Among the shrill echo of a wailing infant floating down the street, and the drunken song of swaying man balancing his weight against the building across, and distant clank of horse hooves knocking on the stone floor, there was a low, constant thump, thump, thump that Enjolras did not notice until he bid a chatty Feuilly good night and they parted ways.
With every step he took down the dark street, the sound grew louder, until he came across the source in a dark alley.
Curiosity, despite himself, had lead him to take a wary step near the mouth of the alley, where he managed to make out the dim outline of a tall man's flattened figure thrusting against a rickety door.
As his eyes adjusted, he saw the small girl wedged between the man and the door; one of the man's large hands pressed over her mouth, pushing her cheek against the wood as he forced her to turn away.
Cold shock pulsed through Enjolras' limbs when he realized what he was squinting at.
The weight of the day's affairs had drained him of energy and his usual aptitude towards a sharp alertness was running sluggish. His insticts were leaden and late and before he could turn away, the girl's hollow, unfocused eyes rose from the floor and met his. Her startled expression betrayed her recognition of him.
"I'd like you to meet someone, Enjolras," Marius' voice interrupted his thoughts before he had a chance to finish writing the last moment's note he was adding to that night's topic of discussion.
With a stiff twitch of his mouth, Enjolras looked up, stifling an annoyed sigh.
Standing beside Marius stood a dark, slender gamine with a playful smile.
"This is Eponine, my... friend. She is my neighbor," Marius leaned into him a fraction and whispered, "I invited her to stay for the meet tonight."
Enjolras nodded his permission, turning his attention back to his notes.
"Welcome, Mademoiselle Eponine," he made a mark on his paper and set his pen aside, meeting the girl's dark eyes. "It will be interesting to hear your perspective on tonights topic. In fact, you could not have come on a better night," he turned to his notes with a small reverent smile. "Have you any political opinions?" He turned to the girl again and caught as her smile turned into a toothy grin.
She let out an indelicate snort and turned her head to the rest of the men in the room, "I'm only here for the wine." she confessed with a shrug and walked away.
Marius forced an embarrassed smile on her behalf that didn't reach his eyes.
Enjolras turned to him with a demanding glare.
"She was teasing." Marius uttered out.
Enjolras continued to glare at the boy in disbelief.
"She asked to come. Why else would she want to be here if she didn't care?" Marius breathed out in his defense as he turned to Eponine.
Grantaire was beckoning her over to his table with a drunken smile, pulling a chair next to him. "Mademoiselle, did my ears deceive me, or did you just say you... "
"And you though it a good idea to just bring her?"
Marius turned back to Enjolras briefly with a small chuckle. "Why not?"
Enjolras followed Marius' gaze across the room to the girl. She was leaning into Grantaire as he quietly whispered something near her ear. The waif let her head fall back as she guffawed into the air and clapped her hands with amusement.
"You can't be serious." Enjolras stated matter-of-factly as he stood and collected his things. The last thing they needed was a drunk gamine to further encourage Grantaire. He didn't dare give room in his mind to his other, more suspicious opinion on the girl. Marius was not a fool when it came to the secrecy and security of their group. Enjolras opted to put his faith in that.
"She is the people, Enjolras." Marius' tone had shifted from casual indifference to genuine care and the truth in his words took Enjolras by surprise. Especially coming from Marius. He gazed towards the girl one last time. Her head was tipped back as she gulped down a glass of wine thirstily. She finished at the same time as Grantaire. They both slammed their empty glasses on the table at the same time and simultaneously let out a wet chuckle. The small group that had gathered around their table cheered and howled at the pair.
"She is France."
The man slammed into the girl one last time, exhaling a muffled grunt before pulling away quickly and flinging a few coins at her chest. They bounced off her and to the floor, rolling a few times before falling flat.
The dark alley swallowed the man's departing figure and Enjolras stood frozen, brows deeply furrowed as he stared at Eponine.
Despite the limited light that weakly illuminated the alley, Enjolras could make out that the girl's bottom lip was split by a bleeding cut and her chemise bore a tear across one arm. Her dark glare faltered and she let her gaze fall to the coins on the floor. With her chin held high and one hand flat against the wall for support, Eponine painfully reached down to pick up the coins.
Enjolras, finally able to move, turned away -struck by a wave a pity turning in his stomach- the way he had seen many turn away from the hungry beggars on the streets.
"She is France."
Marius' words echoed in his mind and he quickly turned back, about to speak, only Eponine had already slipped away, into the dark alley.
She is France.
Hello!
In the last week I have been introduced to the movie, and the Broadway show. I have fallen in love with Eponine and Enjolras and have climbed aboard this odd ship. So here I am, writing a story on them without the slightest knowledge of French history or having ever read the Victor Hugo novel.
I have done some research and skimmed through my library's copy taking notes, but I doubt I'll read it cause its huge. So I welcome any advice and help from those who are savy on the book, language and history.
I have a whole little story thought out and depending on the reception, may or may not make it a longer story.
Please review and let me know what you think :)