The Princess & the Pauper (Les Mis)

Speak Now

The wedding had begun, and Fantine was standing beside Javert at the alter, staring at the ground in despair.

"Why won't you smile? You're about to become my queen?" He sneered at her, grabbing her hand.
"Only to save my people," she spat, pulling her hand out of his grasp.

The priest in front of them cleared his throat as the ceremony continued.
"Do you, Javert, take this woman as your bride?"
"Yes, how can I refuse?" He smirked.
"And you you, my queen, take this man as your husband?"
"I.... I.... I... I d-"

"Wait! Wait!" Cosette ran up the aisle, holding up her dirtied skirt. Marius, Gavroche, Courfeyrac and Grantaire stood further back, watching.

"Stop the wedding mother!"

"Cosette?" Fantine gasped.
"But, she's dead your highness," Javert stuttered.
"No Javert!" Cosette replied, revealing a birth mark on her shoulder.
"It is you! My darling!" The queen rushed over and hugged her tightly.

Eponine and Enjolras ran over soon after, both shocked to see Cosette.
"It's the princess, she's alive!" Eponine exclaimed.

"But where were you? I thought..." the queen took her daughter's hand, looking at her in confusion.
"What he wanted you to think," Cosette spat, pointing to Javert.
He looked around and immediately started running.
"Guards!" Fantine called.

Marius and Enjolras immediately ran after him, Gavroche going to follow before Eponine pulled him back.
"Stay with Cosette," she told him, pushing him towards the princess and running after the boys.

Javert had run through the gardens into the pathway that lead to the gates. The two men followed behind him. Courfeyrac and Grantaire jumped out from behind a tree in front of him, and he was suddenly surrounded. The men were all slowly closing in when Javert shoved Grantaire, who stumbled to the ground. He took off again, past the group of men.

Just as he was about to escape, a horse jumped out in front of him, startling him into falling backwards. Eponine sat on the horse, smiling proudly.

"Sorry, were you going somewhere?" She mocked.

Marius and Courfeyrac each grabbed an arm and pulled Javert to his feet. As they pulled him back towards the castle, Enjolras smirked at Eponine.

"Impressive," he told her.

"I'm full of surprises," she laughed.

——

Cosette stood with her mother a while later, the wedding guests long gone and Javert in prison.

"Javert tricked me, I'm sorry darling. When I think of what might have happened..." Fantine cried.
"But it didn't, thanks to Eponine and Marius," Cosette's face lit up at his name. She took a deep breath. "Mother, it's Marius is who I want to marry."

"I want your happiness, but you know our people have to come first," The queen felt her heart break for her daughter.

"I can do that! I found something interesting in the mines..."

——

Eponine stood outside the castle, Gavroche and Azelma a few feet away reuniting with each other. She turned back to the king who was smiling sadly at her.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to stay? I can help you," he asked.
"Enjolras, all my life I've dreamed of being free. I need to do things for myself. Now that my parents are in prison, I have to take care of my siblings. I need to do that on my own, without your charity." She pleaded for him to understand.

"Then I hope you'll take this with you." Enjolras held out the ring.
"I couldn't," she stuttered, looking at her feet. He put a hand under her chin and tilted her head up to meet his eyes.
"It was meant for you," he smiled, placing it on her finger. Eponine looked down at the ring before smiling back at him.
"No promises?" She asked. He smiled brightly, stroking her cheek.

"I'll take my chances."