AN: Hope you like the slightly longer and edited version of the story so far. Here's the edited Chapter 2.
Erik could not believe he was going through with this; just a day ago he thought he would be marrying his beloved Christine. But she had left him for that Vicomte de Chagney. And now Erik found himself about to marry a young woman he had known only for a day. Erik wondered if she had concocted this plan when she first helped him. The morning after, he had found that he had slept well passed noon. Manon was not in the room nor was she in the a joining room and Erik wondered where she had gone off to, he saw that she had left a plate of food for him He took the time to wash up as he knew he could not leave the room just yet. Bye the time Manon returned it was nearly dark. When she walked in she was carrying a package in her arms.
"Oh good your awake, well at least you wont be tired tonight." she said laughing. "Its all set, the reverend will meet us at the church at 6 o'clock. I have asked my cousin, the one who took care of your wound, to be witness."
"Fine." said Erik she approached him and set the parcel on the chair next to the bed.
"I purchased some cloth's for you and something to wear to the reception, we can't have you marrying me in bloody cloth's after all." She said, putting the package down on the bed, then walk to the corner of the room.
He watched as Manon opened up a trunk and pulled out a dried up bouquet of flowers and what appeared to be a simple white gown and vale. She caught his look and just shrugged at him.
"What?" she said " I came here hoping to get married."
The carriage ride was quiet, Manon wore a large black cloak to hide her dress. She would go in first and head to another room to fix herself up, that way Erik would not technically see her before the wedding. Manon had been kind enough to purchase him a new mask to cover the left side of his face, this one, however resembled more a burn mask then the one he had made himself.
"I can't believe I'm doing this." grunted Erik.
"Well believe it. And hope this will work out best for everyone." said Manon nonchalantly. "Oh, that reminds me, your last name."
"What?" said Erik.
"We'll need a last name for the marriage license, people will find it suspicious if I don't take my husbands name."
"I don't know what mine is." said Erik.
"Well then make one up."
Erik thought for a moment and just as they stopped at the church, he thought of the one name that suited him perfectly.
"LeSeul." Said Erik.
Manon Looked at him and thought about it for a moment.
"LeSeul,." she said trying the name out. "Erik LeSeul. Madame Manon LeSeul. A bit depressing but it will do. Now before we go in I will go over the plan again with you."
"The plan?" asked Erik.
"Yes, now again since we are getting married everyone will assume you are taking over my father's company for me, but I will continue to run it. If we decide to divorce you will not take possession of anything although the law dictates you are entitled to it."
"Of course." said Erik "I would never do any so despicable."
"Thank you." She said "And of course I would not leave you with nothing. If our marriage does not work I will give you more then enough money to ensure you can live as you wish."
Erik was a bit taken aback by this. "Thank you." was all he could muster.
"Oh, that reminds me. Here." she said holding out a ring box. Erik opened it to find a ring with a large sapphire surrounded bu small diamonds.
"My father gave it to my mother. You'll give it to me at the alter." she told him.
When arrived at the church, Manon headed inside first and five minutes later Erik headed inside the same church where Manon had found him the night before. When he went inside he found the reverend talking to a handsome young man of about 25 who he could only guess was Manon's cousin. When they saw him come in the reverend went to get set up, and Manon's cousin stared at him anxiously, as Erik made his way up the alter. After a moment of uncomfortable silence the cousin spoke.
"Only dear cousin Manon." he said. "Only she could go into a room with a wounded fugitive and come out with a fiancé." He said.
"I was wondering myself if she had planned the whole thing when she found me." Erik responded, he sensed there was something quite likable about this young man.
"Oh, I doubt that. She probably didn't think of it until after I treated you. My name is Jean Bernard, I am Manon's cousin on her mother's side." He said nodding his head in greeting.
"Erik...LeSeul." was all Erik said.
"Pleasure." said her cousin.
Erik noticed a wooden box on a bench next to Jean and it was a moment before he realized it was a camera. Jean noticed Erik staring at it.
"It's mine, Manon asked me to bring it. She thought it would seem more authentic if you had a photograph to remember this day." He said.
Just then the door to the alter opened and Manon stepped in with her her cloak off, she was wearing the simple, but stylish, white, laced dress, she now had on make up, and wore her auburn hair up with a silk vale on her head; Erik was almost stunned at her beauty. Rather the walked properly down the isle she moved quickly, and took her place next to Erik.
The priest recited the vows, and Erik couldn't help but notice her left out any vows of obedience. When it was time to present a ring, Erik reached into his pocket and slid the ring onto Manon's slender finger. Once the "I do's" were done, Erik hesitantly kissed Manon on the lips and to his surprise she did not flinch or protest, but instead kissed him back.
When the "ceremony" was all done and the photo's had been taken, he and Manon headed back into the coach and once it took off, Erik thought about how much Manon seemed dead serious to make this marriage the real deal, and it was only then that he wondered of she intended for this marriage to be consummated. "But that is ridiculous" he thought.
When they got back to the inn one of the maids saw then as they headed back into their room. When Erik opened the door he was about to step inside when he heard Manon clear her throat, and look at him expectantly. After realizing what she wanted, he lifted her up and carried her over the threshold.
As she walked past him into the room, he rubbed his head still not believing what had happened to him, the Phantom of the Opera was now married to a young lady he had just met and whom he knew virtually nothing about. He turned around and found she was in bed in her nightgown. On the carriage ride back to the inn Erik had wondered if she expected their marriage to be consummated, and the look on her face told him...yes she did.
AN: Well there you go. Let me explain some of the plot points of this story. Erik's appearance is that of the 2004 movie, but the masked half of his face is more deformed. The story begins where the film left off, but much of his back story comes from Susan Kay's novel Phantom, but there is no Charles (those of you who have read Phantom will know who Charles is) Please Review.