Once Upon a French Moon

Once Upon a French Moon~ Chapter 1

"Authors note: welcome readers enjoy the wonderful, yet twisted fanfic I have for you I am truly sorry but here is the first chapter of- Once Upon a French Moon....."

Pain. Grief. Death. War. It's all a part of me, but I forget those parts when I feel the searing cold alcohol fall down my throat. My nights are mostly spent at bars scattered around town, drinking away memories and feelings, feeling the alcohol numbing all of my pain. Every night was the same, bars kicking me out once I ran out of money and then I would turn to gambling to earn the money I lost back. Every night since the war and me getting kicked out of France was the same.......until one night. It was a warm August night, the songbirds chirped their summer tunes and the fireflies danced, carefree, in the air. I was at the bar helping myself to a fourth pint of beer, my memories slowly fading one by one. I turned to the bartender and asked, "Can I have another one?" I held up my empty bottle and the bartender turned to me and said in a tired voice, "Are ya' willing to pay for it?" I came up with a quick response, "No, but I'll pay you back as soon as I can!" The bartender rolled his eyes, "No I don't trust the fact you will pay me back Laf, you still owe me 30 dollars from the last time!" I nodded drunkenly and was about to protest when a young woman appeared at my side. I turned my head to look at her from head to toe; she was wearing a simple blue homespun dress and her dark brown hair hung loosely at her shoulders, her dark brown eyes blazed in the candlelight, as she asked, "Do you need help?" I faltered and stuttered, "No, well yes- no..." The young woman shook her head and smiled and laughed softly; there was something about her, that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I turned away from her and said in my most drunken tone, "This man won't let me have another drink!" The annoyed barkeeper rolled his eyes and turned his attention to another customer. "Excuse me, barkeep?" the woman piped up, "I would like to buy this man a drink," she laid the money down and I turned to thank her, but just as quickly as she appeared, the mystery woman was gone. I helped myself to the drink she bought me and couldn't stop thinking about her. When I had finished the drink, I stumbled home and let my mind wander, What was her name? Why was she in the bar? Why would she help me? I walked up the steps and fumbled with the front door and flung myself inside laughing drunkley to myself as I did. I blindly found my way to my room and passed out right then and there on the bed; hoping and praying I wouldn't wake up.

"Up, up up,!" The voice of a woman pierced through the air. I felt someone smack me with a pillow. Light streamed in from a window and I groaned and put the pillow over my head. Peggy. Peggy Schuyluer was the only friend I had in the world, the rest of my friends deemed me hopeless and left me behind, not Peggy though, she stuck by my side through thick and thin. "Come on the world doesn't wait for you Gilbert!" "Don't call me that!" I snapped as she pulled the pillow off my head and smacked me with it. I groaned again, this time with more attitude. "You've slept long enough now get up and go take a bath!" Peggy threw clothes at my face as I groggily sat up and made my way to the washroom where she had already drawn a bath. "Listen, I told you before Peggy, I don't need help!" I said irritably. "No, I know, I'm not here to help you, I'm here to murder you," she said playfully. I rolled my eyes and said, "You wouldn't-" "I will if you don't get into that bath" she responded sassily. "How'd you get in here anyway?" I asked as I grabbed a towel. Peggy shrugged, "The door was unlocked," I laughed a little and said, "You can't just barge into people's homes like that!" Peggy looked up from what she was doing and responded, "But I can, my father owns this place, remember?" I closed the bathroom door in her face, which felt oddly satisfying; don't get me wrong I love Peggy as my friend, but sometimes she can be so....exhausting. However, if it weren't for Peggy, I wouldn't have a home to begin with. She convinced her father to let me stay in the house they weren't using, and she was the only one in my life who didn't pity me, not there was anyone else who would anyway. I took my time in the bath and then drained the water and climbed out, dried off, and got dressed. I walked out into the kitchen only to find Peggy rushing around adding the finishing touches to breakfast. "Quite the feast," I said jokingly and laughed a little. Peggy laughed, "Oh please, this is just something Angelica taught me," "Oh, so she remembers you exist?" I teased. Peggy rolled her eyes and laughed again, "Of course my sisters remember I exist...sometimes." She set the table and put the food on the plates and sat down. I toyed with my food for a little while then said, "How are you and Mr. Van Ruessler doing?" Peggy's smile faded at the topic and began to toy with her food too, "We had....a disagreement...." I took a big bite of food and responded, "What about?" Peggy just shook her head and said, "Don't talk with your mouth full." She sighed and added, "The original reason we came to New York was for a business trip, but I came to New York to see a friend who needed help." She paused and looked deep in thought before continuing, "Stephen says it's time to go back home down in South Carolina, but I want to stay up in New York to continue helping my friend." I thought for a moment and said, "Can't Stephan go home and you stay up here?" "No," she responded quickly and put her hand on her belly, "I'm expecting, and Stephen wants me close by his side at all times," I choked on my water that I was drinking, "You're having a baby?!" She nodded and smiled, "Congratulations!" I added and gave her a hug and we both laughed. After a few moments of silence I put my hand on hers and said, "How about this....I talk to Stephen and see if I can convince you and him to stay longer?" Peggy gasped happily and hugged me exclaiming, "Oh, you would do that for me, thank you, thank you thank you!" I laughed and hugged her back and said happily, "De rien!" I picked up our plates and brought them to the sink for washing. Peggy, being the ball of energy she usually is, popped up from her seat at the table and said, "I must go to my friends house for tea now, you are welcome to join me because Lord knows you need the exercise," I gasped, pretending to be offended but put my shoes and cloak on and followed her out the door. The warm summer morning air touched my skin as I followed Peggy on the way to her friend's house. I took a deep breath and listened to the birds singing, and swooping through the trees looking for food to bring back to their babies. I let my mind wander and was thinking about all I had lost when Peggy's sharp voice reminded me to focus and keep up. After a little walking we stopped at a shabby looking house covered in cobweb and dust, and a not-so-steady looking porch. I looked concerned at Peggy but she just marched up to the door and knocked while I trailed a few steps behind her. A woman opened the door, and to my surprise the same woman from last night. I panicked wondering if I should just introduce myself or if I should tell Peggy we know each other. Without thinking I said, "Hello, miss, my name is Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette-" Before I could say anything else Peggy elbowed me in the ribs and said, "And nobody has time to say that, Laf this is Maria; Maria this is Laf" I nodded courteously, "It's a pleasure to meet you Maria-" I examined Maria and I noticed she was wearing a simple white dress with a white shawl wrapped around her shoulders, as I looked more closely, I saw the bruises, cuts and scars, that zigzagged up and down her arms and some on her face too. I gulped at the sight, and looked down at the ground. "Are you joining us for tea?" Peggy asked, as she noticed I wasn't joining her inside. "No," I said simply, "I should be heading home, thank you for the walk Peggy, and it was a pleasure to meet you Maria; Au revoir." "Same to you" Maria responded quietly, she smiled quietly and began to talk to Peggy all the while glancing at me every now and then as I walked down the avenue, finding myself glancing back at her too. I thought about Maria on the walk back from home, once more my mind was filled with hundreds of questions about her, Where did those bruises come from? Who did this to her? Why hasn't anybody done anything about it yet? I sighed and looked up from the road and saw a bar across the street. I paused and stared at it, wondering if I should go inside, but something was different. My feet stayed glued to the ground as my mind told me to go inside. Instead, I continued to walk past the bar- something I wouldn't have done before. Something inside me has changed and I don't know what.