"Sorry, I'm looking for Esmerelda?"

Before Madellaine could even react to the stranger, Quasimodo was leaping forwards and grabbing a torch from off the wall, waving it at the soldier threatingly.

"No soldiers! Sanctuary!"

"Quasi! Quasi!"

Quasimodo ignored her as the soldier protested.

"Woah, easy there!" the man gasped as he slowly backed away, "Wait, I just want to speak- "

"- Get out!"

"Please, you need to listen!"

"GO!"

Quasi grabbed the soldiers' collar and lifted him up off the ground. This is when the soldier realised he was fighting a losing battled.

"Look… will you tell her that I didn't mean to trap her in here, but it was the only way I could save her life… will you tell her?!"

"If you go! Now!"

"I'll go… but you need to put me down first."

It was only when Madellaine gently tugged on his shoulder, that Quasi backed off and set the soldier back down. The man rearranged himself, before giving Madellaine a soft smile, "Esmerelda's very lucky."

"W-why?"

"Because she has friends like you two."

The pair stood there in shock as the soldier walked away. Once the coast was clear, Madellaine finally relaxed, following Quasimodo into the tower.

"The nerve of him…" the hunchback grumbled, "… trying to steal your girl."

"My girl?"

"Esmerelda? Remember her?" Quasimodo smirked, "Beautiful, stunning, enchanting… all of the above?"

"B-but, she's not my girl!"

Silence.

"Really!" She shook her head and turned away from her friend, hiding her face, "I-I'm not like that, a-a-and even if I was, I-I don't think Esmerelda would be interested in someone like me."

She heard the joyful laughter of a young couple down below and smiled gently, "Remember all those times we'd watch people from up here… how we used to say that they had this kind of glow around them? Like Heaven's light… I never thought I'd ever get to experience something like that, but she… she was kind to me, kissed me and… I feel like everything is so much brighter now."

"Like Heaven's light." Quasimodo smiled softly at her, "I understand."

Madellaine returned the smile, turning her attention back to the view outside, waiting for Sarousch to return.

She was unaware of the battle going on across the city.

….

Phoebus stood to attention when he saw both Judge Frollo and Lord Sarousch exit the carriage early the next morning, now both aware that the gypsy girl had escaped.

Hopefully, they didn't know how.

Phoebus didn't want to think about what they'd do to the poor girl and her friend.

"Good morning Sirs." He greeted them, frowning at the look on Judge Frollo's face, "Are you alright?"

"I had… a little issue with the fireplace."

"I see. What would you like us to do?"

"Find the gypsy girl!"

Over the next couple of days, Phoebus found himself being dragged here, there and everywhere as Judge Frollo ordered everything that looked even remotely like a gypsy hiding place to be searched and ransacked, the gypsies dragged out in front of him.

Not even Lord Sarousch's circus was left unturned.

There was a lot of gold and jewellery hidden in those caravans.

The gypsies were offered a certain sum of money in order to give up the location of Esmerelda. Every time, the gypsies refused, and they were then arrested.

Lord Sarousch was clearly starting to lose his patience with the man who had once been his friend.

But it was Phoebus who snapped first.

He saved the baker's family and received an arrow to the shoulder for his troubles.

'It still remained his highest honour' he mused to himself as he fell ff the horse and into the freezing water down below, before everything went dark.

…..

Esmerelda watched in horror as the soldier fell into the water, knowing that his armour would cause him to sink and drown in less than a minute. With the coast clear, she dived into the water, stripping Phoebus of his armour and dragging him out, eyes automatically turning towards Notre Dame.

….

"We've looked everywhere for the gypsy girl and there's still no sign of her!" reported the new Captain of the Guards.

Frollo started to mutter angrily to himself, causing Sarousch to frown in concern.

"We had the entire cathedral surrounded… guards at every door, there was no way that she could have escaped. Unless-" Frollo glanced up at the cathedral, where he could hear the bells ringing for the evening mass.

…

Quasimodo knew that it wasn't looking good. The city was on fire and there still had been no news about Esmerelda.

"Quasi?" Madellaine moved to sit next to him, "Is there any sign of her?"

Silently, he shook his head, before taking a deep breath, "She'll be fine. She'll be one step ahead of everyone and out of harms way."

"You really think that?"

He nodded, "Once everything's calmed down, she'll be back."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she likes you… she'll be back. Where's she going to meet someone else like you?"

Madellaine still seemed unsure, but before she could say anything, there was a quiet voice from the bottom of the stairs.

"Mady? Quasi?"

Madellaine gasped in shock, running down to the back entrance and pulling Esmerelda into a big hug, surprising even herself, "I knew you'd come back!" she whispered.

Hugging her back, Esmerelda sighed in relief, "You've both already done so much for me… but I need your help again."

"Anything!"

Madellaine's face fell when she saw another gypsy carry a familiar face inside, "This is Phoebus, he was the Captain of the Guards." Esmerelda began, "He's been hurt and now he's wanted, just like me. I knew he'd be safe here… please?"

Filling Madellaine's silence, Quasimodo called out from his position. "Come on, up here! He showed them his bed, where they could lie Phoebus down on, just as the ex-captain of the guard stirred back to life.

"Esmerelda?" the man groaned.

"Sssssh…" Esmerelda whispered, "… You'll stay here until you're well enough to move."

She grabbed a bottle of wine, just as Phoebus tried to push himself into a seated position, "Great, I could use a- AAAAAHHH! That… doesn't feel like a good year."

As Esmerelda got to stitching up the wound, she rolled her eyes, "That family owes you their lives. You're either the bravest soldier I've ever met, or the craziest."

"Ex-soldier, remember?" Phoebus hissed in pain, "Ah! Why is it, whenever we meet, I end up bleeding?"

She finished off the stitches and sighed, "You're lucky… that arrow almost pierced your heart."

Phoebus's reply was unheard as Madellaine watched from the side-lines. Resisting the urge to cry, she turned away from the scene.

"Mady…" It was Esmerelda, "… Mady are you okay?"

Madellaine nodded silently.

"You don't look like it…" Esmerelda was clearly confused.

"I'm fine."

Before Esmerelda could say anything else, Quasimodo suddenly jumped down between them, "Frollo is here!" he hissed, turning to Esmerelda and her friend, "You need to get out of here, quickly, go down the South Tower stairs!"

"Mady…" Esmerelda sighed, "… please be careful, please keep him safe."

"… I will."

Once the two gypsies had disappeared, Quasimodo began to panic, "We need to hide him, now!"

He dragged Phoebus from the bed, pulling him over to a table, stuffing Phoebus underneath and replacing the cloth to hide him from view.

A few minutes later Frollo entered the room.

"J-Judge Frollo!" Madellaine stammered, "Where's- "

"- Sarousch has vowed to lie low until all this had passed over." Frollo smiled, "So I volunteered to spend time with both of you."

Behind them, Quasimodo was hurriedly setting up the table, placing cups and plates on the table.

"You look nervous my dear." Frollo whispered, "Is something wrong?"

"N-No!"

"Oh but there is… there's something wrong with both of you."

Madellaine continued to shake her head in denial.

"You're not eating."

At this, both Madellaine and Quasimodo shoved the food into their mouths, covering up any groans of pain with coughing or sneezing. Thankfully, Frollo seemed none-the-wiser.

"Is there… something different in here?"

As Frollo pushed himself to his feet and made his way over to the table that contained the wooden city, Quasimodo immediately tensed up.

"This one…" Frollo whispered, lifting a family wooden figure up, "… this one is new, isn't it?"

Before either of them could answer, Frollo continued, a feral growl breaking free, "I know you both helped her to escape!" he snarled, knocking Madellaine to the ground as Quasimodo shrank back in fear, "And now all of Paris is burning because of you two!"

"She was k-kind to us!"

"That wasn't kindness, it was cunning! Gypsies aren't capable of real love! Think about it! Think about Quasimodo's mother, think about the people who abandoned you on the streets!"

Madellaine's breath stopped in her throat as Frollo sneered at them. They remained in this position for a few minutes until Frollo cleared his throat and straightened back up. "But what hope could poor children like you have against her heathen ways…" he stabbed through the wooden figure, holding it over a lit candle until it started to burn, "… No Madellaineer, she will soon be out of our lives and then we will all be free."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I know where the gypsy hideout is and tomorrow morning, I will attack with a thousand men!"

Frollo left the room and headed out of the cathedral. When the coast was clear, there was a groaning under the table as Phoebus slowly emerged. "We need to find the Court of Miracles. If Frollo gets there before us- " he stopped and glanced back at the pair, "-Are you coming?"

Madellaine shrank back on herself as Quasimodo made his way up to the rafters, "I-I can't!"

"I thought you were her friends!"

"I-I can't disobey Frollo, neither of us can!"

Phoebus glanced up at the ceiling, where Quasimodo was lurking, before shaking his head and growling, "She stood up for you, for both of you! You've got a funny way of showing it!"

Silence.

Phoebus threw his good arm into the air in exasperation, "Well I'm not going to stand by and watch Frollo massacre hundreds of innocent lives!"

And then he stormed out.

When Quasimodo dropped down behind her, she sighed and rolled her eyes, "What? What am I supposed to do? Walk into the court and rescue her like the heroes in those stories? She already has her knight in shining armour and it isn't me!"

She sighed wearily, "Sarousch is right… Frollo is right…. I'm not a hero, I'm just a- a stupid little girl." She ran her fingers gently over the palm lines of her left hand, before reaching into her dress and pulling out the necklace that Esmerelda had given her. She ran her fingers over the band, until she was tapped on the shoulder.

Turning around, she spotted Quasimodo holding her travelling cloak…. Which she then grabbed.

"… I must be out of my mind!" She threw the cloak on and raced after Phoebus, grabbing the soldiers arm, "Wait!"

Phoebus turned around, frowning when he only saw her. "What about your friend."

"The last time he came out of his tower, he was humiliated." Madellaine sighed, "I don't blame him for staying in there."

"Well, I'm glad you changed your mind."

"I'm not doing it for you, I'm doing it for her."

Stunned by her sudden show of boldness, Phoebus was silent for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath, "So… you know where she is?"

"Well, no..." She pulled the necklace out from her dress and handed it to Phoebus, "… but she said that this will help to find her,"

"Excellent… what is it?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, maybe it's in code… Latin or French?"

Madellaine tuned him out, eyes focused on the pendant, "When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand." She whispered, reaching out to grab the pendant.

"What?!"

"It's the city!" Madellaine cried out in excitement, running her fingers over the woven pattern,

"What are you talking about?"

"It's a map… look, here's the cathedral, and then the river and this right here must be-"

"Look, I've seen maps before and-"

"I've spent hours looking out at this city, and I know what it looks like from above!

"- this isn't a map!"

Madellaine took a deep breath and straightened up as much as she could, not wanting to back down. Eventually, Phoebus rolled his eyes and sighed, "Okay, you think it's a map… whatever. But if we want to help Esmerelda, we have to work together, okay?"

"I know… I know."

…

The 'map' led them to the cemetery where a large grave stood, the symbol on the map clearly engraved on the headstone.

"Maybe there's an inscription?" Phoebus started to examine the grave, only to stop as he watched Madellaine try to shift the large stone, "Here, let me help."

Once they moved the stone, they saw stairs leading down into the darkness. Slowly, they both climbed into the grave and headed down the stairs, with Phoebus still holding the torch tightly. Madellaine winced at the stench, "Is this the Court of Miracles?"

"Offhand, I'd say it was the Court of Ankle-deep sewage… we must be in the catacombs." Skeletons lined the walls, prompting Phoebus to smirk, "Kinda makes you wish you got out more, right?"

Madellaine shook her head, keeping her eyes on the filthy water, not wanting to look at any of the skeletons, "No. I just want to warn Esmerelda and then get out!"

They were silent for a few moments, before Phoebus shook his head, "We should have run into some trouble by now."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, a guard? A trap?"

And then everything went dark.

"Or an ambush."

Suddenly the pair of them were grabbed and their hands were tied behind their backs. A familiar voice then piped up as the lights came back on.

"Well, well, well…what have we here?!"

"Trespassers!"

"Spies!"

Phoebus and Madellaine began to protest, "We're not spies, you- MMMPH!" "You need to listen to- MMMPH!"

"Don't interrupt me! You're very clever to have found our hideaway, unfortunately, you won't live to tell the tale!"

The pair were lifted onto the shoulders of the other gypsies and carried through the catacombs until they reached a large open space… complete with a scaffold and two nooses.

"Gather round everyone, it's good 'noose' tonight! A double header! A couple of spies, but not just any spies! Frollo's loyal Captain of the Guards, and Sarousch's wicked little assistant."

Personally, Madellaine felt that was a bit harsh. She just stood there looking pretty.

Ropes were placed around their necks, and at that moment, Madellaine knew she was going to die.

"Any last words?" asked the gypsy king, chuckling as both Phoebus and Madellaine tried to protest behind their gags, "Ha! That's what they all say!"

"Now that we've seen all the evidence-"

"Wait I object!"

"Overruled!"

"I object!"

"QUIET!"

"We find you totally innocent, which is the worst crime of all…so you're going to hang!"

Phoebus and Madellaine tensed as they waited for the floor to drop out from underneath them.

"WAIT!" Esmerelda burst through the crowd and climbed up onto the stage as both Phoebus and Madellaine sighed in relief, calling out her name through the gags, "These two aren't spies!"

"Well, why didn't they say so?!"

"WE DID SAY SO! "WE DID SAY SO!"

"This is the guard who saved the bakers' family…" Explained Esmerelda as she untied the pair, "… and Madellaine helped me escape the bell tower!"

Phoebus took the opportunity to step forwards, "We came to warn you! Frollo knows where you're hiding and is planning to attack at dawn!"

The crowd were clearly starting to panic as Esmerelda tried to calm them down and reassure them, "Then we shouldn't waste any time standing here. Grab everything that you can!"

As the crowd dispersed, Esmerelda turned to Phoebus and frowned, "You really shouldn't be walking about." She scolded, "You took a huge risk coming here. I know we don't seem grateful, but we are, honestly."

Madellaine turned away from the pair, not wanting to show Esmerelda how the two of them affected him. She was quickly spun around, with Phoebus still talking to Esmerelda, "Don't thank me, thank Madellaine here. We never would have found this place without her."

"Nor would I!"