Yes. There is a reason I am skinny, Madame. I could not afford food; a lot of people could not. And when we had food, Papa ate, and then Mama ate, and the gang sometimes - and then me. I was allowed the left overs. It is just how it happens in Paris; Marius gave me bread sometimes. I told you, no, that we tried to catch a rat? Cat, dog, horse - any meat is good, though that is rare indeed.

[She held her breath as Hattie fastened the gown to her, and she looks down with a pleased smile once it is on.] Pickpocketing? [She looks up, guiltily. Oh Hattie. If only you knew how far into the criminal mire Eponine currently finds herself in. Between Jesse's commissions and Jacks' vouching for her at Afterglow so she can get some quick cash, Eponine is not exactly a model citizen.] No, No, I will not pickpocket. [Jesse's forbidden it]

But, Madame - [She was going to explain her troubles - but then Hattie holds out a mirror and Eponine grabs for it eagerly. She loves mirrors, and she looks eagerly into it. She doesn't look pretty, not by a long shot. Her hair's a messy tangle, curled by the rain in Paris, and her face is dirty and tear stained. But the gown and the shawl are lovely, and Eponine smooths the shawl down over her shoulders, all the while pouting and giggling at her reflection.]

Mmm... [Her reply is distracted] Yeah; after the monster tried to eat me and he saved me. It ate my shoe though. It was when I was coming back to your old house after working at Uzushio.... I think it is a good thing to stay warm always. I missed it in Paris, you know? Almost as soon as I was back, it started to rain, and it was raining again when I was shot. You have knights where you are from? Like the stories?