Author's Note: Busy busy the next few days. Last final tomorrow and final goodbyes to my roommate who's leaving me for the UK, then on Saturday I'll be in a car for 14 hours. You'll get a chapter tomorrow night and Saturday night, I promise, but we're not too far from the end now!
She had never expected to get married, in all honesty. The lifestyle had never appealed to her; Darning her husband's socks and rushing children off to ballet and piano lessons after a long day of cleaning and cooking didn't sound like her idea of a happy life. But with Erik things were different. Erik treated her like a queen, and she enjoyed treating him like a king in return. She felt like they both put equal effort into their home, and when they ran low on funds she knew it would be she who went to work, teaching French children English or music… and she was okay with that. She had never expected to meet anybody who would make what was otherwise a mundane lifestyle seem exciting and worth living.
Every day was an adventure with Erik. His mood was as unpredictable as hers was, and every day he was doing something fascinating and new. There were days she found herself listening at his feet for the entire day while he composed, not realizing the entire day had gone by until the sun was set and Erik got up to make dinner. They made love nearly every night, sometimes more than once, and in spite of how much they had argued that particular day every night reminded them how ridiculously in love they were, even if neither of them could explain it.
Aminta was perhaps the least demanding bride in Paris. She recycled the white gown she had bought for her Angel costume, and didn't bother to do much with her hair out of the ordinary besides pin a few of the more rogue curls into place. She wore no veil, and insisted Erik use the dummy ring she had bought for herself for the ceremony. A small gold band would serve for Erik's ring. She truly did not care about the ceremony, it was the end result that would make her the happiest woman alive.
It was a quiet affair. Nadir took a carriage into Boscherville to serve as a witness to the pair, even though he didn't share their God. He simply couldn't refuse; as caustic as both Aminta and Erik could be, somehow they were perfect for one another. The church was small and the town was quiet. The young priest had agreed to marry the pair eagerly, clearly unaware of the masked man's history in the sleepy village. In spite of their proximity to Erik's mother, she was not invited; not only did she already believe the two were married, she had not been a significant enough part of Erik's life to even consider sharing the day with.
If the priest was confused about the masked man at the altar, he certainly didn't show it. He smiled at the pair, genuinely glad to have them under his roof. After saying a prayer, the man asked if they had prepared vows or if they would like him to move right to the ones prepared by the church. Neither of them had thought to write vows; they were generally pretty open with one another as it was. It was no secret to either of them that one would be lost without the other.
The vows were simple, but sweet. The priest had each of them promise to love the other as long as they lived and more, to respect one another, and to always place their spouse before any other. They both agreed whole heartedly, though there was some joint amusion about the respecting one another bit, and finally the rings were brought out to be exchanged.
Erik had not brought the dummy ring like she had told him to, Aminta was surprised to see. Instead he brought a ring she had never seen before, a lovely white-gold band with a delicate pattern traced around it, and a small round cut diamond held delicately in place. It was far nicer than the thin gold band adorned with gem meant to look like a diamond Aminta had purchased for herself. Erik took her hand gently and placed the ring on her wedding finger; it fit perfectly. He smiled under his mask and rested his forehead on hers. "I borrowed your other ring to have it sized." He told her quietly. "Do you like it?" She knew it must have taken quite a bit of self restraint for Erik not to have purchased the most elaborate ring the jeweler had to offer, considering how expensive his tastes were, but its simple beauty was perfect for her.
"I love it." She smiled back. "Here. Read the inside." Aminta told him, showing him the gold band she had had made for him. Inside was inscribed in lovely italic script "For my Angel." This made Erik smile; whether the dream they had shared was true or not, he knew she would always hold him in her heart as her Angel. He adored her for holding her in so high a status. She slipped the ring on his ungloved wedding finger with a grin.
The priest couldn't help but smile in turn. "With God as my witness, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride." The man smiled to Erik, and Erik obliged eagerly. Aminta kissed him back firmly, happy tears in her eyes.
"I love you, Erik. So, so much."
"I love you too, Aminta." Aminta took his arm and walked back down the aisle to meet a smiling Nadir at the end.
"Congratulations, both of you. I have to say, Erik, this is quite unexpected of you." Nadir told them with a pleased look on his face.
"Stranger things have happened." Erik retorted, kissing Aminta's temple.
Nadir agreed whole heartedly. "I'm glad things are working out for you both, finally. What is next?"
"Nothing's going to change, Nadir." Aminta remarked, amused. "We've been practically married for a while, it's just official now." She pointed out.
Nadir left them one hundred francs as a wedding gift, which the pair accepted gratefully. Where money had been plentiful at the Opera, they were running low on funds now that winter had set in. In the spring when children returned to school Aminta would find a job, but until then money was a little tight. The Persian returned to Paris, and the newlyweds returned to their home in the countryside.
Erik picked up Aminta as if she weighed nothing, and carried her from their carriage to the front door. Aminta laughed lightly. "What are you doing? The ground's not even wet!" The snow had let up, and though it was cold outside the ground was dry.
"A bride who trips on her way into her new home brings bad luck." He told her, gravely.
Aminta couldn't help but grin. "But Erik, I've been living here for-"
Erik kissed her to silence her, and Aminta kissed him back obligingly. The kiss was drawn out substantially, and when Erik lay down his new bride in bed she immediately began fussing with her dress. She couldn't for the life of her reach the buttons in the back and was growing frustrated in her eagerness. She was met by a drawn out, languid kiss from Erik. As he kissed her he reached behind her to help with her buttons, freeing her from the bodice of the dress. Aminta pulled the dress off her hips and kissed her husband deeply, pulling at his own buttons in exchange. Erik removed her hands though, and kissed her again slowly but passionately.
"Erik…" There was a bit of a whine in her voice; her body was eager to consummate the marriage, she felt this pace would drive her mad. She caught a gleam in his eye that told her everything she needed to know; he knew how eager she was, but wanted to draw it out anyway.
They made love slowly, the pace a torturous delight for both. Aminta squirmed beneath her husband, her body begging him to quicken the pace while her mind adored the closeness in spite of the agony it caused. When finally they found sweet release, Aminta was exhausted mind and body. She urged her husband over so she could drape herself across him, the most comfortable blanket Erik had ever known he thought to himself. She smiled sleepily on his chest.
"We're going to be one of those stupidly cute old couples." She remarked drowsily. "The ones you see walking down the banks of the Seine holding hands at like… a hundred years old."
"I wouldn't call us cute, all things considering." Erik remarked, but smiled.
"Have you seen some of those couples' faces? You're far more handsome than a lot of old men." Aminta retorted and smiled back at him.
"Do you remember when Nadir asked us what we were going to do next?" Aminta nodded, and Erik continued. "I think we should have children."
Aminta raised a brow at him. "Okay, what's gotten into you? First you suggested we get married, now you're actually suggesting we have children?"
"I wasn't opposed to Adrian, and neither of us knew about the second baby." He pointed out. "But… yes. I think we should have children. If something happens to either of us, I don't want the other to wind up alone."
"You're still worried I'm going to leave, aren't you?" Aminta folded her arms under her chin and looked up at him. "You're not worried something's going to happen to you, you're worried something's going to happen to me."
"Well… yes. I am. I keep having different dreams about you, the only thing similar about them is I wind up alone again."
Aminta moved to kiss him. "You'll never be alone, Erik, even if something does happen to me. And really, I don't think we're one of those couples that will have the option of trying for children. First of all we have sex a lot more than the average couple in this day and age I'm guessing, and second getting pregnant has never been the problem. It's keeping the baby that hasn't been working out."
"I know… I know. But we can make moves to increase the likelihood of keeping a baby. As soon as we know you're pregnant if you go on bedrest…"
"I'd go insane in bed for six months, Erik, and I'd drive you nuts in the process. Besides, if it's that medicine you gave me nothing is going to help. I might just… not be fertile anymore." She frowned.
"There isn't any harm in trying is there?"
"That's easy enough for you to stay. I know you hurt when we lost the babies but I was absolutely devastated. I still can't get the image of the bath out of my head. Trying to have a baby might mean who knows how many more miscarriages and broken hearts."
"You said it yourself, we're together enough where your likelihood of getting pregnant is pretty great anyway. The trying would come in keeping the baby. A strict diet, restricted movement, anything to help a baby stick those first few months."
He was right, Aminta knew. She was going to have more miscarriages, there was little doubt about that. But there seemed to be no harm in making an extra effort to keep the baby. And he did seem to truly want a child… "Okay. Okay, the next time I know I'm pregnant we'll figure out a way to help me keep it. But three more miscarriages, and that's it. After that I want to be sterilized. Not just not being able to carry to term. I don't want to conceive anymore after that." She knew Erik would be capable of making this happen. Her heart was heavy from the deaths of two children; the deaths of five would tear her to shreds. She knew any more than that and she would likely never recover from the pain. He seemed to consider this compromise carefully before agreeing.
"Okay. Three more tries, that's all." He promised.