dear_mun | (no subject)

My Mun has seen that tale too and, if you don't mind my asking, forgive you for what? You did nothing wrong. You did everything for Marius.

I stole his letter, Madame. I let him think Cosette was gone without a word. I was going to let him die at the barricade.

Not in the telling of the tale my Mun saw, and I'm assuming your Mun saw.

I still let him think... I gave it back because I knew I was... dying.

I am surprised he held me at all.

Whatever. He was fighting a war, so you withholding a letter is hardly something he's going to fixate on and not forgive. Which he did, just so you know. He even confronted your father after the war was done and told him that he never deserved a daughter as good as you, and that you're at better peace now than you ever were living with him.

...He did? M'sieur Marius told my Papa that? I bet my Papa did not like that much.

[She laughs] M'sieur tells awful untruths sometimes!

Untruth? Well, believe that if you wish. Although you should ask yourself what the difference was between all that you did for your father and all that he did for you. You may find M'sieur Marius' words more valid then.

Madame, you are too kind by far. My Papa did not do much for me, but nor did I for him in the end. But I am glad you think of me in such a way. It is nice that you defend me even from myself.

[Rosemary does her best to surpress laughter. Too kind? HER? But then, she was being uncharacteristically good toward Eponine...she supposed she just saw too much of herself in her, no matter what the differences.]

You seem to be your worst critic, Miss Eponine. I am certain that Marius, Cosette, and the others you so seem to so desperately want forgiveness from have already granted it to you. It is only you that does not forgive your past actions.

What's the matter there? You're looking a little... Misérables!! Ah ha ha ha ha!

That is not really a funny joke, M'sieur. It is not so bad usually - but I do not want to have to re-live my death to go to one of these 'games'.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I pretty much have to relive it too, every time Strong Sad decides to have one of his lame amateur musical evenings.

My death? You sing of my death and it is lame?

[She's caught between flattered that people actually want to acknowledge her - and disgusted that they're making light of her death.]

He...he may have.

[Awkward.]

Marius!
[She's shocked, but then her expression turns to one of pure delight.]

You're here! Did you... Did you read it? The letter?

Yes, after...after...

[He trails off, unable to say it out loud just yet.

But he does smile, though it's more subdued than hers.]

I've missed you. [He's missed all of them.]

Edited (wow sorry 'ponine you're not a man) 2013-01-12 08:12 (UTC)

I'm sorry, M'sieur, that I kept it from you...

Did you really miss me?

[She sounds surprised]

I thought, with Cosette...

I...[He still doesn't know quite how to feel about that. Or whether or not he's able to forgive her. Marius is not a cruel man, and Eponine is his friend, but perhaps forgiveness will take time.

But he can't help but soften just a little.] Cosette did not prevent me from...missing you. All of you. She did help, but I could not forget you. I would not want to, not completely.

We are all there, you know? As I said to you... Just a breath away. Singing on our barricade... We'll be there when it is your turn, still.

[She sighs. He does not say it is okay. He does not forgive... It's no more than she deserves. She is the reason, after all, that he was to die.]

[To be fair, he wants to forgive. To give her the peace she most certainly deserves, and her sigh troubles him.]

You are happy there? [He hopes she is, truly he does. And her words give him comfort to say the least, to know that his friends are waiting for him.]

I am proud to be with them, your friends. I was there for you; I listened for you. And yet, still I am included in the number leading France to a brighter future.

Good.

[He smiles faintly once more.] I cannot say I will hurry, but I will be with you all, one day, as you said.

[And he hesitates.] Why is it that you gave the letter to me, before you...? [Died.]

Before I died?

[She shakes her head]

i hardly know, M'sieur. I knew... I could feel it. And I did not want you to be unhappy. And you were so sad. I hated that. It is why I pushed you away.

Ah... Hello Mademoiselle. Your mun saw the film too, I see. I sympathize. I was rather shaken myself.

If you need anything, you are not alone.

That is very kind of you, M'sieur. My mun says she was sorry for your deaths. The deaths of the dtudents made her cry more than my own... Fitting, p'raps?
Still, thank you for your help. I want for nothing nowthough; I am richer here than in Paris at least.

[He blushes]

That is kind, but tell her not to weep for us. We went in with our eyes open, content that martyrdom might be our fate. As long as we are remembered and our deaths made a difference, then we are content.

That said though, mind is much the same. We're petted quite a bit I think. It's strange.

You are good looking boys, though. Perhaps this is why. People cry more when pretty things are no more... And perhaps it is your cause; why you died. Me, I did not. I was the first to fall, but only so I could die before Marius, so he would not get hurt.

[Good Looking? Pretty? Prouvaire looks down at his shoes, his cheeks going from blushing to blazing. His voice drops from gentle to almost inaudible, but he does answer.]

You died for love, Mademoiselle. We died for freedom. Perhaps that is not so different.

[An excellent result. Eponine likes that the young man is blushing and probably feeling a little awkward. It makes her feel less awkward in his company]

I do not know. It makes no difference in the end, does it? We will all be buried anyhow, and go on to meet our afterlife. If you see Marius there, you will ask him to forgive me, will you not?

[She's fairly certain she's not going to heaven, fairly certain now that she will never be with Marius again.]

I think it makes quite a lot of difference, actually. I died knowing that I died oh the side of good. If things had been different, I'm not sure things would be the same.

Imagine if I'd died falling off a carriage or choking on a bone at dinner. How would I go on?

[He smirks a little.]

[She laughs at that]

I think I would like that death, choking on a bone - as long as I'd eaten the meat first. Do you think there'll be food where we go?
I do not know what side I was on; I am a bad girl sometimes, you know. But... I would fight for the cause really now, you know?

Well... [He's thoughtful for a moment.] I think that if we need food where we are going then we will have it. Don't you think so?

And no, the republic does not ask for the blood of women. Please, stay safe.

No. It was needed in France, and yet I had not eaten for days, and I was well off compared to a lot. Why should it be different now?

[She pouts, stubborn even in death]

I am just as useful as you. I helped you build the barricade - and gave out weapons and shot a gun. If the Republic does not call for my blood, it does not call for the blood of young men either.

Ah, but surely whatever lays beyond death is not Paris.

And, dear girl, men fight. Women make men civilized. It is not yours to die with us. It never was.

That... that I do not know. I am in 'games' here, after my death. They are not Paris, but some people can speak French. It is often much the same as Paris. I can fight; I MUST fight in one of these 'games'. And I can fight just as well as you.

[She laughs though] You have a - what is the word? You have a - an.. an idealised view of women. I do not think I civilise anybody. That is for Ladies, not gamines.

[She shrugs] And yet, I die before you all. I suppose it is quicker than freezing or starving, and better than being beaten to death. Rather, I would die with you than alone. Only - did Gavroche see? He will be cross with me. He should not see such a thing.

My brothers were alive and holding the barricade when I died. As for your brother, I do not know. I'm sorry. It wasn't until now in this place I even knew what happened. At any rate, it sounds like these 'games' are to be avoided.

My Mun has been considering putting me in one. Perhaps it isn't a good idea.

[He smiles again, and embarrassed, shy smile.]

Every woman is a lady, my dear.

I would love that to be true, M'sieur, but you can see by my face and my clothes it is not. I had wanted to be a lady, you know? Like Cosette? Marius might have loved me - but it will never be. And that - that I have made my peace with. Perhaps I am proud to be of the streets.

[She smiles a broad smile herself]

I think it is a VERY good idea. Games can be lonely by yourself, and I know I would like company other than Inspector Javert at 'The Games'. He will not make good company, I do not think. He does not like me.

Your face and clothes? What does that mean? Don't be silly. That's not what makes a lady. Love is not what makes a lady either.

And I hope that you do not stay alone.

I do not look like a lady. My cheeks are hollow and my skin is not good and I have wrinkles here -

[She touches the corners of her eyes] And you know my clothes are rags. Those pants are not even mine; I stole them. I will never be a lady, but that is okay. I know Marius... he will never love me, either.

[She smiles] I hope so too. There are good people there as well, but it is better to have someone who knows where I am from, you know? Who I can speak French to. It is easier to speak then.

I see you, and nothing you have told me negates you being a lady. So, do not argue with what is truth.

The heart wants what the heart wants. I cannot control who Marius loves.

No, M'sieur. I tried to make him love me. I tried everything. But he never saw me and he will never forgive me. And, I suppose, I must move on. I do not want to be sad forever.

Love does not make you a lady either. But, I know what it is to love someone who does not know you. And no, melancholy can be beautiful, but there is a limit on how much sorrow one should devote to a lost love.