Eponine stood with the others. She glanced at them and then at herself, glad to have found an old coat and hat. Now she looked just like one of them. Drums rolled and trumpets blared as the procession began to arrive.
She eyed the people that had gathered. She recognized her friends amongst the mourners. Enjolras, Grantaire, Marius, Gavroche, all of them. They had come, standing side by side, ready for when the time came.
Erik maneuvered through the crowd, searching the figures. Perhaps he could pull her away before this all started. He kept searching, trying to find where she was. He couldn't call out her name. They could start and then…. He couldn't risk it. He had to find her. Soon.
A red flag was waved and they began surging toward the casket. Two of them climbed on top while others walked alongside it. He looked to the guards, seeing them begin to panic, already shouting for the others. They turned their horses, stopping the procession.
"Halt!" one of them shouted. "And stop this nonsense!"
A shot rang out followed by panicked yelling and more gunshots. The crowd broke into chaos as the guards surged forward, beginning their attacks.
"To the barricades!" one of them shouted out.
He pushed his way through, trying to find her, praying that she hadn't been shot. Erik dodged the bullets, searching for any sign of her.
"Eponine!" he shouted out. "Eponine!"
A guard galloped past and he moved, taking the horse from him. He followed the crowd to the barricades, past pieces of falling furniture and boys carrying tables to add to the barricades while others fired, trying to keep the soldiers at bay.
He dismounted and joined them, trying to find any sign of her.
"Eponine!" he shouted out. "Eponine!"
The guards slowly retreated and he stared at the boys around him, trying to find her. His eyes narrowed, seeing a smaller boy lifting furniture, adding to the barricade. He walked over to him and helped with the load.
"Thanks, monsieur!" He grinned.
"Eponine," he began. "Have you seen her?"
He nodded and pointed. "She went in there."
"Thank you." Erik paused, looking at the boy. "You ought to get yourself out of here. You still have a life to live, you know."
"These are my friends." He shrugged. "Someone's gotta look after them. If not me, then who else?" He frowned, eyeing him. "You're the guy who was asking about 'Ponine, weren't you?"
"Yes."
"Well she's my sister and no guy like you is gonna beat on her."
"I have no such intention. I only came to take her away from all of this. Get her someplace safe."
"Oh. Well she is stubborn, that's for sure. Good luck, monsieur!"
"Thank you." He paused. "Eponine is your sister?"
He nodded.
"She's lucky."
"I know."
Erik turned to leave, heading toward the building he had been directed to. The place was crowded with them, each one loading up guns, shouting to each other, making bullets. He nudged his way past, seeing her sitting at a table, helping another to clean out guns.
"Eponine," he greeted.