A/N: I do not own any characters other than Rosaire. I give credit to Walt Disney Company for the few lines of script I used.
It felt like I had just fallen asleep, when I awoke to the sound of Djali bleating... at me? I looked at the little goat and patted it's head.
"You are a cute goat, but please let me sleep," I said turning over and facing the wall.
Djali bleated again and I sat up.
"What?" I asked him.
He shot his head toward the curtain. I glanced over at Esmeralda's bed, which was empty. I swung my feet over my bed and straightened the blanket across. I followed Djali into the main area, which was empty.
Hm, I thought I wondered why it was so silent.
Djali leaped gleefully towards the wet sewage area and I groaned forgetting that I had to walk through it to get in and out of here.
Price you pay for a roof over your head.
I peeked my head out of the tomb, watching carefully for any soldiers before climbing out and sliding the slab back on. I figured Djali was taking me somewhere so I decided to take in the most of my surroundings so I could familiarize myself. He led me straight to the square. I saw Esmeralda and the gypsy guy from last night standing there. It almost looked like they were waiting for me. Djali bleated and pranced to Esmeralda who, in response, bent down and gave the goat a little rub in the head.
"You'll need to start waking up earlier or your going to miss all the fun," said the gypsy man gesturing to the scene around him. He was dressed differently from last night. He still wore the same color purple, but it was sectioned in half with blue on the other side and a yellow shall covered his shoulders with bells dangling from the edges. He also wore a purple mask with gold trimming. His legs had two different patterns as well, one purple with yellow stripes and the other just a solid purple. His shoes also had bells on the tip.
"What's with the get up?" I asked and he stopped smiling for a second
"What? You don't like it?" he asked almost hurt.
I was taken aback from the childish way he answered.
"Uh, uh no, i-it's just very... festive, yes festive that's the word. You look festive," I stammered in excuse.
His smile returned.
"Well thank you Miss Rose, if I may call you that?" He asked bowing.
"Yes, I actually prefer it," I said noticing Esmeralda was gone.
"And I would prefer it if you called me Clopin," he said mimicking my tone.
"Clopin... that's an interesting name," I said with no bad intention.
"Well, I am a very interesting person, come I will show you around," he said taking me arm, almost dragging me along as he skipped into the square.
"Is it safe?" I asked, still a little worried from what happened the night before.
"Of course, you don't think I'd be out here if it wasn't?" he answered casually.
I grinned and kept up with his pace. He led me to a red caravan decorated with playful colors and an awning draped over it. The was a step latter on one side that led into the caravan. The entrance was covered by a green curtain. Clopin climbed in and opened the wooden window cover. He smiled at me.
"Would you like to hear a story?" He asked and small puppet appeared on his left hand.
"Of course she does!" It squeaked though I knew very well Clopin was the one who spoke for it.
"What d'ya say?" he said and shot me a wink.
I walked in front of the little puppet theater and sat on the hard ground.
"Entertain."
He and his puppet told the story of the bell ringer of Notre Dame, and soon a few children gathered around to watch. Clopin became more enthusiastic when the kids appeared.
The children stared at Clopin intensely, mesmerized by the small talking puppet.
Clopin was a story teller, and he did a very good job. It was a pity that his only audience consisted of children. The children clapped when Clopin finished and I felt a smile tug at the corner of my mouth.
The children scattered about, but a little girl with blond hair remained. She cautiously walked up to the stage.
"What's the little puppet's name?" she asked and Clopin smiled bringing him out from the shadows.
"My name is Petite Clopin, mademoiselle," the tiny puppet said poking the girl's cheek with a fingerless hand. She giggled and patted the puppet's head before running off to find her mother.
"You're very kind to children," I said walking up to the theater and leaning onto the ledge.
"They listen, and I love the look of their faces when I finish with a good story," he answered and reached to close the wooden shutter.
"Wait, dites-moi un autre," I said stopping his hand. He grinned and pulled back.
"Oui Mademoiselle, it would be an honor," he agreed and began to tell another story. The story of a young gypsy who was stolen away from her family. She was brought up as a slave. She was a miserable girl until she discovered a key for every lock in the house. So she snuck out everyday when her master was asleep and ventured into the streets. Clopin ended the story with the fact that even though she remained a slave she was able to find freedom behind her stone walls.
I frowned.
"Clopin, why is it she didn't escape, she kept coming back, isn't that a little dumb of her?" I asked "Also, how the heck did she find the key if she was always locked in a room 'with no key'?" I asked mocking his story and crossing my arms.
Clopin frowned as well but his voice was trying hard not to laugh.
"You're much more skeptical than little kids, you ask too many questions, little kids would just clap and walk away satisfied."
I rested an arm against the ledge.
"Well, I'm not a little kid," I answered leaning forward. Clopin's face became flustered.
"W-well, no you're not but-," He stuttered nervously.
"So explain to me this illogical nonsense of which you speak," I said jumping up and placing my hands on my hips. I bent myself forward expecting an answer.
I got a chuckle.
Clopin closed the wooden shutter and climbed out of his little theater.
"Come, there is more to see," he said linking his arm in mine and pulling me backwards.
We wandered around Paris aimlessly as he pointed out things. There was a little bookshop beside the bakery which was beside a small restaurant. There was a fisherman selling fresh fish he caught this morning. As we walked past the bakery I felt my stomach gurgle and Clopin glance my way.
"Hungry?" He asked walking towards the baker and handed him what little money her earned from this morning. He walked back with a freshly baked sweet roll. I grinned at him and he broke it in half handing me a piece. I ate while we walked along the dirty cobbled streets and city people carried around baskets full of fresh bread and fruits. I saw Esmeralda dancing while two other gypsies played some sort of instruments. Djali was at her feet prancing happily as people walked by dropping gold coins into a purple hat lain out in front of them. There was a man standing there, with blond hair, watching Esmeralda dance. I saw her nod at him. Suddenly a small gypsy boy whistled above them and they scattered. Clopin grabbed my waist and hid me behind a while. He held a finger to my mouth and shushed me. I heard coins clatter and we slowly peeked our heads out. Djali had spilled the coins from the hat and Esmeralda ran back to gather her earnings. Just then two guards grabbed Esmeralda.
"All right, gypsy, where'd ya get the money?" asked the first guards
"For your information I earned it," retorted Esmeralda playing tug of war with the hat.
"Gypsies don't earn money," said the second one.
"You steal it?"
"You'd know a lot about stealing," Esmeralda snapped preparing for a fight.
"Troublemaker!"
"Maybe a day in the stocks will cool you down."
Esmeralda suddenly kicked her leg into the knocking the first guard back and jolting her arm free from the second before running away.
The two guards ran to chase after her but the man from before blocked them with his horse. The one guard fell to the ground.
"Achilles, sit!" said the man and his horse sat down right on the guards
"Oh dear, I'm sorry. Naughty horse, naughty! He's just impossible. Really, I can't take him anywhere." said the man sarcastically.
"Get this thing off me!" cried the first guard
"I'll teach you a lesson peasant!" yelled the other pulling a dagger from it's sheath. He was taken aback when the flew his cape back to reveal a marvelous golden suit of armor and a long sword.
"You were saying...Lieutenant?" said the man cockily.
I bit my finger to stop myself from laughing and I felt Clopin's body convulse against my back, indication he was trying to stifle his laughter as well.
The two guards tripped over themselves in attempt of apology before clearing the way.
"So Clopin, I thought you said it was safe," I said turning to him with a playful glare.
"I lied," he said shrugging
I whacked the side of his head and began to walk away.
"Don't you think you should travel in buddies if it's not so safe?" asked Clopin running after me.
"It's no safer walking around with you," I replied as a-matter-of-factly.
"I take offense to that," said Clopin grabbing my shoulder and spinning me to face him.
I grinned and grabbed his hat. I ran with it and I heard Clopin yell out in a childish tone. I laughed to myself and looked behind me. Clopin was gone.
I went to turn forward and came face to face with chocolate brown eyes. I screamed and fell backwards tossing the hat in the air so I could use my hands to break my fall. Clopin caught his hat and placed it neatly on his head. I stared at him breathless.
"My god," I whispered, placing a hand to my chest.
"Don't underestimate the power of Clopin Trouillefou," he exclaimed placing his hands on his hips and bending waist down to face me.
"I'll remember that," I said picking myself up with a little help from Clopin.
"Well It's almost time," he said watching a bunch of peasant folk gathering around the small square.
"Time for what?" I asked
"Why, the Festival of Fools of course!" cried Clopin, throwing his arms into the air.
"The what?" I asked again
"You've never been to the festival of fools?" he asked completely shocked.
God, I felt stupid
"No," I replied annoyed.
"Well your about to find out!" said Clopin, winking at me before scurrying off. I yelled after him but he was long gone. I sighed and looked around.
"Guess I should join the crowd and see what all the fuss is about."
French Word:
Mademoiselle - Miss
Petite Clopin - Tiny/Little Clopin
Dites-moi un autre - Tell me another
Oui - Yes