We last left off poor Elaine while she was searching the docks for her friend's younger sister, Elizabeth. Elaine knew that if she would search alone, she'd risk getting raped or captured by some drunkards or men who want to sleep with any girl they can find, but she was determined to find Elizabeth. Even if it would be the last thing she'll do.
"No one's going to hurt you," Elaine muttered to herself, so quiet that only she could hear. "You're the daughter of the Inspector. They'd be mad to harm you."
An arm grasped Elaine's and spun her around, slamming her against the wall. Elaine cringed at the sudden throbbing pain in the back of her head, but squirmed under the grip of the drunkard who had pinned her. His breath reeked of alcohol, and his hands pinned her own wrists to the wall.
"What do we have here, little slut?" he slurred. "What do you have to give me?"
"Nothing," spat Elaine.
"Feisty.. I like 'em like that," sneered the man, his hand dangerously close to her chest. Elaine knew if she would scream, she might alert the police, and they'll inform her father where she is. But if she doesn't, she may risk the chance of getting raped by a drunkard. Compared to many girls—even Isabelle—Elaine was a virgin, whilst the others she knows are not.
"Let. Go. Of. Me." snapped Elaine, struggling now. She knew if she did that it would only make matters worse.
"Come on, Mademoiselle, I could give you a really good time," he whispered, his grip tightening as he got more aggressive. "I can make it quick."
"I said let go!" Elaine shouted. She knew that the police could not hear her, for they were on the other side and only those around her heard her shout, but they took no account and carried on with their business.
"You're the only pretty girl here," the drunkard carried on. "Give me a good time, lady, and I'll pay you."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not a prostitute, nor a slut!" snapped Elaine. "Let go of me immediately!"
Elaine must've said the wrong thing, because the drunkard snapped. "Fine then, you little whore!" he shouted, letting go of her only to slap her. Elaine grasped her cheek where it was now throbbing, and most likely red. The drunkard threw her to the ground and began kicking her side. Elaine tried fighting back, but she wasn't as skilled as the drunkard, for he kept kicking her to the ground every time she tried getting up.
The drunkard lifted her up again and pinned her against the wall. "I'll make you regret this for a year, you slut." he spat in her face, making Elaine cringe against the wall. Before she could say or do anything though, and before the drunkard could make his move, he was taken off of Elaine.
"Let's go," a familiar voice said, grabbing a hold of Elaine's hand and guiding her away. She looked over her shoulder to see the drunkard lying on the ground, his face appearing to have been punched, and he was unconscious.
Elaine looked over to her savior, to see that it was indeed Enjolras. He didn't meet her gaze and his eyes were narrowed as he guided her away from the docks. As they stopped at the entrance, Elaine smirked, hands on her hips. "Ahh... so even the mighty Enjolras comes here now and then, hm? Guess Isabelle was right when she said all men are disgusting beings."
Enjolras' expression hardened. "That's how you thank someone who saved you?" he asked.
"You didn't answer my question," Elaine replied. "Why are you here?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Well I asked first."
"But I saved you."
"So? I still asked first."
Enjolras let out an exasperated sigh while Elaine smirked. "I'm just teasing," she said.
"You always tease me."
"Because it's always amusing," she countered, still grinning. "I'm here because of my friend," she added, answering his question. "sadly, her younger sister has found her way into becoming a prostitute. We came looking for her... and we sort of split up, thinking that it would be quicker to find her if we both were looking in different places."
Enjolras shook his head. "Leave it to you, Elaine, to make drastic, and quite frankly, stupid decisions."
Elaine frowned, "So you have any better reason for coming here then?"
"My decisions were much higher than most of those who come down to those docks," he said.
Elaine smirked. "So you didn't come to buy your pleasure then?"
"I did."
"Oh really?"
"Yes. But then I saw you."
"So you decided to push away your disgusting and perverted thoughts to come save me? I'm flattered, Enjolras, really I am." Elaine said sarcastically. But her expression softened. "I know you aren't like those crazy, manifest drunkards, Enjolras. You're nervous for the battle, aren't you?"
It was Enjolras' time to tease. He smirked. "How could you tell?"
"A guess," Elaine returned the smirk. "I actually would have thought Grantaire talked you into it. Knowing that bastard and his ways with words when he's not sober, it's a miracle on how you put up with him."
"He did."
Elaine grinned. "I'm getting pretty good at his game, aren't I?" she asked. She shrugged. "I should go back and find Isabelle," she started towards the docks again. "She will be enraged if she finds out that I had left her without saying a word. She'll think that I was carried away by some drunkard to be raped."
"You almost were."
"I know. But then you came and saved me. So thank you," Elaine concluded awkwardly as she headed off, her cheeks burning. She was shocked when she was joined again by Enjolras.
"Don't you dare think for a second that I would let you head back down there again to be captured."
Elaine looked at him. "I can take care of myself, thanks."
"Ah, yes, because you were taking such good care of yourself, when that drunkard attacked you."
"I could have handled it myself."
Enjolras snorted. "Obviously."
Elaine scowled, stopping to glare at him. "You still doubt my abilities, don't you Enjolras? You think that all the things that woman can do is sleep around huh? Well, I'm not even half of them. Surprisingly, I have an education compared to half of the population in Paris and I know right from wrong."
"So you were going to stun him with your wit then? Try and collaborate with him? Try to reason?" Enjolras asked.
"It might be enough to shock him to make him realize that not every woman is a slut that will gladly go to bed with him," snapped Elaine.
"The witty ones go straight to our heads," Enjolras said.
"And the pretty ones go straight to your beds, apparently," Elaine countered. "But can't a woman be both pretty and witty? This world is filled with separate sides—the beggars and the rich, the sluts and the smart ones. Why can't they all be the same?"
"There wouldn't be any beggars if there were no king."
"Exactly why I'm fighting alongside you. This world is overrun by that foolish man who doesn't know when to stop, and realize that innocent people are dying. The population of the sluts would die down too, and hopefully everyone would get their education back."
"Only if we win the battle. Which we will," Enjolras added.
"Someone is a little too confident."
"We will win if the people will rise."
"And what if they don't?"
"They will." Enjolras snapped, glowering at her. Elaine blinked, then shrugged.
"Whatever you say, Enjolras. Obviously you know best," she continued walking to find her friend. She spotted her, but she appeared different. Drunk.
Elaine stopped in her tracks and rolled her eyes. "Trust Isabelle to go back to being a prostitute," she hissed, feeling slightly upset. After Isabelle had promised she would stop to become a better example for her sister. "I'm heading off now."
"Let me take you back."
Elaine smiled, looking back at Enjolras. "Did you forget who my father is? He'll have both of our heads if he finds out that I'm hanging around with those 'idiotic schoolboys.'"
Enjolras gave a small smile. "He called us idiotic?"
"He supports something different from you all do. He works for the king, so obviously he'll call you idiotic, like how you do to him."
"You heard that?" Enjolras asked, pretending to be sheepish.
"It's not that hard to hear Grantaire yell throughout the cafe, 'Inspector Javert my ass! That bastard will get a lesson or two, that idiotic policeman.'" Elaine smiled slightly, but felt slightly upset that he had said that. She had never told the schoolboys that Javert had saved her from going to an orphanage. No one hardly knew what a great father he could be except for Elaine.
As she and Enjolras turned around to head out, there was silence. Elaine couldn't really start a conversation with him. Even though she could tease him, they would usually end up fighting about one thing or another. She wished Grantaire were there—he was always able to break the ice around Enjolras; the coldness that could never go away during meetings would instantly vanish whenever Grantaire would make a wisecrack. Sure, it would be replaced with annoyance, but at least he wouldn't be scowling any longer.
Even though Elaine kept telling Enjolras to leave, he insisted to escort her home. It was dark out, and Elaine deep down felt comforted that he was there.
"Thank you, you better go now," she said once they reached her house. She climbed in through the open window. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
