It was in that moment that Renee realized just how tall he was. He towered over her, the tip of her head barely reaching his collarbone. Or, where she assumed was his collarbone. His features seemed disproportional, and he always wore thick shirts. In light of recent events, this made him that much more terrifying.
Renee shrinked away from him, trying to hide inside herself. Yet, she didn't move from her place.
Erik noticed her fear.
Dammit. She's still afraid. Can she not tell I saved her?
They stood like this, silent in still. Renee spoke first.
"Mo-Monsieur..."
Erik cut her short.
"You can call me Erik."
This caused something to snap inside Renee. She had played his game for the most part, the mood swings, the... violence. She couldn't play the submissive, scared girl anymore. She just couldn't.
Before she said so much as a word, Erik sensed this. Her posture changed. Her eyes lit up with rage.
"Can I really??" She said, her tone accusing. "Because so far, anything I do leads to abuse! You act as though you care at times, but you kidnapped me and just threw me down in a lake. Not to mention, the last thing I remember was rowing across the lake, seeing you wade in after me, then getting knocked over! Who knows what you did to me?!" She was backing away from him.
Erik was shocked. She was yelling at him, accusing him. Honestly, he didn't think it possible from such a small, innocent girl. Not to mention, she was Christine's child, and Christine never acted like this.
"I know I am a very changeable man, my dear." He approached her slowly.
"Don't come near me! I'm not 'your dear'!"
She backed further away her back hitting a wall. Erik was in front of her in a second, keeping her there. Her eyes widened and fear engulfed her petite features.
"Let me go."
Unlike the last time she said this, it was not timid, it was not quiet. It was a command, and a stern one at that. Erik would not take this. He slapped his hands on the wall on either side of her head, causing her to jump.
"This is my home! I offer you protection, and I am thanked with a hissy fit!" He turned away from her, then turned back. "As for what happened in the lake, I saved you! I have a huge catfish in that lake, who would not have hesitated to drown you! I did not harm you in any way." He turned back around and was just about locked her in the room when he heard her speak. Her tone was confident and firm.
"I always wondered what my mother had nightmares about." Erik turned to face the girl. "My mother nor my father ever talked about them, no, I had to find out who 'Erik' was and what was with some sort of chandelier crash. I asked, they refused to answer. It wasn't until I escaped Christopher and came here that I learned of your myth, and pieced it all together."
Here she paused and took a breath, looking Erik straight in his eyes.
"No wonder my Mother had nightmares."
"I have regretted since the day it occurred the pain I undoubtedly caused your mother."
Renee looked away. Erik approached her and trapped her against the wall again, all though not as tight or forcefully. He was curious, and wanted answers. He attempted to lift her chin with the crook of his finger, but she refused to obey. He decide he would just ask his question, nonetheless.
"What did he do to you?"
Renee's face shot up to meet his.
"Who are you talking about?" she snapped, although Erik could hear traces of fear.
"Christopher. You said you 'escaped' him, and you refuse to return to him."
"No."
Erik cupped her cheek in his hand. "Tell me." his voice was soft and persuasive. Erik had learned from an early age that he had the power to control people for a bit with merely his voice. He saw her eyes glaze over slightly, and knew it had worked, yet again.
"He beat me, whipped me, and raped me." She told him obediently as tears rolled down her cheeks and she began to shake violently. Before Erik had time to register, she collapsed on the floor, a shaking, quivering mess.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More Christopher drama!!!!
Your obedient servant,
~Rose