milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Javert is in his normal back corner of the bar. It was pouring rain when he finished in the forge for the day, so he came here instead of going out into the woods. He is surrounded by paper, and the odd ruler, and he is drawing something with precision on one sheet - only to finish it, shake his head and toss it away, before taking a new piece and starting again.

This looks like it has been going on for some time, and may continue the rest of the day. And possibly night. A distraction before his hand falls off would perhaps be welcome.

[OOC: Open UNTIL THE END OF TIME. Or next Wednesday. Whichever comes first. <3

ETA: YOU FABULOUS PEOPLE. *flings love at* I must crash, but it's been a blast. Am around all day tomorrow to continue. <3]

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She's quiet a moment. "As much as I'd like to learn things, the places back home require a person to be atleast 16 years old, and the places that don't..I don't think I could trust them." She'd probably like to work at her father's shop, but then it'd be in the presence of a cheater and conman and she doesn't entirely trust the place to be safe.

"I'd like to learn horse back riding, but mum doesn't like being pulled from her bingo games and daddy works all the time-and neither like to be pulled from the telly when at home." There's actually no pity or sadness in her voice: just resignation that her parents are good for nothing except raising her.

Edited 2014-01-24 23:06 (UTC)

'There are horses here,' he says, dismissively.

'No doubt someone will teach you if you stand around long enough. That is what people are like, here.'

He has seen them.

"Tried that. You need money and I only get five quid for pocket money." Which isn't enough for proper lessons apparently. "I can take on happy hour with Bar's permission-on the condition that I don't serve alcohol, of course-but people get a little strange about seeing a little girl behind a bar."

Really, there's not much for her to do except read and go to school. Surely he'd see that by now.

'You should not be behind a bar,' he says at once, with a note of horror in his voice.

He has seen children do worse things - did worse things himself, when he had to - but in a place like this where charity is, lamentably, freely given...a child should not have to serve behind the bar.

'Do you not have toys? I thought most young ones do. You could play with them instead, and learn to ride when you are bigger.'

Matilda shrugs. "I know, but..." She looks down a bit: the story's still embarrassing. "I had to earn money and this was the fastest way to do so."

She looked around a moment, not wanting to be over heard, then moved closer to his table, setting her school back on the closest available chair: she didn't want to mess up his drawings after all. "Daddy came home from work one day and grabbed the book I was reading. He then proceeded to tear all the pages out from it, even when I tried to explain that it was a library book and I would have to return it. He said I had to buy another one and then he stormed out of the room."

It happened months ago, but the memory's still a harsh one. "I had to buy the damaged one so they could replace it, but I didn't want to spend my money on something he did. So, I asked Bar if I could take over happy hour. I got a note saying it was alright, so long as I make it clear that I can't serve alcohol-and I didn't."

The mention of toys though, that got an amused look. For a grown up insisting on being useful, hearing him talk of toys was almost funny. "I do, but then reading and playing with toys are both enjoyable pass times for me."

He frowns. There is an obvious question to be asked.

'Why did he tear up your book?'

There is a slight implication of what did you do to earn it? but it is only slight.

She shrugged. Why did her daddy do anything. "He was angry and, I think jealous that I enjoyed reading and he didn't-he took it out on the book because he's like that." Because he was the adult and had that sort of power.

Slight as the implication is, she's still able to read what he's not saying. "I served drinks with cola, ice cream, different juices-nothing I couldn't drink myself. Anyone with a good story to tell got fifty percent off."

Sure, it made her have to sell a lot more drinks, but if she was going to have to pay for what her father did-she was going to get some good stories out of it.

'He does not sound a just man.'

Perhaps he should not judge off the word of one small child - but he does anyway.

'And did you make the amount you needed?'

"He's not. He thinks nothing of cheating people and if I tell him off for it he just calls me stupid and that 'no one ever got rich being honest." She's not sure why she's telling him this, but it could do with the fact that he's taking her seriously and almost talking to her like he would an adult.

"I did." And she got back at both her parents too.

He talks to children as adults, because he has no alternative dialogue for them. They are merely small, rather more ignorant, big people in his eyes.

'He does not sound like a good man.'

He is reminded of Thenardier.

'Does he strike you also?'

"No, thank goodness." She knows she's lucky in that regard. " But then I know what to watch out for. Mostly he just ignores me, or just speaks roughly with me." Hence her able to take Javert's tone minutes ago. "He knows I can read well and do sums better than him, so it especially gets him upset-like red in the face upset."

And she's not going to play down her skills simply for him pride-more so especially since she knows she can get back at them for it.

Edited 2014-01-25 18:33 (UTC)

'Oh, well. Being ignored is no hardship. And if you can read and add your numbers, I cannot see you should have any complaints.'

There are far worse things than being ignored. And she is educated despite being a female. It sounds to him that she has a good life.

"My only complaint is that he brags about his schemes infront of me. I know atleast I can take my reading to my room or milliways, so I don't have to worry about him attacking any more library books." Really, she knows she doesn't have a bad life, it's just one she has to tolerate-and do some scheming herself.

She was going to say more when she looked at the clock above Bar. "I should get back. It was nice talking to you, Mr. Javert and good luck on your drawing plans."

Matilda picked up her school bag and turned towards her door, the other side showing a 'modern' primary school corridor.

Edited 2014-01-25 19:48 (UTC)

She has a decently pragmatic approach. As children go - not that he has much experience - she is not so bad.

'Good evening, mademoiselle.'

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