Chapter Fourteen
TO THE BARRICADES!
June 5th, 1832
Paris, France
"Today is the day…" Enjolras whispered. "I need to get dressed."
Enjolras rise from the bed, completely naked, and went towards his wardrobe. Angélique woke up and look at him, slowly and still sleepy. The day had not yet been born; it was dawn, the skies of Paris being to clear.
"Today is Lamarque's funeral." he declared "Today, France will begin to change as the barricades arise."
Angélique hold a large red piece of fabric and embrace herself with it, feeling the fabric within her fingers and her naked skin.
"There will be blood…" she whispered.
"Yes, there will." Enjolras stared at her, observing her with her red cloak.
"People will die and the blood will stain the streets of Paris." Angélique said, caressing the red fabric "Your life will be…"
"My life is blessed." he smiled "Today I will serve the purpose of my whole existence."
"And what will I do? I will remain here… Locked away from the world outside, like I've been all this past months. Is this the purpose of my life? Living in the same way as a prisoner?"
"I will give you back your freedom." Enjolras promised "When the revolution succeeds, you'll be free."
"Will you? Give me back my freedom?" Angélique laughed in scorn "You're the one who took it away from me…"
"Angélique, please… Don't argue with me. Not today!"
"I'm not arguing with you."
"Oh, aren't you?" Enjolras said "You're accusing me of stealing your freedom! If you've forgot, let me remind you that there are needed two people to make a baby."
"You are not the one who has to hide and caring it within your body!"
"I will excuse you for those words. You've been locked inside a house for three months now… First, in your own house and now you are stuck in my apartment. And your condition shifts your emotions."
Angélique nodded and sighed.
"I apologize…" she asked "You're right… This loneliness, this captivity is driving me insane. My only blissful moments are my mornings and my nights, when I'm with you. If only you allow me to go to the barricades…"
"We've already talk about that!" Enjolras declared, interrupting her "You shall stay here until I return."
"And if you don't return?" Angélique asked, with her voice trembling.
"Don't you worry, my love. I will return. Paris in on our side… As soon as we call, the People will come to us and join the barricades."
"Have you thought about the possibility…"
"What?" Enjolras sighed in impatience, while getting dressed.
"The People might not join you in the barricades." Angélique remarked "What if they are afraid? What if they run to their houses instead?"
"Stop with the bad omens! We can't think about that… We must face our enemies with the belief in our victory. And the People will join us… We've made the necessary arrangements. The People are ready and waiting for our call."
"If you say so, I will believe it." although, she wasn't persuaded.
"I need you to believe in me." Enjolras asked, fully dressed.
"I believe in you." Angélique guaranteed "I believe in the same ideals as you. I believe in liberty, in fraternity and equality. I believe it with all my heart and soul. But…"
"But?" Enjolras knelt down in front of her.
"You might not survive it."
"I cannot give you the guarantee of my safety." he said, caressing her face "They need me to lead them to victory. I'm nothing but a puppet of the revolution. My live doesn't matter anything."
"It matters to me." Angélique whispered.
"This red fabric is for Madame Louison… She will sew a flag with it!" he noticed, touching the red cloak "Why are you wrapped in it?"
Angélique unrolled the red fabric form her naked body and hand it over to Enjolras.
"Remember me, when you raise this flag up in the skies."
"It smells of you…" Enjolras caressed the material within his finger and smelt it.
She smiled.
"I will wear it until my last breathe."
"I hope your last breath won't be today." she wished "Nor tomorrow, nor the day after…"
"I don't know what tomorrow brings, my love." Enjolras said. "But you'll always be within my heart."
"And you within mine." Angélique smiled, caressing his hand.
Enjolras embraced her and kissed her lips with passion, feeling every corner of her mouth, while his hand caressed the naked skin of her back. She whispered against his ear, lost into his arms.
"I must go…" Enjolras said.
"I don't want you to go."
"But I must."
Enjolras kissed her lips once again and then placed a kiss upon her pregnant belly, caressing the skin with his hands. He stood upon his feet and held the red fabric in his left hand.
"They are waiting for me at Café Musain." he said "I should have spent the night there…"
"You came home so late, last night..." Angélique said. "I thought you wouldn't come."
"I came home because of you." Enjolras answered "I couldn't stand spend this night away from you. I had to feel you in my arms one last time before the barricades to rise."
Enjolras drop the red fabric and went towards her: he kissed her, embraced her, and moaning against her mouth, his hands travelling around her naked body.
"Make love to me, again…" Angélique whispered into his hear "It's not yet daytime…"
"I must go… I want to stay… But I must go."
"It's still early…" she said, caressing his legs, feeling his muscles underneath his trousers. "The skies are dark..."
"I must go…"
But his words fade away; Angélique unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down, feeling his erection with her hands. Enjolras bended over and entered her; Angélique craved her nails in his back, moaning against his mouth, while wrapping her legs around his waist. His blue eyes were staring deep into hers. They made love staring into each other eyes, even when they kissed; their eyes remained opened, like they were penetrating each other souls.
The night filled the skies of Paris; Enjolras wasn't home yet. Angélique spent her day lying on the bed, thinking about him and crying, terrified with the menace of his death. During the day, she thought about leaving the house and joining the Friends of the ABC on the streets, but she knew how angry Enjolras would be, so she restrained herself from doing so.
But, at this hour, Angélique couldn't restrain herself any longer: she was worried and terrified. Outside was raining, so she waited a bit longer. Despite her pregnancy, she took a dark and heavy overcoat and dressed it. When the rain stopped, she went downstairs and opened the door. The pavement was wet and the streets were almost empty, the people were walking into their houses instead.
"Mademoiselle, go back inside!" an old man said in a rush "These streets are not safe! The National Guard is fighting the rebels!"
"They've abandoned them..." Angélique whispered, ignoring the old man and looking around.
The people of Paris weren't ruining to join the Friends of the ABC fighting against the National Guard; they were running into their houses, to hide away. Angélique ran to the Café Musain, taking the shortcuts and narrow streets, because she knew that the National Guard wouldn't be there.
When she arrived to the Cross Street of Café Musain, Angélique hide behind a stone pillar and saw the barricades, rustically made with furniture. The pavement was filled with blood and dead bodies of National Guards. She looked around, looking for the Friends of the ABC: she saw a tearful and desolated Courfeyrac transporting Gavroche in his arms to the inside of the Café. The little boy was dead. Angélique felt a cold sensation embedding into her chest, like a sharp knife. Then, she saw Enjolras: his blonde hair was dirty and his face and clothes were filled with dry blood and dust, in his right hand he was holding a gun. Angélique looked around, searching for the National Guard; the coast was clear and she walked towards the barricades.
"Oi, everyone! Someone's coming!" Joly screamed to the other students, while holding a gun against the figure that was walking towards the barricade.
"Don't shoot, Joly! It's me!" Angélique shouted.
Her face was illuminated by the lights and Joly dropped his gun. Enjolras recognized her voice, and, immediately, felt a mix of anger with terror in his chest.
"I handle this." Enjolras said, rolling his eyes, to the other students.
An enraged Enjolras left the barricade and walked towards her: his face was severe.
"What on earth are you doing here?" Enjolras shouted in anger "I've demand you to stay at home! Are you mad? How did you passed by the National Guard alive? They could have killed you!"
"I know these streets well." Angélique answered, ignoring his rage "Did you think I would stay home while you're here waiting to die?"
"Angélique…" he whispered, trying to remain calm "Now you can't go back… It's too dangerous… Oh God… Why did you come here? Couldn't you obey me just once?"
"I've told you before that I'm not one of your school boys who you can command."
"You could have died." Enjolras said with seriousness. "Just like these young men you see upon these cobbles."
"I'm not afraid to die." Angélique declared "I can't live a life where you're not."
She tried to embrace him and to kiss him, but Enjolras walked away, holding her wrists, gently.
"Not here…" he whispered, looking around, to the young men who were transporting theirs dead friends to the inside of the Café.
"Even now, between these death men, you refuse to let them know about us…" Angélique nodded and sighed in disappointment.
"These young men see me as an austere person." Enjolras said "I can't show them I have weaknesses. I have to find you a safe place… You can't stay here on the streets with us."
"I've told you I'm not afraid to die." she recalled "I'm not leaving you."
"But you will. You must. Look around you… Me, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Prouvaire, Joly, Feuilly, Marius and Grantaire… We are the only survivors… Poor Gavroche, he was killed by the National Guard. He was just a little boy and they showed no mercy. And they will show no mercy on you as well. I must hide you away…"
Enjolras looked around and saw the women hiding inside of the Café, but he knew what it would not be safe to hide Angélique there.
"Enjolras…" Angélique caressed his shoulder.
"I've killed men tonight, Angélique." he turned and stared into her eyes. "I've already seen my end… But I'll not see yours."
"Enjolras!" Courfeyrac called and then looked at Angélique in alarm "What are you doing here, dear?"
Angélique looked down and did not answered, she hold her overcoat, trying to hide her pregnancy.
"Angélique wants to join us but I'm telling her it's too dangerous." Enjolras said.
"And it's true, my friend." Courfeyrac agreed "You shouldn't be here, my dear."
"I'm not afraid." she declared.
"Well, I admire your courage. Not all the women are willing to be here with us." Courfeyrac praised "It's true that everything is calm now but the National Guard will return. I shall take you to join the other women at the Café."
"Don't bother, Courfeyrac." Enjolras demanded "I will find her a safer place. Go back to the others and rest."
"You need to rest as well, Enjolras."
"Don't worry about me." Enjolras said.
Courfeyrac looked at Angélique with compassion and walked away, joining Combeferre and Joly.
"You are a very good liar." Angélique said in scorn.
"I'm a liar? I've said the truth." Enjolras answered. "Or is it a lie that you want to join us and I'm telling you its too dangerous?"
"I will not join those women in the Café." Angélique said "Why are they hiding? Shouldn't they be helping you?"
"Those women are lorettes and grisettes. They never hold a gun in their hands!"
"And you have?" Angélique remarked in disdain "You are only schoolboys, Enjolras. And the People abandoned you… Just like I've said… Why throw your lives away?"
"We will make them pay by every man they've killed! These young men did not die in vain. We may die tonight but others will take our place tomorrow."
"If I can't convince you otherwise… What about our child?"
"Don't do this to me…" Enjolras asked, sighing in anxiety.
"Will he grow up without a father?" Angélique continued.
"If I don't take you to somewhere safe, he'll not even get to be born!" Enjolras said, grabbing her hand.
"Where are you taking me?"
Enjolras didn't answer; he led her to one street transversal to the Cross Street of Café Musain. The blonde young man stopped in front of an old and poor house and looked around, looking for guards or members of the Friends of the ABC. They were alone, so he knocked, strongly, on the wooden door.
"Please, open the door! Please! Open the door for a pregnant woman!"
"No! I'm not going to leave you here on the streets alone!..." Angélique said with her eyes full of tears.
"You must. And I'm not alone… I'm with my fellows." Enjolras said with tenderness "Merde*! Someone opens this door, already! This woman is pregnant!"
"I will not let you die like my father, Enjolras…" Angélique cried, embracing him "My place is on the revolution, fighting beside you…"
A woman's voice echoed from inside of the building:
"Monsieur Enjolras, I'm so sorry… But I cannot let you in…"
"Shelter this woman, please!" Enjolras screamed "I beg you, for God above! She's pregnant! I don't care for dying but I won't allow her to die tonight."
"Don't do this to me… I can't live without you…" Angélique kissed him "Our unborn child will not live without you."
The door was slowly opened and a middle-age woman peered into the street and saw Angélique and Enjolras in front of her; observing the dry blood on his clothes and in his skin. She looked at Angélique.
"Come inside, mademoiselle." the woman said "Quickly! The streets are not safe…"
"No… Please, my love…" Angélique cried "Don't leave me… Don't go away to die!"
"Go now, my love…" Enjolras whispered, kissing her lips and, for the first time in his life, he cried "And if I don't survive this night… Remember this… You've turned this man, who only lived in hate, into a man who only lives in love…"
"Take my love… For love is everlasting…" Angélique whispered into his ear, with her voice trembling.
"I will close this door if the mademoiselle doesn't come in immediately!" the women warned.
Enjolras kissed Angélique intensely, strongly, with such passion… with his hands holding her face. He kissed her with wrath, for the last time. When they separate, Enjolras pushed Angélique inside the house, giving her to the middle-age woman.
"No! Enjolras! Please… No! Don't go!" she begged
The middle-age women, helped by one younger brunette woman, held Angélique by her arms, pushing her to the inside of the house. Angélique saw Enjolras staring at her, with flaming passion in his eyes, and in his lips a word was whispered: "I love you." And the door was closed.
"Enjolras! Where have you been? The National Guard has return!" Angélique heard Combeferre's voice.
Angélique fell in the floor, with tears in her eyes.
"Don't worry. You're safe, now." the woman said with a smile.
"Come, hold my arm, I will help you to get up." the young woman asked, kneeling down beside her. "What's your name, mademoiselle? I'm Heloise. This is my mother, Millicent."
Heloise helped Angélique rising from the floor, but she remained silent and with her eyes staring the door.
"She's frighten, the poor girl…" Millicent sighed with pity "Who are you, mademoiselle? Are you related with Monsieur Enjolras?"
"He will die…" Angélique whispered in a tearful tone.
"Don't you worry, mademoiselle." Heloise said, caressing her shoulder.
"Why didn't you help them? Why did you stay in your houses?" Angélique said with fury.
"Mademoiselle… Look at us…" Millicent declared "I'm only a poor worker with my children. My husband has passed away many years ago… I wouldn't sacrifice my children for some uncertain revolution."
"Those young men out there have died for your welfare!" Angélique said "They were fighting for a better tomorrow for everyone in this country. You should have helped them…"
"Hush, now, mademoiselle." Heloise said with compassion, embracing the tearful Angélique in her arms "In your condition, you can't be this nervous. Tell us your name."
"Angélique."
"Angélique…" Heloise smiled at her "How many months pregnant are you?"
"Five months." she answered.
"There are still four months ahead of you before the childbirth." Millicent said. "Does your husband knows about your affair with Monsieur Enjolras? I've never heard of him with a woman…"
"I don't have a husband." Angélique declared, thinking about Enjolras.
"You live in sin with Monsieur Enjolras, then…" Millicent censured, looking at her pregnant belly "What do you do for a living?"
"I'm trying to become an artist." Angélique answered.
Both women looked at her with a mix of confusion and disdain.
"Women can't be artists." Millicent said "It's immoral!"
Angélique rolled her eyes but she was so distress because of the menace of Enjolras's death that she didn't bother to reply.
"You seem to be rich…" Millicent said, observing her clothes.
"My family is wealthy, I'm not."
"Love makes people do stupid decisions." Millicent declared "When this circus ends, go back home to your family."
"I'll never do that." Angélique said "They will take my child away."
"You will starve on the streets, mademoiselle…" Heloise said with concern. "Without money in your pocket and with a child in your arms… Only God knows what will become of you…"
The noise of discharging firearms and men screaming come from the outside.
"I must go…" Angélique whispered, walking towards the door.
"Mademoiselle, the streets are not safe!" Heloise stopped her, grabbing her arm. "Do you wish to die? Because that is what's going to happen if you go outside!"
"Enjolras will die… I must help him!"
"There's nothing you can do, my dear." Millicent sighed, nodding her head "You can't stop an entire army of guards, alone. Those schoolboys have chosen their destinies."
"Come with me, Angélique." Heloise said with a smile "I will take to my room, for you to rest."
"I don't want to rest…"
Heloise held Angélique in her arms and guided the brunette to her room.
"There's nothing else for you to do tonight." Millicent recalled. "May God protect those young men outside…"
Translation (French – English):
– The definition for Lorettes and Grisettes is at Chapter One.
*Merde – meaning "shit" or "fuck".
Once again, sorry for keeping you wait! I've been really busy these past days!
I hope you've enjoyed it and it will be continued… Two more chapters to the final! Will I change the story or not? Suspense!
Thank you so, so much for the nice reviews! You've been too kind! And for following, of course! It means a lot to me.
Thank you for the reading.