"Now girls, that is all until after lunch. I must rest my voice and you must go fill your stomachs." I say as I close the book and proceed to releasing my class of disappointed girls.

"Mrs. Rose!" Ms. Grasmere calls as I step into the den.

"Yes?"

"I have your lunch prepared. Your husband is waiting for you in the dining room." she answers cheerfully.

"Why thank you... You didn't have to..." I begin.

"No. None of this! You go and enjoy your lunch! You have to finish that story today! The class will be leaving tomorrow!" she orders in a cheerful yet stern manner.

"Thank you!" I call as she pushes me into the dining room.

After a kiss from my husband, we enjoy the lovely lunch Ms. Grasmere prepared for us. Her food was heavenly and filled the nagging hunger in the pit of my stomach.

"Are you up for reading the rest of that book to those girls? You look awfully tired." my husband inquires concerning as he caresses my cheeks with his hand.

"Yes I am love. I want to finish that book. I feel as though I must... Not just for my class, but... I really don't understand why yet. I just have too..." I reply as I kiss him farewell and enter the reading room where my class of young girls, silenced immediately and smiles flashed from all around.

"Are you ready class?" I inquired as I sit down in my chair and open the book.

"Yes Madame." I hear from them in unison.

Sam

And so my journey continued through the deserts of Egypt and into some of the most barren lands on this earth. Over the seas and through the many countries I ventured until I came upon a quaint town in Dieppe, France... It took many weeks to reach here, perhaps even months...My memories of the endless seas I crossed became vague with time. I still had not discovered how Christian moved Nicole so quickly. I had been told by many I had spoken with he was a sorcerer and flew her to a church in France. Maybe it was my imagination... or could it have taken him as long as I to reach here? I deduced he spread the rumor of his plans early, to perhaps confuse me. It almost worked. Still many questions were unanswered...

If he had taken as long as I to reach here, how did he keep her alive for so long? Why did she not try to escape? Did she have a choice? I pushed these thoughts aside as we entered the quite streets in the dead of night. The full moon, masked by the clouds as they raced across the sky. The wind moaned and the trees groaned. The leaves danced beneath my feet. The eerie reality had finally set in.

A friend I had made on my journey, Gabriel, had confirmed that Christian was a crafty person. Gabriel was an adventurer, a few years younger than I. He had come from Italy, searching for work and a challenge. I admired his spirit and I had needed some company so I told him he could tag along.

"That Christian iz' a mortal devil he iz'. I watched him one day in Italy as your beloved was enjoying ze' Carnival." Gabriel spoke, his Italian merging with English, as he stared off into the starry sky, "He hid in the bushes, watching her... I told my brothers that there was a crook about and they went to sort him out. If it weren't for Nicole butting in and ending the fight, Christian may not have lived to see another day."

We had been walking for some time. That is when we came upon an old woman weeping in the middle of the street.

"That sound!!! Oh the noise!!!" she cried to the heavens as she covered her ears with her hands, lying in the center of the road.

"Madame?! Madame?! What is wrong? What noise ails you so?" I inquired as Gabriel tried to lift her to her feet.

"The church!!! Oh the church!! A women shrieks in pain and the devil holds her captive!!! Oh Mary!!! Mother of God!!! Save Her!!" She replied falling to her knees before us, praying.

"Gabriel... Make sure she has a place to stay and nourishment... I must go alone." I ordered as he stared at the old woman in bewilderment.

"I know you! Yes I know you my good son... The savior has come!!!" the old woman cried madly as Gabriel helped to her feet once more and walked with along the streets to who knows where.

He turned to look back at me one last time and I nodded to him... My goodbye to a good friend.

As Gabriel and his newest friend disappeared into the shadowed sky, my ears picked up the slightest sound. Something so high pitched that only one with an acute sense of hearing could even pick it up.

The old woman was a sign... I am close...

I quickened my pace towards the church. Lights danced through the windows as it came into view from behind the trees. The screams were becoming louder as I searched for an entrance.

"Not through the front door Sam... He might ambush me... I wonder if there is a back way in." I thought to myself as a few rain drops landed upon my arm.

"I must hurry... It appears it is about to storm." I sigh as a roll of thunder echoed from behind.

The wind began to howl now and the trees creaked and groaned as the wind manipulated them like a puppeteer and his puppets.

I soon discovered that there was no other way but to enter from the front. This worried me some but not enough to discourage me. I could here Nicole's screams piercing through the howling wind. I had one advantage over Christian... A pistol if needed was in my breast pocket; Locked and Fully Loaded. Along with a sword, a few daggers, and a rope, I entered the church through the front and bared witness to a sight which still haunts me to this day.

As my feet fell upon the red velvet carpet of the church, Nicole's cry hit me with its full force, nearly bursting my eardrums. She was hung upon the cross as Jesus was depicted. Instead of nails driven into her hands were a two of her most treasured daggers. Blood ran down her arms and stained the white dress she was wearing. It appeared to be a bridal dress... It seems she refused Christian's proposal and she was now suffering an inhumane punishment.

Her long white hair, dripping red, masked her face, but I could still hear her sobs. Her feet dangled over a pit of fire and it appeared that the fire was growing higher.

A time limit.

I could envision what he told her as he tore of her clothes and forced the wedding dress upon her, as he drove those daggers into her hands.

'Marry me, or suffer. If no happiness can be given to me, then we both shall suffer for all eternity.'

The bastard, he shall burn forever in the pit of hell. I will make sure of it, even if I have to take him with me!!

"Nicole!" I shouted over the roar of the flames and the growls of the approaching storm.

'Sam?" she inquired hoarsely. Her voice nearly deteriorated from her shouts.

I run quickly towards her, preparing for any surprise attack.

"Sam... Sam I..." Nicole tried to speak but her voice was nearly gone.

"I know... I know... everything is going to be all right... I promise..." I replied as I pulled the daggers from her hands and pulled her gently into my arms.

She was weak and couldn't walk, so I moved her away from the flames and lay her on a pew.

"Sam I'm sorry." she whispered as I tended to her wounds, ripping my shirt into strips.

"It's all right my love... Now this may hurt a little." I told her as I wrapped the strips around her hands and her wrists which were cut and bleeding profusely.

I next attended to her blacked feet. There were a few minor burns but they would heal in due time.

"Sam... Christian he's..." she spoke softly as she pointed with her bandaged hand towards a room near the cross.

"Thank you Nicole.. I shall be back for you." I say gently as I kiss her forehead.

"Sam... Wait.." she says as loudly as she can, "He's insane... He'll... He'll kill you... Please..,. Be careful..."

And with this she collapsed. Her strength drained past the point of her physical capabilities.

This is it... This is where it all ends... For Nicole... For Love...