Thanks for all the reviews - all of them for all chapters! I really appreciate them, you know you also help me write the story and think more about what I write... it has taken a long time, this story - a bit more than a month, but I finally made it... I am almost sure there will be a sequel, I already have the idea for it. But so far this is what you get, and I hope you like this chapter too :)
It's a bit long, but there was no other way to make this chapter... I have enjoyed writing the story, and I'm glad that all you who read it enjoyed it too! Please R&R if you feel like it, of course... Atrice
and here we go...
Part 26 - Becoming one Light in Darkness
The sun was shining through the window into the little room, touching the bed where two people lay with each other. It warmed them up, and Lucille woke up by this touch of sunlight. She had been laying with her back to Erik, and he held her tightly, like he'd never let go. Lucille turned around in his, facing Erik, and stroke his chin; for a moment she forgot about the mask on the right side of the face, but remembered it now. The surface smooth and a bit cold, not like his other chin, so soft and warm as she touched it with her fingertips.
"Erik… are you there?" she whispered and he opened his eyes and looked into her face and smiled. This was his wife, they were married now.
"I am right here, now and always…" he whispered back, trying not to ruin this moment of silent love. He then got up and looked at the clock next to the bed. It was lunch, and soon they would be going to their new apartment. Soon… he helped her up too, and still dressed up for a wedding, they went down to the tap room of the inn. Erik found them a table, and while Lucille sat down – feeling the many eyes watching her – her husband went up to ask about some lunch. She thought it was a bit strange, so little they had been talking on this day. In the morning they only spoke when they had the discussion about the veil… 'remember to ask him about it, he promised he'd tell you' she thought to herself. They hadn't spoken on the way to the church, and not back to the inn either. Not while they were in their room. Like the seal their love had gotten, made words unessential. While she thought about this, Erik came back and placed a plate in front of her. Like she figured, they would eat in silence. Would she never hear that voice which she loved so much, again?
Erik packed their things and then they were off. The horse stayed with them, of course it did, and they rode to where Erik knew the apartment would be.
"You know, I gave the horse a name…" Lucille said while they rode.
"You did? What is it then – it cannot be more pretty than your name." he said and she smiled a flattered smile – in some way it was different now they were married. He seemed more relaxed, saying a thing like that.
"I have called it Angel… you know, songs and music is what brought us together, and I thought the horse could be the Angel of Music." She said and felt Erik somehow freeze behind her by the sound of the name, and she wondered why. "…isn't it a nice name?" she asked.
"It is very nice…" he just answered, like he wasn't really present behind her anyway. Erik was lost in his memories by the sound of that name. Why did it keep coming back to him? The veil, the songs and now she called the horse by that very special name. 'Oh Christine…' he thought with a sigh, couldn't she just leave his mind? Especially now, when he had his light forever?
Finally he stopped the horse and jumped down, helped Lucille too. He kissed her chin – a sign that she should stay put – and left her on the streets of London. She heard a door open, and the sound of Eriks steps disappear behind her. Soon they came back though, and he stood awhile next to her like he was thinking. They had to find an open stable, where the horse could stay. That could happen tomorrow, and Erik placed Lucille just next to the wall and quickly he rode back to the inn where the horse could stay in their stable, for a small amount of money. He walked back as fast as he could, not happy to leave her alone. She sighed with relief when she suddenly felt Eriks hand in hers again, and he led her through the door and up some stairs. Unlocked another door and led her inside, closed it behind her.
"This is it?" she asked quietly, since she couldn't see any of it. She couldn't see how Erik had made sure the apartment looked beautiful, for he was the only one of them who would see it. Red, black and golden colors, lots of candlesticks – but no mirrors. Lucille couldn't see the mirrors, and Erik didn't like them.
"This is our home, Lucille… I have brought you, to the rest of light in all. In my mind I've already succumbed to you, dropped all defences, completely give in to you… now I do have you, no second thoughts, we're together – together…" he sang while he led her through the apartment, not able to stop himself this time. Lucille smiled by the sound of his singing voice, which she had fallen in love with to begin with. So beautiful and genuine… she smiled back to him.
"You have brought me, to this place of light in dark. To a place where speech disappears into music… sweet music… I have loved you, barely known the reason why. In my mind I've already felt it, our bodies entangling, defenseless and silent. Now I am here with you, no second thoughts, we're together… together…" Erik too smiled by the sound of her voice, as he opened a door to a very special room. A large four-poster stood in the middle of the room – golden posts and black sheets. It was the only thing in the room, except for a door leading to a wardrobe in the next little room. He let go of her hand, and Lucille walked for herself. She felt a poster in front her, and knew what it was that very moment. 'This is where our bodies will be one…' she thought, not able to surpress a shy smile. She let her hands feel all the bed, walking around it, getting to know it. Lucille would have to do this in the entire apartment, but she didn't think about this now.
Erik stood in the door, watching his wife do all this, touch the bed with her fingers and hands. She still wore the weddingdress, and he saw the laces on the back of it. She also still wore that special veil, and hadn't asked another question about it. Now she had reached the pillows, and the poster in that end of the bed, standing with her back to him. 'Can't resist…' he thought, silently stepping over to her, putting her arms around her. Lucille turned around in his embrace and they kissed, and Erik really had to put a hand on himself not to rush things. He didn't want to hurt her, but he turned her around again and began to open those laces in the corset. Soon it was very loose, and Lucille helped the dress fall down on the floor and turned around again, silent. Erik sighed, her naked body was almost more than he could take. She helped him open the shirt, and remembered that time in his lair, when she had let her hands glide behind that shirt and feel the body.
"You won't need this anymore, either…" she whispered and Erik closed his eyes while she carefully removed his mask. She wanted nothing between them on this night, and she turned him around – somehow ordering him to lay down on the bed, where she also lay and kissed his mouth, his left chin and the right side of his face, usually covered by a mask. He tried to be careful too, but suddenly he made her stop and sang quietly:
"We're past the point of no return…"
It wasn't even dinnertime yet, she knew that much. She moved from her back to rest on the right shoulder, and with her other hand she carressed his hair, his face and his body. This was it, they were married now, and their marriage had been sealed for good now. Lucille felt him wake up too; how she felt it, she didn't know, she just knew it. Like she could feel his every movement now they had been one. 'His eyes to see, my sense to feel – one', she thought.
"Are you alright, Lucille?" Erik asked her, a bit worried, and she smiled to calm him.
"I have never been better – my husband, Erik… once Phantom of the Opera." She said back to him with a little grin, and he grinned back.
"Maybe I'll be that once again… in a different way, though." He said, smile in his voice now.
"What do you mean? You won't need to hide anymore, not here… not with me." Lucille wanted him to feel safe with her, whatever they did. He stroke a curl away from her face.
"I don't mean to hide, Lucille. I have light to see the way now – and the way is my plan for our future. We'll be rich, in a proper way." Erik said and she could hear, that he was careful not to burst this new plan out, although he wanted to. He spoke quickly with enthusiasm.
"Tell me, Erik…" she said, curious but still giving him time enough to tell what he wanted to tell. He sat up in the bed and looked down at her, feeling nothing could ever be better. He was happy, more happy than ever before. As long as Lucille was by his side, he felt invincible. And this plan could work, the dream he always dreamed would come true. He took a deep breath, kissed her as he laid down on top of her again, sad that she couldn't see the smile in his eyes, although she felt it.
"We'll build an Operahouse, run it – I always dreamed of that, you know…" he said, and she smiled to him with a nod. Somehow she knew it all along, that this was what he wanted to do. And with her by his side, she knew he could do it. He had shown her a light in the darkness, and this was what she was to him – Light in Darkness…
x--x--x THE END x--x--x
- finished the 9/9 2005, by Atrice -