Mon Étoile

Chapter Eleven

Present Day
Hercule lay asleep as I sat beside him. Léo was working at his desk. Carefully, I brushed Hercule's hair out of his face and cleaned away the dried blood around his face as gently as I could. Once I had finished, I set aside the wet and now very red cloth and gently kissed his hand. I continued to hold it in my hands as I sat in silence.

Three Months Ago

I was curled up against Hercule reading a book as a fire roared in the fireplace. His arm was wrapped around my waist and he perched his head on my shoulder, reading along with me. As I was the slower reader, he waited for me to turn the page. At long last, I shut the book with a yawn and set it aside, and lay back down.

"You should sleep, mon chéri," Hercule said, beginning to play with the long strands of my hair. I didn't answer, hiding my head in the crook of his neck. After a long time of silence, he said softly, "Nicolette?"

"Yes?" I replied sleepily.

"We've been together for almost four years now," he remarked. "And I was wondering if I could ask you something."

My heart raced slightly in my chest as I sat up to look at him. "Yes?"

"Nicolette, will you marry me?"

"Are you sure? What about-"

"If you say one word about you-know-who you'll ruin the moment," Hercule interrupted quickly, silencing me. Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, he said, "And I've rarely been sure of anything so much in my life."

"Then I'll marry you," I promised, moving forward to kiss him. Smiling into the kiss, he wrapped his arms around my waist and turned so I was laying back on the couch.

Present Day

I smiled at the memory, fiddling with the gold band on my finger. After a time, I picked up one of the books on Léo's bedside table and began to read. I was still awake around midnight when Léo came in and said, "I'll take your usual spot. It would be cruel to move Hercule now. You can stay where you are."

"Thank you for everything," I said quietly. "We are forever in your debt." A ghost of a smile appeared on his face before he nodded and left. Quietly, I set aside the book and blew out the last candle, and lay down beside Hercule. "We will survive, mon amour," I whispered. "We will get out of this."

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Hercule's eyes opened as the bright light from the window streamed across his face. Nicolette was asleep against his shoulder and Léo was sitting in the other room at his desk. Repressing a groan of pain, Hercule got up, trying his best not to disturb Nico. As best as he could, he went over to the other room. From where he was standing, he could see the blank book Léo was leaned over. Taking a step closer, Hercule was about to see the strokes of a piece of charcoal Léo was using to draw.

On the side he was drawling on, the form was a woman was sitting beside a man who seemed to be asleep. With a slight shock of surprise, Hercule realized that the woman looked exactly like Nicolette and the man was himself. Léo had not heard his brother get up as he was far too focused on his work.

"I wouldn't have taken you for an artist, Léo," Hercule remarked. Instantly, Léo snapped the book shut and turned to look at him. Curiously, Hercule picked up the book and began to flip through it. Léo made a slight moe to stop him, but Hercule pretended not to notice. The first few were just drawings of different parts of the palace but then they changed. There was a drawing of a girl crouched against a wall facing a clearly wealthy man.

Next was a group of men bent over a map, in the center of which was Hercule again. Another was of Hercule standing facing a crowd and clearly yelling about something. Then a drawling of Nicolette staring out a window at the stars and beyond that a drawling of her sick with Hercule holding a small glass of water.

Looking up, Hercule asked, "You drew all these?" Léo remained quiet. His expression was easily described as he wanted to be anywhere but there.

Finally, he said, "Does it matter?"

"They're good, Léo," Hercule said, carefully shutting the book and handing it back. Léo nodded awkwardly, having no idea what to say or how to react.

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I awoke to soft voices in the next room as I rolled over. As my mind woke more, I realized what was off. "Hercule?" I said, sitting up.

"I'm in here," he said. I got up and went over to him.

"Should you really be up?" I protested.

"Calm down, mon chéri," he replied, kissing my temple. I rolled my eyes and glared at him.

"You need to rest, Hercule," I retorted. "Léo back me up."

"Woah don't drag me into this," Léo protested, glancing up from where he was writing on something, but it was turned away from me and I couldn't see what it was. "Keep me out of your couple squabbling." I rolled my eyes. Finally setting aside his work, Léo said, "So, the three of us need to talk. I can easily get you out of the palace, but where do you expect to go? You can't stay in Paris." 

"They'll be looking for us everywhere," Hercule sighed. After a moment, he suggested, "Léo, could you get us away from here?" 

"I just said-" Léo began frustratedly. 

"No," Hercule interrupted. "I don't just mean out of the palace. I mean out of France. To England, perhaps." 

"Do you speak English?" Léo countered. 

"Yes," Hercule replied. "Father made me learn when we were younger." 

"Could you do it, Léo?" I asked. "Could you get us passage to England?" 

"Maybe," he sighed. "I don't know. I can try. Just give me three days. You'll both be out of here by the end of the week."