Ch. 24 – Marital Bliss

"Erik, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife?"

"Christine, wilt thou have Erik to be thy wedded husband?"

The kindly Reverend Elliot had agreed without too much prodding to marry Christine and Erik that afternoon. For once, Erik was glad that he was well known in the community of Charleston since the Reverend did not question the haste of the ceremony. As a ship's Captain, it was very plausible and thus easily believed that he and Christine had already been engaged for a long period of time and had met on one of his trips abroad years ago.

St. Michael's church was magnificent with its Victorian altar and stained glass rendition of Easter morning. Erik had never until today felt comfortable in a house of God, but found that with Christine at his side, he was able to stand in this place and not feel the typical surges of anger toward the Lord that he had always felt before. Her love had changed him once and for all.

He looked now at his bride and found her eyes already locked upon him. She wore Maura's wedding dress, a two-piece, high-necked gown of golden yellow taffeta. Her hair had been piled on top of her head with ringlets hanging loose to frame her radiant face. She looked so calm and at peace while he was inwardly trembling. A husband, a father, he was to be both within the next few moments. Two roles that he had long ago cast aside as folly and learned to live without were now to be his.

Holding his Mother's hand, Charles concentrated on the Rector's words, listening for his part in all of this ceremony. Less than two hours ago, he had been in his Mother's bedroom at the Stone's cottage and sat listening to her explaining what was going to come to pass.

"Charles, I need to speak with you", she had began. Charles moved toward her and they sat next to each other on the bed, Christine taking his small hand in between her own two hands. "You like Captain Erik, don't you darling?"

"Oh yes Mama! And you like him now too, he's your friend, you said so." Charles had looked nervous, as if Christine were going to tell him that he would not be seeing Erik again.

"He is my friend, sweetheart, and so much more. I knew Captain Erik before we were on the boat, Charles. Before I was married to your Papa, I knew him. He was my teacher at the Opera house and he was my Angel that I have told you about. I know this is confusing for you, but you only have to know that I love Erik and he loves me, but more importantly, he loves you as well. He wants us to all be a family forever. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Charles shook his head to say that he really didn't understand any of this at all. Christine was pleased that at least he didn't look distressed by anything that she had said so far.

"Captain Erik and I will be married today and I will be his wife, he will be my husband."

"So you won't be Papa's wife anymore?" Charles asked innocently.

"I loved your Papa very much, Charles. And I miss him everyday. But I will be Captain Erik's wife after we say our words in the church today, and you will be his son. He will be your Papa now." She braced for the boy's reaction, not knowing what it would be.

"I will have a Papa like Michel has Mr. Stone? Like Celeste has Papa Robert?" he asked with what looked to be excitement in his eyes.

"Yes, Charles, Captain Erik will be your Papa like that."

Charles threw himself at his Mother, embracing her with all his might and saying, "Thank you Mama, oh thank you."

Tears slipped down Christine's cheeks as she felt her son's need for a father for the first time full force. She hugged him back tightly, then said, "Maybe your new Papa and I will be giving you a new baby brother or sister someday. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Charles couldn't contain his happiness and began to bounce up and down on the bed. He ran out of the room in search of his playmates to tell them the great news and no doubt also tell them that he was to be a big brother soon.

Maura had heard Charles's hooting and hollering and came running just as the boy streaked past her down the hallway. She peeked in at Christine and noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks. Without hesitation she flew to her friend and pulled her into a fierce hug. "Christine, you are a wonderful and brave woman. What you did last night should never be regretted, but celebrated."

"Oh, Maura, you are such a dear. I am not crying over Philippe de Chagny's death or my part in it." Maura released Christine and looked at her in confusion prompting the woman to continue. "I am just so very happy my friend. I have just told my son that he is to be getting a Papa this very day!"

Maura shrieked and once again hugged Christine with the ferocity of a grizzly. "Today?

Oh merciful heavens! We must get you ready. You will have to wear my wedding dress. It should fit since I was much your size before I became the baby factory that you see before you now." She chuckled and began to list the many things that Christine had overlooked or not thought of up until now. Her first wedding day had been so extravagant and overwhelming that she had not enjoyed one moment of it. Her Mother-In-Law, the Comtesse de Chagny, had made every arrangement without her input and she had found that on the day of the ceremony, she felt more like one of the guests than the bride.

Now she stood in the vast expanse of the glorious church, surrounded by the people that she had come to regard as her family, and bonded herself for her lifetime to the man that she had loved since she was a child. She drowned out the sound of the Clergyman and studied her new husband. He was clad much like he used to dress in Paris, with a cravat, vest and jacket. She couldn't determine when Erik looked his finest, on the deck of his ship in a simple pair of ducks and open collared white shirt, in his most regal finery as he was now, or without a stitch of clothing on as he had been this morning in his bed with her. She felt a blush stain her cheeks and had to fight to clear the perfect image of his body from her mind.

Erik had noticed the redness that colored her cheeks and realized that she was thinking of something wicked. He himself was finding it hard not to think back on the morning that they had shared and the soft voluptuous body that lie beneath those many yards of fabric that ensconced her now. As he was losing himself in his memory of her perfect breasts, he felt Stone nudging him and he turned to find his Best Man holding out the wedding band that he was to be placing upon Christine's finger at that moment. Confused, Erik looked questioningly into Stone's eyes and then at Reverend Elliot for instruction. Once he was aware of what he was supposed to be doing, he knelt down on one knee and addressed his new son.

"Charles, I need to place this ring on your Mother's finger. Would you please release her hand to me so that I can do so?"

Charles relinquished his Mother's left hand to Erik and watched as the man slipped the gold band onto her finger. He didn't understand what this meant, but he figured it had something to do with Erik becoming her new husband and his new Papa, so he smiled up at the couple. Erik placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and a kiss on Christine's cheek, pride running through him.

"I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. What God hath joined together this day, let no man put asunder."

"You may kiss your bride, Captain Apollos," the Reverend said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Applause and whoops of congratulations rang out as Erik leaned toward his wife and captured her mouth with his in a loving caress. As their lips parted, their eyes locked and she whispered, "I love you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up, spinning her around, all the while whispering his own words of adoration and love into her ear. Christine's giggles and the Stone family's hoots of laughter echoed throughout the hall before he placed her back on the floor and released her to receive hugs and kisses from Maura and Stone.

As the carriages pulled away from St. Michael's, its famous ring of eight bells chimed to announce the fulfillment of the marriage of Erik and Christine Apollos. Seated on her husband's lap in their private car, Christine listened to the beauty of the chimes, believing that she would never hear a sound so sweet ever again. She was proven wrong a moment later when her husband whispered in her ear, "You are the most breathtaking woman to walk this planet, my wife, and I love you with all my heart. Thank you, Christine. Thank you for giving me a life that is worth living." He followed his heartfelt statement with a kiss that Christine felt all the way to her toes, and with a sigh of contentment that was his first in his lifetime.

Maura hadn't had time to prepare the feast that she would have liked to celebrate the wedding, but she made due with what she had. The adults ate and toasted the happy occasion, while the children burned off the energy that had been stored up during the service by running around the yard. Erik watched Stone stand to fetch something for Maura in the kitchen and took the opportunity to follow him.

"Stone, I owe you…everything. I can never repay you for the part that you have played in restoring my Christine to me. And I can never apologize enough for all the times that I have been the bastard at your expense."

"Captain, seeing you and that little lady happy is thanks enough. And as for your apology, I accept it, but there's really no need for one," Stone said with kindness and understanding. "What are you going to do now? Set sail or stay in Charleston? Have you decided?"

"Not yet. I have to discuss it with my…wife," Erik said with incredulity. "Whatever Christine wants to do, we will do. It matters not to me anymore. I will be wherever she is from this day forward."

Stone chuckled and slapped Erik on the back, "Smart man. You're already sounding like a husband!"

After dinner, Christine and Erik tucked Charles into his bed with promises to return for him in the morning. As the couple was exiting the room, Charles called out in a soft voice, "Papa?"

Erik was taken aback by Charles's calling him Papa so soon, but he found the term as pleasant as he had found Christine's words of love. "Yes, Charles?" he answered as he returned to the boy's bedside.

"I just wanted to see if you would answer me when I called you that. Goodnight, Papa," he said with a smile as he rolled over to fall asleep.

Erik placed a kiss on the boys head and whispered, "Goodnight, my son." He walked back to Christine's side and the two shared a silent moment to mark this precious exchange.

After saying quick goodbyes to the Stones, Erik and Christine rode in the carriage back to their home. As they ascended the stairs leading to the front door, Erik stooped down to lift Christine into his arms and carried her inside and up the winding staircase to their bedroom. He placed her on her feet and moved to begin unbuttoning her wedding dress.

Neither of them spoke as their clothing was removed, and when at last they stood before one another unclad and defenseless, they embraced. Erik lifted Christine's wedding band to his lips and bestowed a kiss upon the ring. He turned over her hand and slowly trailed kisses from her wrist to her shoulder. He lingered on those spots where she would make sounds of pleasure and upon finishing with the left arm, repeated the process on her right. When his eyes once again found hers, he was delighted to already see the passion in them, passion for him.

Taking her hand he led her to the edge of the bed and sat down leaving her to stand before him. His eyes roamed her naked form with appreciation for her full breasts and tight waist. He grazed his fingertips over her causing a sensation so delicate that her knees buckled slightly. His lips and tongue followed the path which his touch had left. As he brought each coral nipple into his mouth, she gasped in delight and dug her fingers into his shoulders. She felt his fingers plunge between her thighs and knew that she would not be able to continue to stand for much longer.

Sensing her eminent collapse, Erik stood and turning, he lowered her onto the mattress. "Oh Erik," she moaned as he once again turned his attentions to her breasts with his mouth. She tilted her head up to look at him when he had stopped and their eyes met. She could see the look of the devil in his face as he grasped her knees and pulled them to the edge of the bed. He dropped to his knees and before she could say a word in protest, his mouth was on her, driving her over the edge.

When she screamed for him to stop the sweet torture, he stood once again, grasped her behind the knees and entered her with a forceful thrust. She nearly came off the bed at the intensity of the feeling that surged through her. Within moments, she was approaching her climax and yelling out his name. He lowered himself to cover her body with his and took her mouth in a passionate kiss as he found his own release.

The sweat covered their bodies and their heavy breathing mixed as they lie together entwined. His head rested on her chest and he was so content that he didn't realize that he was crushing Christine until she attempted to push him off of her.

"I'm sorry my darling," she said, "but you are about to become a widower if you don't allow me to breathe."

He laughed and rolled onto his back, taking her with him so that she was lying on top. His fingers stroked her back as he thought upon the events that had led to this moment in time. "Christine?"

"Hmmm?" she answered in a sleepy stupor.

"What shall we do now, love? Shall we take Charles and sail around the world? Or shall we stay in Charleston and build a life for ourselves on land?"

She shifted so that she could lean on an elbow and look into his face. "I can't make that decision alone, Erik. We have to decide together. Either way I shall be content as long as we are together. I cannot stay here and watch you sail off as Maura has done for years with Stone. I couldn't bear to be apart from you for months at a time."

"That will never come to pass, Christine, for I couldn't leave you either. We have been apart long enough in this lifetime." He stroked her hair back from her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry my darling for bringing this up tonight. We will discuss it another time…together. For now, let's get under these blankets before we both catch our deaths, and sleep."

"Since when have you ever gotten cold, Erik? All those years in that damp and frigid cellar at the Opera and you were never the slightest bit chilled!"

"I am afraid that my body had developed a weakness for the warmer climates in my advanced age." He pulled them both up to the head of the bed and covered their bodies with the bed linens. "Another weakness I have developed is a need for more sleep than was necessary in my youth. Now rest, love. We will both need strength for the third of my weaknesses."

"Which is?"

"My weakness for making love to you," he said with a noticeable tone of merriment.

"Oh," she replied. Then she quickly added, "You know, I happen to have the very same weakness I have noticed. Goodnight, husband."

"Goodnight, wife."

A/N: Well folks, that is just about it. An epilogue will follow soon. Please leave a review…I will be going through withdrawal of seeing your comments after I finish.