My Boys of the Barricade {Les Miserables}

Chapter 2: The Mysterious Man in Red

    Clara zoned out as her mother went through the list of party guests for her birthday ball.

  "Then there are the friends of your brother that he wanted to invite... Oh! He's from a very respectable and upper class family! He could be a possible suitor, what about him?" Queen Maria was rattling on and on.

   Clara discreetly rolled her eyes.

 "Oh, there's another respectable family, how about him? Clara?" Queen Maria finally looked up at her daughter.

   "I don't know mother, I haven't met them yet." Clara sighed a little bit.

 "Well, you'll see them on your birthday. It's high time you got married." Queen Maria said. 

   "I know..." Clara went along with what she was saying.

 "Now, where is your sister? I'm supposed to be teaching her some embroidery today..." Queen Maria mused as she stood up gracefully and left the room.

  Clara sighed, standing up and walking towards her vanity table.

 "Is there anything I can help you with, your highness?" A maid asked, coming into the room with a pile of sheets in her hand.

  "Isla, how many times do I have to tell you that when we're alone you're to call me Clara?" Clara pretended to frown but broke out into a smile instead.

  "Apologies, your - I mean, Clara." Isla giggled, "By the way, where were you two days ago? I didn't see you at all during the afternoon." 

   "I went out." Clara replied softly.

  "What?!" Isla spun around to look at the princess.

 Clara, her back to the maid, continued taking off her jewellery. "I went out, into the city." 

   "But your high- I mean Clara, you aren't supposed to go out into the city alone or with out a carriage or anything!" Isla gasped.

   "I know that, but I... I just want to see what it's like out there. And, oh Isla! It's awful. I didn't realise how poor the people were and my father isn't doing anything about it!" Clara finally turned to look at her maid and her best friend.

  "Clara, you have to be careful about what you say... Such words like that can be treason." Isla looked a little nervous.

   "I know, but... I just want to do something to help them! Even though I'm a princess, my power is very limited. What can I do? Even if I tried doing something, it wouldn't be enough to help the all the poor in Paris, never mind the whole of France!" Clara sighed deeply, "I've been doing a lot of sighing today..." She muttered.

  "Well, you'll just have to do your best." Isla tried to reassure her.

  "Thanks Isla, and... could you please help me get out of this gown and into something simpler? I'm going back out into the city." Clara said.

  "You must be mad!" Isla gasped, "What if you get caught this time?" 

 "I won't." Clara assured her.

    Isla sighed, "You must be mad, I must be mad..." 

~*~

   Clara, wearing the same thing she wore two days ago, walked along the poorer streets of Paris, handing out food that the chefs of the palace were more than happy to provide.

  "You're most kind, mademoiselle! Merci!" A lady had thanked her after Clara handed her some food.

  As Clara went around giving food to as much of the poor as she could, she caught sight a man wearing a red jacket doing the same thing, handing out food but also blankets.