Limelight

Chapter Thirty One: The Ceremony

Chapter Thirty One: The Ceremony

November 19th,1910.

I closed my eyes from the blinding light as Megan opened the door, cold air rushed inside to greet me. When I opened my eyes and they slowly got used to the light, I couldn't believe them. Had I been tricked? Duped? Where was everyone?

The garden was absolutely quiet, I glanced over to Megan who was still smiling "where is everyone?" I asked, Megan peeked outside and gave an exclamation of remembrance. She hit her forehead with her palm.

"They're all waiting at the gazebo...come darling, only a bit more walking until you meet your amour!" (English Translation: Love) Megan held the door as we all walked out, the wedding march echoed through speakers the managers only just installed so the world of Paris could hear wonderful music. Megan shut the door and quickly ran back to me, smiling at me and nodding, telling me that we could continue. As we walked closer and closer to the gazebo, I could feel the excitement, the joyous tension that filled the air, the light tramp of eager friends and the sighs of realization from everyone. Luckily, that day, that wonderful day, the sun was shining bright and there were fluffy, cottonous clouds floating about the sky.

The wonderful smell of baking pastries and freshly chopped wood came to my nose and taunted it, making me imagine my wedding cake; Erik behind me, both of us with the knife in hand, slowly slicing through it, my smile to him and him kissing my cheek. I held my breath for a moment and slowly let it out, staring at the plump, orange pumpkins that were failed to be picked from the vine. As we walked, our feet crunched dead leaves that had fallen from the surrounding trees, which were now almost bare, save the lush, green, evergreen trees. I wished and hoped my relationship with Erik would be like those evergreens, long lasting and always green...green with happiness, green with health, green with good fortune...and green with the love that was put into it. Now, in the distance, I saw the black shingles on the top of the gazebo.

My heart began to pound again, my hands tightened around my bouquet, and I gulped in nervousness. A red carpet was rolled out upon the path, and on the sides of the path were chains of flowers, white flowers. Megan stopped me before the carpet, took out a small flute, and blew into it; a few moments of silence ensued and then a band was struck up. The wedding march on the speakers was silenced as the band played a brilliant song which reminded me of the 'Moonlight Sonata' by Beethoven; slow, whimsical, and beautiful. I then remembered Erik saying that he had written a wonderful wedding mass, and I assumed that this was the mass.

Megan nodded to me and we began to walk again, the faces of my fellow performers emerged, they were in a line, leading down to Erik in a black tuxedo, the priest in a red gown, a beautiful, flowered arbor, and a golden podium before the priest. The Priest, Erik, the arbor, and podium were all waiting for me in the white, paint chipping gazebo; Erik's eyes scanned me whilst my eyes remained on his face. Erik stood straight as a nail with his hands together in front of him, on Erik's right stood the Persian, also in a black tuxedo, but he wore his astrakhan hat, whilst Erik shed his wide brimmed, black hat. Fully revealing his handsome face with his brushed back, black hair and slick, white half mask. Erik reached out his gloved hands to me and helped me up the small stairs to the gazebo, he never let go of my hands as I stood before him, the black veil before my face and the bouquet lying on the podium with the priest.

Timothy took his place beside the Persian whilst Megan and Victoria took their places, near me, under the gazebo. Erik and I stared at each other for the majority of the time the Priest was speaking, once again, I got lost in Erik's wonderful eyes; it seemed that nothing else mattered in that moment, it was just he and I, no one else. Erik looked at me strangely and I heard my name called. "W-what?" I asked turning towards the priest, the priest chuckled and Erik smiled, his eyes were soft and humored.