Author note - Hello! This is my first Les Miserables fan fiction. I cannot express how much that movie means to me, it is so amazing! Please, enjoy this, I am absolutely in love with Grantaire. Based on the 2012 movie, please leave a response and tell me what you think of this c'; thank you!
Prologue:
France, 1823
"Eponine!" Cried the nine-year old Josephine, following behind her older sister.
"Come on, Josephine! Mama and Papa are waiting!" Eponine called to her, walking into her family inn.
"Eponine, come my dear. Where is your sister? Ah, Eponine , Josephine, let me see you. You both look good in those blue hats! Some little girls know how to behave. And, they know what to wear." Their mother, Madame Thenadier, said holding her little girls cheeks. "And I'm saying thank heaven for that!"
Josephine held her older sisters hand as their mother started beckoning her dear friend, Cosette, to go fetch the water alone in the forest.
The Thenadier's where all mean to dear little Cosette, all except Josephine. She saw no need to, they were all a human and she believed each person deserved the same rights as the next. Though, her parents treated Cosette as a slave. Cosette did all the house chores, while also having to take care of the Thenadier's youngest child , a baby boy named Gavorche.
Cosette, being the small scared child, ran off towards the well. The innkeeper, their papa, Monsieur Thenadier awakes from his deep slumber on a bench, drunk, and roared.
"My bands of soaks, my den of dissolutes. My dirty jokes! My away pissed as newts. My sons of whores, spend their lives in my inn!"
Josephine parents were masters of being conartists, her and Eponine had to help fool the rich folks into loosing their belongings if they wanted to eat that night. It surprised the small girl how much their parents could need when their stock room was full with people's things.
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It quieted down in inn that night, Josephine sat at the table awaiting for her friends arrival home. It had been hours since she had last saw her and, she was starting to worry for her small friend. Her parents gave no notice to the blonde haired girls disappearance.
The girl's brown eyes moved towards the door with a bewildered stare. Cosette came into the inn with a tall man next to her. Josephine heaved a heavy sigh as she watched Madame and Monsieur Thenadier try their usual tricks on this innocent man, but it was to no aval.
"Let me take your coat, M'sieur!" Madame Thenadier called to the man.
"Cosette shall live in my protection."
This man was to take away Cosette?
"You are very welcome here!"
"I will not forget my vow!" He continued.
" Take a glass!"
"Take a chair!"
"Cosette shall have a father, now!"
Josephine's Papa turned to his wife having one last trick up his sleeve, "What to do? What to say, shall you take our treasure away?" He held Cosette, and stroked her face. "What a gem! What a pearl! Beyond rubies is our little girl! Lets not haggle for darling Colette!"
"Cosette," Madame Thenardier corrected.
"Cosette- Dear Fantine- gone to rest. Have we done for her child what is best?
I think so. Treated her like she was one of our own!"
Josephine knew that what her papa said to this man about Cosette was a lie. No one in this house but Eponine and herself tried to be nice to her. To Josephine's parents she was a free laborer.
"Your feelings do you credit, sir. And I will ease the parting blow." This gentlemen counted his money, and handed Monsieur Thenadier a wod of cash. "Now may I say, we are agreed? Come Cosette-"
"Wait, m'sieur!" Little Josephine cried, jumping from her seat running to her dear friend. "Can I say goodbye to my dear Cosette?"
The man nodded and Cosette came out from behind him and was pulled into an embrace. "Goodbye, Cosette." Cosette waved one last time to her friend before walking out of the inn, and out of Josephine's life forever.
Monsieur Thenadier grabbed his child by the shoulders and turned her to face him, as much as he loved her and Eponine, he sometimes wished he hadn't had any. They were just more mouths to feed.
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed my sweet Josephine?" Her father said getting lower to her level.
Josephine kept a long glance at her father , "Yes Papa."
He nodded a motion for her to go upstairs.
Once upstairs she ran straight to her and Eponine's room, "She's gone 'Ponine." She whispered to her sisters sleeping form.
