Her Prince Of Darkness

Chapter 9: Home

"Where are we going now, little kitten?" Erik asked.

I told him the address of my old home and he hired a carriage, as Erik was very uncomfortable with all the people bustling around.

He kept his arms around me as we waited and glared at anyone that got too close to us.

I shook my head and kissed him on the cheek to help him relax.

Once we got into the carriage, Erik finally relaxed and watched the fields roll by.
I laid my head on his shoulder and felt him kiss the top of my head before I fell asleep.

****

"Wake up little one," Erik whispered into my ear.

I smiled and rubbed my eyes while he grabbed the bags. I excitedly jumped out of the carriage and looked around for Shelly. Erik was telling me to wait as I spotted her. She was sitting by the trees picking fruit.

"Shell!" I yelled. She jerked her head up and shook her head in disbelief.

"Layla!" She cried and ran over to me. She barrelled into me and almost knocked me off my feet.

We were both crying when Francis burst out of the house.

"Why is everyone yelling?" He asked before he spotted me.

He started crying too and ran over too us.

"Darling, come outside!" He yelled.

I looked up as mother appeared in the doorway.

"What's happened...." She froze as she saw me.

"Layla, my baby. You've come home!" She cried, tears in her eyes.

She ran over and hugged me as tightly as she could.

After we all calmed down, I realized I had forgotten Erik in all my excitement. I frantically looked around and noticed that he was standing akwardly by our luggage.

"Everyone, there's someone I'd love for you to meet." I walked back over to Erik and pulled him closer to my family. "Everyone, this is Erik, he saved me and helped me to get here," I explained.

Mother and Francis traded looks while Shelly smiled.

"Its lovely to meet you," she stated, holding her hand out to shake. Eric only nodded while looking at the ground, hiding his mask.

I looped my arm through his and smiled at him. "Well, shall we go have lunch?" I asked.

Mother looked hesitant. "Layla, I'm very happy that you are home, but I'm not sure I want you to be galavanting around with an odd man that you have just met..."

Erik cut her off. "I knew I never should have left my home! I will always be a monster in the eyes of others!" Erik yelled and stormed off toward the orchard.

"Erik, wait!" I cried.

My mother grabbed my arm before I could take off after him. "Maybe you should let him be, dear, I wouldn't want him to hurt you..."

"Mother," I yelled, "I have known him long enough to know that he would never hurt me! I want to stay with him for the rest of my life and I don't appreciate the way that you are judging him based solely on his appearance! I don't know about you, but I was raised to be accepting and kind and if you can't accept him for the amazing person that he is than I shall never speak to you again!"

"Layla," she cried as I jerked my arm out of her grasp and ran after Erik. I fought against my tears as I realized how badly this meeting had gone. I had expected my mother to accept him with open arms but she treated him like everyone else does.