Warning! I got this idea from National Treasure and Mulan.
The King's Man: Chapter 7
Enjolras thought of so many things as they waited for the funeral to begin. First, he thought of the revolution, making sure everything and everyone was in place. When that was exhausted, he thought of his friends. Would they all die tonight? When he couldn't bear to think of that anymore, his thoughts unwillingly turned to Eponine. He had stayed up late reading her annotations to the Social Contract and he couldn't help but be impressed. This led him to change many of his plans. Her ideas were more practical and easily grasped. Combined with his speaking, the ideas made the revolution stronger than ever. All of Les Amis noticed his sudden change in tactics so he simply told them he read about it. No one believed him of course. Courfeyrac even suggested if he was secretly meeting with the King's Man!
Whatever the case, Eponine's style of thinking had left its mark on him. He admired Eponine for her outstanding wit. Not many people had ever contradicted him before, and certainly never a woman. He smiled, when he had been chasing her down the street at two in the morning, he had never felt so carefree before. It was like being a kid again. The girl in the burgundy dress stayed in the back of his mind as the procession began to roll in.
Just as the carriage was passing, he gave the signal.
Immediately, they began to hijack the carriage. At first it was a barrage of kicking, punching, shooting, and grappling and Enjolras was unable to keep track of anything. It was only a few minutes before soldiers fell and they managed to achieve the goal without any loss of life on their side, as far as he could see. So far, so good. If only this could last.
It was calm as all the soldiers either ran away or died. The rebels successfully mounted the coaches and waved the flag of the rebellion as they sang the song of angry men. But as the horses continued on their path, Enjolras knew why all the officers were running.
"They're going to cut us off at the front!" he cried in warning. "To the barricades!"
A resounding cheer echoed through the streets. They were three thousand strong as they hurried to the barricades. Just as Enjolras predicted, the National Guard was towards them, just as they ducked behind the makeshift barricade. It was a bloodbath on both sides until Enjolras gave the order for retreat. Several people on their side died as they retreated to their separate barricades. The other student societies had made their own barricades across Paris.
Enjolras gathered everyone around and gave them all the necessary supplies.
"May God be with you" he said to everyone gathered with him. The townspeople had shut their shutters and locked their doors. The men standing here would be the only ones that would fight. They took their places. Enjolras stood with Marius at the pinnacle of the barricade, guns locked and loaded. As if on cue, the Guard appeared at the end of the street.
"I will give you this one chance to surrender!" they shouted.
Enjolras looked at the people behind him. He saw a better future and no more suffering. The Marble Man took a deep breath. Then he shouted, "Vive la republique!"
The captain smirked, knowing exactly how it was going to play out. "Have it your way"
Immediately, there was shooting and fighting. No one noticed the townspeople had cracked open their windows to pour a certain powder all over the soldiers and the ground beneath them. People fell. Eponine shot at the snipers above them. Boom. Boom. Boom. This was not the first time she's killed a man. When she heard the canons get ready, she knew it was time to take action.
Enjolras heard the order for the canons to get ready. He quickly shot at the people who were manning them and told some others to do the same. But, there were too many canons. Suddenly there was a yell that was high enough to pierce through all sounds of battle.
"STOP!" The figure cried. It was a woman!
Enjolras started with surprise as he realized it was the King's Man who was next to him. How did she get here without him noticing? Apparently everyone else was thinking the same thing, as they stopped whatever they were doing. Even the Guard stopped at the sound of her commanding tone. She was holding a blazing torch and wearing-wait! That was his jacket! His favorite red one! How had he been so blind?
Anyways, she held the torch high as she stood on top of the barricade. She addressed the National Guard. "I am the King's Man!" she shouted in a weird voice. It was obvious she was disguising it. Everyone was stunned into silence. He heard guns lock into position. "At your feet and on your shoulders is 30 barrels worth of gunpowder" she said lightly. "If you bend down, I will drop this torch on it. If you shoot me, I will drop this torch. If you shoot your cannons at this barricade, I will drop this torch. If you shoot anyone in the rebel cause, I will drop this torch. If you talk amongst yourselves, I will drop this torch. If you do not surrender, I will drop this torch "
Her words were met with silence. "You have all day to make your decision, but keep in mind, my arm is already tired. Who knows when this torch might just-"she dropped the torch and everyone gasped. "Slip?" she caught it with ease.
Enjolras couldn't see her face, she had turned away, and her voice was unrecognizable. But, no matter. He was impressed. So this was the surprise Eponine had mentioned. It was certainly big. Still, it was crazy. The King's Man could end up killing us all. From asking around, he knew she had several names. Adele, Brigitte, Laure, and Madeline to name a few. But which was the real one? Everyone was holding their breath. Even though the threat wasn't directed to the rebels, there was fear. What would happen if she dropped the torch? What happened if it rained? The rebels could have used that gunpowder.
There was an explosion in the distance.
Before anyone could speak, The King's Man was already answering confidently. Not having moved a muscle. "Did I mention all other companies are experiencing the same predicament? One of those companies made a mistake and I'm sure you can imagine what happened to them. If you surrender, you will give us your weapons and we'll spare your life. We'll even make sure you don't get sent to jail once we establish a new government by the end of the week. The choice is yours, but I have to say my arm is getting quite tired"
She didn't look tired in the least. The minutes passed by. Enjolras looked at his watch. It had only been three minutes, though it seemed like an hour. The King's Man looked as still as a statue, but everyone present knew she was a cobra ready to strike. Another blast filled the air. Everyone flinched except the King's Man. Suddenly the company commander stepped forward and dropped his bayonet and pistol. He took off his hat and laid his hands on his head. "I surrender"
The King's Man nodded vaguely. "Toss your weapons towards the barricades and walk forward"
The company commander complied, feeling The King's Man's eyes as well as everyone else's eyes on him. Then, as quick as lightning, he pulled out another pistol and shot a single bullet at her. He swore as it sailed toward the man next to her, but her eyes widened at the sight and leapt in front of the bullet, sparing Marius Pontmercy's life. Immediately there was uproar. True to her word, The King's Man had dropped the torch and a deafening blast filled the air. There were no survivors among the soldiers, and most of the rebels at this barricade were spared. Everyone had taken cover, and the only casualties were the ones before the gunpowder was dropped in the exchange of fire at the very beginning. They could not be saved. But, there lay the King's Man in Marius's dying arms. Enjolras looked into her eyes and his dazed mind struggled to grasp the recognizable eyes. He had seen them before!
But where?
"Quickly! Someone help her!" called out Marius's panicked voice. People streamed out of the townhouses to take a look at their dying savior. Joly and Combeferre, medics, rushed to her side. But, she wasn't looking at them. She was only looking with loving, gentle eyes at Marius. He was confused, but when Joly removed her cap, it all made sense.
The King's Man is Eponine. All the members of Les Amis, except Marius, understood exactly why she jumped in front of that bullet. All the people she gave food to had heard her stories about him, they knew as well. Eponine's dark curls tumbled down her shoulders and recognition flooded Marius's eyes.
It began to rain. He gasped as he saw the wound she was covering, Enjolras couldn't hear all the words they exchanged, but he saw her give him a small bit of parchment and suddenly, she was gone. He, Joly, and Combeferre rushed to her side.
As they tended to her wounds, he stood up and looked at everyone around them, the townspeople and the fighters alike. He had to say something. He couldn't let this moment go unnoticed, like almost every other thing about Eponine's life. He looked at her perfect lips, how they were slightly upturned into the faintest hint of a smile. Enjolras looked her porcelain skin and her gently sloping nose. Eponine was beautiful. Enjolras allowed himself to admit it at last. But she was also, brave, kind, smart, and good. He remembered her standing with her arms crossed at the lamppost that humid summer night. He remembered her calling him a tragedy. He was not the tragedy. He was never. It had been her all along.
He felt anger towards Marius, but more than that, he felt something else. Sadness. "We will not forget The King's Man's sacrifice, whether you remember her as Eponine, Adele, Brigitte, Madeline, Laure, or another identity. Without her, all of us would most likely be dead, and I owe her my life. Thanks to Eponine Thenardier, the revolution will succeed. Louis Philippe has fled to Britain, and the National Guard's ranks are depleted by thousands. But as you all know, the death of Eponine Thenardier has been a great blow to France"
He stepped down. He was also feeling guilt. Grantaire had taken a bullet for Enjolras as well at the very beginning. Enjolras knew it was for the same reason as Eponine. Burning guilt conflicted with gratitude. Jehan approached him and led him to the room where they had planned the revolution. He felt burnt out. He felt empty. He felt angry. But he also felt bittersweet.
All of his friends were waiting for him, with the exception of Grantaire, Bahorel, Joly, and Combeferre. No one was laughing or joking like usual. They somberly waited for his next move. But, he didn't have a plan. He didn't know what to do now, and he just wanted to vent.
"Go ahead" said Jehan.
He sighed and steeled himself before saying, "I think I was in love with her"
If any of his friends were surprised, they didn't show it. Combeferre popped into the room. He had heard. "Enjolras, do you want your jacket back?"
The chief shook his angelic head, sending curls tossing. "No" he faintly smiled remembering the day he found it missing from his apartment. "It looked better on Eponine anyways. You know, I was chasing after her in the dead of night this a couple days ago. I don't think I've ever seen her more alive. It was—exhilarating"
His friends marveled at the welcome change in their marble chief as he was lost in thought for a moment. He returned, but something else was lingering behind his eyes as he spoke. "We need to get into contact with the other student societies. I think the one near the Latin Quarter has exploded and I am not sure about the one near the Eiffel Tower. Does anyone know if she made some sort of messaging system to let them know if the soldiers have surrendered, exploded, or is still at a standstill?"
All who were present shook their heads.
He shrugged, "I guessed as much. Where's Gavroche?"
Gavroche appeared with a 16 year old girl that looked scarily like Eponine. "Hi Enjolras" he said glumly. "This is my other sister, Azelma. I have to tell you that I don't know any of Ponine's plans"
Enjolras deflated even more. "Do you—"
"Try Therese. The orphanage director" was all he said before he scampered out, his older sister in tow.
Enjolras knew he had to carry out this revolution and finish it off for the people and for Eponine. He remembered he once thought she was the face of the people he was fighting for. Enjolras shook his head at his foolishness. She was the face of the fighting.
Seriously debating if I should end it on this note or not.
