A Barrage of Visitors
The next three days were grey and quiet. Enjolras and Melodie had spent most of their time in the library, reading quietly to each other. Sometimes they were accompanied by Arielle and Fabien, but most of the time it was just them.
That fourth morning since the Archbishop had come for dinner, Enjolras had found a much abused copy of Tacitus's Germania and had settled them once more in their window seat. Melodie was seated across from him again, but today she had brought a bit of embroidery with her.
He paused a moment to glance up and study the little scene they made.
It was rather domestic, the two of them sitting so quietly together, she sewing, him reading. A steaming pot of tea stood on the table Melodie had dragged near the window.
It was all rather … peaceful.
Enjolras frowned slightly, trying to recall the last time he had felt peace like this. It was probably before he had left for the Academy.
"Enjolras?" His eyes snapped up to see Melodie's concerned expression.
"Hmmm?"
"Do you dislike sparrows?"
"Do I … what?"
Melodie sighed and stopped her sewing.
"You were frowning quite thoroughly at this little bird." She said nodding to the half complete sparrow on the cloth.
"Forgive me. No, I have nothing against sparrows, my mind was just elsewhere."
Melodie raised her eyebrows at him but returned to her sewing.
"Want to tell me where?" She asked casually.
"In the past. The very distant past. It doesn't matter."
Melodie looked back up at him, her expression disbelieving.
"You're lying Capitaine."
Enjolras's face flushed. She really was coming to know him too well. Then again, he seemed to know her just as well now.
BANG.
He and Melodie both jumped, Melodie's embroidery hoop flying across the room and his book clattering to the floor.
"Merde! Fabien, what was that for?" Melodie groused once they had righted themselves.
"Javert's body has been found! You're both free of any charges!" Fabien was practically bouncing in his excitement.
Enjolras opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, uncertain of how to react. He looked to Melodie to see how she was handling the entire situation. To his great surprise, she wasn't … well … surprised.
"I don't understand. How can simply finding a body clear us?" He asked slowly as he returned his attention to Fabien.
"A witness from that night came forward. Apparently Inspector Javert was highly agitated and distressed and he … well he threw himself off a bridge into the river. The body seemed completely unharmed, except for the damage done by the current. The witness is a highly respected representative of one of the neighborhoods, so the Commander saw no reason to investigate further."
Enjolras looked at Melodie from the corner of his eye. She was smiling slightly.
"We're most grateful then." She murmured. Fabien grinned and turned back toward the door.
As he was about to charge through, another figure came running into the library.
"Melodie! Enjolras!" Archbishop Quelen came to a breathless halt. Fabien patted the older man's back sympathetically, while Melodie hurriedly poured him a cup of tea.
As they all guided him to a wing-backed armchair, Enjolras swiftly closed the doors. After coughing and sipping tea for a moment, the Archbishop sat back with a deep sigh.
"I've just finished meeting with the King. You are to meet preliminarily with him and the Queen, four days hence – "
"Four days?" Squawked Melodie.
"Preliminarily?" Enjolras shouted.
Fabien glared at the pair of them.
"Let his Eminence finish!"
They both snapped their jaws shut and sat on the nearest chair. Melodie's hand grasped his shoulder as she perched on the arm of the chair.
"As I was saying," the Archbishop was watching them carefully. "You will meet with their Majesties in a preliminary measure at the Opera in four days. Your interactions with them, will determine the severity of your punishments."
They all sat quietly for a time, absorbing what had just transpired.
"Why the Opera?" Melodie asked, breaking the lengthening silence.
"Because it's public yet private. We won't be able to cause a scene in such a crowd yet conversations will still be private in the royal box." Enjolras stated flatly.
The Archbishop nodded.
"Précisément. I will leave you to formulate you plan of attack so to speak. Good day to you all. Fabien, show me out please."
The two men left the room in a murmur of conversation.
"What did you do Melodie?"
Melodie took a deep breath and made her way back over to the window seat. She patted the empty space beside her, indicating he should take a seat. Enjolras settled in, preparing for a long torrent of drawn out plans, plots, and explanations.
Melodie of course, never ceased to surprise him.
"Do you remember the volunteer at the barricade? The one who took Javert away?"
"Yes." Enjolras frowned trying to understand where she was going with this.
"Good, now keep that face firm in your mind. Now remember Monsieur Madeleine. Can you recall his face?"
Enjolras nodded.
"Alright, now compare the two side by side."
Enjolras did as she asked and sat for a minute.
Then his jaw dropped.
He twisted sharply to face Melodie fully. He caught her shoulders and gave her a small shake, though she continued to be quite calm.
"You mean he's … they are?"
"The same person, yes."
Enjolras sat back and just stared at her. He had so many questions, he didn't know where to begin. And then it hit him. He really didn't need an explanation. All that mattered was that one sword had been removed from its position above their necks.
"I trust you." He whispered fiercely. Melodie turned pink but smiled at him. She reached out and caught his hand.
"Just as I trust you." Enjolras returned her smile.
With the grey light filtering from the window and the soft flicker of the lamps, she was cast into a warm glow. Enjolras didn't fight himself as he used their joined hands to tug her closer to his body. He wasn't going to deny the joy that lit her face or the fact that the bright flame in her drew him to her like a moth. He kept a steady grip on her hand and settled the opposite one on her cheek.
He watched her eyes widen slightly as he began to bend his head towards hers. It was brief, but the flash of desire was enough to spur him forward as her eyelids fluttered closed.
His lips were just about to press to hers when the door banged open again.
It startled them both so much that they knocked heads and then fell to the floor.
"Fils de pute! A chaque fois …" Melodie grumbled as she attempted to straighten her skirts. Enjolras silently agreed as he helped her up and turned to face the intruder.
A rather sheepish looking Marius stared back at him.
"Sorry, I probably should have knocked."
"That would have been infinitely wiser, oui." Melodie griped as she made her way to the door.
"Where are you going?" Enjolras demanded in a fit of pique. Melodie paused before leaving to shoot him a grimace.
"To see Arielle. She's no doubt heard by now what we're up against and will be hounding me for a dress fitting before dinner is served tonight. Might as well face the lion now, so she doesn't do anything as foolish as dressing me in some floral monstrosity."
And with that she swept from the room, leaving the men to talk.
Marius turned to Enjolras, ready to ask what that was all about, when he held up his hand and pinched the bridge of is nose.
Definitely picked that one up from Melodie.
"Marius you better have a good reason for being here, or so help me God …"
Marius swallowed and wondered if it was too late to turn tail and run.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Melodie swept up down the halls, searching for her sister. Seeing the sun was still fairly high in the western part of the sky, Arielle was likely in her private sitting room. Melodie reached the door in record time, only to have it open into her face.
Rubbing her aching nose, Melodie glared at her sister. Before she could even open her mouth to admonish her though, Arielle had caught her arm in a vice grip and was yelling instructions to the butler.
"Yes, yes, bring the carriage around as soon as possible and fetch bonnets and cloaks for my sister and myself!" Arielle called over her shoulder as she shoved Melodie into the front entry way. Enjolras had come out of the library with Marius. The latter seemed to be rubbing his ear in irritation. She didn't get a chance to question it though before Arielle had snapped the cloak around her shoulders and nearly strangled her in her haste to tie the bonnet ribbon.
Enjolras raised an eyebrow at her from across the room, but all she could do was mouth the words "SAVE ME!" He looked quickly between her and her sister and seemed to decide that Arielle was the scarier of the two at the moment. He shrugged and gave her an apologetic smile.
Traitor.
With that, she was being stuffed in the carriage and rolling away. She settled herself more comfortably in the seat and studied her sister.
Arielle was chewing on her thumbnail, having clearly forgotten her gloves in her haste, and staring out the window. That alone should have sent a shiver of alarm through Melodie, but all she could feel was a supreme sense of annoyance.
"Well? Where are we going?" She finally demanded. Arielle quickly turned her gaze on Melodie, and for the first time in a long time, it was not the gentle, motherly look she had come to expect.
This was a glare worthy of any general.
"We are going to my modiste. You are going to have a new, spectacular dress if it's the last thing I do."
Melodie frowned and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees.
"I don't see what all the fuss is about. Can't we just alter another of your dresses? So long as I don't look like a tablecloth, I'm not too concerned."
"Well you should be!" Arielle snapped. "Whatever our past is, you must consider this your first impression on their Majesties and this has to be the best first impression of your life because YOUR life depends on it sœur."
Melodie sat back at the vehemence in Arielle's tone. It struck her then, that while it was her life on the line, for Arielle, this was a risk that she could lose her only surviving family member.
"So, you will be poked, prodded, pinned, swathed, and twisted today. Because there is no way in heaven or hell that I'll let something as simple as a proper gown lead to them taking you away."
Melodie sighed and rubbed her temples.
"You do realize that this will be more than just a gown viewing right?" She asked.
"I know, the rest will be up to you and your charm, God help us all." Arielle muttered sourly.
