(Sarah's POV)

I removed the pins from my hair and ran my fingers through it. It had been a long performance but I was glad to be back in my dressing room.

"Sarah?" I heard Christine knock on my door. "May I come in?"

I called out, "Of course! Come on in."

She smiled and walked in. "You were great tonight." She looked at all the flowers I received. "I wish I could get a few." She whispered.

I smiled at the girl. "You have an excellent voice. I have no doubt that with some training and perfecting you could be even better than I."

She looked up at me. "You really think so?" She asked and then sighed, remembering. "Sarah, I'm afraid that I don't make enough money to hire a voice trainer."

"Well, perhaps Erik could give you a few pointers. It'll be a couple of months before we leave for America." I said as I removed my makeup.

She nodded. "That would be very nice of him." She smiled a little. "He reminds me of Jabril."

"You like Jabril, don't you?" I asked as I looked back at her with a smirk plastered on my face.

She smiled a little and looked down, "Yes, I do."

"He's a nice man." I said. "I have known him ever since we met in Persia. Despite be unable to accept 'no' from me, he is pleasant and agreeable."

She titled her head and frowned slightly. "He didn't tell me about you."

"Maybe when you talk to him next, he will." I said with a smile.

Christine nodded. "I think I saw him in one of the boxes."

"Probably. He is a patron." I said.

She nodded once more, "I'll leave you to change. I have to myself." Shd said as she walked to the door.

"Alright." I said. "I will mention to Erik about some music training for you."

"Thank you." She smiled as she walked out of my room and then walked down to her dorm.

(Jabril's POV)

I was walking down the hall when I saw Christine walking towards me.

She smiled at me, "Good evening, Jabril. Did you enjoy the opera?"

"Very much." I said. "You danced very well."

She looked down and smiled a little. "Thank you very much. It means a lot to me."

I smiled at her. "Did you have any plans for this evening?"

She shook her head, "No, not really."

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you." I said as I took her hand and kissed it. "I will allow you to change then we shall go."

She nodded. "I'll only be a moment." She said as she walked to her room and quickly changed. I waited outside her door for her.

She walked out and smiled softly. "Where do you plan on going?"

"Did you have any place you wanted to go in particular?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, I don't. Do you?"

"Yes, I do. I just wanted to be sure you didn't have anything in mind." I said as I held out my arm to her.

She took my arm and tilted her head. "Where?"

"You'll see." I said with a mischievous grin as I led her out of the Opera House.

"Tell me!" She said with a laugh. "I want to know!"

"Ah, but where would the surprise be?" I asked, smirking.

"Jabril!" She said as she patted my arm. "Please, tell me?"

I smiled and said, "What would you say if I were to tell you I was taking you to the fanciest restaurant in Paris?"

She gasped and looked at me. "I would say to take me somewhere else." She whispered as she looked away for a moment. "Because I am not worth it."

I took her face in my hands and made her look at me. "You are worth it."

"I'm nothing but a dancer." She told me. "You're a Prince."

"What you are doesn't determine your worth." I said.

"Yes, it does." She told me.

"Not to me." I said as I ran my hand down her arm and took her hand in mine.

She nodded. "If you say so."

"I do say so." I said as I kissed her hand and continued our walk down the street.

She followed me and once we came into view of the restaurant, she stopped. "Do you think it is wise to take me in there?" She asked me. "Surely I'm out of their dress code."

"You look wonderful." I said as I looked down at her dress. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you're wearing."

She nodded and looked down at her dress, obviously she didn't think she looked wonderful. "Alright." I said. "Let's go in."

I nodded and led her inside the restaurant. "A table for two." I said to the maitre d'. She waited beside Jabril.

The waiter led us to our seats and handed us menus before walking away.

I noticed how other people glanced over at us. We paid no attention to them and looked down at our menus.

The waiter soon came over and took our orders. Once he walked away, Christine looked up at Jabril. "Sarah is going to ask Erik to give me voice lessons."

"That's great!" I said, happy for her. Then, I remembered something. "They're leaving once Sarah's baby is born. How are they going to continue voice lessons?"

She shrugged a little and took a sip of her water. "I do not know."

I thought for a moment. "When they leave, if you want to continue lessons, would you allow me to pay for them?"

"I can't let you do that." She said as she looked up at me.

"Yes, you can." I said.

"Jabril, please." She said softly. "I don't want you to pay for them."

"Why not?" I asked.

She sighed. "It isn't right for you to pay for them, my friend."

I reached across the table and took her hand. "Christine, I would like to be more than your friend." I said softly.

"You would?" She whispered as she looked down at our hands.

I nodded. "I would like to court you." I said softly.

"Really?" She asked in disbelief.

I nodded again. "I do."

(Christine's POV)

I smiled widely and nodded my head. "I would love for you to court me," I gasped as I saw a person I thought I would never see again. "Raoul."

Jabril followed my gaze. "Your friend?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes." I looked over at him again and saw that he had a woman with him. "I thought I would never see him again."

He looked at me. I looked back at Jabril and smiled softly. "As I was saying, I would love for you to court me, Jabril."

He smiled and kissed my hand. "Thank you for the honor." He said with a happy smile on his face.

I shook my head and smiled. "It is I, who am honored."

"We are both honored, it seems." He said as the meal finally arrived. I nodded and looked down at our meal.

He smiled and began eating, gesturing for me to eat mine.

I smiled and began eating as well. I then overheard Raoul speaking, "Why would they let her in?" I automatically knew he was talking about me.

Jabril looked over at me and noticed the shift in my face. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"He's asking why I'm here." I whispered softly. "He isn't speaking too kindly."

He frowned instantly. "Shall I go talk to him." He whispered as he moved to stand up.

I shook my head and grabbed his arm. "Please, don't." I said. "I don't want to cause a scene."

He looked at Raoul and the lady who was with him laughing a little. He then looked at me and sat back down. "As you wish." He said softly.

"Thank you." I whispered and then went back to eating. He scowled in Raoul's way but went back to eating.

"Someone should escort her out." I heard Raoul say. I frowned softly but didn't say anything.

Jabril reached across the table and took my hand in his. "Don't listen to him."

I nodded and set down my fork. "I'm finished." I said softly. I just couldn't believe that my used to be best friend would say that about me.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded again. "Yes, I would just like to go back to my dorm now."

"Alright." He said as he called the waiter over to get the bill.

I watched him pay and I stood up. "I'm sorry." I whispered as I scooted my chair back in place.

"Whatever for?" He asked as he stood up and held out his arm for her.

I took his arm, "For wanting to leave so soon."

"It's no problem." He said as he kissed my hand and led me to the door.

I nodded and followed him. Before we walked out of the door, I heard a small gasp, "Christine?"

Jabril stopped walking and looked at me then behind me to see who had called my name.

I turned around, "Good evening, Monsieur le Viscount." Jabril glared at the Viscount but didn't say anything.

One look at my face and Raoul knew I heard everything. "Christine, I promise you, I didn't know that it was you sitting back there." I looked at him, "You still shouldn't have said it." I whispered.

Jabril slipped an arm around my shoulders and kept glaring at him.

"Who is this?" Raoul asked as he nodded his head towards Jabril.

"I am Jabril Sikander." He said. "Christine's suitor."

Raoul nodded and extended his head to the lady sitting with him. "This is Hope." He said with a smile. "I'm her suitor." I nodded politely to the woman.

Jabril smiled nicely to her and then Raoul spoke again. "Christine, I truly am sorry." I knew that he meant it too. "It's alright, Raoul. Think nothing of it." Jabril ceased glaring.

I looked up at Jabril, "Come along, dear." I said as I lead him out of the restaurant after waving bye to Raoul.

Jabril followed me out and soon turned our direction towards the Opera House. I noticed where we were going and I turned our direction the opposite way.

"Christine?" He asked.

I looked up at him and smiled softly. "You took me somewhere, now I'm taking you somewhere."

"Alright." He said as he followed me.

I led him to a small pastry store. "Pick anything you wish to." I smiled a little. "It's on me."

He smiled. "Thank you. What would you recommend?"

"I enjoy the strawberry tarts." I said as I pointed to them.

"I shall try those then." He said. I nodded and ordered one for each of us. He smiled and we waited patiently for the tarts to arrive.

The owner handed us the tarts and I quickly paid for them. "Enjoy." I said as I took a bite of mine.

He smiled and took a bite of his. "It would be impossible not to."

I laughed a little and walked out of the store, still eating my tart. "They are my absolute favorite."

He followed me. "I can see why. Thank you." He said.

"You're welcome." I smiled and we started in the direction of the Opera House. He was silent as he finished his tart and held out his arm for me to take.

I soon finished mine and took his arm. "Jabril? What's it's like being a prince?"

He thought for a moment. "Well, one gets a nice house, servants, and just about anything one could want. But, then there are many responsibilities one has."

I nodded, "It's sounds nice. What are the responsibilities?"

"Managing money, trading ventures, and the household if one is unmarried, like myself. Perhaps the greatest trial is that one must be around other princes!" I laughed.

I laughed with him, "Well, taking care of your home shouldn't be too much trouble, should it? I mean, you have all those servants."

"Well, I have to tell them what to do. I do have an excellent housekeeping though so she takes care of a lot of that." He said.

I nodded. "That's good."

"I've been very fortunate with my staff since I came from Persia." He said.

"Persia." I whispered. "Can you tell me about it?"

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

"Everything." I stated.

"That's a lot." He said as he thought for a moment. "What have you heard about it?"

"Sarah told me a few things." I said as I looked up at him. "You liked her."

He nodded. "I did like her. I met her just after she had arrived. They were all at the Shah's palace because Erik was there, informing the Shah he had arrived."

"Did you love her?" I asked softly. He nodded slightly but didn't say anything.

I looked down and sighed softly. I noticed how we had arrived at the steps of the opera house. "Goodnight." I whispered.

"Goodnight, Christine." He said as he took my hand and kissed it. "I did love her. But, not anymore. I've given up on her. I should have given up a long time ago."

I looked up at him and smiled a little. "That's good." I said softly. I then leaned up and kissed his cheek and then ran into the opera house.

(Jabril's POV)

I gasped a little and then grinned at her retreating form.