I stretched out once I was fully awake and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I was woken up by the sound of a knock at my door, but just at the sound of the person's knock, I could tell it was dear Christine. "Come in," I said and stood up. Grabbing my robe and put it on. Christine Came in all dressed up in her lavender day dress, her hair curled perfectly and framing her face. "You are still not up and ready? We will be late come on" she said and pulled me to the bathroom to help me get ready. Naturally, I let out a groan of protest. I was not a morning person. But soon I was ready, wearing a day dress in the shade of brown. "I don't think I have ever seen you in that dress before..is it new?" I asked curiously as I laced up the back of my dress. Christine saw me struggling a little bit and came to help me. She laced it up nimbly and said "Yes, Raoul bought it for me," she said for some reason the air was thick with awkwardness. Of course, I was a bit jealous that he got to buy her something but also he was bloody buying her something! "Oh- that's nice of him Uhm." I felt her soft hands reach the top of the dress and she made sure everything was in place. But her hands suddenly stayed near my waist and that tension quickly changed. "It is...he is a good man..a gentleman," she said and looked at me through the mirror. "Indeed.." I said and there was silence. Until Christine finally broke it. "There you look beautiful as always," she said and smiled. I fiddled with my gloves and took a look at myself. "Thank you..but do I really have to wear the hat-"

"Yess! It looks great and it matches!" she said and hugged me from behind giggling at how I looked shot down by her reply. I couldn't help but smile at her when she looked at me. I placed my hands on hers and then slightly looked back. She looked too and we were so close. Our chuckles are dying down into silence yet again. My heart was beating so fast that I felt faint. I wonder if she felt this way too as we stared into the eyes of each other. I absorbed her features from the thickness of her eyelashes to the shape of her lips. We leaned in slightly or I did, I wasn't sure. But I do know that she pulled away as soon as there was a knock at the door. Snapping me out of my dazed state. I soon found my voice as Christine opened the door for Raoul who was holding his hat and gloves. "Are we ready? The carriage is waiting" he said and smiled. My cheeks were red and hot and I simply nodded. "Yes of course I just need to grab my bags," I said and grabbed the bags that I had packed the night beforehand. Raoul walked over and gently took them from me. "No no, let me" I thanked him and walked with Christine to the carriage. Looked around the halls cautiously. The air felt cold as we made it to the entrance. Christine's things were also put away with mine, Raoul helped us into the carriage and we were off. We never ended up talking about what happened in my dressing room at all. It was like it never happened. 

The whole time we stayed at Raoul's Estate I was worried, mostly about how Raoul could just whisk Christine away from me in the blink of an eye, and also worried about how things will be when we return to the Opera House. I had nightmares of it, well both. Each scenario ended badly or with my heart broken. and it scared me. It was fall and almost the beginning of Winter. there was a familiar chill in the air that I loved. Today we were horseback riding and enjoying the nice weather. I raced Raoul a couple of times while Christine watched and cheered for us both. as I galloped on my steed I let out a laugh. "You know you actually have to pick a side during competitions!" I teased and Raoul caught up. "well obviously she chooses me right Christine?" he said and seemed like he was out of breath from trying to catch up with me. I rolled my eyes at his comment. "Oh stop I choose both of you, ok? I could never pick a side" she said and smiled. leading her horse to be next to mine as we traveled back to the house. "hmm that is a load of-" Christine cut me off "ah! Emma, language!" Raoul smiled and let out a laugh. "haha, you sound like a mother scolding her child" he said and I smiled at that. "Or mayhaps a lover bickering with their spouse?" I said and Raoul nodded. not really leaning into what I had said. Christine on the other hand gave me a curious look. we soon made it back and had given out horses to the servants. They took them away and took care of them. as we walked back to the house it was nearly nightfall. "I think I will retire to my room if that is alright. I am tired" I said and looked back at the two. "you are going to skip supper?" Raoul asked and I nodded. "ah well alright but just ring the maid if you are hungry ok? I suppose it is just you and me tonight Christine" he said, and she smiled. "right...well, I must freshen up so I will be back soon as dinner is served." she said and followed me to our rooms. she paused at her door and looked back at me, I had my door open and I looked back when I hadn't heard her open her own door. "Emma?" she called, and I answered "Yes?" My heart beating a bit faster. "May I freshen up in your room?" she asked and I said yes as quickly as possible. That lead us to be in my room all alone together as she sat, powdering her nose. It was a comfortable silence until she broke it. "What you said earlier...do we really seem like a married couple?" she asked and looked at me from my vanity. my jaw dropped slightly and I stuttered "Well um I mean...I suppose, uh but it was just a joke..ha" I fiddled with my hands and watched her look a little disappointed. "ah yes a joke...well If we were..do you think we would be the type to bicker?" she asked and stood up, sitting on the edge of the bed with me. Why was she suddenly so curious? "well I don't think so, um..I think we would be a happy couple." she looked invested so I continued. "with a nice cottage by the sea and two children one boy and one girl. we would be happy..and in love" I trailed off and looked back at her. "That seems like a wonderful life, one that I would love to have," she said and smiled softly. the glow of the fireplace dancing on her skin. "would you? I mean If I asked." I didn't know what came over me but I just said it and my head felt like it was going to pop. She smiled a little more and grabbed my hands in hers. "yes, I would. I wish- I mean...if we were able to, i would say yes." she said and looked down. I gently moved my hand and cupped her chin to look at me. "What makes you think we cant?" I say to her softly. She started to have tears form in her eyes. "You know why...we would get in trouble and cast out, maybe even killed. we cant" she said and I wiped her tears. "It is not fair, why can't I just be able to love who I love without people deciding it for me!?" She said frustratedly and huffed. "It isn't fair you are right. Though I think we can get through this. I'm just happy to know how you feel" I said and smiled. she let out a small chuckle and rested her forehead on mine. we sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's company. "I had been attracted to you for about 3 years, I just did not understand it. It took me a while. I'm sorry" she said and I shook my head "Don't be sorry, I just figured it out actually" we both laughed and looked at each other. "Will you marry me?" The question she asked made my eyes widen and I sputtered "Wha- but we-" she held up a hand and shook her head. "I don't care, just you saying yes is enough for me," she said and I smiled. "well, then yes" she jumped on me and suddenly kissed me, it was soft and full of the love that I was hopelessly chasing after. I felt whole. There was a knock on the door. A maid had come to fetch Christine for dinner and she hurriedly fixed herself up before leaving. Well, this turned out to be a great day!

For a few weeks, we kept up our meeting in secret, having small dates and just enjoying each other's company. Though it did not last forever, on Christmas Raoul had found us kissing in the study. It shocked him so much that he ran out of the study. Christine of course ran after him while I just sat there shocked. It took a while for him to understand what he saw, but he was ok with it. which sort of surprised me greatly. Given his stature and beliefs, you would have thought he'd toss us out on the streets. but no he was ok. and even helped us come up with a plan to keep it secret. We three were lounging near the fireplace in the library when Raoul jumped up. "I've got it! Christine Marry me!" he said and sat up with Christine on my lap "Woah Woah now hold on-" I said in defense and looked at him. he stopped me from going further. "No, I mean what if we staged our marriage? then no one would suspect you both since people would think Christine is with me," he explained and it slowly started to make sense. "that is rather brilliant Raoul" Christine said and sat up "I'll marry you, and then Emma can stay with us. Raoul can have a mistress naturally and Emma and I can be free together, but of course, in the public eye we will be nothing more than best friends or roommates even!" she said and clapped. I didn't really like the idea of watching her marry someone else but this plan did sound good. so I agreed. So the next week Raoul gave her a rather expensive wedding ring, which she wore in her hand. As the days dragged on in our paradise we soon came to find three invitations to a masquerade ball being held at the Opera House. after much debate we ended up agreeing on attending. The next thing I had to worry about was the shopping, and trust me shopping with chrissy is a handfull.