Chapter One

The Trail Begins

It all started on a dark stormy night…. As the guard was sent to search through the lonesome city of Paris. The great regal beauty known as the Lady of Paris, Notre Dame would ring out in fair warning. A third ring every morn and every dusk that would speak to the city to hide. The poor kingdom had fallen half way and it was spoken that the great Duke, in his king's stead, sent a fierce tax among the people. It was a hard way of life, but some dealt well. As the bell rang that night something unusual happened. there was a row boat nearing the dock.

These poor souls asleep in this dinghy were quite the unusual. But it wasn't long before a girl noticed the two people. In concern for these souls, she ran to the small boat and peered inside. There were two Spanish young adults, a young lady next to a young man and it looked like they had been through something unbearable. The girl's eyes widened and ran to a fisherman close by.

"Sir! Sir! Come quick!" she yelled, pulling him to follow her.

"What is it?' the fisher man asked, grouchy.

Without saying so much as a word, the worried girl led to confused fisherman to the boat. Once he saw the two injured ones, he immediately began to call out for assistance.

"Hark! Two souls need attention! Hurry now!" the fisherman cried as he stepped into the boat and carefully scooped the hurt girl into his arms. More men came to tend to the boy.

The two souls were taken to a house and were put on the bed. it wasn't long before the girl started to wake up. She found herself within this small room with only one window... Her head was pounding and she tried to get up, but her dressed arm shot pain all through her body. She had to lie back down. It was quaint, this small home and very very small for there were small beds in the corners across from hers. She looked around and saw her brother across from her.

She shot up.

"BROTHER!" she screamed as she tried to jump out of the bed but was stopped by a man.

"Take it easy, lassie!" the man said as he tried his best to gently restrain her.

She stopped struggling for a minute. "Who-who are you?... and.. where am I?.."

"Just stay calm..." the man said as he shared a caring smile for a moment. "You are in the Fox's Hide inn...in Paris. Just stay at ease." he told her.

Her eyes lit up "P-paris?"

She was very happy. but she knew she had to keep calm and stay stoned face.

"Aye..." the man smiled at her with a gleam in his eye. "And no worries. Your brother is below resting. We gypsies take kindly to helping folk. In a kingdom like this, it's kinda needed. I will fetch you some food and water. My name is Clopin." he introduced himself, taking a low bow to her as he stepped out of the room."...welcome to Paris, my dear."

She layed back down on the bed. She then looked at her brother and smiled.

"We did it" she mouthed.

Her brother started to wake up and quickly shot up in fear " WHAT THE HE-"

The girl quickly clapped her hand on his mouth " Be quiet!" she whispered. " We don't want to get in trouble again do we?"

The boy shook his head.

"These people...I think they are gypsies..." she said, looking around. "I think they rescued us..."

He stubbornly shoved her hand away. "Oh, yes...how grand. Gypsies. And being in a kingdom with no queen, we are definitely making progress..." her brother sighed, sarcastically.

The young lady sighed.

"At least we're not in Spain anymore…." she added and the boy rolled his eyes

"Whatever…." he mumbled silently, rubbing his throbbing head.

His sister scowled at him before she gazed out to the window when the soft song of bells filled the air. But she also took notice that while these bells were rung from the church, people in the streets began to shut their windows and doors as if something was coming.

She gazed at her brother in fear. " Diego... Get down... I think something bad is going to happen." she whispered.

"Like what?" Diego scoffed before the bells suddenly stopped ringing and then, only two minutes later came three low tongs of one large bell. After that, all went quiet. Maritza was confused when she looked out and people were cautiously walking again.

"Those are warning bells." Diego said. "Like back home, there's a war here too."

The girl, Maritza kept looking at the bell tower. Later on Clopin came back with food and water for the two twins.

"Here here, what is all the fuss?" the gypsy greeted with a grin, setting a loaf of bread down and two mugs of water and apple cider. "Clearly, those bells are a blessing to hear, ya?"

Maritza looked at him puzzled "A blessing?"

Clopin looked a little taken aback. "You haven't heard, have you? Quasimodo's warnings, the King's army protecting the outskirts...from the Spanish pirates."

Maritza's eyes widened with fear "…O-oh... is t-that s-so?" she stuttered.

Clopin cocked a brow at her and her brother. "It ... is so. I figure it was one of the reasons why you were found injured... The heir of France was taken by the hands of pirates and for some reason, they are trying to get into the city. So we must be on our guard."

Maritza looked worried. "…um.. y-yeah. I-it probably was..." she then looked at her brother in despair.

Diego was feeling just as pressured as she was.

"You lot look guilty." Clopin smirked, folding his arms.

Diego hit a pillow

"Damn it!" he shouted.

Clopin looked unconvinced as he set his foot down on a chair, studying them both. "Care to elaborate, son?" he asked.

Diego backed away "U-uh…no. Not really..."

Clopin had a trace of anger in his eyes before a gypsy boy ran up and whispered something to him. Clopin immediately took action.

"What?" he gaped before seeing the shocked looks on his guest's faces. "Spotted here? Where?" he whispered back to the boy.

"...the pig's pen... just outside..." they overheard before Clopin shushed him and he went out the door to have a private word. He left the brother and sister alone.

Diego sighed "thank god he di-" just then Maritza slapped him.

"YOU IDIOT! WE ALMOST GOT CAUGHT THANKS TO YOU!" she shouted.

Diego rubbed his cheek.

"It's not my fault it's dad's" he remarked.

"I don't care who's fault it is!" Maritza told him as she shook his shoulders "I just don't want to live in Spain anymore!"

"Well guess what sister, we're not in Spain anymore...but Paris is no different if Dad's among those pirates coming near." Diego explained.

Maritza sighed.

"Why is it whenever we go somewhere Dad always follows us?" She looked out the window to see an odd band of horseman nearing the gates.

"You don't know that it's dad..."Diego went into thought. "What if...what if he was shanghaied again?"

Maritza crossed her arms.

"Well, i wouldn't care about him anyways. If he finds us we're going to get arrested!"

She was going to finish but then she heard knocking on the door. "oh no…. it's that gypsy fool with the hat" Diego scoffed.

Maritza limped over to the door and opened it.

But instead of the gypsy he insulted, it was the little gypsy boy from before who made Clopin leave with him.

Diego looked at the boy puzzled.

"Well, say something!" he shouted.

Maritza gave Diego the shut-up-or-I'm-gonna-kill-you look, then looked back at the little boy. she went on her knees waiting for a response.

The poor boy jerked at his say and tried to speak.

"Clopin said that we must prepare to leave the city soon..." he said.