A. Enjolras (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
solo_patria) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
tushanshu2013-10-15 08:14 pm
solo_patria) wrote in tushanshu2013-10-15 08:14 pm
Entry tags:
[Filtered: Les Amis (including Temeraire, and yes, you too, Courfeyrac's Puppy),
[Enjolras stares out at the camera, his expression set and his eyes hard. It would be clear, likely, to those who know him, that he is not handling the Empresses's (yeah, he'd disrespect you equally if you were a emperor; he just can't get behind the gendered terms in his mind)announcement well. In truth, he wants to go out and break something or set it on fire, or some other urge he has ever repressed, and will continue to do so. To think of THAT coming home, to the people. No.
Full understanding's dawned now, and that understanding is horrifying, dizzying, and there is but one way that Enjolras can think to even begin dealing with it. When he speaks, his voice is grave, the tones used on the barricade, though modulated for this moment at least.]
And so we learn the way of it at last.
Might we all speak together soon? I...am in need of all of you and what actions that we may plan to take.
[And, in a rare display of actual anger, saved up perhaps, from Gavroche, along with other things, brought to light by the threat to Patria, he's slamming a fist down, HARD, upon his desk, enough that he sees a crack left behind, though that does not really help. The last time anyone has seen him give in to something like this would be July of 1830, but he's done it as it is.]
We fight for France, and the people again. There is no question of it. But in the matter of how, I am outclassed. Might the rest of you have some thoughts? Please begin considering them until the group of us may meet.
Full understanding's dawned now, and that understanding is horrifying, dizzying, and there is but one way that Enjolras can think to even begin dealing with it. When he speaks, his voice is grave, the tones used on the barricade, though modulated for this moment at least.]
And so we learn the way of it at last.
Might we all speak together soon? I...am in need of all of you and what actions that we may plan to take.
[And, in a rare display of actual anger, saved up perhaps, from Gavroche, along with other things, brought to light by the threat to Patria, he's slamming a fist down, HARD, upon his desk, enough that he sees a crack left behind, though that does not really help. The last time anyone has seen him give in to something like this would be July of 1830, but he's done it as it is.]
We fight for France, and the people again. There is no question of it. But in the matter of how, I am outclassed. Might the rest of you have some thoughts? Please begin considering them until the group of us may meet.
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It's not... Of course I do not desire for that to happen! But...
[He considers telling Enjolras about his teacher Sabriel and her ability to teach charter magic. But he hesitates, because in truth, he's afraid. Afraid that the same events in Paris would happen again, that his friends will take a stand against an enemy they cannot defeat. He doesn't want to watch them die a second time.
He raises his eyes back to Enjolras with a silent plea. It's futile, perhaps; Enjolras will always fight, he thinks, wherever the man finds himself. But he wants to try, anyway. His voice trembles a little when he says,]
We could die.
[And if he does, then how can he return to Cosette? She is waiting for him to awaken, back in Paris, and if it's for her then he will struggle against death, until his eyes are forced open and he can glimpse her face once more.]
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[Enjolras fights to keep his tone even, reminds himself that this is Marius simply registering a very real concern, but he is still having difficulty with this. Still, he will not flinch before Marius, not now and not ever.]
And provided we do nothing and simply wait here for it to come? In what projection of that ever do you see us emerging with our lives? He will come. And he will use us if he's granted the chance, and take no care for whether we have fought or not, but attempt to break us as it is, perhaps succeed, and then move on to continue his plans.
Marius.
[Enjolras is not so much angry now that he has started this as trying to explain the facts of what is going on, facts he knows all too well.]
I have been in his presence, and he will do these things, and more, unless he has been stopped. Should we do nothing, it is not a matter of IF he will do this, but when. My GOD, I hate the thought of fighting for an Empress who has brought us here against our will, but if it is the only way to even attempt to ensure that others, here and at home, are protected.
I do not know that we will not die fighting, but in the alternative, Marius, we simply die. Can anyone want for that?
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[Marius chews on the inside of his lower lip, his brow furrowed with worry and indecision. Certainly, it seems that the only way to ensure the survival of the different worlds is to fight. But does everyone truly need to? Do they? Does he? Surely had he not known of his rescue from the barricades by the good M. Fauchelevent—Cosette's own father had saved him!—then he would have fought without a second thought. But now that he knows what happens, now that he knows that Cosette is waiting for him...
And it is not simply that. He feels a shiver wrack his body at the mention of Malicant, and he squeezes his eyes shut and presses his hands against his face, forcing away the smell of rot, the chilling dread caused by the evil's presence, the hollow, almost mocking laugh. He has to take a few deep, shaky breaths before he sets his trembling hands back down, and he stares at a spot on the table, face pale and voice low.]
I have met the evil too, Enjolras; I and some others. We attempted to engage him in battle. Nothing could hurt him, not even the abilities of the others with me.
[It is only his second time revealing his involvement in M. Evandau's missions to defeat Malicant, and the extent of their discovery, and his first telling it to one he considers a friend. It is not any less difficult. He pauses and swallows down the lump in his throat before he continues.]
Only a madman would desire the darkness to as much as glimpse Paris, but... but what can we do? The Emperor said herself that those who lack magic, power, or sorcery have been summoned to this place by mistake...
[He drifts off there, eyes still fixed at the same spot on the table, and "I do not want any of you to die again" goes unsaid.]
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[Enjolras's gaze softens a little now as he eyes Marius. It is not that he is unsympathetic to the overwhelming odds against them, or the thought that they may be powerless anyway, but even so, he will not back down from this without some sort of a fight. He's faced odds that seem impossible before, and, well, one on occasion, they worked out, and on the other...he ended up here... ]
This is an older magic, I do under...you've fought him directly then?
[Enjolras has just caught on to this part, yeah. Forgive him. He's having a not so great couple of days. ]
In our case, even Temeraire could not do anything, either. But surely there are more than in your group that engaged him. Those from this island who have the power and abilities doubtlessly have an advantage and even then it shall not be easy, but even so. You have your uses, Marius.
[Was that a compliment? Perhaps a little. Enjolras is not even aware if it is. He's simply stating facts.]
You were the second chief of our barricade for reasons that will apply here as well, you realize? You are resourceful when you are pressed, and shear raw nerve that is hard to shake from you and determination. They will follow you if you allow it, I am fairly certain.
Perhaps you cannot blast fire from your hands, or fly, and you have not the oceans at your bidding, but you can gather those who do and you can lead them, and coordinate. Your intimate knowledge of your beloved Buonoparte too. Of his campaigns, of what was tried and done...You of anyone would have surely studied strategy. Those are all things that you can USE, and fight with, even if it does not put you on the lines of battle itself. It is still a way that you might fight, and likely one that will be needed. Do not discount strategy in all of this. You would likely be valuable.
[And he's pausing for a breath, a little embarrassed that he's said all that and to someone he is not exactly speaking to.]
...And for some reason, you are damnably charismatic. People like you, people LOVE you. They would follow, if you let them.
[It is as much as an apology as if he had directly said the words.]
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Because in truth, he does not see the importance of what he had done on the barricades, nor has he the faintest clue about why people would listen to him, what they see in someone like him. How could they possibly? He is only a man with little to no possessions, no title of importance, absolutely nothing to his name. Yes, he might be knowledgeable about Napoleon's strategies, but why would anyone seek him? He is not inspiring like Enjolras, nor charming and interpersonal like Courfeyrac, nor remarkably intelligent like Combeferre.
He has never been special, he thinks. He is simply a man who is trying his hardest to cling to the hope that one day he will meet his beloved again.
His eyes dart to one side, his expression turning into one of thoughtfulness, and he is silent for a few seconds before he faces Enjolras again. His voice is a little louder now, and steady.]
There is one thing I can contribute, perhaps. There is a teacher named Sabriel. She is young [And a woman but he's learned not to say that after several unexpected lectures on women's rights,] but she is able to instruct people without special abilities on what she calls Charter magic. If you seek her, she might allow you to become one of her students, as well.
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Just because Enjolras personally does not like Marius very much at the moment, and perhaps not again for a while, it is still no reason not to give credit where it is due. He has learned that much from speaking with Eponine and well...]
For all that you do not think you know, there is something that you do. Invaluable as it may seem, I am given the impression that it will take everything if we wish even a chance of getting out of this, and of getting you home to your Cosette should things go well. That is why I ask that you consider this.
[And then Marius is mentioning his teacher, and he's blinking a bit at the thought that magic, true magic, is something which can be learned.] A magic that may be taught by others? Well, it would be something of an upperhand. Thank you. I may consider asking such if it provides a fighting chance.
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[There's a minuscule, almost imperceptible shrug after that, as he stares at his clasped hands. He rubs his thumbs against each other, almost without thought. He is not very sure he will not die this time around, should he fight, but perhaps he can assist in some other way, as Enjolras said, although he cannot simply wrap his head around the fact that he could be even a little bit useful outside the battlefield.
What would his father do, in this instance? Would he risk his life, even when his eternity lie somewhere else, somewhere worlds away from here? Even if there is a possibility he can never return to the person he loves with an intensity he never thought he had within him?
After a few moments, he finally gives Enjolras a small nod.] I will think about it, Enjolras. Thank you for considering to include me.
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Protection of any sort is welcome just now, I would think. I would not lose any of you again if there is any way around it. There may not be certainties but any advantage is worth pursuing. I will keep an eye out for your teacher then.
[And the means of protection, even if it is just a suggestion, being offered here is at least providing Enjolras with something. One of his greatest failures on the barricade, that he still carries with him, is his failure to extract those whom he wished to save. If this charter magic, whatever it consists of, can grant Enjolras a means of improving on that, then he would welcome it.
And...with Marius here, offering this chance, he ought to say something to him, to try to mend fences a bit, when they've been badly damaged. It had hurt, it had hurt a LOT that Marius had reacted as he did, though it was to be expected, and there's still some guilt in Enjolras's mind over the fact he had been using Marius most of the summer and... damn it, but this is hard. And it makes it hard to find a response to Marius now.]
Of course I would include you. No matter the personal straits, you are still one of us, and still a friend.
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Marius fidgets visibly once more, because the problem with a straight-laced environment bringing up an honest boy who simply making his best attempts to be an upstanding human being, is that there are so many things he has yet to be acquainted with, much less reflect on. As it is, he still genuinely believes he is in the right, and that Enjolras and Combeferre are engaged in something unacceptable.
But perhaps he might reconsider his beliefs, in time. God knows he already is right this very moment.]
I-In that case, again you have my thanks.
[He does manage a tiny, albeit trembling, smile, so there is that at least. Not knowing what else to say, he waits for Enjolras to either add something to it or dismiss him.]
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Marius is clearly uncomfortable though, and that, well, it cannot really stand, can it, if they wish to work together on this? Enjolras finds himself sighing a little, as Marius gives him that smile, and gives him an awkward little nod, then clears his throat.]
And of those personal matters, I think perhaps it would be best if we...declared something of a truce between us and agree not to speak of them for the near future?
[He owes Marius an apology, perhaps, but that is difficult to say just now.]
We are still ourselves, Etienne and I...in spite of what you may have come to think and I...would not suddenly turn into someone that you would hate simply because we disagree on one matter, Marius. If that were the case, then your Buonoparte would have divided us long ago. Perhaps we can....pretend that conversation did not happen?
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So he nods, deciding not to comment or ponder on it further.]
If that is what you wish.
[But only a beat passes before he hastily adds, with an almost tangible sincerity,]
I dare not even imagine hating you, Enjolras, or Combeferre.
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[But for his part, Enjolras knows as well that he should not have flown into such a snit about it at the time. It is not as though Marius's reaction is so uncommon for one raised within the church who did not break away as Enjolras did, when the truth was not to be found in it for him. He would blame the hormones coursing through his body, which were present even though his mind left him still himself. Well, and the hurt, but...he reacted badly, and instantly, and for now,tries for a small smile.]
I think it best perhaps. I...do not wish to hate you either, Marius. or to think that you hate me so much as are uncomfortable with something that you do not know much about, so that is well. I...overreacted and I owe you an apology for that as well. And I have missed you.
...Shall we start again?
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By blushing furiously and averting his eyes to one side, which is the natural reaction of a Pontmercy towards any situation wherein he is uncertain how to react.
After a moment's pause, though, he does raise his eyes back to Enjolras and smiles timidly in response, because despite his utter inability to respond in a less awkward manner, he does appreciate the thought more than he can ever put into words.]
As have I.
[And then there's a tiny nod.] That would... That would be desirable.
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His face shifts to a tentative smile as well, at Marius's, and he's nodding.]
I...good then. I have come to value your ideas here, Marius, even if we do not agree on...well, near anything, and you yourself as well. I would have hated to lose that.