So, here's my first "Hunchback of Notre Dame" Fan Fiction. It's only a one-shot, but I gotta start from something. The story is inspired by actually two works, the Disney's movie the most, but you can find slight connections with the original novel of Victor Hugo. Couple names of the places are real and written with original (French) spelling (like for example Place de Grève), and some are from the book (the place where Phoebus meets with Esmeralda at night). Well, if you know the original book, you'll see couple more similarities.
As for those who like to put comments like "in these times they wouldn't speak this way" or something like that, just don't post it, because I will delete it. It's my way of writing, so… plus just watch the Disney's movie, they don't talk in the way they'd really do in the Middle Ages! The movie itself is made in a very modern way, including the language.
So, anyways, any other words of criticism (in a POLITE way) is very welcomed. Well, okay, don't pay any attention to grammar or spelling mistakes, English just isn't my first language, Polish is.
Hope you'll enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
For last month all he was doing was searching for a Gypsy girl. Day and night, all the time the very same order from Frollo. It started to bore him. This girl is simply too clever for them. She knows very well how to hide, and then go out unnoticed. Well, even if she would be noticed by any soldier, she would escape him easily. She was this kind of a woman that intrigued him the most. Delicate, subtle, brave and harsh at the same time. A perfect combination of contrasts. Esmeralda, was her name. It meant "emerald", one of the most beautiful expensive stones in the world. This suited her perfectly. She had shining green eyes, that made him crazy whenever he saw them. She was beautiful, often he had this strange impression that she's not a real being, but something like a nymph, which will disappear as soon as he will try to touch her. But she was real, he could say it after this meeting in Notre Dame, when he got pretty strong stroke into his jaw. As for so delicate woman, she was extremely strong. The most phenomenal girl he ever met. Oh, what he'd give up to see her once more… But this would be dangerous for her, because he knew why all the soldiers from the King's Guard were looking for her. Frollo accused her for a witchcraft.
"Why I'm still thinking of her?" He asked himself, as he was alone in one of the streets of Îl de la Cité. It was narrow and rather dark alley, even though it was nearly noon. Then, he noticed this strange old beggar with his old pipe. As usual he had long coat tag along his body, which also covered his head. 'Is it possible that it's her?' Thought the soldier, and slowly followed the stranger. But at the next crossroad two of his inferiors joined him.
"Captain, we checked the southern part of the island, and no sign of this Gypsy."
"Then, try in the northern part. I will go this street straight on, and you two go left and right, one of you in each direction. We'll meet in half an hour at Place de Grève."
"Ay, sir!" They replied and galloped where he ordered them to.
"So, lets check this street…" He said more to himself again, than to his horse. "Achilles, slowly!"
Soon he found the strange old man. He jumped down from his horse, and cached the man, by his thin shoulder. Just as the soldier expected he saw this big green eyes, he wanted to see the most in this world. Esmeralda wanted to scream, but he put his palm on her lips.
"Don't be afraid, I tend you no harm." He said to calm her down. "What are you doing here? Haven't you noticed that all soldiers are looking for ya?" When he was sure that she won't make any noise, he let her go off of him.
"Go away! Or he will make you hurt!" She said angrily, pointing her little goat which was already next to her. "And you had an occasion to get know that he's not taking kindly to soldiers."
They heard someone riding a horse behind them. Phoebus turned around, but he couldn't see anyone, so he pulled the Gypsy into opened door of old empty house, and closed it.
"Now, be quiet." He said and again put his hand on her lips. Through small dirty window he could see that it was only a baker with his donkey, which was drugging a small cart with bread. "Now, will you believe me that I'm not gonna hurt you?"
"Hah, I wouldn't expect something like this from a soldier. You're really not at all like the other ones."
"Thank you, once more." He replied smiling. "Now, tell me how did you escape from the Cathedral? Was it the bell ringer, who helped ya out?"
"Again you wanna interrogate me?"
"I guess, it's called a curiosity."
"Yes, he did help me. So, now, will you tell everything to Frollo?"
"No. Both of us would be in even bigger trouble than now, if I'd tell him. I just wanted to know it for myself. Oh, and by the way, I'm sorry for what had happened in the Cathedral. I really had no idea that Frollo will enter. I didn't mean to trap you there, but it was the only way to save your life."
"Why you did this?" Now she was more surprised than scared.
"Because I know you're innocent." Again he smiled in this kind and charming way that was making her heart melting down.
"Well, thank you."
"My pleasure. Where you'll go now? Where will you hide?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"Cause I won't send my people there."
"Then, don't send them to the right bank of the Seine. Well, at least for next two hours."
"Alright. Now, to not make anyone suspicious, go. Try through this old passage at Market street, nobody knows that it's still possible to go through it. You'll be just on the bank of the river. Then just try to get on the other side unnoticed. But, please, be careful alright?"
Esmeralda looked deep into Phoebus' dark eyes. She couldn't understand why he was helping her, even though he got an order to find and arrest her.
"Why you care so much? And why you don't arrest me?"
"I have no reason to arrest you, because you're not guilty of anything. And why I care? Maybe because I also have a strong sense of justice? I don't know. But, it's not a time for talking, you must go, if you wanna get to your hideaway safe and sound. I'll try to take my men to the other part of the city, but I have no idea for how long, to not make them wonder why I don't let them search on the right bank."
The Gypsy, didn't say anything more, she just ran from the house, and disappeared in the dark narrow street. Phoebus stood long in the dirty gloomy room where he was hiding with Esmeralda. He sighed. How he wished he could help her, take care of her, give her a shelter in his apartment nearby Notre Dame. The captain forced himself to go out the house. He got onto Achilles, and slowly went towards the Place Notre Dame.
'I guess, I've fallen for her…' He thought. 'How would the others react if I'd marry her… Hmm… Well, lets face it, Phoebus de Châteaupers, you love this woman. You don't know her for long, but she already had stolen your heart.' Deep in his thoughts the captain even didn't notice when he was on the bridge linking Îl de la Cité and the left side of Seine. As he was in the middle of bridge's length Phoebus looked around. The city wasn't so busy as only a month ago, when he came here. People were uneasy about the soldiers, who were searching everywhere for a Gypsy girl. The houses, one by one were checked from the basement to the roof in hope to find her. But Esmeralda was too clever, she knew how to hide and never let anyone to notice her.
Phoebus didn't know why, but his horse stopped suddenly.
"What is it?" Asked the captain, and looked down at the pavement. There was a small flower of white lily. "Clever boy." He said to Achilles. "You're right, I forgot about Fleur-de-Lys. And here we have another problem to solve…" However, he didn't have much time for wondering, because he heard calling of one of his soldiers.
"Captain! I have bad news, we searched everywhere, but no sign of this Gypsy."
"It's useless. Enough for today. After all we have two days and nights behind us, so I guess we should have a break for one day."
"With all your respect, sir, but Mr. Frollo ordered to not rest until we find this Gypsy girl."
"Some of you, who didn't work last night, will still keep the guard on the streets." With that Phoebus rode to the Place de Grève, to give new orders to his men.
Tonight he could rest at last. For last 36 hours he was searching the streets and places to find Esmeralda. With every day he was more and more skeptic about this idea. Why on earth Frollo wanted to find her so badly? And what the Gypsies have done to him, that the judge hates them so much? All this thoughts were filling captain's mind. He couldn't fall asleep, he tried, but all he was doing was tossing and turning on his bed. The man finally decided to get up, and came over to the window. He looked down, at a Gypsy kid. It was the very same boy, who was keeping the lookout on the street, where Esmeralda was dancing, when the captain arrived to Paris. Then, a clever idea came to Phoebus' mind. He put on his coat, and run down the stairs, to talk to the boy.
"Hey, you, kid!" He said grabbing Gypsy's sleeve. "You know Esmeralda?"
"Depends on who's asking bout her."
"Let's talk in this dark street, nobody can see that I'm talking to you."
The Gypsy followed the stranger and as they were already in the place where no one could see them, the captain spoke.
"I'm Phoebus, you remember me? I'm the captain of the guard. But, don't worry I'm on your side. If you happen to see Esmeralda, tell her from me, to come to La Falourdel's tomorrow. I'll be there at quarter past seven in the evening. That's the place where the soldiers never check, and the only one where I can talk to her in privacy. I gotta tell her bout the new orders I got from Frollo only couple hours ago."
"How I am to know that you really are the one who you claim to be?" Asked the boy.
"If you'd see the captain of the guard in the light, you'd recognize him? If so, lets go somewhere where we can stand in a bright place."
The two went back to the place where they met only five minutes ago, so they were standing in the light again.
"There." Said Phoebus, waiting for the reaction of the Gypsy as they stood near one of opened windows.
"Yes, that's you. Alright, I'll tell her. But, why you wanna help her? You're a…"
"A soldier, and she's a Gypsy? She asked me the same question in the afternoon when I met her. I don't know why. Maybe it's my sense of justice, or I just like your friend, and want to help her, because I also know that she's innocent."
"Alright but, then I also have a request. Do you have some bread? I haven't eaten anything for last two days."
"I should have something. Wait here." He said and ran back to his apartment, and then he stood face to face with Frollo. "Good evening, sir."
"Captain, what are you doing this late on the streets without your outfit?"
"I'm not on my duty right now. I just took a walk, I thought it was legal…"
"It is… yet, if you're speculating or, what I doubt, but still… co-working with the Gypsies then, you might be in trouble, Phoebus."
"With all your respect, sir, I would never even dare to talk to a Gypsy." Captain's voice was cold.
"Very well then. I have new orders for you. In the morning you will make your men searching for the Gypsy girl in all the parts of Paris at the same time. I noticed that you send bigger groups to only one district, so for example, when they are in Ville, no one is searching in Université and Cité. Now I want to see the soldiers in all the districts at the same time, is it clear, captain?"
"Ay, sir." Phoebus was trembling of anger inside, but he couldn't show it. "Then, if it is everything, I ask for permission to go and have some rest before tomorrow hard day."
"Alright, captain, you have got it." Replied Frollo, and rode his horse into next street on the left. Phoebus sighed with relief. At least the judge won't see the little Gypsy boy waiting for the captain.
'What am I doing?' Phoebus asked himself. 'Jesus Christ and all the saints, please have me under your care…'
Ten minutes later he was again talking to the boy he met in the dark street.
"Alright, here you have some bread and wine. Sorry, I don't have anything more. Just for your safety, go now. But, don't forget to tell Esmeralda to wait for me."
"I will. Thank you… captain." Said the kid.
"You're welcome. Good night." With that Phoebus ran to his apartment. As he closed the door behind him, he rested his back on it, and slowly sat on the floor. He was sitting like this for hours, just thinking of what he have just done. For the very first time in his life he was on both sides of the conflict. He was a soldier, so he had orders to fight with the Gypsies, but at the same time he was on their side. Well, he was on Esmeralda's side. He'd do everything to help her, and make sure she was safe.
"Well, captain, once again ya gotta face it. You love Esmeralda and you can't quell it." He said to himself getting up from the floor. He didn't do anything more tonight, he just stroke on his bed, and fallen asleep as soon as his head landed on the pillow.
Next evening, just as he expected he met Esmeralda near La Falourdel's. She had the very same coat covering her whole body, and Djali was on her shoulders, pretending to be a face of an old man.
"There you are." Phoebus greeted her with a big smile.
"So, what you wanted to tell me?" She asked.
"Well, I guess we'd better talk in privacy. I'm gonna rent a room here, so no one will hear us. See this window on the ground floor? That's how you'll get into the room. I'll help you. Nobody can see you. Wait here, when you'll see the light behind the glass, it means I'm inside, and you can join me."
Gypsy's green eyes grew even bigger than they normally were.
"So, all you wanted to tell me is just sleeping with me? Have you gone mad?!?"
"No, wait. It's just only there no one will listen to what we're talking about."
"Well, alright, but if you'll get closer to me than five feet, you'll get hurt." She said angrily, and at the same time something shining blinked in her hand.
"Whoa, slow down. You can put this knife down. Just wait here. I should be in the room within few minutes." Phoebus said and entered the house. He looked around. It wasn't pleasant place, but he didn't care that much. "I'll take Sainte-Maria room." He said to an old woman, the owner of the house. "How much it is?"
The price was higher than the captain expected, but he payed, and just entered the room. He put his candle on the window, and waited for Esmeralda. Soon, she was standing in front of him with Djali.
"Close the window." He said. "Now, if we're here… I just wanted to tell you that I have new orders. I'm sorry, I can't keep my men away from the places that you are at a particular moment. Frollo ordered me to send my men to all streets of Paris at the same time. I can't do anything about it."
Suddenly they heard some noise behind the window. Phoebus told Esmeralda to hide behind a big wardrobe, and he checked what the noise was. It occurred that Esmeralda was followed by the boy, who Phoebus met last night.
"What are you doing here, kid? You know what trouble we could be in if someone have seen you?" Asked the captain pulling the Gypsy boy inside the room. "Okay, Esmeralda, you can come here. It's just your little friend."
"Philippe?" Asked Esmeralda shocked.
"I had to come after you! Clopin ordered me to do so! He needs to know you're safe!" Yelled the kid.
"Shut up! You're so loud that the owner will hear ya."
"You could be more gentle." Said Esmeralda, giving Phoebus an angry look. And to her little friend she said: "But, the captain is right, you mustn't shout. We met in this room, so nobody could hear us talking."
"Oh, okay. Sorry."
Phoebus looked at the child. The boy could be ten the least. Bit too big head in proportion to his extremely thin body. He wore some old, torn clothes, but seemed to pay very small attention to this.
"Well, alright. Now, we gotta think how to find a way to get you two out of here. You can't go together. If someone's observing the house he might get suspicious. Philippe, I guess you'll go first. I still need to talk to Esmeralda…" He handed few coins to the boy. "Here, get yourself some bread or something. You truly earned this."
"Thanks!" Said the boy and disappeared behind the window same fast as he appeared there only couple minutes ago.
"Whoa, I'm too old for such actions…" Mumbled Phoebus. "Well, okay, never mind. Now, I think we should stay here for maybe an hour… Just to make sure that no one will follow you."
The Gypsy looked at the captain carefully. It was probably the very first time when she could really see how he looks like. True she already seen him few times, but for short and she didn't pay much attention to his looks. Blond hair cut in typical style (at least typical for their times), strong shape of the face and deep dark eyes. Somehow his eyes made her trust him. Something about them… maybe this depth or this kind look… She wasn't sure. Phoebus was also looking at Esmeralda with big interest. They were sitting like this for a longer while, just looking at each other. Finally it made the woman feel uneasy, so she broke the silence.
"So… now no Gypsy is safe, right?"
"Right. Frollo got mad. He's insane! I don't know why he wants to find you so badly, but you can be sure it's nothing good. I wish I still could protect at least you, but Frollo got suspicious about me, I have to follow his orders… And I thought it was just catch fortune-tellers and palm readers. That's what I imagined when the judge told me about a 'real war'. But, now… Sometimes I regret that I'm a soldier. It's good for men who don't have a mind on their own. For the ones who will do anything, just because it's an order."
"I guess you're right, you just have a strong sense of justice. At least one good soldier…"
"You don't take kindly to them, do you?" He laughed gently.
"I just treat them like they treat me. Well, okay, I'm not haunting them. Maybe you will explain me this… what's wrong with dancing on the streets? I don't steal money, I just earn it."
A big warm smile was still pasted across captain's face.
"You don't have to make any excuses, I understand you. I guess, if I'd be a Gypsy, and would know how to dance… I'd do the same. But, well, not only I'm a horrible dancer, but I happened to be a soldier, a natural enemy of Gypsies."
Esmeralda laughed.
"You're funny."
"Well, I'll take it as a complement." For a while they were silent again, but Phoebus decided to say something. "So, anyways, how long you live in Paris? I don't know much of this city, even though I was born here. I left when I was only ten, and only now I came back."
"I'm in Paris since I was fourteen. Before, I have no idea where I lived. I just didn't care. Wherever my caravan went, I was going there too. You know, just a typical life of a Gypsy."
"So, you probably plan to go to another place soon? Especially now, when you're in danger…"
"I don't think so. As long as we have our Court of Miracles, we're safe here."
"Well, till Frollo won't find it…"
"You think he might?"
They heard someone behind the door. Somebody was entering the room, just behind the wall. Phoebus tried to not panic, and gave Esmeralda to slowly go to the window.
"Alright, it's not safe here anymore." He whispered, as he was by her. "I have no idea why I'm telling you this, but if you'd need to know of new Frollo's plans send your little friend to mine, he already knows where I live. I don't ask you to come, cause I know it might be dangerous for you. Even though I'd love to see you again."
"Maybe when Frollo will get bored with searching for me." She grinned and disappeared in the dark of the night, behind the window of the room.
Phoebus was looking at this darkness for long, like he was hoping to see that Esmeralda is still standing in front of the house. Finally he felt so tired, that he lied on the bed, but he couldn't fall asleep knowing that the woman he loved wasn't safe anymore. And then a thought of Fleur-de-Lys came to his mind. How will he solve this problem? At first, the question is if Esmeralda would ever accept him. He was still a soldier after all. He was of noble birth, so next difference between them. The age difference even though it was no doubt big, didn't matter, because it was very common that even a fourteen-year-old girl was marrying an adult man. Only now Phoebus realized that he had a small bag with him, and inside was a paper and feather, together with some ink. He sat at something that he could call a table, and started writing:
Paris, 10th February, 1482.
Dear Flour-de-Lys,
I am writing this letter to tell you that I cannot keep my promise of marrying you. There are two reasons for this. First, probably the one you will understand more, I have to stay in Paris, and cannot leave the city, so It is impossible that I could live in a countryside. And another one, much more important for me, is that only here, after many dangers, I really learned what love means, and with all due respect, my fair cousin, I must say that I only thought I loved you. I know that now you will think that my loyalty is just as thin as a string, but I have to break our engagement. And I think that the sooner the better. So, this is my last letter to you, but hope that you will keep only these good memories about me.
Hope you will understand and accept my decision. I just cannot lie to you.
With all my respect,
Phoebus de Châteaupers.