Enough
Dedicated to my choir and the choice last week to rehearse a medley from "The King and I" whose lyrics inspired this fic:
"He has a thousand dreams that won't come true. You know that he believes in them and that's enough for you."
Disclaimer: Les Miserables and its characters belong to Victor Hugo; not me.
You see everything from your little corner of the cafe; more than they would ever give you credit for.
You see the moments when they falter; when doubt stirs within each of them, though they try so hard to hide it. You see the fire raging inside all of them, fuelled by words of hope and the future; of freedom, equality and brotherhood.
You see the looks of pity and disdain when they look at you; barely concealed behind smiles of friendship.
You also see the question that is constantly burning in their eyes:
"Why do you stay?"
You never answer them but the answer should be plain enough for even them to see.
You stay for him.
But even then the question remains: why do you stay when it is perfectly clear that he doesn't want you to? Why do you stay when all you do is mock him and his beliefs whenever you can?
The truth is that you can see that there is far more to your leader than any of his faithful followers will ever allow themselves to see.
You may decorate him with such mighty titles as "Apollo" and make comparisons to statues but you can see him for what he truly is.
You can see the would-be great leader of men who is barely more than a child himself; a youth with the fate of the people resting on his shoulders. You see the schoolboy who has never fired a weapon but will soon lead them all in battle, with the air of one who has seen war many times before.
You can see the dreamer aiming far beyond his reach.
He has a thousand dreams, none of which he will ever see come true. For all his lofty ideals and dreams of a glorious future, he is still unable to see that the path he leads them on only leads to the grave.
Anyone can dream though. Even you have dreams, feeble as they may seem, but something sets his failed dreams apart from yours.
The difference is that he believes in them.
He believes in every single last one of them and that's what moves you; that's what keeps you at his side.
It may not seem much but for you it's more than enough.
That is why you will remain, even when he orders you away. That is why you will stay at the barricade; a cynic amongst the believers. And of all those absolute believers you know that it will be you at his side when he falls. You will be there with him at the end, following him into the dark.
He will see then that, despite your faults, you are the truest and most loyal of all his followers.
For the others believe in his dreams, but you believe in him and only him.
That is why you stay.