Persephone Unchained

Chapter 34

Erik willed his hands to stop their faint trembling as he escorted Sophie to the carriage outside of Nadir's home. The sword tapped lightly against his thigh as they walked. It was calling to him, beckoning him with its siren song to turn and run back to the graveyard and put an end to the man who had threatened Sophie's life, and by extension, the life of their unborn child. Erik had heard the disgusting words that her stepfather had said to her. His vision was still tinged with the red of his rage as he led Sophie away from her stepfather and out of danger.

She bumped him playfully with her hip as they walked and when he looked down at her he saw the hint of a smile on her lips.

Sophie was safe. She was free from harm. She had played things smart and stalled her stepfather until he could get to her. The red tinge of bloodlust faded slowly from his sight.

He looked at her, standing there and holding onto his arm as she smiled up at him and stood on tiptoes and pressed her soft velvet lips against his mouth. It didn't matter that her dress was torn, or stained, or dirty. She was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever seen in his entire life. And she was his. His grip tightened slightly on her arm.

They soon reached Nadir's flat and Erik stifled Madame Giry's gasp and sputtering with a sharp look. The old ballet mistress pursed her lips together unhappily. Emma ran forward and threw her arms around Sophie's skirts and began to cry.

"I'm fine, Emma, I'm alright," Sophie shushed the little girl and smoothed her hair. "You were perfect," Sophie soothed her. "Thank you for running to get help."

Madame Giry snapped her pocket watch closed. "We're officially late," the old woman announced, and then she ushered both girls into the carriage and tapped her cane against the carriage roof. Darius snapped to attention and jumped into place on the carriage driver's seat.

Erik stepped forward to join his bride but was blocked by Madame Giry's cane as it barred him from the door.

"The men drive separately," Madame Giry told him sternly. "It's bad luck. And heavens know, you need as much good luck as you can muster up today," she added. And then the old ballet mistress was climbing into the carriage and shutting the door resolutely behind her.

Nadir tried to catch his breath beside him. "I'll hail us a cab," the old man stated between heavy breaths.

Erik rolled his eyes at the inconvenience of it all.

Erik stood just off to the side of the Altar in Sainte Chapelle as he waited for the whole thing to start. The priest stood awkwardly and completely silent beside him. They both stared at the door, waiting and patient.

He gulped and pretended to ignore the priest who was side-eying him and his mask. The sooner this was over and the sooner they were leaving Paris the better. But… what if she'd changed her mind in this short time? What if she'd come to her senses now that the threat of her stepfather had been practically eliminated? What if, right at this moment, Madame Giry was spiriting Sophie far away from his reach?

The doors opened and if Erik thought that he had been nervous before, he knew now that he'd been wrong. His heart dropped into his stomach as the church organ player began the bridal march. She was breathtaking as she appeared. Even stained, and torn, and dirtied. There had never been a lovelier bride than his Sophie. Erik felt unshed tears prick his eyes as he looked at her. Their eyes met across the church and she smiled at him and looked radiant. She practically glowed.

And then was Nadir leading Sophie ever so slowly towards him at the base of the altar. They paused, a third of the way down the carpeted nave, and then Sophie pulled away from the Persian unexpectedly and ran back in the direction from where she'd come. She disappeared entirely from view.

Erik stopped breathing. He was sure that he'd die right there on the spot as she ran from him. Until he heard the sounds of her vomiting, and then a moment later she returned, her face crimson in embarrassment, and she was taking up Nadir's arm again as if it had never happened at all.

The priest turned slightly on the dais and stared at Erik with an exasperated look of disbelief. Surely this wasn't the man's first pregnant bride? This was a Catholic church, after all. Erik ignored the man and pretended that he hadn't seen the priest's expression of contempt. Let the priest think whatever he wanted.

Finally, slowly, Nadir led Sophie up to the altar. And then she was handing her bouquet of flowers to the Persian her hand was reaching out to join Erik's outstretched hand. His nerves settled when the skin of her palm touched his. Their fingers intertwined as she stepped up beside him.

The organ music faded softly. Nadir kissed Sophie's cheek and then he took his seat beside Madame Giry and Emma on the pew.

Together as one unit Sophie and Erik linked arms and turned to face the priest as the man began to say a prayer. The priest seemed to go on and on as he talked about fidelity and trust and commitment and caring for one another. He quoted some passage from the bible about patience. Erik tuned out the religious man's drivel.

Instead of paying attention he snuck a glance at Sophie. She truly was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. Would there ever be a single day that she didn't take his breath away? He didn't think so.

The priest cleared his throat.

Erik turned to look at the man and saw that everyone seemed to be waiting for him.

"What?" Erik asked nervously. The priest closed his eyes and sighed and repeated what Erik had not heard him say the first time.

"Repeat after me," the priest instructed. "I, Erik Ravel, take you, Sophie Fontaine, to be my wedded and lawful wife…"

Erik cleared his throat. "I, Erik ravel, take you, Sophie Fontaine, to be my wedded and lawful wife," Erik repeated.

The priest nodded, apparently satisfied that things were back on track. "I promise to be true to you in good times and in poor, in sickness and in health…" the priest added added.

Erik repeated the words.

"I will love and honor you all the days of my life," the priest concluded.

"I will love, honor, and cherish you for the rest of my life," Erik promised.

Sophie smiled up at him and squeezed his hands.

The priest turned to Sophie now. "Do you, Sophie Fontaine, take Erik Ravel, as your lawful husband?"

Sophie beamed up at Erik. "I do."

"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer?" the priest continued.

Sophie repeated the vows without hesitation.

"In sickness and in health, to love, cherish, honor, and obey until death do you part?" the priest finished.

"In sickness and in health, to love, cherish, and honor until death parts us," Sophie promised instead.

Erik grinned down at her, at her tiny rebellion.

The priest closed his eyes and Sophie stifled a laugh. "The rings?" the priest beckoned.

Nadir patted his pockets from the pew and rose to give the rings to the priest and then returned to his seat.

The priest held Erik's gold band up in the air.

"The ring is a symbol of this sanctioned union. It is a circle, with no beginning, and no ending. It represents God's love for his children, and his blessing of this marriage. It represents that two people are becoming one today as the links are forged."

"Repeat after me," the priest instructed as he handed Erik's wedding band to Sophie. "I give this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness in the name of the father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Sophie took the ring and slipped it onto Erik's finger as she repeated the vow.

The priest nodded encouragingly and held Sophie's ring up in the air. "Repeat after me," he instructed Erik. "I give this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness in the name of Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Erik slipped the ring onto Sophie's finger, "I give this ring as a sign of my love, faithfulness, and devotion." he promised instead.

The priest sighed heavily and cleared his throat. "Good enough," the priest mumbled under his breath. "I now pronounce you husband and wife in the eyes of God and the Catholic Church. You may kiss the bride," the priest concluded rapidly.

Erk didn't need to be told twice. He took Sophie into his arms and pressed his lips to hers as she wrapped her arm around his neck and held him to her. After a moment that felt like an eternity and no time at all, he pulled away so that he could look at her, his beautiful wife.

"Go in peace with Christ, my children," the priest said as he made the sign of the cross over his body.

Erik ignored the man and kissed his wife again instead.