A/N: Well, it hasn't been an atrociously long time between updates...but I still missed all of you! I hope life is treating you all well.
So this is it, the chapter you've all been waiting for...Azelma and Grantaire's wedding! :D You know the drill - read, review, and most of all, enjoy!
July 14, 1931
"Alright lads, are we ready?" Grantaire asked, looking around at his friends. The groomsmen were gathered in his apartment to prepare for the wedding, allowing Azelma and her bridesmaids the use of the church for their preparations.
"Just about, I think," Enjolras answered, glancing around the room and checking his cufflinks for about the hundredth time. Combeferre was shrugging on his coat across the room, and Marius was adjusting his bowtie in front of the mirror. All of the men were a little nervous, Grantaire naturally most of all. His friends all understood his jitters, but were still unsuccessful in calming him.
"Enjolras, are you positive you – "
"I have them, Grantaire," Enjolras laughed, taking the box out of the jacket pocket of his tuxedo and opening it to show him. "Here, look."
There they sat, side by side – Azelma's thin, light solitaire diamond, sautered to another thin band, and Grantaire's thicker, unadorned gold band. He relaxed a little, watching Enjolras put them back into his tux, but was clearly still very tense about the whole day. "You have nothing to worry about, Grantaire," Enjolras assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Just relax."
The groom's smile grew a little. "Thank you, Enjolras. And…thank you for being my best man today."
Now it was Enjolras' turn to smile. "Of course. I'm proud to stand beside you today." He looked down, gathering his thoughts for a moment, before looking up to speak again.
"I owe you an apology, Alan," he said solemnly, looking his friend in the eyes. The other two had taken note of what they were saying and stopped what they were doing to watch the exchange. "I should not have been so cold to you all those years ago when you lost your father. You were deeply grieving, and I shirked my duty as your friend to be there for you. I cannot tell you how much I regret it. Can you forgive me?"
Grantaire was clearly shocked at Enjolras' sudden apology and confession. He stared openmouthed at his best friend for a solid ten seconds, before stepping forward and embracing him. "Of course I forgive you, Enjolras."
"Alright, cut the apologies, gents," Marius laughed. "We have a wedding to get to!"
"Unless you're no longer interested, Alan, in which case I will gladly step in," Combeferre quipped.
Grantaire gave his friend a lighthearted shove, knowing that all he said was in good fun. "Well, I suppose I can't keep my bride waiting all day, now can I?"
"Alright…" Éponine said slowly, stepping back from her sister's stool, "open your eyes, 'Zelma."
The young bride did as instructed, and her jaw dropped. Éponine and Cosette giggled to each other, grinning at Sylvia. "Well? What do you think?" Cosette asked. "Did we do a good job?"
Azelma was speechless. She took a long moment to answer, still drinking in her image in the mirror. Sylvia had helped her get into her floor-length dress, which was all lace with a silken slip underneath. A cream ribbon was tied at her natural waist, under her modest V-shaped neckline, with a neat bow in the back. Her shoulders were covered by small lace cap sleeves. Cosette had done her hair into a neat updo, pinning in a Russian veil that fell gently over the left half of the bride's face. Éponine had done her makeup, darkening her lips just slightly and lining her eyes to make them stand out.
"I don't even recognize myself," she whispered. She threw her arms around her sister, embracing her tightly. "Thank you so much, 'Ponine." She hugged her other bridesmaids in turn, thanking them for helping her get ready. She looked back at her sister, hugging her again, and even tighter. "I'm so excited for today."
"It was nothing, Azelma," Éponine murmured in her sister's ear. "I love you so much."
The bride held back joyful tears as she embraced her maid of honor. "Oh, 'Ponine," she said softly. "I love you too."
Cosette and Sylvia allowed them a brief moment to themselves, before the latter said with a laugh, "Well come on, Azelma; you've got to get married!"
Grantaire had never been so nervous in his life.
He was standing at the front of the church with the minister, waiting for the attendants and then his bride to walk in the door. It was a small church, filled mostly with the families of the Amis, though Enjolras' and Combeferre's fathers were notably absent, following the court ruling. Joly and Prouvaire had been in charge of seating the guests, who all leafed through their bulletins as the pianist started to play.
One by one, the three pairs of attendants stepped through the doors and into the sanctuary. Éponine and Enjolras entered first, arm in arm as maid of honor and best man. Marius and Cosette were behind them, with Combeferre and Sylvia bringing up the rear.
The bridesmaids wore sky blue silk dresses that fell just past their knees, carrying hydrangea bouquets of the same color. They had helped each other tame their hair into smooth buns that rested neatly on the backs of their heads; Éponine had a small strand curled next to her face.
The doors closed behind them. His friends took their places on either side of him and the priest. He took a deep, slow breath. This was it.
Joly and Prouvaire each opened a door…
And Grantaire couldn't believe his eyes.
Azelma had always been the most beautiful woman he'd ever known. Now, she surpassed what even he could have ever imagined. There were no words to do justice to how she looked at him walking down the aisle. True to the expression, she was blushing as she approached the altar to the slow, beautiful strains of Chopin, clutching a bouquet of pale blue hydrangeas and baby's breath. She seemed to float like an angel as she came over to him, and when she handed her bouquet to Éponine and took his hands in hers, he felt as though he had never seen the bottom of a bottle.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," the priest began. Éponine and Enjolras were smiling at the happy couple – and each other – all through the service. After they had exchanged their vows, Grantaire promising to love her and provide for her, Azelma promising to give him children and obey, all eyes turned to Enjolras.
In one smooth motion, the best man pulled and opened the ring box from his inside pocket, handing it to the priest. Once the rings had been blessed, Grantaire placed it on the fourth finger of Azelma's left hand, and she did the same for him.
"Forasmuch as Alan and Azelma have made their vows before God and each other with the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce them man and wife, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost," the priest intoned, making the sign of the cross over their joined hands. "You may kiss the bride."
Grinning cheekily, Grantaire gently took Azelma's chin in his hand and brought her lips to his. It was a rather chaste kiss – they were in a church, after all – but it was no less loving for its short timespan. They broke apart, both smiling more widely than they ever had, as the pianist played the recessional march to see them out.
Enjolras had loaned them his car for the day, and as they exited the church, it was parked just beneath the steps, decked in streamers and sporting a large "JUST MARRIED" sign off the back. The newlyweds hurried down the steps, their attendants just behind them, before they climbed into the front two seats and Grantaire drove away. "Now I just have to hope he doesn't crash my car in his excitement," Enjolras chuckled. "I still need that."
Éponine couldn't help but laugh, kissing her lover's lips. "I'm sure he'll be careful. He's got precious cargo with him, after all."
Enjolras looked at the woman he loved, marveling at how far they'd come in such a short time together. Involuntarily, his hand went up to stroke her hair. "I love you so much," he said softly to her. "You know that, right?"
She smiled. "I do."
A small shiver went down Enjolras' spine when he heard her say those words. Hopefully soon, we'll be the ones at the front of a church, and she'll say it to me again.
The reception was beautiful, but exhausting. Enjolras had danced with Éponine the most, of course, but he switched partners with Grantaire and Combeferre a few times as well, and of course he danced with his sister. He gave a brief speech, which was "just as rousing as one of his courtroom speeches," according to Éponine. Azelma told him that her new husband had been moved.
A few laughs were had with the other Amis, too. Combeferre, Joly and Prouvaire all wanted to take charge of the bar, while Marius was mostly content to sit in the back and exchange quiet words with Cosette. Their relationship seemed to be blossoming, if a little slowly, and Enjolras was glad that his younger sister was so happy.
Before long, it was time for the happy couple to depart. Enjolras and Éponine drove them over to their hotel, since he was only somewhat eager to regain custody of his car. Once they were checked in for the night, the two of them slowly drove home. They had the place to themselves, since Cosette was spending the night with Sylvia. Enjolras sighed softly as he dropped his keys into the bowl by the front door, shutting and bolting it as Éponine let her coat fall onto the edge of the couch. "What a day," he said softly, running his hands over his face.
Éponine nodded in agreement. "What a day," she echoed, almost tiredly. "I can't believe my little sister is married."
"I can't believe Grantaire is the first of us Amis to get married," Enjolras laughed. "We always joked in law school that he would be the last." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her. Éponine closed her eyes, taking a moment to just breathe against his chest. Enjolras allowed his hand to gently run up and down her back, over the soft material of her dress. This is all I want, he thought to himself, as he let his cheek rest on top of her head. As long as I have her, I'm happy.
"Will you marry me, Éponine?" he asked softly, before he even realized the words had left his mouth.
She smiled broadly against his chest. "Of course."
All of a sudden, Enjolras was taken aback. "Wait…really?" he asked, almost in surprise. "Oh God, I should have gotten a ring and flowers…wait, why am I still standing?" he said, hastily dropping to one knee.
Éponine laughed and knelt with him, cradling his face in her hands. "I don't need a fancy proposal, as long as I have you," she whispered, kissing him gently. "But a ring might be a good idea at some point…maybe before we tell the rest of the world."
He laughed, pulling her into a close hug. "We'll go shopping tomorrow," he grinned, kissing the top of her head. "The Amis won't believe this. Cosette and Marius will be shocked, too…oh God, what if they come to me, wanting to get married?"
"Azelma and Grantaire might have set off a chain reaction," Éponine joked. Enjolras grinned, looking down at her. "Then I'm happy to be another link in the chain," he said softly. "I love you."
"I love you too."
A/N: A wedding and an engagement in the same day! :D Review if you liked it; I've missed you!