AN: Only two reviews for the last chapter! Come on guys, there are at least 68 of you reading this, you can do better than that! Tell me what you want in this story to prompt you to leave more reviews. (:
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: Jailbreak (Part I)
Eponine and Cosette are bound and gagged, leaning against trees as their captors allow the horses to drink from the river. They'd met up not longer after Eponine had sent Les Amis her note, and the only thing they had left to do now was wait and draw comfort from each other.
"They're coming," Eponine had muttered around the cloth in her mouth. "Don't worry."
Cosette had nodded in return, the girl's expression shifting into that of a fierce, determined fighter. If Eponine had ever thought of her sister as weak, she did not think so now. After a couple minutes of aching jaw movements, they had pushed their gags off so they could speak. They had wriggled close enough together to brush fingertips, and Eponine had tried to pry at the tight knots of the rope bound around the flaxen-haired girl's wrists. Inexplicably she had been reminded of Enjolras, of the last time she had seen him, and that had made her heart clench painfully.
Her companion had seemed to register the sadness, and whispered in a soft voice. "He's coming for you. I know he is."
Now they sat together as they waited for their kidnappers to finish whatever it was they were doing so they could move on. Montparnasse wanders over and gives Eponine a sharp glare as he yanks the cloth gags back into their mouths. "Don't go trying anything," he warns them. "I won't be able to stop your father from doing what he wants if he decides to hurt you." He pulls them both up, surprisingly gentle, and goes to boost Eponine onto his horse.
Eponine shakes her head, and nudges Cosette in his direction instead. Montparnasse gives her a searching look, but agrees, lifting Cosette up, careful to steady her so she doesn't tumble over to the other side. Eponine eyes the rest of her father's gang wearily. There's no telling how they'd treat Cosette, but with her she knows they still respect and fear her father enough to leave her alone.
Everyone remounts, and Eponine thinks that if it wasn't for the trees and the cliffs, she would see the top of her tower peeking up in the distance. The horses begin to move, and Eponine thinks of how her hair will undoubtedly shield her bound hands from view, and she begins to pick her fingers and the knot once more. It's a lot more difficult than trying to untie Cosette's, but if the ride was long enough she might be able to loosen them ...
Enjolras is restless in his metal prison. President Valjean had promised to discuss terms of release, or a lightened sentence with the king, but Enjolras was doubtful. Surely they would make an example of him. They would parade the fallen leader of the people in shackles to dispirit the masses. He thinks of Eponine, shackled in a completely different way to her father, and of Cosette, who had only been kind and supportive, almost like a sister.
He hopes, desperately, that someone will see fit for him to leave this awful place and rescue them.
Standing up, he makes his way over to the window, half-hoping that he will see his friends coming to storm the castle and save the day. Instead, he sees a very drunk looking Marius Pontmercy and Grantaire chatting with the castle guards, and his heart skips about three beats in his chest as he glances towards his prison door, as though Combeferre could be here any second now, key in hand and a proud smile on his face.
He has hope.
They get past the first few groups of guards with ease, dashing down halls as they follow Courfeyrac through the maze that is the royal castle. Jehan's hand is gripped firmly in his as the two of them turn the next corner quickly, weapons at the ready.
There is no one there.
Courfeyrac gives the all-clear, and the large group continues on. Only there seems to be a disturbing lack of guards as the get closer to the dungeons, and once they are only a short while away there are the sounds of voices. For one brief, Courfeyrac wonders just who else is trying to break Enjolras out of prison. Because no offense, people weren't willing to take on dozens of royal guards for just anybody.
Their large scary Viking-hat wearing friends are stomping loudly behind them, which reassures Courfeyrac that even if it was a dragon on the other side of the door, they would be able to handle the situation. A baby dragon, maybe. One that wasn't too upset.
Jehan raises an eyebrow at him, as if to say 'well, aren't you going to open the door?', and Courfeyrac curses his overactive imagination for picturing dragons and giant trolls before lifting a leg up and kicking the door in, sending the it crashing into the wall and hopefully giving them an element of surprise..
What he sees is Enjolras, standing out in the open and most importantly not-in-a-prison cell, talking to President Valjean, of all people. Enjolras breaks out into a beaming smile as he goes over to them, and then Jehan pulls them all into a sort of awkward group hug.
"Where are the all guards?" Bahorel asks, sounding genuinely upset. "I wanted to have some more justified fights before we left."
"I sent them away," Valjean explains. "I could not allow your friend to remain here in prison."
"You could have started a war!" Joly exclaims, horrified.
"King Gillenormand is an old friend of mine; I am sure it would not come to that. I was merely going to bring Enjolras to him to further explain his cause to convince Patrice of the benefits of a Republic."
"How did you know that I was here?" Enjolras asks Les Amis.
"Well," says Feuilly, grinning ear to ear, "a little birdie told us of your predicament, so you have her to thank for that."
"We're going to repay the favour," Enjolras says firmly, and a cheer goes up from the men behind them, causing Enjolras to crane his neck and gaze incredulously at the tiny army they have bringing up the rear.
"The next guard shift should be arriving soon, we need to get out of here," Courfeyrac says urgently.
"Right," Combeferre nods in agreement, and in a shining moment of clarity everyone can see these two are in their element, working together as a team. "We'll split off into two groups, and half will lead the guards away while the other brings Enjolras to meet Marius and Grantaire."
"And then the two of them will take Courfeyrac horse and use the remainder of that ridiculously impossible potion to race over and save Eponine and Cosette. Just like in an actual fairy tale," Jehan nods along, pleased with this new revelation.
Courfeyrac grins, "Which makes you a fairytale prince," he gestures at Enjolras, "which I think is hilarious."
Enjolras harrumphs. "Let's get on with the escaping so I can get on with the rescuing, then."
All the Amis, Jehan and Courf (who may as well be Amis at this point,) offer mock salutes to their leader.
"Just make sure whichever group has Enjolras doesn't have Bossuet," Bahorel adds thoughtfully, and Bossuet doesn't look at all insulted, rather resigned to his fate.
"Don't worry," Joly says comfortingly with a warm smile, patting his friend on the back. "Once we get the girls back they can help rid you of the bad luck again. Even if I think that potion is unhealthy and absolutely disgusting, I am willing to let you drink it if it means I won't have to go bandaging you up every other hour." This last comment is completely serious.
"Alright," Courfeyrac says loudly, having forcibly pushed his way through the room, dividing the crowd in two. "Left side - distractions; right side - rescue mission. Everyone please try not to get arrested so we don't have to repeat this tedious process. And ... go!" And then he's shooing everyone out the door with rapid hand movements.
When everyone is back the hall in their new teams, Courfeyrac goes over and gives Combeferre a big, awkward hug. "Good luck, my friend," he says tearfully, and then he straightens and adopts the stern look of a commanding officer, probably learned from imitating Javert. Enjolras restlessly begins ordering people in his own group down the hall behind them, and Combeferre is wearing an expression of fondness.
"I'll take good care of Marius for you," Combeferre says, because goodness knew Marius needed some common sense knocked into him every once in a while.
Courfeyrac salutes him, then marches over to Jehan and gallantly offers his arm. "Time to go stir up some trouble."
"Don't mind if I do." Jehan's answering smile is beatific.
AN: Okay, so I have exams over next two weeks, so don't go expecting an update until a while after that. I look forward to Courf and Jehan providing you guys some well-deserved entertainment and giggles, so stay tuned!