Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful day. This chapter is a bit fluffy, as will future chapters, but I promise there will be some excitement. Please R&R! Enjoy!
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"Christine! Where are you?" Erik called, removing his mask and shoes after coming from outside.
"Up here!" She called from the loft. He went up to see the cozy site of her curled up on the window seat with a book, blanket draped over her skirts and a steaming cup of tea on the window seal. A small fire cast a warm glow in the room.
" May I join you?" He stepped in the room.
She smiled softly. " If you want, But I would recommend getting those clothes off."
He looked down at his dripping attire. He was so busy readying everything for the day ahead, he hadn't even realized it was pouring rain. "Good idea." He drew a hot bath and afterwards changed into a new, dry suit, patting his wig into place.
"You look nice." Christine looked at him appraisingly when he stepped in the room once more.
" Don't fool yourself" He said, expression darkening a bit " but thank you."
" What's the occasion?" She asked, putting aside the book and wrapping her small hands around the mug.
"Well, you can't wear Rookheeya's old dresses forever, and we need a few things for the house until the hype about us dies down. So I thought maybe you would want to come with me…"
Her eyes lit up in excitement. "Of course! Let me just grab my cloak and I'll be ready." She went to the coat closet and pulled out her cloak, flinging the cheery red fabric over her shoulders and casting the hood far over her face.
"Who will I be riding?" She asked, breathing vapors into the cold November air.
"Well since your shoulder is still healing, I chose the smoothest mount for you." They stepped into the warm barn, soft chewing and shuffling met them.
Darius stepped forward, leading their saddled mounts. "Here you are Monsieur Erik." Erik took Caesar's reigns and handed the other's to Christine.
"This is Adhira." Christine stepped forward and patted the Arabian's dappled gray neck. "Don't let her name deceive you. It may mean lighting, but she is actually very old now. She was Nadir's son's horse." The mare nuzzled Christine and blew into her hair, causing the girl to giggle softly. "Shall we go then?"
"Of course." Erik hoisted Christine as gently as possible into the saddle before turning and mounting himself. The rain had subsided so they pushed their mounts into a brisk trot.
The journey was quiet but pleasantly so, with few passers-by to gape at Erik's masked face. They rode side by side, enjoying the beautiful gray weather in stark contrast from the glowing orange leaves.
Once in town, Erik paid a young stable lad to wipe down and stable their horses while they continued on foot. It was a quaint, quiet town with few people to bother them as they went in and out of the small shops. Christine picked out a few simple dresses and had them tailored to her small frame before heading to get a few groceries. As they loaded them into a paper bags, Christine let out a small giggle. Erik raised his eyebrows. " A token for your thoughts, Mademoiselle?"
" Oh, I was just thinking how relived I am to have normal food. Don't get me wrong, It's not that I don't like Monsieur Nadir's cooking, it's just that if I have another dish with barley in it, I swear I'm going to scream." Erik laughed at this; a sweet, melodic sound that sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. It was nothing like the evil cackle she had heard in the Opera house.
Suddenly Christine noticed Erik grew very tense as she saw a small boy gaping at him behind them. She noticed the timid young mother holding the boy's hand was avoiding looking at them at all, rather finding the ground the most fascinating thing she had apparently ever seen.
"Mamma! Mamma look!" The small boy pulled on his mother's skirts, causing her to blush even more. "That man is wearing a mask. He looks funny, Mamma!"
"Benoit, please…"
Erik clenched his jaw, fists tightening into balls. She had to do something, and fast, before things got ugly. She kneeled down to the boys level and everyone, including Erik, looked at her in surprise.
"Hello there. I'm Mademoiselle Daae." He looked slightly confused, but returned the courtesy.
"I'm Benoit."
"Pleased to meet you, Benoit. But I couldn't help but hear you talking about my friend." He nodded " You see, I don't know if you know this, but it's what's in hear," She touched his heart gently "That matters, not what's out here." She playfully laid a finger on his nose.
"Oh," He giggled.
The mother finished her transaction and tugged little Benoit away from them, flustered.
They left and headed to a little café. Christine ordered for them. "We'll have two coffees and we'll split un croque monsieur, sil vous plait."
The waitress nodded and brought them their orders in no-time. Christine noticed Erik had grown very quiet.
"What's the matter, Angel?" She tucked a loose curl behind her ear.
"You didn't have to do that."
She looked taken aback. "Do what?"
"Stick up for me."
She smiled and squeezed his hand. "Of course I did." He grinned and she changed the subject. "How do you like your sandwich?"
Erik took a bite, causing some of the excessive amount of melted cheese to smear on his chin. Embarrassed, he wiped at it furiously with his handkerchief. When she saw his obvious discomfort, she took a rather un-lady-like bite of hers, causing the same result. He smiled gratefully as she dabbed it off. It's delicious. Excellent choice, Mon Ange."
They started off to the horses, bags in hand. Two stores caught there attention along the way, a pet store and a jewelry store. Beautiful diamond bracelets, necklaces, and rings. "Which one do you like, Christine?"
Her eyes lit up as she looked at the display. "That one."
Erik followed the direction of her glowing eyes until he found a simple little silver band with a tiny diamond perching on top. It was the simplest one there, but anything else would have looked too much on Christine. It was perfect, and Erik's heart melted as he watched Christine looking at it, big, chocolate eyes sparkling. Images of himself slipping that ring on her finger on their wedding flashed through his mind; that ring sparkling on her hand as she raised her children with it gently but firmly, and that same jeweled fingers intertwining with his own to their old age.
She broke the trance when she gently laid her hand on his sleeve. "Are you alright, Erik?"
He nodded, trying to shake the images from his mind. "Do you want to go anywhere else before we go?"
She nodded. "Could we go to the pet store really quickly?"
"Of course."
When they entered, the sound of puppies yipping and birds chirping welcomed them. Christine immediately went to the puppies while Erik walked to the birds.
He pitied the beautiful creatures, singing a song of desperation as they stayed contained their metal prison. He knew the feeling. To have so much beauty and wonder to show the world, but to be locked in a cage instead. He sighed and turned away, a new desperation of what he needed to do burning in his heart.
"I'll be back, Christine."
"But where are you-"
"I'll be back. Just stay here."
He strode into the jewelers, walking up to the counter. The jeweler looked up in surprise, startling slightly at the mask.
"The simple ring in the corner. What size is it?"
"A size five…"
"Perfect." It was a small size, and worst case scenario they could have it altered.
The man wrapped up the ring in a box carefully, then began writing the price in his ledger book. "So… what's this for?"
Erik looked up in surprise. "I, uh, I was going to propose to the women I love."
It was the man's turn to be surprised, but he didn't comment until Erik was almost out the door. "Heaven help that women." He chuckled under his breath. Erik bristled but tried to brush the comment off.
He found Christine coddling a fluff ball of a puppy, blubbering over it's big eyes. "Look Erik! Isn't he cute?"
She stuck it in his face. "Very. Would Christine… I, uh, would you like it?"
Her eyes grew as large as tea-saucers. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." Christine thanked him and he paid for the fur tiny ball in her arms.
Once outside, Christine tucked the puppy into her cloak as they mounted their horses. As they rode off, Erik's heart felt warmer than it ever had.
But even Erik didn't see the man watching them from the shadows, fervent anger burning within him.
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A/N: So like I said, the next few chapters will be very fluffy then we will find out who our mysterious stalker is! Merry Christmas and I hope you all will have an amazing new year! God bless
-JRNs