She was down by the river, having just come from town she was watching the water move slowly past her. She heard a twig snap but didn't jump.
"Have you finished with your lessons oh great student?" She called, she heard him scoff and the grass rustled as he joined her by the rivers edge.
"Well, your sister seems quite intelligent enough without my help." He told her, Eponine smiled slightly and patted the grass for him to sit down. He did so, drawing his legs up to his chest. The wind was picking up, the summer over and the people of her town were preparing the harvest.
"I'm leaving tomorrow." He said suddenly, Eponine's stomach dropped and the braid of grass fell from her hands.
"Tomorrow?" She whispered, looking over to Enjolras he nodded. "You'll be going alone?"
"No with a few friends and we'll be meeting others in Paris." Enjolras paused, "Eponine their are some things I cannot tell even you."
Eponine grabbed her basket ans stood, various flowers she picked falling from her apron. "I must get back home." She stated sharply, Enjolras rose too and grabbed her arm.
"Eponine, please don't be cross."
"I'm not, if you must go and be Mounsier Revolution than so be it." She began to walk away but Enjolras grabbed her again.
"Eponine, great changes are going to happen in this land, but they cant be done by themselves, I must be there to help! You must understand." Enjolras exclaimed, Eponine bit her lip, she couldn't let him see her cry.
"I understand perfectly well Mounseir, if you must leave then goodbye." She turned and hurried away.
"Eponine I've work to do, this is for all of us, for me your sister for your father!" Eponine paused, shifting the basket on her hip, the wind blew her hair around.
"I do Enjolras." She mumbled and continued up the slope away from the river and him.
"Eponine! Eponine wait1" Enjolras called after her, he began to run up the hill. Eponine quickened her pace, the sooner she was home the sooner Azelma would be there to comfort her. "Eponine I've got a question for you." Enjolras told her, how had he caught up to her so fast? "Its a political question, one of marriage."
Eponine stopped in her tracks, that couldn't be right Enjolras asking about marriage?
"How is this a political question?" She asked.
"Well everythings political, Like everything else, the relationship between a man and a woman has a socioeconomic base. Marriage must be founded on mutual beliefs. A common attitude and philosophy towards society…"
"And love, affection and …" Eponine restored, it was just like Enjolras to take the love out of marriage."
"Well yes that to Eponine,Such a relationship can have positive social values. When two people face the world with unity and solidarity…"
"And love!" Eponine exclaimed, her annoyance towards the man growing.
"Yes that's an important part! Though if someone were to ask me of my opinion of the matter...I'm in favor of it." Enjolras stammered out, "Do you, as a citizen have an opinion?" He asked her. Eponine's heart hammered in her chest, he couldn't be serious, he couldn't be asking her to…
Why should she? He was arrogant, he constantly challenged her, he filled Azelma full of radical notions! Yet, that dance by the river, twirling around in the summer air as he spoke of change for France. Then at Cosette's wedding, breaking tradition and dancing with her, and she allowed it. She broke the tradition of her home because...
"I believe that you're asking me to marry you." Eponine said, clasping the basket closer to her. Enjolras shifted nervously in the road.
"In a theoretical sense, yes I am." He answered her.
Marry him? He was asking her to marry him. He was asking her to marry him just hours before he was out of her village and into the craze of Paris. He was going to leave her so soon, could she marry him and leave Papa forever? Papa was her home, but her home was where love was, she loved Papa but Enjolras brought up something she never felt before. She loved him.
"I believe, that I'm also a supporter of such socio economic arrangements." She answered, a small smile on her face. Enjolras's face broke out into a dazzling smile, Eponine felt as if her heart would burst.
"Oh Eponine, I am very happy." He exclaimed, grinning he took the basket and set it on the ground her hand and kissed it, Eponine giggled and held onto his hand. Stepping closer to him sh paused for a moment before standing on her toes and kissed him. When she broke away from him Enjolras raised a brow in surprise.
"Isn't that breaking tradition?" He asked, still grinning.
"Yes but its like you say Enjolras, the colors of the world are changing day by day." Eponine answered, Enjolras laughed and grabbed the basket in one arm and her hand in the other.
"Lets go ask your father for his blessing." Enjolras told her and the two set off towards the Fauchelevent home.
000
Jean Valjean or Ultime Fauchelevent as he was known here was sitting on a bench in front of the home where he raised four childeren. Cosette was now in Lyon with Marius, the boy was still trying to make a name for himself in law. Azelma was in town at the bookseller and Gaveroche...he was supposed to be in school but he was most likely in the forest somewhere. Eponine was supposed to be returning with Azelma which he was surprised when Epoine came down the road with Enjolras holding his hand. When Eponine realized he saw them she dropped his hand. Enjolras looked nervous but approached him.
"Monsieur Fauchelevent I've some bad news." Enjolras told him, Valjean stood and eyed Eponine who had suddenly found the ground very interesting. " I must leave tomorrow to go to Paris."
"I'm sorry to hear that Enjolras, thank you for your lessons." Valjean answered
"But I've good news too Monsieur." Enjolras continued, smiling his blue eyes flicked over to Eponine who had begun to twist her apron in her hands. Valjean took Enjolras's hand and shook it.
"What sort of news Enjolras?"
"Were engaged Monsieur Fauchelevent. " Enjolras answered, Valjean dropped his hand and stepped back.
"Engaged? " He sputtered, no, they couldn't be. Eponine now looked up at him, her eyes shining and her face glowing from joy.
"Yes Papa, were engaged."
"No, no your not. " Valjean stated and pulled Eponine away from Enjolras. " I know that you like him and he likes you, but your going to Paris and your staying here." He ordered and grabbed the basket Enjolras was holding.
"Please Papa you don't understand!" Eponine exclaimed
"I do, I gave Cosette and Marius my permission to marry and you think you can do the same, but the answer is no." He couldn't give permission for them to marry, they hardly knew each other and Enjolras, though well meaning and smart was not a proper match for Eponine. He couldn't allow them to marry when he was hours from leaving.
"Monseir Fauchelevent we're not asking for permission, just your blessing. We are getting married. " Enjolras told him, his voice firm and commanding. Valjean was in shock, this radical boy, not even asking for his permission to take his daughter away?
"Papa, were just asking for your blessing." Epoinine responded softly. Valjean looked over to her, with her bonnet hanging down her back, her dark hair was being whipped out of its braid. She'd grown so much since that day so many years ago. When he'd escaped Paris. She and Azelma were hunkered down in an alley as snow blew around them, Gaveroche was clutched to her chest as she tried to keep the baby warm. Thin and frail and filthy was how he'd first seen her. Now she was here, a grown women saying she was going to marry this boy, she just wanted his blessing.
"He asks to marry you then abandons you." He told Eponine, she shook er head violently.
"He's not abandoning me Papa!" She cried
"As soon as I can I will send for her, I will send for her and marry her." Enjolras declared, he gently took Epoinines hand " I love her."
Love, weren't those the words spoken to him so long ago? Valjean turned away from them, tradition, that was what he was clinging to. He began to unravel tradition with Cosette and Marius and now it led to this.
"Papa?" Eponine asked, he felt her hand on his arm."Papa, you gave me so much. You were my savior but I cannot spend my whole life here Papa, I'm not a child anymore."
He could lock her in her room, no he couldn't. Valjean knew that behind his firmly held beliefs of tradition he would cave into his childeren's demands. She loved him, and he loved her. He turned back to Eponine, holding her hand he smiled, Eponine's face light up and she through her arms around his neck. Pulling her off her feet he held her close. When he let her go Enjolras moved forward, eyes twinkling and joy so obvious on his face.
0000
In December Eponine waited at the train station. She'd been quiet for a girl going off to Paris to be with her beloved.
"Back in Paris, no longer to run about the wilds of the Comte." Valjean joked, Eponine let out a sob and covered her face. "Eponine, my dear what is the matter."
"He's not in Paris." She choked out, "He's in exile in England." She cried, Valjean took her in his arms.
"He's asked you to leave your homeland and journey to a country you know nobody in? To leave your family and marry him so far away?"
"No Papa he didn't ask me, I want to go with him, to be with him and help him in his work." She told him, "I'm to journey to a distant land, leave my home but Papa with my love I'm home."