Disclaimer: I do not own Les Miserables.
I felt someone grab my collar and pull. I turned around and saw Eponine struggling to run and pull me at the same time.
"You're no use in jail," she yelled in my ear. I saw her point, so I grabbed her hand and ran to the Cafe. I chuckled at the irony; our first time meeting we were running from some thief and now nine years later we're running from the police in the same manner.
"Why are you laughing?" she asked keeping up with me.
"I just remembered the way we met," I answered looking back at her. We reached the Cafe and entered to see all the boys clapping and cheering at our arrival.
"They made it!" Courfeyrac shouted over the noise. Grantier opened a bottle of champagne; Madame Martineau and her two oldest daughters were stitching flags that we could wear and wave, Courfeyrac was standing with Gavroche on his shoulders, Feuilly was holding glasses for Grantier to pour, Bossuet and Joly were talking and laughing, Bahorel was polishing a gun, and Combeferre made his way over to us and patted me on the shoulder.
"What's going on?" Eponine asked reading my thoughts.
"The boys were able to get seventy eight barrels of gun powder and ninety riffles," Combeferre said smiling ear to ear. I felt my mouth open.
"I think you broke the great Apollo, he's stuck," Grantier hollered and I was.
"How?" I managed to get out.
"Whoever was at the rally today must have been a guns salesman, because while the police were chasing us and we were looking for supplies this was brought here," Bahorel explained.
"The gods are supporting us," I said, "thank you mother," I whispered to myself. "I'd say to celebrate, but you are already doing that. So I ask you nicely to not get inebriated." they all laughed. The boys partied and I read my book until eight o'clock when Gavroche came barging in out of breath.
"What is it?" Courfeyrac asked going to the small boy. Gavroche and Courfeyrac had a big brother little brother bond, probably because Courfeyrac could relate to him.
"General Lamarque," he breathed, at this point I had made my way to the small child. "General Lamarque's... dead," everyone grew silent, they knew what this meant.
"Lamarque is dead." I said letting it sink in, "Lamarque! His death is the hour of fate. The people's man. His death is the sign we await!" I said getting excited, "On his funeral day they will honor his name. It's a rallying cry that will reach every ear! In the death of Lamarque we will kindle the flame they will see that the day of salvation is near! The time is near!" I announced. Some of the boys looked nervous and I didn't blame them.
"It is time for us all to decide who we are. Do we fight for the right to a night at the opera now?" I orated, "Have you asked of yourselves what's the price you might pay? Is it simply a game for rich young boys to play?" I reminded them of what a war was, "The color of the world is changing day by day... Red - the blood of angry men! Black - the dark of ages past! Red - a world about to dawn! Black - the night that ends at last!" they started to nod in agreement.
"We will be ready," Courfeyrac exclaimed.
"Let us welcome it gladly with courage and cheer," Bahorel added throwing his fist into the air.
"Let us take to the streets with no doubt in our hearts!" Combeferre said standing up straight.
"They will come when we call!" everyone in the Cafe was with us.
"Okay," I calmed them down and stood on the table where Mrs. Martineau was knitting, the older woman glared playfully up at me. "I need everyone to rest. Tomorrow will be Lamarque's funeral and the beginning of a new Patria, a Patria that is free!" they all roared in response and left to their beds.
Author's Note: Review, review, review :)