Chapter Five

Three days after the incident at the ball, Erik and Christine sat in the library playing chess. A fire crackled in the hearth, warming the room and adding a glow to Christine's face that didn't go unnoticed by Erik. " Check." Erik took a sip of his whiskey. "Darling how's your hand?" He inquired.

Christine moved her last piece besides the king, the bishop across the board then looked at her hand. "It's healing. I doubt there will be any scarring."

Erik took out the bishop she had just moved with his knight. "Checkmate."

"You win." Christine slumped back in her chair. "That's five for you. None for me." She sighed. Albert had always bested her at chess whenever they played back home in France. Not home. This is home now. She reminded herself. She wondered how Albert was healing. Had Erik ever wished he'd had siblings? Maybe a sister and brother. "Erik."

"Yes Christine?" He was setting the pieces back in their places on the board.

"Have you ever wanted siblings?"

He stopped, a pawn in his hand. Clearing his throat he set the pawn in it's place. "What do you mean?"

"I have a younger brother back in France. Albert. He's twelve." She twisted her fingers together. "He was an unexpected baby. My mother thought she wasn't able to have any more children after me. Then Albert came along when I was nine. My parents had given up hope that they would have another child." She sighed. "So did you ever wish for a sibling?"

"Sometimes. I didn't have any friends when I was growing up. I had a bad childhood. I was sent to a boy's academy when I was fifteen–."

"Your mother told me. I asked her about the scars on your back that I saw the morning after we got married and she told me the whole story. I'm so sorry that all of that happened to you Erik." She lifted his hand and kissed it.

"It was a long time ago, and I've risen above it. That's also why I train so much with my knights. So that I'm ready in case something like that happens again." Erik took another sip of his whiskey.

Mabel swept into the library, and Christine immediately sat straight up. "My King. There's a gentleman here. He says his name is Alabaster Drine."

Erik glanced at his queen. "Send him in." He told the housekeeper, then continued resetting the chessboard. Mabel left the room. A few minutes later Erik's Persian friend walked into the room. "Alabaster." Erik stood and embraced his childhood friend. "So nice to see you again."

"Likewise Prince Erik." The Persian smiled. "In fact I do believe it's King Erik now." His eyes shifted to Christine, and Erik felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him. "You must be the new Queen." He bowed. "I'm Alabaster Drine."

Christine stood, her face holding a certain shyness that Erik hadn't seen since she first arrived. "I am." She blushed.

Erik looked at his friend. "To what do we owe this visit?"

Alabaster turned back to Erik. "I've come to offer my congratulations on your marriage and coronation." He grinned. "I realize it's long overdue."

Erik smiled back at Alabaster. "Thank you old friend. From both of us."

Alabaster looked at the the grandfather clock, "I have to be returning to the town. I have a meeting in twenty minutes." He shook Erik's hand and bowed to Christine then turned and left the room.

Christine spoke up. "He seemed nice. How long have you known each other?" She sank into her chair.

Erik sat down across from her. Since white moved first he sent a pawn forward. "We met when my parents and I attended one of his family's parties."

"Lovely." She moved one of her rooks and knocked over the pawn Erik had just moved. "So, I hope you don't mind but I need to know. What happened with Giselle?"

Erik sighed, "I had hoped that she wouldn't show her vile face at the ball." He moved another pawn. "She and I met when we were teenagers. She was a duke's daughter, and she used her title and station to attract many eligible men. I was the only one who resisted her. As far as I know." Christine took out another pawn with the same rook. "So she made it her mission to seduce me and become pregnant so I would have no choice but to marry her. I saw right through her advances from the start, making a point to never be alone with her." He surveyed the board before making his next move. "She has most likely slept with all of the eligible titled bachelors in the country. Except me. I never fell for her fake personality. I saw that she was only interested in getting to the throne." Christine knocked over the knight he had just moved. "So I made my parents swear to never invite her to any of our parties. How she managed to receive an invitation to the ball is a mystery. My parents don't like her. They know about her attempts."

"So what's she done?"

Erik looked at his wife. "She's done just about everything, except removing her clothing. She almost did once in one of the rooms that has been closed off. But I left right after walking in and seeing who was in there." He moved one of his bishops, which Christine quickly took out. "You're getting good at this."

"I've been watching how you play." Christine smiled sweetly.

"I have an idea. How about a wager on who wins this game." Erik tapped his finger against his chin.

"Sounds exciting. What's your wager?"

He thought a minute. "How about... If I win, you take a ride with me to the lake and go ice skating again. And I get a few more kisses."

"And if I win?"

"What would you want?"

"Hmm. If I win, you take me outside to the training yard and show me how to defend myself should I be attacked when you're not around."

Erik grinned. "Sounds reasonable. Deal."

She extended her hand and he shook it firmly. "Deal. But I doubt you can beat me husband."

Erik grinned. "Well wife, I hope you're up for a challenge. Because I play to win."

The game was close. But in the end, Erik won. "Well, that was exciting."

Christine stood while Erik packed the statues into their box. "I'll meet you at the stables in fifteen minutes husband. I need to change into a warm dress and my boots."

"I'm already dressed warmly, I'll go saddle our horses."

Christine attempted to sweep past him but he caught her around the waist. "Nuh uh. Give me a kiss before you go change."

She giggled, stood on her toes, and planted her lips against his. "Better?"

Erik grinned like a cat who just caught a mouse. "Much. Now go change." He kissed her forehead.

Christine left the room, leaving Erik standing with the same silly grin. He waited a few minutes then strode from the room and went to the stables. One of the stable-boys saw him and raced to greet him. "Please bring Diablo and Ginger to the cross-ties so they can be saddled." Erik told the boy, who ran off to do his bidding. Erik went to the tack-room and pulled Diablo's saddle from the bar of wood attached to the wall. Another stable-boy came and took down Ginger's saddle. Erik was reminded of how Christine had fled the pond while using a side saddle and congratulated himself for having a regular saddle made for her.

Christine walked into the stable with the ties of both pairs of ice skates in one hand. Erik glanced at her then did a double-take, she stood there in a dark blue long sleeve dress with a black cloak and boots. Blue was very lovely on her, it brought out the color of her eyes. And he almost dropped Diablo's bridle. She looked at him and blushed. Erik quickly looked away. The stable-boy had Ginger saddled first, as Erik kept staring at Christine. She pulled herself up into the saddle, stuck her tongue out at Erik, and kicked Ginger into a gallop. There's my wildcat. Erik thought to himself. He turned his attention back to Diablo's saddle, adjusting the girth. Then raced off after her.

Christine giggled as she raced away from her husband. This was fun. Before long, she and Ginger came upon a fallen log on the road. Without hesitation, Ginger leaped over the log. Soon they were at the lake, and Christine let Ginger in the pasture with a bag oats. She sat down on the rock at the edge of the pond and tied on her blades before steeping out onto the ice.

She wondered what was taking her husband so long. He had been eager to kiss her in the library And she knew by the way he had kissed her at the ball last night that he desired her. She believed that by racing off without waiting for him would deepen his feelings for her. Only time would tell. She remembered a song she used to sing when she was a teenager. She hummed the intro then began to sing as she glided across the ice.

While Christine skated at the lake, Erik was racing after her. He spotted the fallen log and Diablo cleared it with ease. As he approached the pond he heard the most beautiful voice singing.

He rode up to the clearing and spotted his wife as she skated around the pond. He was about to dismount when he heard a cracking sound. The ice was breaking. "Christine!" He yelled. She turned around and raised her hand to wave at him when the ice gave way under her feet.

Erik's heart dropped into his stomach and he leaped off of Diablo's back, knowing the horse wouldn't go anywhere, and rushed out onto the ice. He lay on his stomach and slid up to the hole in the ice, sticking his arm in the freezing water and grasping a piece of fabric. It was Christine's cloak. Pulling on it he dragged her upper body out of the water. He heard a pop, just before her cloak slipped off her shoulders into his hand.

He watched in horror as her head went under again. It couldn't end like this. He looked around frantically and spotted a fallen tree branch near the edge of the pond closest to him. He stretched his foot out to the stick, pulling it closer until he could grasp it. Sticking the piece of branch into the icy water and held it. Nothing happened.

Erik was growing frantic with worry for his beloved's life. Desperately, he reached into the water again, feeling around for something. Anything. That was attached to his wife's body and he could get a good grip on. His hand and forearm were turning numb, just as he grasped something round and firm.

He pulled, and it was Christine's arm. He dropped his other arm into the water and pulled out her other arm. Pulling, he slid backwards and her head emerged from the icy blackness. She was limp, her skin pale and her lips blue. She was like a dead weight as he pulled her out of the water and off the ice.

"Christine." Erik cried. He had come so close to losing her to drowning. He sat on the ground with her in his arms. She was too cold. "Christine! Answer me. Please." He felt warm tears roll down the exposed side of his face. He held her limp form against his chest. "Come back to me."

Christine began coughing up water, turning her face away from him. She opened her eyes. "Erik. I'm so cold." Her eyes rolled back and she went limp again.

Erik pushed her hair out of her face. She wasn't moving at all. "No. No. Please. Stay with me love. Please. I'm right here." He begged.

He had to get her home before she caught a cold. Or worse. He didn't even want to think about what illness she could catch. He left her for a second to tie Ginger's reins to Diablo's saddle. He pulled off his own cloak and wrapped it around her. The air was cold and his shirt sleeves were damp, but he didn't notice. Christine could be dying and it could be all his fault for not getting her out of the water sooner. Carrying her to Diablo he laid her over the his shoulders then pulled himself up onto Diablo's back. He shifted Christine so that she leaned back against his chest and kicked Diablo hard enough to get him into a gallop. Ginger remained by Diablo's side, keeping pace with him.

She could be dying, all because of the stupid bet you made! The voice in his head practically yelled.

"I know."

You just realized you loved her, and then you go and make a stupid decision like that.

"I couldn't have known that the ice would break."

That doesn't matter. Your queen is fighting for her life. And it's all your fault.

"Shut up!" Erik almost yelled to the empty air.

He was glad that Diablo didn't need guidance to get to the castle. Within minutes they were passing the gate, thanks to the fast pace Erik had set. Two stable-boys rushed forward, one taking hold of Diablo's and Ginger's bridles. Erik passed Christine to the taller boy and dismounted, taking his wife back and racing to the servants entrance then up the stairs, yelling orders to bring a tub with warm water and towels to his room.

He kicked open the door to his bedroom and went to the chair by the fireplace, sitting down and cradling his freezing wife in his arms. "Oh Christine. I'm so sorry. I never should have bet that we would go ice skating." As he said 'ice skating' he looked at her feet where the blades were still tied to her boots. He reached to them with one hand and pulled at the laces. His fingers were cold and clumsy, but eventually he managed to release the laces, and the blades fell off her boots to clatter to the floor. Mabel knocked on the open door, and Erik nodded for her to come in. Two men carried in the wooden tub and several servants followed with buckets of warm water.

When the tub was full he dismissed everyone, including a confused Meg, who closed the door as she left. Once the door was closed he set Christine on the carpet and went to lock the door. That done he returned to his wife and went to work undressing her, tossing her frozen dress and both of their cloaks onto the floor. Once she was naked he picked her up and carried her to the bath and gently lowered her into the water.

She flinched when the warm water touched her skin, then her eyes opened and she focused on him. "Erik." She lifted one arm out of the bath to touch his furrowed brow, but he caught it and set it back in the water.

"Christine." He felt more tears form in his eyes, letting several fall down his face to land in the water. "I was so scared that I would lose you." Erik kissed her forehead, her cheeks, eyelids, and her lips, which were still blue. "I love you. I love you so much." He blurted out, then stiffened once the words had left his mouth.

Christine smiled at him, then closed her eyes and sighed.

He watched her for a long time as she rested in the water. When someone knocked on the door, he went to open it and a maid stood there with three large towels in her arms. She handed them to Erik and then walked away. Erik closed the door and locked it again before returning to his wife's side.

He tested the water and found it was cooling. "Christine, we should get you into something warm and tucked into bed. You're staying in my bed tonight." He helped her step out of the tub and used the towels to dry her off, then dressed her in the warm nightgown the maid had brought in with the towels. He picked her up when she looked a little wobbly and carried her to the bed where he set her on her feet so he could draw back the covers then helped her slip between the sheets. He took the heavy down comforter off of the back of the armchair by the fireplace and spread it out on top of the other blankets on the bed. Once he was satisfied she would be warm enough he quickly changed into warmer clothes before climbed into the bed next to her with his book. He was about to open the book when she touched his arm.

"Erik. Could you hold me?"

He had waited weeks to hear those words. Putting his book on the table by the bed he blew out the candle and lay down, pulling her into his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and her hand made it's way across his chest to his arm, tracing the raised line where he had been cut less than a month ago. He had healed quickly and could now flex his arm and move his arm without any pain. He had been lucky that the cut hadn't reached his arm muscle.

Rubbing her back he listened for the even breathing that would tell him she was asleep, but instead he heard soft humming. He turned his head and looked at her. "I heard you singing when I got to the pond before you fell in."

"Did you like my singing?" She asked with a blush.

"I did."

"Erik." She pulled her hand back to rest over his heart.

"Yes My Queen?" He flinched when he felt her cold palm against his chest.

"I thought the pond froze solid in winter."

Erik sighed. "I guess that the area you were in wasn't completely frozen yet. There are no fish in the pond in the winter because there's a small river that leads from the pond to a larger warmer lake. It has a boulder between the pond and the river that leaves a gap big enough for the fish and water to get through but deep enough that a layer of ice forms on top. So when the weather gets cold the fish migrate to the lake instead of staying in the pond. I think that the boulder was put in by someone who found the pond and wanted to use it to skate on."

"Ah." Christine kissed the side of Erik's rib-cage. "I guess I was lucky that you were there before the ice cracked. You must be my knight in shining armor." She laughed, then started coughing, it scared Erik.

"Darling, are you ill? Should I send for my mother?" He was about to sit up, but she calmly stopped him by pressing down on his chest.

"I'm fine Erik." She cleared her throat. "I'll be fine. Just a dry throat."

"Thank God." Erik kissed her forehead. "Go to sleep now My Queen."

She reached up and kissed him then closed her eyes and was asleep in no time. Erik lay awake listening to her breathing to make sure she wasn't having trouble. He absently rubbed his hand across her back, feeling the chill of her skin even through the thick material of her nightgown. He had come so close to losing his beloved wife. Without her... He didn't want to even think about that. He drifted off to sleep an hour later, his hand wrapped around to her shoulder now.