A New Beginning

Chapter 14

(Christine's POV)

One week had passed since Erik and I got married, and we couldn't possibly be any happier. We would go to the village often, we loved it. It was a nice place to shop and to go for a walk. People there were always kind and polite, no one ever questioned Erik's mask, but instead treated him like a normal customer.

We were already planning something for the day when Raoul set our breakfast on the table, he had insisted on doing it everyday. I felt a little bad for him, and I knew Erik did, too. We looked at each other and he gave me the slightest of nods. "Raoul?" I said to him, "Would you like to come to the village with us today? It is a very nice place, maybe you'll like it."

He smiled widely. "Really?" he asked. I nodded and replied to him, "Go get your coat." I smiled.

He did as I said while Erik and I ate breakfast, then he came back and we all got into the carriage.

When we got to the village, Raoul stared at his surroundings and smiled. I knew it would be of his liking. Erik suggested for the three of us to do something fun that night, pointing at a street post with advertisement for all kind of entertainment events. I thought it was a good idea, and so did Raoul, so we agreed.

"I will go see then," Erik said, kissed my cheek, and walked towards the post. Raoul and I followed him just a second later, and, of course, when we got to him, he had already read all of our possible choices, but he didn't move. When I was about to tap him on the shoulder, he turned around, blocking all the posters from my sight. "There is nothing that would interest you," he spoke. I decided not to question him, but I still felt something was wrong; I decided to ask him later.

We walked around the village for another while, but when it started getting dark, we all decided to head back home. As we approached the carriage, I felt a pair of eyes on us, I turned and, indeed, there was a man following us. Then I noticed there was another man behind him, I turned to look at Erik, but there was another man a few feet beside him staring at us. "E-Erik?" I spoke shakily. He nodded his head and replied with a whisper, "I know."

We started walking faster, but when we only a few steps away from the carriage, I bumped into a huge man. He had three men on each side of him; they were smaller, but still bigger than Raoul and myself; only the one in the middle was bigger than Erik. When I realized that, I figured out who it was; only one man could be bigger than him, and Erik had told me about this man.

Erik held my hand a little bit tighter and stood in front of me in a protective way. He tried to walk past them, but two men pushed him back. "Excuse me," Erik said.

The man smirked and scoffed at Erik, "Oh, not so fast, my little freak."