p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Night had fallen over Paris, bringing with it a chill in the air. Elwen rubbed her hands together, in a feeble attempt to warm them up, huffing over her palms, her breath turning to mist in the cold air./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It was late September, and winter was only just beginning, a few leaves still clinging to the trees. She pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, but it was thin and so did little against the cold. She kept walking, though with no destination in mind. No longer could she earn money on her back, the way she had used to. Before she had been able to earn as much as 20 sous in a night, simply by plastering a smile onto her face and pretending to enjoy whatever her client asked for./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Now, however, with rounded belly, she could not work as she had before. She was no longer alone in her misery, for now she had yet another burden straining on her weary body – though this time, she could not bring herself to think cruelly of it. How could she, when that burden was a child? Her very own child. She could not honestly say who the father was, but she liked to believe it was that ship's captain. He had, at least, been kind and well-bred./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Then she smiled, her usually dulled thoughts taking a much brighter turn, for she realised that the father did not matter at all, because whoever he was, he had no claim on the child inside of her. No, this babe was hers, and hers alone. She rested a hand on her stomach, imagining she could feel movement, despite knowing by the swell of the bump that it was much too early for any such happenings./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Sounds of laughter and singing caught her attention. She turned a few corners, to find herself facing a tavern, a roughly painted sign above the entrance proclaiming it to be 'Chez Thenardier'. Inside, she could see all kinds of people – well, not all kinds. They were all rich enough to drink their lives away, and too poor to afford any place better. She decided to go inside – purchasing drink would at least mean she would be able to sit by a fire for a few minutes. As she walked in, she was met by a couple proclaiming themselves to be the 'best innkeepers in town'. A lie, of course. Even Elwen was not so naive as to think that they weren't like the rest of them – thieves and crooks. Which was why she kept a tight hold on her shawl and money. The wife of the landlord came over at one point, with a drink, and smiled gently, asking, 'You alright, deary?' Elwen had simply nodded, now sitting down by the fire, she rested her eyes for a moment, the warmth lulling her into relaxation./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"When she opened them again, what could have been minutes or hours later, she realised that despite her efforts and intentions walking in to the place, both her shawl and the little money she had was gone./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Merde." She whispered, hardly noticing being ushered out by the landlord, who was quite keen to get rid of her now that she had nothing to offer./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Luckily, by this hour, it was getting light, and with the sun came a little more warmth. Elwen went back to wandering the streets, rubbing her arms to try and stay warm in the absence of her shawl./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"By the time night fell again, however, Elwen was not so optimistic. This time there was more than a simple chill in the air – night had brought with her an icy breeze that chilled Elwen to the bone. She kept walking for as long as she could, but soon enough the hunger and cold slowed her limbs, making every step she took feel as if she was weighed down with lead. /span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"At some point, though she couldn't quite remember when, she had sat down, and before long she lay on the ground, the cold of the floor no longer sharp and biting – instead, she simply felt numb as she curled up./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"***/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Dieu, it was cold. Combeferre thought, shivering as he left his apartment. It was not even October yet, and though there was no snow on the ground, there was a definite frostiness to the cool wind, chilling him even through his coat./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He turned to lock his door behind him before beginning the walk to the Musain. He barely had to think about where to walk now – he made this trip so often now that his legs simply found their way there without him even concentrating. The café had become like a second home to him – in fact, being there was so much more pleasant than simply staying at home, most likely due to the friends that surrounded him./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Of course – it wasn't him that they surrounded, not really. It was Enjolras, their 'fearless leader', as he was affectionately called by everyone save Grantaire, who simply called him 'Apollo'. Combeferre didn't blame them – Enjolras was magnetic enough to keep their group of misfits together, and Combeferre was always by his side. He half smiled to himself, thinking he could already hear the singing from inside the café – which was unsurprising, usually Grantaire or Courfeyrac struck up a tune, and if it was particularly rousing then the sound would often carry into the streets of the city./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He was broken out of his reverie by a rattling cough coming from a shape on the ground on the side of the road. With a closer look, he realised that it was woman – and a heavily pregnant woman at that. Shivers wracked her small form, and he realised that she was without a coat or blanket, and she had curled up on the ground in an attempt to be able to cover her arms with some of the folds of her dress./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"He stooped beside her, carefully reaching out to touch her frail shoulder. "Madame?" He asked quietly. "Are you alright there…?" At his touch, soft though it was, she tensed. At first, she gave no reply, and Combeferre was about to check that she was conscious still when she finally answered with a small voice "'m fine, M'sieur."/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Forgive my imprudence, madame, but I'm afraid you do not look it. Have you somewhere you can go where you can get warm?"/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Please… leave me alone. Even if I strongcould /strongwalk there, I have nowhere to go."/span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Well, I'm on my way to a lovely little café – the Musain? You may know it. It is but a two minute walk from here. Perhaps you would accompany me? You could warm yourself by the fire, have a bite to eat." He offered./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"After all, he could hardly call himself 'un Ami de L'ABC' if he simply did nothing to help this poor woman, Combeferre thought. The others would hardly mind him bringing her along./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"***/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Elwen frowned, looking up at the man who was offering her help. She was a little suspicious – in her line of work, or at least, the line of work that used to be in, men saw her as little more than objects, and certainly not a person to freely give aid to./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""What's the catch?" She asked, sullenly, expecting him to ask for sex, or to cut off her hair, or even her first-born child. She almost snorted out loud at the last one./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""No catch, Madame, I simply wish to help. If you'll let me?" With that, he proffered his hand. It was clean – not a very common sight on the streets of Paris. The man must have some money to his name – or his family's name, at any rate. Elwen was still suspicious, but by now, she was desperate./span/p
p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Not for herself, but more for the child who grew inside of her, who she already felt she had such a bond with, who she already cared so much for. And, as if having read her mind, the man continued. "This cold cannot be good for the child, Madame."/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"At that, Elwen nodded, and took his hand. The young man pulled her up to her feet. Once she stood up, he removed his coat and wrapped it around her, before placing his arm around her back, surreptitiously taking as much of her weight as he could, short of physically lifting her up and carrying her. He then begun to walk, taking each step in tandem with her./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Now that she was stood up beside him, she could see his face better. He had light brown hair, and a strong set jaw – but what stood out most was his eyes, which somehow managed to convey comfort and kindness without him uttering a single word./span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"Soon enough, they reached a lively café, with laughter emitting from it. A man with black, curly hair and a look not dissimilar from that of an excited puppy saw them coming, and shouted out "Combeferre!"/span/p
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p style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"It was at that moment that Elwen realised she had not even learnt the man's name. Combeferre./span/p
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div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"span style="line-height: 15.693333625793457px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);""Come on, Madame. Let's get you – and the little one - warmed up." He said to her with a smile, leading her inside./span/div