Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day outside as Gabrielle LeVesque made her way to the market. The wind caught her long, golden hair and blew it around in its gentle gusts. She almost laughed aloud out of pure joy but chose not to, fearing people would think she were out of her mind. Then again, what did she care? Gabrielle quietly laughed at the wind that tossed her hair around, but stopped once she reached a close friend of hers at the market.

"What are you laughing about?" Eponine Thenardier asked Gabrielle, smile breaking out on her face. In honest truth, Eponine found it difficult to smile most of the time. Only two things seemed to make her smile at that point in her young life: the man she loved, and being in good company.

"Oh, it is really nothing," Gabrielle tried to explain. She gestured to the air around her. "It's just that the wind is rather playful today," she managed to say before giggling.

"You sure are an odd one today, Gabbie," Eponine remarked.

As the two began their daily walk together, Gabrielle looked at Eponine and said, "So when do I get to see meet this Marius Pontmercy you tell me about?"

Eponine looked troubled. "Never," she finally decided. "He is never around anyway."

Meanwhile, as the two girls walked in one direction down the road, two young gentlemen made their way along the road in the other direction, toward them.

One of them was tall and thin, yet muscular with eyes as blue as the sky. His blonde hair hung in curls that framed his face and bounced up and down with every step he took. One his face it was rare to find a smile. Some would say he took life seriously, almost too seriously. This young man was none other than Elliott Enjolras, the only child of a very wealthy Parisian family. Although he may have liked his first name, he preferred that everyone but those outside of his family call him by his last name, Enjolras.

The other was also tall and thin with short brown hair and blue eyes. He too was from a wealthy family. This young man was very different from his straight-faced companion. His and Enjolras' friends always joked that he was the one with life in him. In the young man's eyes, Enjolras had as much life as he did, but he expressed it in a different way. This young man was no other than Marius Pontmercy, the object of Eponine's affection.

"Everything is just going downhill, Marius," Enjolras said to his friend. "Something needs to happen, and it needs to happen soon." He looked over at Marius, who had is eyes focused on the busy street around them. "Marius, are you even listening to me?"

"Of course I am, Enjolras," Marius absently answered. "You know I always listen to you."

"Marius, this is our freedom I'm talking about! Do you want to be a slave of the law forever?" He sighed when Marius absently nodded. "Marius!" he snapped. Enjolras quickly looked forward and realized there were two young ladies in front of him and Marius who were involved in a conversation, oblivious that they young men were heading their way. The moment he saw them it was too late. He and Marius ran into them, knocking them both straight to the ground. "Forgive me!" Enjolras exclaimed, offering his hand to the young lady he knocked down so he could help her up. "I did not see you there!"

Gabrielle grabbed his hand. "I guess not," she laughed as Enjolras and Marius proceeded to help her and Eponine up.

"My apologies," Enjolras continued, bowing his head in shame.

"There is no need to apologize, monsieur," Gabrielle said, smile on her face growing wider. "No harm done, so there's no need to worry."

When Enjolras looked up and saw her smile, he turned red and quickly looked away. "It was not very gentleman-like."

"No need to go on," Gabrielle told him, waving his apologies away with a flick of her hand. "What's done is done."

"But mademoiselle…" Enjolras protested before seeing her smile again. He looked down once more. "As you wish, mademoiselle."

"Gabbie, I would like you to meet two of my friends," Eponine said, gesturing to the two young gentlemen.

"My name is Marius Pontmercy," the dark-haired one stated. As Marius grabbed Gabrielle's hand and kissed it, she exchanged a look with Eponine, who blushed a bright red and looked down. "It is a pleasure to meet you, mademoiselle."

Enjolras just stood there for a moment before realizing he had yet to introduce himself. "I am Elliott Enjolras," he told Gabrielle, taking her hand. The moment his lips grazed her hand, Gabrielle got chills throughout her body. "It is an honor to meet you. Might I ask what your name is?"

"Certainly," Gabrielle answered. She curtseyed. "My name is Gabrielle LeVesque."

"Gabrielle," Marius echoed. "Such a beautiful name."

"Would you like to accompany us on our walk?" Eponine asked Marius, casually coming up with an excuse to spend more time with him. "After all, we are young ladies."

Enjolras and Marius exchanged a glance. "Of course we would," Marius agreed as Enjolras stared at him. "Calm down," Marius muttered to his friend. "You may thank me for this later."

Enjolras scoffed. "I'm sure I will," he answered flatly.

"Why haven't we seen you before?" Marius asked Gabrielle as they began their walk.

Gabrielle shrugged. "I am always just here and there," she admitted. "I'm usually with Ponine, though." She smiled and gestured to her dear friend. "And why haven't I seen you before?" She looked expectantly at Marius, and then at Enjolras, who looked away.

"That's for you to decide," Eponine stated, a hint of mischief in her voice. Marius smiled over at her. Eponine looked up at the orange and pink sky. "Gabbie, you need to get home!" she exclaimed, pointing up at the sky.

Gabrielle's eyes widened. "You're right, Ponine!" She turned to her companions. "It's been wonderful, but I really must go!" She smiled at Marius and Enjolras. "Perhaps we shall meet again!"

As Enjolras watched her walk away he began to worry. Men in that part of Paris weren't too kind to ladies like Gabrielle. His eyes followed her as she weaved in and out of the many crowds of people. Once she disappeared from sight, he knew what he had to do.

"It was good to see you, Eponine," he stated, bringing her hand up to his mouth and placing a kiss upon it. He put a hand on Marius' shoulder. "I shall see you later my friend," he told him before running off in the direction Gabrielle had left.

"Where do you suppose he's going?" Marius asked Eponine.

Eponine admirably watched Enjolras. "A young lady should never have to walk home alone," she absently stated.

Marius offered her his arm. "Then shall I escort you home?" he asked. Eponine smiled and blushed. "Ponine, you did say that a young lady should never have to walk home alone." He re-offered his arm to his friend. Eponine blushed even more, but she took it. "And now we shall be on our way."

As Marius and Eponine made their way down the street, Enjolras weaved in and out of crowds of people in search of the young lady he had previously encountered. He knew she couldn't have gotten too far. Suddenly he spotted her. She was in a near run.

"Gabrielle!" he called out. The girl stopped dead in her tracks. "Gabrielle, wait!" Once he caught up with her, he had to stop and catch his breath. "You are fast, mademoiselle," he commented.

"Why did you follow me, Elliott?" she asked him, terrified that he may do something terrible to her.

Enjolras paused for a moment, shocked by hearing her call him by his first name. " young lady should never walk home alone," he stated, surprised that his voice didn't shake. He took a deep breath. "So I have come, offering to escort you home." Enjolras attempted a smile and offered her his arm.

"Do you not smile often?" Gabrielle asked, taking his arm. Enjolras shook his head. "Why not, Elliott? There are many things this world has offered that you can smile about. Like this, for example." She gestured up to the sky. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I admire your love for life," Enjolras told her, "but I could never love my life while it is ruled by a dictator. When we are all free, perhaps I could then, but not now."

"A rebel?" she suggested, smiling up at Enjolras.

The young gentleman scoffed. "Call it what you will, but I would gladly die for the freedom of my country."

"I meant no harm," Gabrielle assured.

"I know," Enjolras stated, looking at the crowds around them. "I take no offense."

Gabrielle looked up at the sky. "There will be quite a racket at my house once I get home tonight."

"Why is that?" Enjolras asked, looking at her.

"I was out this late alone," she explained. "They may not let me leave the house again."

"But you were not alone." Gabrielle looked up at Enjolras. "You were with me. Let me speak with your parents."

"I do not think you should," Gabrielle warned. "I cannot imagine what they would do if I came home late, and also with a gentleman they had never met."

"I really should explain," Enjolras insisted.

"Perhaps another time," Gabrielle responded. "Please. I want to be able to see you again."

Enjolras couldn't figure out what she meant by that. Why would she want to see him again after they had just met? Did she consider him a friend? Most importantly, did he consider her a friend? He always had these thoughts when he met someone new.

"Why would you want to see me again?" he asked her.

"So I can teach you how to smile, monsieur," she simply answered, looking up at her escort.

He wouldn't let himself look at her. "Why would I need to?"

"You would be surprised at what a simple smile can do to someone." Gabrielle pointed to the nearest house. "It's the white one."

"We shall see about the smile," Enjolras told her as they reached the majestic and beautiful white house. "In the meantime, how about you accompany me on a walk tomorrow afternoon?" Gabrielle nodded. "Meet me at the marketplace at one?" Gabrielle smiled as he kissed her hand. "Until then, Gabrielle. Have a good night." With that, he simply walked away.

Gabrielle watched him go for a few moments before opening the front door of her house. No one was in the front hall, so she quietly closed the door and attempted to sneak past her father's study.

"Gabrielle, is that you?" Jacques LeVesque asked his only child, stopping her dead in her tracks in the middle of the doorway. Gabrielle slowly looked in to see not only her father, but her mother in there as well, both with closed books in their laps. "Why are you home so late?"

Sylvie LeVesque stood up, nearly trembling with rage. Strands of loose, dark hair hung in her piercing, green eyes. "Gabrielle, where have you been?" she demanded, trying to keep herself composed. "It is past dusk and you father and I have been worried sick!"

Gabrielle looked down. "I'm sorry, Mama. I am sorry, Papa," she recited, as she always did when lectured.

"Gabrielle, I think you should stay home tomorrow," Sylvie suggested. Gabrielle, as well as everyone else in the world, knew that Sylvie never suggested anything. She commanded it.

Gabrielle's head snapped straight up as she thought of Enjolras. "But Mama," she began, "the fresh air clears my head."

"Apparently makes it too clear," Sylvie commented. With that comment, Gabrielle knew all hope was lost.

"Now Sylvie," Jacques said, "Gabrielle should be allowed out tomorrow. It is good for her health."

Sylvie's piercing glare was then directed to her husband. "Jacques, you are no help at all," she snapped. She took a rather deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. "Gabrielle, you may go out tomorrow, but only if you go to bed now and make sure you're home at dusk tomorrow evening."

"Mama!" Gabrielle smiled and ran to her mother. She kissed both of Sylvie's cheeks and ran to her father to do the same. "Papa!" She smiled wider as she gave Jacques an extra kiss. "Goodnight," she announced, making her way to the doorway. "I love you," she told them before making her was to her room, head filled with thoughts of Enjolras. She couldn't help but wonder what the next day would be like, and also wondered how she would ever be able to sleep.

As Enjolras walked home that evening, all he could do was mentally ask himself, "What have I done?" As he thought more and more about Gabrielle, he wanted more and more to back out of it, but that would not be very gentleman-like at all. He sighed aloud as he reached his elegant brick house. For a moment, he just stared absently at his home as he thought over his conversation with Gabrielle. It wasn't that he was nervous about meeting up with her. It was the fact that he suggested meeting her the next day without even thinking it over first. Enjolras always thought things over before making decisions, so why didn't he this time?

Enjolras sighed another time as he entered his home. Though he was twenty-two years old and still living with his parents due to his mother's poor health, he did not want them to hear him. I was not because he was afraid of them. It was because he couldn't bear to upset his mother.

"Elliott!" he heard his mother faintly call. "Elliott, is that you, darling?"

Enjolras hurried to his mother's room and looked in. "Yes Mother, it is me."

Eleanor Enjolras stretched her pale, frail arms toward him. "Come to me, my child," she told him, her voice barely a whisper. Her blue eyes sparkled lovingly and her golden curls were spread around the pillow beneath her head. Enjolras favored his mother in appearance.

Enjolras slowly entered his mother's bedroom and sat on the chair next to her bed. "I am here," he told her, placing his hand on top of hers.

"Elliott," she sighed, giving her only child a loving smile. "Where did you go today? Tell me about your day." Eleanor loved hearing news from her son, knowing it would be the only news she would hear about things outside of the house. She knew Enjolras filtered the things he told her, but was thankful that he would at least talk with her, unlike her own husband.

"I just went on a walk with Marius," he told her. His mother's bright smile caused him to tell her more. "I also met someone new," he added.

"A young lady?" Eleanor whispered, raising her eyebrows. Enjolras gave her a small smile, the only smile he could ever manage, and only for his mother. "Oh, my dear Elliott." She smiled at her son. "Will you court her?"

Enjolras shook his head. "I don't think so," he quietly answered. His mother gave him a questioning look. "I am too busy," he explained. "I have no time for courting."

"When will you see her again?" she asked, slipping her fingers between his.

Enjolras mentally debate whether to tell her of his plans for the next day or not. "I shall see her tomorrow," he decided. When he saw his mother's smile, he knew he had made a good choice.

"Tell me her name," Eleanor dreamily asked of her son.

Enjolras thought for a moment. "Her name is Gabrielle LeVesque," he told her.

"Gabrielle," Eleanor echoed. "What a beautiful name. Does her beauty match her name?"

"I'm not certain," he admitted. "I didn't really look at her."

"How long were you with her?" Eleanor asked, her excitement showing in her voice.

"Elliott!" Enjolras looked up to see his father, Andre Enjolras, standing in the doorway, hands behind his back. "Leave this room at once!"

"I love you, Mother," Enjolras told Eleanor before kissing both of her cheeks. "Have a good night." The son kissed his mother's forehead and gave her one last small smile before his father impatiently cleared his throat. "Have a good night, Father," he said on his way out.

Andre grabbed his son's arm and ripped him back. "You go to my study, boy," he growled into Enjolras' ear.

Enjolras nodded. "Yes Father," he quietly answered.

Once Andre released his son's arm, Enjolras made his way up the stairs to his father's study. On his walk there, all Enjolras could do was think about how much he despised the father God had given him. Andre did not want his son to speak to Eleanor. He didn't want her to know what France had come to. He especially did not want his son to upset his sickly wife. In his eyes, Eleanor's health was rapidly deteriorating, whereas Enjolras believed that she was starting to regain it.

"Elliott, what did you think you were doing?" Andre snapped at his son, slamming the door to the study.

"She called me in there, Father," Enjolras answered, locking eyes with his father's fierce glare. The calm look in his fearless eyes made Andre slightly uncomfortable. "What else should I have done?"

"Pretend you don't hear her!" Andre shot back. "It's what I do!"

"Father, I respect the women in my life," Enjolras calmly explained. "If I hear them, I will go to them. Father, you are the one who taught me to do so. I will not ignore my mother."

Andre stepped up to Enjolras and stopped once they were face-to-face. "You will do as I tell you, boy. I do not want you talking with my wife anymore."

"She is as much my mother as she is your wife, perhaps more." Enjolras narrowed his eyes. "Her blood flows through my veins, not yours."

"I will not let you talk to me like that!" Andre hit his son, knocking him to the floor. "You stay away from your mother, Elliott! Do you hear me?" He glared angrily at Enjolras, who calmly looked back, infuriating Andre even more. "Why are you so calm?!" Andre bellowed.

"I have no reason to be angry," Enjolras told him.

Andre hit his son. "And how do you feel now? Are you angry now?"

"No Father," Enjolras calmly answered, standing back up.

The father dealt his son yet another heavy blow, once again knocking him to the floor. "You are an Enjolras, Elliott! You have the blood of angry men flowing through your veins!" Enjolras clenched his fists, angry from hearing his blood compared to the blood of the rest of the Enjolras men. "Am I upsetting you?" Andre asked his son, gesturing to Enjolras' fists. Enjolras' breathing became heavier. "Be angry, Elliott!"

Enjolras simply turned on his heel and went to open the door to the study. "Goodnight Father," he calmly stated before leaving. If there was one thing Elliott Enjolras was good at, it was controlling himself, just another thing his mother had taught him as a boy. His father would have to be out of his mind if he wondered why Enjolras was never home.