Chapter 6: Do You Hear The People Sing?

Will you give what you can give,

So that our banner may advance?

Some will fall and some will live

Will you rise up and take the chance?

The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France!


~~**~~

Many have wondered why Enjolras loved Joleigh. Any typical man of Paris searched for a mistress, longed for a mistress; Enjolras was one of the few handsome men who did not care. Besides Joleigh, any other woman did not grasp his attention. To those who knew him or heard of him it was unbelievable, almost unthinkable, that he would propose to or even be with a girl. It may be the fact that he knew Joleigh since they were children, or maybe her increasing beauty, or that she was the best of everyone…whatever the reason Enjolras knew that Joleigh was to be his. The two never had been with anyone else and were completely loyal to one another. Joleigh tried her best to support her fiancée’s political notions, although she had many opinions that she kept to herself. Like any gentle hearted person, Joleigh wanted Enjolras to be happy, and that mean to keep silent and not to interfere.

‘It’s for the best…’ she tells herself. Enjolras explained every detail of the plan to her earlier that morning though all she could think about was the death to come. But what could she do? Today was the day, and she wouldn’t be able to stop it if she tried. General Lamarque’s funeral procession was going to be paraded through the square and according to Enjolras that was when they would strike.    

“Will you be there?” he asked as she helped him into his red coat.

“Of course.” Joleigh had stated, kissing him farewell at the doorway. Enjolras beamed and whisked down to the street, leaving her behind to fret over her thoughts. All anger of it had gone, only to be replaced with nervousness and anxiety. “Should I go?” She muttered to herself as she got changed into a patchy rose dress. Joleigh pinned her hair into a bun and splashed her face with water. “It will be busy anyways, he won’t notice I’m there….” Sighing she made her way back into the bedroom. “I could just read, and wait for whatever it is… the signal? Yes, I’ll just wait inside until the signal happens, then I’ll do what I need to do and…oh what am I doing!” Realizing that she was talking to herself Joleigh stormed to the front door. Her hand hovered over the knob. “I need to be there! He’ll know if I’m not. I said I would go and you always keep your promises Joleigh.” She shook her head and opened the door. The girl paused before leaving, letting the door swing open fully by itself. “Something bad could happen. The police…the national guard would come as soon as the rebellion starts…what if they shoot people?” Joleigh bit her lip and looked back at her apartment. No, I will go. Quickly she closed the door and hurried down the hall, taking the steps down to the street two at a time. When she was outside, it almost shocked her how normal the day was. Livestock was ushered along the cobble; people shouted at each other from windows, people were bustling in and out of shops…it was all going to change in a few hours. Joleigh swallowed hard heading down towards the café. She could hear the preparations taking place, the sounds drifting from the window above the fork in the street. The girl took the right alley and steadily made her way down it. She remembered Eponine saying that she was living in a small room down that road. Joleigh knew her friend had no money; her parents had kicked her out thus reducing her to sell herself. Joleigh would give up all her own money to help ‘Ponine but with the little pay she got from being a seamstress’s apprentice and Enjolras’s college fee’s, there was little to live off. “Eponine?” She asked, knocking on the cracked wooden door at the foot of the stairs. “ ‘Ponine it’s me, Joleigh!” The door swung open.

“What?” Joleigh’s jaw dropped. Eponine’s voice was the same, but she did not look like herself. She was dressed like a man, her hat hiding her dark hair and her clothes baggy. Her face was blotched with grime, her eyes red and lips chapped. It looked like she had been crying.

“Why are you-“

“Dressed a man?” Eponine shrugged her shoulders, her voice agitated. “Easier life. Won’t get picked on at night.” Turning the beggar girl closed the door behind her. Joleigh was smarter than that. Eponine tried pushing past her, but Joleigh grabbed her arm.

“Eponine, the truth.” The younger girl looked sadly down to her arm.

“Come on Joleigh, it’s gonna start.” Eponine quickly shrugged out of her grasp and flew down the stairs, Joleigh calling out behind her. Joleigh ran to catch up with her friend as she walked down the street.

“Please, ‘Ponine…is this about Marius?” Eponine’s gaze hardened at the ground and her jaw tensed. “Eponine-“

“No. I don’t want to talk ‘bout it.” She growled. Joleigh became silent as she followed a pace behind her friend. Eponine stopped abruptly and spun around, her lip trembling and her eyes suddenly filled with tears. Joleigh quickly pulled her arms. “Why didn’t he see me? How could he not know- all these years-“ Her voice came out in choked sobs.

“There, there ‘Ponine… he isn’t worth it-” Joleigh couldn’t think of anything to say. Eponine sniffed, and pushed herself out of her embrace.

“Joleigh I love him.” She said wiping her eyes. “And-and I’ll do what I must to make sure…he’s safe.”

“Wait-“ Joleigh suddenly knew what Eponine was going to do. “You can’t be serious! You could get killed!”

“I know you are gonna try to stop me from doing this but, you won’t.” The beggar girl smiled as she adjusted her hat. “You’ve been a good friend, but I need to make big choices by myself. I’ll see yah later.” They turned a corner into the square, crowds flooding the edges of the street to watch Lamarque’s procession.

“No! ‘Ponine!” Joleigh cried. Eponine disappeared into the mass of people, leaving Joleigh distraught and feeling lost. The drums of soldier’s were slowly making their way into the square. It was coming. It was almost time. Once again the baker’s girl was lost in the square, with no view of what was happening; however this time she knew where to go. Pushing past vast amounts of people Joleigh had made her way to the Elephant of Bastille. “Gavroche!” She shouted to the trap door on the copper underbelly. “Gavroche! It’s Joleigh!” Immediately the door swung open and Gavroche peered down, his mass of hair flopping in his face.

“Bonjour Madam!” He smiled his gap toothed grin. “What’s the password?” Joleigh laughed, but anxiously looked back to the street. The procession was drawing closer.

“Can I come up?”

“Password?”

“Please, Gav!”

“Password!” He persisted. “I know you know the password!”

“Gavroche is my true love.” Joleigh sighed. Laughter erupted from inside the elephant’s belly.

“How kind of you madam!” Gavroche beamed disappearing out of view.

“Gav-”

“Okay boys, move back! Throw down the ladder!” A rope ladder was flung down to her Joleigh grabbed it and climbed. There were at least five little boys hiding within the statue, a pile of straw was in the rump accompanied by a series of cans and clothes. When Joleigh stood inside, her head almost hit the ceiling, and her feet slipped on some substance on the floor.

“Gavroche?” It was dark inside, but light streamed through various holes and cracks in the walls. A shadowy figure appeared, crouching in the head of the elephant.

“Come here, madam, you can see from here!” Gavroche held his hand out to her. Joleigh took it and crouching, made her way into the head. Gavroche lifted another trapdoor above them revealing a blue sky. When Joleigh pushed her self up and out into the open air, she could see the whole area below. The buildings were adorned with the flags of France and the street was cleared; one side, the rich stood proudly with their guards clad in blue protecting them. The other side, were the poor, the guards holding them back. The huge black funeral carriage was slowly moving past the clock tower and into the square, soldiers marching in front of it, beating drums, looking strong in their uniform. The officers with their shining helms rode horses, watching the poor carefully. Joleigh took note of the coffin on the top of the carriage and the flowers adorning it. Lamarque was a good man. The people’s man. And now his people were going to fight for him. She saw red, and there was Enjolras, in the front row between Marius and Combferre; the line continued with the rest of Les Amis de L’ABC all of them were glowering as the procession approached. Joleigh held her breath as the tension in the air grew stronger. Gavroche placed his little hand in hers, giving her a small red flag.

Enjolras was ready. It was time. He quickly glanced behind him. All his friends were here, to capture the moment…but where was Joleigh? The young leader took a deep breath and focused back on the task. Enjolras knew she was always with him. He glared at the rich as they observed with their blank petty faces. Across the street was a guard who was on their side. Enjolras nodded at him and the guard responded to the signal, revealing the red flag he was holding behind his back. This was the moment when Enjolras started to sing:

Do you hear the people sing?

Singing the song of angry men,

It is the music of a people,

Who will not be slaves again!

His voice was low and deep, but it was heard. Marius picked up and so did Combferre, Courfeyrac, Feuilly, Joly and the rest of Les Amis; the words passing down the lines of the poor. Everyone knew this song. The song of the last rebellion in 1830, a song the people had not forgotten.

When the beating of your heart,

Echoes the beating of the drums.

There is a life about to start,

When tomorrow comes!

At this point Enjolras jumped from the line and into the street behind the procession, the guard tossed him the flag. He swung the banner of red, proclaiming the rebellion to all people watching, as Les Amis broke away from the lines and into the procession. The poor cheered and moved forwards.

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Beyond the barricade,

Is there a world you long to see?

The leader beamed, swinging his flag as he ran to the funeral carriage, where Marius helped him up and onto. “Then join in the fight, that will give you the right to be free!” He shouted, raising the red flag high. As the carriage moved through the street, more red flags appeared in the crowd, beaming in the sunlight and casting red shadows on the people. Officers were taken off their horses, the soldiers holding drums changed to the tune of the song, some of the people on the rich side joined them in the streets. The people were rising! This made Enjolras burn with such vigor that he clasped Marius on the soldier, and in turn saw the Elephant of Bastille as the carriage turned a corner. There she was. Her hair was glowing and blowing in the wind, with a red flag in her hand; she could almost be the definition of Patria.

Despite her self, Joleigh was singing clutching the red flag tightly as Gavroche waved his high in the air. All the people below were flocking around the carriage, and her fiancée was guiding them, surely she was proud? Seeing his plan in action, she could see why he was so enthusiastic. So many people joining in, supporting, the cause was working! Joleigh couldn’t help but smile and even waved her flag above her head, cheering. That was until the National Guard appeared. Joleigh’s eyes widened and she quickly ducked down and back into the belly of the Elephant.

“Joleigh?” Gavroche questioned. “Where are you going? Madam?” Joleigh was already at the trap door.

“Come on Gav, we need to go!” She swung down the ladder just as the commotion started. “Gavroche!” Joleigh shouted and the boy slid down behind her despite his friend’s calls. Quickly grabbing his hand, she ran for her apartment dragging Gavroche behind her. A gun fired. People were screaming. More gunfire. It had started.

“She was an innocent woman!” Feuilly shouted at the young soldier who, in panic, accidently fired his gun.

“Murderer!”

“You shot her!”

“Get’im!” When the young man was dragged from his hole by the old lady’s grandson; that’s when the gunfire started. The officers thundered towards them on their horses, cutting down the poor rebels as they passed. Enjolras leaped off the carriage, falling onto the ground. A soldier grabbed him, but with a fist to the face, he was released. Enjolras almost punched the next man who grabbed him, but when seeing it was Grantaire, let him pull him up. With a curt nod Grantaire handed him a gun and disappeared back into the crowd. Enjolras shot any soldier he saw attacking a civilian. The adrenaline pumped through his veins, his breathing was short and heavy, and there was blood already on his hands. Handing Marius the flag, he turned around and addressed his comrades.

“To the barricade!”   


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And we have finally reached the BARRICADES! Woop woop! Well I guess it's exciting, however all us Les Mis fans know what happens at the barricades...oh dear...

Anyways, this is on of my FAVORITE songs so I kinda had to make them sing it :D I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as I did writing it! Please tell me what you think! Also, who's YOUR favourite character?!

-Grantaire/Kat xx

P.S Thinking of changing the title of the story...any suggestions?! :)