There's A Lie Upon [M]y Lips [Ashen & Fanatasia]

[Fanatasia]

As he led her to the door of the pub, he would notice that instead of stairs, there was a railed pathway made for wheelchairs; and a series of rope had been trailed throughout the pub itself--a guide for the blind to find the door. It started at the door, and went around the walls. Because, once inside, the blind would need no more help as the place was set up in a never-changing pattern.

Cosette didn't speak, though she did giggle softly, as she pulled him with her. "C'mon. This is La Ruelle Lovelace, correct?" She'd inquire, as she continued to pull him with her. It was much too early for the pub to be opened, and as they descended into the pub, they would hear someone call: "We are not open yet, mon ami."

Luuk would come face-to-face with a plump, dark haired woman with large, green hues. This woman had been the one to call out, as she scrubbed the countertop, her back was to the couple.. Cosette released Luuk, to start forwards as if she knew this place. She deftly moved around tables, between them, counting under her breath.

When the woman realized the intruders had not left, she turned and snapped, "I said we are not open, mon ami." The elder woman crossed her arms as she studied the young girl, who had come to a complete stop before her. "So you can come back in three hours, when we do open, or I can summon Monsieur Lovelace, and have him decide your fate."

"Summon the monsieur, madam." Cosette drawled, crossing her arms across her chest, as she strolled past the woman and behind the bar. "Drink, Luuk?" She called, as she claimed two glasses, and a bottle of ale. She'd pour easily, with a bit of hesitance.

As she was taking a seat at the front of the bar, settling Luuk's drink beside of her, she heard a voice: "So vagrants decide it is okay to waltz through my front door and help themselves to my ale?" Cosette tipped her head forward, until she felt the vibrations as the rather large man made his way down the stairs and into the tavern itself.

"I hope you have the notion to pay before I kick you out." He warned, until the girl pulled herself onto the countertop, stepping over the drinks, and began to dance. She was still hiding her face, but the moment he began to dance, the man was snarling at the elderly woman, "You didn't tell me that this vagrant girl was Mademoiselle Lovelace, Tian."

"I didn't..."

The man waved her off and stepped forward, to grasp Cosette by her knees and pull her down, into a hug. "Mon enfant. You have come home. Apologies for Tian, she is new. Do you need shelter? A bath, perhaps? And who is your friend?" The man was like a puppy, having just seen his owner, where a moment before he had been foreboding.

"Papa! Shelter... is my room still together? That's Luuk--he helped me get breakfast." She held up the half-loaf of bread proudly, grinning. "Ah, mon enfant. Yes. Your room is together. Go on upstairs, we'll clean up here." Cosette twisted in her father's hold to reach out for Luuk, "Come see my home, come see!"

[Ashen]

Cosette didn't answer him. Luuk was put off by the uncharacteristic rudeness in her action, but he went along with her anyway. He looked over the sign out front and shrugged. "Your French would be better than mine," he said, though he didn't know that that was true. The kid was bilingual after all, and while his native language had not been French, some of the words were similar in his other tongue. Cosette rushed inside, and the woman behind the counter told them the place wasn't open yet. With another shrug Luuk turned to head out, but Cosette was not following him.

The blind dancer was aggravating the woman worker, and Luuk could not understand her defiance. Luuk liked it though, liked raising a fuss, and so he sat back and watched, hand already at his knife. When the woman left, Cosette offered Luuk a drink, and seemed to know just how to get one. He watched her curiously. "What are you doing?" he asked, taking a seat upon the stool and looking into the amber liquid. He was technically underage, but no one bothered checking in this region, so he sipped at it. It slowly trickled down his throat, a stolen treat.

From the next room he could hear an angry man. He didn't know what his friend was up to, but after his childhood, he wasn't afraid. The man--probably the owner of the pub, judging by his name and confidence--was visibly angry. But then he saw Cosette, and referred to her as a relative. His French suggested she was his daughter. Luuk chuckled at that. So, the girl was home.

Luuk hopped off the stool and walked over to Cosette's father. "Luuk Snell, it's a pleasure." It was far better than using his birth name, the name of his grandfather. He didn't need this man recognizing him as the son of a pair of millionaires. He turned to Cosette, who seemed to be excited to show off her room. He smiled. "Of course," he said, and he took her hand so that she could lead him upstairs.