Ah! Finally! I'm Back!!
*Bows to the cheering audience* Thank you!
Thank you!!
*End of dream sequence*
What, isn't a girl allowed to dream?
Anyway, my one and only fanfic, A Jewel in
shadows is back. I'm sorry for the delay, but i guess we all have been suffering
for ff.net problems. Chapter 3 is a little long, i wanted to split it, and
after a few deliberations with my kind friend Karen, we decided to leave it as
it is.
Thanks to everyone who had read and reviewed
my story, and for those who haven't, what are you waiting for?
Ok, Ok, enough with introductions J.
DISCLAIMER: Same as before, i don't own
the cast of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. They belong to Victor Hugo, and Disney,
so don't sue, please.
A Jewel In Shadows
By JapanGoddes
Chapter Three
"What the hell is going on in
here??"
"Calm down, for God's sake! I swear
they're not preparing your execution."
"Easy for you to say. I don't recall
seeing you in the gallows, a rope in your neck and a gag in your mouth while
that show-off you call King pronounced your death sentence."
"Nope. You just saw me tied into a
bonfire in front of Notre Dame, being set on fire, and the flying to salvation,
so we're even." With a smile, Esmeralda got close to the first Gypsy at
hand, and almost made her fall when she grabbed her arm and made her face them.
"What's going on in here? Are we getting ready for another invasion or
what?" she greeted the surprised girl.
"Esmeralda?" The girl couldn't
believe her eyes. "Oh, Esmeralda!! Is that really you? I thought we'd
never see you again!" She jumped and embraced the woman tightly. "What
happened to you? Did you finally got rid of that idiot they call
captain??" she joked, delighted to see her childhood friend again.
She was going to say something more, when
she looked over her friend's shoulder, and then her smile faded. Just a few
steps away from them, blonde as the sun he had been named after, his tanned
skin accentuating his athletic figure, a beard framing the most annoying smile
ever, stood the target of her comments. Raising an eyebrow, he spoke.
"Well, it seems our gypsy beauty is
still very fond of 'blockheads' like me." His smile grew broader. "It
must be some kind of fetish neither you nor I were aware of until it was too
late."
With that, he got smacked in the back of
her head by Esmeralda.
The girl, embarrassed, could do nothing
but mutter "Yeah, right...", before turning, looking desperately for
something that could divert the attention the couple were giving her. Seeing
nothing, she waved her arms to the crowd, and called for the attention of
anyone who would listen.
"Hey everybody!!! Esmeralda's
back!"
Upon hearing that, many people that had
been busying themselves with the arrangements for the party didn't think twice
about leaving their chores to greet an old friend. A few newcomers, not knowing
the girl, limited themselves to smiling and waving in her direction.
Esmeralda clapped a hand to her forehead. In
other circumstances she would've been happy to receive such a warm welcome, to
be surrounded by old friends and pampered after a long day, but not in that
moment. She had wished to make a much more discreet entrance, but it was too
late. She gave a murderous look to the girl who had called them all.
"Yolanda...!" she said between
clenched teeth. The girl looked at her with surprise.
"Esmeralda, dear! It's been a long
time!" smiled a matron.
"Is it me, or are you taller?"
"Where have you been, dear?" An
old woman gave her a toothless smile.
"Did you learn any new steps?"
"Did you bring us any
souvenirs?"
"Did you kill any soldiers?"
"Or charmed any naive guy with that
lovely body of yours?" a plump teenage girl asked with curiosity.
Esmeralda chuckled, her smile a little
forced. "Please! Don't exaggerate! It hasn't been four months since I
left, and you are talking as if it'd been years!"
"Well, you left so abruptly, without
telling where you were going, that, if it wasn't for Clopin who said you had
asked for his permission before leaving, we would have thought you were
kidnapped!" cried Yolanda.
Permission? Esmeralda wondered. " If I left like that, it
was to save myself from one of your interrogations!" She glanced
meaningfully to the people around her.
"I hope you've realized that all your
efforts have been in vain. You are not going to get rid of us as easily as you
did with Frollo!"
"I wouldn't even try. I knew i'll
have all of you on my back as soon as I got back here, so I opted to save
myself from one. I don't think that Frollo himself with all his army reunited
would be able to beat a horde of noisy gypsies!" Esmeralda sighed and
wondered out loud, "How come we didn't think of that before?"
Everyone around her laughed.
In spite of how uneasy Esmeralda felt, she
couldn't help but think on how good it was to be back at home. How had she
missed the old Court of Miracles, her home ever since she had any memories. The
place where she had been raised by loving parents, among whose tents she had
learned how to walk, and not much time later, how to dance... Even the constant
stench of the gate's sewers was strangely comforting, because she had always
associated the smell with her beloved shelter.
Lifting her gaze from the people around
her, she could see the pole from which a rope dangled. It was strange to think
that, barely a year ago, that cord had represented the safety of her people's
lives, and her own. Few things she found as satisfactory - she now remembered
with no little remorse - as the sound of those threads creaking whenever they
hanged any spy or intruder. Deep inside, she knew it was wrong to wish someone
else's death, but whenever she saw someone die that way, she reminded herself
of the many friends she had lost in the city, murdered without any
justification, eliminated just for being what they were, gypsies. So she tried
to consider it as some kind of payback. It was easier to bear that way.
Easier - until that fateful day when the
faces upon the scaffold were painfully familiar...
She remembered that day as if it was
yesterday. She had returned to the Court after wandering in the city,
contemplating the consequences of her actions, lost in her own thoughts. She
had heard a small commotion, and laughter, a very odd thing to be heard in
those hard days when Frollo chased after her and everyone related . Among the
laughs she could clearly hear Clopin's melodious voice, singing as he used to
do everytime he played his 'judge' role. A spy must have entered the Court
she thought. Serves him or her right.
In spite of the creepy nature of the
spectacle, Clopin always managed to make it look as if it was some kind of act
of him, a show designed to entertain and make everyone laugh. This time he
couldn't work his magic on her. She hadn't been in mood for laughing, and still
had too much thinking to do to pay any attention to anything but her own
business, so she was about to retire and go rest somewhere quieter, when a pull
on her skirt stopped her. It was Djali. Her little goat was trying frankly to
tell her something, or more accurately, to go with her and SEE something.
So she had resigned herself and followed
her pet into the crowd, only to find something that froze her blood. In the
scaffold, ready to be executed were Phoebus and Quasi! Both of them gagged,
looking desperately everywhere as if searching for something. What were they
doing there? They had nothing to do with the court! Why had they come? How did
they found their way there? Why had they left the cathedral?
All those questions, plus a thousand more
came to her head, and made her feel dizzy for a moment. No. NO! Clopin wasn't
going to hang them. He'll had to wait, she'll MAKE him wait!
But she couldn't move.
It was the first time that that ever
happened to her. Never before, she, La Esmeralda, the gypsy who had dared to
defy a whole city, the one who no soldiers, no poverty, no famine, no plague,
not the contempt of the 'respectful' citizens, not even Frollo's relentless
pursuit could discourage. She had confronted and survived them all, but in that
moment, for the first time in her life, she couldn't move.
But then again, that week had been full of
first times, and not just for her.
* * * * * *
How had it all started? Oh, yes. It had
been the morning of the Topsy Turvy Day. And she had been as always, dancing in
the streets in front of the passers-by, hoping to earn some money just before
the Festival begun. She wasn't supposed to be working that day, but preparing
for her main performance. However, when she got up that day she had decided she
didn't feel like being idle until her time came. Many times later she had
wondered what would have happened if she had not danced in that particular
corner. How different would things have turned out? She would never know.
Maybe if the soldiers hadn't tried to
snatch her coins that day, she wouldn't have been outraged enough to mock Judge
Frollo during the festivities. But how dare they accuse her of stealing? When
she had worked hard to earn those few coins, on the only day of the year when
the Parisians were at least more tolerant with her people! It was more than she
could take. But who knew? Maybe if she had known how things were about to turn
out she would have done it anyway.
Maybe she would have gone out anyway,
because that was the first time she saw Phoebus. She was about to dismiss him
as just another peasant, looking at her dancing with curiosity and
appreciation, until the soldiers had intervened. Never before she had seen a Gaje
stand up for a gypsy, much less a Captain. That moment she thought he just did
it because he wanted to prove his authority to his new subordinates. Not that
she actually needed him - she could have got rid of those guys as she always
did - but it was nice to have some help for a change. But then again when she
saw him pick up the coins she had left behind in her escape, and put them
inside the oily hat in front of her old-beggar costume, she couldn't help but
think that he was indeed a very strange soldier.
And there it was the whole cathedral
business. She had sneaked inside in hopes of finding a safe haven whilst all
the fuss she had caused out there calmed, when she felt a presence behind her. Agile
as the amazon she was, she had turned and disarmed her opponent, and already
had the sword pointing right into his throat, before recognizing him as the
same soldier... no, the same Captain who had helped her that morning.
He said he was sorry about something, and
the next thing she knew is that she was in the floor, the sword gone from her
hands, and he was standing there, smirking in such an annoying way she had a
sudden urge to knock him to the ground. Grabbing a candlestick, she had started
a 'duel'. He was a very skilled warrior, but it had surprised her that a
soldier capable enough of becoming a captain wasn't able to beat a gypsy girl
like her. He never told her, but later she knew that he was holding back in
order not to hurt her.
Finally they had called a truce, and had
introduced themselves to each other. What kind of parents would call their son
"Sun-God"? But even though she found him vain, he had made her feel
comfortable enough to practically forget the fact that he was a soldier, and
that she was a fugitive from justice, and was supposed to be hiding, not making
an introduction. Until it was too late, and Frollo and his party of soldiers
had disrupted the sacred place. He had fooled her, when she was about to
believe him when he said he wasn't going to arrest him! She had felt like a
complete idiot.
It was little solace when he asked her to
claim sanctuary. What for? Just to be trapped in this holy prison, like a caged
animal, waiting in vain for a door to open and set it free? She had had her
opportunity to escape, and had wasted it. She felt Frollo's gaze upon her as he
congratulated the Captain for having capturing her, and ordered him to arrest
her. Ready to fight, she was amazed to hear him refuse. She almost couldn't
believe her ears. Any other soldier would have been more than willing to grab
her by her hair and drag her to the streets, and she was sure Frollo would have
done it himself, had the Archdeacon not intervened. He had ordered everyone to
leave, and they all had obeyed, even though he had to drag Phoebus out. Well,
everyone but Frollo.
She still shuddered in revulsion whenever
she remembered his papery hands caressing her neck, his hideous face buried in
her hair, the sickening way he pronounced each and every of his words... He had
denied it of course, but she knew perfectly well that his intentions weren't
honorable at all.
The whole episode had left her in a
turmoil of confused emotions. Not about Frollo, of course. Revulsion and hatred
were feelings she was very familiar with. Captain Phoebus was the one who
confused her. One moment he acted as a trusting, generous person, and the other
as the soldier he was, following orders as if he had no will of his own,
following the minister in all his plot, not caring who suffered as a
consequence of their acts. Therefore she wasn't prepared to see him rescue the
miller's family, defying not only the devouring flames that consumed the
windmill, but worse, Frollo in person. As if he didn't know what it meant. As
if he hadn't looked all around him and seen the destruction a simple and
insignificant gypsy could cause.
Insignificant. She had always considered herself
that way. So insignificant she didn't think mocking Frollo would bring her any
more trouble than a harsh look or, in the worst case, a day of hiding until the
minister forgot her face, as he always did with his victims. Wrong. What she
had caused was a city on fire. Paris burned, and had become a living hell now
not only for her people, but for the innocent citizens too. More victims of her
stupidity. And now one more was about to die in front of her. An honorable man
with a brilliant future, condemned to death just because he protected life. She
wasn't about to let that happen.
Without thinking twice she picked up a
stone from the road, and using her headscarf as a sling, she threw it with all
her might right into the flank of the Judge's steed, making him fall. Taking
advantage of the fuss it caused, Phoebus managed to get a hold on the horse and
escape at full gallop. But Frollo and the archers didn't lose time either. The
rider had barely reached the center of the bridge, when an arrow hit his left
shoulder and interrupted his flight, making him fall in the river's dark
waters. She never thought she'll ever be glad to hear Frollo expressing
contempt for other people, but the moment she heard him order the archers not
to waste more arrows and 'let the traitor rot in his watery grave', she knew
she had an unique opportunity to save him.
In that moment Esmeralda didn't knew why
she was taking such a great risk by diving into the freezing waters of the
Seine that day. Because it wasn't just taking him out of the river. She still
had to find a refuge where she could treat his wounds. The Court of Miracles
was completely out of the question, of course. She had given her people trouble
enough to try to introduce a soldier - or ex-soldier, it wouldn't make any
difference to them - to their hiding place. They would call her crazy, and she
herself was beginning to question the sanity in her actions...
It seemed like an impossible task to her
to find somewhere safe in a city where she was being looked for in heavens,
seas and earth, where she wouldn't put in danger any of the few allies her
people still had in town. She was ready to call it a lost cause, when she saw,
shinning despite the dark cloud of horror and destruction that Frollo had
caused, Notre Dame. Of Course! What place would be better for Phoebus that the
cathedral? They'll be safe in the bell tower until they could find somewhere
else. And she knew Quasimodo wouldn't turn her down. He had been so nice to
her, even though all she had given him was problems. It wasn't fair to ask for
anything else from him, when he had done more than enough for her, but she
didn't have any choice.
Dragging Phoebus through the Paris'
streets, hiding under every roof, behind every corner, in every dark alley, feeling
her heart on her throat whenever she felt anyone get closer, she couldn't
ignore the growing tightness in her chest. It was a painful feeling, like a
knot against her throat she couldn't untie, which accelerated her heartbeats
each step she took. She had attributed it to the nervousness and heavy burden
she was carrying. But she couldn't shake that feeling away from her, even when
she found one of her robust friends, who carried Phoebus in her place the rest
of the way through the cathedral, but on the contrary, it got worse.
It didn't decrease until they were safe in
the bell tower, and Quasi had given them all a place to rest and hide, and she
had healed Phoebus' wounds as best as she could in such a hurry. But the moment
it did she was so transfixed in Phoebus eyes that she didn't even notice. And
then they kissed... That only kiss - her first real kiss - had made her forget
everything around her, since the persecution, to the fact that they were under
the roof of the Cathedral. From Frollo's filthy words to the dark hours that
probably awaited the both of them, and the whole city. Nothing mattered during
the brief instant their lips were fused. It had felt so good! His lips were
warm and soft. Not rough and dry as she always imagined a man should kiss, but
tender, sweet and passionate at the same time. She had felt so complete, so
relaxed...
Until Djali's bleat and Quasi's call had
taken her out of their trance. Frollo was coming! She felt Phoebus tensing
against her mouth before falling back exhausted against the straw mattress
Quasi had for a bed. Hesitantly she parted from his side, not willing to go
until Quasi swore he wouldn't let anything happen to Phoebus.
She left them both, not daring to look
back in shame. Shame for letting her emotions take control of her, Shame for
being so cruel to Quasi when all she had gotten from him was kindness and
understanding. She had known it from the very night in which he had helped her
escape from the cathedral, risking his very life to help her. Quasi loved her. She
felt like a complete jerk kissing Phoebus in front of him! What the hell was
she thinking? How could she had been acting like such a miserable, mean,
ungrateful and inconsiderate person? And she dared call Frollo cruel?
Her face burned in shame and anger, and
she felt like crying, but couldn't afford to do that in that moment. She had to
wait until she reached the Court of Miracles to try to order her thoughts.
No such luck. Seeing the both of them
about to be executed didn't give her any rest. Finally getting over herself,
she had run the rest of the way to the scaffold and shouted "Stop!"
* * * * * *
She reached the scaffold and began
removing the gags and nooses from Phoebus and Quasi "The men aren't
spies-they're our friends!"
At least Clopin still trusted her, in
spite of her being the one to blame for the sudden madness that had taken over
Frollo. So he let them go, giving them time to alert them about Frollo having
found the Court of Miracles. While everybody packed up, she stood uneasy in
front of the two men that had become the most important persons in her life -
how ironic that she hadn't met them for more than three days -.
Every thing from there had happened too
fast. From the blush on her face as she met Phoebus' eyes after their first
kiss, to Quasi's shy smile as he told them how he had found his way to the
Court... and guided Frollo and his army with him.
The rage! The impotence, the fear, the hate
and desperation! No words could describe how she felt in that moment, in which
Frollo had not only her, but her whole family and friends in his hands. Next
thing she knew, she was tied to a stake in front of Notre Dame, ready to be
burned, accused of witchcraft, everyone she knew a prisoner, probably the next
ones to suffer the her very same fate. Frollo's foul breath as he offered her a
'salvation' from the flames of this and the other world. Had she not been tied,
she would've slapped him across the face. But even the ropes didn't stop her
from spitting in his face, sealing her destiny and the one of every single of soul
there reunited. Too tired and defeated to struggle, she could only let her eyes
open wide in fear as her feet were set on fire, and her lungs filled with the
thick smoke. She sank into a pious unconsciousness, which saved her from
feeling any pain.
She woke up feeling dizzy, her throat
burning, and her gaze clouded, to Quasi's voice yelling. Had she fall asleep? Was
everything nothing but some horrible nightmare? Quasi's tender hands holding
her, and the sight of Frollo brandishing a sword told her otherwise. Luckily for
her Quasi proved one more time how strong he was by carrying her away from Frollo's wrath as if she weighed no
more than a feather, because she knew she wouldn't be able to walk –let alone
run- even if she had wished to. There was nowhere to escape, or to defend
themselves, so they tried to hide the only way they could, hanging from the
balcony, hoping Frollo wouldn't think on looking down.
No such luck.
Swinging from one gargoyle to another, she
desperately grabbed onto Quasi with all the might she still had, waiting any
second to fall and meet her destiny. She never did: not knowing how, she was in
the balcony's floor, while Frollo and Quasi struggled not to fall. Seeing her
friend about to fall, she didn't knew how she got on her feet, but she ran and
grabbed the hunchback's arm, realizing for the first time how heavy he was. Even
though desperation and fear gave her some strenght, she still felt as if her
arms were about to be torn apart, as she tried to fix her eyes in anything but
the impossible height they were in. The pain was soon forgotten, as terror took
over her. Frollo had balanced himself somehow, and climbed onto a gargoyle next
to her.
No monster, demon or imaginary ghost her
mother could have come up with in her childhood, no horror stories told by the
elders to make small children weep, and grown people scream, could ever have
prepared her for such an infernal sight. Frollo's features were distorted into
a maniacal grin, and he was shouting something, lifting his sword, ready to
strike her and end both Quasi's and her existence. Suddenly she couldn't hear a
thing: the chaos and flames far below them, the pain in her arms, the tears in
her eyes, were nothing but an horrible nightmare from which she knew there was
no other escape but to die or wake up. Neither happened. Instead, she saw
transfixed as Frollo's smile vanished and was replaced by a look of pure terror
she was sure resembled the one on her own face. He lost his balance, and fell
onto one of the gargoyles' heads. He screamed as he fell headlong with the
stone figure to his death.
She didn't have time to feel relieved.
Quasi was slipping from her grasp, and she
tried with all her might to pull him up, but in vain. The hunchback fell, and
she screamed his name from the top of her lungs, as if that could stop his
fall. Oddly, it did so, or so it seemed to her. She found her way to the floor
where Phoebus and Quasi were, feeling such relief to find them both safe. An
awkward silence followed, and she was unsure about who to hug first. Quasi
decided for her: he took both her hand and Phoebus, and put them together. The
moment she kissed him she knew the nightmare was over...
Not just for her, but for the Roma too,
and her new friend Quasimodo.
* * * * * *
A new future was ready for her and the
ones she loved, and if everything turned out fine, she'll try to get as much as
she could out of it. After all, she wasn't alone anymore... Surrounded by the
warmth of her old home and friends, she gazed at the man who stood apart from
the group, giving her a significant smile, which she returned.
"Esmeralda..." A child dressed
in rags pulled at her skirt, making her lower her gaze. "What's that in
your hand?"
Automatically, everybody's eyes fixed on
the golden roundel on the middle finger of her left hand. Oops!
"Ah! A new piece of jewelry for your
collection, dear?"
"Or perhaps a souvenir from your
trip?" smiled an old man.
"Something like that... Ahem!"
Esmeralda coughed with visible nervousness. "Anyway, I was asking Yolanda
here - what is all this fuss about?"
"Fuss? Oh! You mean all this bustle? Well,
then I must tell you that you've come back just in time for a welcoming party. We
weren't waiting for you, but for a group of Rom Neve that has come to
live with us at The Court!" answered Yolanda excitedly. "In fact,
three groups of carts have already arrived, and we're just waiting for Clopin
to come back with the last one to let the party begin. Oh, you must stay! We'll
have an splendid feast and..." she eyed Esmeralda's companion
meaningfully. "Well, I don't think Clopin had been expecting these kind of
guests."
As if finally acknowledging the
ex-captain's presence, the group of people surrounding the gypsy girl
scrutinized Phoebus, eyeing him openly as the stranger he was among them. If
that made him uneasy, he didn't show it.
"I see you have brought your own
guest, Esmeralda," the plump matron said slowly.
"It's not the first time I've brought
a friend into the court, and I don't think it'll be the last." Esmeralda
tried to sound indifferent.
"Clopin won't be happy to know you've
brought a Gaje with you", someone said, not bothering to hide the
reproach in his voice.
"He knew I wasn't going to come back
alone," Esmeralda said, cutting off the muttering, before turning to
Yolanda. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us with the newcomers? I
believe I've had enough of my acquaintances."
Ignoring the protest of the women and the
growls of the men, the girl took her friend's hand, and signaling the blond to
follow them, made them enter into the closest empty tent she could find. Once
they were out of reach of curious ears, Esmeralda realized that the
interrogation wasn't over yet.
"What do you think you are
doing?!?" Yolanda exploded, even thought she tried to keep her voice from
rising.
"What are you talking about?" Esmeralda
feigned innocence.
"What am I talking about? I'm talking
about you! What do you think Clopin is going to do once he finds out that
you've deliberately brought a Gajo with you? You're very lucky that
everybody's too busy to notice HIM being with you, if not, you wouldn't be
talking to me right now, but staring at HIS body getting cold hanging from the
scaffold - and that if you were lucky! Just wait 'til the rumor spreads - and
knowing us, it won't take very long - and the next thing you'll see is them all
dragging you and HIM out of the place!!!" she finished, breathless.
"They won't do such a thing."
"They won't? Who do you think is
going to stop them?"
"Well, me, for instance." Phoebus
had spoken for the first time. His voice was tinted with anger, tired as he was
of standing there as if he was just a piece of furniture they could ignore.
"You?" Yolanda almost laughed. "Aren't
we a little overconfident today? Shall I remind you what happened to you and
your hunchbacked friend the last time you came in here? You didn't look like
the greatest bodyguard I've ever seen to me."
"You set a trap and took us by
surprise."
"Oh, I'm so sorry! Did we hurt you? Because
if we did, you are completely free to go out now and... MMMHHH!" She was
cut off by Esmeralda's hand covering her mouth, while with the other she
silenced Phoebus as well.
"Would you two shut up??" she
hissed through clenched teeth. Finally removing her hand from her friend's
mouth, she continued. "Yolanda, would you mind listening to me for a
moment? Please? I told you Clopin won't let anyone here be hanged..."
"What makes you think..."
"Let me finish!" she almost
shouted. "If I told you Clopin wouldn't let anyone be hanged, it was
because he already knew I probably wasn't going to come back alone. Do you
understand?" she sighed. "Look. We've known each other since we were
little kids, and you know very well that I'm not the kind of person who leaves
her family and friends just like that. I had to go because... I had to... you
know... solve a personal issue." She stopped herself, as if pondering
whether to continue or not.
"Personal issue?" Seeing her
friend hesitate, Yolanda took the chance to speak. "What kind of personal
issue couldn't be solved in here, among your family and friends?"
"Believe me, things would have gotten
pretty ugly in here had I chosen to stay. And now, to my fate's good or bad
luck..." Esmeralda smiled "...everything's solved now". She
turned to Phoebus.
Without understanding, Yolanda saw how her
once best friend separated from her to stand in front of that man, and took his
hand in her own. Both displayed proud and defiant smiles as they raised their
hands, showing that they both were wearing identical golden rings on their
middle fingers.
"Wha... what? She stammered, confused
"I don't understand..."
"We're married".
"You are WHAT???" a
chorus of voices thundered, startling the trio there reunited. It was a group
of women, part of Esmeralda's 'welcome committee', who, being way too curious
and suspicious about the situation, had practically surrounded the tent and eavesdropping
their whole conversation. Well, not all, but they had managed to hear their
last statement, and were too shocked to contain themselves any longer. They
burst into the tent, shouting at the same time.
"How could you?"
"Betray us like that!!"
"And with a Gadjo!"
"And even worse! A soldier!" the
last word sounded as if it were being spat rather than being pronounced.
"EX-SOLDIER!" Esmeralda tried to
defend herself, but it was too late. The attack had already begun.
"That doesn't change things! Of all
the people I thought capable of betraying us like that, YOU were the last one,
Esmeralda!"
"And after all we went through the
last time! Haven't you learned your lesson? You cannot trust these
people!"
"Hold on one second there!" Phoebus
exploded. "I'm not going to let you..."
"You stay out of this!" howled
one of the women. "This isn't about you! It's about the tramp you
'married'!"
The man, who had stood protectively
between his wife and their attackers, was about to step to the front and shut
the women with his own hands, when Esmeralda hold him. He stopped himself
surprised, and before he could do anything else, a faint shout silenced them
all.
"CLOPIN'S BACK!! THEY'VE COME!!"
The women remained quiet, trying to decide
whether to continue their attack, or to go to see Clopin in person to be the
first one to tell him about the news. Taking advantage of their hesitation,
Esmeralda grabbed her husband's hand and fled from the tent they were in,
followed closely. She found it hard to make her way into the crowd so she could
reach Clopin. Phoebus followed closely, not letting her hand go. Noticing that
none of the people around them was paying them any attention, he asked,
"What are you doing?"
"No, What do YOU think you are doing?
Are you trying to protect me from my own people?"
"Your people? Well, excuse me for
trying to prevent those harpies you call your people from tearing your eyes
out!"
"What did you expect them to do? To
bounce in joy, hug us and congratulate us about the wedding?" she clenched
her teeth. "I told you this was going to happen."
"And what did you wanted me to do? To
stay there, doing nothing while th... UGHHH!" An elbow collided with his
stomach, taking the breath out of him. "Hey! Watch it!"
"Sorry" muttered a distracted
voice.
"Are you ok?" Esmeralda turned
her face concerned, but seeing that no great damage was done, she resumed her
steps "Look. The only one in real danger here is you".
"No kidding, me?" came his
sarcastic response.
"Yes, you! You heard Yolanda, the
worst thing they could have done to me was kick me out of here. You could have
been lynched".
"Then tell me what exactly is going
to stop them from doing it right now in front of everyone."
"Clopin."
"What?"
"Clopin," Esmeralda repeated.
"Oh, Yeah! Clopin of course! How
could I have forgotten your little psycho king? The one who put a rope around
my neck and Quasi's too the moment he saw us at the catacombs. Now, what can I
expect him to do once he's found me INSIDE the court?"
"Believe me," she murmured
"I KNOW Clopin will help us."
They had finally gotten into the front
row, but the sight she found there wasn't a pretty one.
Clopin stood there of course, but he
didn't look the same. He was leaning against one of the sentries, fighting for
getting back his breath, as if he had just run. His usually gaudy clothes were
covered with mud and dirt, his hair plastered against his head by the sweat
that freely ran from it. But it was his expression the one that had changed the
most. He also seemed pale, although it could be the lights deceiving her. His
gaze was unfocused, and it had lost his characteristic glint of mischief, being
replaced by one of deep concentration and desperation she had seen in rare
occasions, one of them the fateful night Frollo had entered the court and
captured them all.
Behind him stood what she took to be a
small family. A man, a woman and an old man, each of them carrying a child in
their arms. They weren't as dirty as Clopin was, but they seemed completely
exhausted, as if they were about to fall any minute now. The scarceness of
luggage at their feet made even more obvious that they had to fled from
somewhere. It wasn't the first time it happened, a new family making it into
the court after a little struggle.
But the fact that Clopin was speechless
and a little pale troubled her. She wasn't the only one. Around her arose
worried whispers, but before anyone had the chance to say something, an
accusing voice exploded against her.
"Clopin! Esmeralda came back! Married
to a damned soldier!"
Only Phoebus' hand against hers prevented
her from trembling. As if the words had slapped him, Clopin lifted his gaze
directly toward her, and what she saw there, pierced her heart as a sword.
She saw surprise, disbelief, sorrow. She
found spite directed not towards her, but at the man standing next to her. But
what pained her the most, was the understanding and resignation she saw in his
obsidian eyes. He glanced at her for what it seemed like an eternity, before
closing his eyes, as if struggling to find some words to begin with. When he
opened them back, he wasn't longer looking at her, but at the rest of the
crowd, as if looking for something.
"That doesn't matter..."
"What do you mean it doesn't
ma...?"
"I SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Clopin
thundered, losing his temper for a moment. No one dared to talk. He inhaled a
couple of times before continuing. "We have more important things to worry
about." He made a brief pause, making sure everyone was listening to him. Not
that he needed to. For the first time since its foundation, the court of
Miracles was so quiet you could hear a pin falling. "On our way back, as
we were crossing the bridge leading into the city, we were attacked..." Many
gasps arose from his audience, most of them coming from members of the Mirga
tribe who had made it into the court safely. An old woman, not paying any
attention to Clopin signals of impatience, stalked to the front, and grabbing
his arm, asked with a pleading but strong voice:
"Where's our Rom-Baro? Koro..."
her voice broke, but she tightened her grip around Clopin's arm. "Where's
my son?"
Clopin examined her for a moment, before
answering "He's safe," he reassured. "The soldiers jumped into
us by surprise, and we had to split to get away. He's just a little delayed,
but he's as safe and healthy as one can be after such a long night." He
smiled warmly. "It's been a long time, Daj Sophie".
A relieved sigh escaped Sophie's lips, as
she momentary released Clopin's arm. Suddenly, he yanked at him again, as she
asked alarmed "What about the girl? You know, brown hair, green eyes? The
one you were making faces at?"
Clopin was silent now, as if he couldn't
bear Sophie's anxious look on him. Sounds of footsteps broke the awkward
tension that filled the air, as Koro made his appearance in the Court's
entrance - and quite a creepy one for that matter. His broad figure against the
doorframe was intimidating. He was just as covered with dirt as Clopin was. And
as Clopin, he was fighting to recover his breath. His gaze was anxious, and he
seemed to have trouble keeping stand up. In spite of that, he didn't let the
motionless bulk in his arms fall. Thought it was dripping water, blackened by
mud, and with a tangle of hair covering a face whish skin had a sickening
blueish tint, Sophie recognized it inmediately.
"Dharma!"
To be continued...
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