Okay, so I watched the bootleg version of the musical Hamilton on YouTube and I noticed that Hamilton pushed Lafayette away from Angelica so he could make his move. I honestly was so disappointed because that could have been a thing! Goddammit, Hamilton (Act II in a nutshell)! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little fic in honor of Valentine's Day for my favorite character Angelica who deserved to be loved. Please enjoy!
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Angelica subtly rolled her eyes as she watched the countless soldiers try to get her or her sisters' attention. These weren't men; they were simply boys trying to marry their way into money. Well, let it be known that Angelica Schuyler was no one's tool. Besides, she doubted any men here would meet her father's standards. As the oldest and the wittiest of her sisters, it was her duty to marry up. She nearly chuckled at the thought of her marrying a commoner. The gossip in New York City was insidious; she was bound to be the talk of the town.
Despite these thoughts, Angelica plastered a charming smile on her face as she worked her way through the crowd. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her sister, Peggy, stringing young men along. She did this frequently; acted as if she was interested before completely turning the other cheek. Angelica might have found it cruel if not for the fact that most were only chasing her for the Schuyler wealth.
Eliza, on the other hand, was much more modest and was genuinely giving a few soldiers her attention. That was her sister, trusting and kind through and through. If anyone deserved true happiness, it was her. She sincerely hoped that Eliza found someone whom she loved and who loved her just as fully. The best thing about being the oldest was that she alone could shoulder the burden of having to marry rich, not her sisters.
"Excusez moi mademoiselle?"
Angelica turned to see a man standing before her. He was obviously a soldier, well-built, and with his hair pulled back. From his accent, she could tell he was French. She would be the first to admit he was attractive, but so were a lot of these other men. "Puis-je vous aider?" she responded.
The man looked surprised that she knew French, but continued, "Je ne pouvais pas m'empêcher de vous remarquer de l'autre côté de la pièce."
Charming, Angelica acknowledged. Maybe a little too charming. Still, he was making a genuine effort and at least talking to him was better than socializing with the less appealing men. Besides, he was being a perfect gentleman. So, she curtsied. "My name is Angelica Schuyler," she introduced.
The man bowed. "Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette," he replied, taking her hand and pressing a gentle kiss to it. "but you may refer to me simply as Lafayette if you wish."
"From your accent, I take it you originally resided in France," observed Angelica. "That's a long way from here."
Lafayette nodded. "Oui, mademoiselle," he answered. "I traveled to this country to assist with the war. I've dreamed of life without the monarchy, you see, and I find this American cause to be a noble one."
This peaked Angelica's interest. "Thank you for your service." Of course, she said that to all the young men she met here, but this time she was being genuine. To come all the way from France to fight for a country that wasn't even yours was... remarkable.
Lafayette took her hands in hers and told her, "If it must take fighting a war to make your acquaintance, so be it. Everything I go through to help this country gain its independence will have been worth it."
Angelica felt her face heat up. "Surely, you say that to all the young ladies you meet." Certainly the wealthy ones... she added in her head. Of course, this Lafayette seemed nice enough, but she couldn't forget the fact that she was a Schuyler sister. She mustn't let herself be naïve.
"Only you, mademoiselle," promised Lafayette. And Angelica believed him.
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"Angie, he was so smart!" gushed Eliza as the Schuyler sisters rode home in the carriage later. "And his eyes! Lord, I could get lost in those eyes! They were so intelligent and deep and-!" She probably would have gone on and on about this man if her sisters had let her. Alas, Eliza had not been the only one to meet a memorable man that night.
"Betsey, we get it!" complained Peggy. "Let's forget this Alexander Hamilton and talk about the man I met tonight!"
This caught Eliza's attention as her eyes lit up. "You met someone, Peggy?" she asked, growing even more excited (if that was possible). "What's his name?"
"John Laurens," answered Peggy proudly. "And he was so different from the usual bores. He talked to me like I was a person, not just a Schuyler sister. Angie, you would have loved him! He's against slavery and thinks women should be just as equal as men! And- Angie?"
Eliza tapped her shoulder. "Angelica?"
Their elder sister snapped out of her daze to face them. "I'm sorry, what did you say, Margarita?" Angelica felt slightly guilty knowing her sisters had been confiding in her about the men they had met and she had barely been listening. She just couldn't get that Frenchman out of her mind. What was it about him that made her unable to forget him? She didn't quite know.
Eliza suddenly gasped, beaming widely from ear-to-ear. "You met someone too, Angie!" she stated.
Peggy matched the middle sister's grin. "Thank God," she said. "I was worried you'd become an old spinster, Angie. You never showed any interest in the men around New York."
Angelica scowled. "That's because most men only show interest in me for Daddy's money," she retorted.
Eliza took her elder sister's hand. "Well, tell us about him!" she urged. "You have been listening to Peggy and I ramble since we left. Now it's your turn!"
"Well, he's a Frenchman," began Angelica carefully. "High-ranking in General Washington's army as well." She grinned a little as she recalled her earlier conversation with him. "He's quite gentleman, I would say."
"Ooh, a Frenchman." Peggy wiggled her eyebrows. "I've heard that they're the romantic type. Does he live up to that, Angie?"
Angelica shook her head at her younger sister's antics. "He's someone I would consider an acquaintance," was all she said. And that on phrase seemed to put an end to the entire discussion concerning Lafayette. "Tell me more about this Alexander Hamilton, Betsey." Eliza seemed to glow with happiness at the thought of the man who had captured her heart. She went into detail about Hamilton with Peggy chiming in about Laurens every once and a while.
Despite this, thoughts Lafayette would not subside.
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Angelica hadn't expected him to write her.
When Eliza came rushing down the hallway to her room screeching her name a week after the ball, Angelica had simply assumed that Alexander Hamilton had sent her a letter. This was partly the case, but her younger sister had basically thrust a letter from Lafayette into her arms. "Open it, Angelica!" she exclaimed, an encouraging smile gracing her face.
Angelica couldn't help but smile back as she took her time taking the letter out of the envelope. She let her eyes scan the page as she read Lafayette's exceedingly neat handwriting.
Dearest Miss Angelica Schuyler,
I am afraid I am not as masterful with the quill as my good friend Alexander Hamilton (perhaps you know of him from your sister, Elizabeth), but I could not resist the urge to contact you. Ever since our encounter at the Winter's Ball, I have been unable to get you out of my head. I think, is it due to your shining, radiant beauty? Or your superiorly intelligent mind?
Hamilton, Laurens, and Mulligan say that I am smitten over you and I am beginning to think that perhaps this is true. Mademoiselle, you are unlike any person - man or woman - I have ever met. If it is your desire, I would like to write to you as often as I can. Perhaps, in due time, we could even consider one another to be friends. I hope to hear back from you soon.
Lafayette
Angelica felt the blush from the Winter's Ball return tenfold at the thought of him. She had given countless men who tried to woo her the cold shoulder. So why was Lafayette so different? Next to her, Eliza, who had been reading over her shoulder, squealed. "Oh, Angie, I'm so happy for you!" She practically dragged her older sister to her desk. "Hurry, you must write him back!"
Angelica gently stopped her. "What about you?" she asked, noticing the envelope still clutched in her sister's hand. "Read your letter from Hamilton."
Eliza obliged, all but tearing the envelope open. As her younger sister had done with her, Angelica read the words over her sister's shoulder. For some reason, she got a strange feeling in her stomach. The way this man wrote, the way his words dripped of thought and precision immediately made her wary of him. He might have a way with words, yes, but she could see some sort of hunger, a thirst to prove himself. A man like that could be dangerous.
"Be careful with that one, love," Angelica warned her sister. "he will do what it takes to survive." Alas, her dear Eliza was hardly paying her any attention and she prayed to God that her sister wasn't making the mistake of her life.
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It was no surprise when Alexander Hamilton had showed up on her doorstep seeking her father's blessing to marry her sister two weeks later. Angelica said nothing to him, but she made sure he got the message by the intense stare she gave him. Treat my sister right, her eyes said to him. By his nervous look, she assumed he got the message.
Before Angelica knew it, they were planning a wedding for the middle Schuyler sister. She and Peggy were both bridesmaids while both Lafayette and Laurens were groomsmen. Mulligan had ended up being, she had been greatly amused by this, the flower girl and the ceremony was beautiful. She, Peggy, Laurens, and Lafayette had given their speeches at the reception, wishing both the bride and groom well.
After that, everyone had set off to dance and mingle with one another. Angelica, however, stood by the balcony, gazing at the night sky. It took a few moments for her to process everything. Elizabeth Schuyler was now Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Her baby sister was now a married woman. It was going to take some time to get used to that.
"Puis-je me joindre à vous?"
Angelica, taken away from her thoughts, smiled at the familiar accent. "Oui," she answered. "How are you, Lafayette?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Frenchman come to stand next to her. "Very well, mademoiselle," he replied. "but something seems to be troubling you, Miss Schuyler."
"Lafayette, I told you to call me Angelica a long time ago," Angelica chided. "but to answer your question, nothing is bothering me. I just can't believe my sister is married. It seems unreal."
Lafayette grinned at her. "You are not the only one," he assured her. "I, myself, can not fathom the fact that Alexander was the first to marry out of all of us."
Angelica laughed lightly at that. "I suppose they both surprised us," she agreed. At least it wasn't Peggy. She didn't know what she'd do if her youngest sister were to get married before herself.
Lafayette held out a hand to her. "M'accordez-vous cette danse?" he asked.
Angelica took it. "Tu peux," she replied. And as Lafayette led her back into the hall, his hands on her waist and her hands on his shoulders, she couldn't help but feel at peace for the first time in what felt like ages. Like some unidentified conflict that had been raging inside her that she had never even acknowledged for her entire life was finally resolved.
She felt... satisfied.
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*crying hysterically* THESE TWO DESERVED EACH OTHER! Ahem, sorry about that. Got a little emotional... In case any of you are wondering, I ship Hamgelica hardcore, but my heart yearns for Lafgelica(?) fics too. And I threw some Leggy in there, just for kicks. ^_^ I didn't really like the ending there, but I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot. Please review! Oh, and here are some translations (don't kill me, I used Google Translate).
Excusez moi mademoiselle?=Excuse me, Miss?
Puis-je vous aider?=May I help you?
Je ne pouvais pas m'empêcher de vous remarquer de l'autre côté de la pièce=I couldn't help but notice you across the room.
Puis-je me joindre à vous?=May I join you?
M'accordez-vous cette danse?=May I have this dance?
Tu peux=You may