I took my seat once again and the ceremony began. Raoul walked slowly
down the aisle. As he passed me, he gave me a look that clearly said, "I
don't trust you." I simply glared at him and he fixed his attention
elsewhere. As everyone stood, again, as Christine came down the aisle, I
couldn't help but wonder why I was letting her do this. I was surprised at
myself for how easily I had agreed to bring her back here. Again, as she
passed my row, I bowed slightly and she smiled back. This time, however,
she mouthed the words "thank you" and blew me a kiss. She reached Raoul and
the priest and the wedding started.
True to my word, I did not interfere at all. Raoul must have expected I would for when the priest again said the "speak now or forever hold you peace" bit he turned and glared at me. I remained silent though and Raoul and my beloved Christine were wed.
Afterwards, I went directly over to Christine. "Congratulations my dear, I'm very happy for you," I whispered in her ear.
"Thank you so much Erik, for everything," she replied and hugged me tightly. I kissed her on the cheek and turned to Raoul.
"Take care of her," I growled so that Christine could not hear.
Raoul laughed. "I will, don't you worry," he told me.
"You better, or you can expect a visit from me," I said simply. I turned back to Christine. "Care for a quick walk?"
She smiled and took my arm. "I won't be long," she told Raoul. He nodded and I led Christine through the back door of the church and to the gardens.
"Christine, I'm sure you will be happy with Raoul, but if ever he mistreats you in any way, please let me know," I said. "I will deal with him accordingly."
"Erik, I'm going to be just fine," she stopped me, held both of my hands and looked into my eyes, "and you know it. Don't you?"
"Yes, Christine, I know, but I just want you to know that if you ever need me for any reason, I'll always be there," I told her. She smiled and kissed me lightly on the lips. I didn't want her to pull away, but she did and we continued our walk.
"Maybe you can come see me sometimes," she said hopefully.
"Perhaps," I mused. "But you know it isn't easy for me to travel too much. Where are you going to be living?"
"Just outside Paris," she answered. "We picked out a lovely chateau."
"Well, as soon as you are all settled in, write me," I said.
"Who do I address the letter to? On the envelope I mean. I can't address it to the Opera Ghost can I?" she asked.
"No, you can't do that," I replied. "Address it to the Daroga. If you put the Opera House address on the envelope it will get to him just fine."
"Alright," she said.
"Perhaps we should get back inside," I stated. "Other people will want to talk to the bride." She smiled and nodded. We made our way back to the church. Just before we went inside, she kissed me one last time.
"Christine, there you are!" Raoul exclaimed when we came back in. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I thank you very much for inviting me, but I must be going now," I told them both. I kissed Christine's hand and shook Raoul's. "I hope you will be very happy together."
"Thank you Erik," Raoul replied. He looked somewhat shocked that I had wished them happiness. "We will be." I nodded and walked away. I hailed a cab and rode back to Paris, deep in thought.
True to my word, I did not interfere at all. Raoul must have expected I would for when the priest again said the "speak now or forever hold you peace" bit he turned and glared at me. I remained silent though and Raoul and my beloved Christine were wed.
Afterwards, I went directly over to Christine. "Congratulations my dear, I'm very happy for you," I whispered in her ear.
"Thank you so much Erik, for everything," she replied and hugged me tightly. I kissed her on the cheek and turned to Raoul.
"Take care of her," I growled so that Christine could not hear.
Raoul laughed. "I will, don't you worry," he told me.
"You better, or you can expect a visit from me," I said simply. I turned back to Christine. "Care for a quick walk?"
She smiled and took my arm. "I won't be long," she told Raoul. He nodded and I led Christine through the back door of the church and to the gardens.
"Christine, I'm sure you will be happy with Raoul, but if ever he mistreats you in any way, please let me know," I said. "I will deal with him accordingly."
"Erik, I'm going to be just fine," she stopped me, held both of my hands and looked into my eyes, "and you know it. Don't you?"
"Yes, Christine, I know, but I just want you to know that if you ever need me for any reason, I'll always be there," I told her. She smiled and kissed me lightly on the lips. I didn't want her to pull away, but she did and we continued our walk.
"Maybe you can come see me sometimes," she said hopefully.
"Perhaps," I mused. "But you know it isn't easy for me to travel too much. Where are you going to be living?"
"Just outside Paris," she answered. "We picked out a lovely chateau."
"Well, as soon as you are all settled in, write me," I said.
"Who do I address the letter to? On the envelope I mean. I can't address it to the Opera Ghost can I?" she asked.
"No, you can't do that," I replied. "Address it to the Daroga. If you put the Opera House address on the envelope it will get to him just fine."
"Alright," she said.
"Perhaps we should get back inside," I stated. "Other people will want to talk to the bride." She smiled and nodded. We made our way back to the church. Just before we went inside, she kissed me one last time.
"Christine, there you are!" Raoul exclaimed when we came back in. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.
"I thank you very much for inviting me, but I must be going now," I told them both. I kissed Christine's hand and shook Raoul's. "I hope you will be very happy together."
"Thank you Erik," Raoul replied. He looked somewhat shocked that I had wished them happiness. "We will be." I nodded and walked away. I hailed a cab and rode back to Paris, deep in thought.