Apologies for the delay in updating… anyway, here's the next chapter now.
It was late in the day by the time the Angel of Music found the Rue Plumet, and with it the gated house. He looked through the shrubs and saw a beautiful blond girl sitting on a stone bench, looking distressed. He crept around until he found a nearby bush where he hid himself, silent, watching and listening; he would observe before intervening, if he could do so. Likely, this was Cosette, but he could not yet be certain.
He watched as the little girl stood up and began to walk toward her house; but something moved in a bush, and she whirled around. Nothing. She turned back around, and sighed, walking around the house.
He waited, hoping for her to do something, or for someone to arrive; at least for there to be some clue. I will not forsake you, Eponine. He kept himself hidden, shrinking into the bush so that there was barely a trace, though he kept an eye looking out.
Finally, the girl had the courage to turn around, and saw nothing behind her. She laughed lightly at herself. "Cosette, what's gotten into you?" she asked herself quietly, shaking her head.
Erik rustled the leaves slightly, then retreated again, testing her.
She looked fearfully around and then ran into the house, shivering.
He darted to the shadows along the side of the house, placing his ear by a thin wooden crack and listening in.
"Cosette, dear, you were out there for some time," said an old woman's voice.
"I know," the girl replied, whom he was sure was Cosette. "Toussaint...I'm going to bed," she whispered next, and there was light footsteps going upstairs.
And Erik climbed up the rooftop, scaling his way towards a high window.
There was a rustling in the bushes below and, looking down, he saw a man standing under the window of the room the girl was now in. He squinted to make out who it was...they were familiar. He peered down the side of the roof to see more clearly.
He recognized him as the boy Eponine had spoken about...Marius. Marius... He scowled. And so he's visiting this Cosette, and not the better Eponine.
The figure retreated, running out of the gate. He could hear the girl humming nervously in her room.
Erik made a sharp knock above the window, then retreated back again.
The girl, Cosette, started and slowly opened the shutters. No one. "I swear...it's my nerves..."
Erik grinned, and as soon as Cosette seemed to have calmed again, softly whispered "Marius is here."
Cosette barely heard it, but opened the shutters again. "Hello?" she asked timidly. Who was Marius?
No noise came from above, but the same whisper repeated, from far below.
"Wh-who's there?" Cosette squeaked, looking down.
"Marius. Marius is here."
"Who is Marius?" she asked, scared.
"You must know... you must..." And the whispers trailed off. Erik no longer was sure what to do in this line of pursuit.
"Father!" Cosette screamed, backing away from the window. In a few minutes, a shadow appeared at the window. A bigger shadow, with broad shoulders.
Erik stayed silent, listening. He would remain for the duration of the drama he had stirred, and then, at least for the time, he would go.
A man with stark white hair looked out suspiciously and then closed the shutters. Cosette didn't tell him anything but that she'd heard a noise in the garden, but Erik heard nothing else.
Something in the bushes moved and looked straight at him. "Who's there?!" it asked frantically.
No response came from the roof, but there was a whisper besides. "Are you Marius?"
The figure started and looked where he'd heard the voice. "Y-yes...? Who's asking, please?"
"Come, come," the voice whispered. "Cosette would like to meet you." Erik grinned. If Cosette really did not know Marius, this would be just the way to make her consider Marius to be creepy.
"Who's Cosette?" Marius asked timidly.
"She lives here. She wants to see you. Come quick, come quick."
"Co...Cosette is her name? Not Ursula?" Marius said slowly.
"Cosette knows you are here. She wants to see you."
"She does?!" he asked eagerly.
Erik heard a small gasp behind the gate.
"She has been expecting you..." the voice trailed away.
And then the voice came again by the window where Cosette was. "Marius has returned. He is coming for you now."
The shutters opened and an older man leaned out the window. "Who are you?! Get out!"
"Monsieur Marius!" whispered a voice fervently. "Over here!" Marius was dragged out of the gate just before the older man came out of the house.
Erik slipped from the roof into a nearby tree, still watching closely.
The person who'd pulled him out stood before Marius in the street. "Tomorrow night—you shouldn't go. He'll be watching," they said, and then ran away.
Erik waited, watching. Maybe his plan to get Cosette and Marius confused at each other and annoyed wasn't working quite as intended, but something strange certainly was happening. He saw Marius walk away, confused.
Down the street he heard people speaking loudly. He descended from the tree and darted towards the talking people.
Izzi (co-writer of this fic) has made the first illustration for this fic (there should be one every five chapters or so). Here it is: http:// . com/art/Cosette-Now-I-Remember-151496572