CROWN PRINCE | LES MISÉRABLES

08.

Enjolras pov

I was taking my daily morning walk. It usually consists of me walking to Café Musain, getting a croissant and black coffee, and then walk back to hell, also called the most glorious palace in Paris.

This morning was no exception. I was walking to Café Musain and spend some time with my good friend. When I decided to leave, a young woman, no older than 20, bumped into me. She immediately fell to the ground.

I gave her a hand to help her stand up. She took it and I pulled her to her feet. She was extraordinarily beautiful.

"I'm so sorry. I should've watched where I was going.", she said calmly.
"Don't worry. It's fine. Are you hurt?"
"No, thank you."
"You have beautiful hair."
"Thank you.", she said, hiding her blushing.

I smiled. She was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She was probably not from around here.

"What's your name?", I asked.
"Annelise."
"A very pretty name for a pretty young woman."
"Thank you."
"I need to go. I hope to see you again.", I said, leaving her standing at the Café.

"I totally forgot to ask: what's your name?"

I turned around and looked at her.

"Bastien."

Then I walked away. Yet my mind couldn't stop playing our meeting over and over again. Why did I feel like this? I was a married man. I was supposed to feel this way when I saw my wife.

I soon reached the gates to the palace. I was let in and walked to the office of my father.

"Son, good that you walk by - your birthday is in two weeks."
"I'm aware father."
"So, the family of Baron Robillard agreed to perform."
"I know. I made him the offer myself.", I said.

"I heard that his children are very talented."
"They are. When I came to visit, they sang for their grandmother. The way the harmonized was incredible."
"This is not all I want to talk about.", he said.

"What about?"
"You should focus on producing a male heir for the throne."
"We just had a miscarriage. I will not put her under any type of stress.", I said.
"She was a girl anyway."
"This is my child you're talking about. Your granddaughter. How can you say something like that?"

"Enough. I don't want to talk about that. Go to your wife and produce an heir. I want to have grandchildren before I pass.", he said.

I walked to my bedroom and fell on my bed. This palace made me sick. The strict etiquette, the people who were trying to please my father. If people just knew what I was thinking.

Sometimes my own thoughts scared me. My friends and I were planning an uprising against my father. We were traitors to the crown but I wasn't the only member of the royal family. My uncle, General Lamarque, supported us.

He left behind his titles and duties to marry his one true love. He did everything right.

"Are you alright?", Maria asked.
"Yes."
"Good. Your father told me to look after you. He thinks that the fresh air confuses you.", she said, with a sarcastic tone in her voice.

"Why don't you just leave me alone? Like everyone else?"
"Because I am your wife and one day, I will share the throne with you. I am forever bound to you. At the ball, I want to dance. Only with you.", she said, turning around and leaving.

I disliked Maria. All she wanted to be the throne. A Spanish princess married to the French crown prince. She was ice cold and only cared about herself. She was like my father, ignorant and disgusting in my opinion.

She was attractive, no denying here, but her attitude towards people was horrid.

My mind kept going back to that pretty girl. Annelise. That was her name. The beautiful black locks and her beautiful smile made me feel different. Was this what falling in love felt like?

Wait what, falling in love? I couldn't possibly fall in love with a girl I met and talked to for less than two minutes.

Or was it love at first sight?