Chapter 6: Heaven's Light/Hellfire/The Nightmare

Natalie's POV

As Esmeralda and Djali looked out over the balcony, me and Quasi walked over to them. Then Quasi said to her,

"You helped me, now I will help you."

Esmeralda said with concern, "But there's no way out, there's soldiers at every door."

Quasi said, "We won't use a door."

She asked, "You mean, climb down?"

He replied, "Sure, You carry him, I'll carry you."

As she and Djali looked down, Esmeralda said, "Okay."

She then said as Djali jumped into her arms, "Come on Djali." And she wrapped a blindfold around him.

I said to her, "I wish you a lot of luck out there Esmeralda."

She smiled and said, "Good luck to you too Natalie." I smiled and nodded in response.

Then Quasi asked Esmeralda as he picked her up, "Are you ready?"

She answered, "Yes."

Quasi said, "Don't be afraid."

Esmeralda reassured, "I'm not afraid." Then they swung over the balcony.

I rushed over to the balcony as Esmeralda said nervously, "Now I'm afraid."

Quasi said, "The trick is not to look down."

Then as Djali's blindfold fell off, he looked down and bleated fearfully as he clanged tightly to Esmeralda.

She asked, "You've done this before?"

Quasi answered, "No." and with that, they swung away.

I smiled as I watched them. Then I turned to head back inside, and out of nowhere, Phoebus appeared and said,

"Hello."

Completely startled, I screamed and I fell backwards, landing on my bum.

He said as he placed his sword in is sheath, "Whoa! I didn't mean to scare you."

I asked, "What are you doing here."

He answered, "I'm looking for the gypsy girl, have you seen her?"

I said as I tried to keep him from finding out about Esmeralda's escape,

"Uh, I don't know. Maybe she's down stairs, why don't you go look?"

Then he said as he got closer to me as I backed up to the railing,

"I think you're hiding something."

Fearful of telling him about Esmeralda, I said "I'm not hiding anything!"

Then he said, "Here, let me help you up."

Then he grabbed my hand, but his finger dug hard into the cut that Frollo gave me earlier, and I yelped out in pain as my hand started bleeding.

I exclaimed as I clutched my hand in pain,

"Oh God, my hand!" That's when I heard a gasp and Quasimodo appeared.

Quasimodo's POV

After me and Esmeralda got to the bottom of the cathedral, she offered to come back and see me. As I tried to tell her how impossible that would be, she kissed me on the cheek. Then gave me a pendant that would show me the way to the Court of Miracles and left me with a saying,

"When you wear this woven band, you hold the city in your hand."

Once she left, I smiled and started to climb back up to the bell tower.

I thought about how Esmeralda kissed me and how she might actually have feelings for me. But then I remembered how Natalie kissed me at The Festival of Fools and how kindly she treats me as well. I wondered,

Does she have feelings for me as well?

Even if they did, how could a girl love someone whose as ugly as me? Despite that, I kept thinking about how kind they were to me.

As I kept climbing, I heard a yelp. Then I heard Natalie exclaim,

"Oh God, my hand!"

I asked as I climbed faster, "Natalie, what happened to you?"

Then as I reached the railing of the balcony, I gasped as I felt someone pull me up and I came face to face with one of the soldiers as Natalie ducked down.

He said, "Hi, I'm looking for the gyspy girl, have you seen her?"

Then I looked down at Natalie as I saw the fear in her eyes as she clutched her hand.

Thinking that he did something to her, I jumped in front of Natalie and went after the soldier.

He said trying to calm down the situation, "Woah, whoa, whoa, easy!"

But instead, I grabbed a torch and shouted as I waved it at him,

"No soldiers, sanctuary, get out!"

Then he tried to say, "But all I want is-"

But I cut him off and shouted, "Go!"

He said as I chased him down the stairs, "I mean her no harm."

In frustration, I groaned and shouted, "GO!"

I continued waving my flaming torch and he hit it with his sword and I grabbed him by his collar and pulled him closer to me as I was about to kill him.

Then he requested, "You tell her for me, I didn't mean to trap her here. It was the only way I could save her life."

Then I realized he must have been talking about Esmeralda, but I was still mad that he came up here and possibly hurt Natalie.

He asked, "Will you tell her that? Will you?"

Then I demanded, "If you go, now!"

He responded, "I'll go."

Then he asked, "Now will you, put me down please?" Seeing that I lifted him, I set him back down.

Then as he started to leave, he stopped and said,

"Oh and one more thing. Tell Esmeralda and the other girl, that they're very lucky."

I asked, "Why?"

He answered with a smile, "To have a friend like you." And with that, he left.

I stood there in thought for a minute at what he said. Then I suddenly remembered Natalie and I rushed back up to the balcony to see if she was alright. I ran up to her as she was still on the ground and I asked,

"Natalie, are you alright, did he hurt you?" While I checked her out.

She said as she still clutched her hand,

"No, but when he came in with the sword I freaked. I only screamed out because my hand started to bleed when he touched it and it hurt."

I lightly grabbed her left hand and saw blood on the side of it coming out. It looked a little deep and I asked,

"It doesn't look good. Did he cut your hand?"

She answered, "No, it was Frollo that did it."

I was shocked when I heard her say that. I couldn't believe my own master did that to her. I didn't know the reason why, but I knew if I didn't do anything about that cut, it would get worse.

I finally said, "Let me take care of your hand."

She replied, "Alright."

Then we went inside and I brought her to a bench as I went to go get bandages, a cloth, and some wine. When I came back, as I sat my things down on the bench, She asked,

"What's that for?" Referring to the canteen.

I said, "It's to clean off you're cut."

As I wiped off some of the blood on her hand. Then I said as I poured some of the wine on the cloth,

"Now, this is going to sting a little."

I took her hand and I started to dab her cut with the moist cloth. She winced from the pain.

I said, "I'm sorry, know it hurts. But I promise, the pain won't last very long."

It was true, and as I dabbed the cut a bit more, Natalie didn't wince or flinch once. When I finished, her cut was red, but it was also clean.

Then I grabbed the bandages and I started to gently wrap them around Natalie's hand.

As I continued wrapping up her hand, I said,

"Natalie, I-I think it would be better if you stayed up here, so you don't get hurt."

She said, "It wasn't really that bad. I mean, I didn't even bleed when he first cut it."

I knew she was only saying that to try to not make me worry so much, but I felt after what Frollo did, that she wouldn't be safe anywhere else but in here. So I then said,

"But still, I don't want you taking that risk of getting another injury, or worse." She sighed and nodded.

She then yawned and I asked, "Are you tired?"

She said, "A little bit."

I thought for a minute and I finally said, "Come with me."

She got up from the bench and I led her to a ladder and we climbed up to meet my bed.

When we got there, I said, "This is where you can sleep."

She looked at it and said,

"But it's your bed. I-I mean, I wouldn't want to make you sleep on the floor."

Touched that she cared, I assured her,

"It's alright. After all, it would be rude of me if I made you sleep on the floor." She smiled in response.

Then I asked her,

"I hope you don't mind, but is it alright if I sleep next to you? I promise, I won't cause you any trouble, I just don't want to be alone."

She smiled, "It's alright Quasimodo, I don't mind. After all, it is your bed."

I smiled and said, "Thank You, I'll be right back." Then I left for the balcony to look at the view for a while.

Then I started to sing;

So many times out there
I've watched a happy pair
Of lovers walking in the night

I walked back inside and sang as I walked up to a table where the model of Paris rested;

They had a kind of glow around them
It almost looked like Heaven's light

I pushed a figure of a man and a woman together as I sang;

I knew I'd never know
That warm and loving glow
Though I might wish with all my might

I picked up the figurine of me and I sang;

No face as hideous as my face
Was ever meant for Heaven's light

Then I looked at Natalie as she was fast asleep. I smiled and I sang as I got 2 blocks of wood and started carving them into figurines of Natalie and Esmeralda;

But suddenly two angels have smiled at me
And kissed my cheek without a trace of fright

As I started to paint them, I sang;

I dare to dream that they
Might even care for me
And as I ring these bells tonight

I finally sang as I set the completed figurines of my friends next to mine;

My cold, dark tower seems so bright
I swear it must be Heaven's light

Then I started to ring the bells for the evening mass as passion was in the air tonight.

Frollo's POV

I stood at the window, looking at Notre Dame as the evening mass was going on and the bells were ringing. I was still enraged about what happened at the festival. I was finally teaching my monstrosity of an adopted son a lesson and I was interrupted by a juvenile delinquent. Not only did she interrupt me, but that little rat insulted me and my work.

I so badly wanted to end her for making a fool out of me, especially that gypsy witch. But I still had her in my head. That witch tried to enchant me with her dance and spell. I couldn't get her out of my mind, her hair, her eyes, everything. She was sent from the devil, I had to get her out, but I couldn't get her beauty out of my mind. I felt like I was being punished by God for my sin years ago.

I then sang;

Beata Maria,
You know I am a righteous man
Of my virtue I am justly proud

Beata Maria,
You know I'm so much purer than
The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd

I walked over to the fireplace as I sang;

Then tell me, Maria
Why I see her dancing there
Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul

Then I saw visions of the gypsy in the fire as I sang;

I feel her, I see her
The sun caught in her raven hair
Is blazing in me out of all control

I continued to sing as I backed up and rubbed my face with her scarf;

Like fire
Hellfire
This fire in my skin
This burning
Desire
Is turning me to sin

Then I saw red hooded judges and walked through them as they turned into fire and blazed around me as I sang;

It's not my fault
I'm not to blame
It is the gypsy girl
The witch who sent this flame
It's not my fault
If in God's plan
He made the devil so much
Stronger than a man

I sang as I saw more visions of Esmeralda;

Protect me, Maria
Don't let the siren cast her spell
Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone
Destroy Esmeralda
And let her taste the fires of Hell!
Or else let her be mine and mine alone

Then I tried to grab the vision of Esmeralda in smoke, but she disappeared as the door suddenly opened. I saw that it was one of my guards.

He said, "Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped."

Shocked and angered, I asked, "What?!"

He said, "She's nowhere in the cathedral, she's gone."

In disbelief, I asked, "But how? I-"

Then I thought about that juvenile delinquent, was she still in the cathedral or did she find a way to escape?

I asked the guard, "What about the other girl?"

He answered, "She's still in the cathedral."

I asked, "Which part?"

He answered, "It's been rumored that she's staying in the bell tower with the hunchback."

I instantly thought that little rat must be trying to plague my deformed adopted son's mind with her defiant and evil ways. I then thought Esmeralda's disappearance was more important, so I decided to deal with the other girl later.

I then said, "Never mind. Get out, you idiot! I'll find her! I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!"

Then once the soldier left, I began to sing;

Hellfire
Dark fire
Now gypsy, it's your turn
Choose me or
Your pyre
Be mine or you will burn

Then I threw her scarf into the fireplace and sang as it burned;

God have mercy on her
God have mercy on me
But she will be mine
Or she will burn!

After I finished singing, I passed out as the fire went out.

Natalie's POV

As I slept;

I dreamed about me and Quasimodo racing each other up the stairs to the bell tower. He beat me to it, and looked at me and laughed as he ran inside of the bell tower. I laughed as I followed him up. Once I got up there, The bell tower was all foggy and Quasi was nowhere to be seen. I called out his name and I see someone walking up to me, coming out of the fog. When he came out, I saw that it was Frollo dragging Quasi's body as he held a bloody dagger in his hand.

I screamed in horror,

"Quasimodo!"

And I ran over to them, pushed Frollo out of the way, and held Quasi in my arms. I saw that he had a wound on his abdomen and I took off the belt on my dress and I placed it on Quasimodo's wound as I put pressure on it.

I yelled to him as he laid lifeless in my arms,

"Quasi! Quasimodo! Please wake up! Please!" But to no avail, he didn't respond.

Distraught and in disbelief, I shouted, "NO!"

Then all of a sudden, my ankles were bound by chains and Frollo came at me and said with a sinister grin,

"Now, you're next!"

I screamed,

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

In horror and as he was about to stab me, I heard Quasi's voice saying,

"Natalie? Natalie? Wake up."

And I instantly woke up in shock as I looked around to see Quasi softly patting my back.

Quasimodo's POV

After I finished ringing the bells, I started to clean the ones that I didn't get to earlier. As I was cleaning them, I heard Natalie muttering something. I stopped and I looked to see her talking and tossing and turning in her sleep.

I heard her say, "Quasimodo! Please wake up! Please!"

Seeing the way she moved and talked in her sleep, I realized that she was having a nightmare. As she continued to toss and turn and talk in her sleep, I climbed down a ladder and walked up to Natalie as she screamed in her sleep. I started to shake her shoulder as I said to her,

"Natalie, Natalie, wake up."

Then she popped up awake as she looked around, hyperventilating.

I softly patted her back, and she looked at me as I said,

"It's alright, you only had a bad dream."

Then she said hysterically, "Quasi, where is he?!"

I asked, "Where's who?"

She answered, "Frollo! I saw him, h-he had a dagger! He tried to kill us!"

Then she picked up one of her shoes, saying as she raised it while looked around as she said frantically,

"I don't want him in here! He'll hurt us! Please Quasi, don't let him come up here!"

I knew I had to calm her down, so I took her shoe and set it back down and I pulled her into my arms for a tight embrace.

She shook like a leaf as I held her tightly in my arms. Then I said to her,

"It's alright Natalie. Frollo isn't here and he's not going to come up here tonight."

She said, "But he will come back eventually. Please Quasimodo, I don't want him to hurt us."

I said, "Natalie, I-I know you're afraid, but you shouldn't be. I can't promise to keep Frollo away from here, but I can promise you that you will be safe here and I will protect you from any harm that comes your way. It will be okay."

Then I looked her in the eyes and said "You, will be safe here." She nodded her head in response.

I said pulling the blanket over her, "Rest now, y-you've had a big day."

She nodded and yawned as she said, "Goodnight, Quasimodo."

She then shut her eyes and fell asleep. I looked at her and I smiled at her as I saw how peaceful she looked as she slept.

I soflty said, "Goodnight Natalie, tomorrow will be brighter."

I gently hugged her and I got underneath the covers and I fell asleep.