Characters belong to Gaston Leroux. I have no beta (anyone want the
position?), so I suppose I must claim any and all errors.Comments and
criticism greatly appreciated.
"If you go back now, there won't be any wedding..do you understand what I'm saying, Christine?"
I understood perfectly and I didn't care. I had made a promise to Erik and now nothing else mattered but keeping that promise. I had spent God knows how many days staring into the fire, mindless, repeating those first few lines of the Hail Mary. "Hail Mary, full or grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art though amongst women…" I could never get past those two sentences without being reminded of Nadir's lined, olive-skinned face. "…God has surely chosen you in his wisdom, just as he once chose Our Lady.." They played over and over in my mind, relentlessly oppressing me with guilt. When Raoul surprised me by refusing to take me back to the Opera, I knew I would go myself, regardless of the consequences.
Erik's house was a shambles when I returned. He hadn't expected me to return and I couldn't blame him for his lack of faith; I had certainly broken my word to him before. His friend the Persian was waiting, though. He informed me that Erik had had yet another seizure and was now merely waiting to die. I begged him to take me to Erik and he did so, gladly. The sight of my once powerful angel lying on that bed filled me with a pain so sharp it drove me to my knees. After a moment, I pulled myself slowly to my feet again and over to the bed, reaching down to remove Erik's mask. The movement woke him and he rose too, taking me gently in his arms. No words were needed; we each knew the other's thought now. I handed the mask to Nadir, asking him to be my witness that night and slowly I began to kiss that ruined face that caused Erik so much pain. I made sure my lips touched every inch of his skin He began to cry and I kissed away the tears as well. He stopped me only long enough to slip a simple gold band on my finger. I can't suppose for a moment that it was in any way legal, but no official ceremony could have made me any more his wife. I asked Nadir to leave us then, needing the privacy to carry this further. As the door closed softly, I pressed Erik gently back onto the bed determined to be truly his, even if only for one night.
"If you go back now, there won't be any wedding..do you understand what I'm saying, Christine?"
I understood perfectly and I didn't care. I had made a promise to Erik and now nothing else mattered but keeping that promise. I had spent God knows how many days staring into the fire, mindless, repeating those first few lines of the Hail Mary. "Hail Mary, full or grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art though amongst women…" I could never get past those two sentences without being reminded of Nadir's lined, olive-skinned face. "…God has surely chosen you in his wisdom, just as he once chose Our Lady.." They played over and over in my mind, relentlessly oppressing me with guilt. When Raoul surprised me by refusing to take me back to the Opera, I knew I would go myself, regardless of the consequences.
Erik's house was a shambles when I returned. He hadn't expected me to return and I couldn't blame him for his lack of faith; I had certainly broken my word to him before. His friend the Persian was waiting, though. He informed me that Erik had had yet another seizure and was now merely waiting to die. I begged him to take me to Erik and he did so, gladly. The sight of my once powerful angel lying on that bed filled me with a pain so sharp it drove me to my knees. After a moment, I pulled myself slowly to my feet again and over to the bed, reaching down to remove Erik's mask. The movement woke him and he rose too, taking me gently in his arms. No words were needed; we each knew the other's thought now. I handed the mask to Nadir, asking him to be my witness that night and slowly I began to kiss that ruined face that caused Erik so much pain. I made sure my lips touched every inch of his skin He began to cry and I kissed away the tears as well. He stopped me only long enough to slip a simple gold band on my finger. I can't suppose for a moment that it was in any way legal, but no official ceremony could have made me any more his wife. I asked Nadir to leave us then, needing the privacy to carry this further. As the door closed softly, I pressed Erik gently back onto the bed determined to be truly his, even if only for one night.