Author's Note: Bonjour! Yes I had to take the story down and then re-post it. I had to make some edifications as well as add in some extra content. Change some names around, ages and such. I hope you can forgive me!

Full Summary: The Minister of Justice and archdeacon of Josas and a lowly gypsy girl of Paris. Two very different beings from two very different worlds...and yet have more in common than they believe. Is it possible for lust to turn to true desire and need? Can hate turn into burning love? Perhaps...if a certain Captain would stay out of the way!

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Victor Hugo and Disney! Bénédict, Chrestien, Mikolas and Nuri are my own creations! Aimee belongs to my wonderful sister!

Paris, France

1468

It was a bright and sunny day in Paris; bright blue skies, the sun is high, the clouds are puffy and white, and the gentlest breeze blows through the town. It was starting to become late in the afternoon. It seemed like a perfect ending to a perfect day…

"Run Esmeralda! Run!" The gypsy Adela yelled as she pressed her back against the door of her caravan. Young Esmeralda was crouched in a corner of the caravan, her eyes wide with fear and her hands covering her ears.

"But what about you?" She asked with tears in her eyes. All this commotion and chaos was nearly too much for her 6-year old mind to comprehend.

The soldiers on the other side banged against the door and broke it down, sending Adela across the room and towards her frightened daughter. Adela wrapped her arms protectively around Esmeralda to shield her from the oncoming soldiers. Esmeralda was trying hard to understand what was going on. Why where the soldiers after her and her mama? They had done nothing wrong! Most importantly…where was her Papa?

Esmeralda screamed as the soldiers piled in and grabbed them both and started to roughly pull them outside. Adela and Esmeralda fought back as much as they could, struggling and squirming fiercely against their captors as they were dragged outside of the small caravan they used as a shop to sell fabrics and scarves.

Once outside, they were forced to their knees and their arms were twisted painfully behind their back. Esmeralda let out a squeal of pain as they wrenched her and her mother's arm behind their backs. She was near tears now, but fought hard against it. To her side, she could see her mother glaring down at the ground. Adela then turned to her daughter with a small smile, trying to calm her fearful daughter.

"It'll be alright Essie. Just stay strong chère." She said in between painful groans.

"Mama…" Esmeralda managed weakly before a soldier smacked her across her face.

"Silence criminal!" he said. The voice was young…hasn't even deepened yet.

"Don't you hurt her!" Adela yelled but was also smacked across the face by a much older soldier.

"Harder Phoebus or they will not adhere to your wishes." An elder voice said.

"Yes father." Replied the one called Phoebus as he nodded to the taller man at his side.

Both women looked up to see the two figures before them. One of them was easily recognized as Captain of the Royal Archers, Bénédict de Châteaupers. He was tall man with a broad chest and shoulders that, to the young girl, looked as if they could crash through rock. His muscled arms were relaxed at his sides; the hand that smacked Adela was now resting on the hilt of his sword. His entire being seemed to reek of a well seasoned soldier. His entire face seemed to tell stories of, what Esmeralda was sure to be, gruesome wars and the evils that mankind was entirely capable of. The bearded face framed by golden hair frightened the devil out of Esmeralda. He was a handsome man yes…but those eyes…

The dark blue orbs staring condescendingly at her and her mother sent shivers down the young girl's spine. They were so sinister and cold like ice that Esmeralda was frozen with absolute fear. What was it her father used to say? Oh yes… "Beware child, for the Devil often wears the face of an Angel". She had no doubt in her mind that this was the Devil right before her very eyes.

His son, on the other hand, still had an innocent face; completely bereft of the hardness in his eyes that his father had. He was a younger version of his father, except his blue eyes were soft and his hair was so gold, whereas his father's was already starting to whiten with age, that when caught by the sun's rays it looked like it was glowing. Despite herself, Esmeralda felt a light blush rise to her cheeks at how attractive the young boy was before her. He couldn't be more than two or three years older than her. She wondered perhaps if they had met under different circumstances, they would be great friends. Perhaps someday develop into something more…

She dashed away those thoughts immediately when he looked at her and a sly smirk crossed his features. That single smirk seemed to mar the beauty of his face and turned him from looking like a gallant prince to a cold-hearted villain. The Devil's spawn…

Captain Bénédict looked to his son with a sort of disappointed frown. Like a teacher berating his student. "In time you will be the Captain of the Royal Archers Phoebus; just as my father was before me and his father before him. You must know these things lest you displease whoever is the Minister of Justice at that time, as well as let your family down."

The young boy seemed ashamed for a split second before a determined look entered his eyes. He held his head high and nodded firmly. "I won't let you down father!"

Adela glared up at them and struggled once more against her captor's grip. "Let us go! We have done nothing wrong!"

The Captain's attention was once again back on the two gypsies on the ground before him. His eyes narrowed in slight irritation as he unsheathed his sword and held the tip of the blade beneath Adela's chin. "You've got quite the mouth on you gypsy…" He lifted her face more so that he could get a better look at her. A small smirk came to his face as he realized how her brown eyes seem to light up like golden flames. "Hmm…and a beautiful one at that." Adela yanked her face away, disgusted by the man's treatment of her.

The Captain laughed as he set his sword down, leaning forward on it slightly. "You have some fire to you gypsy!" After studying the gypsies for a few moments, he turned back to his son and discussed something about the proper way to handle the gypsies.

While the soldiers were distracted, Adela looked down into her low cut dress her eyes widened at what she saw. There, nestled against her breasts and on top of the blue scarf she always carried, was a small blue potion bottle.

"Essie…" she whispered, her eyes glancing towards the soldiers to make sure that they were still distracted. "Be ready to run!"

Esmeralda nodded, doing her best to stay strong just as her mother instructed her to do. She directed her attention back to the two men before her, fear evident in her eyes. Once again those questions ran through her mind. Why was this happening? She and her mother had done nothing wrong!

Oh Papa…where are you? she thought frantically.

"Now!" Adela yelled then yanked the scarf out with her teeth. The bottle fell and smashed to the ground, instantly causing a red cloud of smoke to appear.

The men widened their eyes in shock before coughing as the smoke invaded their noses and mouths. As soon as the captors let go of Esmeralda, Adela grabbed her hand and sprinted down the cobble streets.

Captain Bénédict waved the smoke away from his face and glared angrily as he saw the two girls run away. "After them!" He yelled as he mounted his horse, taking time to make sure that his son was alright first. He mentally cursed himself for making such an amateur mistake. He sneered as he tightened his grip on the reigns of his horse, urging the animal to go faster. "Once I get my hands on that girl, I'll make her wish she hadn't done that."

Esmeralda cried out as a barrage of arrows hurled towards them. They ducked and dodged as best as they could as they urged their legs to move faster. Her little legs could only move so fast and she almost tripped several times, but she always caught herself in time. They could hear the soldiers running after them and both their hearts lurched with fear of being caught again. They knocked down whatever they could to slow down the soldiers. Barrels, stands, food….anything!

Just when they thought they were going to get away, Adela cried out and fell to the ground as an arrow embedded itself deep into her shoulder. Esmeralda's heart froze at the sight of her injured mother and she instantly rushed to her side. "Get up mama! We have to keep going!" She cried frantically. Thankfully, the barrages of barrels and such worked to slow them down, but she knew that it wouldn't hold for long. She could see the soldiers furiously hacking away and tossing the items aside.

Adela managed to get to her feet and walk with Esmeralda towards an abandoned street and hide in the narrow alley way off to the side. She shrank back into the shadows before slowly sliding to the ground, hissing with pain. She was panting heavily and gripping her bleeding shoulder. She looked down to it and gripped the wood; she took a deep breath and then snapped the arrow in half. The elder gypsy cried out softly before tossing the piece of wood to the side. Esmeralda knelt at her side, tears already spilling forth from her eyes. "Mama please…please be alright." She sobbed in between her pants.

"Shhhh….shhh hush now my dear." Her mother said as she brushed back her daughter's black curls. Her arms instantly went around Esmeralda as the young girl threw herself upon her mother's bosom.

"I'm scared mother…what do we do?" Her voice was shaky and had a slight squeak to it.

Adela should've known that it all would've come down to this… just as she also knew that this would most likely be the last time she'd ever see her daughter again. Her time was nearing and she knew that she would soon depart from this world. The fact brought tears to her eyes, but she quickly swallowed her sobs and wiped away the building tears.

She smiled gently, remembering the day Esmeralda was born. She was a small bundle of joy with her own black hair and her father's brilliant green eyes. She sneered at the thought of him. All of this was his fault! She should have seen this coming from the very beginning. Ah, but she was at fault as well. She was a young and a fool. A foolish young woman in love… She held Esmeralda's head to her chest and gently rocked the young girl back and forth. She shut her eyes tight to keep the tears from coming forth yet again. Because of him she would have to part from her daughter. She should've –

Her head suddenly whipped to the side as she heard the soldiers crash through the last of the barrages they had created and their shouts were gradually becoming louder. Now was not the time to think of what could have been. Right now she had to get her daughter to safety. She took a quick moment to compose herself and gently pushed Esmeralda away. Steeling her emotions, she broke off the woven band from her neck and put it into Esmeralda's hands. "You must go on without me."

The young girl shook her head furiously, "No! I won't leave you mama!" Her sobs came heavier now as she saw the blood gush from the wound on her mother's shoulder.

"Please you must go! Find Clopin and his family. Stay with them." Her breathing was becoming shallow and she was starting to become dizzy. She shook her head to clear her vision and focused once again on her daughter. "You must go. I'll be right behind you." She managed a small smile in an attempt to convince her daughter to go.

"You're lying…" Esmeralda choked out as she clutched the woven band to her chest. She sniffed and wiped her tears with the pink scar she wore around her head.

Adela's smile faded, unable to deny the truth. Her brown eyes wandered to the gold cross that Esmeralda wore around her neck. A gift from her father…she reached out and tucked it back into Esmeralda's dress, smearing some of her blood on the front of Esmeralda's dress. She coughed up some blood and didn't bother to wipe it away. "Pr-promise me something Es…Esmeralda."

Her daughter nodded, holding her mother's hand tightly and staring into her eyes. Esmeralda was shaking all over, unable to believe that this moment was happening. Not to her mother…not to her. What had they done to anger God so much? Esmeralda was angry, frustrated and in despair all at the same time. It took a lot of effort for her to listen to her mother's words.

"Never tell anyone of your father; of how he brought you up and what he taught us. Promise me that." Her voice was a mere whisper now. It was her time…but she would not depart from this world without knowing that her daughter would be safe.

"I-I promise mama." Esmeralda choked out, holding her mother's hand to her cheek as she sobbed. She still refused to believe that this was happening. She imagined herself thrashing in her sleep because of this horrible nightmare. Her mother would then come in and wake her, hold her to her bosom and tell her that it was a bad dream. A harmless nightmare…nothing more. But no such luck existed and her heart just about shattered as she heard her mother coughed up even more blood.

Adela smiled, her teeth already slightly stained with crimson. She cupped the side of Esmeralda's face and stroked her cheek with her thumb. "That's a good girl. Now go…and don't stop until you get there."

Esmeralda hugged her mother tightly one last time, squeezing her as she told her over and over again how much she loved her. Adela held her daughter tightly and rocked her back and forth. Unable to take it anymore, her own tears spilled down her face and she sobbed silently. She pulled back and kissed her daughter's forehead, letting her lips linger for a few seconds before lightly pushing Esmeralda away. "Go now little one! Go!"

Esmeralda nodded as she got up and ran as fast as she could towards The Court of Miracles. I'll come back for you mama.

Adela watched her daughter run away with a sad smile, her hand to her lips to muffle her small sobs as she watched her daughter's figure grow smaller and smaller. She then cast her eyes upward and whispered, "If You are truly there…My one wish for her is for her to have what I did not. A man to love her just as she is." Looking out to the abandoned street, she saw the soldiers already there and frantically searching for her and her daughter. She summoned what strength she could and slowly rose from the ground. She suddenly felt winded and light-headed; she slammed against the side wall trying desperately to gain back her balance. "I'll not let you catch my daughter Chrestien." With those last words she lunged for the first soldier she saw and successfully threw him onto another soldier, commencing to fight them off…just long enough for Esmeralda to escape.

Esmeralda raced through the catacombs, bursting into the Court in a flurry of skirts. Seeing the large tent in the center, home to The King of the Gypsies, she instantly dashed towards it. "Clopin! Miko! Nuri!" She cried frantically, calling for her friend and his parents.

Clopin looked up from the puppet he was making and smiled when he saw his friend. His short black hair was wrapped up in a light gold scarf, and a single hoop earring hung from his ear. "La Essie!" But that smile quickly faded when he saw the blood on her clothes and her tear-stained face. He paled and quickly got to his feet, running towards his friend. He met Esmeralda halfway and caught her just as she was about to fall. His eyes were wide with worry as he helped support the heaving girl. "Essie what has happened to you?" He didn't like seeing his childhood friend so distraught. Clopin was only two years old when he first saw Esmeralda and since that day he vowed to always protect and watch over her. To see her like this now, he felt a burning shame at having failed to do just that.

He looked around, expecting to find her mother close behind. When he didn't see her, he felt a sudden sense of dread and he shivered slightly. "Where is your mother Essie?" His voice quivered slightly, fearful of what the answer may be.

Aimee, a young orphan girl that Clopin's family found and took in, came out of the tent. She instantly ran up to her friend, her dark blue eyes filled with worry. She was about the same age as Clopin and considered Esmeralda as her little sister. Her long black curls were loose and down past her shoulders, tied loosely by a pink scarf.

"Essie…what's wrong?" She asked as she took one of Esmeralda's hands into her own.

"There's not much time!" Esmeralda managed to say in between breathes. "Where is your father Clopin?"

"I'm right here." Mikolas exited the tent followed by his wife Nuri. Clopin stepped to the side, letting his father take her hands into his. He knelt before the young gypsy girl and Nuri did the same. Mikolas's brown eyes were wide with worry as he gently shushed the girl. His face was long and narrow with a beard around his mouth. His long black hair stopped just below his ears and was slightly curly. Upon looking at his face, Esmeralda remembered somewhere in the back of her mind that she was sure Clopin would look just like him when he grew up and became the next King of the Gypsies.

"Slow down child." Nuri said as she rubbed Esmeralda's back. Her small round face was filled with worry as she looked down to Esmeralda.

"What's wrong? What is it Essie?" Mikolas asked calmly.

"My mama is in trouble! The soldiers have her and she's badly hurt! We have to hurry!" Esmeralda struggled to say in between her heavy breathing. She began to tug on Mikolas's sleeves, pulling him towards the exit.

Nuri's eyes widened and her hands immediately flew to her mouth. "Oh my…"

Gasps of shock and fear were heard from Aimee and Clopin, but Esmeralda had grown deaf to it. All she cared about was getting to her mother in time. Mikolas nodded and stood. "Then we have no time to waste." He looked to his wife and nodded. "Nuri."

"Right." Nuri then dashed back into the tent.

Mikolas looked to Esmeralda with a stern look of determination. "Take us to them."

Esmeralda nodded and dashed off towards the exit of the Court. "We have to hurry! She's been shot with an arrow and bleeding very badly!"

Nuri ran outside of the tent with two swords in hand. As she ran, she turned and pointed to her children with a stern yet worried expression. "You two stay here. We'll come back." As soon as she caught up with her husband and Esmeralda, she tossed the sword to her husband who caught it perfectly.

Clopin opened his mouth to protest, but his parents were already gone. He gritted his teeth, angry and frustrated that there was nothing more that he could do. His hands clenched into angry fists at his side and he fought back the urge to cry at there mere frustration of it all. Aimee, seeing how upset her adopted brother was, took one of his hands into her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "They'll be alright Clopin…you'll see." She said in an attempt to calm him down.

All he could do was nod and squeeze Aimee's hand tightly. He stared off where the trio had disappeared to. Essie…

By the time Esmeralda and the leaders of the gypsies were running towards her, Adela had already managed to fight a few soldiers before finally being overpowered. Now she was, once again, thrown onto her knees and her hands were bound behind her by shackles.

The Captain, Phoebus, and now a third man stood before her. Chrestien de Chevalier wasn't a hard man to recognize in a crowd. The sight of his grand robes would immediately let one know that his man was a Member of Parliament and worked closely with the Minister of Justice. His chestnut brown hair was slicked back and his green eyes flamed with anger as he stared down at Adela. His face was twisted with fury and anger and his fists were tightly clenched at his side. Adela looked up at him, remembering a time when his face would smile down at her with love and adoration. How his high cheekbones and slightly rounded face had once made her heart skip a beat. Now it only made her burn with fury.

"Where. Is. She?" He demanded as he backhanded Adela.

The gypsy merely reeled her head back and spat blood in his face with a sneer. "I'll never tell you."

Chrestien jolted back and wiped his cheek with disgust. He glared down at the gypsy, grinding his teeth together in pure rage. However…he knew that she would not give in. He simply nodded to the captain and walked back to his black steed. The captain followed him and whispered quietly, "What of the girl?"

The council member was silent for a while before he smirked. "Leave her…no one would believe her word over mine." He mounted his horse and stared coldly down at Adela. After what seemed like forever, he tore his gaze away and exited the abandoned street and made his way back to The Palace of Justice.

"Understood sir." Captain Bénédict said with a bow. As Chrestien left, he turned with an evil smirk towards Adela. "Phoebus…come here boy. It's time for your first kill."

Mikolas, Nuri and Esmeralda raced through the streets, eager to find Adela. They skid around each corner all panting heavily and praying inwardly, Please God…please don't let us be too late.

Captain Bénédict had gone down on one with knee with Phoebus in between his arms. The young boy was standing before the kneeling and bloody Adela. Bénédict's head was bent low so that he could whisper into his son's ear. "Aim for the heart like I taught you. You want to make sure that it's a perfect kill."

Phoebus had his blade raised with the tip aimed directly at Adela's heart. Sweat covered his brow and his hands were shaking. His father's words were putting a lot of pressure on him, and he didn't want to disappoint him. Not only would he be angry at himself, but his father was sure to beat him for it later. He was only 9 years old…and already he was about to take another person's life.

"What are you waiting for?" His father seethed into the young boy's ear impatiently. "Do it!"

Adela was breathing heavily, her head hung and the blood poured from her mouth and other wounds. She slowly looked up at Phoebus, an empty look in her eyes. "You…" her voice was so weak and so soft, "will never be one of them."

The young boy's eyes flashed with anger and he tightened his grip on the hilt, pulling the sword back and getting ready to strike.

The trio arrived just in time to hear Phoebus say, "Die witch!" and for them to see him drive the blade through Adela's chest.

Mikolas had to clamp his hand over Esmeralda's mouth to muffle her cry of agony. He shut his eyes as the girl quickly turned into his arms and sobbed heavily into his chest. He held her close as her body shook with sobs of pain and anguish….no no no…they were too late! Her mother…her mother was gone! "I'm so sorry Esmeralda…we tried." He said softly, making sure that the surrounding soldiers couldn't hear or see them. He watched with red eyes as Adela gagged and fell the ground in a bloody heap.

Nuri covered her mouth to stifle her sobs as she saw the last breathe draw from her friend's mouth…then the light left her eyes. "Oh Adela…" she sobbed quietly, turning into the alley, unable to stand the sight any longer.

Mikolas sunk back to the shadows, having to carry Esmeralda as he did so. "We have to go…there's nothing we can do now." His voice broke mid-sentence, but he knew that he had to stay strong. Sweeping Esmeralda into his arms, he held her to his chest as they made their way back to The Court…their hearts breaking more and more with each step they took away from their fallen comrade.

For a while Esmeralda was in shock as she was carried away. Her mother was gone…that boy Phoebus had taken her away from her! Why…why why why why….WHY? She looked over her shoulder to see the soldiers starting to disperse and Phoebus was mounting his horse alongside his father who looked very proud.

"Mama…" The word left her lips in a bare whisper before she yelled at the top of her lungs. "MAMA!" She squirmed out of Mikolas's grip and started to run towards the dead body of her mother. "Mama! Mama! Mama!"

"Esmeralda!" Mikolas yelled as he took off after the young girl. This was bad…the soldiers already had heard Esmeralda's cry and was now whipping their heads about, searching for the source of it.

Just as the soldiers were about to spot Esmeralda, she had slid in a puddle and fell face-first onto the ground. The impact knocked the poor girl unconscious and she had a gash on her forehead.

"What was that?" Cried one of the soldiers.

"Spread out! Search the alley! That must've been the daughter! Find her and take her to the Captain!"

Mikolas cursed silently to himself as he scooped up Esmeralda's still body and took off running as fast as he could.

"There they are! Halt gypsies!"

Nuri stopped and knocked over some nearby barrels and sent them rolling towards the soldiers giving chase. "That's for Adela you heartless bastards!" She cried out before catching up with her husband.

The pair was still paranoid that they were being followed and ran through a variety of streets and alleys in hopes of losing any pursuers. Once they believed they were safe, they headed straight for Court.

Once they arrived, Clopin and Aimee jolted up from their seat and Clopin nearly went into a panic attack at the sight of Esmeralda. Nuri calmed her son and adopted daughter down and told them what had happened.

"No!" Aimee cried and immediately ran into her mother's arms, sobbing heavily.

Nuri held Aimee tightly, her own silent tears sliding down her cheeks. Clopin stood there in shock eyes wide and his body shaking. "No…"

Mikolas came back to his family and ran his hand through his hair. "She'll be alright…it's just a small gash. However I don't think she'll remember exactly what happened when she wakes up."

Nuri looked up to her husband and sniffed. "Oh Mikolas…how can we break the young girl's heart again?"

"She has to know Nuri…" he glanced over towards his son and went to him, kneeling before Clopin. "Clopin…we did all we could do. We just….didn't arrive in time. I'm sorry."

Clopin looked towards his father with tears brimming in his eyes. His lower lip trembled and his voice cracked as she spoke, "I could've done more…I should've helped."

Mikolas caught Clopin just as the young boy started to fall forward and erupted into sobs. He hugged his son tightly, rocking the boy back and forth. He choked back his own tears, wanting to stay strong for his grieving family. "Shhh…shh…there was nothing more we could do Clopin. We did all we could."

After several moments of sobbing from both children, Clopin opened his eyes and saw Esmeralda lying down in his parent's cot. He broke away from his father and immediately rushed to Esmeralda. Once at her side, he took her hand in his and squeezed tightly. He sniffed, still crying, and crawled onto the cot beside her.

Aimee rushed over and crawled onto the other side of the cot and took Esmeralda's hand into her own. "Oh Essie…" her words were shaky and the young girl shut her eyes tightly, hoping that when she opened it again this would all be some horrible nightmare. However, she knew it was not and therefore she only curled up to her dear friend's side.

Clopin brought their joined hands up to his face and held hers to his cheek. He squeezed his eyes tightly, his voice shaking as he spoke a promise to her. "I promise you La Essie…from now on and until the day I die, I will protect you. I will never let your heart break again. I promise…I promise…" He opened his eyes once more to gaze at the sleeping face of his friend.

Mikolas and Nuri followed their children and stood before the bed, looking down at them with looks of despair and heartbreak. Mikolas wrapped his arms around Nuri and rested the side of his face on top of her head. He could no longer hold it in, and he let his own tears fall.

Clopin and Aimee, worn out from their crying, soon fell asleep; each of them holding onto Esmeralda's hand tightly.

Well that's the updated version! Please leave reviews!

I want to know that I'm doing a good job.