I sadly don't own the Phantom or any other characters created by G. Leroux, S. Kay and A. L. Webber, but they always have a place in my heart! Stanislas d'Escayrac was a real french explorer in the 19th century, I only took the liberty of changing the timeline a bit. Still, I liked the name!
THE PRIEST
Joséphine rose from the bench and followed the Phantom towards the door at the left of the main altar. Passing by the statue of Holy Mary, she reached for a candle to have some light.
"You won't need one, I will guide you," she heard him say. Her 'fiancé' apparently had good night vision, for he was already a few meters ahead of her in the less lit section of the church.
Her 'fiancé'. It hit her then that she hadn't even asked his name.
"Uhm…," The Phantom turned around. "I'm sorry I didn't ask before, but what is your name?" Joséphine asked him shyly, closing up on him.
"Erik, my name is Erik," he informed her.
"Erik…thank you for helping me," she told him, taking his arm to let him guide her, trying to ignore the chill that crept from his body.
Having only been referred to as the Opera Ghost or the Phantom in the last time, Erik felt strange at hearing his name out loud again. Not vocally acknowledging her thanks, he turned around again and moved on. He opened the door and led them through the Sacristy to an exit at the back of the church. They found themselves in a garden in front a small stone house. His resident seemed to sleep, for no lights could be seen.
Joséphine let out a breath, strode forward and knocked on the door, Erik followed behind her. Some time passed and nothing happened. She knocked again and was content to hear a rustling and the sound of feet approaching the door. Moments later the door creaked open to reveal an elderly man in his nightclothes.
"Yes, my child? What urgent matters bring you to my church in the middle of the night?" he inquired, stifling a yawn.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you at such a late hour, father, but I want you to marry me" she said, coming straight to the point.
The priest's eyes widened at that, and, realising her mistake, she corrected herself.
"I'm sorry, that was not what I wanted to say. I want you to wed us." She motioned to the man behind her.
The clergyman lifted the candle he was holding in his hands, trying to see the face of the man standing in the dark behind the young woman. The Phantom took a step forward, but consciously kept his right side in the shadows.
"That's all very nice, but couldn't you wait until morning?" the priest asked the couple.
"No," Joséphine replied. "You see, my stepmother is against this union, so I stole out of the house…"
She choked back some tears that threatened to fall, appealing to the sympathy of the man in front of her.
Compassionate, the clergyman looked at the seemingly distraught woman. Apparently this man meant a lot to her, if she wanted to marry him against the will of her family.
"Why don't you both come in and have some tea, I'm sure that we can work something out," the priest said and opened the door further. He was rewarded with a smile that lit up the woman's face.
She put a hand on his arm. "Thank you father, but there is one more thing that you must know." She cast a glance back at her 'fiancé', sure that he wasn't going to like what she was going to say next.
"Erik…well, he suffered from an illness a long time ago, and his complexion is…different because of this." She felt him stiffen behind her, but he remained quiet so far.
"My stepmother disagrees with this marriage, she can't accept that he is the man I chose, but I refuse to let her dissuade me from my decision." She reached for Erik and drew him close. He was impressed, she was very convincing. She hadn't exactly lied, but hadn't told the whole truth either.
His face now exposed to the light of the candle, he fully expected the priest to start reciting the Lord's Prayer, but the man quietly took in the sight of him and the woman at his arm.
"I see," the priest said finally. "If you are truly willing to become his wife, then who am I to judge." He turned and headed back into the house, not seeing the smile on Joséphine's face or the stunned look on Erik's.
"Last chance to back out, Erik," she said quietly, fearing he would reject her now that she had made it that far. He looked down at her, not really sure what the future with that woman on his side would bring him, but willing to try.
'For Christine,' he thought, and together they entered the house.