I'm shortening the time that Fantine left Cosette at the inn. I wanted the story to last. Also, the letter that Fantine has that gets her kicked out is from Cosette.
Valjean stood at the bedside of Fantine, the prostitute. He couldn't fathom why women put themselves through it. Well, to live of course, but still! The story of the beautiful woman was quite devastating, actually. She had been working for him at his factory alongside thirteen other women. He had just learned that the foreman was always quite cruel to them, barking nonsense orders that required more than it takes to earn the five francs that day. Fantine had received a letter from Cosette, wishing her the best. The other women had seen it, taking it away from her and reading it out loud in front of the foreman. Fantine had tried to take it back, ending up in a fight between her and the others. Valjean had tried to stop it, but it only worsened. He left it to the foreman to sort it out, resulting in Fantine being fired.
Fantine had gone to the docks to work as a prostitute, the poor woman. To earn faster money to get herself out of the cruel place, she had sold her beautiful brown locks and two teeth, earning her ten francs and two Napoleons.
"Kind Monsieur, please, will you go and get my Cosette before I fall asleep?" Fantine pleaded, dimming hope lingering in her once bright eyes. Valjean took her hands into his.
"Yes, Fantine, I will. Where is she?" Valjean asked softly. Fantine rested her head upon her white pillow, her eyes closing. For a minute, Valjean was worried that she had passed, but her eyelids fluttered open again.
"My Cosette is in Montfermeil, at an inn, where all the children play. Please, retrieve her before I go!" Fantine cried. Suddenly, coughs racked her fragile body, and her arm went up to cover her mouth with her elbow. Valjean wasn't afraid of catching anything, though. He was more concerned for this Cosette.
"I will have her by morning."
"No! I will be gone too soon! My Cosette!"
"Will live in my protection."
"Take her now!"
"Your child will want for nothing.
"Good Monsieur, you come from God in heaven."
"And none will ever harm Cosette as long as I am living."
"For God's sake, please stay till I am sleeping. And good Monsieur?"
"Yes?"
"Cosette will need a friend. Please also take Eponine Thenardier. Tell Cosette I love her and I'll see her when I wake…" With those final words, the light from Fantine's eyes died as her hand fell limp in Valjean's.
Eponine? Fantine wanted him to take another girl named Eponine? He had promised to take Cosette, but caring for two girls was almost too much. Then he thought some more. Those two girls would take of each other if they were that close.
"24601!" a harsh voice barked. Valjean turned to see the person. Javert. Javert brandished a silver sword, evilness reflected in his glittering, stormy gray eyes. Valjean pulled a metal rod hanging from one of the hospital's windows, and put it in front of him as defense. Javert struck, leaving a dent on the rod. Valjean fought back, but when he saw that there was no hope, he looked for an escape route. The window. He dropped the metal and jumped.
Two names echoed in his mind before he struck the grey, chilled, murky water below him.
Cosette and Eponine.
"Cosette! Eponine! Wake up, ma petite filles!" Madame Thenardier called from the bottom of the stairs. Cosette had taken up Azelma's bed, while the little five year old girl had been given a new one. Cosette's golden locks were splayed underneath her. Eponine was the first to wake at her mother's words. She jumped out of bed and onto Cosette. The little girl screeched when she felt the extra weight on her.
Her blue eyes glared up at the brunette. Cosette hadn't been there for two days and the two were almost always playing tricks on each other. Eponine grinned down in return. Cosette pushed her off and Eponine tumbled to the floor, scowling.
"Girls!" Madame Thenardier called out yet again. Both girls looked at each other, and scrambled over one another in the process of getting changed. Cosette picked out a navy blue dress, while Eponine accidentally pulled out her boy clothes. Cosette stared in disbelief, while Eponine hid them behind her back, blushing.
"'Ponine, why do you have boy's clothes?"
"Uhh... Maybe I sneak out in the streets and help the poor when my mother is not looking?" Eponine laughed nervously. Cosette relaxed again, and started dressing behind the screen. Eponine dug in her dressing chest and extracted a simple yellow gown. Once Cosette was done, Eponine ran behind and rushed to dress.
When she came out, she felt like something was wrong. She caught Cosette looking at her funny, hints of a smile on her lips. Cosette pointed at Eponine's dress, laughing. Eponine looked down, not seeing any problem with the color and design. However, Cosette was still giggling.
"Eponine, your dress is inside out. Madame wouldn't want you looking like that." Eponine gasped and hurried back behind the screen. Just as she emerged again, Madame Thenardier came into the room. She squealed at how adorable the two looked. Eponine and Cosette shared irritated looks. Azelma strutted in and stood behind Madame.
"Girls! You look adorable, oh! The guests would ooh and ah! It's time for breakfast, dears."
"Yes, Madame." Cosette replied politely. Madame Thenardier put a hand on Cosette's shoulder, just like Fantine had done two days ago.
"Formalities are not required for you to live here, ma petite fille. You're perfectly welcome to call me mama or mother, whatever suits you the best." Cosette gave Madame Thenardier a gentle hug.
"Thank you, mama."
Eponine and Cosette polished their breakfast off with no problem. They wanted to play so badly! Azelma, however, picked at her food, scrambled eggs with real sausage. Suddenly, a swooping hand came to rest on Azelma's head. The little girl knew the touch, and she squealed.
"Hello, 'Zelma!" a short, skinny man said cheerfully. "Good day to you, Eponine and Colette!" Eponine and Cosette laughed as he scooped them up in his arms.
"Hello, papa!" Eponine exclaimed. "You haven't met Cosette yet, I see. It's Cosette, not Colette." Cosette nodded. The man, Thenardier, Cosette fathomed, laughed in reply.
"You may call me whatever you please, my dearest Cosette." Thenardier chuckled. Suddenly, a man walked into the front entrance of the inn. Thenardier immediately shot up and went to welcome the guest. Cosette felt like her family was complete for the first time in her small lifetime.
Valjean jumped into the carriage, and immediately the vehicle took off. To Montfermeil. It wasn't a long ride, Valjean spent his time in his wandering thoughts.
Eponine and Cosette, eh? Fantine must care deeply for both. At least for Cosette, she was the poor woman's child. Cosette must care about Eponine, they must be inseparable! Perhaps that's why Fantine wanted me to take Eponine as well, Cosette would have lived with a broken heart if they were to part. But what about Eponine's family? Would they miss her? I'm pretty sure they would. Also, do they care for Cosette? Fantine mentioned something about payment to them for keeping Cosette. Now that she's gone… would the family kick Cosette out? It has been only two days, though. Anyway, I shall take both Eponine and Cosette then.
After Thenardier had done his business with the guest, he came to play with the two girls. Cosette had received a doll from the Thenardiers, not an expensive one, but a precious doll. Eponine had one similar to it, and they pretended that the two toys were sisters. Azelma had a softer doll, a cloth one. Hers was the younger sister, the one who always got in trouble and Eponine's doll, Margaret, and Cosette's doll, Catharine, had to resolve it.
Thenardier sat both of them on the couch, where he sat in the middle. Eponine cuddled up to him, while Cosette received a small hug. Azelma was seated on his lap. A sudden knock on the door startled all of them.
"Who could that be?" he muttered. When he opened the door, a cold blast of wind knocked Azelma back into Eponine, who tumbled into Cosette, who fell back onto the couch. The figure in the doorway was quite tall, his coat waving in the air. He stepped inside, and Eponine could see that he was bourgeois. Thenardier saw that, too, and immediately bowed.
"I'm sorry, monsieur, but we have a full house. May I ask you to-"
"I'm not here for your service or rooms." The strange answer startled Thenardier. He regained his posture and stood straight once again.
"Then what are you here for?"
"Cosette and Eponine." This answer startled both Cosette and Eponine. Who would want them? Eponine squealed. Would they be given even more luxurious lives? Cosette gasped. Would they be put into slavery?
"Why would you want my precious girls?"
"I need to keep them by order of Fantine. Sadly, she is with God in heaven." Cosette sobbed. Her mother was dead, and she had said goodbye too soon. If only Fantine had stayed two more days…
Thenardier answered with sympathy for his two girls. "If it was Fantine's last wishes, you may have them. I'm sorry, girls. Fantine really was a wonderful woman." Eponine and Cosette both hugged their papa, who hugged them in return. They all turned to the stranger, who pulled something out from underneath his jacket. He unwrapped them, revealing two beautiful wool cloaks. Eponine and Cosette gasped. That was all Valjean needed to gain their trust.
Thenardier, Madame Thenardier, Azelma, and baby Gavroche waved at them from the doorway of the inn. Eponine and Cosette cried. It was the second time Cosette had left true family, but this time she was leaving with part of it. Eponine finally felt the full blow of leaving loved ones.
"Now, girls, it's time to start a new life."
Yes, I know Thenardier is totally out of character. Valjean taking Cosette and Eponine finally makes him go mad, though. Please favorite, follow, and review! That will get me to write the next chapter.