OK, back to finally present you with sum new material! This one starts off with just a little more intimacy, as a little thank you for waiting around so long. It's a little insight into Erik and Christine's married life before the story continues full force!
Enjoy, and thanx for bearing with me! -x- Lotte.
Spring had now turned into full summer, and their wedding day already seemed so long behind them. The house had returned to its usual order, and Venice society had been made aware of their union. Christine was very happy to being addressed as Signora Cristina Alighieri, wife to the renowned architect, rather than the silly noble title that had never held any value to her. She was fervently studying Italian and begged Franca to address her in that language as often as possible, so as to find her way into society as soon as may be. Even Céline already spoke quite some Italian, and Christine stood amazed at how quick such young children adapt to a new language.
Her French was reserved for Erik only, their quiet whispers in the dark in their native tongue. She had grown accustomed in finding him in his chambers at night. Surrounded by piles of drawings and sheet music, his mind wandering in places she could only imagine. Places only the touch of her hand could lure him back from, and she prouded herself in it.
"So where have I found you this time, my love?"
Erik startled at the soft, teasing whispers in his ear. A loose curl dangled down from her back towards his neck, causing him to shiver in contentment. Two hands enfolded her waist and seconds later she was sitting on his lap, kissing him passionately.
"I am struggling with the acoustic effects at the Basilica, my angel. It proves to be more of a conquest than I had anticipated."
He ran a hand along her spine, marveling at the touch of her naked skin above the low-cut waistline of her nightgown. "You are not in the least concerned with my struggles, are you ma chère?"
She slipped her hands under his half-opened shirt, never leaving his eyes. "Not particularly, no. I was rather hoping to offer you a conquest of a different kind..."
He could not recall when exactly she had unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, but before he could speak again he found it lying on the floor behind him. He sought her mouth again, nearly ripping her lace dressing gown from her shoulders, pulling her close to feel the soft silk of her negligé brushing against his chest. Its buttons did not survive his searching hands, now yearningly cupping her breasts. His mouth took over as his hands made their way down, ruining what was left of the beautiful set of lingerie. Knowing he would not last to reach the bedroom, she teasingly unbuttoned his pants, positioning herself over him. His moan of surprise and pleasure was quickly silenced by her full lips on his, her shaking breath setting the pace of their play. She wrapped her whole being around him, allowing him to thrust deeper than ever before.
It was a short, but very satisfying act. With Christine still in his arms, he dimmed the last candles and proceeded to the bedroom where he laid her down, spreading her fine curls around her face on the pillow.
"Now be a good girl just this once, and allow me to seduce you as a husband ought."
For a moment she wanted to protest against the patronising tone he had once more adapted. As if they were back at the Opera House and he had told her. "Be a good girl and repeat your vocal exercises each day..." But the touch of his hands and his mouth, slowly circling its way further down, took her breath away. As his mouth reached the spot she had feared him to search for, she arched up higher still. His hands quickly wrapped around her thighs, caressing them, massaging them, blocking them from pulling away from his touch.
His tongue slowly circled every inch of her warm flesh, and it pleased him to feel her respond to his actions. He was in no hurry, the edge of his desire had already been broken by their first encounter, and he knew he could last a lot longer than she could. Christine had realised that very thing and found she could not resist him. These pleasures were new to her, Raoul had never presumed...Oh God, how good that felt! Her body went limb under his touch, tensing and relaxing in turns. He had already given her two violent climaxes before ending her suffering and his own by slowly making his way back up and entering her now completely fluid body.
"Was that to your enjoyment, my angel?" He knew it had been, but he wanted to hear her say it.
"Yes, oh yes, that was pure heaven. Never before have I..." That conclusion pleased him even more.
"You are lucky to find me a fervent reader then, after all!"
"Promise me it will always be like this!"
"I promise my angel..."
"Promise you will never leave me, never let me be without such pleasures!"
"There is no other worthy of such pleasures my love, my Christine!" By now he had picked up pace, thrusting deeper and with more force, as if to add strength to his vows. He felt her tighten around him, fueling his own desire and before that endless feeling of complete ecstasy took over once more he promised himself to buy her a new negligé in the morning...
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The next day Renzo came into his study, carefully stepping over the piles of drawings that Erik enjoyed displaying about everywhere, including on the floor.
"Maestro, I hoped to talk to you, is now a convenient time?"
Erik smiled at him and urged him to a chair. He already guessed what the topic of their meeting would be, but indulged his young friend none the less.
"You know how much I adore my Nicola, Maestro, and I am the luckiest man on earth in finding her welcoming my love."
Erik nodded. "Blessed indeed Renzo, I speak from experience."
"I...have asked her to consider being my wife, Maestro. Seeing as Nicola has no living relatives, no father to ask, I wanted to ask your permission for our marriage. Of course it would mean no change in our work here at the Palazzo..."
"Of course it would!" Erik voice echoed through the study and for a moment Renzo thought him to be much displeased. Until he saw that wicked smile appear again.
"How can our dear Nicola attend to my daughter if she is far too busy minding her own children?"
Renzo sighed relieved."Thank you Maestro."
Erik embraced him wholeheartedly. "My pleasure Signore Barbari. To think of you as a man with a wife and family. Your parents must be very pleased."
Franca walked in with refreshments, carefully placing them on a corner of the table so as not to ruin any drawings.
"Now Renzo, all we need do now is find a proper husband for your sister, for I fear if we do not drag her out of the Palazzo by the hair every now and then, she will stay locked up here forever tending to our needs as an old maid till her dying days!"
Franca looked up insulted, claiming she was very content with her life and she could very well manage finding her own husband, before embracing her brother on his forthcoming nuptials.
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That night Erik and Christine attended the Opera and were surprised in being greeted by il Conte Baldona himself, inviting them to his box that night. Not wanting to be impolite they decided to accept, even though they had much rather remained at their own seats. The Count turned out to be a much more pleasant sort of man than his wife, who had of course accompanied him. He insisted they call him Fidelio, for there was no false pretence among artists he exclaimed, and offered them a glass of champagne. Christine noticed the Contessa watch her carefully as she accepted, realising that her refusal of the beverage would have fueled new rumors of her being pregnant.
"And how does married life become you, my dear Maestro? I dare say you have made a fortunate match indeed in such a lovely woman!" Erik made no attempt to counterset her praise of Christine.
"And you my dear, look positively radiant! And how could you not be, with such a fine man for a husband. But really dearest, you should try to gain some weight if you wish the Maestro to make you a mother. A frame so delicate as yours can hardly sustain his healthy sons!"
Christine was happy with the fading light for it hid her fervent blush from the Contessa. But Erik already came to her rescue.
"I can assure you my dear Contessa, that la Signora is able to sustain ample...weight just as she is."
Christine quickly had some more champagne to avoid bursting out laughing. She knew exactly what Erik had meant, and by the look on her face she could tell the Contessa was thinking the exact same thing. But before she could scold him for it Erik innocently continued.
"My wife has, after all, gone through childbirth before, and has fulfilled it quite successfully. I dare say with the happy result of the prettiest little angel in the whole of Venice..."
At this the Contessa could do nothing more but praise his love for the child which was not even his own, let alone a girl, and then the start of the performance silenced her completely.
After the show Fidelio escorted them both backstage to meat the Opera's leading stars, before hurrying them into a small office which he claimed as his own.
"The silence of the Opera after hours, my dear friends...Well, seeing as the both of you have lived at one so long, I need not waste your time in describing it to you. In any case, I have a proposal to make of you, my good man. The Board of Directors here at the Opera Classicale has bid me to invite you to join us in our tasks. One of our respected members, Il Duce Fabbrice, has recently passed away and the board wishes to add some..how does one say...young blood to refresh the spririt of this house and her performances. Seeing as you are quite the connaisseur of the arts, having worked at the Paris Opera for as long as you have, being a loved and respected member of Venice Society...it seemed too good an opportunity to pass on. So what do you say, Maestro? It's mostly an honorary position, a meeting every now and then, a small compensation for your efforts, but I can immagine it would bring you great fulfillment..."
Christine had been struggling to follow all of the Count's quick and old fashioned Italian, but understood as much that Erik was being offered a chance to work at the Opera House. Erik beamed at the chance presented before him. Christine's voice needed no more then regular training, and he was restless in losing so much of his music to his architecture. It would be nice to control the Opera and her performances once more, though this time in a somewhat more official manner. "I would be delighted to join you, Signore Fidelio. You may happily convey my acceptance to the Board." And thus Erik had returned to the world of song and dance.