Maglor in the 1848 French Revolution by Aprilertuile

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November 1847

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It was nearer dawn when Joséphine came out of the room in clothing that he was pretty sure would be considered indecent by the current time and sense of morals.

She looked panicked and fell on Maglor like misery fell on the world.

“I’m having the baby!”

“Yes?”

“My water broke, I’m having the baby now!”

Maglor went to his room to wake Louis up. That was HIS problem to deal with. Maglor may know how to take care of a baby, but he certainly didn’t know enough of delivering a baby to do it safely with someone who had a heart issue.

“The problem appeared?”

“Your girl’s delivering your kid in the living-room. You’re the healer, please deal with it.”

That had Louis leave the bed with force swearing and put on something vaguely presentable to run to the next room, finding Joséphine breathing heavily on the couch, looking terrified.

“YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST REASSURED HER!” Louis shouted at Maglor while running to Joséphine.

“I’m a cruel man, remember?”

And his family must have written the first handbook on pettiness. One could have thought Maglor would have changed through the years, and he did…

When he wanted to make an actual effort.

That happened sometimes.

Not here though. She was a bit too much in his face for that.

Besides, what did Louis wanted him to say? “All will be well, you’ll be fine”? Like Joséphine would believe anything he said…

He however was right there when Louis asked him to bring whatever he needed during the delivery, and it was not a quick process. It never really was to be fair.

Dawn had long passed when someone came knocking at their door forcefully, and Maglor went to open it even as Joséphine was screaming during a contraction.

“What is happening here?”

“A birth.”

The newcomer, Louis’ employer, the doctor, entered the room fully, taking in the scene.

“Well… Who is that young woman?”

“A ward of the woman who helped both Louis and I when we found ourselves in trouble during the famine at the beginning of the year.”

“I see. Well, tell Louis he can stay here today, but he’ll have a day of salary less.”

“I’ll tell him.”

“Also he must be here tomorrow at first light, no excuses.”

Maglor nodded, he’d pass the message to Louis, and closed the door behind the man when he left without even checking on Joséphine. 

What a doctor…

This era…

Maglor was pretty sure every healer he’s known would have repudiated that man. That or they’d have suffered from stroke from rage alone at that kind of behaviour.

Healing only the rich should have limits!

By midday the baby was born, cleaned, clothed and fed and Joséphine was back in bed, cleaned up and tired and pretending the child wasn’t here at all, and Louis was busy cleaning up the place very intentionally, and so the new-born had ended up in Maglor’s arms.

Joséphine rested in peace and quiet for a few hours while Maglor was babysitting, Louis finding apparently a sudden need to deep clean the whole apartment.

Strange how the presence of a baby gave Louis the sudden need to be too busy to hold said baby.

Maglor felt it was very natural to be holding a baby, but also he also felt very annoyed at holding a baby.

However he said nothing for the afternoon, until Joséphine emerged from the room, looking a bit better, if still probably sore.

“So, Louis, miss Joséphine, where do I put your daughter?”

Louis looked at him in alarm.

“Not in my arms.”

“Ismérie kept me a bassinet at her tavern. It’s an ugly little thing for an ugly wrinkly baby.” Joséphine answered Maglor.

“I don’t suppose you thought you’d need to take the bassinet here when you decided to come?”

“Of course not. But you can take it to Ismérie. It’ll be taken care of there, if you’re worried.”

Maglor glared at the girl for a moment.

“First, that’s not an “it”, that’s your daughter. Second…”

“Well, I don’t want it. I was actually hoping it wouldn’t be born at all.”

“If that was true, you’d have either been more careful when you decided to have sex like an idiot, or you’d have taken herbs to stop the pregnancy. If you didn’t that’s entirely on you, little miss, and I’m tired of your behaviour. If you have nothing better to say, I suggest you learn to shut up in the future.”

“You can’t say that! I’m the mother of Louis’ daughter. I’m here at home as much as you! I am in my rights.”

“The fact your daughter is born means that the only reason I’d have to stay tolerant with you is gone. Also no, you’re not here at home as much as I am. For one Louis isn’t married to you, hasn’t yet officially recognized your daughter as his, and isn’t the only one living here to start with. You’re nothing but an invasive, unnecessary, and unwanted guest to me.”

Maglor had reached the limits of his patience a while ago. Joséphine looked shocked at his answer.

“So, what’s the name of your child?”

“A name?”

Maglor looked vaguely tired for a moment there. Who ever let those children procreate? They were clearly not mature enough for that. 

“Louis…”

“I’m… Thinking about it. About a name. For the baby. My daughter that is.”

Maglor glared at the young man a moment before turning back to the infant in his arms.

“Somehow I was sure that my days of babysitting an actual newborn infant were over and gone with the rest of my family, but it would appear your parents are either incompetent or terrified of you for some reason, which is strange because I never heard of an infant devouring their parents in the dark of night, but who knows…”

Joséphine huffed at that even as Louis found himself busy in another room. The kitchen if Maglor heard right.

“It’s not like it really matter right away. I was told by my father long ago that it served nothing to give names to babies born into poor families before their 3rd months because many of them died anyway.”

“The city registry will need the name of your child regardless of what your father may or may not think. And in the case your child dies, there will need a name for her grave. Or do you want to be known as the only mother so unable to act like a mother that she can’t even think of a single name for her daughter in the 9 months she bore her?”

“I’m not alone in that, Louis is the same!”

“Actually I beg to differ! Children are the problem of the mother, not the father!” Louis called from the kitchen.

Maglor wanted so much to say something about that, but that… Was actually true in this day and age…

This era had gone so wrong in so, so, so many ways that Maglor would believe it was somehow the influence of Morgoth and the end of the world would come soon if he didn’t actually know better.

“Right, so think of a name now, otherwise I’ll call your child Louisa and I’ll have her birth recorded in the city registry as such.”

“Louisa. Great, I’ll take it.” Louis answered from the entrance of the room coming in with fruits for Joséphine who nodded.

“That’s a good name, Louisa.”

Maglor looked at them and sighed.

“Louis…”

“I’m sorry, but I just… I guess I thought… I guess I thought that Joséphine would… You know. Be a typical mother or something and that she’d… take care of that kind of things without our input.”

Maglor’s extremely unimpressed face expressed his thoughts clearly on the matter.

“Oh come on, I’m a man, what do I know of babies or names or… Things like that?”

“And what am I? Chopped liver?” Maglor reacted immediately.

“Apparently you’re someone who lived long enough to know more than me about babies! And. And besides we don’t even know if the child will survive long. For all we know she’ll be dead by this evening anyway.”

“You both wish so much good for your daughter, I’m impressed. Not.”

Louis winced at that.

“Yes, well, sorry but I’m a health officer. I can’t tell you how many things could go wrong spontaneously in an infant so…”

“Statistically speaking, you have good chances for that child to reach adulthood regardless. Seeing that, you know, the whole human race keeps growing in number, I think it’s safe to say that a majority of babies actually grow up without much problems.”

“Well… I mean, yes, but… sometimes it goes wrong.” Louis answered uneasily, barely looking at the child.

“And so you will not even bother to look after your daughter because “it might go wrong”?”

“It’s not like we wanted this child!” Joséphine claimed, annoyed.

“The moment you decided you could have your fun and didn’t try to get rid of the child when it was still possible, and I’m pretty sure Ismérie knew the herbs you could have used if you really wanted to, you lost the right to complain about Louisa’s birth.”

Joséphine blushed darkly, clearly angry, and Louis just looked between Maglor and her, looking somewhat shocked.

“That coming from a man reduced to begging in the streets.”

“Reduced to playing in the streets for money, thank you. I’m not yet a beggar, but that’s rich coming from you. I also fail to see the relation between my current employment status and your child’s birth, but do tell, it promises to be interesting.”

Joséphine looked at him in shock, unused, and perhaps a bit afraid, of the chill in his voice.

“Once again, Miss Joséphine, I’m not your friend, and you’re invading my life far more than strictly decent of you. So your judgement on my life, you will keep it for yourself. Otherwise you can take your daughter, and the door while you’re at it.”

“It’s also Louis’ daughter.”

“Prove it.”

“… What?”

“To speak crudely, you claim to have slept only with Louis because you “loved” him, and hoped that your father would accept him.”

“I did!”

“Max please don’t…” Louis started with a wince.

“Anyone with half a brain could have told you that your father would never allow for your indiscretion to remain unpunished. So I think that you slept with Louis because you wanted to on the spur of the moment, without considering the results of your actions, which would mean you could have slept with anyone else the exact same way or you could have “fallen in love” with anyone else the exact same way.”

“I didn’t!”

“Again. Prove it.”

Joséphine looked near tears at that.

“Max…” Louis tried again uneasily.

“You know the saying, Louis. “Mother is sure, father is maybe”. She wants to be pitied and coddled because she fell pregnant “accidentally”, if one can call sleeping around an accident, and I have tolerated far more than enough already. If the miss wants to criticise my life, she’s welcome to also take my criticism of her life.”

“You just want to keep Louis for yourself! You’re one of those freaks who like men.”

“Joséphine!” Louis spluttered, face paling at the accusation.

“He has no girl! Never had any since I met him!”

“He’s also a street musician, or according to you, a beggar. No woman is going to fall for his charms. That doesn’t mean he’s one of those people. And I thought you were better educated than to cast accusations like that!” Louis said, defending Maglor.

At least Louis had the good idea to keep their relationship secret there. Maglor approved whole-heartedly.

“He… He never even looked at me twice. Louis, you must see it, he…” Joséphine tried again, pleading toward Louis.

“You came to me because you were pregnant with the child of another man, and on top of that you’re acting like you don’t know whether to act like a woman or like a 5 years old. Who, apart from Louis, would want to touch that?” Maglor answered pointedly, making her blush.

“I AM an adult!” she claimed sharply.

“Funnily enough, I prefer adult women who know they’re actual adults and act like it. Strange, I know.”

“Louis!”

“I will not take your defence, Joséphine. Not on that point. Not after your accusations.”

“You… You can’t agree with…”

“Ismérie too agrees with Max. You’re just… Tiring. But if you don’t want to participate in your daughter’s life, you can go, no one is holding you back here. If you want to actually be a mother, then stop saying Louisa is responsible for your problems or that you’re innocent or that Max is cruel to you or that he’s an homosexual just because you don’t like him.”

“But… Louis, we were lovers.” She gasped, crying like a seasoned actress.

“I said what I said, Joséphine. We both know that being lovers means nothing to you. I already told you that I didn’t care to compete with your desire to get back to a better social standing.”

“You really allowed me to stay just for your child.” Joséphine realised with shock.

“You already knew that.”

“But… Louis he… He looks at you…”

“If you must know, Joséphine, I’m the one who kissed him.”

That had her gasping in shock, looking at Louis with horror. Neither realised that Maglor’s look mirrored Joséphine’s look of horror.

He hadn’t wanted to let her in on the secret. Not at all.

“See? Being with you too often made sure I’d fall head over heels in love with anyone not female. Are you done now trying to point at MY lover for homosexuality?”

Maglor started to frown at that, he had been perfectly happy to have Joséphine unaware of the nature of their relationship, but now that she was, telling her that sort of things before assessing how she’ll take the knowledge in the long run might prove more dangerous than it was worth.

“So, where do you want me to put your daughter?” Maglor interrupted calmly.

“Keep her. And I want to rest. I’d rather be alone if you please.”

“Before you go, can you at least feed your child?”

Joséphine glared at him but took Louisa from his arms and left the room for a moment, before she came back, gave him the infant back, and left again.

Maglor’s lips tilted downward as he reinstalled the child in his arms, but he let her go back to Louis’ room without further interruption. Maglor went to his own room to find a scarf to arrange a sort of baby carrier to have his hands free despite carrying the newborn child.

Louis entered the room behind him.

“You’re unhappy with me.”

“I’m unhappy at a lot of things that happened today, and at a lot of things that happened since Joséphine came into my life. You’ve lived well with the knowledge until now, I think you’ll continue to live well enough with it even now.” Maglor said simply.

“She won’t talk.”

“Don’t underestimate the wrath of a scorned woman.”

“She’s an idiot, Maglor, but not that bad. She won’t talk. Not if she doesn’t want to have to deal with her own set of troubles with justice.”

“Don’t underestimate idiots either, and don’t overestimate the power of justice. She’s a woman with an infant child. Many people won’t want to touch that with a ten foot pole, while others wouldn’t care and would have your daughter abandoned and all of us jailed if necessary. Is that what you want?”

“You’re always so cheerful…” Louis muttered letting himself fall on the bed.

“And you’re always so careless. This being said, your doctor came by earlier. He wants you back tomorrow at first light.”

“I’ll be there.”

“And we need to warn Ismérie that your daughter’s born and that your Joséphine survived the birth but is ill and will probably not survive to a normal old age.”

“Do we need to?”

“Ismérie is employing the girl, she needs to know if she’s liable to drop dead in the middle of a working day.” Maglor pointed out wryly.

“Could you not talk of Joséphine dying while you carry our daughter please? It’s too strange.”

“Your daughter is a newborn not yet of age to remember a thing of this conversation. But fine. It’s still a reality though.”

“Could you go see Ismérie tomorrow while Joséphine recuperate? I’m pretty sure she’ll be sore for days, and…”

“The birth wasn’t the most difficult I’ve had the displeasure to witness, and your Joséphine might be tired and sore, but she’s also mostly a…”

“Please.”

Maglor huffed but let it go.

“If you’re jealous of Joséphine, you should know you don’t need to.”

“Jeal… Louis, did you miss the fact that your girl just tried to use the suspicion of homosexuality as a reason for you to kick me out? Do you need me to make you an alphabetical list of all the reasons I’m starting to have enough of that girl’s irruptions in my life?”

“I think I would, yes, because I don’t understand why you dislike her so much.”

Maglor looked annoyed for a short moment.

“You keep saying that this girl is innocent, but what you fail to see is that she’s a desperate woman backed into a corner who will do anything she can to get what she thinks she needs. And what she thinks she needs is you as a husband and me gone.”

“You’re exaggerating, no?”

“Really? Think Louis, what will happen if Ismérie disappears for any reason, and you withdraw your support from Joséphine?”

Louis was going to answer but winced: Joséphine was alone, had a good name, but no money, and now had a child with her. Lone women with a child but no father were generally not even welcomed to work in the factories… Many others have ended up as beggars in the street or prostitutes just to survive.

Women had really too few rights and without the support of a man…

“I… can see it, but she…”

“Before you tell me that she’s just invasive and annoying but not dangerous, I feel the need to tell you that your innocent little friend told the city police at least twice where they could find me playing music in the streets during the day. The first time there was a group nearby who were doing something shady and incidentally made enough of a mess that I could leave without being noticed, the second time the police officer gave me a warning and let me go.”

Louis looked disturbed at that.

“But how do you know that it’s her doing?”

“Because I have eyes, and I saw her surprise when I came back those two days. And I have ears to hear her various threats and promises to involve the police or the soldiers. The miss believes that if I leave you two alone you’ll rekindle your relationship.”

Louis grimaced in distaste:

“That is not going to happen, whatever she believes.”

“Maybe, maybe not. The point is that she believes it, and she wants it desperately. If the anti-homosexuality laws had still been in place, I’d have been in jail for months already, because of her. And the only reason she hadn’t denounced me with a crime of that sort is that, considering the current laws, she’d have to incriminate you as well and that’d be counterproductive. She admitted it herself at least once.”

“I never heard…”

“You’re not always with us, Louis. And I noticed that you tend to be oblivious when something doesn’t fit what you think of a person.”

“Alright so she tried, and she failed? I mean, you’re not a criminal, so whatever she does, she’ll need to invent something, so you’re… Pretty safe?”

“Louis… I’m not about to let her try to throw the police at me until she manages to find an accusation that sticks. I haven’t lived so long as a free being by being reckless.”

Louis grimaced at that.

“So adding that to the fact she’s an absolutely terrible mother, you’ll excuse me, or not, but I feel no need to actually be nice to her.”

“That… I mean, many mothers have a… Somewhat tense relationship with their baby, and you have to admit that due to this pregnancy, her life took a rather bad turn. I’ve heard of mothers downright refusing to acknowledge their child or feed them. And the fact that she grew up in a house where the nurse probably took care of children instead of the parents must not have helped. She’s not actually the worst mother I’ve heard of.”

“I’ve only seen that in women raped or who suffered from the death of an infant and refused to hope this child would survive. Actually I’ve seen a few of those women over the years use herbs to lose their child before birth.”

“Hence why you know about abortive plants. But sometimes there’s no real reason. It just… Happens. There’s a lack of… Connexion between mother and child.”

“How did your species manage to grow so much? Mothers who don’t care for their babies, child mortality, your own general incredible recklessness?!”

“A natural talent.”

Maglor muttered something along the lines of “a natural something at least”, making Louis chuckle tiredly. The situation had been particularly tense, and he admitted freely he was tired.

“Louis, while we’re on that subject… I have a question for you. Do you remember the day you came back home after you found this apprenticeship with your doctor?”

“Yes.”

“Did you ever tell Joséphine, or give her reasons to think perhaps, that I made you uneasy? That you didn’t want to admit it aloud, or to me, but that I unnerved you?”

Louis shook his head.

“No. I didn’t feel uneasy. I was watching you at some point when I just discovered who you really were, or weren’t as the case may be, but I was never uneasy around you. And when I had something to say, I said it. And it’s not to Joséphine I’d have confided in if by chance it wasn’t the case.”

Maglor nodded. That had come to his mind too.

“And yet, can you not imagine it being true? Me making you uneasy? You being stubborn because you like or love me? Did it never come to your mind? At all?”

“No. Not a single time. But she told you that, or something along those lines before I found this job didn’t she? That’s why you tried so hard to have me move alone. She made you doubt.”

Maglor looked tired for a moment, not physically tired, more emotionally wrung out.

“Dare to tell it could not happen?”

Louis hesitated a moment and Maglor smiled sadly.

“Your girl, however aggravating, obstinate, bigoted and wrong she can be, also can be quite right at times. More so when I don’t want her to be right.”

“And so that’s the problem really. She made you doubt. She accidentally managed to find a very good argument and that’s the problem. Because you know she’s right, but you want her to be wrong, and she brings it up too often because she can see it bothers you and it’s the only thing that really does.” Louis realised with clear shock.

“I’ll speak to her. She’ll drop the threats and will stop trying to find a reason for you to be under arrest. And whatever she says, I’m not about to run from you. You make my life fun and bearable. I love you, and I’m not about to accept living a life of socially acceptable lies with Joséphine instead of being happy with you just because she said so,” Louis said again.

Maglor huffed at that. He knew. And he only truly doubted before Louis invited him to move into this second apartment with him. But… That didn’t stop him from acknowledging that Joséphine was right too: his very presence in Louis’ life would make things significantly harder for the young man later on, when Maglor would need to leave Paris before someone realised he never aged. And that knowledge hurt as much as it ever did… And she just carelessly and accidentally threw it in his face so often when Louis wasn’t there to look that he generally just snapped at her whenever she came by now, almost like a reflex…

He couldn’t just not answer her. And he knew he could be cruel, that he could give as good as he got, even if she was really clueless as to why her bigotry really bothered him.