Sweet I hear her mournful song;

In spite of their conversations wanting to plan a weekend getaway for themselves, Marius jumps at the chance to get out of the city with Rat following the Founder's Day celebrations. Marius calls Courfeyrac to arrange for the care of their cats and mice; they hail a taxi, winding up at a hotel in the countryside: a quaint, luxurious establishment with an artistically designed pool arranged to blend in with the forest around the hotel, a charming restaurant with a lilac theme, and a cellar where they craft their own beer.

Marius finds them a room with an obscenely-sized bed and a balcony overlooking both the pool and the nature beyond. The atmosphere proves even more alluring with the mixed fragrances of newly blossoming flowers, the scent of wisteria particularly strong.

This vacation is entirely indulgent; they make their way to their room without even stopping in the restaurant. They barely drop their bags on the floor before they're falling into bed together, clothes and limbs tangling together in knots as they give into their passion. They pause only once to order room service.

Eventually, Marius falls asleep, though he doesn't remember the exact moment he does so. The next time he opens his eyes, the sun is filtering through the window, casting the room in a golden light. He stretches, his naked body shifting against the sheets. Marius' eyes open more fully and he glances down at his chest, which tightens as his gaze saunters down the rest of his body.

"Merde!" He swears in a soft voice as he flails and falls off the bed, sheets partly still entwined around him.