Erik was at the entrance to the tunnel. Setting Christine down lightly on her feet he moved the heavy stone covering its entrance. Slipping Christine in first, and then coming in behind her, he moved the stone back in place. He was grateful that the snow had begun to fall again, quite heavily now, concealing their tracks beneath it…he wouldn't have to return later to brush them away. Turning to face Christine, in the darkness he felt her reaching out for him.
She grabbed his cloak pulling him toward her, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Erik took her up into his arms once more, carrying her down, down, down, until they came to a small widening of the tunnel, flat and smooth. He put Christine down on her feet. Knowing she could not see him, he caressed her face as he began to gently turn her round and round, his one hand about her waist. His voice barely above a whisper now, letting a sweet love song escape his lips. A mixture of words she knew, and those of a foreign tongue blending together in perfection.
She gently put one hand on his shoulder, feeling for his other as it met hers. He led her in a graceful dance with such elegance he could have been a noble. Christine found herself lost in the euphoria of the music, entranced by the very wonder of it. She closed her eyes though she shouldn't need to in such blackness, but it felt as though it heightened her ability to hear somehow. She drank in each tender note of the voice that sang it, wanting only for more.
Erik's steps became slower changing to a slow swaying motion. Christine could feel his warm breath on her cheek, his strong chin against the side of her forehead. She shuddered at the sensation of this closeness, feeling for once unashamed of the passion that now grew within her. She no longer needed to deny him, nor he her. Her skin tingled, every nerve ending demanding to be attended to..
She reached up to turn Erik's head toward hers. His cheek now damp from the tears he was silently shedding as he sang softly to her. "Erik?" Christine said in a breathy whisper. Taking his face in her hands she guided it down to meet hers.
Their lips met tenderly. Several times at first ever so gently, and then more passionately the longer they held the embrace. They continued to sway back and forth Their strange duet now blending music in their heads.
Erik pulled Christine even closer, holding her tightly before sweeping her up into his arms once more. Traveling down through the tunnels humming to her a sweet soft melody, as she lay against the warmth of his neck, teasing him with feather-light kisses on his chest.
Christine had never felt so safe, so loved, not since she was a child held in her father's lap. She no longer doubted, had no reservation, about being with him. If that meant a lifetime spent in caves beneath the busy world above, then she would set her mind to making it a lifetime to remember…with him.
Before long, Erik carefully set Christine on her feet again. She heard the scraping of the stone against stone, realizing that they were back to the place they had left not long ago. "Christine, give me your hands, I'll lift you down and only let go when you are sure of your footing."
Christine reached out to him in the darkness grasping his strong arms, and felt herself being lowered to the depths below. Once securely on the table she said "I'm alright now."
Erik replied "good, I'll be back in a moment, there is something that I must tend to, but I will not be long."
"Erik? What…" She could hear his faint footsteps in the distance. She knew he wouldn't be long as he had not covered the hole, and would never have left this open if he hadn't intended to return quickly. Christine stepped down onto the chair and then the floor. She lit the candle on the table, and then thinking better of it, quickly put it out. Light traveled such a distance, and she couldn't be sure… She moved over to her bags feeling within them until she found a brush. Quickly running it through her hair, pulling it back up with a silk ribbon she had retrieved from the bag.
Next, she dug deeper, finding a small tin that she knew contained stain for her lips. She carefully removed the cover and dotted a bit on her finger pressing it against her lips. She carefully smoothed it over first her bottom lip and then her top. Putting this back in her bag she felt around until she found that which she sought. A small bottle filled with a perfumed oil. Opening it she was greeted with citrus, much like the scent of fresh oranges on a warm summer afternoon. She dabbed a bit behind her ears, running her finger along her collarbone.
She put everything back into the bag and drew the strings firmly over it. Turning she felt her way along the wall until she came to the blankets that covered the straw pile below. It crunched beneath her when she pushed on it. "It's not exactly a feather bed." She said just below her breath.
"It wasn't meant to be." She turned with a start. She had not even heard Erik's footsteps or his descent to the table within the room. "Erik, you startled me!" She said her pulse racing now out of fright.
"I am quite sorry my dear, I am used to being stealthy in my movements, it has served me well over the years."
She heard the slow, forceful movement of the stone above them. She heard Erik take the tin from the table and strike a match for the candle. Christine noticed the sweet smell of pine even before her eyes adjusted to the light. There, Erik stood before her with a large bouquet of holly and berries, mixed with a few sprigs of pine. He had lashed them together with grapevine.
"No bride shall have to do without a bouquet." Erik smiled at her moving toward her. Christine's eyes grew wide and then she closed them taking in the sweet, sweet, fragrances of the pine. She looked down at the smooth glossy leaves of the ivy, each one rimmed in white. The berries were a brilliant crimson. She'd never seen a more beautiful arrangement.
"Thank you Erik, a fortunate bride indeed." Erik returned her smile.
Christine walked past Erik placing the bouquet at the top of the makeshift bed. Erik watched her every movement with his eyes. Christine asked "Will we be traveling any further this night?"
Erik shook his head no, unable to speak. "Good, then I shan't be needing this anymore." Christine reached up and undid the tie to her cloak, letting it drop from her shoulders. Erik had not noticed before what she had worn beneath the cloak, but now she stood before him, her soft ivory gown shimmering in the glow of the flickering candle. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the raw, unparalleled beauty of all that was Christine.
She smoothed the dress down into place, looking back up at Erik who had her firmly in his gaze. "I did not know what this garment was suitable for, but it was so beautiful, and the color so lovely, I thought it seemed fitting for…." Erik closed his mouth, and his eyes, almost feeling shame for having stared at her so. "Yes, yes, it suits you" is all he could manage before turning away.
"Erik? There is no question remaining in your mind now, no shred of doubt that still needs to be allayed is there?"
"No" he said under his breath. He swallowed hard and began "this is a night I could have only dreamed of, in my wildest dreams….it is something that I have longed for, prayed for….now that it is here I am at a loss for words."
Christine moved toward him, reaching up around his neck to undo his cloak. Taking it from his shoulders.
Erik turned to look at Christine who stood before him now, wanting him for the man that he was…her husband. Erik took off first his long jacket, and then his vest. Christine reached up and undid the black cravat that held his shirt in perfect place, pulling it free dropping it to the floor.
Erik moved away, toward one of the other boxes at the back of the room. He struggled to remove the lid, but when he did, he pulled from it two large blankets, a silk sheet, and a lambs wool covering. Walking over, he placed them on the nest that would serve as their wedding bed.
Christine looked down at the bundle and then back up at Erik. She turned herself to spreading the blankets and sheet out over the others that were already in place. Rising to her feet, she found Erik at her side, chest bare.
His arms wrapping gently around her, he embraced her as he never had before. Kissing her passionately, their minds both swirling with emotion. He looked into her eyes and took her head into his hands saying "Christine my darling, you shall never be alone, I shall never leave you or forsake you, I love you with all of me, my dear, dear, precious wife."
The pair stared deeply into one another's eyes, wishing once again that time would stand still for that singular moment. Erik reached down to Christine's hips, gently pulling the length of the fabric that covered her, up to her shoulders and over her head. There the two stood, fully exposed in the chill of the night air, neither feeling the cold, but only the warmth that burned inside them. Erik lifted Christine into his arms and gently laid her down onto the soft lamb's wool covering below. Taking her into his arms tenderly, covering her with the silken sheet, he embraced her, his Christine.
She looked tenderly into his eyes and smiled saying "my dear husband, take that which is yours…. love all of me, as I do you." And the two became as one….