((Hello! This is my first time writing for Hunchback of Notre Dame and I'm very excited about it! Just a quick note before you start reading: this is going to take place just before the movie begins, and follows the events of the movie, but slightly altered. Also, I am adding pieces from the book as well, such as Frollo's backstory, which you'll catch a glimpse of in this chapter. Enjoy!))
It was a warm day in Paris, the sun shining brightly to break up the clouds that had been looming overhead the past few days. The marketplace was full of vendors and customers, all milling about, socializing and buying what they needed. In this crowd was a young girl in a threadbare brown dress, with yellow hair as bright as the sun braided down her back. She approached a vendor selling bread, tears filling her eyes.
"Please, sir," she sniffled. "Could you please help me? I've lost my mother and can't find her anywhere. I'm so frightened." The shopkeeper looked down at the child with the same concern anyone would feel for the doll-like child.
"Of course," the older man said, taking a step away from his cart to kneel down to the girl's level. "Why don't you tell me what your mother looks like, and we'll see if we can spot her?" he suggested. The girl nodded, wiping her tear stained face with her sleeve.
As she described the features of a plain sounding woman, a tall, dark haired boy with freckles littering his nose and cheeks approached the cart, staying out of sight behind the vendor's back. Checking to make sure the man's attention was fully occupied by the little girl, the boy took two loaves of bread, putting them into the cloth bag slung over his shoulder. He slipped away from the cart as soon as he was finished, grabbing the little girl's hand and pulling her away as they both ran off.
The shopkeeper yelled for them to return, calling the attention of a group of officers standing nearby. They began chasing the two, running quickly between carts and buildings. The older boy and little girl seemed to effortlessly make their way around the streets, never hesitating before turning a corner or continuing down a road.
Just when it seemed that they were going to outrun the officers, the younger girl slipped in a patch of mud and fell to the ground. The boy tried to help her up quickly, but the officers caught up with them, grabbing the boy's arm straight away.
"Em!" the little girl shouted as one of the officers picked her up from the ground.
"Let her go!" the boy shouted as he fought against the officer holding him back. He swung his arm towards the man, his elbow colliding with his face and knocking him back. Free from the officer's grasp, the boy took a step towards the girl, but both of his arms were grabbed by two officers. He struggled against their grasp, and a third one punched him in the face, sending him to his knees. The world spun for a moment before he regained his balance and focus. Just as he was about to yell out again, a man on a black horse road up to the scene.
"What is the cause of this disturbance?"he demanded, glaring down at the boy.
"Judge Frollo," one of the officers addressed him, bowing his head for a moment before looking back up at him. "These two were caught stealing in the marketplace. They ran off, and this one tried to fight us, but we caught them easily enough." The boy sneered at the officer, wanting to point out that it hadn't seemed so easy when he had elbowed him in the face just moments ago.
Judge Frollo dismounted his horse and approached the boy examining him closely. "What is your name, boy?" he asked in a low tone.
"Emery," he answered, glaring back at the man who stood over him.
"And her's?" Frollo asked, gesturing to the little girl who was still struggling uselessly in an officer's arms.
"My sister, Charlotte," he said reluctantly. Frollo nodded, looking between the two young people.
"And how old are you both?" he asked, sounding as if he had an idea in mind.
"Why do you want to know?" Emery spat. Frollo didn't react to his harsh tone, instead just looking at him with what seemed like curiosity.
"You had better watch your tongue if you want me to find any compassion for you," he warned, to which Emery dropped his head in defeat, knowing that, on the ground and with two men holding him back, he was in no position to argue.
"I'm seventeen, she's ten," he answered. Frollo clicked his tongue and shook his head slowly.
"Such a shame," he said slowly. "Two young people, so full of potential. Tell me, what brought you to resort to stealing like common gypsies?"
"We have no other way of getting food," Emery said pointedly. "Do you expect us to starve?"
"Where are your parents?" Frollo asked, tilting his head just slightly.
"Gone," he answered shortly, offering up no other information. Frollo was silent for a moment, looking away from Emery and the officers, seeming to be considering something in his mind. Emery was starting to think that he wouldnt say anything else, when he finally spoke.
"I have decided to take pity on you children," he said, the same even tone as always. "I will give you a choice. Either you can go to prison, and I send your sister to the nearest orphanage...or, you surrender yourself to the school of Notre Dame, learn the ways of the lord, and repent for your sins."
"Why are you giving me an option?" Emery asked, not understanding why he didn't just throw him in jail and be done with it.
"The church took me and my brother in many years ago," he began. "And I'm willing to let the same happen for you to save your souls from the damnation you are heading towards."
Emery hesitated, not knowing how to answer. He looked over at his sister, who had stopped struggling and was now looking at him with wide, worried eyes. He knew what the orphanages in the city were like, and what a place like that would do to the little girl. He couldn't let her be sent there.
"Fine," he agreed reluctantly. "We'll go to Notre Dame."
… … … … … …
Later that evening, the two siblings were in their new, small room inside of the cathedral. They had learned that there were about a dozen other rooms like this, housing children who attended the school of the church, most all of them orphans. Emery was pacing around feverishly, a black eye forming where he had been hit by the officer, while Charlotte sat sleepily in one of the beds pressed up against the stone wall. He hit the walls with his fist as he passed by them, barely containing his rage. He couldn't stand being trapped indoors in a place they were practically prisoners.
"Why can't we just leave?" Charlotte asked with a yawn, seeing how troubled the boy was.
"Because," he answered shortly. "We would get caught, and I'm not letting them send you away to an orphanage. I have to make sure you stay with me." He had promised that he would look after his sister no matter what, and he was not going to let anyone take her away from him.
Charlotte simply nodded. "If we're going to stay here, then," she started. "Can you stop pretending to be a boy?" Emery stopped pacing and looked over at her, shaking his head. He kneeled down next to her bed, looking at her seriously.
"I can't let anyone know that I'm just pretending to be a boy. It's safer for both of us if no one knows that I'm a girl." She could not be Emmelot, the name she had been born and raised as. She had been living as Emery for years now, a much safer option on the streets than two girls alone. She had cut her hair short, bound her breasts with bandages, and wore boy's clothes, all to make sure nobody knew she was really a girl.
Charlotte nodded in understanding and yawned again. "Go to sleep, now," Emmelot said softly, brushing her sister's hair from her face. Charlotte laid down under the covers, closing her eyes and falling asleep within moments, exhausted from their trying day.
Once she was sure her sister was fast asleep, Emmelot left their room, deciding to go exploring in the cathedral. She had never been in a building like this and, as she walked around, she couldn't help be amazed by the giant and ornate architecture. It was grand and beautiful, like nothing she had ever seen. It was almost enough to make her forget that she was a prisoner inside of these walls until she could figure out a way to escape without getting caught.
After exploring the ground floor for a sufficient amount of time, she came upon a staircase, which she ascended curiously. It was dark, and she wished that she had brought a lantern with her. The stone walls were cold under her hands as she used them to guide her way up.
As she came to the top of the stairs, she realized where she was; the bell tower. Even in the darkness of twilight, she could see the enormous bells that surrounded her. She was truly amazed now; she had never seen anything so large and awe inspiring. She was so busy looking at them, walking around them slowly, that she was caught off guard when she heard a voice call out.
"Who's there?" the Unfamiliar voice asked. Emmelot looked around quickly, catching a shadow out of the corner of her eye.
((I hope you liked it! Please leave a review telling me what you think, and whethe I should continue this or not.))