CROWN PRINCE | LES MISÉRABLES

30.

[eighteen thirty-one]

Delilah and I were looking for fabric. My wedding was in 2 months and I had no dress. My sister knows me the best.

"So, silk?"
"God no, no silk."
"It would look good on you.", a male voice rang out.

"Monsieur Combeferre.", I greeted.
"Bonjour, Mademoiselle."

Then his eyes wandered to Delilah. They were fixated on each other.

"Well, you were saying?"
"Huh? Oh, silk will look good on you. But it's very expensive."
"Well, the Duke pays for it."
"Take his money and run.", he whispered in my ear.

"You know I don't do things like that."
"Enjolras wants to see you."
"Very well. I will be there. Delilah will come with me."
"Perfect. I mean, of course.", he said.

Then he left. We chuckled. Combeferre had just fallen head over heels for my lovely sister Delilah.

"Silk it is then.", Delilah said.
"Measurements need to be taken. Please follow me.", the woman with the thick Irish accent said.

A beautiful accent.

She measured around my shoulders, my bust, and my hips. She also measured my height. The Duke wanted a dress with a long veil to go with.

She noted everything down and we could go. Delilah and I decided to rush to the Café. I wonder what he wanted to tell me.

We weren't that far away from the Café. So we walked rather quickly. Once there, we sneaked up the stairs. We were let in by Raphael.

"Delilah, Annelise."
"Your majesty.", Delilah said bowing.
"Not here. Thank you.", he said.

"You wanted to see me."
"Yes. I want to see you at the hidden house tonight. I have a present for you.", he whispered.

"Alright. But keep your promise."
"I will. Do not worry."

Then we put our attention to the new love birds: Delilah and Combeferre.

"How long will it take them?"
"2 months?"
"Yep."

"Should we sneak away?", he asked.
"Yes, where to?"
"A backroom?"
"Alright."

We walked out of the room and up to the guest rooms. Thankfully not many people know about that.

"I wanted to give it to you tonight. But I cannot wait.", he said.

He gave me a ring. It was beautiful. An emerald green stone and engravement.

"What does it say?"
"United in love, until death."
"I do not know what to say."
"Wear it. It's a sign of my love for you."
"I cannot wear it. I am engaged. He will notice.", I said.

He looked a bit disappointed but then he began thinking. He took off a necklace and put the ring on it. Then he walked behind me to close the necklace.

"Now you can. It is close to your heart."
"Thank you. It is beautiful.", I said with tears in my eyes.

He got up and kissed me. He wiped away the tears.

"Don't cry. It looks beautiful on you. Especially with your pearl necklace."
"Thank you.", I whispered.

"Always. One day you'll be able to wear it out and proud."
"I am thankful. For everything."
"And soon you'll be 18. You can leave France behind."

"It is crazy. I am almost an adult. But I would never leave France behind. It's where my family lives, my mother is buried and my love is fighting for freedom in this country.", I said, whispered the last part.

He chuckled.

"On that battlefield, you'll be everything I will think about."
"You shouldn't focus on me. But on your fight and surviving."

"What is a life worth, if it isn't for a girl worth fighting?"

What a romantic. But terrible to think, that he was going to fight with me on his mind, instead of his strategies.

We walked back to the meeting room. No one seemed to notice that we were gone. Combeferre was still flirting with Delilah and Delilah was looking at him doe-eyed. She completely and utterly in love.

Then Delilah got up from her seat.

"We must go. Find a piece of fabric for the veil."

Bastien's expression changed.

"You'll be the first to see me in it."
"What does that matter if I'm not the one to marry you?"
"I don't understand."

"Leave. Everyone.", he snapped.

Everyone cleared out the room.

"You are being unfair to me now. I have done nothing to anger you."
"Maybe you doing "nothing" is the cause of all this!"
"What did I do?"

"You continue to rub under my nose that you are getting married. You have shown me a world, a world where my life matters. Where I am not just some prince, but rather an actual man. You did that! And now, I am left in a hole because you marry that rich son of a knight.", he said.

"This is not my fault. It was my father's doing. You don't know what this is like! You don't know what it's like being a woman in France in the 1830s! You are always seen as an object, rather than a person.", I started.

He looked at me and tried to interrupt me. But I dislike being interrupted, especially when I am right.

"No, I am not finished yet. You're always being belittled by men in power, who believe that everyone needs them. I am forced to marry a man I do not love nor care for.", I added.

He sat down in his seat once more. He looked into my face, while tears of anger rolled down my face.

"You wouldn't know that. Do you think this was easy on me? Do not for a second think, that I did this to hurt you. If I was the one who could choose, I would marry you if you asked.", I said, before leaving him behind.

He ran after me but was stopped by Combeferre. Raphael took me upstairs, and he was not pleased to hear all this. He was furious.

"Want me to punch him in the face?", he blurted out.
"No, protect him at that fight of yours. Delilah and I will leave now. I don't wish to see him now.", I said.

He nodded and opened the door for me. I rushed downstairs and said my goodbyes to everyone - except for Bastien. He was completely unfair to me.

Delilah and I sat in the carriage, on our way home. It was too much for one day.