In The Rain: Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Disclaimer: I do not own Les Mis.
There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on.
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone.
(Empty Chairs at Empty Tables~ Les Miserables)
He had no idea how he had gotten to his grandfather's home. The last thing he knew was that his head hurt and there was a sudden sharp pain in his collarbone. Then everything was black.
When he woke up his sweet Cosette was by his side. The day started good. The doctor ordered him to rest until the wound in his collarbone had closed.
Once the doctor had left him and his love alone he asked her about the barricade. If she knew anything. He knew it would be a sad topic but he needed to know. After Gavroche was shot all of them had fought back harder, each and every one of them had taken a bullet.
But they all must have survived. With a doctor like Joly and a leader like Enjolras everything was possible. They surely had survived.
He was, however puzzled when his love did not answer his question but stood up. A vaguely familiar man came in, introducing himself as Cosette's father. Slowly he explained to him that many of his friends had let their lives.
"That can't be. It can't be. They are alive I'm sure of it.", Marius argued. "I want to see the Musain. I don't care what the doctor says. Please, Monsieur.", he begged and Cosette's father studied him for a moment.
"I will fetch a coach for us. Do you want me to send someone in to help you dress?", he asked kindly and Marius shook his head sitting up straighter. When Cosette's father had gotten out of the room Marius pulled himself up slowly and pulled over the clothes that were laying on a chair, wincing with every sharp bite of pain coursing through his body whenever he moved the wrong way.
He did not care if the world around him swam and he lost balance a couple of times, something he blamed the head wounds for. He looked up in panic when there was a knock at the door. If it was the doctor, his grandfather or his love he could forget his journey, so he only called out hesitatingly.
Thankfully it was only Cosette's father who told him the coach was ready. After handing out a walking stick to Marius, the older man turned and walked out the door.
Marius followed him slowly, the stick was a great help. He had no leg wounds, but due to his other injuries he still felt weak on his feet. The stick gave him some security in his steps.
Without saying a word he climbed into the coach and looked out the window. Their journey seemed endless and they had to walk the last 50 meters or so, since the barricade was brought away by policemen and helpers. Women were trying to scrub the blood on the floor away.
Slowly, painfully, they made their way to the Musain and slipped into the cafe unseen. Marius' world crumbled when he saw them laying in a row. His friends. Their eyes closed, their clothes bloody. He noted their leader missing. Maybe the policemen or the soldiers had already taken him away to display him somewhere. In their eyes he was at fault.
His friends were all dead.
The light that had come into his life with Cosette's appearance had suddenly turned into a shadow. His friends, his loved friends were all dead. All of them were.
No not all of them. Eponine was not laying with the students and her brother. Did that mean she stayed away from the barricade like he had told her to. He looked around the room.
This room that once was so warm and full of laughter after Enjolras had finished his speech. This room that was so full of a spirit of tomorrow was now cold, almost dusty. Dark and alien. He could not comprehend that in this room they once had their meetings.
He could see their silhouettes in their usual corner. All sitting around the table listening more or less intently to what Enjolras had to say. Grantaire would interrupt with sarcastic remarks that would end in a small banter between the two of them.
To this very table Gavroche had walked up one day, ignoring the owner's rage about an urchin in his cafe, and demanded to be part of their group. At that time no one had taken him seriously. But after he had provided information about the people's suffering, no one had ever shushed him away again.
Gavroche had brought his sister, although at the beginning he would deny their relationship because of their parents, and the yooung woman, who seemed to have her eyes and ears everywhere also gave important information. They became part of their group.
That very group that wanted to ban police and army violence. That group that wanted to stop the injustice in the country. That group that planned a revolution. The group that shone in a bright light.
Their flame however had died. Along with them. Their sacrifice would be worth nothing.
And all he could do was subdue the tears as he looked at the corner where their table had stood, imagining it getting dusty since no one would be sitting there any more.
All that had remained of his friends were empty chairs at an empty table.
His friends would not sing no more.
Of course I'd start the Marius' arc with Empty Chairs with what else. Maybe you have noticed that the other two arcs had topics. Eponine's was Freedom, Enjolras' was Punishment and Marius' will be Grief.
~Liliana-chan