-Clopin's Point of View-

I got up groggily the next morning. For some reason I wasn't expecting to be sleeping on the rock floor of the cathedral when I awoke so when I rolled over to get up, my cheek met the freezing floor. I pushed myself to my knees and sat there awhile until I noticed Alvery struggling in her sleep. My eyes still drooping in sleepiness, I reached over and shook her gently.

She sprang up, her eyes wide and her small gasp echoing in our surroundings. Whatever sleep was left in me was gone now that I saw her shaking terribly and nearly on the verge of tears. I crawled over to her slowly, balancing now on my toes. "Are you all right, mademoiselle?"

"Y-yeah, I just had a, um, nightmare was all," she muttered, embarrassed and still scared at the same time. I just nodded, bringing myself to my feet. "Are we able to leave yet?"

I shrugged to her. "I'm getting up now to check." She only nodded a little back as she got up and began to fold the blankets we were sleeping with and putting them back on the cushions. Once I glanced outside to make sure no soldiers were on the prowl for us specifically, which I was nearly positive there wouldn't be, I headed back inside and gave the okay for us to leave. "I'll walk you home in case any guards give you trouble," I offered and we began on our way towards her house with me as the lead. I took us through the back alleys of the city where my people were talking, sleeping, laughing, drinking, and eating merrily on their brief break.

"Where are you taking me, gypsy? This isn't the way to my house," Alvery stated to me as if I had lost my mind.

"It certainly is. You just normally take the crowded way and I take the shortcut," I corrected her. She seemed to have made eye contact with Luca, the one who broke her ankle accidentally. She was so locked on him that she obviously didn't see the uneven brick beneath her feet that she tripped on which caused her skirts to fly up. I thought briefly that she deserved it but decided against it and quickly covered her undergarments, pushing the skirts down to cover her again.

Camille's Point of View

Hearing the commotion ahead, I rushed forward to see what all the men were laughing at. I watched as a small smirk appeared on Clopin's face before the knowledge hit him to cover Alvery. She was blushing horribly and was covering her face with her hands. Feeling anger boil up in me, I threw an apple core at Luca, the idiot who was laughing the hardest. He toppled over backwards and the men around him quickly quieted. I gave a small snort of disgust to them before taking Alvery by the wrist and guiding her after me.

"Cam," I heard Clopin call from behind me. I continued to walk hurriedly. Of course, dragging a girl with you who couldn't keep up with my speed wasn't helping and Clopin caught up to us, jogging backwards mind you. "Aw, come on, Camille, don't blame me for this! I didn't trip her, honest!"

I stopped then and stared him right into his eyes that were showing nothing but sorrow and asking for forgiveness that I was determined not to give. "Don't play dumb, Clopin. You were pleased when she fell, I could see it on your face," I snarled at him, shoving him into an old crate that broke on impact. He brushed himself off and caught up with us.

"Cam, don't judge me for acting like any man would," he whined. I heard a higher pitch voice respond, "Who said you were a man?" I turned to see, none other than, Puppet on Clopin's hand. He knew it was difficult for me to stay angry if he pulled out that stupid puppet of his. Clopin flexed an arm as a response to Puppet's question. "Look at these muscles," he emphasized although his arm remained a stick. "Oh yes, the might muscles," the puppet commented sarcastically. Clopin frowned and Alvery and I giggled.

His face lit up and he put Puppet away. He hugged me tightly and I let go of Alvery's wrist. We made our way back to her house, laughing and even singing once in awhile. Alvery didn't mind it much since I suppose she figured that we always act like this so there is no point in arguing against it!

We arrived at her house and Clopin knocked lightly on the door. A tall-ish, average weight woman answered the door. She looked as if she had been crying, no doubt out of worry. Upon seeing Alvery, she embraced her which left Alvery staring awkwardly and me and Clopin. We smiled lightly in return. Before we could take a step to leave, we had our arms twisted behind our backs and I yelped in pain. "How dare you two kidnap my daughter," an aggressive male voice yelled in our ears.

Hearing the situation at hand, two guards headed our way. "Is there a problem here, sir?" The man twisting our arms answered with the story he believed to be true of us kidnapping her. The guards took us from him and walked us toward the Palace of Justice. I looked over at Clopin who was gazing over at the Palace of Justice with a look I've never seen him give to anything since his father's death. Clopin looked to be dead himself as he gazed at the structure, his eyes looking empty and his face blank. I hope what was to come wouldn't be death. I seemed to be the only one between the two of us to think that.

Author's note: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! By the way, reviews make me write more because I know if people are really interested. Oh, and thank you to pendras cornielius for the great feedback! Referring to your comment in chapter 5: He really is that ill and with this next chapter, his disease will get worse.