Ink and Insurrection || Enjolras

01. New friends

Paris, France
1831

        The train pulled into the station with the sound of it's horn and the passengers began piling off, some rushing out of the station and some stopping to meet family or friends which had come to greet them. Among these passengers were Jo and Amelie. The two sisters carried their trunks which held their belongings and they began their journey to find an apartment in which they could move into.
        Their walk was long and eventually they arrived in a small area named Saint-Michel. They began their search for a place to stay and that's when the stumbled across a café called the Musain.
        The sisters found their way inside and waited by the bar when an older woman came up to them. She wore an apron over her dress and she had a bonnet over her greying hair.
        "Evening, dearies, what can I get ya?" She asked, her accent was harsh, but her tone was welcoming and motherly.
        Jo was the first to speak up, "Have you any idea of a place to stay? My sister and I arrived in an hour ago and we've been searching for an apartment."
        The woman smiled and said, "I do happen to know where there is a well priced, two bedroom apartment. Here, I'll walk you there."
        "Oh, it's no worries, you can just tell us. We don't want to disturb you from your work." Jo offered the woman a smile but she was adamant on walking them.
        "Nonsense, I have plenty of help." The woman informed one of her barmaids that she was heading out and grabbed her shawl from the coat hanger, "I'm Madame Huchelop, but you can call me Madame H."
        "Nice to meet you, I'm Josephine, but you can call me Jo, and this is my sister Amelie." Jo introduced herself and her sister as they walked beside Madame H.
        "So what brings you to Paris, dearies?" The woman asked them as she turned down a new street.
        "I write stories and I wish to publish them. I thought if I came to Paris, there would be more in store for me. Besides, I needed a change of scenery." Jo told the woman, "Amelie offered to accompany me so we came together."
        Madame H offered a kind smile and stopped in front a small building, "I won't be a minute, I just need to retrieve the key."
        She disappeared inside the small building and came out with two keys, "I rent out apartments across from my house here, it's just that building there." She pointed to a three story building about two houses down from hers, "I only ask for 3 sous a year."
        Jo smiled brightly and so did Amelie as they nodded, "That's perfect, thank you Madame H!"
        The woman smiled and led them to the building where she took them to the third floor, when she unlocked the door, the sisters both looked round. The room wasn't anything special, but it was perfect. There was a small kitchen which also had a table inside which seated two. Just across from there was a living room which contained a small sofa, one armchair and a chaise lounge. In the corner of the living room held a bookshelf beside a desk. The bedrooms were at the back, side by side. They were small but they contained a bed and a wardrobe and that's all the girls needed.
        They smiled and turned to Madame H, "It's perfect, we'll take it." Amelie told the woman and reached into her purse, retrieving 3 sous.
        She handed the money to Madame H and she handed them the keys. The woman told them they were welcome at the Musain any time and they thanked her. With that, she left and they began unpacking.
        Soon, the wardrobes were filled and the desk had Jo's diaries and papers piled up on it.
        They sat down in the living room and smiled at one another, "I can't believe we're here." Jo said to Amelie.
        "I'm proud of you, Jo." Amelie told her sister, "But, we should get some rest."
        So that's what they did. They resided to their rooms and they slept until morning.

****

        The following morning, Jo awoke to find Amelie still asleep in her bed. The blonde girl quickly wrote a note and grabbed a basket, heading out to buy some pastries for breakfast.
        When she arrived at the stall, she found there to be a cue so she quickly joined behind a young gentleman. He turned around and noticed the girl so he smiled down at her.
        "Hello." He said and she was taken aback by this, having not expected the man to be so friendly, "I'm Marius. I haven't seen you here before, did you just move here?"
        "Yes," Jo nodded, "My sister and I arrived last night, this lady at the Musain sold us an apartment."
        The boy nodded, "I'm at the Musain quite often actually. You should come by tonight and meet my friends, they'd be happy to have you."
        Jo smiled at him, "I'd love to, can I bring my sister?"
        "Of course, we meet there every evening around 4." Marius smiled as they reached the end of the line, he placed his loaf of bread on the counter and handed the baker his money.
        Jo smiled and put her croissants and bread on the counter, also handing the baker her money, "Well, I will see you later then, monsieur Marius."
        With that, Jo left to tell Amelie of the new friend she made.
        When she got home, she called out her sisters name and Amelie appeared in her bedroom doorway.
        "Oh, Amelie," Jo's voice was filled with excitement as she placed her basket down, "I made a friend and he invited us to the Musain with him at 4 tonight. He said him and his friends would love to have us there and I accepted the invite."
        Amelie picked up a pastry and bit into it, "I think it's a lovely idea. I'll plan my outfit now."
        Amelie once again, disappeared into her room and so did Jo.