Erik's POV

To hear Christine's voice again after so many years was certainly a gift. My anger for her slowly slipped away as she stood before me singing a song from long ago. She seemed nervous as she sang, for she wasn't standing still and her hands were nervously twitching.

"What's wrong?" I asked, cutting into her song. "You're not acting like yourself."

"I…I'm sorry, it's just that I find it hard to sing when there is no music playing."

"I'm sorry that I haven't a piano to play on," I began. "But music is all around us. Can't you just imagine what the music would sound like?"

Christine shrugged. "I don't know… I…I just find it a little hard to do so."

"Tomorrow I will have to think of something else," I said. "Something to help you hear the music."

Knowing that our lesson was over, I turned back to my desk and began to file through my papers. I thought the girl was going to let herself out, but as the moments passed, she was still standing behind me.

"Do you need an invitation to let yourself out?"

"No, of course not," she mewed. "I just thought we could talk."

I raised a curious brow. "About what? I don't wish to speak with you, so why do you want to speak with me?"

"We used to have conversations for hours back at the Opera House."

"We're not at the Opera House now are we? The opera is done, the last notes have been played."

"Do…Do you miss it?"

"If you're asking if I miss living in a damp lair alone, the answer would be no. Do you miss your loving handsome husband? That's a question worth asking."

"I…I do miss him."

"That's what I thought. I know you're only here to hide from the authorities."

"He…He was poisoned. I didn't kill him…"

I rolled my eyes. "I know. You're not capable of murder."

"I still remember our last few days together. We had been arguing, arguing over something so stupid. I wish I could go back in time and do things differently."

"Well, Christine, I wish I could go back in time and change the day I ever met you. I wish I never bothered…"

I stood from my desk and turned to open my caravan door. I held it open and motioned Christine to leave.

"No you don't," Christine replied. "I know you don't regret what you did."

"And I know you don't regret leaving me to die in the woods."

The girl's jaw dropped, but I wasn't in the mood to listen to her.

"Why is it that you're so cruel? And you're not just cruel to me, you're cruel to everyone…What did the world do to you? What did your mother do to you?"

I squeezed my fist and held myself back from punching her.

"Don't you ever bring that woman up again, are we clear?"

"I don't understand why not… What did she do to you?"

The moment Christine brought the cruel woman up, horrible memories began to play out within my head. The woman not only verbally abused me, but she had physically done so as well. Fed up with Christine's nagging, I pushed her out the door, causing her to fall on her face. When she rolled over, she seemed shocked that I had gotten physical with her.

"If you ever bring up anyone from my past again, pushing you out the door will be the least of your worries, Christine. You are an employee! My employee…remember that!"

And then, I left her lying there and continued with my day. Later that night, I made my way out into my camp while everyone was working. I hated crowds and I never usually ventured out while the shows were going on, but once in a while I liked to surprise my employees to see if they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. The customers gawked at me as I passed each performer… I watched my jugglers juggle all sorts of objects and then, headed towards the tent to watch the acrobats. Though, as I was doing so, I couldn't help but feel as though I was being watched. I ignored the feeling for a while and continued to make my way through my camp. Though, as I was leaving the tent, I heard a strange sound coming from a short distance away. Curious, I traveled towards the sound which was coming from behind a tree. The area was pitch black and if it wasn't for the lantern I was holding up to light my way I was sure I wouldn't have been able to see a thing. Though as soon as I came around the corner, what I saw sent my blood boiling… There, on the ground was one of my female employees and a strange man I had never seen before screwing their brains out.

"And what is this?" I snapped, pulling my female employee off the man.

The man hurried to his feet and pulled up his trousers, cussing as he did so. At first, I believed that my employee had done this out of love, but when the man tossed a few coins at her before scurrying off, I knew otherwise.

"You have no right," she began, picking up the coins.

"I have every right! I run a clean and family oriented camp. What you're doing is not only disgusting, but disrespectful to me!"

The employee standing before me was Miss Fleck, one of my best acrobats. And yet, here she was prostituting herself out to customers behind my back.

"I'm tired of working every night for nothing more than a few francs. This camp could be more…"

"What? A traveling brothel! You're finished with this camp, do you hear me? FINISHED!"

"You can't do that!" she cried.

"I can do what I wish! I am the owner!"

Later that evening when the show was finished and my employees were busy cleaning up the tent, I rounded everyone together for a meeting. I know I had everyone confused including Nadir, but what I saw tonight was unacceptable and I wasn't going to stand for it. When everyone was gathered around, I started the meeting.

"I understand that mostly everyone is confused on why I'm holding a meeting this late in the evening, but I have certain things that need to be discussed! Tonight I spotted one of my employees prostituting themselves to a paying customer. As you are all aware, that is unacceptable in my camp. Punishment is in order for that employee… When I asked why they did it, they told me it's because of their pay. If anyone else has a problem with their pay, I suggest they step forward now…"

Everyone seemed shocked, and when no one came forward, I nodded.

"Good… Now that we've cleared that up, I just want to let everyone know that disobeying the rules in my camp will get you shunned. And now, because of Miss Fleck's insubordination, she will be not be joining us on our journey to the next town."

Once I mentioned her name, everyone began to chatter. I dismissed myself from the meeting and began my journey back to my caravan when I spotted Nadir chasing after me.

"Persian, I don't need your two sense added in this."

"Erik, you can't kick Miss Fleck out of the camp!"

"I can and I will… What I saw her doing tonight was distasteful to not only the camp, but to my reputation as a businessman."

"Fleck has no place else to go! She's been with you for five years! She's one of the first employees you hired when you started the camp."

"Go away, Persian!"

"She was in an abusive relationship and you took her in! You can't just leave her here…"

"And I'm just supposed to let what happened tonight slip right on by? Act as if nothing happened? Yes, that would just let everyone know that they can do whatever they wish and get away with it!"

"What she did wasn't right, Erik, but it shouldn't be something to be shunned over. Perhaps a few days without pay would be a better punishment."

That's where I drew the line! If there was one thing I wasn't going to stand for, it was someone telling me how to punish one of my employees. I stopped right where I was and turned to face the man.

"You have no right telling me how to deal with one of my employees, Nadir. Now, if you wish to keep your job, I suggest you head back to your caravan and mind your own business."

"You can't kick Fleck out of the camp. It's not right…"

"You are my most trusted employee, Nadir, don't give me second thoughts about letting you keep that title."

"Don't make me choose sides, Erik, because if I'm forced to choose, I will and it won't be your side."

"You've changed…" I growled. "You're not the man I remember from years ago."

"You're right, I'm not… I stand on the side of right, not wrong, and you are most certainly in the wrong."

"It must be that whore you've married. I'm sure she has much to do with how you've changed."

The moment I called his wife a whore, the man ran at me, but I caught his wrist. The man was indeed strong, but I was stronger.

"You wouldn't want to strike your boss, now would you? That, Persian, would be the biggest mistake of your life."

I shoved the man away from me and continued walking towards my caravan.

"Goodnight, Persian…"

I thought I was alone, but when I returned to my caravan, Christine was there waiting for me. I rolled my eyes and pushed her out of the way so that I could get inside.

"You can't kick Miss Fleck out of the camp."

"Well, Nadir thought he could say that too, but you should ask him how that conversation ended. Goodnight, Christine, visiting hours are over…"

I was nearly inside my home, when the girl had the nerve to put her foot in the way so that I couldn't close the door.

"I believe I'm going to have to come up with a list of employees to banish come morning if you keep up this game. You, Fleck and Nadir could all become one big happy family."

"There could have been many reasons why Miss Fleck did what she did. Yes, it wasn't right, but it's over now. She knows what she's done and I think the guilt is enough."

"Fucking your brains out to a complete stranger holds no guilt… I think she knew what she was doing."

"Women get lonely, especially a woman like her… Maybe it felt nice to have some attention from somebody for once."

I rolled my eyes. "So what, am I going to find you with a customer tomorrow night?"

"You have no feelings at all do you? Do you not get lonely? Do you not crave company from a woman every once in a while?"
"This isn't about me! It's about what she did!"

"And what makes her any different than you?"

"Because I am the owner of this camp and I make the rules!"

"I think you're jealous! Jealous that a freak like her was able to lure a man to sleep with her!"

I totally lost it the moment she said those exact words… I immediately grabbed the girl and forced her inside my caravan. She was attempting to fight me off, but it was no use… I tossed her down on my bed and grabbed the skirts of her dress. Jealous! I was going to show her just how jealous I was!

"Am I jealous now!" I growled, forcing her hands above her head as I pressed my hips close to hers. The woman screamed, but I covered her mouth with my hand.

I reached for the buttons of my trousers when everything slowed down…. I looked at the girl that was crying and pinned down to my bed and realized what I was doing. The innocent child I had once cared for flashed through my brain and I saw everything. I saw her smile and how small she once had been. I had been her angel of music and now, I was going to force myself upon her out of rage… I was such a monster… I fastened the buttons of my trousers and pulled myself away from her.

"Go…" I cried, covering my masked face with one hand and pointing to the door with the other. "Get out of here…"

The girl had tears streaming down her cheeks and her dress was torn at the sleeve. She limped towards the door and continued to sob, even after she left. And when the door closed behind her, I sunk to my knees and tried to forget about what almost took place on that very bed.