Author's note: The story is going pretty well and I want to dedicated to Canadian-Rainwater and sutoribenda, author of a Gypsy's Tale. Ow, man! Clopin is still between life and death. There are so many things that Esmeralda wants to tell him. Is she really in love with him?

Songs by me and Sandra Schwarzhaupt.

11. Sorry

The tent is awfully silent.

Marie is making one of her medicines while Esme watches over Clopin. The man has gained some colour and has eased his breathing but is still in danger. All the gypsies are also restless because of Frollo´s obsession with the girl. To find her, he is trashing the whole city and sending all gypsies to cells. The situation is very tense and with the King in such state, any mistake is like oil to the flames.

Nobody wants to believe that Esmeralda is also worried. The rumours are spreading, her guilt becomes heavier and all the Court of Miracles points at her as responsible and almost as Clopin´s murderer.

"You never really cared for him." Says Peter, one of the skeletons that watches over the entrance. "You let him spoil you, save you, anything to be the queen. But you don't give a damn for him. He is like this because of you, bitch!" Everyone says the same and each voice is a knife piercing her heart. Clopin has always loved her like no other woman on earth. Even with so many lovers, true loves and girls around him, he had never hit her. When he got angry, he drove his fists to the wall till they were bleeding. He always come up with jokes and smiles when things were wrong to make her smile and reassure himself. Is she that cold? A bad person like they say?

She looks at his sleeping figure and cries.

"My heart is breaking apart
But it still beats just for your love.
I know I will never be yours
And yet I believe. I keep falling for you.
Falling for you.

Is so hard for a woman to explain
This love for a dream, a god of her soul.
You feel the world's eyes on you
And breathless to be, you try hard to stand.

Words keep slipping away from me.
Each time I try to run away,
I stay longer than before.
I dunno if am a good person
Or God! Am I worth your love?.

Chorus

Sometimes you go love too much,
Not even breathing in front of him.
He gives the hot and cold,
Running down shivers in skin.

But what to do with the world?
All those dying for my bones
While I love making their time joy.
He is my universe and if he goes,
It will be like watching life behind glass.

Chorus

Now that I told you this,
Please let me cry out loud.
I barely can stand myself.

I have a soul of ice myself, so cold and damn,
When I believed I was the hottest bonfire
How many times have I rehearsed this?
But nothing I say can ease my sorrow now
And not even faith will bring him to me.

Chorus"

Esmeralda cries for a long while until someone comes into the tent.

Young Johan is a boy a few years older than her that is loyal to Clopin. When Esme first met him, they instantly became friends and Clop took him under his wing with the help of the man who is walking with him, Marco. A handsome man of Clopin´s age whose faces wears beautiful tattoos and his hair some dreadlocks. Esmeralda loves that mischievous yet warm smile that he has.

"What's wrong, mi vida?" Marco loves to use foreign words. "Did you not sleep?"

"Am tired but not because of that is… This is my fault. By helping that man, I triggered Frollo´s fury and now he is chasing on us. And Clopin can die because of me."

"All the Court says the same but we do not believe a word." Johan smiles for her.

"I have known you for years and I am sure to the bone of one thing. You are not a traitor and you care for Clopin more than all the people in the Court together. This, querida, is not your fault. You helped a man in need. Clopin was hurt because he tried to stop those jerks from beating that poor boy. Esmeralda, you are an ángel and not even I can say otherwise, preciosa." He sits down near her. "Peter can say naranjas, I don't care at all. And if they try anything, I'll show them what happens when you mess up with me."

"Thanks. Maybe all I need now is a walk." She needs to think things through.

"Very well." They stay in the tent with Clopin.

Esmeralda wonders. She never knew Clopin was actually in love with her. Their relationship has always been one of a kind. They are between best friends, family and now love. The woman is not sure of how much she is in love with him. But Clopin has always been his guardian angel, the most closer thing to a brother/ father she has ever had in her life and now, the most loyal and silent lover of all. Not like the poet, not like Quasi or any other. Clopin loves her without getting into her life, leaving her free to do her will. And now, between so much choices, she feels lost. Specially with him in such state. Nobody can know this. He is the King and she is his "princess". For the Court, they are very close but still too separated worlds.

"Now it's history
Our destiny
Was it meant to be
A neverending dream?

Take the world apart,
Make a brand new start
Don't you lose your heart
Everything goes wrong but

Love goes on, love goes on
And it is sweet as it can be
It is so deep eternity
Love goes on,
True, it always be true
Keep our secret taboo

I was so alone
With a heart of stone
Until you have shown
Beyond what that love can be

Now it's history
Our destiny
And we will be strong
When everything goes wrong
Cos

Love goes on, love goes on
And it is sweet as it can be
It is so deep eternity
Love goes on,
True, it always be true
Keep our secret taboo
Love goes on

Whatever you will do for me
We're chasing on and you will see
And I will pay the highest price
For a taste of paradise

Remember all this time down
that we have felt so proud

and all this you gave to me

is for our love´s the strong.

Love goes on, love goes on
And it is sweet as it can be
And it was made for you and me
Love goes on
True it always be true
Keep our secret taboo,

Love goes on

A moment just to dream
Cos now it's history
Our destiny
Don't you lose your heart

Love goes on"

She smiles for herself. He will always have a place in her heart that will have only one owner forever in lifetime and beyond. Not even if she is in love with someone else or they get separated, Clopin will always own that part of her soul.

Esmeralda has decided. She is not going to quit. She will stand strong.

It is then when an iron fist grabs her throat, preventing her from screaming.

Wonderful moment spoiled by some terrible omen.

Oh, dear!

Who is this attacker?

Next stop: All Hail the King!