The Night That Ends At Last *Les Miserables Romance (Enjolras)*

Chapter 3: In My Life

 (A/N : Brace yourselves...a long chapter of little people has arrived! I just thought of this and HAD to put it in! Enjoy!)

Chapter 3: In My Life

 There are times when I catch in the silence,


The sigh of a faraway song!


And it sings
,

Of a world that I long to see,


Out of reach…


Just a whisper away,


Waiting for me!

 ~~**~~

Paris, July 1824

 8 Years Ago

 The small blonde girl sat, quiet and patient, minding her Papa’s stall in the busy street of St. Riché. She steadily read her tattered book, blocking out the noise of France to concentrate on tales of monsters and magic; her hair falling past her shoulders in a neat plait tied with blue ribbon. Clutching the book near to her face, she lent back in the tall stool, lips pursed as the story deepened, blue eyes wide. The golden loaves were still warm, the heat could be seen radiating in the summer light, their scent drawing in the people as they passed. Her legs swung in a steady rhythm under her simple beige skirt, as she was not tall enough to touch the ground. Every moment she would unconsciously pull at her white top, slowly un-tucking it as the day continued.

All of this was observed from across the street. Hidden by the darkness of the alleyway corner and the fast paced crowd, was a young boy. He watched the baker’s daughter intently with the good childish curiosity that all boys have. For an hour every day, he sat and watched, imagining what she was thinking, what she was reading and what she would say to him…what would she do if she saw him? But, he would never know. He always had to leave and join his friends. Did she have any friends? He never saw any. The girl did not attend the local school (if she did he was sure she’d be in his class) but she could read extraordinarily fast for her age. He knew this because every other day she would finish the book, snapping it shut, and then she would sigh, looking at the cover with content, and finally begin to read again. It was always the same book; he could never get close enough to see what it was called, though he wanted to, so maybe he could buy her a new one. But, the boy was too shy, so he kept to the shadows and watched her instead. He liked her, she was pretty but there was something else about her. Something…something he couldn’t really describe at his age. 

Joleigh hummed a sweet melody as she turned the pages, oblivious to the people watching her. 

There was a beggar girl, a year younger, observing her as well. Her face was dirty, her brown hair knotted and wild. Her clothes were in tatters, the flat hat she wore on her head was the most expensive thing she owned. Truthfully, it wasn’t hers, but neither was the shoulder bag she carried or the contents rattling inside it. In this girl’s world, stealing was the way of life, her parents taught her that. Today was like any other: she was going to steal again. Her baby brother was starving, he mewled throughout the night for food but there was nothing to spare. Her toddler sister was screaming this morning. Bread was perfect. Soft and fluffy, it would be easy for the children to chew and it got rid of hunger fast. The baker was never at his market stall, he kept to his bakery; entrusting the job to his daughter. The street rat saw that the girl was unaware of her surroundings. She kept her stupid nose in her stupid book. The girl wouldn’t even notice if the whole stall disappeared!

When the boy saw the beggar girl move towards the stall, his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. At first, he thought that his friend knew the baker’s daughter…that she was going over to greet her. He was perplexed when she slipped around and behind the stall, unnoticed by the blonde girl. The boy stood, brushing his curly hair out of his face and ran to hide behind a corner closer to the stall. His friend had gone to the opposite side of the stall, her eyes wandering over the variety of bread. Was she going to buy one? No, that wasn’t her style. He knew what the beggar girl was planning. Suddenly, this boy felt very angry; he wanted to protect the book girl.