Post by EPONINE THENARDIER on Nov 20, 2013 21:13:18 GMT -5
The first fire fight had been chaos, complete and absolute. The smoke and the fire and the din of gunshots echoing off the walls of the buildings around the barricade created the illusion that the enemy was everywhere at once. More than once, Eponine had lost sight of Combeferre and Marius. In her mad dash to locate them again, she was certain she'd put herself in more harm than she otherwise would have needed. Scrambling between loading guns for the students and watching to be sure those two stayed relatively safe, she had exhausted herself by the time the soldiers had retreated. Following the shouted orders of the others, she helped load the rifles again and store the barrels of powder back inside, out of the drizzling rain that had begun to fall.
All the while, she kept her head down and her coat drawn close around her. The bindings of her chest had begun to loosen in the chaos and Eponine knew one wrong move could give her away. Sure there were other girls at the barricade, assisting however they could, but Eponine needed to do more than just assist. She was there to protect, to see to it that both Marius and Combeferre made it through the bloody revolution unscathed. She owed them that much at least.
Finally when the last barrel was stowed and the students looked to be settling in for the evening, Eponine slipped away, down a short dark alley. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she threw off her coat and hat and pulled up the hem of her shirt. Just as she feared, her bindings were almost free, ready to betray her to her friends. Hurriedly, she gripped the fabric, pulling it tighter and tighter around her, until she felt as though she would never get a breath. Her eyes darted down to the street over and over, praying no one would find her. At best they would know it was her and relegate to watching from the sidelines. At worst they may take her for the enemy and shoot first. Regardless, she knew she had to hurry. Tying off the end, Eponine reached for her hat and coat laying on a pile of crates against the wall when she heard a sound from mouth of the alley. Clamoring as fast as she could, she donned the tattered coat again and tried to stuff her hair back up into her hat, cursing each loose strand that fell out again.
All the while, she kept her head down and her coat drawn close around her. The bindings of her chest had begun to loosen in the chaos and Eponine knew one wrong move could give her away. Sure there were other girls at the barricade, assisting however they could, but Eponine needed to do more than just assist. She was there to protect, to see to it that both Marius and Combeferre made it through the bloody revolution unscathed. She owed them that much at least.
Finally when the last barrel was stowed and the students looked to be settling in for the evening, Eponine slipped away, down a short dark alley. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she threw off her coat and hat and pulled up the hem of her shirt. Just as she feared, her bindings were almost free, ready to betray her to her friends. Hurriedly, she gripped the fabric, pulling it tighter and tighter around her, until she felt as though she would never get a breath. Her eyes darted down to the street over and over, praying no one would find her. At best they would know it was her and relegate to watching from the sidelines. At worst they may take her for the enemy and shoot first. Regardless, she knew she had to hurry. Tying off the end, Eponine reached for her hat and coat laying on a pile of crates against the wall when she heard a sound from mouth of the alley. Clamoring as fast as she could, she donned the tattered coat again and tried to stuff her hair back up into her hat, cursing each loose strand that fell out again.
