Colour of Desire {Enjonine}

Prologue

*Eponines POV*

"Eponine! There are people coming. Get a room ready. Make sure Azelma is kept out of trouble." Mama shouted to me as she walked around the corridors of our Inn.

I arose from where I had been sitting by the window and went to make one of the rooms up. I knew Azelma was at one of her friends houses. Not that it mattered. She was never at home, meaning I did all of the work.

I had just finished up the room, cleaning the filth as much as I could, but to no avail. I had sat back at the window to read a book I had borrowed from Marius when a rock hit the window.

I looked of the window and looked down at the alley way below. There wasn't a great deal to see, only a brick wall and a snow covered alley. But standing there in the snow was Marius. He waved to me and I smiled back.

I quickly left my perch on the window and ran down the stairs. Mama was laughing away with a few of the other ladies and Gavroche ran over to me when he finally saw me.

"'Ponine! What are you doing in thought you were upstairs or at the docks." He whispered the last word to me as he gave me a hug.

Gavroche was only eight years old but he already knew so much about the world from hanging around Les Amis.

"No I was upstairs. Marius is outside. Would you like to come and see him with me?" I asked.

"Okay! Let's go. Make sure Mama don't see us." He said running through the crowd.

"Gavroche. Make sure Mama doesn't see us is what you say." I said to him. He didn't have the best vocabulary but I kept trying to teach him properly.

We finally got to the back door and went outside. It was bitter cold because of the snow but I didn't mind.

Marius was standing there patiently waiting for us.

" 'Ponine! It's so good to see you. And you to Gavroche. How have you both been?" He asked walking over to hug me. I smiled happily as he wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm very good Marius. What are you doing here? I would have thought you would be eating Christmas dinner with your family." I said. It's not that I wasn't happy to see him but I was definitely surprised.

"I have about half an hour before the dinner party starts so I thought it would be nice to go for a walk with you and Gavroche. I have a present for you both." He said as he began to walk with me and Gavroche in tow.

"Oh Marius! You shouldn't have! I have nothing for you." I said feeling bad. He was always giving me a gift but I could never give him one in return.

"Eponine it's perfectly fine. It's just something small." He said handing me a square gift wrapped in brown paper.

I opened it and saw a lovely hard covered book. It was lovely.

"Oh Marius. You shouldn't have." I said as I leafed through the pages.

Gavroche and Marius walked ahead of me talking about the last meeting in Café Musain. I started looking through the book when suddenly I was pulled into a side alley, dropping my book in the process. I let out a small gasp when I saw my Papa standing there.

"Ah Eponine. We didn't know that you would walking around Paris with a rich type bloke." He said grabbing me by the hair. He smelled strongly of alcohol and I could see the Patron- Minette behind him with glass bottles probably full of some sort of alcoholic substance.

"I wasn't. I was just following him that's all. He's one of Gavroches friends." I replied.

"How much money did you manage to get from him. Did you try begging first and stealing next? You'd better have a good amount of francs from him." He said.

"I didn't get anything from him. I was just walking behind him. I promise." I said. My head was starting to get very sore from him pulling on my hair.

"As I would believe that! Give me the money you filthy scum! Or else!" He threatened. I tried to run but he wouldn't let me.

"I didn't take anything. I swear on it!"I cried.

"You lying piece of scum! How dare you lie to me! Get her boys!" He shouted throwing me onto the ground. I could see the Patron- Minette closing in on me.

"This will teach you to lie to me." He said snapping me across the face.

"Gavroches POV*

"I'm sure Enjolras has a great idea in store for us." Marius said. Suddenly we heard a scream from behind us.

"That sounds like 'Ponine." I said.

Marius took off running towards the alley. I followed after him and gasped at what I saw. There in the middle of the alley was Eponine.

*Eponines POV*

I lay on the ground in a pool of blood. The Patron- Minette had shown no mercy in my beating. I just lay on the floor waiting for death to come. I smelled of blood and alcohol. My father had smashed a bottle of the stuff over my head before leaving.

I could here the crunch of snow behind me to announce that someone was coming.

"Eponine!" I heard someone call. It sounded like Gavroche.

"Gavroche go and get help. Les Amis will be in Café Musain." I heard Marius say.

He knelt down beside me and stroked my hair.

"It's okay Eponine. Gavroche has gone to get help." He said. I couldn't be happier in that moment. Marius was here and he was taking care of me.

"Marius what happened? Is that Eponine?" I heard someone say.

"Enjolras! Thank goodness. Help me bring her to Joly." Marius said. I knew who Enjolras.  He was practically the the leader of Les Amis. He was also a good friend of Marius.

I felt strong arms lift me up and start carrying me through the snow.

"Marius?" I managed to say with my remaining strength.

"I'm sorry. It's Enjolras. Marius has run ahead to get Joly. It's okay Eponine." The man said before I blacked out.