Never Say Die: The Life of Élodie Thénardier (Les Misérables Fan Fiction)

Chapter 2 - Mes Nouveaux Amis

The carriage jolted to a sudden stop and my heart leapt in my chest. For a moment I thought that I had fallen off but was relieved to see we had reached the walls of Paris. There seemed to be a bit of commotion up ahead. Police were checking for people's papers and examining the people inside the carriages. They seemed to be looking for somebody. I peeked around the side of the carriage and saw a stern looking man on a horse looking around. He wore a blue official outfit that some police wore and a hat. I quickly hid back behind the carriage. What was I to do? If he found me with no papers he'd surely send me back to the inn.

The left hand carriage door creaked open slowly and the man and Cosette crept out unnoticed. It was time to let myself known. I would need his help sneaking into Paris. As they ran to the wall I followed quietly. The man lifted Cosette in and then followed himself. He still hadn't noticed me but he seemed distracted. He was running from something or someone. I climbed quickly up the slippy rocks and then pulled my bag up behind me. It was a cold night and the air bit at my skin.

"VALJEAN."

The sudden yell ripped though the air and for a slight moment I felt fear throughout my body. I calmed quickly as I realised it wasn't my name that was being called. If I split up from the man then I'd be safe. For now though there was only one way I could go so I followed briskly through the tight alleys.

"Monsieur," I gasped as I finally caught up with them. He was untying a rope from a light. His eyes widened when he saw me.

"Élodie?" he asked. I was surprised he remembered my name but glad he recognised me.

"Yes Monsieur," I replied. "I'm a stowaway and I'm not going back to my father's inn no matter what you say or do. I can survive on my own. I only need your help getting into Paris. After that we can go our separate ways."

"Oh." The man was taken aback but nodded. He took my hand in his free one and pulled Cosette and I through the darkness.

The chase went on for a bit. The man on the horse was close on our tail and there were many moments when I thought that we were goners. But the man was quick and clever and he kept us all safe. Now I lay down flat beside him on the roof of a building with my bag clutched close to my chest. I didn't dare breath. It was so silent that I could hear the other man's footsteps below as he came to a dead end. He let out a roar of annoyance and pure anger before turning on his heels and leaving.

I finally exhaled and sat up. The man seemed slightly relieved but he knew he still wasn't safe. I on the other hand felt it was time for us to part.

"I think I can take care of myself from here Monsieur," I decided as he and Cosette stood and dusted themselves off. The man nodded but didn't seem happy about it.

"Are you sure you can make it alone?" he asked concerned.

He wanted to keep me too. I could feel it. Though it was sweet it wasn't the life I wanted.

"I have family here Monsieur," I lied but my confidence threw him and Cosette, who knew I was lying, off. "I plan to live with them."

"Very well," he said. "You seem to have it all planned out. Just to be safe, take this."

I hadn't even noticed that he was hiding things in his jacket. He pulled out a gorgeous silver candle stick and handed it to me. The bar was cold in my hand and was heavier than I had expected.

"Merci mille fois, Monsieur!" I gasped in shocked and awe. "I cannot take this. It is too good." The man laughed.

"I have two," he said and crouched down in front of me. "I want you to know one thing before you go. If you need me I'll be around. I don't suspect you're the type to depend on others so I don't expect to see you again but I just wanted you to know anyway."

I nodded glad that I would always have someone to fall back on though I didn't plan on seeing the kind gentleman again.

"Merci Monsieur," I said finally as I turned to go the opposite way. "For everything. Au revoir to you both."

"A bientot I hope," Cosette said softly speaking for the first time. I nodded and jumped off the part of the roof I was on to a lower part.

I decided to stay on the roofs that night. I felt the streets weren't safe especially when I was carrying around so much money. I was now rich beyond my own understanding but I really hadn't planned this far ahead and was lost when it came to what to do next. The best thing I could do for now was sleep. When morning came hopefully some new ideas would accompany it.

As I lay on my back watching the stars I noticed another person standing on a roof not so far away. I crouched as low as I could but still peeked up to listen to what he was saying and to watch him. I was the same man who had been chasing us earlier. His face was not one I was ever likely to forget.

(Song: Stars - Javert)

"There, out in the darkness, a fugitive running, fallen from God, fallen from grace," the man sang.

Then it hit me and I was surprised I hadn't realised earlier. The man who had helped me had spoken of how danger followed him. The man singing now was that danger and that was why he was running. Maybe I shouldn't have trusted him but I still felt that I could.

"Stars, in your multitudes, scare to be counted filling the darkness with order and light," he continued and I smiled. The stars were beautiful tonight. I gave him that.

I could feel my eyes closing but I didn't want to fall asleep for many reasons. I didn't want to be vulnerable. I didn't want to be caught. I wanted to hear what else this man had to say. I wanted to know more of the mysterious man who took Cosette. There was so much I wanted to know and hear and do but I couldn't. Involuntarily my eyes fluttered shut and I was wrapped in a blanket of dreams. I dreamed of my father and Éponine. They were crying. They knew I was gone and thought I was dead. I cried in my sleep a little too but I didn't know whether I was happy or sad.

* * *

I was awoken by the bright sunlight in my eyes. It was a beautiful day in Paris and many sounds filled my ears. I could hear birds singing, people chatting and children playing. I could smell freshly baked bread and flowers and I knew I was in a better off part of Paris. I looked down onto the streets below and saw three boys about my ages sitting by a wheelbarrow with a book.

I left my bag where it was presuming it would be okay and began to climb down the side of the old building. When I got down the boys were still there but were now having a tug-o-war match with the book.

"Hello!" I said loud enough for them to hear me but soft enough so that no one else did. The boys all stopped instantly and turned in my direction.

"Hello," one said. He had dark brown curls and a big toothy grin. He seemed to be a bit of a leader. "I'm Courfeyrac."

"I'm Combeferre!" another one perked up but the last one, who had black curly hair, remained deadly silent. I looked at him and smiled but he just hid further behind the boy named Courfeyrac.

"I'm Élodie," I said with a smile. "What are you reading?"

Now all the boys were silent and embarrassed. Combeferre decided to explain.

"Well I got it from my mother this morning but we're still only learning to read and we don't quite understand it." I was delighted. It was the perfect way for me to make friends.

"I could read it to you if you'd like," I suggested and held out my hand to take the book. Courfeyrac handed it over eagerly.

I looked at the blue book and smiled. It was one I had at home.

"Tales for Children from Faraway Lands," I read with confidence. The boys all seemed impressed and insisted on hearing a story. I read the first one about a boy and a girl who got lost in a wood. The entire time the other boy didn't say a word. At the end I decided to ask him.

"What's your name?" I asked but he still didn't answer.

"Oh that's Grantaire!" Courfeyrac said. "He doesn't talk much." I nodded but still wanted to get to know him.

"Where do you live Élodie?" Combeferre asked. I frowned a little.

"Nowhere," I answered and explained all about how I ran away from home and now was on my own in Paris.

"That's a really good story," Grantaire whispered and I was surprised but happy that he was warming to me.

The boys all seemed to be thinking for a moment until something come to Courfeyrac. He jumped up and whispered something to Grantaire who nodded once.

"How about you live with Grantaire?" Courfeyrac suggested. "He lives with his father but his father won't mind. He's never there anyway. He's always out drinking. Even I've never met him."

I gave a sorry look to Grantaire who was looking sadly at the ground.

"Can I live with you Grantaire?" I asked hopefully. This couldn't have gone any better.

"Sure," Grantaire whispered and I attacked him with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He blushed dark scarlet and the other two cheered and mocked the whole way back to Grantaire's house after I retrieved my bag.

"Wait 'til you meet the rest of our friends Élodie," Courfeyrac said. "You'll love Enjolras."