Disclaimer: I only own my OC and her animal companion.
Chapter 7
For the next hour or two Pierre practised whilst the sisters began their usual morning routine before making their daily excursion to the City Square.
When they arrived, with Pierre, Djali and Moshi in toll, there was a huge crowd gathering around the Pillory, a single drum rolled before a voice addressed the crowd.
"Let it be known! That Quasimodo, the bell ringer of Notre Dame. Is to receive 50 stokes with the cat of nine tails for his attack upon a woman" said a middle aged man wearing a black robe and cap holding an opened scroll of parchment in his hands.
The crowd cried out in outrage at Quasimodo's supposed crime. Pierre, Esmeralda, Sapphira and Clopin witnessed this as they stood by their caravan's parked across the square.
Shocked at the idea of an innocent man being punished for a false crime, Sapphira turned to her sister and brother in law for help.
"We must stop them he was helping me, you even witnessed it brother" she said with a desperate longing to help poor Quasimodo.
"I know dear sister but they will never listen" said Pierre disheartened.
"Yeah the boy is right, we can't get involved" said Clopin from behind them.
The punishment began.
With the first couple of strikes of the whip Quasimodo cried out in pain which the crowd seemed to be entertained by as they laughed and counted each strike as they came.
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Feeling saddened by what she was witnessing Sapphira passed Moshi on to Pierre before making her way over to the King's private viewing box. As she tried to make her way up the steps and pass the guards she was immediately grabbed by two soldiers but still tried desperately to keep going.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! My Lord!" she cried out as she broke free of the soldiers grasp and making it up to the second level of the staircase only to be stopped by two more guards with spears.
"What's that?" said the King as he looked down the steps to where the voice was coming from.
"Down here Sire!" said Sapphira breathlessly.
"It's one of the dancing girls" said the King in surprise.
"I appeal, Your Majesty"
"Bring her up here!" the King commanded the two soldiers. They uncrossed their spears before grabbing Sapphira by the arms as she made her way up the steps.
"What have you done child?" asked the King as she made her way up and stopped on the third step.
"Not I. I appeal for the Hunchback. I am the woman he was suppose to have assaulted. It's not true!" she said.
This statement caused the King and Queen to turn to the man standing to their left who was the Royal High Minister, Julian Gauchére.
"This man is being whipped for assaulting a gypsy?" he asked Gauchére in surprise.
"That was the decision of the Court, My Lord" replied Gauchére matter of factly.
"But he is innocent" said Sapphira desperately trying to get the King's attention back on her.
Her please fell on deaf ears since the King was more focused on the fact that a citizen of Paris was being punished all because of a gypsy girl.
"A gypsy?!" said the King as he turned back around to face the girl in disbelief.
"We must protect out citizens. It acts as a lesson to those who would assault a 'real woman'" said Gauchére with a passing sneer at Sapphira.
His statement had insulted Sapphira, in anger she tried to fight off the soldier's who were holding her arms to try and get closer to the King but their grip was too strong.
"Oh very well" said the King dismissing the matter there and then whilst Gauchére gestured the soldiers to remove Sapphira from their sight.
"But Your Highness?! Your Highness, the hunchback's innocent!" she cried out desperately but the King did not listen.
By the time the soldiers had pushed her away from the King's Private Box the count down of Quasimodo's punishment was over. He had since stopped crying out in pain and only flinched at each strike until the 50th strike came. The crowd cheered and now it had come to the second half of Quasimodo's punishment
"The prisoner will be exposed to one full hour of public display!" said the man in black as he passed a large hour glass to a soldier standing beside him.
With that said he left the Pillory just as the wheel began to turn and citizens started throwing rotten fruit and vegetables towards the Pilory in the hope it would hit Quasimodo. He screamed and shouted in hatred towards the crowd as the wheel spun him around. His screams soon became desperate cries for water since the hot sun was making him desperately thirsty. No one came to his aid since every prefered to mock him as he suffered and to add more salt to the wound a young boy stepped up carrying an old blanket in his hands. He dipped it in a bucket of water that was left at the top of the stairs then threw it on Quasimodo whilst saying "Here's your water!". The crowd laughed as he wriggled desperately to try and get the wet blanket off and eventually he succeeded.
The wheel stopped as it spun the poor bell ringer around so that his eyes fell upon the Cathedral and amoungst the priests standing at the entrance he sww Claude Frollo watching his punishment commence. He thought now that his master was there he would be saved but it was not to be since Frollo gave him a stone cold expression before turning away and ignoring Quasimodo completely. Saddened by his master's disappointment towards him, he lowered his head in shame as the wheel began to turn once again.
Whilst the crowd continued with their laughter and mockery, Sapphira made her way through the crowd towards the Pillory. She calmly made her way up the steps and stopped as soon as she reached the top. The crowd grew silent as the wheel stopped again and Quasimodo looked up to see the beautiful gypsy girl he had met the previous day. He though she had come to add more to his torment but it was the complete opposite. Sapphira leaned forward to pick up the bucket of water from the floor then carried it towards Quasimodo and set it down beside him. She cupped her hands as she dipped them in the water and lifted her hands to Quasimodo's lips. He leaned back thinking she was going to splash him but ehen he felt the cold liquid pass his lips he leaned forward again to look at the young gypsy girl. His movement surprised Sapphira and made her step back a bit. There was a moment of stillness as Quasimodo looked at her, his eyes gazed upon her beautiful face and saw was that there was genuine compassion in her eyes as she too looked upon his face. He gave a small smile before leaning back again to allow Sapphira to continue giving him water.
As quickly as she could Sapphira gave Quasimodo handful after handful of water to help quench his thirst whilst he basked in its coolness. On the forth sip he leaned forward again so it was easier for him to recieve more water. His mouth brushed against her hand as he took a fifth and sixth sip which Sapphira didn't seem to mind in the very least. He looked up at her as she was about to give him a seventh sip but he didn't take anymore water and just dropped his head forwardas if he was about to kiss the young woman's hand in gratitude. His abrupt actions suprised Sapphira so she stepped away from him, as she did the soldier with the hour glass grabbed her by the arm and shoved her away right into the arms of another soldier who came up the stairs and roughly escorted her down.
"That's enough! One hour is up" said the soldier with the hour glass and then he and the Executioner in a black hood began to release Quasimodo from his bonds.
Once he was set free Quasimodo found he was too exhausted to stand so he crawled his way towards the steps then slid all the way down. At the bottom he managed to get up onto his feet with some difficulty and made his way towards the Cathedral not caring that he was being followed by the crowd. He collapsed at the door but pushed himself back up on his feet with the strength he had left and made his way inside. He kept walking towards the main alter at the back of the Cathedral panting and gasping with every step he took. When he made it his legs gave out and he fell to the floor panting and gasping still. As he lay there Claude Frollo appeared from the far corner, he had entered the Cathedral whilst Sapphira was giving Quasimodo water, silently making his way towards Quasimodo.
"She-she gave-she-she gave me water!" said Quasimodo gasping between words. He began to cry as he repeated these words a second time. Frollo kneeled down beside him then lifted Quasimodo into his arms in a fatherly embrace, patting him on the arm to try and calm him before he could tend to his wounds and send him back to the bell tower.
Well here is Chapter 7 everyone. I hope everyone has enjoyed it and if so you know the drill.
See you in the next chapter : )
