Morning came too soon. The door to the cell opened and three guards entered. Two went to grab Madeleine.
Clopin moved to stop them but was halted when the third guard grabbed one of the children and held a knife to her throat.
"Anyone resists and the girl gets it." He said. Clopin was forced to watch helplessly as Madeleine was taken away. Feeling as if his heart had gone with her.
HoND
"Where are you taking me?" Demanded Madeleine.
"You're to be burned with the witch," one of the guards informed her. Fear began to set in as Madeleine was shoved into a bare room. A long cotton shift was thrown in after her.
"You have five minutes to change," ordered the guard. Madeleine looked around for some way of escape but found none. She changed into the shift and five minutes later the guards returned.
Once they escorted her out of the Palace of Justice she was thrown in and chained to a cart which carried her to Notre Dame. The sky was red and ominous. When they reached the cathedral she was dragged out of the cart. She made to struggle and escape into the crowd but to no avail.
Many people had gathered but none looked to keen on the burning. Some were even actively trying to interfere but were stopped by the guards. Gypsies had been thrown in cages on wheels set up at the edge of the crowd.
In front of it all was a platform with a pyre on top. Esmerelda was already tied to the stake. Madeleine was pulled up the platform and bound back to back with Esmerelda.
"What are you doing here!?" Exclaimed Esmerelda.
" Apparently Frollo decided he needed more fuel for the fire." Madeleine replied dryly. "Any escape ideas?"
"No, I don't like to give into despair but I can't see a way out," the gypsy replied.
"Any way bar giving in to Frollo which is NOT going to happen." Madeleine said. Despite the impending doom and fear she felt Madeleine refused to violate her principles for the sake of survival. Frollo now mounted the platform. He leaned in to speak to Esmerelda.
"The time has come gypsy! You stand upon the brink of the abyss. Your friend has chosen death but I can still save you from the flames of this world and the next. Choose me or the fire!" Madeleine heard Esmerelda spit in Frollo's face.
"That a girl," said Madeleine proud of her friend.
"Both women have refused to recant! These evil women have put the souls of every citizen in Paris in danger!"
Frollo thrust his torch into the wood at the foot of the stake. The smoke began to choke Madeleine as she struggled desperately to get free. She held her breath doing her best to breathe in as little as possible.
Suddenly a figure swung down from Notre Dame. It knocked away the guards and ripped the bonds holding Esmerelda and Madeleine.
Madeleine stumbled off the pyre still feeling lightheaded from the smoke. She could now see that Quadimodo was their savior. Now the boy was clearly faced with the dilemma of trying to get both her and Esmerelda to safety.
Seeing that Esmerelda was unconscious having clearly inhaled more smoke than Madeleine the blond waved her hand coughing out the words.
"Take her...and go!" Quasimodo nodded and throwing Esmerelda over his shoulder he climbed back up Notre Dame.
HoND
Clopin gripped the bars of his cage tightly as he watched Madeleine and Esmerelda being tied to the stake. His hatred for Frollo had never been stronger. Speaking of Frollo, he had just thrust the torch into the pyre when several things happened at once.
First Quasimodo swung down from Notre Dame and freed the girls, at the same time Phoebus managed to knock out the guard in front of his cage and grab the keys. He freed himself and then tossed the keys to Clopin who opened his own cage.
Grabbing a dagger from a fallen guard he fought his way through the crowd, which Phoebus had just rallied into fighting the guards, and up to the platform. When he reached the top Madeleine flew into his arms.
"Look!" She gasped pointing up at Notre Dame. Lava had begun to pour from the gargoyles mouths causing people to scatter. High above near the top of the cathedral several figures could be seen on top of the gargoyles.
The one which Clopin guessed was Frollo stood up on top of one of the gargoyles ready to strike down Quasimodo with his sword only to slip. Frollo caught himself however the neck of the gargoyle broke and he was sent down into the lava below.
"He really did go to Hell," commented Madeleine dryly. With Frollo's death the sky cleared and the lava disappeared. After a few moments the Cathedral door's opened and Phoebus and Esmerelda stepped out hand in hand.
They were followed cautiously by Quasimodo. Silence reigned and then Claire the little girl who was threatened earlier walked up and placed her hand on Quasimodo's misshapen face.
"Three cheers for Quasimodo the hunchback of Notre Dame!" Called Clopin breaking the silence. He turned to see Madeleine smiling at him. The crowd cheered a placed Quasimodo on their shoulders as Clopin and Madeleine descended the stairs. Clopin picked up Claire and began to sing.
"Now here is a riddle to guess if you can sing the bells of Notre Dame!"
He pulled out his Frollo puppet as Madeleine sang the next line in her clear soprano.
"What makes a monster and what makes a man?"
He set Claire down and put away the puppet. Clopin then took Madeleine's hands as they sang
"Sing the bells, Bells, Bells, Bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, BELLS OF NOTRE DAME!"
Author's note: Sorry for the delay. Sadly life does have to come before writing. We've got one more chapter coming in the form of an epilogue. Thank you to everyone who has read this and especially those who have commented. Please leave your thoughts on the story below. Until next week!