Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 2, 2008 13:11:14 GMT -5
Lucien walked down the streets of Paris with confidence, unafraid of what was around him. He thought the children who were his age and still attached to their parents were immature and cowardly. Lucien had changed the topic on his mind quickly, before the silent tears came to his eyes.
The thought of parents reminded Lucien of his own, but where were they now? Six feet under in the cemetery outside the city. He longed to be with them, because he really just wanted to stop having to be brave. Ever since their death he had to be brave otherwise he'd be stabbed in the back, taken advantage of and then he'd show weakness, his deepest fear. Lucien wanted his parents, but it was useless, they were gone and there was nothing he could do.
A fresh breeze flew through the air, making the leaves of some plants rustle and the awnings of cafés and shops went upwards. Lucien liked the breeze, it kept him cool and it was invisible, just what he longed to be.
He looked around quickly, making sure his uncle wasn't around. His Uncle Armand was an inspector of the law, but the only case he wanted was to find the Phantom of the Opera. Lucien knew that he was the cause of the chandelier crash that killed his parents, but from his other works, Lucien went by example.
Lucien loved to cause all kinds of trouble and terrorize people. Just that morning he put five fake rats in a neighbor's kitchen (They were deathly afraid of rats. One made them pass out, Lucien laughed at the idea of five.) and last night he made rapping noises on a neighbor girl's window.
Looking around, he tried to find another victim. It didn't matter big or small, male or female, child or adult, he would get away with it. He was quick and who would suspect the small four-year old of a prank?
Who will it be? he thought.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 2, 2008 14:22:50 GMT -5
Paris was thriving. Colette gazed about her with a nostalgic smile, soaking up the smells, the sounds, and the great swirl of endless colour that was Paris. She was very fashionably dressed, as usual, in a flora green accented with darker green accents here and there and a touch of blue on her wide-brimmed hat, tied under her chin and shading her face.
Marie was dressed richly, but for play. The walk in the Luxembourg gardens had taught Colette that Marie would dirty herself as much in the city as in the far muddy country. Marie wore a simple dress of suede-y brown and a sun hat like her mothers, though far less decorated. Her shoes were sturdy leather boots in the dainty lady-child's fashion. As she walked she, too, absorbed the glamour and the bustle of the city. She was new to it, after all, having only known the quiet buzz of country life until now. It fascinated her, and at times frightened her a little, but she was pleased with it.
As they passed a green park Marie bristled, and Colette took that as her cue to let the child run free. She nudged her slightly through the gates in approval, taking up vigil from an ornate bench not far from the little patch of flowers in which Marie had chosen to play. The watchful mother's eyes strayed momentarily to meet the haughty gaze of a very young man. Her eyes swept from his and then about his vicinity, but she could locate no candidate for the parental role. Poor thing. She turned her gaze away and fixed it instead upon her own child, who was humming to herself while laying on her back and staring up at the clouds.
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 2, 2008 14:38:56 GMT -5
Lucien was tired of looking for people. Everyone was moving about and no one was standing still. It was Paris' busiest hour for traveling around the city and everyone was in a rush. To compromise, Lucien found a bucket of rain water and dumped it in the side of the road. He knew that once a carriage hit it, everyone passing would get splashed.
Tired of walking, Lucien looked around for a bench. He figured he'd rest a little, then wander around until his uncle would come home and find him missing. Annoying his uncle was fun for Lucien because he knew all he got for it was a scolding.
He looked across the street to a small park. It had benches and some children to play with until the later hours. Lucien walked straight across the street, without warning, and carriages tried to move around him so they wouldn't hit him. It caused a commotion and Lucien loved it, silently laughing in his head.
Reaching the park, Lucien entered it, passing a woman who seemed to belong to the upper class. He ignored her, as he did with all adults and went to find a bench. There was one on the other oath, across the little green area so he began walking towards it. Lucien was passing the small flower bed, when he tripped over a small leg. He heard a small gasp come from behind him.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 2, 2008 18:52:35 GMT -5
Colette watched the little boy that she had noticed just moments before march confidently into the park, passing her without a glance. What an odd child! She tensed as he grew near to her daughter. If he said something lewd, or tried to hurt her...! Colette watched warily from beneath the brim of her hat, her blue eyes glowing with an unspoken threat. He may be just a child, but so was Marie. She had seen children that young thrash and kill.
She tried to stand up as the boy tripped over her daughter's little leg, but her lungs heaved in protest. Her vision blurred and fatigue attacked her. Panic seized her heart when she could no longer see her Marie.
Marie gasped at the scuff of pain in her leg and pulled it to her as if to cradle and protect it from further harm. She sat up and brought her eyes, so like her mother's, to stare at him. After a moment she mumbling shyly, "Did I hurt you?" Colette called worriedly, "Marie?" to which the girl called back, "I am fine, Mama!"
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 2, 2008 19:02:38 GMT -5
"Did I hurt you?" the girl had asked him. Lucien sat up and shook his head.
"No, mademoiselle," he said. It was strange, no child had actually ever asked him that if he got hurt, nor did his uncle, either. The girl seemed kind enough, Lucien thought he could trust her... maybe. The girl reassured her mother she was fine then return to meet his gaze. "It was my fault really, I wasn't watching where I was going."
The girl giggled and asked him his name. "Lucien Faure," said a little hesitant. He thought his name sounded feminine, but he treasured it because it was the last thing he had of his parents. Lucien saw that the girl's mother seemed afraid, but she wouldn't have to worry, Lucien did play tricks on someone smaller than him, it seemed cowardly to him.
"What is your name, mademoiselle?" he asked, wiping the dirt off his shirt and standing up.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 2, 2008 19:14:05 GMT -5
Marie stayed in her sitting position on the grassy earth, gazing up at him curiously with her head slightly tilted to the side. She had never really interacted with another child before. His name was Lucien; she thought that it was pretty. Was that bad? Did boys not want their names to be pretty? She didn't think that they did, so she decided not to tell him. Instead she smiled at him slightly, wondering why he had such a funny look on his face.
Colette's eyes cleared after a few moments of deep breathing, sitting stark still on the bench. She watched Marie, who looked entirely unperturbed, and then the common boy. He looked nervous, but not malicious. It seemed that her girl was introducing herself, for suddenly Marie stood up and dropped a very graceful and ladylike curtsy, holding a bit of her skirt in one hand.
Marie raised herself from her curtsy and said with natural familiarity to the phrase, "I am Lady Jondrette. I am very pleased to meet you, Monsieur Faure." She held out her little gloved to him with a friendly smile on her face.
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 2, 2008 21:09:29 GMT -5
The girl had introduced herself as Lady Jondrette. Lucien had thought Ladies were much older, at least the ones he had heard of were. But even if was one, she wasn't a bratty one, which was rare among rich children who believed they had the world in their palm.
When she held out a gloved hand, Lucien knew that she was looking for a handshake. He had never met a little girl that would do that, she must've been raised to do this. Lucien wiped his hands quickly on his clean pants, as not to get the girl's gloves dirty.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Jondrette," said Lucien, trying to be polite. His father had to have done this in his career, being an usher he had to greet the patrons to the Opera Populaire and take them to their seats.
Lady Jondrette smiled back and returned the greeting. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. I have to go," he said, trying to walk off. But he felt a hand on his arm. It was Lady Jondrette again. He didn't mind being held back, after all it kept him from going home. He wondered what she had to say.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 2, 2008 22:42:18 GMT -5
Marie watched him quickly wipe his dirty hands off on his pants before gripping her hand gently and then shaking it. She had seen men do this, but she had never been taught to do so. She stared at him oddly, unsure of what to do. She went over the protocol in her mind again, making sure that she had done the right thing.
She had held out her hand, which he was supposed to take gently and kiss the air of it while bowing over it a bit. At least... well, she thought so! She was so confused now! Trying to keep her charm, Marie just smiled a bit, hesitant, and nodded. he apologised and then suddenly turned.
She frowned. No! That was too quick! Before she could think she had lunged forward and gently gripped his arm to keep him from going. He was older and a boy and could still go if he wanted to--she would be powerless to stop him--but he turned and looked at her silently. She was at a loss for words, a blush on her cheeks. She let go of him and bent to pick rose like the one that her father had picked for her a few days ago. She held it out to him, not knowing what to say. She wanted him to stay.
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 2, 2008 22:56:51 GMT -5
Lucien stared at the girl. She didn't have anything to say, she just wanted to stay. He took the rose she held out to him and put it in his shirt pocket. He looked back at her and smiled. "You don't get to talk or be with other children a lot, don't you?" The girl shook her head no. Lucien smiled widened. "You're probably the only adult-child I've ever met. You're quite mature, actually, knowing the social graces, but I don't. But if we are to be friends, if you wish to be, I need to address you by your name, your first name."
The girl giggled and said her name, Marie. Marie, he thought. It was a pretty name, he told her, much better than his, but Marie seemed to think otherwise. She told him she thought his name was handsome. He knew she wanted to say pretty, but he paid no mind to it. He liked Marie and knew she wasn't going to be a bother to him.
"Marie, do you want to go on that swing?" he asked, pointing to a nearby swing that hung from a tree. Marie seemed hesitant, looking back at that woman Lucien had passed earlier, most likely her mother. Lucien waited for the woman's response, which he hoped would be yes. Marie was probably his first friend, and he didn't want to lose her after being alone all this time.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 3, 2008 0:28:42 GMT -5
Marie watched him in fascination. He seemed so confident and independent. He was calling her adult! She didn't really think so, and blushed. She knew the things that ladies had to know, but she could never make it out here on her own. He looked like he had nobody else with him, which would have frightened her. He had taken her flower and tucked it into his shirt pocket, which made her smile. She had told him her first name for it would be embarrassing to deny it, but she had been told that it was improper if she did not know him well. She just hoped that her mother would not overhear.
"Marie, do you want to go on that swing?" He asked, and she hesitated. She had never been on a swing before! She wondered if it would be too scary. Would mother approve? She glanced at Colette, who was watching curiously. Colette smiled at her, which Marie took as approval. "If you don't let me fall off," She said sternly, giving him a look that offered no argument. She walked tentatively over to the swing and sat down upon it daintily as she was taught, once ankle crossed beneath the other off to the side. Her hands gripped the ropes tightly out of fear, but she wanted to show that she was brave and she was curious as to how it felt. It looked a bit like flying.
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 3, 2008 16:27:57 GMT -5
Lucien helped Marie onto the swing and went behind her. He knew that she probably didn't want to go to dizzying heights, like he probably would, so he gently began to push her. To reassure her, he whispered in her ear, "Don't worry, I won't let you fall." She started off at a gentle pace, but Lucien noticed she soon went higher. He made sure she wasn't going too high, but hearing her giggle, he knew she liked it.
The swing was going back and forth like a pendulum, but as the height increased, so did Marie's and Lucien's enjoyment. They were both laughing and not caring about anything for those moments. Soon Marie asked to get down, and Lucien tried putting the swing to a stop. He heard her thanks and in reply, "Well, it was nothing really, you seem like a fun girl to be with, Marie. Do you come to this park often?"
He let her think a moment and she replied negatively. Lucien looked her in the eye and said, "I come here everyday after lunch and usually still until about dinner. May I see you again?" Lucien hoped she would say yes, he liked Marie, she could be a good friend, plus she took his mind off his troubles.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 3, 2008 19:54:33 GMT -5
Marie enjoyed the swing immensely. She was terribly nervous at first, but after a while allowed herself to relax. As the swing would swoop her downward and then back up toward the sky she would lean her head back and watch Lucien, upside-down, growing farther away. Then he would swoop close again, then away, and the giggled at the fun. On one such journey downward she leaned her head back and the wind caught her hat, ripping it from her head. "Lucien! Stop me, please!" She called, and he did. She thanked him and bent to get her hat, dusting it off. She told him that no, she didn't come to the park very often. He did, apparently, and he wanted to see her again. She smiled wide and was about to nod happily when a shadow fell over them and a gloved hand laid upon her daughter's shoulder.
Colette had heard the question, and although it pained her to deny companionship to her young daughter, it was entirely improper. This had been a learning experience, and she had allowed it leniently, but it really was not acceptable for boys and girls to play as such. It was not allowed for them to touch. Especially if that boy was a commoner and the young lady a noble.
Marie must learn that. If she allowed gossiping tongues to wag she would be considered tainted and then would not marry well. If a woman did not marry well, then she would not be taken care of. A woman could not really make her own way comfortably, especially a noblewoman. In addition, relatives would also be considered tainted by relation, and the fall would be shared. It was a terrible fact of life, and one that Colette resented, but she knew that her daughter needed to know it for her own good.
"No, young man. I am happy that you have had good fun today, but it must not happen again. Do you understand?" Marie frowned and looked down at the ground. She had forgotten the rules about boys and commoners. Lucien was both. She felt like she wanted to cry, even though her mother was trying to protect her.
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Lucien Faure
Chorus Girl/Boy
Children be seen and not heard? Don't make me laugh.
Posts: 43
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Post by Lucien Faure on Jul 3, 2008 21:14:10 GMT -5
What a fool he was. Of course he couldn't see Marie again, it wasn't allowed by society. It wasn't dignified for a noble, much less a Lady, to converse with a commoner. Lucien thought it stupid and meaningless, but he wasn't going to fan the flames of gossip if him and Marie were friends. So he looked at Marie and her mother, who, if Marie was Lady Jondrette, must of been the Marquise de Jondrette.
"Of course, I fully understand Madame," he said, not wanting to embarrass himself any further. He bowed to the women and gazed at them. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Lady Jondrette, and you Madame La Marquise."
Lucien turned around and walked away at a normal pace, but wanted to go faster. If he went faster, he would've shown weakness and sorrow, he worst enemies, so he decided against it. Once he was far enough away and he knew they were going in the opposite direction, he began to walk slowly.
It was a shame really that him and Marie couldn't be friends, but what could he do? Lucien was passing a chef with a cake and Lucien put his leg out and watched him trip and his face land in the cake. The chef was angry with him, but a woman passing by said, "How dare you blame such a darling child?" She scolded him and the chef seemed like the villain. This was one thing that Lucien could make work for him and he was happy enough with it.
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Post by Les Jondrette Femmes on Jul 3, 2008 23:17:30 GMT -5
Colette petted Marie's hair into some semblance of order while the little girl tried to keep a stiff upper lip at the loss of her friend. "He was nice, Mama." She said briefly, repressing the whine from her voice. Colette gave her a stern but still sympathetic look and said softly, "You know what would come of it, princesse." Marie took in a quivering breath and nodded. "Shall we start home, then?" Asked Colette, and Marie nodded, still pouting. She held her chin up in a dignified manner and the two made their way out of the park and down the street toward their home.
Marie recalled the rose that she had given him and smiled for a moment, but she knew that it would die, and then he would not have anything to remember her by. She didn't like to think that he would come back to the park and find another little girl to play with, who was allowed to play. She didn't want him to forget her. "Mama, is there any way to stop something from dying?" She asked when they were near to the house. Colette halted, the breath knocked out of her in shock. Did she... suspect? What a terrible notion, also! Death was something that was not questioned, especially by young children. Such a morbid proposal. She looked down at Marie, who look confused, for she was unsure if she had said something wrong.
"No. Everything that lives must die in its time, darling, and go to heaven," She said carefully, in a measured and even tone. Marie smiled. "I know, Mama, but I wish they didn't have to..." She hesitating, not knowing the word. She took a hand and made a frustrated gesture like squashing an invisible object into the ground. Colette furrowed her brow, even more disturbed by what her daughter was getting at. "Be buried?" She suggested, but Marie shook her head. "Decay?" She suggested again, and after an explanation of the word, Marie nodded. "Like roses..." She said shyly, and Colette sighed in relief. "They can be dried, love. They do not exactly look the same, but they do not rot, and they remain lovely," She said, smiling at her. Marie grinned. "How do you do it?"
They began to walk again, and on the way Colette explained to her how it could be done. Marie listened intently, and then asked if they could dry and press some flowers when they got home. Colette replied in the affirmative just as they reached the home and entered it.
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