Note to Self:

[blondandperfect]

Who:blondandperfect,makeflowersgrow,mouthbreathing,petalpluck
When: Nov 1st, Morning, noon and evening.
Where: Ehvenn Household
Summary: Checklist: Give Eponine a hard time, Make Warsman a man, and get Garry to cook dinner. Let's see what happens.
Warnings: Will update as necessary.

"Mnnghh.." Hattie awoke, bleary eyed, at 7:05 am. She didn't even party that hard the evening before. Perhaps her body was just tired because it was almost time to head down to the gym and the weather was getting colder.

Needless to say, she wasn't very fond of the cold. After washing up, she headed downstairs to look at her notes she placed upon the fridge with a magnet. It looks like it's going to be another busy day..

Comments

[blondandperfect]

Arrested? "Oh. Well, I suppose he didn't have any choice in the matter, there. Mnn, he's so handsome and cut-throat.. But.. He never treated me like a lady, just as some sort of commoner. Frankly, I'm glad he's gone- if I can't have him, then no one can." Yeah, that's it. And she smirks a little at the thought.

That aside, she replies, "I don't think I need to tell you that I would do the same thing should you get arrested again, at least not as you are now. You need to cast aside your ways as a thief." ... "Or stop getting caught."

"I specifically said not 'all' nobles. Marius probably does, yes. But you seem to be willing to go along with that so long as he marries you some day. As for Deadpool.. He isn't normal. I doubt he thinks about anything in a rational matter. I don't know, I just think he's dangerous."

"And yes, I do see it. And I am not answering the second question; it would give you a big head."

[makeflowersgrow]

"He could have got me out. If you want cut throat, though, Madame, I will introduce you to my... I suppose, you would say husband? If he comes, Madame. But you might not survive the meeting... No, I do not think that you would save me. You would just tell them more bad things and make sure I face the gallows. I know this."

She sighs. "I need to get money from somewhere though. YOU do not pay me, and M'sieur Gold does not. And at Afterglow... I am not good at being a whore, Madame. It is only the men who like... things...when I get custom."

She won't go into more detail with Hattie though. It's not the thing for polite conversation. "So I do not always have money for rent - and Madame, I do not want to go to a dormitory. It was only once, though."

Eponine dismisses Deadpool being dangerous. Everyone in France is dangerous. It's not a problem for her. As long as he likes her just a little.

She smiles a little at Hattie though. "So you do think I am not to be a servant forever. I will never marry Marius; he will not have me. But a lady, nontheless."

[blondandperfect]

"Of course he could have, but who would post bail for someone who they'd just met? I, for one, would have been pleased to finally have a weakness to exploit if he had done it. And I'm not interested in your husband. I doubt he is nearly as handsome or rich or powerful. And, for the record," she raises a hand to tap her own cheek, "Mnn.. No, I would not tell them more, you don't play all your cards in one sitting, you know."

Her brows furrow, "Wait, Mister Gold does not pay you either? I.. Hmn, I misunderstood the situation, so he is making you do favors in exchange for payment." ... "'Custom'? Well, never mind that, it isn't important right now. Listen carefully because this is a very simple truth- it is not something you will be able to see until the very end, perhaps, but if you master the skills I teach you, I will give you a paying job."

What she doesn't say is that she isn't the one that's going to be paying. And besides, Eponine could be a lady and a servent~. "Hmph. We'll see."

[makeflowersgrow]

"M'sieur - well, he has paid the police to let me out. Fifty thousand dollers, Madame. And now I must pay him back a little. So he has already paid my wages one hundred times and more."

She gives Hattie a surprised look. Is she really asking? She manages, "Unwilling-" before Hattie cuts her off. If there's enough money, though, 'Ponine will do it.

"A paying job? Madame, would you really?" a paying job. A real paid job! Never has she had one. "I can fo as you ask. You can pay me now. I will he good."

She adds with a laugh, "And if 'Parnasse were to come, I could stop him killing you by saying, 'No. This lady is good and I will not have you hurt her. He is handsome, though."

[blondandperfect]

"F- Fifty thousand?" Hattie pales at the very thought, "Eponine, what did you do, steal a vehicle??"

On the other hand, does she really want to know? But yes, she does need to understand Eponine's situation better and at the moment it isn't looking good. She doesn't know how much Afterglow pays, but if Eponine is not working seriously, she must not get paid much anyway- not to mention it would be convenient for herself if Eponine paid off Mr Gold's debt faster; then she could have her for even more time.

"Of course I would," she then confirms, "You would have earned it, after all. And pay you now? Don't be ridiculous, you are not even close to mastering the basics."

[makeflowersgrow]

"No. Never had I seen a car before here. What would I do? No, Madame. It was pickpocketing. And... Askin' on the streets. They don't like that here but at home, it is the place for whores to go. They found charges, people sayin' they recognised me and they said the newcomers should have higher bail prices because we disappear. He was good, M'sieur. "

"If you paid me, I would not go to XXX. I could sleep, Madame. I could have another dress.I can clean, and read and write, and your maths and play with your cat."

[blondandperfect]

Hattie crosses her arms as she leans against the doorway, though breaks eye contact with Eponine at this point, ".. I do not have any money to pay you with at the moment," she replies. Naturally that is a lie. "As you can see I am the only person that lives here currently and the money I make has to go into this house. That is why I need a roomate or two. If I had one person who could pay, then.. Perhaps I could look into it."

"I am not in a good position. But, you could help me by learning what I teach you. The faster you learn, the sooner you will be able to leave XXX, you see?" For the moment Hattie doesn't comment about the shift in Eponine's deplorable manner of speech. One thing at a time right now. "I see, that is unfortunate. You've proven yourself to be quite a magnet for trouble, Eponine. But, I don't think you're a hopeless case."

[makeflowersgrow]

"You're POOR, Madame?" Her eyes go round and wide, and she can't quite believe what she's hearing.

"But we can make money easily. Madame, we can sell things. All of your bits that have no use. And then you will have money and you can pay me too."

She sighs. "I am not a trouble maker. I do not mean to be. It is just... never do I want to be hungry again, or have to sleep outside again or have nothing, all over again. If thieving and, as you say, whoring, will stop my belly aching and my teeth chattering, then I shall do it. Just people who do not know such things do not like it."

She stands up again, and strips back out of her tatty dress and struggles into the crinolined affair.

"I'll learn. What do you want me to do?"

[blondandperfect]

Hattie stamps her foot and immedietly yells, "I am not poor! And don't you dare tell anyone that I am do you understand me?" her face reddens, then quickly turns her head away, looking embarrassed. She wasn't poor, she just wasn't super rich; there's a difference!

"No we are not selling anything, nothing in this house leaves this house Eponine. I will get you your money, you are just going to have to wait for it; the only plan I am using is my own." Hattie seems firm and unwavering on this stance, "We've already agreed on a compromise. You may use the baths, you may eat what you like, and I will provide you clothing, that is all you are getting."

"Didn't you say you do not want pity? Then prove you are worthy by learning." the rest is said as Eponine changes back, causing Hattie to very silently sigh in relief. The damage hasn't been completely fixed but, things will mend over time.

"Today we will work on your penmanship, greeting etiquette, and how to properly set a table. Wash your face then meet me downstairs when you are ready."

[makeflowersgrow]

Eponine can't help but laugh at Hattie's loss of temper, and she can't resist a quick jibe.

"You must watch your temper, Madame. It is running away again."

Nothing in the house leaves, does it not? Eponine might have something to say about that. She feels Hattie ought to lose a little something after the way she had spoken to Eponine.

Once Hattie leaves, she finishes getting dressed again and then obediently goes to wash her face, before going back downstairs. Hopefully Hattie won't notice, but the guest bedroom is now down one small crystal trinket dish.

[blondandperfect]

Hattie's eyes widen in surprise, her cheeks somehow growing even more flush as she mumbles under her breath at the teasing, "Who asked you, anyway.." before heading off.

And missing items? Oh she'll notice all right, and in a way that Eponine will never expect, but that will come much later.

Back down in the kitchen, Hattie has prepared a number of tasks for Eponine that will keep her busy for a while. There's basic arithmatic, then penmanship. Once that is done, Hattie presents the next project.

"The last thing is inventory. From now on you are going to keep track of all the belongings in this house. Luckily for you I have already typed up the list in this book." which she drops onto the table. "It is much reading, but I believe you can do it. Your job is to go into each room, then write down how many of each item you see, that will be the master list. From tomorrow onward, if anything is missing, you will report it to me, all right?"

[makeflowersgrow]

The hand writing takes ages, and she curses, a lot. Her hand writing does slowly improve, until she begins to lose interest at the end. She's so tired, so sleepy. She can't concentrate. But she tries. It's the same with the maths. Eponine uses her fingers to count on and again, curses a lot. But finally it's finished.

"An inventory?" She picks the book up, and flicks through the lists, reading the entries slowly. Her expression turned sulky. This would make her 'payments' a lot harder to come by. Unless - she could put down false entries to begin with. That would work.

To Hattie, she nods. "You wish me to do it now? But Madame - why? If there is only you in the house, then nothing can change."

[blondandperfect]

"Well that is true, I suppose 'now' isn't really necessary, is it?" Hattie thinks for a moment; in Eponine's state, she won't be able to concentrate much longer anyway. And if she messes up things with Mr. Gold that will only make matters worse.

"As I mentioned before, eventually I will find a suitable roomate. In the off-chance it is someone I don't know, you will be able to help make sure they do not take anything that does not belong to them. Anyway, you are right, you can do it tomorrow.." She glances to the clock for a moment. "9:50. It isn't much time, but perhaps you'd better get some rest in the guest room. I will wake you at 11, then we'll practice your table setting before you leave."

[makeflowersgrow]

She blinks.

"Really? You will let me sleep, My Lady?" She's hurrying off before Hattie can change her mind.

As soon as she's in the guest room, she collapses, fully dressed, onto the bed, and within five minutes is flat out, snoring gently. She intends to make the most of her hour asleep.