A/N: Warning, rating has been changed to "M" for frank sexual discussions! I am not responsible if any reader is under-age and reads this anyway...your parents should be monitoring your computer usage!
Christine sang softly to herself as she moved around the opera house suite she would be vacating permanently on this day, folding and packing her few possessions that had not yet been moved to the country. She would be Madame Erik Landry in a matter of hours, and there was nothing on earth she desired more than that, so she felt herself to be the happiest woman in the world. A soft knock at the door, and Meg's head appeared. "May I come in?"
"Of course, silly girl! When were we ever so formal with each other?" the older girl laughingly replied.
Meg's blond hair swayed prettily as she came in and dropped into a chair, studying Christine intently as she impudently answered, "Since you are now about to be a married woman, and I am still but a child living with her maman. Oh, Christine, how does it feel?" she gushed, her blue eyes shining. "Are you excited? Aren't you frightened?"
"Frightened? What do I have to be afraid of?" Christine asked, surprised. "Certainly not of Erik, who is a man like any other man, though he is extraordinarily gifted. Of course I think he is the most wonderful man in the world."
"That's what I mean," Meg exclaimed. "He's a man, and they expect certain...things...from their wives. You know, on your wedding night!" she blurted out, blushing bright red.
Christine giggled. "You goose! Has Bettina been frightening you with her tales again?" Bettina was one of the older ballerinas and liked to craft stories to scare the younger girls, typically filled with preposterous exaggerations.
"She told us what men do to women with their...you know...that thing between their legs...and how much it hurts, and how when you are married you have to let them do it to you!" Meg faltered over the words. "I asked Maman, and she told me that when the time came, she would talk to me about my wedding night, but that I knew all I needed to for now. Christine, tell me what you know so I won't be so frightened; if it's as bad as that I think I will be an old maid!" she declared.
Christine smiled and stopped her packing to sit on the bed, patting the space next to her. "Dear child, you are worrying for nothing. And Bettina has no more experience with such things than you do, so you shouldn't let her frighten you. Come sit here and I'll share with you what your maman told me, if it will ease your mind." Meg plopped herself down on the bed, eager to learn all about the mysterious subject at last.
The older girl went on, "Do you know how the sex act is consummated physically?"
"You mean which body part goes where?" Meg said bluntly. "Yes, I've seen dogs and horses mating, so I have a pretty good idea how it's done" she said as she moved closer to her friend, wide-eyed at what she was going to hear.
"Well, Madame told me that a kind husband will make sure that his wife is ready and...well…open...for him by the way he kisses and touches her. If he is considerate, he will make sure she is willing, also, and not just be concerned for his own enjoyment. She said that there may be a little pain for her the first time or two, but that it can be most pleasurable otherwise. Erik..." and she stopped, flustered.
"Go on, Christine, tell me! Erik what?" Meg eagerly insisted.
"I was just going to say that when Erik kisses me, I have all these warm feelings inside, and I feel as if I will burst if he does NOT make love to me soon!" She blushed furiously. "There, I've admitted it, and you probably think I'm immodest, but it's the truth. Your maman says that is normal and healthy, and I'm glad I feel that way. She said that God made us to respond to each other so that we would create children in partnership with Him, and I think that is a beautiful way to look at it, don't you?' she added pensively, thinking about a little dark-haired boy inheriting Erik's talents, or a charming small girl with his beautiful eyes and perhaps a voice like hers.
"Oh, that is a lovely way to put it! Thank you for sharing; it sounds more thrilling than frightening the way you tell it. Do you think I'll ever find someone who makes me feel that way inside?" Meg sighed dramatically. "I want to be in love, too!"
They laughed, and hugged each other, then began to dance around the room holding hands in their exuberance. Madame Giry walked in on them and stood with her hands on her hips. "Young ladies, is this seemly?" she asked in her sternest manner, but they saw through her pretense and locked arms with her, dancing her around merrily with them. She laughed and submitted to their silliness for a moment, then pulled away to remind them, "We really should let Christine get dressed now if we are to be on time at the church."
"Yes!" said Christine. "I don't want to be late for my own wedding!"
Erik awakened early that day in his lonely bed at the country house. Madame Giry had insisted that Christine stay in her own rooms for the remainder of the week, saying it was the most respectable course of action for the new couple before their marriage. Erik protested that they had already spent several days together in the country and that the separate living arrangements were quite appropriate, but she was adamant and they finally gave in, knowing they would be together soon enough. He contented himself with seeing his fiancée for a brief time each day in the city, and spent a few hours making some private arrangements for their first evening alone as man and wife, as well as re-stocking some provisions below the opera house in case they decided to stay there for a day or two on their honeymoon.
He found it very lonely without Christine's company, which was a strange state of affairs for him; after all, he had been habitually alone for quite some time now. He tried to compose, but was too restless to settle on any one task. His mind kept returning to the precious girl who would soon be his bride, and he relived the days they had spent together, their conversations, her touches and kisses, trying to make himself believe that this dream would not disappear.
Dwelling on the memory of those caresses, Erik tried to imagine what it was going to be like to make love to his lovely bride, and found himself up against a roadblock of anxiety each time. He had no experience with the "joys of the flesh", though while walking in the secret passages of the opera house he had by chance been able to observe other couples trysting in that manner. In some instances, the woman had seemed to enjoy the act as much as the man did, but on other occasions he had seen pain on women's faces, and he wanted to avoid hurting Christine at all costs.
When the couple had met with Father Butler, Erik had noticed what appeared to be a family portrait on his desk, so he assumed the man belonged to a religion which allowed its clergy to marry. As hard as it was for Erik to admit his ignorance to any man, he thought that might be preferable to this worry about injuring his bride, and decided to see if the man was available to talk with him this morning.
As he arrived at the church, he met the clergyman at the front door, in the process of unlocking the building. He was welcomed warmly and invited to the man's office, and he sat looking around at various articles as the older man made tea for them to share.
"So, Erik, what brings you here so early this morning? Some change about this afternoon's ceremony?" Father Butler asked jovially.
"No, sir, everything about that is settled. It's about a different matter, something that I need another man's advice about, if you have a few moments" Eric replied straightforwardly.
The older man smiled, relaxing over his tea. "I have no obligations today, except to see you and Christine happily married this afternoon, and will be glad to talk with you."
Erik wasn't sure how to phrase his concern, so he began with a direct question. "Father, are you married?"
"Yes, I am. Margaret and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary earlier this year, as a matter of fact, and we have 3 children; here is a photograph of our family" and he picked up the framed picture on the desk and showed it to the younger man.
"Then I hope you can advise me about a delicate matter, sir. It's about tonight" and he stopped, unsure how to continue.
"Ahhh. You are concerned about taking your bride to bed tonight, is that it?" the cleric asked gently.
"Yes, Father. I don't want to hurt Christine, but I have no previous experience to draw on, just a general knowledge of anatomy…." He stopped again, pale with embarrassment, but needing some answers.
"Erik, may I speak to you frankly as my own father spoke to me on the morning of my wedding?" Father Butler offered.
"Yes, sir, I would be grateful if you would do me that service," Erik replied with relief.
"Well, first of all, I think it is wonderful that you both come to your marriage bed untouched. After all, Adam and Eve had no previous experience, and they managed to start populating the earth, didn't they?" he said, laughing, and Erik managed a small smile, too.
The clergyman reached for his ready copy of the Holy Bible, and turned to Genesis 2:24. "God's plan for human marriage is found right after God creates Eve from Adam's rib, where it states, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.' He meant for you to be joined together physically as well as spiritually, one man and one woman in the most gratifying of unions."
"There is another book called 'The Song of Solomon' which is a great love story of a king and his bride. In it, we hear the bridegroom praising the loveliness of his bride, which reminds us that a woman needs to hear sweet words of love to help her feel secure and desired. There are many indications in it of kissing and touching, which emphasize the importance of those in arousing a woman's passion to make her ready for the act of love."
The clergyman flipped through the pages to find a passage he wanted to read to Erik. "Here, in Chapter 2, we hear the bride say 'His left hand is under my head, and his right hand embraces me.' A woman needs to be caressed and kissed to make her body open for the act of love. Am I speaking too frankly?"
"No, please go on, this is what I need to know so that I don't cause Christine any pain" Erik admitted.
"That is what I thought, which is a concern all true gentlemen share." The older man went on, "Do not hesitate to use your hands and your mouth to adore her body physically, and you will know by her reactions that she is then ready for you to consummate the marriage by entering her. When her body is prepared, there should be only the slightest pain when you break her virginal barrier for the first time, and after that time only pleasure for you both. I hope I haven't embarrassed you by the details?"
Erik was somewhat uncomfortable by the frankness, and yet reassured now by the new knowledge that he didn't have to hurt Christine if he waited until she was ready, and he told the clergyman so.
Father Butler added one more admonition before they parted, "One of the most important things for you to remember, my son, is what God tells us in Ephesians 5, that a husband should love his wife as he loves his own body, nourish and cherish her as the Lord does the church. Look to her needs first, and you will find your own satisfied abundantly."
Erik thanked the clergyman for all of his good counsel and took his leave, promising to return that afternoon in ample time for the ceremony. He walked away, musing about what he had heard, and now beginning to be excited rather than apprehensive about tonight!
