A/N: Not one of my better chapters I'll admit, but I wanted to get it done. I hope you enjoy it. Please review!

BRTxoxo

Chapter 7: Bonfire in Notre Dame Square

It was hard to tell how long we had spent together before Clopin released me and stood up, pulling me with him. My legs felt numb; I didn't like it.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." his normally dancing eyes were dead serious, and frightened. "You were gone for such a long time I had to send Collin out to find you. And then suddenly you come back without Esmeralda. I thought you were looking for her!"

"I found her. She was pulling Sun God out of the river-"

"Sun God?"

Oh right. I was the only one that called him that, or knew of him other than Es. "Pheobus, Captain of the guard. She was pulling him out of the river when I found her, he had been shot by an arrow. I helped her carry him to the edge of the city when Collin found us. I left him with her, and I believe she took him to the cathedral." I rolled my shoulders. "I couldn't help much more. A grown man of his stature and muscle capacity, not to mention passed out and drenched, is too much for two mere women."

"But when will she be back? Merde Asperity, how can I rest easy when the two most important people in my life are out cavorting about while the devil is looking for them?!" he threw his gloved hands up in the air.

"Very well if you know those two people are very capable of taking care of themselves since they're gypsies and have to live that way."

"Oh thank heaven you're alright!" I pulled Esmeralda into a tight hug as she entered Clopin's caravan. "Did everything go well? You weren't caught or hurt?"

"No, all is well. Quasimodo is looking after Pheobus. Good evening Clopin."

"Mon cher." The festive gypsy hugged my sister tightly as well. "I'm glad you are well. Now that I know mes amours are safe, I must go. I am on watch tonight. Please, stay out of trouble." He gently kissed both our foreheads, tugged his hat onto his head, and left the caravan, instantly joined by Aaron and Dastan.

I sighed as I watching him leave through the catacombs entrance, flanked by other gypsies dressed as skeletons.

"You love him."

"Is it really all that obvious?"

"Yes." Esmeralda linked arms with me and pulled me from Clopin's residence.

I couldn't remember taking his small hand puppet, but I didn't care. It brought me comfort in some strange way. I deftly slipped it into my coined skirt against my hip. "How many people know?"

"I wouldn't doubt it if everyone did, but you two of course. It's always the same. Two people are in love, but they can't see it themselves, only everyone else can."

"So it's like you and Sun God then?"

"I wouldn't say I love him necessarily but I do feel some amount of compassion and attraction to him."

We sat down in a crevice with pillows behind her family's caravan. "Es I highly doubt you hold anything less than love for le capitaine. Perhaps I'm looking too far into it." I sighed heavily.

Suddenly Djoli leapt in between us.

"Djoli! There you are, I've been wondering where you went!" The emerald eyed gypsy hugged the goat to her and he baaed affectionately.

I smiled at them, leaning back, thinking about how horrible it would be if she got caught, if Clopin got caught, if anyone got killed…

I'm not sure what happened, but Esmeralda looked at me worriedly. I must have made a noise or jumped or something at the thought of Clopin dying. It hurt me physically and mentally just thinking about it. My heart pounded painfully in my chest, my breathing became irregular, and I couldn't see very well. Tears formed in my eyes, burning and stinging harshly.

"Asperity are you all right?"

I nodded, swallowing hard. "Just, don't die okay?"

"I can't promise anything but I'll do my best."

"You better." I sighed heavily and leaned back against the wall. We were safe. We were okay. It was all going to be fine. I hoped.

I thought about Clopin, the way he held me, the way he had looked at me with relief and fear in his eyes, the way he had gotten extremely upset when he found out Cornelius kissed me. We were best friends, closer than siblings even. There were things I told him that I hadn't even told Athelstan, let alone Esmeralda. My father didn't like me interacting with Clopin, but I couldn't help it. He was the one that found me at the cemetery entrance. He took me in. he stayed by my side. He was always there for me. He'd saved me more than once.

And I was in love with him.

"Es, do you think Clopin loves me?"

She had no time to answer. Another commotion in the Court interrupted us. We scrambled out of the crevice and to the edge of the crowd that was growing at the foot of the gallows.

"There's good noose tonight. It's a double header-a couple of Frollo's spies. His Sun God, captain of the guard," CLopin announced, saluting.

I giggled until I realized who he was introducing next.

"And his loyal, bell ringing henchman."

"Stop!" I pushed my way through the thick throng of booing gypsies to the gallows. "Clopin stop!"

"Asperity!" My father, of all people, and Esmeralda followed me up to the front and up the steps to interrupt the dramatic gypsy.

"They aren't spies!"

"This is the man that saved the miller's family, and Quasimodo-"

"Is my brother! He helped Esmeralda escape the cathedral and he's also the one that's protected me all these years that I stay at the cathedral!" Esmeralda helped me untie the two captives and suddenly Sun God pushed forward to address the crowd.

"We've come to warn you! Frollo's coming! He says he knows where you're hiding and he's attacking at dawn with a thousand men!"

My face drained of color. Right after I discover my feelings, and think that we could hide away until the evil man in the black robes gives up, we're found. If Clopin died… off to the side, as everyone began running around in mass chaos, Esmeralda was thanking Sun God for warning us, despite the risk, and he just shook it off, giving the credit to my brother.

I caught a glance at my father's face, and it was nearly impossible to decipher what he was thinking.

And that's when Frollo's voice rang out above everything. "Nor would I!"

Guards surged in, clapping gypsy after gypsy in irons. The tall guard from the day before wrenched my arms behind me, roughly locked the restraints on my thin wrists, and shoved me towards Judge Claud Frollo. I fell to my knees before him, his black robes flowing about his feet like leaches.

"Ah, the gypsy Asperity. Finally, I've caught you." His pale, boney hand lifted my face to look at him, as if he was caressing a lover.

I shuddered.

"I've been waiting for you." He smiled evilly at me, and raw desire burned in his beady black eyes.

"Frollo I swear if you lay one hand on her-"

"What will you do, Clopin Trouillefou? You can do nothing, king of gypsies! Don't you see? I've won. You are my prisoners now. And you should thank dear Quasimodo for it." The Judge turned to my brother, my rock, and sneered in his face. "I always knew you would be of some use to me. Finally, the Court of Miracles. Thank you, dear boy, for leading me to it. Take them away. Make sure that he will not escape, and keep her separate from the others." He jabbed his finger at my brother and me before stalking away. "Oh, I've just remembered," he turned to glare at us one last time, "there's going to be a bonfire tomorrow in the Notre Dame square at dawn; and you're all invited." His cackle was heard echoing around the Court as he left.

"No!" I screamed, fighting against the tall guard that yanked me up. "No! You can't do this! Let us go!"

"Asperity! Let her go! Frollo you salaud!" the guard dragging Clopin punched his gut, effectively silencing him.

"Clopin!"