Les Couleurs du Monde (An Enjolras Les Misérables Fanfiction)

Chapter IV ~ Dilemmas

The next morning Elise woke up. She'd had a very interesting dream that night. She dreamed that the king had fallen and the students were all joyful and a magnificent parade was going on celebrating the revolution, with flags everywhere. Marius had finally realized his feelings for Éponine and her face was shining in happiness. Meg was leading the parade in a beautiful soft white gown, her skin radiant and healthy again, as her smile dazzled her surroundings. Elise had also dreamt (much to her embarrassment) that Enjolras had, in the mindless glee of victory, gotten carried away in his rejoicing and kissed her. She sat up on her bed, thinking of that dream.

It was a strange dream in the way that she had been kissed by Enjolras in it. She'd never actually been attracted to a person of the opposite sex (or any sex for that matter), much less ever dreamt of kissing someone. Love was for operas and novels, just something too good to be true. Just a Shakespearean story. The only real love was the one of a family to her, as it was the only one she'd known her whole life. It was, to Elise, just a plain fancy she had for Enjolras. She admired his responsibility and loyalty to the cause.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, getting dressed in a casual scarlet dress she had. She slipped on her shoes and went downstairs, heading away in the direction of the bookstore.

She didn't really want to go there at all. She always read, so she had a couple of books in her room already. However, she went there and spoke idly with the bookkeeper, an old man she was friends with, about various authors, and poems, and books. She only wanted to spend her time there waiting for dusk. Even if she had to quiet her new "silly and childish" fancy, she was looking forward to her meeting with Enjolras, which she insisted to herself was only a talk about the revolution and nothing more. 'He has no feelings towards you, therefore you must be logical, Elise, and remember love isn't real.' she thought to herself. But there was still doubt.

As the sun was setting, Elise hurried over to the Cafe Musain, and at exactly dusk, she entered the cafe. Glancing around, she strayed to an empty table and sat there idly playing with her fingers until someone touched her arm gently. Looking up, she found it was Enjolras.

"Come on," he said, nodding for her to follow him out. They walked for quite a distance together quietly, reaching a sort of courtyard. It was quiet and peaceful, something different from the Parisian streets.

"So what did you want to talk about, Monsieur?" I said politely, clasping my hands together in front of me.

"I'm just a student. You don't need to address me as Monsieur." he said, an inkling of a smile on his lips.

"Right. Enjolras." I said, correcting myself.

He sighed, looking off to the side. "Do you think this revolution will succeed?"

"Oui, it must. I'd die for our cause. We have to do something great in our lives at some point; for us it's got to be this." I said.

"You're so enthusiastic. Half my boys are afraid they'll die." he chuckled softly.

"Maybe they're not as committed as I am." I smiled.

"I fancy when people are committed to a cause and won't give up. It shows how strong their will is." he smiled, causing me to falter and a slight rosy tinge to appear on my face. "Elise, I wanted to clear something up. I don't care for women. But I think I might soon."

Oh no. Elise's blush went ever-slightly-darker. He'd been starting to gain romantic interest in others, and Elise was sure to be left behind and only thought of as a friend. She thought to herself, 'Remember, romantic interest is only fictional. Why should I care about his if it's not going to have to do with me? Plus, I just met him!'

She forced a smile onto her lips. Why was she taking this silly fancying of hers seriously? "Soon? Why?" she said in the tone a curious friend would use.

He shook his head. "I can't tell you. I think I-fancy - (he said this as if it were a word he'd never heard of before) someone. It's really silly since I don't really know them well. And it's strange since I always thought of France as my only love."

Elise nodded, using the comforting expression Éponine often used for her. "I hope all goes well," she said, smiling.

They stood together in silence.

"I have to go," said Elise quickly as she realized how late it was.

"Yes, I see. Take care of yourself, mademoiselle." he smiled faintly, turning away as she left, and looked pensively up at the night sky.

Elise slipped in through the doors just as Javert was heading out. "Where were you? You said you'd be back around dusk. You're an hour late." he frowned.

"Pardonnez-moi, I fell asleep while reading and the kind old man who runs the shop didn't want to wake me. Bless him." she said, at an attempt of excusing herself.

"Very well. I hope this doesn't happen again. I was worried." he said. Suddenly, the worry in his eyes became apparent.

"Oui, papa." she said, heading hastily to my room as he left for his evening rounds.

There, she dispensed herself onto her bed. So she'd finally started to have emotions for a boy, and this is how God rewarded her. He preferred someone else. God at least granted her beauty, but maybe Enjolras preferred a stunning blonde over Elise. She willed herself to stay strong and not to care about it since it was a lie anyways. But somewhere deep inside she knew these feelings were true and nothing she could have done could have made her suck back in the single glistening tear that ran down her face.