Love is Everlasting - An Enjonine Romance

Chapter 20: New Beginnings

Enjolras's POV

"Isn't this just lovely?" Éponine sighs blissfully, leaning on my shoulder.

"It really is," I agree, nodding. We both stare at Musichetta in her big white dress, feeding Joly a piece of spongey wedding cake laced with sweet icing. Her ring glints in the sun as she brushes the crumbs off Joly's doublet and they gaze at each other fondly.

"Well, my dear, how about we start our lives again tomorrow?" I suggest, but Éponine jumps up as soon as the words leave my mouth.

"What?!" she gasps breathlessly. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"No!" I quickly assure her, taking her hands in mine. "No way, never! What made you think that?"

Éponine breaks out into an expression of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. It's just that I've used a line not unlike that to break it off with 'Parnasse." she confesses ruefully.

I laugh and squeeze her hands. "I would never do that to you, dear Ép. We're getting married!"

She nods her head in agreement, rolling eyes. "Yeah, we are," she ackowledges softly, hugging my middle tightly.

"So, Ép, how about tomorrow we go and get legally get married? We can have the actual ceremony after all the buzz of Joly and Chetta's wedding has died down." I suggest. Éponine nods.

"Sounds wonderful!" she beams.

Éponine's POV

Enjolras and I are standing patiently in front of the minister, going through the tedious process of being legally wed.

"And what's your name, Mademoiselle?" the minister asks in a monotone, peering at me over his spectacles, quill poised and ready in his hand.

"It's Éponine, Monsieur." I reply. The minister looks up from his paperwork, confused.

"Éponine...?" he prompts, expecting a last name, but I shake my head.

"Just Éponine. See, I never knew my parents, so I've just gone by Éponine my whole life." I hastily explain, rocking on my heels. The minister shrugs and writes it down. Then he lifts his head and narrows his eyes at me.

"Hey, isn't Éponine the name of Thénardier's daughter?"

My chest starts pounding and I step back as if to escape, but I forget that Enjolras is directly behind me and accidentally step on his toe.

"No, I'm sure it isn't. And even if it is, it's just a coincidence." Enjolras swiftly corrects, his face turning grim. I bite my lip and silently say a little prayer.

"Well anyway, we haven't heard much of her lately. She's seemed to have disappeared, the cunning good-for-nothing  vagabond." I look down at my feet. Cunning good-for-nothing vagabond. Is that what I really am? Enjolras, being the sensitive and sympathetic man he is, holds me tighter as if to shield me from the cruel gossip.

"Sign there and there please," the minister says, pulling me out if my thoughts, handing us each a quill. Enjolras signs his name speedily and with a flourish, but I take the time to make my letters look pretty. My name is one of the only things I can write and read.

The minister takes back the certificate, glancing at it quickly before filing it away. "Well, you are officially married, Monsieur and Madame Enjolras. Congratulations." A tight-lipped smile from the bored minister.

"Thank you very much, my good man!" Enjolras smiles gratefully, grasping me by the shoulders and leading me out of the building. We soon reach a small deserted place near the bridge.

"Éponine, don't worry about what he said back there." Enjolras reassures me. "You know it's not true."

"Huh? What do you mean?" I tilt my head, feigning innocence.

"You know very well what I mean; what that man said about Éponine Thénardier."

"Oh that," I reply breezily. "Don't worry about it. I'm not even Éponine Thénardier anymore." Crossing my arms, I look out at the still, quiet river.

"Look on the bright side. He said that there hasn't been much news about you. That's good, isn't it?" Enjolras says, a hopeful tone in his voice. "And yes, you're right. You're not Éponine Thénardier anymore. You're Éponine Enjolras now."

I can't stop myself from grinning at my new name. "Yes, I'm no longer Thénardier. I am Éponine Enjolras."

Enjolras puts his hands on my waist and lifts me up, causing me to shriek in surprise. He twirls me around until we are almost collapsing with dizziness.

"And I love you, Madame Enjolras."

A/N: So sorry for the delay, I feel terrible about it! It's almost the end of term, which means holidays, but also a lot of tests and assessments :( Hope you can forgive me. This story is almost finished, the next update will probably be the epilogue!
xx