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The seas can be a hard place to navigate, especially whenever you are a woman captain in disguise. Eponine always made it work somehow. Ever since she was little, her parents sent her away in breeches and shirts, dressed as a boy. She did not mind so much. She got to shoot guns and cannons. Rising up the ranks on her father’s ship, Eponine grew rather distant and drifted apart. Her family were petty sea thieves and she strived for more. So one evening, the young girl set off on her own. Taking some stolen goods with her, she started making a name for herself.
No one knew who she was. Taking on a different name, a new identity. It was not easy, forging papers and learning how to deepen her voice but she soon learnt. No responsible sailor would have a woman onboard so she took on the disguise of a man. She had the experience and know-how about ships to impress the most prestigious sailors and soon she was earning money. Good money, money that a year later she invested in her own ship. It was an old ship but still in working order. She managed to persuade a number of her crewmates to join her and they set off by themselves, christening the ship Sappho.
It was not too long before Eponine began getting work, mostly transport missions, transporting goods from France to America. She knew the ocean and knew that although the ocean was dangerous, other ships were more dangerous. People are unpredictable, so she kept her head down. This was her trying to make an honest living for herself and it was working until one day an encounter changed her life.
Eponine’s eyes gazed upon the dockside. The port was just as popular and bustling as ever yet it stayed similar since the last time she was here. She was here to collect a shipment from the infamous Captain Valjean. The sea captain who made his riches and then retired from sea. An action Eponine could not understand. How one could live on land after so long sailing the world. It did not make sense.
Cosette gazed out her dockside window watching the coming and goings of this vessel, amused by it’s name The crew was small yet efficient. Their captain seemed young, not like the other captains Cosette had observed. The word on the street was that he turned up out of nowhere but showed courage and skill of a well experienced seaman.
She sighed wistfully. It was a long time since the last time she had been out on sea. Her father retired and took up to managing the ships and goods instead of being on one. A shift that Cosette thought boring but she would never tell her adoptive father of her worries. He did it for her after all. Sailing always peaked her curiosity. Whenever her father was at home, she would sneak on board just to have a feel of a ship. Then one time she got the opportunity of a lifetime to actually work the ship
It was one time. The man who helped Cosette get this opportunity was a family friend. An eccentric old man, Mabeuf would tell Cosette stories of the sea, he gave her some male clothes, taught her how to disguise herself and sent her on her way. He knew that this mission in which her father was going on was not a dangerous one. Safe enough for a lady. So he helped her. The young lass needed some excitement and he was certain she would be alright. He was correct but little did he know that all it did was wet her appetite for the seas.
The word came to Eponine asking her over for supper as she was checking for damage to Sappho. Captain Valjean wished to spend his night educating the young captain on how to become the best he could be. There was also something else playing on the old captain’s mind. Cosette had grown incredibly distant with him the last number of months. After consultations with friends, he came to the conclusion that she was in fact lonely. Ah to be lonely in this world. So tonight, he was going to introduce her to the young captain. The word being that he will one day be successful and rich. A good companion for Valjean’s dear daughter.
Eponine would usually decline such invitations. She never knew how to act in the private company of men. However she could not refuse the man. He wished to discuss her journey, it was partially business and she could not turn down business. She would also admit that she was wildly curious about this old man and his life.
Eponine entered the parlour expecting just to see an old man alone, but instead she was encountered by a young lady. A young beautiful lady, she would happily add to the description.
“Oh! You must be the Captain of Sappho! Papa has been speaking so much of you and your ship! What a name, must I add! I am a fan of Sappho myself! I am sure you have many stories to tell”. There was so much excitement and enthusiasm in this young woman’s voice. “How rude of me not to introduce myself, I am Cosette, Captain Valjean’s daughter.”
Ah, so this is the daughter people have been speaking of. No wonder they have been speaking. And for her to add that she was also interested in Sappho, Eponine could hardly stop a blush.
As the night drew on, Cosette’s curiosity of this young gentleman grew imensely. There was something incredibly familiar about the way he was dressed, how he was speaking, how he was holding himself. Cosette caught herself staring at his face over and over. It was just so young, soft. Never before did Cosette feel like this about a man her papa introduced to her. They were usually older, more friends to her Papa than company to her. She had begun to see every man as an uncle or brother to her. But this young captain was different, he was interested in her, interested in her stories, letting her speak openly and freely, an action many men would not let her do. She felt comfortable with Eponine so Valjean allowed it not that he would ever restrict but during the night, it was he would fetched the drinks and food.
It was not until right before the end of the night when it clicked why Cosette was so familiar and comfortable with this person because once she was this person. This captain was not a man as she originally thought; as her father thought, and most people around her. It was not her manner that gave her away or her voice but her chest. Cosette herself looked exactly the same whenever she was aboard the ship she snuck upon. The captain’s bosom which was expertly concealed along with the captain’s fair complexion gave it away. Their cheeks that would sometimes flush red.
She had to do something. It was tempting to yell right there, to reveal who this person might actually be but Cosette knew it was not her place to say. So she instead wrote a note when gathering the Captain’s coat.
As she kissed the captain’s cheek before they left, she leant in, slipping the note into their pocket making sure that Eponine knew it was there.
Baffled by what Cosette could have slipped into her pocket, Eponine quickly opened the door making her exit. “I will.., I will see you tomorrow, Valjean…. Cosette”
It took Eponine a few moments to collect herself to read the note. She had not seen the young girl write a letter. Eponine read it and her heart started racing. “I know who you are. Meet me on the pier at 1am tonight. Cosette.” There was only one thing that Cosette could know about but she hoped that it was not it. Surely such a kind, gentle young lady would not blackmail but could she leave it to chance?
Eponine had no choice but to go. If she didn’t, Cosette could start spreading the rumour, everyone would find out.
But trying to nip the rumour in the bud was not the only reason for Eponine going. She was curious, curious about this woman who saw right through her disguise when so many others could not. Eponine would have a hard time accepting it but she wanted to be there. She wanted for Cosette to know her secret. Perhaps this was a blessing that this young lady knew who she was.
Eponine slowly made her way to the pier. At the distance she could make out Cosette, staring out into the ocean, her hair loose and blowing in the gentle breeze. It was a warm night as it mostly was here during the summer.
“Captain! You came.” Cosette said whenever she heard the soft footsteps behind her. She knew this was not going to be an easy conversation to have but yet she needed to have it nonetheless. “I did not know if you were going to show, I meant no harm with my note, it might have sounded threatening but I meant no harm”. She turned to face the Eponine, studying Eponine’s face. “You do not have to hide from me. I know who you are or should I say what you are.” She spoke so softly, gently; “It must be hard for you, to be the only of your kind. To be surrounded by men. But I would like you to know. You are not alone. There are others out there just like you.”
The panic was in Eponine’s chest. Her heart was fluttering, her stomach a stormy reassuring? “Cosette… I… I can explain-” but before she could even finish, there was a glimmer in Cosette’s eye when she suddenly exclaimed.
“Take me with you. Please just take me with you!”. Why the desperation Eponine thought, was there something wrong? “I want to go… I want to experience the sea again. The wind in my hair, the smell of the sea air. Please Eponine. I do not need an explanation why you do what you do. I just
need to get out of here. It’s so awfully boring and dull. I crave adventure again, Eponine, you can help me. You just need to get me out.”
This was not what Eponine was expecting at all. The reaction was sudden, strange. This lady begged Eponine to take her with her for a life on the ocean. Does she know what she’s asking for?
And before Eponine could even think about what Cosette would do if she did not take her, she uttered the words “fine, okay.” to which Cosette replied by just throwing herself into Eponine’s arms in such glee.