I Predict a Riot (Group Thread)

Dimitri - "Do we really need a riot?"

Henri was surprised that the chance to escape the gilded Fete in the Tulieries Palace came much sooner than he had expected. He had figured it out be hours before his first opportunity came. It might have been an easier, more enjoyable evening if he hadn’t had to worry about slipping out.

But having befriended a girl named Eponine and her sister and another friend of hers when they had helped him search for his monkey, who had gotten lost in the streets of Paris just a couple of weeks before, he had obtained an enthusiastic invitation to the Citizen’s street party. He’d been very excited to attend — until he realized that the party was scheduled for the same one he had come up with which the Chouannerie had already bastardized.

That was how this had all gotten started in the first place. Henri had wanted to host a party for everyone. He had thought a night of being able to forget their cares would help everyone in France bond — at least for a night. Of course, the Chouannerie had dismissed his idea as foolish and immediately put in place, instead, a party for only the aristocracy — which hadn’t been Henri’s plan in the least. It was just going to make things more stratified and the people chafe more than ever to know the aristocracy was having an expensive party when they could barely afford to eat. Henri sighed and shook his head quietly. It was a waste.. why have a party if only that could afford to throw their own parties could attend and it just rubbed it in the other 97% of people’s faces that they couldn’t afford good nutritious food — let alone the kind of extravagance the palace was feasting upon.

But he was trying not to think about all these problems. Quite honestly, the parties were going to happen and people were going to react how they chose. The best he could hope for was just to enjoy himself and that nothing would go seriously wrong. Perhaps he could find a way to do some sort of damage control later on. There was little more he could do in this moment beyond try to enjoy himself at the palace Fete and meet his friends at the street party. And pulling off managing to go to both parties without anyone noticing was going to be enough feat to keep him busy for one night.

His chance to leave the Tulieries party came when someone already having had too much wine tipped over a punch bowl dousing two or three ladies in red, wine laden punch. They screeched and servants ran to try to clean up the mess. Henri found himself next to a tapestry which he well knew led into a hallway which would take him to the stairs by which he’d hidden his clothing for the street party. One thing a boy who lived in a palace was good at was figuring out where every nook and cranny of the place was and learning how to use it to his advantage. He slipped behind the tapestry unnoticed and hurriedly changed clothes with fingers shaking.

He was a little nervous that something might happen at the street party. A bit of him wanted to take Chasse with him in case trouble broke out, but he knew it would foolish. It was possible the dog would be recognized, or at least would reveal him as a member of the Aristocracy. No, the dog was better served safe in Henri’s room. He finished changing. He wore the dress of a safely middle class young man. He was pleased he no longer had to dress like a child. He didn’t feel like one. He’d grown up when he was ten years old.. when he’d become a puppet king. He sighed to himself trying to push away the gloomy thoughts as he dashed through the shadowy halls until he found a door he knew would take him outside. Had he been close to his room he might have made use of the tunnel, but he was afraid to meet someone on the long trek between his quarters and the ball room. No.. this idea was a better one.

He felt like he could breathe again as he burst, panting, into the cold night air. He was only breathless from being nervous someone might see him. It wasn’t exactly for a king to slip away from a party thrown in his honor, after all. But he’d managed it. He felt quite sure with the punch bowl incident and the fact that dinner was over but dancing might not begin for another hour or two.. he could be back before anyone noticed he was gone.

He followed the sounds of the music once he was out of the garden and onto the street. The sounds of the party were jovial, at least for now, and it was hard for him to feel quite as nervous as he did, though the intelligent part of his brain warned him not to get lulled into a false sense of comfort. That couldn’t happen. If he got into trouble here there wouldn’t be anyone to help him out. Nevertheless, the music sounded friendly and the smells of food made his stomach growl even though he’d eaten dinner only an hour before. After all, he was a teenage boy and getting to that time in his life where he could eat and eat and never feel full. He would happily eat more. And from the smell these were new and interesting kinds of food.. not all things he even recognized, which made it all the more fun. And there was the freeing feeling of being just part of a crowd like every other person here rather than someone who stuck out and drew attention. He liked that.

There was a crowd of small children weaving in and out of people’s legs and Henri couldn’t help but find himself wondering where their parents were… or if they had any at all. He stopped long enough to procure some meat on a stick from a table loaded down with food for a little girl who was too shy to ask for it before moving on his way slipping through the throngs of people.

He caught sight of Eponine’s long dark hair before he saw her face. Especially because she was flanked by her sister Azelma whose hair was bright red and curly. “I made it.” He said rather breathlessly as he neared the two girls. “I had to do chores before I left.” He wrinkled his nose. “But they’re done now.” He smiled at the girls a bit.