long denied consummation. She touched her lips softly, still remembering the taste of him, as tears filled her eyes. Suddenly, she realized how cold the night had become. Suddenly, she knew how lost she was, how utterly alone. Her tears spilled over, and she sank to the ground, burying her head in her knees, shaking with silent sobs.
It was only a few moments before Rafe found her, crying in a huddle on the forest floor. He dropped the load of wood he was carrying and ran to her, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around her.
"Christine, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked quietly as he pulled her into his lap. She buried her face into his shoulder.
"I'm so afraid to be alone," she whispered. "I can't live without him."
Rafe moved her away from him to look into her eyes. "Christine, you will never be alone, I promise you. I think I'm beginning to love you. So," he sighed seeing the slightly panicked look she gave him, "I cannot stand to see you broken like this. I will do everything in my power to find Erik. Promise me something, though."
"What is it?"
"If, for any reason, he refuses you, promise that you won't do anything... drastic. Promise me that if he breaks your heart, you'll give me the chance to mend it."
"I will promise as long as you will promise me something."
"Anything," he breathed.
"If, for any reason, he does not refuse me, promise that you won't do anything... drastic. Promise that if I break your heart, you'll give another woman the chance to mend it."
He stared at her face a moment, emerald eyes somber. "I promise."
"Then so do I."
"Come," he said, standing easily, even with Christine in his arms. "It's gotten cold, and you've had a very long day. It's time to get you to bed." He carried her back into the circle of firelight as Raoul and Meg broke apart sheepishly. Rafe raised an eyebrow at them, but did not seem surprised.
"Hmm. Getting along as well as usual, I see. Raoul, I think it's time we escorted these ladies safely to their beds, don't you? And sadly, I don't think that means accompanying them, my friend." Raoul grinned, then looked puzzled about Rafe's armful, but the green gaze clearly said "don't ask."
Raoul cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ahem, yes, to bed then. It's late, and I'm sure they have much meaningless female babble to discuss in minute and microscopic detail. Come, Meg," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the horses, helping her mount. Rafe carried a protesting Christine to her horse and finally set her down to help her into the saddle.
"Really, sir, I can walk on my own, you know," she told him impatiently. He chuckled softly, kissing her hand, and her anger melted. "But I appreciate your concern."
"Any time, my lady." Rafe bowed with flourish as Christine rolled her eyes. "Get on your horse," she demanded playfully.
"As you wish," he said as he bowed again, then smoothly mounted. The four rode off in companionable silence until they reached the stables, where they parted ways; the men went off alone to mull over the day's occurrences, while the two women hurried to Christine's room so they could discuss everything that was tumbling through their minds.