It's finally here! The last chapter of Flannery's stay with the horrid Jacques. Yup you heard me, after this it's the Court of Miracles (not to mention our funny lovable gypsy storyteller ~.^) I'd like to thank the people who messaged me saying that they wanted to draw Flannery =D I'm very excited and I can't wait to see how they turn out. Not much to say this time so you get to the story a lot faster.
Disclaimer (sorry don't want to get into trouble): HoND belongs to Victor Hugo and Disney. Flannery and others belong to me
Enjoy,
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One Dark Night
I'm afraid that I didn't get much chance to search for any of the gypsies. After we left the palace Jacques seemed to watch me very closely, especially when we went back to the square to find the girls had turned the boys into walking snowmen.
After we picked her up we went back home. Ami went straight to her room for a change of clothes talking nonstop about how the boys had pretty much bowed at their feet to get them to stop.
For the rest of the day we stayed at home. The governess had technically locked Ami in her room, that girl did not enjoy having to sit the rest of the day through lessons. Jacques had invited a friend, one of the men from the party a few days ago, over and they talked mostly downstairs staying out of earshot. I stayed up in the room and worked on my needlepoint.
Yes I sewed, not very well though my governess deemed it well enough. I never did anything beyond shawls or simple mending. I always ended up pricking myself thus I hated it. Though another one of the things I have to work on now that I was a changed woman. If... when I had a baby I would make all the clothes for the newborn, like any good mother did.
So yes, I worked on needlepoint for the rest of the day yet my mind lay elsewhere. I needed to find any gypsy, I would even go to Clopin if I had to, but I had to warn them. I know the matter seems trivial since no one has found them yet but I'm not sure if anyone else knew about Jacques' newest assignment.
Problem was every time I tried to go downstairs Jacques would snap his head in my direction. I took that as a warning, the last thing I wanted to do was start that up again. So with each passing hour I thought of new and different ideas to try. They were all ridiculous and in the end all the thinking ruined the shawl I had been working on for Ami.
At some hour during the day Ami was sent to bed and Jacques came back up. He never asked me why I had been trying to get downstairs and I didn't mention anything about it. Jacques had changed before retiring for the night while I managed to fall asleep in my clothes again, from thinking so much.
The next day was much the same. We went out as a family to the square. Ami ran off with her friends who were bragging about their victory, the boys were red with embarrassment. Jacques led me around town.
He would stop and talk to many people, many of whom I thought would be way too far below his station for him to even glance at. Jacques led me from shop to shop talking about presents for Ami since the middle of December was soon coming.
I did do some shopping. I mostly surveyed the crowds around me looking for any familiar looking outcast, thief, or beggar. If I did I never did get the chance to talk to them, Jacques always was right next to me. He never let me wander more than a few feet away. I felt like a dog on a tight leash, and my master was looking for the same thing I was. I couldn't let him have it.
I don't know how much later but he drug me back to the square, picked up Ami, went home, and finished off the evening the same as the night before. Great one more day I lose to warn them one day closer to Jacques catching them.
This routine last another day and it was starting to drive me mad. There they were in the streets begging for money, stealing food, and performing for coins right in front of me. I stood there like a starving dog to a piece of meat, I wanted to run and yell it to them that they were in great danger if they weren't wary. But the chain Jacques seemed to have around my neck was starting to choke.
Thankfully it only lasted those three days and finally I was able to get away from Jacques. Again we were in town as we had been the past few days.
Today I was walking around in a burgundy dress. The corset was goldenrod with patterns weaved into the bodice. The neck line stopped right above my chest and the sleeves hung around my arm then flared out when it got to my hands. The dress itself didn't hoop, as many of the English style are, but instead flared out like the sleeves. When I walked it had the effect of flowing water. The edges of the dress were decorated in delicate yellow lace that matched the bodice. The heels were burgundy boots that stopped at my ankle. The only jewelry I wore was a garnet on a golden chain.
My hair was simple today I had it up in a ponytail with a few stands framing my face, a slight wave in the tresses but other wise was relatively straight.
Ami was stuck with the governess at home again, I'm sure she was throwing another fit. And like the other days we just walked around, after the second day it had become a bore.
Unlike the other days one man rode by, everyone in the street stopped to stare at him, his presence sent infamous chills down my spine. Judge Frollo rode past everyone on his hell black horse, guards lining beside him. Every gypsy in the area was long gone, as though they had envisioned his arrival minutes before. It was an ominous sight watching him casually ride by, the red cloth that hung from his hat billowed like a stream of blood in the December chill.
Jacques walked right past the guards and up to the ink black stallion. Frollo pulled the horse to a stop and nodded as they exchanged what seemed like pleasant greetings. My heart almost stopped when I realized Jacques nor Frollo had looked back at me. This was it, my only chance. I slid back into the crowd and slipped into the first alleyway I could get into.
As I walked through the back streets of Paris I couldn't shake the suspicion that I was being watched. Paranoid, I glanced over my shoulder at the desolate streets behind me only to see the shadows lurking around. Nervous, that Jacques indeed did suspect me of betraying his plans, my steps hastened.
I checked some of the less populated streets and began my search there but to no avail, convenient how when you actually are looking for something it completely evades you. The day stretched on and still nothing, I was growing tired and frustrated quickly. I stormed the alleys willing someone to appear. This didn't seem to do much more than my original plan. No wonder gypsies were hardly ever captured, you could never find one!
A tap on the shoulder almost gave me a heart attack, I whirled on the person fearing it to be the one person I was also trying to avoid. Instead my gaze fell into the emerald pools I had been hoping to find. The dancer, Esme I think, wasn't glaring at me like last time but her gaze certainly wasn't pleasant either.
"Well well, what is a noble doing in the dirty back streets?" when she placed her hands on her hips I noticed that the goat was still with her.
I looked down with a feeling that almost could be called shame, "I know, but I had to find one of your people."
One of her midnight eyebrows raised, "Why should you have anything to do with us?"
"I had to warn you," I looked into her eyes, they hardened at the contact.
"Warn us of what? Frollo's wrath? Hate to tell you but we know already-"
"No no no. I've come to warn you about my husband, Jacques," she looked confused now so I continued, "he works under Frollo and has now been assigned to find the Court of Miracles. From what I gathered from Frollo he doesn't fail either."
"Well we've heard the same thing about a million other soldiers and they've never found us, even if they had the never told anyone about it," she didn't looked disturbed by the thought much but I couldn't help but cringe as I remembered why I still wasn't down there with them.
"Please believe me, I have a bad feeling about this. I'm terrified that he'll find you all."
"Why do you even care so much?" I was taken aback. Why did I care? The night I had made my resolve I had tried to view gypsies as the majority of the people do. Yet when I heard of Frollo's plan had not all my thoughts gone to getting word to the gypsies, for three days after that too.
"Your people who are trying to survive in this world like anyone else. Sure you lie and deceive people but then that's the average person. Frollo wants to kill you off for no reason and I don't want to see innocent people slaughtered."
Her eyes softened while her face lost the annoyed look she had been wearing, "Clopin's right, your different from all of them."
"I'm afraid though that can't be the case anymore," I couldn't look at her, why did she have to bring his name up?
"Why not?"
"I'm not a gypsy but I'm not a Parisian either. My views and theirs are different but my class and duties keep me from taking the side I know is right. I can't win against them so it's time I stepped up and played my part within society."
The tension I felt must have meant she was frowning, "That's stupid. You should stand up for what is right instead of sulking with the crowd."
"If you were up against a crowd and you were the only one who disagreed with them would you have enough courage to defy them?"
"Of course I-"
"Have you even thought about what the consequences might be?" she hesitated. "I agree that it's wrong to stand aside but with Frollo and Jacques against me I'm afraid I'd have no chance and could possibly lose more than my self respect."
"I'm sure I could stand against them. I know you could too Flannery."
"You hardly know me gypsy."
"Esmeralda, and just your being here right now is a confirmation of that."
"How?"
"You say you've decided to be the lady you were raised to be, yet in all your glory you run through the dirt low parts of the city trying to warn beggars and thieves in a dress unsuited for this part of town. You could've easily wasted time changing into something dirtier or even sent someone else, instead you run down the streets not caring who sees you talking to us."
Well I didn't really have to go back to get a new dress for this one's hem was caked in dirty snow. The yellow lace now looked a damp brown and burgundy thread hung out like a tattered rag. Well this wasn't the first dress I had destroyed before.
"I'm afraid that still doesn't mean much," I looked up and realized that the streets were now dark, the sun had set while the waning moon was taking her place in the sky, "I'm afraid I have to go now Esmeralda, please heed my warning and be wary."
"And just like that you walk off?"
"Good day."
"Perhaps I was wrong about you," her voice was as sharp as any blade.
I walked past her and toward the still active streets. My mind went blank as I turned around to Esmeralda and said, "Please tell Clopin that I'm sorry but I have my reasons and I will stick with them." I didn't see her expression, it was too dark, but I somehow knew that he would get my message.
I replayed the conversation through my mind several times as I journeyed back home. Was Esmeralda right? Would I stand up for the gypsies? No I couldn't, I would lose everything I had worked up so far. The beatings would start again too no doubt.
When I walked through the door it seemed silent. Ami usually stayed up till I got home and made her go to bed, but the silence wasn't like her. Surely she wasn't asleep yet? There I go again, overreacting, she was probably out with the governess still.
Exhausted I went straight up to the room instead of grabbing food. The moment I walked through the door my eyes locked with blazing sapphires. Jacques didn't have to stand up to make me cower against the wall, but since I had no idea what he was upset about I held myself together.
"Is something the matter?" my voice a mere whisper on the wind yet his reaction meant he had caught it.
"Is something the matter?" he repeated through clenched teeth, "WELL WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER THAT!" I cringed.
"I don't understand," my voice trembled.
He stood, "You should! I wondered at first why you were out so late, now I realize why."
I couldn't speak, how did he find out I had spoken with Esmeralda? No wonder the house was silent. He probably had the governess take Ami out until he was through beating me. Great more bruises, the old ones were almost gone too.
"I did it because I believed it to be the right thing," I tried to hold my head high, that only last a few seconds before I was thrown to the ground. My ribs hurt, I hoped nothing was broken.
"THE RIGHT THING?! DARE YOU SUGGEST I'M ANYTHING LESS THAN A GREAT HUSBAND?! PREVIDEING YOU WITH SHELTER AND FOOD, MONEY, CLOTHES!" he screamed. I couldn't say anything for the blows came hardly seconds after that.
Finally I did get the chance to run, I throw open the door and dashed down the halls trying to get to the entrance. Jacques was faster, before I had fully made it down to the first level he got a hold of my hair. He jerked back hard on it, causing me to lose my footing and fall down the stairs.
"DARE YOU DISGRACE ME BY TRYING TO RUN AWAY?! YOU TRY EVEN NOW, HOW DARE YOU!" run away? Suddenly it clicked. Jacques wasn't angry because he discovered I was talking to gypsies, instead he was fumed because he thought I had been trying to run away. In all that had happened I had forgotten to unpack everything I had gathered to join the gypsies. He must have found it all and thought I was out getting supplies.
"Jacques you don't understand!" I sobbed. I was rewarded with a slap. Again I tried to get up, this time I made it to the main doors. I threw them open ready to rush out into freedom but again I was pulled back. Jacques pinned me to the nearest wall and struck me again.
"FINA!" he stopped long enough to turn and see Ami right in the doorway. The governess must have just dropped her off or told her to go home.
"Amalie go!" Jacques yelled.
"What are you doing to Fina?!" tears started to fall from her eyes now.
"I said go!"
"No!!" she dropped her coat, ran over to us, and started hitting Jacques. Screaming for him to release me. He grabbed her and threw her aside, I tried to rush to her but his grip on me was iron. The whole thing seemed to repeat itself. Jacques would hit me several times, Ami would recover and try anything to get him off me, Jacques would throw her off, and repeat.
To me this went on for hours. Then all too quickly I was outside, I was running. I turned to look over my shoulder and tripped. The snow numbed the searing pain that had overtaken my body. Yelling filled my ears, at first it was Jacques and Ami's voices I heard then others. The dark was scared away by light, lanterns.
Gentle hands scooped me out of the snow and held me. The old man frowned down at me. I knew him, he came to the party after the wedding. He was a senior man, doctor, who lived only but a few houses away. He lived alone after his wife died in which he started treating patients for free, but only when they truly needed the help.
"My dear what happened?" his gentle voice made the pain disappear for a few moments.
"Jacques..." I managed to say.
"The liar!"
"Monsieur Follet I would suggest you stayed quiet for now."
"She was trying to run away! She'll say anything to make me look evil!" by now a crowd had formed, people were whispering amongst each other about who they thought responsible.
"I doubt such a kind young lady would inflict these wounds upon herself-"
"Exactly! Don't you see, you never would suspect her which is what makes it the perfect act."
"I would never-" I started.
"Shut up!" I flinched, when would the nightmare be over? Just then a midnight horse walked past the crowd and into the middle of the turmoil. Everything was silent as Judge Claude Frollo examined the scene before him, great just what I needed.
His voice made the air several degrees colder, "What's going on at such an ungodly hour?" Jacques told him the same thing that he had yelled moments before. I had been trying to run away, when he found out and confronted me about it I had shoved him out of the room and staged the injuries. I then threw open the door and had everyone declaring a beating to cover it up.
I knew anything I said in front of Frollo would be tossed aside. The wind froze the skin when the tears fell, I couldn't stop them. My nightmare had come true and I couldn't do anything about it. Had I not been careless I could've prevented it.
"He's lying! He was beating her I saw him!" Ami cried.
"See? She's even turned my own daughter against me!" At that the crowd broke in, arguing with each other. So far most of the people believed that Jacques had indeed abused me.
Frollo held up one black gloved hand, "I see a lack of evidence to either story. Therefor it cannot be determined how to handle the situation." The crowds yelled, I broke out sobbing. "So I shall not interfere with this, we shall let it resolve itself." with that he rode off. Guards yelled for the crowd to disperses, the doctor was forced to release me and go back home.
I just laid there in the snow crying, this would continue for who knows when. How badly I was deceived when I thought it was I causing the beatings, my first impression of Jacques had been correct. Ami had come over and was trying to reassure me that it was going to be better.
Jacques walked over, smiling, "Don't you see Flannery you won't ever win." I turned away, I heard the snow crunch behind me and the unmistakable sound of his laughter. How I wanted to scream.
When I heard Ami gasp a few minutes later I thought it was because Jacques had returned. I certainly didn't expect the grab to the shoulder. I jumped up and whirled around. Three figures wreathed in the darkness stood before me. I was so frightened that it was Frollo's men, I started backing away. Every step they took toward me the faster I crawled away.
"Fina," Ami grabbed my arm and knelt beside me. I had not the strength to pull away.
"Flannery it's just us," the goat bleating at the end gave her away. Now that I was calming down it could make out a few distinct features. The person closest to me wore a most familiar hat that I don't think I ever could forget. It was Clopin. Esmeralda, followed by her goat, and another gypsy was right behind him.
"Flannery," I could hardly see his face in the dark but I could hear the sadness that was foreign to his voice. I tried to stand and say that I was in no mood for whatever he was about to say, but my legs fell out underneath me. Clopin quickly steadied me.
"Thanks," I whispered. I started to pull back so I could stand on my own but Clopin wouldn't allow it, he pulled me into his embrace. I was frozen, I didn't know what to say. The last thing I expected was for the gypsy to hug me.
"I'll get you out of here if you want," his breath warm against my ear.
"I do."
"Then we leave, now." he pulled back and said something to the others.
"Wait," I said in a hushed whisper.
"What?"
"Ami is coming right?"
"Flannery she-"
"Is as much a victim of this as I am, if she can't go neither do I." The fight was over before it began. So we slipped into the dark of Paris, sliding in and out of the shadows, and passing into the entrance to the one place I had vowed not to return to. My new home, the Court of Miracles.
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Did they witness what happened? Did they risk their lives to see if she was ok? You'll find out next chapter. To be honest Jacques finding her stored away clothes and possesions she was going to take with her wasn't what I had originally planned on but I thought it was a better reason for him to beat her again then what I had at first (the first idea though had her a lot bloodier and beat up).
Thank you for reading, reviews apprciated (and much thanks to everyone who has reviewed, you guys keep me going even when I get frustrated and stuck =).
