In My Darkness: La Chatte Noire

Chapter Twenty-Four: Hesitation

Chapter Twenty-Four: Hesitation

Camillé was speechless. The ring he was holding out in front of her was beautiful, a single diamond on a ring made of gold with silver Trinity knots on each side. Truly, in a word, it was nothing but beautiful. She looked back up into Erik's face with a shocked expression, searching in his eyes for something telling her what to say, but there was nothing. Then she looked back down at the ring, her eyes switching between the two every few seconds.

"Do you remember when you gave me your requirements to ask for your hand?" he asked, pulling the ring from the box and closing it, slipping the box back in his pocket. She simply stayed silent as he took her left hand in his, so he continued, "You told me that I would have to understand your hesitation, and be willing to wait for you," he said as he slipped the ring on her ring finger while still keeping eye contact, watching her eyes still going between the ring and his face, "I would have to be completely in love with you," he smiled up at her and bent his head down slightly, kissing the ring lightly and coming back up, "and that we would have to have been together a long time – a year, to be exact."

She was still speechless as he slowly stood and wrapped an arm around her waist. "At the time, I could fulfill all but one of those requirements," he reminded her, and interlaced the fingers of his right hand with her left, "We had not been together long enough yet. But now, Bien-Aimée, it has been a year," he muttered, coming closer to her face with every word, "I understand your hesitations and I am willing to wait an eternity for you," he murmured, almost to her lips now, "And I am deeply, completely, hopelessly in love with you," he whispered, before finally pressing his lips to hers.

It was as if the familiar pressure of his lips woke her from the deepest sleep. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, letting his hands rest on her waist. He smiled into the kiss and pulled away from her.

"I take it your answer is yes?" he asked, and she beamed up at him, nodding.

He grinned widely, kissing her as he picked her up and spun her around. Then he set her down on her feet and they stood there for several more moments simply kissing. Erik pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

"Please say it," he asked, looking into her eyes.

She looked at him with a mischievous expression. "Say what, Erik?"

"Say you'll be mine."

Camillé nearly drowned in the intensity of his blue eyes. "Yes, I will be your bride, Erik…" here she trailed off, realizing that she didn't actually know his surname.

"You sound as if you are unsure about your answer," he noted, sounding worried.

She shook her head and grinned at him. "No, it's just… what is your surname, Erik? If I'm going to marry you, I might need to know that," she teased, tapping him on the nose.

He laughed, nodding. "My surname is Destler, Bien-Aimée."

"Erik Destler," she repeated, testing the way it sounded, "D'accord. I will be your bride, Erik Destler. I like that name, by the way. It fits well."

He chuckled, grinning down at her as he repeated his own name, "Erik Destler. I suppose it does. I never thought about it before. Erik Destler. Erik and Camillé Destler. Oui, I believe I like that better."

She giggled, kissing him on the lips as he held her close. They stayed that way for a time before he pulled away and began leading her by her hands back to the Opera House. Then she stopped tugged on his hands to get him to stop. He turned back to her, a content – no, almost ecstatic smile on his face. Camillé couldn't help but grin as she gestured back to the table.