Les Misérables
Summary: After studying about the dark past of surrounding kingdoms, Tanya asks Cedric and Sofia if any other kingdom ever had the same level of darkness. This leads to a very unexpected story, filled with despair, hope, severed and forged bonds, and preventable demise. Read Me a Story format! (Takes place 5 years after my season 5 stories)
Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First. I own Corban and some other OCs mentioned here. MarionetteJ2X owns Tanya and Nana.
A/N: A bit of a warning. There will be some unsavory scenes in this chapter, based on both the novel and the play/movie of Les Mis. Just wanted to give a heads up to anyone who finds this a sensitive topic. Also, the rating has gone up because of this scene, and potentially others.
Chapter 4: Lorelei's Descent
Several days had passed, and Lorelei could feel her spirit declining rapidly. There was no work to be found in or around the city, and it was clear to her that some of the women in the factory had gotten to other employers before she'd ever found anything. They'd 'heard about her,' as they called it. As a result, she was running on fumes, with very few scraps of food to find in waste bins, tossed out from proper castles and palaces. She even fought off several rats just to get a taste of the days-old bread and cabbage, with several flies already beginning to buzz around the slowly rotting food.
In her room above the shop, which she knew she would likely lose any day now due to the rent coming up and no money to afford it, she stood in front of a mirror, looking through a few pieces of precious jewelry her mother had passed down to her. Necklaces, rings, and even some hair pieces she'd once worn in the factory when she first started… She'd never bought any jewelry for herself, because she never was able to afford it. However, her mother had been born into a wealthy family, and she'd given her those pieces not long before she'd found herself pregnant. If her mother saw what had become of her…
Her mind made up, she tied the jewelry into a little bag and set it aside before observing herself in the mirror. She was wearing a simple tan dress, cinched in at the waist. Of course, with as little as she'd eaten, the dress practically swallowed her lithe frame. Her facial features were a bit more hollow than normal, and her skin was pale. Somehow, her hair had fared better than the rest of her, as it was still the usual shiny golden blonde she'd been blessed with, curling around her shoulders and waist. She reached up to the top of the mirror and pulled down a scarf, tying it under her chin, allowing some of the fabric to cover the rest of her head and most of her hair. Satisfied, she grabbed the bag and headed out into the city once again.
It took a few tries, but she finally found a buyer and seller merchant who offered Lorelei a decent sum of money for all of the jewelry. She'd wanted to hold onto each piece at least one final time, as a memento to linger in her mind (and recognizing the jewelry as her last link to her mother and past life), but the merchant had done a fast exchange with her. The jewelry was out of her hands faster than she could blink, but the money he offered was nestled in her palm not long after. It was at least a bit of comfort, knowing she could now pay her debt to the innkeeper on Amber's behalf.
While the money was soon sent off to the innkeeper and his wife, Lorelei was then met with a new dilemma: her own debt. She had to pay for her room, or she would be evicted immediately. Additionally, she was starving and thirsty, and she could only survive on scraps for a little while. In fact, the city was getting cautious about how they removed their "waste," and there was now scarcely any old food left, even outside the wealthiest of homesteads. Knowing she had nothing else of value, and no other choice, she continued her hopeless search for work.
It was mid evening when Lorelei made her way back to her humble abode, empty-handed and weary from all the rejection she'd faced that day. While it wasn't raining, a bit of mist had begun to form, and it stung her already-sensitive skin.
She heard a scuff of shoes behind her, and a curious tug on one of her blonde locks. Startled, she turned around, her eyes wide as she stared at the cause of her mild distress. An elderly woman, dressed in a witch's garb (likely from the Candle Street Clan), seemed to be eyeing her carefully. "Can I help you?" she asked timidly, her voice sounding weak from all the talking she'd done to potential employers the last several days. She'd been trying to stay quiet for a while, but that was no longer an option, it seemed.
"You have the most beautiful shade of hair, young lady," the old woman told her, a crooked smile on her lips. "I concoct many potions for my master, many of which require human hair, and I'm all out and have none to offer myself." She tossed her hood back, revealing a dusty bald head, hardly any follicles to be seen. "If you're interested, I'll pay you a hefty sum for your golden locks."
Taken aback, Lorelei stepped away from the woman, even as the witch stepped forward ever so slowly. "Absolutely not. Leave me alone."
"I've seen your future, young lady," the witch told her in a somewhat mysterious tone. "I know how rare jobs are for people in your position, and I know there's a young one in your life who needs your dedication and support." Seeing the intrigued and somewhat disturbed expression on the younger woman's face, she shrugged. "I merely was offering a stately price for something that will eventually return to you. You have a child to care for, do you not? Is the child not worth losing something you can regenerate? Are you that selfish?"
"How much?" She could hardly believe the words that had come out of her mouth. Lorelei's grandmother had always stressed to her the importance of a good appearance, and how a woman's hair was her 'crowning glory.' But for Amber…
The older woman tapped her lips with a bony finger, noting the desperation on the girl's face. "Twenty francs."
"Forget it." Lorelei turned, starting to walk away. Granted, that would have paid for at least a month's rent, but she needed other things like food, clothing—
"Two hundred francs."
Lorelei paused, taking in the woman's words. Two hundred… That would cover the whole year's rent and her necessities. It wouldn't cover every single thing she'd eventually need, but it was a start… She turned, her eyes narrowing warily. "Are you serious?"
The witch smiled patiently. "Absolutely. You'll receive the money first, and you can count it to make sure it's accurate."
The younger woman inhaled deeply before brushing her fingers through some of her locks. Her mind made up, she looked at the older woman. "I'll do it."
"Excellent."
The walk to the witch's home took a good twenty minutes, and all the while Lorelei's heart was pounding. She was anxious, and not only about sacrificing her hair. She was also unsure what the old woman's intentions were. What if she was leading her to her death? She cleared her mind of those thoughts and kept walking, trying to numb herself as much as she could.
"Take a seat," the woman told Lorelei after they'd entered the house, a fire in the hearth already (perhaps by a flick of her wrist with a swift magical flare). She toddled over to her cabinet, reaching into a jar, pulling out a few bags. She noted the text on the bag, nodding to herself. Then, she moved over to Lorelei, who was sitting in a wooden chair, and she handed the money to her. "Count it yourself, if you like."
She did, and when she realized all the money was there, she felt both relieved and distressed. Relief for having money to help herself, and distress because of what she was about to go through. She nodded silently, taking in a shuddering breath. She felt her hands pressing into the bags, her gaze focused straight ahead, a lost expression on her features.
The first snip sent chills down her spine, especially since it was directly in the middle of her scalp. 'No going back now,' was the thought in her mind, and she hated herself for it… This was pure survival, and hopefully a step toward getting her daughter taken care of… And maybe someday, they could even be reunited.
Lock after golden lock fell around her, both into her lap and onto the floor around her. It seemed never-ending, which was both interesting and devastating to her. She winced in pain when she felt a sharp blade scrape against her scalp, pulling away any remains of leftover hair that might have been there. She cried out when the woman nicked her skin, and she could tell from the soft curse the woman released that she was bleeding. She sobbed as the woman tossed the blade aside and dabbed at her head, soaking up the liquid rubies of blood before any could spill on her dress.
The witch replaced the scarf on Lorelei's head not long after, grinning at her with her crooked smile. "Pleasure doing business with you, young lady. Don't worry—it'll grow back in no time. And I might even call on you again, if you're willing to sell more."
The younger woman said nothing as she clutched the money bags to herself and stood, some of the leftover hair falling from her dress and onto the floor. She held in the emotions she wanted to release and left, trying her best to keep her mind on Amber and the benefit she would reap of this.
The money didn't last as long as she'd hoped, due to an unexpected rent increase and the cost of food going up. Taxes upon taxes had piled onto people in the city, as was common in many cities across the kingdoms. Lorelei knew she probably had just enough to send another round to the innkeeper for Amber's upkeep, but then she would be in trouble. She'd sold her hair and jewelry, still had no job, and had nothing to her name that was worth anything. Or so she thought…
When she was going around on her hunt for jobs again one evening, Lorelei was approached by a few men, whom she immediately recognized. They often hung around the pubs, and many times they were seen leaving with so-called 'ladies of the night.' In her current state, with her hair gone and her dress half-ripped from the daily grind of living, she was a sight to see.
"If it ain't the former lovely blonde herself," one man taunted, grinning, several of his teeth missing as a result of poor hygiene and oral health over the years, like many people in the area. "Too bad. I would have loved yankin' on it while I was havin' my way with ya."
"Leave me alone," she managed, brushing past him, only to run into a taller and slimmer man, who seemed far less reproachful. She felt his hands on her arms, and she glowered at him. "Release me."
"Now then, love," he told her gently, though his tone was still a bit precarious. "The fellas and I have been talking… We know you're in a bad way for money, and we've agreed that we'll pay you a nice reward…" He reached up, using his finger to press against her lips. "If…you do something for us, that is…"
Lorelei felt a surge of anxiety and disgust flood her body, but when she saw another man behind the one in front of her flash a heap of money her way, she swallowed dryly, nodding. "If… If you pay me first, you can…do whatever you want…"
"Not just me, love." He gestured behind him, revealing at least five men, all of whom were eyeing her with intrigue. "One at a time, or all together… It'll be your choice."
Some of the ladies on the street whispered to each other as Lorelei walked away with the men, turning down a seedy street in the distance. "That's the virtuous one," one acknowledged. "Or the one who used to be anyway… It's sad how far she's fallen…"
But she fell even further. For weeks, she was called upon by the same men, and then additional 'clients,' who were friends of the original group that had pursued Lorelei. She was paid each time, but a lot of the money she wasted on strong alcohol to dull the pain in her head and her lower body. Fear of becoming pregnant by one of the dirty men was high on her list, but that was quelled with each gulp of stinging alcohol.
One night she was particularly drunk when a rather forceful man approached her, shoving her up against a stone wall. He ripped the lower part of her dress, forcing himself on her in public, even as she screamed out.
"You want this," the man grunted as he turned her around and shoved her against the wall, assaulting her from behind. "You've given yourself away to countless men now, you dollymop. What's one more?" He lifted his hand to her face to caress her jaw, but he regretted it as soon as she bit down hard on his hand. "Agh!" He whirled her around, slamming her back against the stone, and punched her directly in the face, leaving a red mark around her eye and nose.
"What's going on here?" Baileywick demanded as he approached, his decorated garb now reflecting that of a local inspector. He cleared his throat as he eyed Lorelei's lack of covering, assuming the worst about her. "Indecency in this city is grounds for arrest, madam." He eyed the man before her, noting that he was in a similar state. "The same can be said for you, sir. I suggest you both redress. And have you attacked this woman?"
"The trollop bit me!"
"It was self-defense, inspector," Lorelei managed, trying to make herself smaller to protect what little decency she had left. "He forced himself on me!"
"No more than any other man in this bloody city has!"
"Prostitution is illegal in this area," Baileywick informed them. "I'll have to arrest you both for partaking."
"No!"
Roland happened to be walking by at that moment, overhearing the conversation. "What's going on here?"
"Oh, Lord Carlisle," Baileywick mentioned, not recognizing the former prisoner. "Nothing that concerns you."
But the blonde man was not deterred, especially as a look of realization flooded his face. "You," he whispered, his eyes roving the woman's familiar face. "You worked for me. What happened to you?"
Angered, Lorelei spat at him, but Roland was able to sidestep her attack. "You did this to me," she growled. "You didn't try to help me when I pleaded for my job. Why intervene now? I've lost all hope, given up every inch of my dignity, and for what? Just to be arrested for something I didn't even want!"
"I am so sorry… Let me make this right." Roland frowned, looking at Baileywick. "I'll handle this, inspector. You'll release her to my care, but you can arrest this man as needed. I believe her when she says he attacked her."
Baileywick seemed disheartened by this but cuffed the man anyway, watching as Roland began guiding the woman away. "Yes, sir…"
Seeing how frail Lorelei was, and noting how weak she seemed as he led her away, he knew she was in significant danger of succumbing to her injuries, or possibly even the elements. When they were far enough away, he gathered her into his arms, much to her surprise. Kindly, he told her, "I'm going to take you to the hospital and get you seen about."
"You don't have to do that…"
"It's the least I can do." Determined, he hurried along, feeling the woman in his arms fading faster and faster…
To be continued…
Next Chapter: A Promise Made
