"You are sure she is with him?"

The red haired man shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"Yes I know for a fact she is with him"

Raoul De Changy grimaced as the man explained the ordeal he had witnessed Christine engage in.

Raoul ran a hand through his blonde hair, aggravated at what the man was sharing with him

"Soon" he told the man, and dismissed him from his presence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Erik awoke with Christine curled into a ball in the enclosure of his arms. He smiled as he remembered the actions that had taken place during the night. He still couldn't believe Christine had accepted his hand, and they had consummated their love by showing each other in a way that was stronger than words. Christine had given her body willingly to him, and now she was going to be his wife. Wife… Christine will be my wife. He couldn't believe that those words were actually forming a legitimate sentence in his mind. The love for the woman curled into his arms grew stronger everyday until he was sure his heart would implode with passion. Her smile weakened his knees; her laughter took his breath away. He was madly in love, and it was returned with an intensity he did not think possible to come out of a woman so small.

She was his music, his life, his love.

"Floating, falling, sweet intoxication Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation"

He sang softly to her, hoping she could hear his love for her in the words he had sang to her their first night together. Looking around, he noticed it was still dark outside. He rose from the bed, careful not to wake her and approached the window. He had always known the night to hold such beauty, but now he looked at the sky through awakened eyes. He appreciated the way the glow of the moonlight caressed the ground, the way the night called to him in such beauty and passion. It now represented his love in so many ways. His life had been so dark and forlorn; his black soul had only been comforted in the fervent love of his music and he had feared a lonesome life. Until… he thought with a comforted smile. He looked back at his angel, her hair feathered on the pillows, her tiny frame clinging to the pillow for warmth. He glanced once more at the beauty of the night and decided to take a walk. It would be only a short walk; he didn't want Christine to wake in an empty bed. He walked over and drew his pants and shirt back on. He laced his shoes and walked over to the desk. Just in case Christine awakened, he wanted her to know he had not left her for to long. Placing the note gently on the pillow he kissed her brow.

"I love you" he murmured gently and left the room, heading to the gardens he had been in previously.

Once outside he decided to walk to the same garden he had proposed to Christine. He walked as in a daze, happy and with not a care in the world. Never once had he felt an emotion like this before. He stopped walking when he reached the garden, he was quite some distance from the manor now and he was happy for the solitude. He was accustoming to being awake after the world had taken its rest. He walked over to one of the numerous roses that adored the garden. He ran a hand gently down the stem, being careful not to brush too harshly against the thorns. Nadir once told him he was like this flower in all its majesty. He had laughed at the idea, but now the thought entered his mind again. Roses were his sign of affection, and the obsession with them had begun with Christine. He had always left a rose telling her silently that he had appreciated her work, or sometimes it was for the mere fact that he was thinking of her, although he didn't propose she knew his intentions then.

Erik was so consumed in his adoration of the gardens he didn't notice the movement behind him. He reached for the flower, intent on plucking it from it's resting place when the world went black.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Raoul looked down at the man who had caused him so much pain. He spit at him, the filthy glob landing on the Erik's mask.. You wear a mask to hide your hideous face monster Raoul thought. He glanced in the direction of the red haired man, who was now leaning against a tree holding a bloody club.

Raoul looked down at the man again, blood running from somewhere behind his head, "Is he dead?" he asked the man against the tree.

The man stretched against the tree, a look of knowing across his face. He spat at the ground and ran a hand through his fine hair "He's not, just knocked out cold"

Raoul sneered at the man "I told you I wanted him dead"

The man laughed "Oh trust me, he will be by the time I'm done with him".

Raoul glanced down at the masked musician "Rid the world of this monstrosity" he said while strolling away casually. He handed the man another sack of money and proceeded to make his way to the nearby horse.

The red haired man shouted after him "Where are you going?"

Raoul turned a grin across his handsome features "To claim with his rightfully mine".

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Christine smiled as she rolled over, reaching a hand out for her sleeping lover. Her hand found nothing, except a piece of paper. She frowned as she opened her eyes and read the parchment.

Dearest Love,

I have gone for a walk, I shall be back shortly. I love you more than life my dear angel.

Eternally yours,

Erik

Christine smiled, how like Erik to write her a simple note. She looked at the window, it was later in the morning and she wondered how long he had been gone. She heard a knock at the door and realized she wasn't in any clothes at all.

"Just a minute!"

She looked around the room and decided to wear Erik's dark robe. She hoped he wouldn't mind, but right now she didn't have much of a choice. She opened the door to see a energetic Maryanne and a frowning Nadir. As soon as Nadir caught sight of her, he turned around and cleared his throat quite loudly. He excused himself saying he had "errands" to do and walked down the hall faster than thought possible. Christine laughed and pulled Maryanne into the room with her.

"Madam, would you like to get situated for the day?"

Christine laughed; Maryanne was such a friend to her, that she found it amusing that she still called her Christine.

She nodded and followed Maryanne down the hall to her room. Once inside her chambers, Maryanne turned back into the friend Christine knew of.

"Now where have You been?" Maryanne asked, a giggle rising in her throat.

Christine said nothing but flashed the ring that was still adorning her hand.

Maryanne's face lit up automatically, "Are you…?" she began.

"I'm getting married!"

Maryanne let out a screech of joy and wrapped her arms tightly around her friend. She called for Nadir countless time before the Persian ran frantically into the room.

"What? What is wrong?" he asked, running over to both women, a look of concern darkening his already tanned skin.

Christine flashed the ring to Nadir as well, and soon found herself being lifted into the air. Nadir swung her around laughing and calling for Meg and Antoinette.

Moments later both woman ran in, looking as haggard as Nadir had moments earlier. Their faces showed both amusement and concern at the witness of Nadir swinging the now dizzy Christine. He let her down and told the women.

"Christine is getting married!"

Meg shrieked and ran over to her friend, asking her a question a second. Christine soon found herself telling the story from lasts night's events but excluding the aftermath. After a while another maid entered the room, informing the group that an unknown man was at the door. Nadir told the ladies to straighten up while he answered the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nadir instantly recognized the man at the door; it was one of the stable boys. He looked rather upset and was holding something in his hand.

"What is it boy?" Nadir asked

The boy fumbled with the object he now kept behind his back.

"I found something out in the pasture today, near the gardens".

Nadir found himself annoyed "and that would be?"

The boy's face dropped as he presented Nadir with the object in his hand. It took a moment for Nadir to realize what it was.

"Nadir who ever was at the door!" Christine's voice echoed through out the manor as she descended the stairs. Her eyes fell on the stable boy and she gave him a warm smile. She looked at Nadir, his face expressionless… and then she saw it. His mask… Erik's mask, covered in blood. She knew Nadir was speaking to her as she starred at her lovers mask….his mask. Her body was in total shock. She fell to her knees as a sea of black clouded her vision, Erik's face the last thing she thought of.

Tell me what you guys think!

-Eternally yours,

AesSedia