A/N: So this chapter is gonna be short, and probably not very good. Mainly because I just didn't feel like writing, but you know here I am, and I'm determined to stick to my updating schedule, so yeah. Oh and if you were wondering because somebody PM'd me about this; I see Azelma as Nina Dobrev. Jus search Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce, and the first picture is my inspiration for her. If you would like my 'cast' for this story just REVIEW and tell me and I'll UPDATE quicker!
…..
The sun had begun to set as Eponine wandered the streets of Paris. Why on earth would she agree to find Cosette for Marius? She had no clue what she was doing! The day's last rays of sunlight reflected off of the cobblestone pavements. Quietly Eponine hummed to herself as she ambled around. After a few more moments of walking with no clear purpose, Eponine decided to head towards the nicer, more secluded part of town. Considering Cosette and the man she'd been walking with were bourgeois, and seemed quite private, Eponine assumed they would be either in Rue Plumet or in Rue Lemain.
Rue Lemain was closer, so Eponine picked up her pace and began to walk with a renewed vigor. Her bare feet slapped the dusty pavement as she dashed ahead. A little voice in the back of her head called to her, 'What are you doing Eponine? You could just tell Monsieur Marius that you couldn't find the stupid bitty and go home. Why go through all of this trouble just to find some hussy? It won't benefit you any.' She pushed the little voice into the back corners of her mind until it was just a slight mumble, and kept walking.
Just as she approached the tunnel that led to Rue Lemain, she heard a gruff voice call out to her.
"How much for a night?" the unknown voice asked.
"No Monsieur, I'm not-"
She was cut off by someone grabbing her by the waist. She could feel the man's hot breath down her neck. The stranger ran his gloved hands down her sides, and Eponine began to panic. She had to stop him. This time Marius wasn't there to save her, like he was with 'Parnasse. She squirmed as the wretched man began unbuckling the belt that held up her chemise and skirt.
"Stop!" Eponine exclaimed as loudly as she could, causing the man to throw a hand over her mouth.
The man turned Eponine around so she was facing him. The man was something of a dandy. While most of the details about his face were undistinguishable because of the darkness that had fallen moments ago, Eponine could tell he was wealthy.
Eponine had formulated a plan of escape in her mind, and was only waiting for the perfect time to enact it. Her time came when the man made the fatal mistake of removing his hand from her mouth to untie the strings on her chemise. Just as he pulled on the first string, Eponine stomped as hard as she could on his foot. The surprise attack caused him to jump back in shock. Giving him no time to recover, Eponine kneed him in the groin. As the dandy doubled over in pain, Eponine snatched her belt from the ground and took off running. She didn't bother entering Rue Lemain. She was too scared that her attacker might see her. Instead she headed off for Rue Plumet and prayed that Cosette dwelled there.
'This is all for Marius.' Eponine told herself. Her heart was still racing from her earlier encounter as she raced towards Rue Plumet. The nerve of people these days. Just because she didn't have milky white skin, or couture gowns, she was automatically a prostitute. She was lucky that the man hadn't been as strong as Montparnasse was, or she would've never gotten away. She could always count on the bourgeois to be weaker than the men she was used to fighting off.
Finally she reached Rue Plumet. There were very few houses on this street, and all of them were hidden from each other by large hedges. The houses being in such seclusion made her task much harder, but not impossible. Eponine snuck silently around the bushes so she could look into the first house's window. Inside she saw a happy bourgeois family.
While the family was obviously wealthy, considering they could afford a lovely stone house complete with large backyard and a quaint, beautiful garden, the house's furnishings were simple. The family sat around a small square table as they feasted on roasted potatoes, and some sort of soup. Eponine could practically feel the warmth radiating from each bowl of soup, causing her mouth to water. She looked closer at each family member to see if any of them were Cosette. Her eyes scanned over the mother and father. Next to the father sat a little boy who seemed around eleven year of age, and next to the mother sat a girl who seemed only a tad younger than Eponine.
Eponine looked closer at the girl, and stifled a gasp when she realized who it was. Azelma. Eponine watched as her sister sat laughing with her new family, seemingly without a care in the world. The last time Eponine had seen Azelma, 'Zelma had been wearing rags and her brownish/ black hair was tangled beyond belief. Now she wore a beautiful emerald green dress. Although Eponine couldn't see the whole thing, the top was short sleeved and the neckline had ruffles around it. It was fitted so Eponine could tell that Azelma had been eating well. Just as Eponine was walking away, Azelma met her gaze.
Eponine dashed away even though she knew Azelma had seen her. She stopped abruptly when she heard a voice which she remembered distinctly from her childhood. IT sounded like the call of a lark and the tinkling of belles and everything beautiful. Eponine's heart fell. She was hoping that she wouldn't find Cosette, but she had. She sank to the ground in defeat. She lifted her gaze to the sky in hopes of wishing on a star, but it wasn't late enough to do so. The sky was a cloudless indigo. The voice in her head was back, only this time it sounded different.
"Eponine?"
Eponine realized that the voice wasn't in her head; in fact it was very much real. She searched around until she saw Azelma standing in front of her. She had truly become beautiful.
"'Zelma? Should you be here?" Eponine asked.
Azelma raised her eyes at Eponine and sat next to her in the grass, "Should you?"
Eponine chuckled lightly. It was just like old times, except for there was less fear in both of their eyes.
"How've you been 'Ponine?" Azelma asked hesitantly.
"Obviously I'm great. I mean I just spent over an hour trying to find the girl that the man I'm in love with is in love with. And that is Cosette." Eponine replied bitterly.
Azelma wrapped a comforting arm around Eponine's shoulder, "Oh Eponine, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but Cosette is nice. She isn't allowed out much, but when she is, we've become friends of sorts."
"I know she's perfect. That's what makes this harder, because Marius deserves someone like her. He does, but I can't help but wish that he wanted me instead." Eponine said as she shrugged out of Azelma's embrace
"I should be going now. I told mother that I was bringing our leftover bread next door. Here." Azelma handed Eponine half a loaf of warm bread, stood up from the grass and left. Eponine took that as her cue to leave as well. Now that she had found Cosette, she needed to tell Monsieur Marius at once.
Eponine dared to take a bite out of the bread, trying to savor it for as long as she could. Although she had lost Marius, at least she had found Azelma. She kept that in mind as she crept away back to Café Musain where she was sure she'd find Marius.