Courfeyrac and the Several Amis: A Les Mis AU

Chapter 3

Courfeyrac waltzed into Madame's room, where the mirror was waiting. "Jehan, you won't believe what happened today!"

The mirror rippled suddenly, and Jehan's face appeared in the glass. "What happened, Courfeyrac?" they asked, sounding tired.

"What's wrong?" Courfeyrac asked.

"Nothing," Jehan yawned, resting their elbows on the frame, "Your stepmother doesn't know how hard I have to work to see the things I can see in my mind. But what happened? I want a story!" They sounded much brighter now, and the mirror was glowing.

"So, you know how I told you my mother had a wishing well?" Jehan nodded. "I tried it out today."

"What did you wish for?" Jehan asked excitedly.

"Well, I thought I wouldn't try something that wasn't treacherously horrible, in case it does work. So I wished for something silly." Courfeyrac blushed. "I wished for a handsome prince to come visit."

"A prince came to the castle?" Jehan was ready to pop the glass with excitement. "What was he like? Was he as handsome as you hoped?"

"Handsomer, he has glasses," Courfeyrac sighed.

"Of course he does!" Jehan said, laughing, "Because he's your prince! You're meant to be!"

Courfeyrac smiled. He loved spending time with Jehan, and not just because they shared the same attractions to people. He could talk about anything and it made some sense. "And he's really smart, and he's so sweet, too. I asked him to come by again sometime, and--"

"Yes?" Jehan was so excited, their cheeks were flushed pink and their eyes were sparkling.

"He gave me a kiss on the forehead and agreed to come back!" Courfeyrac announced with a giggle. He figured the kiss was enough excitement, he didn't need to bring up the patch. He could tell them later.

"He kissed you?" Jehan squealed, but Courfeyrac hushed them.

"Not so loud! She's going to hear you!" He laughed, and Jehan shrugged.

"Sorry, we never get to talk about royals, especially the handsome ones. They're always either too interested in girls, or boys, or they're already with someone else. I want a partner doesn't care about gender. Oh, I've been meaning to ask you... your Stepmother hired a new huntsman. Do you know if he's..."

"I can find out if he's single," Courfeyrac answered. He always knew what it was his friend wanted to know. "What's his name again? Parsnips?"

"I only caught that he's really handsome," Jehan said, blushing. "Speaking of which, you haven't told me what your charming prince was named."

"His name is Combeferre," Courfeyrac replied, plopping into a chair, "And he told me he actually thinks princes are more interesting than princesses, so I might have a chance."

Jehan sighed from their spot in the mirror. "I wish I could go out and see people. Maybe I could find a prince or princess for myself. You're the only one who talks to me. Does this Prince Combeferre have any younger siblings who are single and ready for mingling?"

Courfeyrac shrugged. "I don't know, but I can find out, maybe." A noise was heard out in the hall. "I should probably go," he said, backing away, and Jehan waved sadly.

"Remember to come back tomorrow night!" they called after him.

Madame stood at her mirror the next day, looking triumphantly at her reflection. Jehan's focus was split with her and the very handsome man behind her, who was leaning casually in the doorway, smoking a pipe, a black top hat fashionably placed on his head. Honestly, Jehan was more watching the man behind her than Madame. He was much more interesting.

"All right, Highness, what'd you call me for?" he asked smoothly. Jehan wondered how anyone could stand to have that perfect voice. It's like cream cheese on a bagel. Well, they were really wondering how anyone could stand to be that perfect in general.

"Well, Montparnasse--" That's what his name was! "--I have called you, my most faithful hunter, to go out and hunt for me." Madame adjusted a bit of hair.

Montparnasse rolled his eyes. "No, I thought you called me here to polish the mirror for you. Don't you have someone already to do things like that? You're the queen and all." He took a closer look at the mirror, squinting. "Is there something in there, or am I just seeing things?"

Jehan froze as Madame Thenardier explained, "It's a magic mirror, so there is a person inside. They can see what's happening in all the parts of the kingdom. See for yourself."

Montparnasse stalked over to the mirror and made eye contact with Jehan, who blushed. "Fascinating."

"Hello, sir," Jehan said with a giggle. They weren't sure how to flirt, but they hoped Montparnasse didn't mind. They also hoped Madame didn't make them use their powers while he was here, because if anything was certain, it was that they would not be able to keep their attention on the task at hand.

Montparnasse's face softened a bit as he said, "You're a pretty little flower, aren't you? How long have you been in there?"

"I... uh... hm..." Jehan suddenly felt like they had forgotten how to configure words, let alone sentences. They shrugged. They were quietly studying Montparnasse's face, watching a little smile creep forward.

"Forget just pretty, you're absolutely adorable," he said, and Jehan flushed even brighter, and Montparnasse reached out a hand, and Jehan tried to accept it through the glass, but couldn't get through. The young man on the outside bowed, pretending to have taken the hand, and attempted to kiss it through the glass, and Jehan laughed. They hadn't ever had a gentleman--or anyone, for that matter--do that before.

Madame ruined the very sweet moment by saying, "So, Montparnasse, I want you to go out and kill Courfeyrac for me."

Montparnasse jolted. "Your stepson?"

"What other crazy person other than my late husband would name their child something stupid like Courfeyrac? Just take him out to the woods somewhere and do it," Madame explained, as if it was nothing, like making a pie. "And I want a heart as proof that you did it."

"So let me get this clear; you want me to go out in the woods, shank your stepson, then tear out his heart and bring it to you?" Montparnasse said, frowning. "That's a pretty graphic request, don't you think? What are you even going to do with it? Eat it? Because that is disgusting."

"I thought you told me you weren't soft," Madame said, narrowing her eyes at the young man.

"I'm not soft," he snapped back, "I'm just saying. Doesn't that give the kingdom the wrong idea about you? That you're a killer?" Montparnasse rubbed his eyes in bored way and shook the remaining soot out of his pipe into the fireplace.

Madame put her arm around Montparnasse's shoulders, saying slyly, "What they don't know, they don't fuss about. Besides, it's your head they'll be after, not mine."

"Don't touch me, this is my nice jacket." The young man squirmed out of her arms. "You know, if you're going to hire an evil henchman, you might as well know that you aren't supposed to tell them if they're going to be the one getting the blame. What do I get out of this, anyway, other than another warrant for my arrest?"

"Ten Napoleons," Madame answered. That'll get him.

Montparnasse, however, shook his head. "Forty, at least. You're asking for me to kill a royal, a young one at that," he explained, "Sorry, that's business for you."

"Fine," Madame sighed, and they shook on it.

"No!" Jehan cried, feeling betrayed. They watched helplessly as Montparnasse left the room. "But he was so nice..." There was no way for them to warn Courfeyrac in time.