Disclaimer: I own nothing, not a damn thing, except for Ottavia Valentino, she my friends, is all mine. Thank you.
Chapter Deux: Nuits et Jours Français
The day after was not as bright as the one before, sure there were gypsies all around, trying to entertain the people and make as much money as they could. But everyone knew what was going on, Frollo, that evil man who claimed to be a man of God, that man who deserved to have his head cut off, he had issued a warrant for Esmeralda's arrest, every soldier in the city looking out for the woman.
Clopin Trouillefou, King of the Gypsies; was of course the most worried, it was his duty and his right to protect his people, even if he was in his mere twenties. But, there was no time now to show such a thing as worry, he was an entertainer, the children looked up to him for laughter and the girls looked at her for sex. Not that he minded providing both, parents were the one who hated him, saying he'd carve out the children's insides. Who cared of course, he got what to do what he loved and got to saw the look of children's face each time.
Today, the antics of Clopin caught the attention of one other person, Ottavia Valentino. She watched him from a far, fascinated at the way the children loved him, he was very talented. But, she also felt like smacking him, she did not even know his name and she wanted to hit him. He had let that poor creature be made a fool of and seemed to enjoy the man's pain, how could anyone enjoy any form of pain?
Ottavia watched the little children giggle as the man took out a puppet that looked exactly like him, "Clopin, I am tired, tell them to go away." The puppet spoke, as if his alter ego, in a high pitched voice.
Hitting the puppet with a stick, he proclaimed, "But, all these children have come to see a show! And I will give a show!"
The girl did not stay long to watch the show, she was too occupied thinking about Quasimodo, that poor creature, he did nothing to deserve the treatment that he had received. Could people be so heartless? In Italy she saw none of this, none of the mistreating of human beings, it was something that hurt her heart, she wished with everything that she could do something.
Grabbing an apple from a cart, she quickly turned around to bump into someone, "God damn it." She muttered, why was she always bumping into people.
"Oh, excuse the rudeness, Cherie, my deepest apologies."
Before she knew it, her hand was being lifted up to kiss, looking up to stare into the eyes of a man much taller than her, perhaps a little less than a foot. HE was handsome, up-close she saw his face for what it was, a long nose, but he looked good with his tan skin, his soft brown eyes, and his raven black hair, straight and going down to about his ears. His costume was colorful, purple and she saw how skinny he was, but besides all that, she knew he was built, after all you had to be in shape to do everything he did.
Waving her hand away, Ottavia responded, "It is ah fine, I bump into people, all the time."
Clopin stared, she spoke English to him, mostly he spoke French, but she was not from around her, "So, you are not from around me, madam?"
"No," She smiled, "I am from Italy."
"Oh, Italian woman, what is your name my lady?" He smiled, his voice was charming, that didn't change how she felt towards him.
"I am Ottavia Valentino."
Taking her hand once more, he kissed it while proclaiming, "I am Clopin Trouillefou."
The Italian girl nodded, commenting, "The children love you."
Clopin smiled, shrugging, "I am a gypsy, it is a talent, I love children, they love me," He smirked, "But so do the women."
"Cocky now aren't we?" She smiled, "Well, I'd love to talk, but I must go and pray."
Clopin laughed in an almost insane way while twirling on a nearby pole, "Church, why would you want to go pray when the day is young?"
Ottavia left the gypsy man that day with a smile on her face, shoving him back to go entertain the little people. After all she had more important things to do than watch some silly man in tights play with puppets. She needed to find Notre Dame, she wanted to pray, wanted to pray for Quasimodo, wanted to pray for Esmeralda, Paris sure was acting crazy from one little festival.
She walked through the streets of Paris, it wasn't as colorful as it was the day before, sure gypsies were around to make money, but no one was as bright or happy as they were at the Feast of Fools. She saw men who were on stilts the other day juggle, she saw girls dance for a few coins. She frowned, what injustice was doing to them, although it wasn't her place to change anything, as long as Frollo was in power this was their fate.
The church was beautiful, it was quiet and perfect for prayer. There was something that suddenly caught her eyes, Esmeralda was in the Church. After making the sign of the cross, she stood up, slowly making way to the woman who was sitting in the corner with her goat. She was praying too, asking God to help the outcasts, asking God to help her on her journey.
Yes, Esmeralda was praying, it had been a long time since she had. She was a gypsy and was viewed as a devil worshipper, but she was a child of God like everyone else, she wanted God to help the outcasts, help people like He once was. Her people were in need, hardly thinking of herself at a time like this. All she wanted was for her people to get the same rights she did.
A shadow covered her light suddenly, causing the gypsy girl to open her eyes, looking up. Up she saw a girl with a simple white shirt and a black skirt, slit on the side, she looked like a gypsy, but she had never seen her before. Tilting her head, Esmeralda stood up, smiling at the shorter and younger girl, "Hello, ma'am, can I help you?"
Nodding, Ottavia started, "I am Ottavia, I saw you yesterday, you were wonderful."
Esmeralda laughed and nodded, "Yes, thank you."
"Well, yes, now I'm in these stone walls," Esmeralda growled and folded her arms, "I don't do well in stone walls, Frollo said that."
Smiling weakly, she spoke, "There's guards at every door, I just wanted to see if you're alright."
The gypsy smiled, "Don't worry about me, Ottavia, my friend, Quasimodo will help me tonight to escape and I'm sure my king is looking out for me."
"King? The king of France?"
She had to laugh, this young girl certainly was not from around these parts, "No, no, the king of gypsies, his name is Clopin-"
"The man with the doll?"
"Twenty pieces of silver for the gypsy girl Esmeralda." Frollo stood on a horse in front of gypsies, his hand open with silver in the palm.
Silence is what the gypsies gave Frollo, they would not answer him, they refused to. This was the man they have hated for all their lives and now that one has gone missing, they weren't about to help this evil man. They knew what would be their fate, they would have to be locked up, hopefully there would be help. They prayed to God, have mercy on their people.
Frollo snarled and turned to Phoebus, "I will burn this whole city and everyone in it, find Esmeralda!"
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TC Stark: Sort of crappy, but here's the second chapter, if anyone has any ideas what I should do next (though I have an idea) feel free to tell. Much love.