The King's Man: Chapter 1

Eponine knew the streets of Paris better than anyone.

Right now, she was lounging in a wealthy nobleman's feather bed inside of his empty mansion, eating an apple. These types of apples were a luxury but Eponine never went hungry anymore. Anyways, even the nobleman's entire household staff had to come with him on his sudden leave after a letter and an obscure second cousin that looked ironically a lot Eponine herself (not that he knew) showed up on his doorstep delivering the news of his even wealthier great aunt's passing. He wrote a letter hastily saying, It's about time!

These people always believe what they want to hear.

Eponine Thenardier was on a mission. This nobleman had more than he needed so being deprived of a few replaceable things didn't cause any guilt on her part. She placed all the food she could find in the baskets she brought and rummaged the drawers for spare coins and bills. Once she was satisfied with her loot, she began to start her real mission.

Eponine looked in very corner of the house to find what she was looking for. The office. The door was obviously locked, but she pulled a pin out of her hair and picked in seconds, she was no novice. Once in the office, she strolled confidently to the desk and pulled out the manila expandable file folder labeled For Emergencies Only. She carefully emptied it and took out a stack of paper identical in material and copied each document precisely by layering it on the window and tracing it exactly. The arduous task took her almost the entire day. The sun was setting when she finished her final document and she carefully put the originals back where they once stood and the manila folder as well. She had to be careful. If the nobleman knew someone had the battle strategies or the locations of the stashes, they would simply change the plans and place the stashes under heavy guard, and that wouldn't do. Eponine didn't want weeks of spying on the man to go to waste.

Shaking out her cramped hand, Eponine realized she hadn't eaten since that apple. Eponine washed her hands in the basin before setting out to the kitchen to prepare her dinner.

Eponine had conned a lot of the King's officials in the last three years, starting at the age of 18, when she ran away from her parent's inn. Her parents were perpetually drunk, abusive, and poor thieves and they forced Eponine and her brother Gavroche to steal on instinct. When her parents practically sold her to a man named Montparnasse, Eponine decided enough was enough, and she ran away for good. Occasionally she would see her brother at the Café Musain, with those blasted students, and every time she would give him a handful of francs, but she wasn't his legal guardian and she couldn't take care of him anyways because of her "work".

She always ate as little as she could so she could have as much as she could on her rounds, giving out food and money to those in need. But today, as she looked at her major success, Eponine decided it was okay to indulge a bit more by eating another apple along with her usual half baguette and slice of cheese. After that, she lit a candle and started to read the nobleman's documents she had procured. The 'For Emergencies Only' file proved to be extremely top secret, listing out battle strategies, access codes, and maybe most importantly, emergency stashes of supplies. Firearms, ammunition, medical kits, food! Eponine almost squealed in delight as she dreamt of the opportunities. While she still may be a con artist, at least it was for the greater good. Her single passion was to help the poor and oppressed person. That had to make what she was doing okay- right? While those Les Amis del' ABC may be talking all night, she was the only one who made a real difference.

She didn't quite despise them, but she thought they were stupid. How could you overthrow the government? The King has numbers beyond imaginable! They will slaughter you all! She overheard every single one of their meetings at the Café Musain without fail. They didn't stand a chance. But what bothered her about them most, was that they seemed to have a never ending desire to capture the con artist who manages to royally piss of the King and his men…and get away with it.

Anyways, after every "visitation" to a nobleman's estate, she would make rounds all over Paris. Today was no different. But first, as always she would put on her disguise that would mislead any onlookers who didn't know what she was up to already. She tucked her chocolate colored hair into her worker's cap, pulled on some ratty trousers, buttoned up a non-descript, greenish grey shirt, and laced up some ordinary worker's boots. Anyone who didn't know her would think she was a common working boy. These precautions were new, ever since she found out the Les Amis became aware someone was handing out food in large numbers to the poor.

Even though there was no one out, she opened the gate and strolled out as if she had every right to be there, laden with food filled baskets. Her first stop would be the orphanage.

"Marietta!" the children cried when they saw her. Eponine had never told anyone her real name, but she smiled all the same and held out her arms so the orphans could properly hug her. They knew she was a woman, but that was about it. She carried several baskets to the director, Madame Therese who took the baskets with much prompting.

"I insist" Eponine stated in her 'I will not take no for an answer' tone.

Madame Therese rolled her eyes and muttered. "There is no arguing with this girl"

Eponine who seemed to catch every sound around her, replied as she walked away. "Too true, Therese! Have a nice day!"

She lowered her tone, giving Therese the same message as always. "And remember, if anyone comes asking—"

"To tell them it was the King's Man" Therese finished. It was a title she had taken a liking to. Everyone who knew her knew she despised the King, so it added confusion and mystery to her entire identity; for friends and foe alike. Eponine loved it. The villagers would always laugh at the irony, while the noblemen she attacked would scratch their heads, suspicious of the other noblemen, who were also 'King's men'. If it worked out, they would be so suspicious of one another, their system would collapse. But even Eponine knew it was too good to be true. So she continued with her work.

The next stop was the entire Rue de Reuilly. When they saw her coming down the street, people from every apartment building streamed towards her. "Brigitte!" they exclaimed happily

She smiled and joked around with those around her, eyes lighting up whenever she saw people better off than they were before. The entire street depended on her at some degree and they were always glad to see her.

"Brigitte!" called out a middle aged and balding shoemaker

"Monsieur Hanully!" Eponine replied gaily, "Bonjour! How is your wife? How are your children? Are they well?"

He grinned, "Fine! Fine! Thanks to you! The medicine worked like a charm. This whole street is indebted to you! I can never thank you enough" he said earnestly.

She waved it off as she handed him another bottle of the highly coveted medicine. "Just in case it happens again" she added as she started off in a different direction.

"Wait!" his grubby hand caught her shoulder. Eponine turned. "For you" Before she could protest, he gave her a push into another direction. It was a simple burgundy cotton dress. She rolled her eyes inwardly, but took the gift without saying anything. These people were even more stubborn than her. The dark haired girl milled about making small talk to each and every person on the street. It was her duty to reach out to everyone she was helping. Eponine talked politics with the printer, she cracked clean jokes with the children, she cracked dirty jokes with the young men, she talked knitting with the mothers, she talked books and lesson ideas with the teacher, she talked about growing up to the young girls, she gave a steady stream of compliments, encouragements, and advice to the citizens until the moment she left, the villagers still calling their goodbyes after her. But after every conversation, she always ended with "If anyone comes asking, tell them it was the King's man"

Eponine had about half of her supplies left when she left the street, but she was also laden with thank you gifts she intended to give to other people. This was the reason she got up every day. This was the reason she had a purpose in life. Eponine was glad she had a source of happiness, a passion. This is what saved her from her fate. Eponine continued to grin as she turned the next street where others were waiting.

It was house after house after house. She continued to give her steady stream of stability, letting everyone know she would always be there for them. That it was alright. Advice, support, kindness, warning. There was no time to accept any in return as she moved on to the next person.

"Madeline!"

"Renee!"

"Olivie!"

"Agatha!"

Her fake names swirled around her head, every move was poised, all while she felt eyes on her. Someone was watching her, and it wasn't a friend for sure. She looked around, but didn't seem to see any strangers. The girl of many titles was disconcerted and paranoid now.

But by around 2 o'clock in the morning, her baskets were empty and she stumbled sleepily to the nobleman's mansion. She turned the corner almost at her destination, not really looking where she was going, when she ran into something. Rather, someone. He was a freckled, boyish looking man. Dressed sharply, with a stack of books under his left arm and a bottle in his right, Eponine guess he was a student.

"Are you alright mademoiselle?" he asked urgently, gently touching her arms. She snapped wide awake. "Oh- yes, of course m-monsieur!" Then she noticed the books and the empty bottle on the ground.

"Here, let me-"

The man picked them up quickly before she could even get the words out. "Nope! You look dead on your feet. I shall walk you. Where do you live?"

He said these words so sincerely it melted her heart. She had not remembered the last time someone had been so kind to her. Maybe they had tried, maybe everyone had tried. But Eponine suspected it was because she would never let anyone. Her defenses came down with her alertness, and she wasn't really bothered to put them back up, even though something in the back of her mind told her this, whatever it was, was very, very dangerous.

She ignored it, as she accepted his offer and they walked down the street. Him constantly making her laugh, caring for her, and being friendly to a stranger he had just met minutes ago. They arrived at the nobleman's house all too quickly it seemed. And Eponine found she was reluctant to leave the man. But, she followed her judgment and said promptly to him, "This is me"

The man started in surprise. "Is it really?" she nodded uncertainly. Had he seen through her lie? She rushed to cover herself. "Well, temporarily. My uncle has gone away for a week and he has asked me to keep his house while he is gone. I accepted"

The man nodded in understanding. "That explains it. I don't think I've ever seen you before, I live across the street" he paused to point at the similarly sized mansion across the way. He comes from money. "I hope to see you again. Why don't we meet at the Café Musain tomorrow night?"

She stared at him strangely. This complete stranger was being so nice to her. How? Why? Well, now that she was clearly focused. She had seen him before. At that very same Café he mentioned! Café Musain! Eponine frequented the place to spy on the Les Amis del'ABC . They constantly talked of overthrowing the autocracy and this man was a part of it!

He took her stare as a need for introduction. "Oh! Pardon me! My name is Marius!"

She weighed her options before telling him something she has never told anyone outside of her family. "Eponine, it's a pleasure to meet you" she giggled, yes actually giggled, as she shook his hand.

Marius was already crossing the street as he called out, "Look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening Eponine!"

As soon as she entered the mansion, she was shocked at what she had said. Everything. From letting Marius behind her walls, to accepting his invitation…merde! This is bad!

But, when she lay down to sleep on the nobleman's fluffy mattress, her mind kept turning back to him. The way he laughed. The way he smiled. The way his eyes crinkled up in the corners.

Eponine woke up feeling lighter in her heart for the first time in forever.

It would be at least a few days before the nobleman arrived in Spain, where his family lived and found out his great aunt was in fact, very much alive and that he had been duped. He would of course rush back to his stately mansion to find his house cleaned out of any food and cash and a letter written in crowded, slanting red ink tacked to his door.

Monsieur Brodeur,

Why! Your great aunt is well after all! I have cleared your pantry and taken a few francs, forgive me. But if you shall come looking for me or alerting the police, I'm afraid I'll have to send the letter written to your father on the subject it was 'about time she dropped dead' to your great aunt. And if she receives it, well, there is no question you would be written out of the will. So if you value your inheritance, you'll not say a word.

Thanks for your cooperation!

The King's Man

Farther up and further in! This story has achieved liftoff!