The bleak night turned into shining morning. Curran was still sound asleep as the sun shone into her dusty room in the bell-tower. Quasi walked in silently not to wake her. She was facing the wall and all he could see was a golden blonde mass of locks that glittered in the sun. She was still wearing her black cloak and even though she was sleeping, Curran looked exhausted, breathing uncomfortably. He stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at her until he heard the stairwell door open.
Quasi turned his head that way to see Clopin standing in front of him. Quasi hurried to close the door to hide Curran.
"Quasimodo, how are you?" Clopin asked, drawing closer.
"I'm good. I'm fine. What do you want?" He stayed in front of Curran's door, subconsciously guarding it.
"I was wondering. Did a young girl come here during the night seeking refuge?"
"Here?"
"Yes, here. You can't hide her. The Archdeacon told me she was up here."
Quasi's head dropped.
"Yes. She is here. But how do you know of her?"
"She nearly ran me down last night in an alleyway. But she was polite about knocking me on the ground. Then she asked where the cathedral was. After she ran off, two men came barreling through the alleyway. I followed them and ended up here."
"How do you know those men were after her?"
"It's obvious. The girl was searching for the cathedral, then I saw the two men coming out of the cathedral complaining about a girl they were trying to catch having "disappeared". Is she in there?"
"She's sleeping."
"Let me in. I want to see her."
Clopin tried to pass, but Quasi stopped him.
"Why?"
"I want to ask her why she was being chased. She might need a place to hide. The girl can't stay here forever."
"Could you come back later? Curran was so exhausted last night, I think she might want to sleep a little longer."
"So, the girl has a name. All right, Quasi. I'll come back later. Just make sure she doesn't leave."
"Don't worry, I won't let her go anywhere."
Clopin raised his eyebrow at him.
"Good day, Quasimodo" Clopin said, turning to leave.
"'Bye."
He watched Clopin finally leave, then quietly opened the door to Curran's room again. Seeing her still in her slumber, Quasi closed Curran's door and went to ring the morning bells.




Curran rolled over, a little dazed. Her eyes focused and saw Quasi staring back at her. She smiled as she realized where she was.
"Good morning," he greeted her contentedly.
"Morning, Quasimodo. It feels like I've been in bed for years. How long have I been out?"
"Four days."
"Four days!" she repeated.
"You must have been really tired."
"I was. I can't believe I slept for four days."
Curran sat up and turned her whole face toward Quasi to reveal a purple spot beneath her right eye. Quasi was shocked by what he saw. "Is that a black eye?" he asked, mouth agape.
Curran placed her hand over her eye, embarrassed. "Oh, is that pesky thing still there after four days?"
"How'd you get it?"
"From... from my loving husband, Jarrett," she said sarcastically.
"Why did he do that to you?"
"It's hard to explain. But can I tell you something before I go into my problem?"
"Yes. Go right ahead."
"Where I come from, which is a very long way away, I was told of you by a storyteller that came to my village. I enjoyed the story, but thought you were just a made-up character. A legend, you might say. I found truth and innocence in your life story. You were an image of pure innocence that I loved.
"Unlike Jarrett. For months, I tried to change his ways, but made him worse. He was never a good person anyway. More of a manipulator. He forced me into marrying him. I hardly even know him."
Curran stood up and took off her cloak. Quasi's astonishment grew as he saw the cuts and bruises on her arms and shoulders.
"Did he do all that to you?"
"I'm afraid so. That's not the worst of it."
Curran pulled off her blouse, to leave her wearing only her corset. She turned, pulled her long golden hair out the way, and pointed to a scar on her back.
"That is where he plunged a knife in my back. I almost died from it. He didn't think twice about stabbing me. The reason he did this awful thing to me was because I was talking to a stranger on the street. A man my age. Jarrett was jealous. He dragged me away by my hair. At home that day, he told me to my face 'You are mine. You'll always be mine. No-one else can ever have you. You'll die before another man will get you!' I was stunned by those words. But, stupid me, I fought back. That's when he went into a rage, picked up his knife and stabbed me. With no expression of remorse, he left, leaving me bleeding all over the floor of our house. If it wasn't for my friend Ivona hearing my screams, I would have died that day.
"I recovered, but he dragged me back to our house. I had to go with him everywhere after that. He controlled me like a puppet. He used me for relief, something for him to hit on any time he was mad. I tried to escape, but he caught me and locked me in the basement. For weeks, I didn't see the light of day. I knew I was going to die if I didn't do something - or at least die while trying to do something. When he came down one day, I bolted out the door with all my strength - which was very little. I traveled here for days with Jarrett's two dogs on my tail. Every time I thought I'd lost them, there they were, coming for me. I had heard of the great cathedral of Notre-Dame. I knew I could hide there. And, here I am."
Curran didn't act like what she'd been through was anything important. Quasi couldn't believe what he had heard.
"You didn't deserve that treatment."
Curran smiled. "Thank you. You don't deserve to be in this bell-tower yourself."
"It's kinda hard going outside. The people who don't know me are either scared or intimidated by me. I don't go outside much."
"You should," she said, slipping on her blouse. "I know I'm not intimidated by you. I think you're precious." She touched Quasi's cheek and he blushed. Curran put her cloak back on and walked past him to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Down in the cathedral to pray."
"You're not leaving, are you?"
"I'm not leaving as long as Jarrett's two dogs are out there waiting for me. I'll be back soon."




Covered by her hooded cloak, Curran went to the pew in front of a statue. She knelt down and bowed her head. She prayed Jarrett would never find her. She doubted that he wouldn't. He meant every word that she was only his and that he would kill her before another man could have her. He was coming after her himself soon. She could feel it.
A person in a purple cloak knelt down beside her. Curran's eyes shifted to look over at the person. She didn't recognize him as one of Jarrett's henchmen.
"If you need a place to hide for a long time, I can take you there."
Curran looked up at him. She thought quickly while biting her lip about his offer - then grabbed his hand.
"Come with me."
She brought him to the bell-tower. Quasi was gone doing his chores, so she led Clopin through to the main area of the bell-tower. Stopping in mid-step, she turned to the man.
"Who are you and why do you want to help me?"
"I am Clopin, king of the gypsies. If you are in trouble, milady, I am here to help."
"'Milady!' That's a joke," she laughed, walking around the area: she picked up one of Quasi's figurines and started to fiddle with it. "What makes you think I am a lady? A formal lady at that."
"May I be courteous?" Clopin asked, taking off his floppy hat.
"Look at me. I'm lashing out at someone I don't even know. I must be holding in my anger from this morning."
"This morning? What made you so angry , milady?"
Curran let out a frustrated sigh. Her past was fixing to nip her again. She began the story of her problems, or rather the problem, and, like Quasi, Clopin was shocked at the real-life story. She tried to tell it with no emotion, but she was crying inside. Curran didn't let her emotions get to her. She was too stubborn to let them - her emotions - or Jarrett win.
"Your husband is a monster. How could someone do that to a girl of such beauty?"
Curran blushed. "My beauty, if I have any, will not stop Jarrett from being crazy. He's done other things to me that I cannot talk about. If I try, I know I'll break down."
"What other things did that monster do to you?"
Curran looked into his eyes, horrified. He saw what she meant from her eyes, and knew what she was saying.
"Oh. I see." Clopin bowed his head, staring at the floor.
"I may appear pure, I wish I still was, but I'm nowhere near an angel. Actually, I don't even know where I came from. I was found in a basket in a river by nuns. They called me the "river angel" sent from God to brighten their lives. I was raised in Calais by the nuns with my sister, Tempest. She wasn't my real sister, but to us, it didn't matter. We loved each other and thought of each other as sisters."
"Where is Tempest now?"
"Last time I heard from her, she was in Calais. That was three years ago."
"Why didn't you go back to the convent? You would have been safe there."
"No. I couldn't put the nuns who raised me in danger. I met Jarrett in Calais. So, he knows where I came from. I couldn't go back there."
"Well, you can come with me to the Court of Miracles."
"The Court of Miracles?" Curran asked, puzzled.
"Yes, it is every gypsy's safe haven. You are welcome to it."
The girl looked around her, seeing how small the bell-tower was and thinking of the freedom she might have if Jarrett's henchmen didn't know where she was located.
"How can I pass up an offer like this? I'll go. Oh, wait! I told Quasi I wasn't going to leave."
"He'll understand. Besides, he can come and visit you anytime. He knows where the Court is. I'll send someone to tell him where you are."
"Okay. How are you going to get me out of here without one of Jarrett's dogs seeing me?"
"I have a few ideas. But first, you have to wear this."
Clopin pulled out a purple piece of cloth from his belt and handed it to Curran.
"A blindfold?"
"You have to wear that just in case. You're not a gypsy, and from that, you can't be trusted yet."
"So, you're bringing me to your safe haven, but you don't trust me. That makes sense," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.