Quick update! Sorry, things have been hectic. And to answer your question lapierredx01, there will be some cathedral scenes soon, maybe a little different than you are expecting! Big thanks to everyone sticking with my story so far :)
Streets of Paris -
Clopin and Gilles walked through the Parisian streets like a couple of corpses risen from the dead.
They had arrived back to where the feast had taken place. All that remained were a few steamers on the ground and a couple of drunken wanderers here and there. It looked as if someone tore down the feast's decorations as if nothing had happened. And even God himself had tried to cleanse the land, releasing a heavy rain that left puddles on the ground, and a dense fog that shrouded the city a cold in an eerie silence.
Clopin sensed something was wrong as he stood cloaked next to Gilles, once again, hiding his identity. Gilles too wore a cloak but felt no need to cover his face.
"This is where you saw him last?" Questioned Gilles looking down the ally where Clopin had threatened the young street urchin a few hours previous.
"Yes. He was a skinny boy with shoulder length black hair... and mischief in his gaze. A young, wily, miscreant who stalks women."
Gilles raised an eyebrow, "So we are looking for your doppelganger, non?"
"He's only half gypsy. Or so he says."
"Could that be him down yonder?" Asked Gilles gesturing to a small figure wrapped in a coat, only his thin legs sticking out. He had a long thin wooden board in his hand he seemed to be pretending was a sword, and he was in the middle of combat.
"Aye. That's him," answered Clopin dryly.
"He seems a bit familiar to me," began Gilles with a shrug. "Must have seen him around."
"Wouldn't doubt it. I think he's been spying on me. I even caught him following Esmeralda around earlier. He seems transfixed by her and he knows these streets well. He even made mention of The Court."
"Orphan?"
Clopin nodded. "Since last month. Doesn't know his mother's name. Never met his father…. Whom, by the way, he said was rather well to do."
"Odd?"
"Penniless gadje bastard took advantage of young traveler woman leaving her with a son she couldn't care for. Mother gave the kid all her food… all her coin.. ignored her own declining health. Now she's dead leaving one more penniless half Gadje roaming these streets. It's as odd as this rainstorm, mon ami."
Gilles sighed, "Poor child, alone on these streets. He won't last long."
Clopin eyed his friend. "Don't start to think what I know you are thinking."
"What? It seems to me he's alone in the world and partly gypsy. He's only a kid."
"He's trouble. I can smell it on him. Believe me."
"Yeah well you smell too, and we keep you around."
Clopin began to walk toward to boy, "Mind how you speak to the…," he remembered he was in public before reveling his title, "the you-know-who."
"Boy!" Called Clopin to Pons in the same breath, "we have something to discuss with you!"
The boy looked up dropping his sword. He froze like a rat being caught at the bottom of the barrel. But, in the next moment, he recognized Clopin and began to laugh.
He confidently crossed his arms and looked to the men as they quickly approached him.
"Come to your senses and realize the true gypsy I am?" He asked with a haughty cock of the head. Just then, he realized the intent of the men as they roughly grabbed his arms and began to carry him to a more secluded area of the street.
"What's the big idea, chums?" He asked as they dropped him in a puddle on the ground behind a building. Clopin removed his gloves and pushed his hood back. Gilles starred to the boy wondering why he seemed so familiar.
"Who's this oaf?" spat Pons eyeing Gilles. "Some initiator for the Court of Mira-"
"Shut the hell up boy!" cried Clopin, "And never mind who this is." He crouched down to his eye level. "We have a job for you."
The boy shifted his sight between the men. "What kinda job?"
"Did you attend the festival today son?" asked Gilles.
"Every year!" he gasped before frowning and looking to Clopin. "Never realized the Master of Ceremonies was such a bloody prick though."
Clopin lunged for the boy but Pons quickly dodged his grasp.
Gilles placed a hand on Clopin's shoulder holding him back.
"Now, now, men - this is not the reason we are here." He looked to Clopin hoping to sober him up with a stern glance.
Clopin looked wearily down to the boy.
"We need you to find La Esmeralda. She has ran away and is possibly in hiding to escape the noose. I need someone unassuming to lurk around after her, are you in?" He asked all in one monotone breath.
The boys face lit up. "Justice!" he cried thrusting his fist in the air. "Mon Dieu! Did you see Frollo's face! Never seen such a pale look in my life!"
"Well, no doubt another part of him was completely red," Clopin remarked under his breath getting a kick on the shin from Gilles.
"Do you have any idea where she could be… Pons, right?" questioned Gilles gently.
"That's me!" Pons said before thinking for a moment. "Well I did see her wandering around a bit after the deformed fellow had gone back in that big old noisy house of his."
"You saw her!?" Cried Clopin leaning closer to Pons.
"Sure did! She was disguised though. You wouldn't believe how clever she is with that goat of hers!"
The men looked to one another.
"The whole damned troupe of soldiers were after her though. She went inside there…" he said pointing up to Notre Dame in the distance.
"All right than." Clopin said with a long relieved sigh, "You will wait outside the cathedral until—"
"Hold on here, I'm not moving a finger until I know what's in it for me. Or, at least who the both of you are."
"What's in it for you?" laughed Clopin mockingly, "you get to help rescue your little love. Isn't that enough?!"
"Love doesn't usually pay for a loaf of bread," Pons pointed out.
"You'll just steal one anyway," sneered Clopin.
"How can I be expected to repent if a life of crime is all I know?"
"All right!" barked Gilles. "Meet us here. Exactly here. At sundown. If you can produce any information about Esmeralda we'll give you a proper pence for your time."
"A pence?! Aren't you a ruddy chincy bastard!"
"Take it or leave it, kid."
Pons starred to the two unwavering men for a long moment. "Fine. I'll take it. That… and entrance into the Court of Mirac-"
"I told you to shut the hell up about that!" yelled Clopin reaching for his dagger.
"It's not as easy as that boy," stated Gilles trying to calm the situation. "The Court is just a legend."
"I knew you were a spy!" continued Clopin lunging forward, this time successfully grabbing the child's coat collar.
Clopin held his dagger to Pon's throat and the boy's eyes grew in fear.
"Stop it, Clopin!" pleaded Gilles reaching for Clopin's shoulder again.
"No! cried Clopin elbowing Gilles out of the way, "Give me a moment to kill this little pain in the arse while I still can."
"Clopin?!" exclaimed the boy shocked as he fought the man's hand around his neck. "You're him?!" he laughed, "You're the KING?!"
Clopin rolled his eyes to Gilles who was desperately wishing he could eat his words.
"Bloody hell boy!" Clopin finally said before dropping his grip on Pons who fell back in the puddle.
The boy panted rubbing his neck.
"This skinny drunkard fool is your... King?!" he asked to Gilles.
Clopin and Gilles glanced to one another. Clopin with much more of an exasperated look.
"That's it. I'm bloody killing him."
"Wait!" Shouted both Pons and Gilles at once just as Clopin was about to thrust his dagger through the boy's throat.
"What has gotten into you, Clopin? Slitting orphan boy's throats in the broad daylight?!"
The King stopped his hand, sobering his mind for the moment. Though his thoughts were still on the safety of the Court, he could realize when he had gone a step too far.
Yet, his hands were tied.
"He knows far too much!" Cried Clopin staring into the boy's eyes.
"I don't know anything!" retorted Pons. "Listen, all I know is I want to by a gypsy, just as I said. And I want to help you. I'm the only one who knows where she is."
They began to hear him for the first time, Pons furthered his claim of innocence.
"Alright… so maybe I know a few things. But I swear I ain't no spy! I swear it on my mum."
He got quiet then looking away from the pair of men.
Clopin obviously couldn't argue with that. He stepped away from Pons and slid his dagger back in its holster.
"You have until sundown," he said simply before walking away.
Gilles hesitated for a moment as the boy looked sadly to the ground.
"Good luck boy," he said as sweetly as he could before taking off after Clopin leaving Pons wet and alone.
Clopin marched with his fists clenched and head down as Gilles ran to his side.
"Well, you look to be in good spirits, you old goat."
"Gilles. I am in no the mood."
"Where are you heading to now?"
He stopped his angered pace and looked to his friend.
"Do you know this is my least favorite Feast of Fools in the past 24 years…? Which, YES! That does include the time Leonard caught me with his sister."
He kept walking. Gilles looked on confused.
"Clopin, why have you been so round up lately? As tight as a spring, you've been! Ever since that little La Esmeralda has returned..."
"This is not about her. Though she clearly hasn't been much of a relief."
"Then what is it?!" he shouted as loud as he could jumping in front of his path."And why won't you tell me. The only man you've trusted your entire life?
Clopin stopped walking again, unable to look Gilles in the eye.
"It's my worst nightmare come to life."
He shoved past his dear friend and made his way back to the Court of Miracles.
