A/N: We get to see things from Christine's point of view a bit! Yay!
Christine had slept very well the night after she learned Erik's name. The utterance of it somewhat tickled her lips and made her smile. A name is a great gift for it holds a goodly amount of power. It gave her a bit of a thrill to think he had trusted her with this. She felt a warmth in her as she realised that after four long years of living in this tormenting Hell, she had finally made a friend. Nadir was of course a good man, and his son was adorable, but Erik was close to her own age. He may act and think a lot differently than she did, but it was still good to feel she had someone who could at least partially relate to her in some way.
This was the thought that carried her out of her room and into the sitting room. The kitchen and table off to the left and beside the front door gave her a lonely sort of look. She rarely used it, preferring to eat outside with the birds and the flowers. Taking a few pieces of fruit and bread, she headed out the large windowed doors that led out into the garden.
She sat on the edge of the pond as always and fed Petit a few chunks of her bread. She was amazed at how quickly he was growing, already too big to fit in her hands without struggle. His awkwardness was leaving him and a darker tone was starting to reveal itself beneath his storm-cloud grey down.
'Now don't get greedy, dear.' She scolded as the cygnet started to snatch an extra piece of bread from her hand. She watched as he walked over to the water and gracelessly jumped in. He seemed to laugh as he flicked his tail feathers at her when the water sprayed up from his sudden impact. She could not help but giggle at his child-like behaviour. She watched him longingly as he swam out farther into the water, stretching his wings on occasion. Yes, he was like a child to her. A very silly, feathered, and web-footed child. With a sad look down she felt her mind track to a place she was not anxious for it to go. It was a place she knew one day soon she would have to travel with Erik. She did not long for or look forward to that day. It only felt like she had just found some security in his presence, though she had promised to let him go. She enjoyed his company and his unbiased looks. He held no pity in his eye, and she liked it that way. Nadir was getting better, but he still looked at her as she would expect any father would. She had seen him give his son the same glances and pitied him for his ill fate in life.
Suddenly, from across the garden, she heard a few screeching yells. Rushing to see what it was, she found some of the harem girls –who were not supposed to be out of their special area- screaming and throwing things at a small lump on the ground. Without thought, Christine hurried closer to investigate. As she neared, she heard the girls yelling insults at the small, black lump.
Just as she was about to ask what it was, she saw a small head poke up at her approach. Looking now at the way it lay, she realised it was a bat, trying to shield itself from the rocks and other things the harem girls were throwing at it.
Hurrying over to it, she shielded it with her own back, hands delicately trying to see what was wrong with it and why it would not fly away.
'Stop! It's just a little bat!' She cried at the girls.
'It's horrible and disgusting!' One shouted back.
'And you are no better! Little toad!' Another, one of the girls who often gave her dirty looks when she sang, chimed in.
Christine barely noticed what they were saying as she continued to try to calm the animal and assess the damage. She did notice, however, when she felt the rocks start to hit her.
They stung and cut at her back, but she endured it, continuing to shelter the poor animal with her arms. One particularly painful projectile cut through her sleeve and grazed her skin. She saw the ruby line on her flesh form and winced at it.
It was this that Erik came across when he hurried to the sound of the screaming girls. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the crumpled lump of Christine as she leaned over something, her back bleeding in a few places. He felt something in him snap. Without thought, he rushed out at the girls, feeling their gazes fall upon him and instantly turn to fear. He bore himself up, taking on the imposing figure that earned him their unquestioning fright when put before the Khanum. He heard one whisper through her look of terror something about the Angel of Doom. He smiled wickedly at the moniker, but took his place in front of the still cowering Christine. He did not have to speak and the girls were quickly dashing off like dogs with their tails between their legs.
Christine heard the girls behind her squeal and scurry off, though it took her a moment to unfurl from her protective posture. Looking up, she saw Erik standing over her. He was quickly losing the tall and imposing figure he had taken on. His angular frame grown somehow higher in his grand shadow. She vaguely heard one of the girls squeal something about a skeleton face, but her mind was on other things.
'Erik,' she nearly whimpered.
He was at her side in an instant, ready to do whatever she needed in an instant. His hands hovered over her back, afraid to touch her. He was ready to rip those girls' heads off, but to touch Christine was a sin.
'They were throwing stones at him, calling him such horrid things, I just couldn't stand by.' She said through tears.
'Christine, you're hurt.' He nearly begged.
'Please say you'll help him.' She offered. His confused look was quickly answered when she lifted up in her arms a lumpy, black leathered creature. Slowly it began to unfold, revealing a softly furred head.
'A bat?' He asked, amazed she would dare to hold it so close. Most women he had known were terrified of the nocturnal animals.
'Please, his wing is injured, and I fear he may not be able to fly.' She explained, gently stroking its back in a soothing way. The animal continued to unfurl, bringing its little hands up to clutch at her collarbones in a strange sort of plea for security.
Erik made a decision right then, and he knew a part of him would forever live to regret it, but he could see no other way he wanted it to go.
'Come with me. I'll get both of you bandaged.' He stood, offering his hand to her. He had never touched her before, and she had only ever touched the leather of his mask, so the sensation that coursed through him like a bolt of lightning caught him by complete surprise when his skin met hers. Thankfully, it did not seem to affect her the same way as she looked at him expectantly when he had found himself frozen in place by her touch. It was an odd sort of feeling, at once painful, yet letting go was an unbearable thought he did not wish to entertain.
It was in this daze that Erik led Christine, still holding her new animal friend to her protectively, up to his apartment. He hardly heard her gasp when they entered, already focused on getting the necessary supplies. Her hand slipped effortlessly from his as he rushed off to the bathroom.
When he came back in, he felt once again like he were frozen with shock, for Christine had situated herself on the divan so perfectly he wondered how he had ever seen it without her there on it. She made the already splendid apartment look wondrous by her mere presence. Shaking his head of the absurdity of these thoughts, he hurried over to her and began organising the first aid supplies.
'Noir first.' She insisted when he had moved to examine her arm.
'Noir?' Erik looked at her in complete puzzlement until she looked down at the bat still clinging to her. He shook his head again at her choice of names.
'What? You don't think it suits him?' She asked, somewhat hurt by his lack of faith in her naming abilities.
'No, I just was not expecting you to name him yet.' He laughed lightly at this, prying the still frightened bat off of her.
He laid it out on its belly and examined it carefully. He saw where a bit of its membranes were torn. He felt a stab of pity when he realised Christine was probably right, little Noir would probably not fly again. He worked as quickly and gently as he could while Christine dutifully comforted it, cooing soft words as she bent over to look it in the eye. It was somewhat pleasing for Erik to see her kindness, though the sight of her still bleeding back made his heart drop. He hoped she would not have scars from this. If any part of her flawless skin was marred by those little witches, he would personally ensure their lengthy and painful demise.
'There, now, let me see to you.' Erik told her, setting Noir down on the floor so he could roam about a bit. However, the bat contented himself to hiding under the divan beneath Christine.
She sighed and turned, pulling her long and heavy hair out of the way for him. She waited for him to touch her, but it did not come. The only sound she could hear were his breathing, which was somewhat ragged. Looking back, she only saw him staring at her as if he did not know what to do.
'Is it that bad?' She asked, wincing at the idea that there may be a gruesome injury.
'What? Oh, I'm not sure. I need…may I?' He looked at her, hand partially outstretched to her, but his long, slender fingers were pulled back timidly.
She wondered at his care and nodded. She had to hold in a gasp when he touched her, his fingers feeling like ice on her skin. She had hoped he would not notice, but she felt her skin turn to gooseflesh.
'I'm sorry.' He said in a somewhat small voice. 'I'll work quickly.'
'No, it's all right; I don't mind.' She assured him. It seemed to give him courage, though he kept his contact light as he worked.
'Why did you intervene like that?' He asked at length.
'They were hurting him. I couldn't let him just be stoned to death.' She told him as if it were terrible to think otherwise. 'Besides, they were only hurting him because they were scared. They thought he was ugly because he startled them. I bet you were only trying to get at the papaya tree, weren't you Noir?' She asked down under the divan. The bat seemed to give a little squeak of confirmation at this, causing her to smile all the wider.
'Don't you think he's scary?' Erik asked, feeling his own experiences resting upon her answer.
'Of course not. Do you?' She turned to look at him.
Erik was admittedly shocked by her answer and the certainty she had in it. She looked at him and this little creature of the night as if they were perfectly acceptable. Most women -most people- would have run screaming or started pelting them with rocks like those girls had, but not Christine. She looked out for them and protect them from the evils of this world. He found himself wondering if her eyesight was faulty when her next question tore him from his thoughts.
'Do you happen to have any fruit?' She asked, cocking her head at his thought filled eyes. 'I left some outside, but the birds have probably made off with it by now.' She explained sheepishly.
'I think I might have some in the kitchen.' He gestured vaguely off to the rarely used area of his apartment. 'Why, are you hungry?'
'No, I just thought Noir might like a snack.' She explained, already rising from the divan and making her way into the appointed room.
She found it neat and very tidy, showing its limited use. Judging by his skin and bone frame, she guessed Erik did not eat very much. She worried momentarily if he was sick, though he appeared as healthy now as the day she met him. Besides, Nadir had warned her once that Erik was more than a little unusual. Finding a nice, ripe pear, she headed back into the living room.
She was instantly struck by his sleek, yet striking figure. Out of doors it was easy to forget how tall he was and how lean his appendages were. He must have easily been over six feet tall with narrow shoulders and long legs. His sweeping cloak, though now hung up beside the door, only ever served to heighten this look. His carefully slicked back hair gleamed ebony in the early afternoon sunlight. It matched his eyes, so dark a brown she wondered if they were not truly black, yet she saw them glint slightly in the right light, much like a cat's.
He stood over his desk, his bonelike fingers working gracefully as always. Despite his intimidating stature and gaunt frame, he moved with all of the fluid elegance and intentioned poise of the felines he so resembled.
He must have felt her stare, for he turned, his eyes instantly flashing with fear before the imposing and confident nature took over to save him. It was his defence, but she saw right through it. He watched her as she discreetly tried to hide the fact that she had been staring at him by coming over to where the bat still hid.
Finally, she coaxed the animal out and back into her arms, holding the fruit a bit away from him as she made her way over to Erik.
'Here, you should feed him. He'll like you better then.' She explained, handing the pear to him and altering her hold on the bat.
'Something tells me he's going to be living here.' Erik looked at her as she ducked her head to hide her blush.
'Nadir doesn't like me having pets. He says I shouldn't make a commitment like taking care of another.' She told him, a bit of sadness creeping into her voice.
'Why is that?' Erik sensed, by the way her shoulders came up ever so slightly that this was the secret she did not wish to reveal. He felt her shying away, drawing into herself, as the silence continued between them. He decided it would be best to change the subject. She would tell him when she was ready.
'Would you like to see my lizard?' He asked, suddenly more excited than he thought he would be.
She brightened instantly at this and waited patiently for him to bring out the terrarium to place it on a table in the corner. She peered over the glass, having put the bat on a piece of decorative accent in the corner of the ceiling and study area wall.
'Oh, I know you, you used to come visit me.' She beamed down at the little reptile, enjoying how his scaled head cocked to look at her better.
'Does he have a French name, too?' Erik asked, waiting for something as childlike as the other names she had come up with.
'No, but I think he should be Fred.' She told him with all seriousness.
'Fred?' He gave her a deadpan look.
'Short for Frederick.' She explained, holding in a bit of laughter.
'I know what it's short for, but why name a lizard Frederick?' He asked, growing a little confused by her odd insistences.
'I'm not. I'm naming him Fred. Doesn't he look like a Fred?' She pointed to him as if there were physical evidence of his true title.
'I don't think he looks like an anything, he's a lizard.' Erik argued, trying to prove the ridiculousness of her claim.
'Well, I'm calling him Fred. You can name him whatever you like.' She crossed her arms and turned her back to him. This clearly ended the argument, though Erik felt himself grimace at all the bandages on her back. He had been glad they were only shallow cuts, not likely to scar, but the idea that she endured so much pain for the sake of one animal made him wonder at her. She was becoming less like a bird and more like a guardian angel as he saw further evidence of her unwavering kindness towards the commonly shunned creatures of the world.
She wandered idly over to a small table just inside one of the open doors that led out onto the balcony and paused. Erik felt himself hold his breath as she cautiously approached it as if the object on top was not real. He watched her fingers curl around the neck of his violin with such delicacy he wondered if they actually touched. Picking it up reverently, she held it in her hands as if it were a precious new-born child. Her eyes were distant and her smile was of a softness he knew he would never earn.
'Please don't.' He managed out tensely. He stepped to her side as she suddenly snapped back to the present at his voice. She looked down as she replaced the instrument, her fingertips savouring the smooth feel of the wood.
'I'm sorry,' she apologised, turning back to him with her head still lowered. 'I should have asked. I didn't know you played.' She looked up at him now, her long eyelashes glistening with a few unfallen tears.
'Yes, it helps me relax.' He noted guardedly.
She smiled almost as if it were the only acceptable answer. She nodded her agreement and turned to the balcony.
'I think you would have liked my father.' She told him as he tentatively came to stand beside her. She was a true vision in her soft blue with the sunlight dancing through her hair and a slight breeze blowing through the loose fabric of her long skirt.
'He was very kind and cared about every living thing. He always told me that animals were only scary if you did not take the time to understand them. He taught me how to act around them so as not to frighten them. He said trust was something that had to be earned, but that a good first impression always helped.' She grinned at Erik at this.
Erik listened intently, wondering what such a man would see in him. Would he be afraid as everyone was? Would he approve of his obviously precious daughter knowing him? Him, the strange man in a mask who hungered for power? Probably not.
'You know, it's strange. I never learned to play violin, but I remember every note of the requiem he wrote for my mother.' She gazed off distantly again.
'You're Catholic?' Erik found this surprising, given her love for animals and the way she treated them as if they were human. He still burned with the words the priest had so foolishly said, "Animals don't have souls."
'I was raised Catholic, but I've since given up the faith. I think I grew out of the need to believe in God. Humans made this world the way it is, and saying there's someone up there running it all is just an excuse for all of man's mistakes.' She explained, starting to sneer slightly at the thought of all man had done wrong in his long rule.
'Yes, I came to a similar conclusion. I had a few bad experiences with faith.' He looked away at the memories which encroached on his mind. He could still hear the Father's exorcism echoing through his ears, the thoughtless words he had so coldly said about the only thing Erik had ever loved. Yes, those experiences were enough to make him lose faith.
Christine watched as something passed over Erik. She could almost see the unwanted memories coming to take him away to some dark place he did not wish to know. She reached out to him and gently rested her hand on his arm.
Erik snapped his attention back to Christine to see her looking into his eyes with the most softly reassuring look he had ever seen. He realised how he had let his guard down around her. Instantly, he pulled himself free from her hand which had somehow managed to find its way to his arm. Though he enjoyed her trust in him, he could not help but feel bitter over the fact that it would not last. She would turn away one day soon and he would be back to where he had started. He worried now if he would be the same after losing her. Had she come to mean so much to him in such a short period of time that he would not be able to let go?
He was about to do something to potentially answer his question when there came a rather formal knock at his door. He knew instantly what it meant. He was being summoned.
Answering the door found this to be true, though the young messenger boy seemed quite confused at finding Christine in Erik's apartment as well.
'You are both summoned to come before the Khanum immediately.' The now flustered boy told them. He looked no more that thirteen, and extremely afraid to disobey his orders.
'I am coming.' Christine assured him, stepping forward to follow.
Erik watched the boy with growing discomfort as the lad's eyes grew wide at the sight of Christine. He did not like having her admired by another. This sent a pang of frustration through him as he felt Nadir's words coming back to him. No, he would not try to possess her like some kind of jewel. She was more than just another pretty stone. She was a person. He knew better than anyone that people should never be possessed. Something told him Christine understood that too.
'Coming Erik?' She asked, dragging him from his thoughts.
Erik eyed the boy still staring at the beauty before him, and feigned a begrudging groan before agreeing.
A/N: Such a touching moment, but of course the Khanum could not let it last. I hope you all enjoyed this, the next chapter (coming out Friday to a Fanfiction near you) will shake things up quite a bit, so hold onto your feels.