Brave: A Les Mis AU

Chapter 2

Some would say that your destiny is tied to the world, as much a part of you as you are of it. Others say fate is like cloth, that your destiny could be attached to someone else's. It's the one thing we all search for, or long to change. Some never find it, though some do.

The story of how Jean Valjean lost his leg to a demon bear, known to the world as Montparnasse, became legend. Eponine eventually learned that she had a little brother and sister, who were obviously adopted as soon as possible. They were like little devils, though, getting away with everything short of murder.

Eponine, on the other hand, could not get away with anything. She would try to hide something, and everyone would find out and Cosette would be disappointed in her. Their friendship had gotten complicated over the years, Cosette turning out to be the perfect image of a princess, didn't doodle, quiet--never chortling--rose early, didn't stuff her mouth full of food, was compassionate, patient, cautious, clean, and above all, strove for perfection. Eponine... wasn't.

But that didn't stop Cosette from trying to prepare her friend for ruling the kingdom, though it turned out to be a trying job. Eponine prefered going out to ride her horse and practicing her archery, which was the exact opposite of what she was going for.

One day, Eponine came home from a ride to find Valjean telling her little siblings, Gavroche and Azelma the story of how he lost his leg. She had brought in her dinner--a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Ah, nurishment.

"From nowhere, the biggest bear you've ever seen!" Valjean was explaining as Azelma hung her overcooked steak in Gavroche's face, and he faked a vomit. "Its hide littered with the weapons of fallen warriors, its face as ugly as anything. I threw my sword, and--"

"Whoosh!" Eponine shouted from behind him, "One swipe, his sword shattered, then chomp, Valjean's leg was clean off! Down the monster's throat it went!"

"Aw, that was my favorite part, Eponine," Valjean groaned, his arms dropping to his sides.

Eponine snuck up behind Gavroche and grabbed his shoulders, making him scream. "Montparnasse has never been seen since. And he's roaming the wild, awaiting his chance for revenge. He may not have been injured by the low blow, but he took it personally."

"Let him return, let him finish what we started, I'll get that theif," Valjean growled sternly, sounding as though the monster had killed his own mother.

Eponine placed her bow on the table, and Cosette made a noise of protest. "Princesses don't put their weapons on the table!"

"Cosette, it's just my bow, it's not a big deal," Eponine groaned, but set it to the side and sat down, slouching in her chair.

"Well, princesses aren't even supposed to have weapons," Cosette mumbled, and her father said from the other end of the table, "Oh, leave her be, fighting is essential for anyone. A prince may not be right there to save you all the time."

"Oh, Cosette, you'll never guess what I did today!" Eponine said excitedly, sitting forward in her chair. She wasn't sure why lately she had been feeling the need to impress her, but she was. "I climbed up Crone's Tooth and drank from the Fire Falls!"

"Fire Falls?" Valjean asked, grinning, "They say only ancient kings were brave enough to drink from there." He winked, then said to Cosette, "That's amazing, isn't it, Cosette?"

"Yes yes, lovely," Cosette said distractedly, and Eponine visibly deflated. She hadn't heard a word she had said, reading some letters that Jehan, the children's nanny, had brought to her. She looked up and saw the cookies. "Hungry? You could die from eating so much sugar."

"Some days, I think you wouldn't care if I did," Eponine grumbled under her breath, taking a massive bite of a cookie with a crack.

"How are they?" Jehna asked nervously, twisting their skirt.

Eponine moved it around in her mouth, then took a big sip of milk. They were very dry and burned on the bottom. "Perfect, Jehan, absolutely perfect."

"Oh, that's good, I wasn't sure if the fact they fell in the fire would be noticeable," Jehan laughed nervously, "But I'm happy to hear that they aren't too bad."

When Jehan wasn't looking, though, she slid the plate under the table to her siblings, who took them excitedly. They would eat anything, even if it was dropped on the floor.

Cosette looked up brightly, looking at her father. "They all accepted!" Eponine looked up. "Azelma, Gavroche, you can go to bed now, Jehan will take you." The little children got up and ran ahead of their caregiver, who looked very tired.

"Maybe I should get married one day, then I'd have an extra set of hands," Jehan sighed, following them, "But no one would ever marry me."

"The lords are presenting representatives to you for your betrothal!" Cosette explained.

Eponine looked at Valjean for help, but he just looked confused. "I... you... she..."

"Honestly, I don't know why you're so disgusted," Cosette said, "I'd love to have three men fighting for me. But they will all compete in the games for your hand."

"Is this what you've been getting me all ready for? To be sold off like some barnyard animal?" Eponine cried, "And I suppose a princess just does what she's told?"

"A princess doesn't raise her voice!" Cosette snapped, and Eponine got up and stormed out. Her best friend was taking away the little freedom she had. "Eponine!"

Jean Valjean tried to follow her, but Azelma and Gavroche had tied his peg-leg to the table, so the whole thing flipped over, dumping all the food on the floor. "Why did we agree to take in these kids?"

When Cosette went into Eponine's room an hour later, Eponine was striking her bed post with a sword that was very clearly too big for her.

"Please don't hit me," she implored, backing away from her friend.

Eponine dropped the sword on the floor. "Cosette! You set me up to get married without even telling me? How could you do that?"

Cosette quietly picked up a chess board off the floor, arranging the knights in a square. "Once upon a time, there was an ancient kingdom--" Eponine groaned, sliding onto the floor "--It's name long forgotten, ruled by a fair and wise king who everyone loved very much. When he got old, he divided the kingdom among his four children. But the oldest wanted to rule it all, he followed his own path and the kingdom fell. War, chaos, and ruin pillaged the land, and it was terrible."

"Oh, that's nice," Eponine grumbled sarcastically, lying dramatically on the floor. "Happy ending to the story and everything."

"That wasn't a story, that was a warning," Cosette said, looking at her judgmentally, and Eponine got off the floor. "I think you should get over this. The clans will be coming to present their suitors. Think of it this way--it's juts marriage, it's not the end of the world. It's much better to face these kinds of things with a sense of poise and rationality."

When Cosette left, Eponine slammed the door behind her, yelling in frustration, "Haven't you ever heard of closing the door?"