The Demon's Child and the Phantom

Chapter 2

Daroga's POV: 

"Summon Doctor Pierre at once, and bring blankets, towels and a fresh basin of water to her room!" (Dar)

"Of course Monsieur Daroga."

I carried her up the stairs as I felt her blood even now begin to seep through the blanket I had wrapped her in on the way here. I had heard the rumors of an old Gypsy attraction now being sold and passed around by the aristocrats of Paris but I had thought them rumors only. That was until my page boy told me he knew it was true because it was for sale again. It wasn't hard to buy her, the new owners wanted a large sum of money to be sure but otherwise they cared not who bought her.

I was more infuriated than I had been in years when I saw that it was not a young man as I had been suspecting but a young woman. My blood seemed to boil as I saw how they had treated her. It took every fiber of my being not to strangle the man who beat her the way he did, though I worry it wasn't her first time being beaten. I remembered the silent and yet cool determination not to show any emotion to either of us when he slammed her into the wooden wall, though I know that it must have hurt like hell as her blood stained the wood that she hit.

I laid her down the on the bed as gently as I could just as one servants came rushing back in with blankets and a pitcher of clean water. I immediately set to cleaning the small cuts and scrapes on her face and hands as the server changed out the now bloody water for fresh water again and again. I had done all I could do for her without further assistance, but before I could give further instructions a second one of my staff walked in followed by my long-time friend whom I was in desperate need of right now.

"Monsieur, Doctor Pierre."

"Jacque, thank you for coming. I've done all I can do, she is in need of your care now." (Dar)

He wasted not a moment as he came to her side and began to check her pulse and listen to her heart. He let out a low whistle as he did before opening his bag and pulling out a small vial and a needle. As he prepared what I knew to be morphine he glanced at her again and then me before returning his attention to his work.

"I take it she is the Gypsy slave that was a rumor a few days ago." (Doc)

"She is, yes. I was only informed that her existence was true this morning." (Dar)

"Well if even a fraction of those rumors are true, it's amazing she's lived as long as she has. I can tell you already she is incredibly thin, even though she may have some muscle on her it isn't much. Her heart and pulse though are strong, she's got fire in her that's for sure. This will dull the pain and then if you wouldn't mind, you could help me tend to her wounds. I don't like how much blood she is losing." (Doc)

"Of course. Marie, bring up some bandages would you?" (Dar)

I watched as one of my maids nodded her head as she eyed the poor girl with pity before disappearing downstairs. After she returned with the bandages I excused her from the room, knowing that the wounds that we could find would not only break her heart, but could lead to her fainting. And I had only enough nerves and patients left tonight for one medical situation at a time.

A few moments after removing the tattered remains of the young woman's dress and both Jacque and myself were frozen in place. We could not help but stare at the bare skin of her back in utter shock and disgust at what had been done to her. Her entire back was covered with scars and burn marks of a cross, followed with additional scars of what looked like a whip, not to mention the currently bleeding ones that we were to care for.

The shock continued as the doctor and I discovered that the scars were all over her body including her stomach, arms, and legs. We stood in silent shock with one another, both wondering how someone could do this to another human being let alone a young woman who was innocent of any crime other than life. The silence seemed to thicken the air in the room, until Jacque broke it.

"Good God in heaven, how on earth a woman let alone any living creature could survive all this I may never know." (Doc)

I nodded in agreement with him before we quickly set about our task in stopping the bleeding and I watched as he sutured the wounds as best as he could. The rage at what she had endured only built within me and I can only imagine the rage of another building past my own were he here to see this. A few hours later and she was laying in a fresh linen nightgown that Marie had provided, a look of almost peace upon her pale thin face. Jacque and I were silent as we walked to the door together, both tired over the events of tonight. Jacque was the one to break the silence between us yet again before we parted ways.

"Daroga, we have known each other a long while. I must warn you about her, be cautious around her. She may be very fearful when she wakes or very defensive. She has every right to be with what she has clearly gone through, but you must be slow with her at first." (Doc)

"I am well versed in how someone may react after treatment such as that Jacque." (Dar)

"Yes, as I know quite well. Though I doubt he would appreciate my suggestion, it might do well for her to meet him after everything it appears she has suffered through." (Doc)

"I think we both know how he would take that advice Jacque, but you have my thanks. I will call upon you should we need you again soon." (Dar)

"If she isn't awake by tomorrow night, call upon me anyway. Goodnight Daroga." (Doc)

I watched as he left, pondering over his advice for her to meet Erik. He and I were some of the only ones to know that he was still alive to begin with. Not to mention his true identity. I asked one of the servants to bring some tea up to the room as I returned to keep watch over her. I walked into the room to find her still unconscious, and I felt myself sigh.

I had long ago learned of the cruelty of men to other men, especially to those who were different looking than others. But I did not think it possible for them to be this cruel to a woman lacking any true deformities or differences that I had noted besides her eyes. To be so cruel to a woman, especially a woman with the outward appearance of an angel, was not yet something I had experienced in my life.

Perhaps......well perhaps Erik and this girl should meet one day. It might be good for them both to know that they are not alone in the pain and suffering they have felt. Perhaps they could find comfort in each other knowing that. If Erik would only acknowledge that he too still feels anything other than heartbreak and anger. Though, after what this angel has suffered, I would not be shocked if she had little other than anger to offer herself.