Colour of Desire {Enjonine}

Chapter 10

*Eponines POV*

"Lumarque is no better than he was two days ago!" I looked up from where I was sitting at the row that was taking place.

"What do you mean by that?" Another man shouted.

"I mean that Lumarque could go at any time and we are nowhere near ready."

I was sitting at yet another meeting with Les Amis. Mother had started knitting when the argument first started and Gavroche was sitting under the table for some reason. I was just reading a book.

Two of the students had started an argument a while ago when Enjolras and Marius had left for a moment to check on the ammunition or something.

"We don't have a time or a place or anything ready and yet we're just going to run out when Lumarque dies and what, shoot the king?" The man continued sarcastically.

"What is going on in here?" I looked up again to see Marius and Enjolras standing at the door of the the café.

The room fell silent as everyone stood around awkwardly.

"Enjolras, it was nothing." Someone finally spoke up.

"Thank you, Feuilly, but I didn't see you standing up there making an awful racket with Bahorel and Lesgle." Enjolras said, walking up to the top of the room. Although his tone seemed calm, I could see the spark of anger in his eyes.

"We're sorry. We just weren't thinking." Bahorel said, looking ashamed.

"I can see that. You know, Bahorel, you're very lucky that no one seems to have heard you. If the National Guard had been told, well, we would all be arrested for plotting against the king." Enjolras continued.

"Of course, Monsiour. It won't happen again." Bahorel said.

"I should hope not." Enjolras replied. He turned back to the rest of us. "Right, we have a good amount of ammunition, but not as much as I thought."

"We should have enough for about twenty men. Courfeyrac just brought some in last week." Feuilly called.

"Well, Marius and I both counted it all and we have enough for about twelve." Enjolras said.

"It's that scoundrel, Thenardier. He hangs around outside Combeferres house and steals the guns as we walked through the door." I looked at Mama at the mention of my father. She was just ignoring everyone.

"How do you know it's him?" Marius asked.

"Well, because you walk up to the house and you have your gun and are met at the door by Thenardier or his bloody daughter." Jehan explained. I knew he meant Azelma, but everyone else looked over at me.

"Don't look at me, I haven't seen my father or anyone to do with him for months." I said, placing my book on the table.

"No, it's not Eponine, it's the other one." Jehan said.

"Azelma." I added.

"So we need a way to get past Thenardier because otherwise we'll have no ammunition left." Enjolras sighed. Again everyone looked at me for help.

"I'm staying out of this." I said.

"Come on, Eppy. You must know something about your father and how to get past him." One of the men said.

"First, don't call me Eppy and second, my Papa is not an easy man to get around. He always gets what he wants, even if he has to kill or steal for it." I explained.

"There has to be some way."

"Why don't we get Javert?" Gavroche said.

"Gavroche, are you mad?! We can't get Javert. What would we say, 'Oh sorry, inspector, but we need to get some ammunition past this idiot of a man who is stealing from us.' Unless you want to be arrested, that's not an option." Feuilly replied.

"Perhaps if Eponine was to act as some sort of distraction outside with Thenardier while we all went into the house with the ammunition." Courfeyrac suggested.

"What?! No! I already said I would have nothing to do with this. If my father saw me again he'd bring me straight home and then drop me off at the docks." I replied.

"What if you went in a disguise?" Feuilly asked. "You know, put a shawl over you're head or something and pretend to be someone else."

"I don't know..."

"Come on Eponine. Just until we have brought everything to another place." Combeferre said.

"Who's house?"

"Well, mine is only down the road and it's closer to the Cafe." Marius suggested.

"Wait, your grandfathers house?" Someone called.

"No, I've rented a small apartment near the Cafe. I said I would not have anything to do with all of this, but you can hide the ammunition there." Marius replied.

"What about you, Eponine? Will you help us?" Jehan asked. I just sighed.

"I'll think about it."

"Eppy?"

"No. Try again." Since we came home from the meeting, Gavroche was using every opportunity to call me Eppy.

"Ponine?"

"That's good enough. What is it?"

"Have you thought about it?" He asked, sitting down next to me at the table.

"No, Gavroche, I'm still thinking." I replied.

"Why are you taking so long?" He asked.

"I was only told about the plan two days ago. How am I supposed to decide what to do in that amount of time?" I asked.

"Please?" He asked.

"I don't know yet. I'll tell you when I do, I promise." I said.

"Is everything okay in here?" Enjolras said, walking into the room.

"You're home, thank goodness. How did it go?" I asked him. He'd been out trying to find the best way to bring the ammunition to Marius' house.

"It went well, I suppose. Have you decided yet?" He replied.

"No!" I said, resting my head on the table.

"Let me guess, Gavroche was pestering you about it as well?" He chuckled, sitting down across from us.

"Oh, you know me so well." I replied sarcastically, just as mama came into the room.

"Eponine dear, I was just looking for you. Have you made up your mind yet?" She asked. I groaned loudly.

"Why is everyone asking me the same question? I don't know!" I said. "I will inform you all when I know the answer."

"Okay, okay. We believe you. Calm down." Enjolras said, raising his hands in defeat.

"Thank you." I replied.

We sat in silence for a while, the only sound in the room was the ticking of the grandfther clock in the background, when suddenly there was a loud knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Gavroche said, running out of the room.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Enjolras asked. I shook my head.

"No, I said I might go to Cosettes house this evening. Who else would be coming?" I replied.

"Marius?"

"No, he usually doesn't come on a Sunday."

"Anyone?"

"Enjolras, I think it's safe to say we have no friends." I laughed.

"We do have friends, they're just not very...friendly?" He replied.

"They're plenty friendly, they just don't visit people." I replied.

Suddenly Gavroche came running back into the room.

"Who is it?" Enjolras asked, standing up. That's when I noticed that the poor child had a face of pure panic.

"What's wrong Gavroche?" I asked, walking over and kneeling down to his level. When he spoke his words were all shaky.

"Eponine, I think you should come quickly, it's Javert."