To say that Enjolras was uncomfortable is an understatement. He is used to being the center of attention. He is a war general after all. Even before, he was always the first one to speak at the academy. The attention of his colleagues, comrades, or even enemies never made him falter.
Women, however, is a different matter entirely. He never cared for the attentions of noble ladies, or their daughters. He still remembers his youth at the academy. He was invited to Marius' birthday celebration back when Marius was still a prince, before his uncle's attempt for the Throne. No one would bat Enjolras an eye. Upon knowing his common birth, he was basically treated like a mosquito that hovered noisily around them. His royal scholarship did not matter, nor his accolades at the academy. If anything, the only thing that mattered was that he was close to Marius. A stepping stone towards power, that's all he was.
When the war broke and he became a soldier to be with Marius, he was still ignored and treated with disdain. It was only when Marius earned his place amidst the struggle for the throne and he awarded Enjolras with a knighthood, did anyone in court give a damn about him.
Now, Enjolras doesn't even want to entertain any woman from court. He's learned from the knights that most of these young ladies were starved for attention. He doesn't trust much of this advice, since it came from Grantaire and Prouvaire, known flirts and playboys. "Grant them a sliver of attention and they might think you're in love with them. Easy." At this, Enjolras would then send them to clean the latrines for a week. However, with the way the ladies cling to him and his every word, he wonders if it's true.
He wishes he was allowed to attend the ball in his armor. Then there would be a solid wall of metal to separate him and the ladies. He doesn't wish them any disrespect, not really, but sometimes it's all too much. He just barely made it out alive and now he has to handle the delicate nature of noblemen and noble ladies. Say the wrong thing in the wrong way, and suddenly solicitors are at your door.
It's the final day of this week long banquet, celebrating the latest victory: the seizure of The Dragon's Neck. A key piece of land in the east which holds most if not all of the farmlands. It greatly shifts the war in favor of Marius, in fact some would say that the war is already won. Control the grain production, you control the Kingdom. Marius now, has both.
Enjolras uses his height to his advantage and scans the room. Couples are dacing in the middle of the hall while their parents supervise on the sidelines. Marius and Cosette sit at the thrones on a raised platform at the front of the room, looking at the festivities with a relaxed glee. Marius holds Cosette's hand in his and presses his lips onto her knuckles. Enjolras moves his gaze elsewhere looking for Cosette's lady-in-waiting, the only woman who may help him in his predicament.
"Excuse me, Ser Enjolras, but the King and Queen request your presence." Lady Thenardier bows her head when speaking to him. Enjolras tries to hide the relief in his face.
"I see, I will go to them immediately."
Suddenly, a woman with bright red hair coiffed like a cloud grabs his arm.
"It must be such an honor to be so close with the royal couple Ser Enjolras. Would you like me to accompany you?" Enjolras tries to remember her name and from which house she was in but there were so many to remember. Enjolras prioritized memorizing the terrain of the land and its possible strategic points than to which person belonged to which family.
"I advise you Ser not to keep the King and Queen waiting." Lady Thenardier turned on her heel and Enjolras took that as a cue to follow.
"I apologize my lady. One must not keep royalty waiting." He pries the hand of the lady and she gives him a coquettish pout. Her ruby red lips shine like sugar candy under the lights.
He leaves the women behind. They were upset and casting almost murderous glances at Lady Thenardier. She does not mind in the slightest and continues to walk with a nonchalant air. He falls into step with her and when he is near enough to hear he sees her give him an unladylike smirk.
"Don't laugh, please." He murmurs.
"What is there to laugh at, my good Ser?" She said with a teasing smile.
"I recall saving you from dancing with a young lad last night. Who was that again? That tall spindly fellow."
"The young master Merry of House Levain. He bathes in sickly perfume and his hands always wander." Lady Thenardier remarks over her shoulder. The two of them make their way towards the raised platform where the royal couple sat. Eponine bowed before them and Enjolras followed.
"Would it be so hard, Anton, to enjoy the festivities? and the women that come with it?" Marius starts. Eponine makes her way to stand beside Cosette.
"I cannot say that it is easy, my King."
"I've gathered as much." Marius smiles.
"Eponine," Cosette calls and Eponine steps forward. "Would you be a dear and grant Ser Enjolras the opportunity to sneak away? He has done his duty to the court. He may relax now." Cosette commands with the authority of a general.
"Thank you, my Queen." Enjolras bows.
"You too, 'Ponine. It's time to rest your eyes and ears." Cosette says and at this Eponine flinches and stiffens.
"I see," she says, leaving Enjolras perplexed. He just saw her chatting merrily with a group of noble ladies some time ago. Was she not enjoying the festivities as well?
"You know, even now they are looking at you." Cosette teases, waving her hand towards the young ladies still casting longing gazes at him.
"If Ser Enjolras is willing, I can show him a quiet place for him to catch his bearings."
"Please," Marius inserted, "do enjoy the night. It would be burdensome on my conscience if I were to know that both of you were not able to revel in the celebration. Everyone else is."
"May I be so bold, my King, as to speak freely?" Eponine asks.
"Of course, 'Ponine."
"This is the royal court we're speaking of, even at the height of war, all they know is revelry." She says bluntly. Enjolras was shocked at her words, however the royal couple only laughed.
"As someone whose been in court for so long, I thought you might've learned a thing or two on the subject. You've certainly earned it," says Cosette.
"We will make do with what we have." Eponine says walking towards Enjolras. She waits for him to offer his arm and he does. She gently pushes Enjolras' arm and they move together.
"They make quite a pair," Cosette remarks when they were some distance away, but Enjolras wasn't sure if he heard it right.
They walked in step, her gloved hand warm and heavy on his arm. She leads him farther and farther from the din of the crowd until they are outside. Under the pale moonlight, they walk the stone steps that leads to the royal gardens. She stays quiet, and eyes fixed forward.
The moment she is away from prying eyes, she lets out a breath of relief. She shifts in form. Not that she is a changeling but there are subtleties to her gait that Enjolras notices. She no longer stands rod straight. There is a lightness to her step and as the clouds shift and reveal the bright face of the moon, she glances up and sighs.
She doesn't flinch as he tries to sneak glances her way. He knows she notices it, but he's glad that she doesn't say anything.
She leads him to the royal garden where the hedges are tall- taller than him and in it lies a labyrnthin maze dotted with flowers and shrubs all blooming and alive due to the arrival of springtime. Lit by lamps, an warm orange light casts onto E's hair and she is wrapped under a halo, a fairy, the ones his mother told him when he was young.
On his little hay bed, clutching a threadbare blanket up to his chin, his mother tells him of the beautiful fairies cast in wonderous sunlight. They cast their spells and turn soldiers into gods.
It didn't take long for E to stop walking, finding a small stone bench underneath and arch of vines that droop down like a curtain. She lets go of his arm and he too stops.
"You can find solace here," she says, tucking her skirt as she sits down. "If you won't mind my company."
"No, not at all," he assents and sits beside her. He stares onto the hedges that surrounds them. They are dotted with flowers white and small and other buds that have not awoken. He wonders why the lady won't leave him here and return to the banquet. Did she not like the company of her peers? Or was Cosette's words mean more than what is simply said?
"I thought you would be more joyous for this banquet. It's held in your honor anyway." She says without a hint of judgment; just an observation.
"I would be if it were with the company of the knights and the other commonfolk. Royal Court never suited me." He swallows the lump in his throat, afraid of offending Eponine, the most respected and also hated woman in court.
"It's premature, anyway. There is much yet to be done." He adds quickly. He sees her nod in agreement. The war is barely over. There are skirmishes, border disputes, and land distribution to be taken care of. On his end anyway. There is a matter of weeding out the corrupt in the nobility.
"Peacetime is its own kind of chaos, isn't it?" He looks to her, a question on the tip of his tongue. What does a lady like her know? Yet there is that glimmer in her eye that tells him that she does know. She knows more than he ever could. For some reason, it gives him relief.
He looks at her, unabashedly. The tiny bench affording them a little space between them. He had half a mind to move away, to stand instead of sit, for propriety's sake but Lady Thenardier doesn't say a word.
Enjolras first notices the wisps of hair that have escaped her braid. It moves with the wind and tickles the top of her plump cheeks. He itches to brush them away with his fingers, but he cannot move because Lady Thenardier is looking up at him through her lashes. There is a warmth in her gaze and it makes Enjolras feel as if he is the only man in the world, the only man that mattered.
"Say, Ser Enjolras. May I ask you a question?"
"Depends on the question." he sputters out like a fool. At this she laughs, a tinkling bell-like laugh. Her gloved hand rises to cover her smile and a part of him wishes to take it, to see her face fully, and only her face.
"Are you of the belief that war is not just on the battlefield?" Her hand falls back on her lap. Her face changes. From an innocent breath of relief to a stoic cold gaze. She sits straighter and her eyebrows furrow, assessing him.
"I..." He pauses. Of course war is in the battlefield, he fought it on Marius's side for almost ten years. There is no other way, but he catches himself. He thinks back before the war, when all he had was his books, his mind, and his ideas.
"A war can be felt beyond the battlefield, my lady. Even a child can suffer wounds worse than a soldier." Her face eases into a smile and something breaks inside of him. Trapped in a warm, knowing gaze. He felt like he passed a test.
"Do you think there are soldiers in a war that do not fight with a sword"
"Yes," he says. As much as he is glued down by her gaze, his mind is set ablaze. Suddenly he is thinking. Lady Thenardier has never been much of a presence in his life. All he knew was that she was a friend of Cosette. Children together they were and when Valjean discovered his lost daughter, she too was adopted from a failing house. An unmarried woman who flits from one man to another, if the rumors were to be believed. Enjolras never believed these rumors, even if everyone else did.
"Then, tell me, Ser. May someone contribute to the war without needing recognition?"
"Yes, I believe that is the most noble of pursuits." At this she looks shocked. Her eyes widen and her lips, shining and tempting under the faint light, twitch to an almost smile. "I have seen many a soldier, both of nobility and of common origin, my lady. All of them dream of peace but I have also known that they aim for glory as well."
"There is the promise of land and a keep," she mentions off handedly.
"I simply wished to fight by Marius side. I tried to keep him safe." Enjolras said, thinking that the Lady was assessing him and his motivations. The lady closed her eyes and sighed. She nodded her head. Enjorlas finds her actions perplexing. As though there is a different conversation under the one they are having right now.
"My lady," He starts.
"Please, call me Eponine. No one, except Cosette, has called my name since I arrived here." She looks at him with bright doe eyes, far different from the piercing, heated gaze, she has given to everyone in the banquet. She seemed so small and frail, betraying her true age. She was a lady, young and bright and he too felt like his age, a boy.
Suddenly, all things fall into place. She is no different from he, a battle weary warrior seeking shelter.
"Eponine, I know not what you have done for the war but know that you are equally deserving of all things given to me, a mere soldier of common birth. You deserve to celebrate the end of the war."
"You, yourself know it to be true. There is more work to be done."
"Is it not our right to enjoy respite? Even for tonight."
"Then may I ask that of you, Ser Anton? Respite?"
Enjolras flushes a deep red. All the blood in his body racing to his head. He sputters and coughs, as though she struck him in his chest. She laughs again, that same tinkling laugh. Her lips spread into a smile and all worry lifts from her brow.
"I apologize, Ser. I must have given you the wrong impression."
"No!" He shouts and blushes even deeper. He berates himself further, for such ignoble thoughts. "I mean, my lady - No Eponine, please understand. I did not think..."
"Let me be explicit, then dear Ser. I do not want to taint your honor in asking something inappropriate. I am an unmarried woman after all." His mind has stopped functioning on the word unmarried.
"I find myself weary, Ser. I would like a safe place to rest my head. May I lean on you, for just a moment?"
"As a knight, it is my duty to provide comfort to my lady." Was all he could say. He opens himself up with arms outstretched. Eponine leans closer and presses her head against his chest. He is sure that she could hear his heartbeat threatening to leap out of his chest. She smells like lavender and slowly he wraps his arms around her. She is so small in his arms, and soft—almost fragile. He places his hands on her back, steady and sure and she sighs a shaky breath, as though she is about to cry. He holds her even tighter and he doesn't mention how her grip on his waist tightens to the point of discomfort. Yet, he believes he can never let her go. Not ever, in this little alcove away from the world.
He never believed the valor of knights. All his life, he preferred the erudition of scholars and the passion of revolutionaries. Even during the war, he only thought of the greater peace, the greater dream of a kingdom without conflict. Knighthood was a mere title, only meant for songs. Yet here he was, a shining knight providing comfort to his lady. His lady. Maybe this was what all the songs were all about.
When Eponine pushes him away, after in what felt like hours, there are tears in her eyes but it does not fall.
"Thank you," she whispers. She looks away, swipes at her cheeks and takes a deep breath. Again she transforms. Her back is straight, gaze peircing, and shoulders set. She is ready for battle once again, and suddenly Enjolras understands Cosette and he understands Eponine. She cannot rest her eyes and ears, not when the war is not yet done.
Eponine leaves him to sit in his lonesome, the one thing he has been asking for all evening. Now, however, all he wanted was to take Eponine and carry her away from the palace, away from the war and take her home, wherever that may be.
—
"It's been two years," Marius pesters him. Enjolras was pacing in his room like the lion that he was. Did you know that was what he was called now? Ser Enjolras the Roaring Lion, Lord of the Barricade. After a border dispute gone wrong, wrong enough to reignite the war, Enjolras leapt from the burning piles of corpses and striked at the heart of the Radohn the FoulMouthed, the last enemy captain left. Enjolras remembers the blood seeping out of the wound and which made his grip slip but he drove the dagger to the hilt.
When the FoulMouth slipped from his blade and landed on the ground, he roared. From the depths of his belly he roared; a ferocious, blood curdling and ragefilled roar. His cries signaled the end of the war — for good.
Now for his war efforts he was given the Barricade, the greatest expanse of land in the kingdom which no noble family had a claim to. It was a few spots of land across the southern border. They were the last of the clans to bend the knee to Marius' great grandfather. It was autonomous in its right, for the crown found no need for any of its trade. The crown only lent its military for border control.
It's called the barricade because it the last stretch of territory along the border. It is now under Enjolras' control. It's terrain is rough but bountiful due to it so close to the River Delta.
Agriculture is sufficient to sustain itself but barely. Since its closer to the wildlands, its more vulnerable to outside raids and there isn't enough supplies nor soldiers to protect the wall. Marius father instead fortified, Wall Lux, which protects the southernmost trade guild in the Kingdom, the wall north from here. The Barricade is left to fend for itself and it was the first to fall in the fight for succession.
However, the people are kind and resilient. They are excellent craftsmen. Wool and textile made by the women are of fine quality. Many of its longstanding residents have become refugees in the northern towns and Enjolras is still trying to resettle them.
"I need more time." He says, almost in a panicked voice.
"We don't have time. Eponine's been receiving either marriage proposals or death threats. Some houses send her both."
Enjolras grinds his teeth. Ever since he was given land and a lordship, there was an unspoken agreement that Marius would also give him a wife as a reward. Enjolras didn't like the idea of being gifted a wife but at the thought of marrying, there was only one woman in his mind. Now, though, looking at the Barricade, what is there to give her but a drowned land, a failing economy, and a castle in shambles. It's not what she deserves. He can't give her what she deserves.
"Enjolras, think about it my way. There is no safer place for Eponine than here in the Barricade, the farthest place from the capital. As your wife, and your lady, no one would dare even touch her. If nothing else, think about her safety."
He does make a convincing argument. Enjolras rubs at his face in frustration. There is nothing left for him to say. He has prepared a list of counterarguments ahead of Marius' visit to The Barricade. But the fact that he truly, deeply wants Eponine to be his wife sends all those reasons out of his mind. He looks at Marius, and hates the smug grin on his face, as if he was privy to his internal conflict. Was he really that obvious?
"What happened to the boy who used to stutter at the sight of a beautiful woman?" He says to Marius, who embodies the stature of a king even dressed in simple garb.
"He became king, and the beautiful woman became his queen. You too will know the power of a woman's love." He said.
"Love..." Enjolras murmurs. He cannot believe that Eponine would love a place like this. Yet, the thrill of having her in his arms again like so long ago lifts his spirits.
"If the lady is amenable to the agreement then I won't reject it." At this, Marius rolls his eyes.
—
"It seems the King has found you a husband, my dear friend," the Queen remarks, rolling the missive sent by her husband and throwing it onto the hearth - an old habit from the war. The two of them were sitting beside the fire, warm mulled wine in their hands.
"Who is it to be? Young master Emil of Willoughby? He's been pestering me ceaselessly lately." Eponine mused. Her voice seemed jovial but her tapping fingers betray her anxiety. That is the most she can reveal, even to her good sister Cosette. Suddenly, Cosette missed the times where Eponine could easily display her feelings. She had her heart on her sleeve when they were children. She dreamt of knights and noble men slaying dragons. She used to steal gold coins from loose pockets hoping to buy a ticket to the local tourney. She used to swoon at the sight of a handsome man.
Now, she is no one. A beautiful woman who changes shape in order to fit her prey, a hunter of a different kind. The war has changed us, Cosette knows. Yet she laments how it also changed their relationship. Eponine was her sister, still is - to Eponine, Cosette is the Queen.
"No." Cosette replies. "Actually, I believe it to be the most suitable match."
"Oh?" Eponine pries her eyes away from the roaring fire and onto Cosette's. "To whom do you find me most suitable?"
"The lion." Cosette teases but her easy smile turns into a frown as Eponine's face crumples.
"No..." she whispers amidst the cracking of the firewood. "No it can't be. Ser Enjolras."
"Lord Enjolras now Eponine." Cosette corrects her. Eponine has her mouth open, like a fish out of water. "I thought you liked him." Loved him, even, Cosette thought but she kept it to herself.
"Look at me Cosette."
"I am."
"I don't deserve him."
"Oh, come off it. No one is more suitable for you than Anton."
"I- I can't."
"Why?"
"I cannot even begin to explain!" Eponine rises from her seat. "Look at what I've done, Cosette. Do you not think me horrible? How am I to stand beside such an honorable man? If I am to be his wife, his reputation will plummet. The nobles still oppose Marius for giving Enjolras the barricade." She is standing now, pacing like a frantic rabbit looking for escape from a predator.
"Reputation..." was all Cosettte said.
"You have heard the rumors about me, all of which are true!"
"Eponine, listen to me." She says in the most commanding, yet gentle voice possible. "All you ever wanted was a home to call your own and your leave from court. Both of which you have earned and many more. When you decided to work with us for the war, your help has been helpful, nay, essential to us winning the war. Yet, we cannot grant you the same rewards as any soldier. We cannot reveal your work to the public therefore we cannot justify suddenly giving you property and land. Also, you are an unmarried woman with no family. You cannot solely manage property or a business in the capital. Father has already surrendered his land to the crown as my dowry. there is no land left for you to inherit.
Think of your marriage not as a marriage but a way for us to give you, your due. You will have the Barricade as your land and with your efforts you can turn it into a home. You will take your leave from court and no one will take it against you as you are to fulfill your duties as a lady and wife. Most importantly, you will have a husband and Enjolras is an honorable man. You deserve a husband who will honor you, not the men you have had to deal with throughout the years."
"What can I give him then? I've not even a dowry."
"You managed the Thenardier Estate for so long before the crown seized it. You have what it takes to keep the Barricade from falling apart. If anything else, you can give Enjolras a helping hand. To be his partner in all things. An ease to his burden."
At this Eponine calmed. Appealing to her more rational side has never failed Cosette once. Maybe that's why the two of them match so well, reason and responsibility is one of their defining qualities. However, Cosette knows that when Anton is involved, Eponine loses all reason. Oh, this will be fun.
"Alright then, if Lord Enjolras is amenable to the agreement."
—
Enjolras is willing admit to no one, not even Marius, that when he heard Eponine accept the proposal, he felt joy so powerful he couldn't stop smiling the entire day. Even Coufeyrac, his trusted aid, wouldn't stop commenting about it.
"I'm glad to see you happy for once," he remarked with a cheeky grin. "Over a woman too. Don't let Eloise know." Suddenly, Enjolras smile faltered.
"What about Eloise?"
"Don't tell me you don't know?" Coufeyrac sighed at the confused look at Enjolras face. "The fact that you don't know makes it even worse."
"There has been no other woman in my heart, other than the Lady Thenardier." At the mention of her name, Enjolras fights the smile forming at his lips. Even the fact that he could say her name so freely now that they are to be wed, brings him so much joy. It was like a dam has burst inside of him. He cannot hide his longing no longer.
Coufeyrac looks at him for a moment, contemplating on what to say. For once, Coufeyrac is at a loss for words at his superior's attitude. He looks almost boyish in his glee. Gone was the Lion, the general who ended the war. Here was Anton, his best friend since the academy, filled with an infectious hope for the future. The fact that the Lady Thenardier could make Enjolras this happy, even in her absence, already dispelled whatever doubts the aid had over the woman.
"I can see that now," was all he could say. Enjolras nods his head and pours over the documents, reports on the land, and the tables stating the affairs of the castle. As his aid, it is Coufeyrac's job to make sure that the arrival of the Future Lady of the Barricade is perfect, yet Enjolras took it upon himself to make sure everything is prepared.
"Do you think we can acquire lavender?" Enjolras says after a moment's pause.
"Lavender, my lord?"
"She always smelled like lavender." Was all Enjolras could say as he went back to calculating whether the meat stores were enough for the wedding or do they require a hunt. Coufeyrac takes a mental note to make an order for lavenders to decorate their soon to be marriage bed.
—-
"Of course there is to be a celebration before the wedding. A last hurrah!" Graintaire announces, swinging his pint of ale around like a madman, spilling it everywhere. After filling himself up with wine for dinner, he has switched to ale. He hates ale, the bitter taste of hops destroys the palate he says. But there was no wine in the war only ale (the vineyards were controlled by the nobles while almost all the little hamlets scattered throughout the kingdom had their own brewery), and there were no scintillating conversation of poets and politics, only racuous jovialty of men trying to keep themselves afloat amongst the traumatizing site of death around them.
"Our Lord Enjolras, I beg." Graintaire speaks in a mocking accent of the proper lords of the court. "We cannot simply leave you to be wed without a prior celebration. You are to be a married man! Enjoy what is left of your freedom!" The other knights around him agreed.
When Enjolras was gifted the Barricade, most of his men followed him to the South. They were to follow him, not just as his soldiers, but as settlers as well. They are to live their lives to serve him and the Barricade. Enjolras was grateful for the help. Lord knows that the barricade is in dire need of manpower, not just in security but in rebuilding as well. More than a hundred of his men swore to follow him to the Barricade and Enjolras and Marius set work to settle them to the new land. The Barricade was grateful as well, more so the women, seeing as there are more for them to choose as a marriage partner.
Among his retinue, his friends from the academy form his closest circle of friends and a few mercenaries he has befriended during the many battles. These were men and women he was willing to die with.
"Tell me," says Joly, "is it true? Is Lady Thenardier so beautiful it rivals the Queen?"
"I heard that Lady Thenardier has been courted by many men. Some even would give her jewelry and dresses only to be rejected," says Prouvaire. Enjolras suddenly feels a uncomfortable churning in his stomach.
"A woman like her must have lived her entire life surrounded by wealth," Prouvaire continues.
"I heard she's bringing all of her belongings from the capital. Most of them gifts from her former lovers," speaks up Eloise with a derisive snort. "Two caravans full of jewelry and dresses. I bet when she sees the Barricade, she'll have a hissy fit like a spoiled brat."
The crowd quieted quickly after Eloise's remark. She downs her ale, in order to avoid Enjolras' clearly upset face.
"What makes you say that?" He asks.
Eloise, a mercenary Enjolras befriended during the war, and has become a loyal partner in his retinue, scoffs.
"Be serious, Anton. She's spent her entire life in the capital kissing ass to the Queen. What does she know about taking care of anything, much less the Barricade."
"She can learn," Enjolras replies, ignoring the blatant disrespect Eloise has showed in not calling him his title.
"Really? A woman like her? Who's never worked a day in her life. She will see the Barricade as a wasteland."
"That's enough Eloise." Grantaire says.
"What? It's true. Even during the war she's done nothing but party her heart out, spreading her legs for any rich man..."
"Enough!" Enjolras pounds his fists on the table and stands, toppling his chair and plunging the entire mess hall in tense silence. Even the soldiers and the maids have stopped in what they are doing, fearful to see the Lion roar.
"What? Why are you defending her?" Eloise continues. She cannot understand. She refuses to understand how Enjolras, Anton Enjolras, her general, her commander, could fall for a woman like her. She is a sly fox, who seduces men and drives them to their ruin. She's heard the rumors from gossiping wives and even from intelligence guilds alike. She adorns herself with jewels and bathes in perfume but Eloise sees her for what she is. She cannot let Enjolras fall victim to a woman like her.
"This is my last warning, Eloise Dan, do not speak ill of the future lady of this land. If you so insult her, I will have you punished. My union was made under the seal of the King himself. If you cannot accept her as your lady, then leave the Barricade. I will not stop you." He proclaimed, not just to Eloise, who is turning red from shame and anger, but to everyone in the room, and after tonight, stories of this conversation will reach the entire land.
"Friends, we have fought the war valiantly and won not with just our strength but with out intellect as well. Don't tell me that during peacetime, you may relax your wit? So much so as to believe such baseless rumors to be fact!" He said to everyone in the room. "How am I to entrust the Barricade to you when you can barely distinguish fact from fiction? Truth from rumor?" Not a single soldier can look him in the eye.
"Your future lady will arrive in a fortnight's time. Maybe even less. I expect her to be treated with dignity that is deserving of the Lady of the Barricade. Do not disappoint me as you have tonight." With that, Enjolras left the room. The door closes gently behind him.
Eloise quickly shot up and ran the other way, leaving the castle and onto the night.
"There's going to be trouble." Graintaire says, pouring himself another pint.
—
Enjolras stands stock stiff in the Courtyard. His eyes focused beyond the open gate, waiting for the flag that bore the royal insignia. The King and Queen were to bear witness to the marriage, a prestige bestowed upon him as a fledgling lord, but a kind gesture between long time friends. He tries to ignore the sound of heavy construction behind him. The west wing was utterly destroyed when the enemy broke through the barricade. It was destroyed by canons and nothing was left but the foundation. Enjolras can only afford to suspend the construction on the day of the wedding. He cannot leave the workers without their daily wages. He was only glad that the courtyard, gardens, the mess hall, and the main wing were repaired. Barely repaired, Enjolras was quick to berate himself. It still feels and almost smells like a soldier's barracks. Only soldiers have lived in this castle, and even the maids and servants have been waiting for the Future Lady to make this castle into a home.
What would Eponine think of this place? Enjolras thinks. As much as he hated Eloise's words, who he has yet to see since her rude remarks last week, he couldn't help but fear it. What if she sees this place and immediately miss the comforts of the Capital and the ease that comes with living with royalty. Yes there are servants, but there is much to do. Enjolras basically does most of his upkeep himself save from cleaning his quarters.
Of course he has to assign maids to attend to his Lady. That's the first thing he should do, shouldn't he? But which one? Who can he trust to attend to her?
"I see the banners!" One of the archers stationed at the gate announced. Suddenly, Enjolras's heart threatens to leap out of his throat.
Time seemed to stop and go twice as fast at the same time. Before he could even speak the Royal carriages has crossed the gate and made their way onto the Courtyard. Enjolras tries not to look at Coufeyrac, who stands at his side, for reassurance. He fears that he might miss it, the moment his future wife, the woman of his dreams, first steps foot on the soil of their home.
There is fanfare, and even the cheers of servants and people from the town who came to see their King and Queen. Yet, he can hear nothing but the sound of his heartbeat. Marius steps down first, followed by Cosette, then it was her, Eponine. With a small delicate foot wearing a light blue shoe, she steps onto the soft land that is her home. Her hand on the carriage to steady herself she looks on, her hair done in a braid and pinned close to the nape of her neck, giving Enjolras a clear view of her beautiful face. Her eyes, squint under the sunlight but when they adjust, it meets his. Suddenly Enjolras couldn't breathe. Eponine's eyes widen in shock and Cosette, leads her by the arm. Eponine closes her mouth shut, upon realizing that she dropped her jaw.
Enjolras too, had to school his emotions. It's been so long since they saw each other, when they each gave the other much needed respite from the cruelty of this world. An embrace, a solace.
Coufeyrac nudged his shoulder and Enjorlas realized he has not greeted the King and Queen promptly. A disrespect worthy of rebuke. Yet, Marius only laughed. Enjolras quickly went with the greetings.
"Eager to reunite with your bride, eh?" Marius teased.
"Oh love, have mercy on dear Enjolras. I remember you on our wedding day. You shouted I do, the moment I walked through the chapel doors." Cosette quipped. Enjolras barely registered the married couple as he resumed at gawking at Eponine.
"May I present," Cosette said, with a knowing smile,"Lady Eponine Thenardier." Eponine bowed and upon rising she blesses him with a radiant smile.
"May I present," Marius said jovially, since Enjolras suddenly took up a vow of silence, "Lord Anton Enjolras of the Barricade, your intended."
Enjolras bowed and Eponine offered her gloved hand. When Enjolras reached for it, he suddenly pauses halfway.
"I apologize, the South is hot this time of year. I thought not to wear gloves." He says, chastising himself with whatever curse he has learned in the battlefield.
"The people do not wear gloves in the South?" Eponine asks, almost childlike in its innocence.
"Yes, in the summer."
"Oh," she says, and to the shock of everyone, she removes the glove from her hand and offers it again. "It is nice to see you again, my Lord," she says blushing under the golden sun. Almost mechanically, since his mind has stopped working at the sight of her bare hand and arm, Enjolras takes her hand, soft and small in his calloused ones, and presses his lips onto the smooth skin. It was only for a moment but he hears Eponine gasp at the contact and Enjolras releases her hand.
The royal couple share a triumphant smile.
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A/N: This story is a result of a mental breakdown. Please enjoy. May stand on its own or maybe? bahahahahhaahhaah love u guys, read and review if this fandom is still alive hahahahaha