Carmen tugged a hand through her hair, quickly pulling the dark brown tangles into a chignon. The whole of the Court was alive, everyone bustling about to prepare themselves for the Festival. Fastening her hair with a white ribbon, she ran to Clopin's caravan. She took a deep breath before entering to still her shaking hands and plastered a smile on her face. The skinny gypsy was stretching his legs, wincing. When he saw Carmen though, he straightened up and smiled, though it seemed forced as well.
"How do I look?" She stuck out her hands and spun around, her white dress flowing around her ankles. Silver bracelets flashed on her ankles and wrists. False wings were fastened to her back with leather straps, a battered silver crown on her head.
"Like an angel!" He laughed, adjusting the goose feather wings. "But this angel needs some new wings for next year, no?"
"Yes," Carmen wanted to kiss her former lover, but pulled back. She gave him a small smile. "But it will do for today. Are you ready?"
"Always," he smirked and left the caravan, leaving Carmen behind. She took a deep breath and wiped frantically at her eyes, stopping the tears before they could fall. After a minute, she left the tent, making her way to the crowd.
Clopin ran to the gallows, a gathering place for the gypsies. "All right, is everyone ready? Show everyone what you learned since last year! Just a reminder, there will no longer be fire breathing after last years little accident. And no pick pocketing will be tolerated. You know the rules. Now, let us have our best Festival yet!"
Everyone cheered, becoming a sea of screaming colors. Feathers, ribbons and masks flashed in the crowd, part of extravagant costumes. Suddenly, everyone rushed to one of the exits, flowing into several different parts of the city. Many gypsies were already waiting in the courtyard of the cathedral with tents and carts set up.
Clopin waved to Carmen, and jumped on one of the stragglers. "Onward my friend! To the festival!"
Carmen smiled sadly and walked down a narrow passage behind the stage, her dress flapping around her legs. The stone passage made twists and turns under the city with several exits, one just beneath the main stage. The other was near the tavern, where Carmen would go. After several minutes she ran into Esmeralda, who was carrying a bag with her costume inside. Djali was following close behind. Carmen slowed down to walk with the girl she had grown so close to over the last few years.
"Are you ready?"
"Always."
Carmen smiled. Esmeralda and Clopin were as close as brother and sister. She couldn't wait for their performances at the Festival. Esmeralda had become famous for her dancing, which changed every year. Clopin hosted the entire festival, serving as judge for every contest, and sang at every event.
With a wink, Carmen changed directions and leaped up a short set of steps. Several other gypsies were nearby, dressed as devils. With a grin, she ran to the town square. After almost a year of no shoes, the cobblestones no longer tore against her feet.
When they reached the crowded square, Carmen climbed up the waiting stack of crates. The 'devils' made a circle around her, and began to dance, pretending to try and grab her. Carmen danced joyfully to the music, singing as the procession entered the square. It had become so much easier to act the part, after living it for so long. The line of monks carrying their empty flag poles slowly walked into the square, one slower than the rest. The crowed easily parted for them.
"COME ONE! COME ALL!
LEAVE YOUR LOOMS AND MILKING STOOLS
COOP THE HENS AND PEN THE MULES!
COME ONE! COME ALL!
CLOSE THE CHURCHES AND THE SCHOOLS!
IT'S THE DAY FOR BREAKING RULES!
COME AND JOIN THE FEAST...OF..."
"FOOLS!" Clopin burst out from under the robes of one of the monks, dressed in his brightest tunic and widest grin. He began to dance around the square. A short man in a cloak was wandering around the stands, and apparently intrigued Clopin. Carmen began to laugh as he chased the poor man throughout the festival.
"ONCE A YEAR WE THROW A PARTY HERE IN TOWN
ONCE A YEAR WE TURN ALL PARIS UPSIDE DOWN
EVERY MAN'S A KING AND EVERY KING'S A CLOWN
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S TOPSY TURVY DAY!
IT'S THE DAY THE DEVIL IN US GETS RELEASED
IT'S THE DAY WE MOCK THE PRIG AND SHOCK THE PRIEST
EVERYTHING IS TOPSY TURVY AT THE FEAST OF FOOLS!"
After so many years of attending the Festival of Fools, everyone was so familiar with the words that they began to chime in as well. "TOPSY TURVY!"
"EVERYTHING IS UPSY-DAISY!" Clopin shouted, goading the crowd on.
"TOPSY TURVY!"
"EVERYONE IS ACTING CRAZY
DROSS IS GOLD AND WEEDS ARE A BOUQUET
THAT'S THE WAY OF TOPSY TURVY DAY!"
Clopin jumped onto Carmen's pedestal and danced with her for a few moments as the demons leered. She smiled at him tightly, but blushed and looked away, playing the part of an innocent angel. He dipped her low, and with a wolfish wink, leapt back into the crowd.
"TOPSY TURVY!" The crowd screamed.
"BEAT THE DRUMS AND BLOW THE TRUMPRETS!" Clopin sang.
"TOPSY TURVY!" The crowd responded, growing more ecstatic.
"JOIN THE BUMS AND THIEVES AND STRUMPETS,
"STREAMING IN FROM CHARTRES TO CALAIS!" Everyone joined in, including Carmen. She watched the poor man in the cape being dragged through the dancing circles. She promised to apologize to him later for Clopin's antics.
"SCURVY KNAVES ARE EXTRA SCURVY
ON THE SIXTH OF "JANUERVY" Clopin winked.
"ALL BECAUSE IT'S TOPSY TURVY DAY!" Everyone finished.
The soldiers entered the courtyard, flanking Judge Frollo's horse and buggy. There was a new captain it seemed, wearing shiny golden armor. Carmen kept a careful eye on him, to see if he was as benevolent as his predecessor.
"COME ONE! COME ALL!" Clopin swung his arms open, introducing the next and most popular act. He jumped next to Judge Frollo, a very daring move, as he sang.
"HURRY, HURRY, HERE'S YOUR CHANCE
SEE THE MYSTERY AND ROMANCE
COME ONE! COME ALL! He leapt on the stage, drawing the crowd in closer.
SEE THE FINEST GIRL IN FRANCE
MAKE AN ENTRANCE TO ENTRANCE
DANCE LA ESMERALDA...DANCE!" Throwing his hand down there was a flash of pink smoke, and Esmeralda, in all her regal glory appeared in Clopin's place, and began to dance as the music shifted.
Black hair rolled free down her bare shoulders, spilling like ink down her back. Her green eyes were vivid and rimmed with a careful layer of kohl, making them seem larger than they really were. Esmeralda's skirts were crimson and violet; deep ruffles hid her long, slender legs, her breasts full and visible through her bodice. Her motions were fluid and graceful, taunting the crowd as she sashayed her hips and shook her thick hair. Esmeralda flounced daringly in the lap of Judge Frollo, her silken purple scarf looping around his neck and drawing his lined face close to hers. Her expression went from sassy to playful as she pushed the stricken Judge back in his seat with his hat in his face, parading back up to the stage. The new captain seemed to be very taken with her.
As Esmeralda's dance ended and the crowd cheered, Clopin leapt on the stage. Coins were thrown at them from all angles, including one from the new captain. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, the piece de resistance!"
"HERE IT IS, THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
HERE IT IS, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S IN STORE!
NOW'S THE TIME WE LAUGH UNTIL OUR SIDES GET SORE!
NOW'S THE TIME WE CROWN THE KING OF FOOLS!"
He jumped around the stage, exciting the crowd. Everyone began to laugh and nudge each other, excited to see who would be the Fool this year. "You all remember last year's king?" Clopin gestured to a fat man being carried in his throne, who belched.
"SO MAKE A FACE THAT'S HORRIBLE AND FRIGHTENING
MAKE A FACE AS GRUESOME AS A GARGOYLE'S WING
FOR THE FACE THAT'S UGLIEST WILL BE THE KING OF FOOLS!
WHY?" He made horrible faces as he sang, helping some onto the stage and pushing others out of the way. The demons surrounding Carmen gave her a hopeful look and she smiled, waving them away. They ran to the stage to watch the festivities.
"TOPSY TURVY!" The crowd shouted.
"UGLY FOLKS, FORGET YOUR SHYNESS!" Clopin sang as Esmeralda helped the man in the cape onstage. His cape furled away, revealing a hideous face underneath. Carmen stopped dancing. His face was too real to be a mask.
"TOPSY TURVY!"
"YOU COULD SOON BE CALLED YOUR HIGHNESS!"
"PUT YOUR FOULEST FEATURES ON DISPLAY
BE THE KING OF TOPSY TURVY DAY!"
Esmeralda walked down the line, Djali right behind her as she began to remove the masks. One by one, the contestants were booed and knocked onto the street. Much to the amusement of the onlookers. She reached the man at the end of line, and tugged on the strangers ears. Esmeralda gasped and pulled back.
"That's no mask!"
"It's his face"
"He's hideous!"
"It's the bell ringer of Notre Dame!"
Carmen slid off of the crates and ran to Esmeralda's tent, tucking her wings and crown away. Her feet softly padded over to the platform where the King of Fools would be taken once he was crowned. This short peace wouldn't last. Carmen knew it. It never did.
She could still hear Clopin in the distance.
"Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic. We asked for the ugliest face in Paris, and here he is! Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame!" Clopin shouted, placing the old crown with a flourish on Quasimodo's head. The gasps of disbelief quickly turned to festive cheers.
"EV-ERY-BO-DY!"
"ONCE A YEAR, WE THROW A PARTY HERE IN TOWN!
"HAIL TO THE KING!"
ONCE A YEAR, WE TURN ALL PARIS UPSIDE DOWN
"OH, WHAT A KING!"
ONCE A YEAR THE UGLIEST WILL WEAR A CROWN
"GIRLS GIVE A KISS!"
ONCE A YEAR ON TOPSY TURVY DAY!"
"WE'VE NEVER HAD A KING LIKE THIS!"
The crowd, led by Clopin, marched to the stage. Quasimodo was now sitting in the throne, waving happily to all of those that had once scorned him. And for one magic day, loved him. The crowd formed rings of dancing circles around the platform. Carmen moved under the steps, waiting for the other shoe to drop. She desperately hoped that it wouldn't happen, but what would happen once it did?
"AND IT'S THE DAY WE DO THE THINGS THAT WE DEPLORE
ON THE OTHER THREE-HUNDRED-AND-SIXTY-FOUR
ONCE A YEAR WE LOVE TO DROP IN
WHERE THE BEER IS NEVER STOPPIN'
FOR THE CHANCE TO POP SOME POPINJAY
AND PICK A KING WHO'LL PUT THE TOP
IN TOPSY...TURVY...DAY!" The crowd sang, cheering for Quasimodo.
"TOPSY TURVY MAD AND CRAZY
UPSY-DAISY TOPSY TURVY DAY!" Clopin finished.
The onlookers were now chanting Quasimodo's name. Flowers and confetti were being thrown at him as he cheered, waving his scepter. Suddenly, a tomato flew out of the crowd and hit his face. As the juices dripped down, everybody gasped.
"Now that's ugly!" Someone called out. Carmen poked her head out and saw a soldier laughing. Her face flushed, and she ducked back into the shadows. No good would come of her starting a fight with a soldier. Best case she would get thrown in the stocks for a week. Otherwise, it was death.
"Hail to the king!" The soldier next to him cried mockingly. He threw another tomato. Suddenly the whole crowd was throwing fruits and vegetables at him. Quasimodo tried to run away, but slipped on the remains of a tomato.
Carmen slipped into view, struggling to reach the top of the platform, but so many heavy bodies were in the way. The crowd laughed and laughed. Quasimodo tried to run again, but someone threw a lasso, which caught around his neck. Another rope was thrown, and Quasimodo overpowered it. The space in front of the stage began to clear and Carmen crawled slowly up the steps.
More and more rope was thrown until he was pulled down. Two men jumped onto the platform and tied him to the wheel, spinning him around. When they leapt off the stage, Carmen ran up the remaining stairs and jumped. She hugged her body to Quasimodo, shielding his face as they were spun around and round. They were pelted with more tomatoes and eggs, her beautiful white dress staining. Everyone in the crowd was laughing at the pair.
"Master!" Quasimodo implored, looking at the Judge. "Master please, help me!"
Carmen held on tighter as the spinning slowed. She could Clopin out of the corner of his eye. He looked on, his face black. "I'm sorry," She whispered in Quasimodo's ear. "I'm so, so sorry for this."
For another minute, her back was beaten with stale and rotting food. But then, it stopped. Carmen looked up to see Esmeralda walking onto the stage. Carmen slipped off of the wheel and pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket. She began wiping off the hunchbacks face.
"Don't be afraid," Esmeralda said softly. She untied her sash and began to clean off his arm. "I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."
"You! Gypsy girls!" Judge Frollo called out. Esmeralda stood up, but Carmen continued to wipe Quasimodo's face, picking food out of his hair. "Get down at once!"
"Yes, your honor!" Esmeralda called out, tying her sash back on. "Just as soon as I finish freeing this poor creature!"
"I forbid it!"
Esmeralda tore a knife out from under her skirt, a look of anger on her face, and quickly cut the ropes. The crowd gasped as Carmen helped Quasimodo to his feet.
"How dare you defy me?" Frollo roared.
"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people!" Esmeralda argued. She gestured to Quasimodo. "You speak of justice, yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help!"
"Silence!"
"Justice!" Esmeralda shouted, her fist in the air. The crowd gasped at the open defiance.
"Mark my words gypsy," Frollo proclaimed. "You will pay for this insolence."
Carmen continued to silently pick food off of Quasimodo. She felt the tear in his tunic, and determined that it was beyond repair. She smiled kindly at him.
"Are you alright?" Carmen whispered. The bell ringer shook his head, shocked and mute.
"Then it appears we've crowned the wrong fool," Esmeralda bowed, gesturing to Quasimodo. She grabbed his crown and threw it at the feet of the Judge. The crowd howled in laughter. "The only Fool I see is you!"
"Captain Phoebus! Arrest her!" Frollo ordered. The man in the golden uniform motioned for his guards to move in they quickly surrounded the stage, and for a moment, Carmen's heart froze. She searched for Clopin, but he had vanished.
And so did Esmeralda.
After silently counting up the soldiers, the gypsy pulled a blue hanky out of her blouse and began to cry. As she sneezed, there was an explosion of vivid pink smoke. The citizens cried out in shock.
"Oh boys!" Esmeralda called out. She and Djali were hiding among the masks, right next to the gallows. All of soldiers instantly rushed to her. Carmen sighed with relief and led Quasimodo down the platform. Whatever Esmeralda was doing was so entertaining, nobody noticed as the two slipped into the church.