"Enjolras, did you hear the news?" Maurice Combeferre yelled to his friend and neighbor from porch to porch.
"No, mon ami. What are you talking about? Was there another attack on the capital?" Gabriel Enjolras responded, walking to check his family's mailbox, as his best friend did the same.
"The princess is turning twenty in six months." Combeferre said.
"And? Everyone knows that." Enjolras responded. Everyone knew all the basic facts about the whole royal family.
"And, the King has called for the Election to begin." His friend said, like it was obvious.
"Why does that have anything to do with me?" Enjolras said, shuffling through the envelopes, looking for anything interesting. Mostly, it was just the same old announcements and bills. But there was one, smaller, fancier, heavier envelope. It was addressed to Gabriel Enjolras.
"Because, that envelope you're holding is the exact same as the one I have in my hand. The only difference is the name." Combeferre explained, walking over to his best friend and tearing open the envelope.
Princess Éponine Raina Thenardier Jondrette is becoming of age and will have to choose a husband by her twenty-first birthday. That is eighteen months away. All single males between the ages of nineteen and twenty-four are requested to fill out and submit a form to be placed in the Elect. The forms must be submitted by one week from today.
One young man from each of the fifty sectors of the United Queendom of France will be selected to visit the castle a week following that, and stay until the princess requests your leave. She will eventually narrow down the count to ten, the Exceptional, and then to three, the Exquisite, and then finally to one, the Exclusive. This one will be given permission to propose and be married to the princess before her twenty-first birthday. Upon the princess's twenty-fifth birthday, both will be crowned King and Queen of the United Queendom of France.
On behalf of the entire royal family, especially Princess Éponine, we would like to invite you to fill out and return the form enclosed with a picture according to the parameters listed. We wish you the best of luck. Maybe you could be the one to win the heart of our dear Princess Éponine, daughter of the Queendom.
"Wow. I can't imagine such a terrible way to find the love of your life." Combeferre said after both had read their letters.
"I can't imagine such a terrible way to choose a King. This is why our country-" Enjolras started, but was cut off by his best friend.
"Save all the political speeches for when you get to the castle."
"What do you mean? Do you think I am actually going to fill out this stupid form? Much less be selected as an Elect?" When his best friend just stared at him, Enjolras shook his head. "No mon ami. This would be a waste of time. They would kick me out as soon as I opened my mouth. And look at my record! I've had so many citations for speaking out against the monarchy."
"But how better to change the policies than be the king? Who knows? Maybe the royal family will actually like you. Maybe Princess Éponine will like you." Combeferre said with a suggestive lift to his eyebrows.
"Oh, please." Enjolras scoffed. "There's no way. Even if she did, I am in love with this country, I don't have time for some girl to ruin it, no matter how important she is."
"Gabriel Auguste Enjolras, will you listen to me? If you were to marry the princess, you would practically be marrying the country. There is no way to get closer to what you want. Will you at least try? Talk to your mom and dad. I bet they will agree with me. Ask 'Laide and 'Enne? How happy would it make Adrienne to have an older brother at least visit the palace, even if you get kicked out the first day? Fill out the form, mon ami." Combeferre said.
Enjolras nodded thoughtfully. "Fine. I'll talk to them, but I'm not filling out the stupid form unless you do, as well, 'Ferre. I bet Kamille would agree with me."
His friend blushed at the mention of the girl. "I'll fill it out if Kamille wants me to, but I make no promises on that front. I'd be perfectly fine staying right here in sector twelve for the rest of my life, if it meant that I could be with her forever. I'd do anything for her, you know that."
"I do. So go along, then. Go talk to your little girlfriend. Only one of us can go anyways. If I go, you can stay with Kamille. If you go, I'll keep watch over her, make sure she's happy, and if neither of us go, nothing will change. Tomorrow, we will either turn in our forms, or burn them." Enjolras decreed.
"See, you were born to be King. You make demands like no other. See you tomorrow, mon ami." 'Ferre said.
"See you tomorrow. Tell Kamille I say hello." His friend sighed and walked back over to his side of the fence and disappeared into his house that looked identical to the rest of the houses on the street. Enjolras did the same. He plopped the rest of the mail on the kitchen table, and walked into the living room where his two sisters were seated, each working on a project. Enjolras' older sister, Adélaïde, was frantically typing on her computer. Adrienne, his younger sister, was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a guitar in her lap, sheet music and pencil in front of her.
Adrienne had just declared her plan of study a few months ago, when she turned eighteen and decided she wanted to be a musician. After a little bit of deliberation, the council decided that they would allow it. She had a spiral notebook of sheet music and a pencil attached to her every minute since the decision was made. There wasn't much time or resources to spend on fun hobbies like music anymore, but every couple of years, the council would allow a musician to begin studying, just to keep the trade going for the upper class families that could still afford live or recorded music.
Adélaïde had been working as a personal assistant for five years, after studying and interning for two years. She was now twenty-five, and was engaged to be married in five months. She started off as a personal assistant to her fiancé, Gilbert Leclair, an up and coming actor. Soon after she started working for him, however, they fell in love. After three and a half years, his career took off, and he decided he was finally making enough money, so he asked her father's permission, which was granted, and asked her to marry him. She said yes, but continued on as his personal assistant. It didn't hurt either of their positions that Regis Enjolras worked in the same industry, so connections were easily made.
"What'cha go there, 'El?" Adrienne asked, looking up from her sheet music.
"Oh, just a letter." He responded, trying to act nonchalantly.
"From who? Why are you getting a letter? I bet it's from a secret admirer. Is it Chloe? Or maybe it's from Kamille. I always knew she was just interested in 'Ferre to get to you! What do you think, 'Laide?" Adrienne ranted. Kamille was the same age as Enjolras' younger sister, and while they were good friends, Adrienne had always had this strange theory that Kamille was in love with her older brother. She also claimed that it had nothing to do with her age-old crush on her older brother's best friend.
"I bet it's his invitation to fill out an Election form. Am I right, 'El?" His older sister asked. "You are the right age, and everyone in the world seems to know you're single."
He nodded. "Kamille and 'Ferre love each other, how many times do I have to tell you that, 'Enne? And why would I be receiving a love letter from Chloe? We have had but one conversation. 'Laide is right."
"Eeee! You have to fill it out! I can just see it. King Gabriel Auguste Enjolras Jondrette and Queen Éponine Raina Thenardier Enjolras Jondrette. Ooo, you two would be so cute together!" Adrienne squealed.
"'Enne, even if I fill it out and turn it in, it's very unlikely I'll be chosen even as an Elect, much less the Exclusive. I'd probably be kicked out of the castle in ten minutes. Princess Éponine would probably hate my guts." Enjolras explained.
"I still think you should do it, 'El." She said, quietly, looking down and playing a couple of chords.
"I think you should, too." Adélaïde said, not looking up from her computer. He looked at her, shocked. Without even looking at him, she seemed to understand what he was thinking. "I know, it's not very practical, but think about it. You could at least just waste a half hour filling out a form for nothing. At best, you could become King. I don't see any harm. You love this country more than probably anyone else I know. It could definitely help you achieve your goals." She told him. "Besides, if you do make it, I want to move to sector one and meet the royal family."
"Fine. I told Combeferre I would talk to you guys, and you all seem to have convinced me. But I still don't expect to make it into the Elect. There has to be at least a hundred other eligible, age appropriate men in this sector filling out forms. That's not very good odds." He said, taking a seat at the kitchen table, and starting to fill out the form.
"You what?!" Éponine yelled at her father.
"We sent out the Election forms. We are due to officially announce it publicly in about twenty minutes. Go find Rosabel and get ready, please." The King told his daughter, walking away uninterested.
"Ughhh!" Éponine huffed before racing up to the fourth floor, slamming the door to her rooms, and plopping on a couch to continue screaming into a pillow.
"Milady Princess?" Rosabel said, coming into the room concernedly.
"Apparently, I have to get ready for a press conference. Can you believe it, Rosa? He sent out the Election forms without even discussing it with me!" Éponine sighed, sitting up.
"Well, you did discuss it-" The maid started.
"Without receiving my consent! I'm not ready to get married! Gav and 'Parnasse are annoying enough, why would I want fifty more smelly, arrogant, pushy boys in my castle?" Éponine complained.
"Princess, I think right now, you would be most suited to calm down in preparation for the cameras. Then you can come back up and huff and puff all you want. I will gladly listen." Rosabel said, getting up to go into the gigantic closet.
"You're right, as usual. It just upsets me that he would do this to me."
"Come, Mademoiselle. Everything will turn out okay. Let's get you prettied up."
"'Ponine! Are you okay? We just heard what Dad did. I'm so sorry." An auburn haired girl with wide brown eyes said, running up to the princess as she left the Throne Room where the announcement had just been recorded. With her was a blonde haired, blue eyed girl and another, small, auburn haired boy with bright eyes. All were wide eyed and looked worried for the princess.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Azelma. I'm very angry, but it'll be okay. I'll figure something out. I always do." Éponine responded to her siblings and best friend.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Cosette, the blonde, asked.
"I'm not sure yet, but I will let you know if I come up with anything. I think I'm just going to go upstairs and take a long bath. I'll come find you when I'm more relaxed and calm." Éponine told them. They all nodded and took off down the corridor. Éponine ran up the stairs, skipping every other one until she reached the fourth floor. She shared the floor with lots of guest rooms, the guard training room, and both of her parents' rooms, but she still always calmed exponentially just by reaching the floor. She walked calmly into her rooms and asked Rosabel to draw a bath for her before pulling out a book she was attempting to read. She was in the midst of Rousseau readings. This particular book was more interesting than many of the philosophy readings she had previously been assigned. "Discourse of Inequality" it was called.
Éponine climbed into the bath and began reading. "Princess, do you need anything else?" Rosabel asked.
"No, thank you. I'll be fine. Come get me in half an hour. That should be a decent amount of time." Éponine responded, not lifting her eyes from her book. The maid curtsied, slightly, before leaving the room. Éponine got a decent chunk of her book read before Rosabel came back to help the princess get out.
"Princess, you have a visitor." Rosabel said, pulling the plug on the tub and letting the water slide out.
"I told Cosette and Azelma I would come find them." The princess responded while holding her arms out for the robe Rosabel had grabbed for her.
"Um-" Rosabel started as she wrapped the princess up and tied the robe shut.
"It's no matter. I was going to go get them anyways. We can have a sleepover! We haven't had one for… Rosa! Why did you let him in here?!" She yelled as she walked out into her bedroom.
"Nice to see you, too, Princess." The boy in front of her smiled cheekily while exaggeratingly checking her out, head to toe.
"Sir Montparnasse, it is highly inappropriate to happen upon any lady in her chambers while she is in only a robe and towel!" Éponine huffed.
"Oh, drop the act, Pony. It's just me. I've seen you in worse." The brown haired, tall, toned man said.
"Don't patronize me. Go wait for me in my sitting room. It won't take me two minutes to change into more appropriate attire to entertain in." She said, turning her back to him.
"Oh, you're going to entertain me tonight?" He said, winking suggestively and not looking in her eyes.
"'Parnasse! If you are going to act this way, I have no patience for it tonight and I will request that you leave. I could call the guards, you know."
"And what good will that do? You know I'll be gone before they even clamor into this room. I'll go wait in the sitting room, but I'm only giving you two minutes before I'm barging back in here, appropriate attire or no. We have much to discuss." He said before slipping out the princess's bedroom door. Éponine jumped into motion, changing and drying her hair as much as she could in the two minutes she was allowed. She knew he would make good on his promise. He always did.
One minute and forty-nine seconds after the son of the captain of the guard left the bedchambers, the princess came out to meet with him. "So, what do you want, 'Parnasse. I've had a very trying day and I doubt a visit from you will make it much better." She said shortly, sitting down as far away from him as she could.
"What is this about the Election starting? I thought it was you and me forever." He said, smirking.
"If this is how this conversation is going to go, you can leave now. The Election was not my idea, and marrying you was even less my idea. I don't want to talk about the stupid thing." The princess said, starting to get worked up again.
"Oh, come on, Pony. I was only joking. What do you want me to do to make it better?" He said, walking over to where she was sitting on a table. She had slipped on very untraditional sweatpants and a t-shirt over her normal sports bra. "I want to distract you." He whispered in her ear while resting his hands on her thighs.
"Not tonight. Nothing is happening tonight. Nothing is happening ever again. Not unless you're chosen as one of the Elect. And I hope you're not. We knew it couldn't last. You were just a nice way to diffuse some tension in my body. You kn- Oh, God. Right there." She moaned. He had moved her to a chair and moved behind her to rub out the knots in her back.
"I know. That's why my form has already been turned in. Straight to the king himself. There's no way I won't get chosen. Then it can be you and me forever. That's what you want, isn't it Pony?" He spoke into her hair.
"Not a chance. But you may always have a spot as my full-time masseuse."
"You know I need more than that, Pony. We have too much history for that." He told her, his hands floating a little too far forward, past her shoulders.
"'Parnasse, I said, not tonight. I will call the guards. I will find your application and rip it into pieces. You will never be the Exclusive. Back off or get kicked out." She warned.
"Oh, back on the guards. You know how that turns out, Pony." He said, referring to the time that she sounded the alarm, but he had jumped out the window and sneaked back into his bed at home, sound asleep before the guards had even left the castle to look for him. "I know you want me. Just give into your desires. I love you, Pony." He whispered, kissing her pulse point.
"No, you don't! Now get the hell out of my room before I make good on my threats. I could just tell your father. Who do you think he'd believe? The rat of a boy he created or the Daughter of the Queendom? Next week, when the real suitors get here, I want you to stay the heck away from me and anyone I get close to. You will not interfere, do you understand me? Anything that we ever did or could possibly have had is over now that my father started this stupid Election. Leave me alone, now. I want to be alone." She said, walking across the room and crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Pony, I didn't mean-" He tried to reach for her, but she only folded into herself more.
"Out!" She screamed.
"I'll call for Azelma and Cosette. You shouldn't be alone right now. I will get you back, Pony. I promise. I will do everything I can. You will be mine." He said, and then left the room.
A/N: I'm back! I really have no idea how consistently this will be updated, but I decided it was time to publish the first chapter. If you have read the Selection series, I hope you see the parallels. If you haven't, I'd highly suggest it. I love that story, and I obviously love Enjonine, so I decided to combine them. This is one of the best first chapters I've ever written, even of my unpublished stuff. I'm hoping to make these chapters longer, so there might be more time between updates, but maybe not! We'll just see. A lot of that will have to do with you and your support. By now, if you've read my other stories, you know I love feedback, and just general love for my stories. On that note, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this and PM me or review with any questions, comments, praise, or anything else! If you want to review just to say you read it, put your favorite color in the box. Until next time my lovelies.