A/N: Ta-da! I give you "Of Knives and Flowers", an Epparnasse romance. Enjoy or flame, your choice! Please enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: All is Victor Hugo's!
"Eponine!" He shouted quietly. The gamine whirled around to see him, more shadow than man. "De carons! De crampe icigo!"*
"I can't." She whispered, looking back at the Gorbeau House. "My father told me to keep watch for policemen."
"Just for a minute." He urged. "You'll be back before the philanthropist is gone." Her gazed turned remorsefully at this shadow-boy, then back to where her sister shivered violently under a street-lamp. Finally, her eyes landed on the dandy and said, "All right, 'Parnasse. But only for a moment." He smiled, his teeth illuminated in the melancholy moonlight.
"Follow me." Grabbing her pathetically bony hand, he brought her to a secluded dark alley, where no one would see them.
"Well, what is it?" she asked impatiently. If she wasn't back soon, it would mean trouble. She looked around, just to make sure a cop wasn't sneaking around the alleyways. None to be found. She turned back to face Montparnasse, but she was alone. The charmer of the shadows had sunk into the pitch-black night, leaving her shivering cold. She listened for anything, but there wasn't a rustle of leaves to be heard. Continuing her surveillance of the area, she started to feel watched. It was like an itch, but she couldn't pinpoint the source of discomfort. To her dismay, Eponine was right.
Whoosh!
Eponine felt something of frigid metal pressed against one side of her neck. A smooth hand dangerously caressed the other side. "You like?" Her assailant whispered into her ear.
"'Parnasse!" She gasped, clutching her heart. It was pounding so hard and loud, she knew it would have to drown out the bells of Notre Dame, by far.
"'Ponine." He said, evenly. "You're not answering my question. Do you like my new knife or what?"
"Oh." Eponine breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd say, but would you kindly remove it from my neck first?"
"Yes, of course." He replied, not missing a beat. He slid it off her neck, without spilling a drop of blood. Finding this a terrible first, yet a great achievement, Montparnasse repeated his question, "Do you like?" Presenting a sleek silver-bladed implement, Eponine fingered the ivory handle that seemed, to her, marble. It shimmered in the light and showed her reflection just like M. Marius's elegant mirror had.
"It's very pretty...and fear-instilling." She said, still contemplating why she'd compared M. Marius's glitteringly chaste mirror with this sharp terrifying torture device. Still, she didn't flinch away from the gleaming blade at her fingertips.
"Yet majestic," Montparnasse finished. "Would you mind if I named her 'Eponine'?" Eponine's eyes widened considerably.
Am I flattered or horrified? She thought. "Should I be taking that as a compliment?" She asked, genuinely curious for 'Parnasse's answer.
"The highest." He said, eyes lit with a wild light. "And I want you to have this." Out of his waist-coat's pocket he pulled yet another knife. This one was older, rusted, and splattered with a red substance, that 'Ponine tried to distract herself from. The blade was decidely dulled and it's luster was a flickering candle light compared to "Eponine."
"Who's this?" She questioned, taking it right out of his hand. "An old friend?"
"'Fleur de la Mort'," He said.
"Flower of Death," They confirmed in unison. Eponine was absent-mindedly twirling the retired weapon around in her hands thinking:
What would Monsieur Marius think if he saw me with this in my hands?
Suddenly, Montparnasse's head cocked up, listening. "Policemen." He whispered. "We must separate." Laconically tipping his hat to Eponine, he left, dissolving into the velvet blanket of the night.
"You! Girl!" A rough man's voice called, brutally.
With that, Eponine fled, Fleur de la Mort in hand.
* = "Let's go! Let's escape from here!"
Wow, that's the most I've ever described two knives "in my life" (hehe). That's it, no more 'Sweeney Todd' for me! :)
If the argot and asterisks gets to confusing, tell me and I'll stop. Hope ya liked, next chapter up soon!
