Colour of Despair {Les Miserables}

Chapter Six

"Mama can you show me how to play the piano?" Eponine asked me. I looked up from where I was sitting at the instrument and smiled at her.

"It takes a lot of patience and concentration, my darling." I said. She came over and tapped one of the keys. 

"What were you playing?"

"I was playing All the Pretty Little Horses, your lullaby."

"Can you sing it for me?" She asked.

"I don't know, can you go to sleep?" I replied. She nodded and ran over to her little bed. Once she was under the covers I sat next to her and began to sing.

"Hush a bye, don't you cry, Go to sleep little baby, When you wake, you shall have, All the pretty little horses." I sang.

"Where did you learn that song?" She asked.

"From your grandmother." I replied.

"Black's and bays, dapples and greys, Go to sleep little baby."

"Mama will you sing that song to the baby?" I asked, as she brushed through my hair.

"Of course I will. And you're going to help me, aren't you?"

"Yes mama."

"Hush a bye, don't you cry, Go to sleep little baby."

"Helena?" I looked up and saw Felix standing in the room, Azelma nestled in his arms.

"Yes?"

"I want to help you put the children to bed." He said uncertainly.

"Are you serious? You actually want to help me?" I said. I was genuinely quite surprised. This was the fist time he had ever offered to help me with anything, including our daughters.

"Yes. The inn is empty tonight and you could use some extra help."

"Thank you, Felix." I said.

"Um, I don't really know what to do."

"Just put Azelma into the bed and pull the covers up to her chin." I chuckled.

"Oh, right. Of course." He said, placing her down as carefully as possible. "Now what?"

"We read a story to them." I laughed. He started looking around for a book to read them, making the two girls laugh.

"Mama makes up a story, Papa." Eponine said. "We only use our books to learn how to read."

"Oh, I see." Felix said.

"Look, I'll start us off and you can join in where you think necessary." I suggested. "Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a king and a queen."

"Um, the king and Queen lived in a large, erm, palace in Paris City." Felix added.

"What's Paris, Papa?" Eponine asked.

"Paris is a large city a couple of miles away. I'll take you there some day." I promised.

"But why is it in the story? What's so special about it?"

"Well, that's where the king lives. He has a huge palace there." Felix added.

"What else is there, Papa?" Eponine said.

"Erm, well there's a large cathedral called Notre Damm and a huge street for the rich called the Champs Eleese. Oh, and a large prison called the Bastille."

"I want to go there. It sounds amazing." Eponine said excitedly.

"Perhaps you will go, one day." I said. "Now, I think you should get to sleep. Azelma is already in dream land."