Chapter 8: Heartbreak and Standing Up For Others

Natalie's POV

Suddenly, we heard the door open and someone say,

"Quasi? Quasimodo, Natalie?"

We both asked recognizing the voice, "Esmeralda?" And we climbed down a ladder and Quasi said,

"Esmeralda, you're alright! Oh, I knew you'd come back!" As he hugged her.

I ran up to her and we hugged each other.

She said, "You've done so much for me already my friends, but I must ask for your help one more time."

Quasi said, "Yes, anything."

I said, "Of course."

Then she ran to the door where another gypsy and a wounded Phoebus walked in. She said,

"This is Phoebus, he's wounded and a fugitive like me, he can't go on much longer, I knew he'd be safe here. Please can you hide him?"

Quasi then looked at me with concern and I nodded to him in response.

Then he said to them, "This way." And he led us up to a lounging area and Esmeralda laid Phoebus down on a pillow while me and Quasi watched on.

Phoebus looked up and said, "Esmeralda."

She hushed him and said, "You'll hide here until you're strong enough to move."

Then she pulled off the cork of a canteen as Phoebus said, "Great, I could use a drink."

Then she poured wine on his chest and he groaned in pain and said,

"Yes, mm! feels like a 1470 burgundy, not a good year." Esmeralda said as she mended his wound,

"That family owes you their lives. You're either the single bravest soldier I've ever seen, or the craziest."

Phoebus asked, "Ex soldier, remember? Why is it whenever we meet, I end up bleeding?"

Esmeralda said as she finished mending his wound, "You're very lucky, that arrow almost pierced you're heart."

Then he cupped his hand over hers and placed it on his wound and said, "I'm not so sure it didn't."

I knew what was coming as they looked into each other's, leaned into each other and kissed.

I looked on in disappointment and I looked over at Quasi who was shocked and heartbroken that Esmeralda was in love with Phoebus and not him. Then he sadly took out the card that Hugo gave him earlier and tore it in half, showing a broken heart as it fell. I felt so horrible for him, for having to see that and I knew he had some feelings for her, my heart just broke for him. When I saw him crying, I knew I couldn't just stand there and watch him suffer and I knew he really needed a friend right now.

So I slowly walked over to him, placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked and turned to me with tears flowing down his face as I said,

"I-I'm so sorry, I thought that maybe, she'd-"

And before I could say anything else, Quasi hugged me tightly as more tears streamed down his face.

I said as I hugged him back, "I-It's okay. I know how you feel."

Inside, I knew how he felt, I saw guys that I liked in the past make out or hit on other girls and it hurt me and it made me think I would never find anyone, and I knew that Quasi would still love Esmeralda, even if she didn't feel the same way, and now, I was living it.

Quasimodo's POV

I was really hurt and devastated that Esmeralda didn't love me after all. I thought I would be loved for once, but then again I was right, no one would love a face as hideous as mine. But I felt a little more better that Natalie was there to help me get through that pain. I knew that she wouldn't love me either, but she was such a good friend, and I didn't really care about that at the moment, I just didn't want to be alone. As we continued to hug each other, all of a sudden we heard Djali bleating at the balcony.

Me, Natalie, and Esmeralda ran to the balcony and we looked down as we saw Frollo getting out of a carriage and walking towards the bell tower. Me and Natalie gasped and I said as I guided Esmeralda, Djali, and the other gypsy out of the tower,

"Frollo's coming, you must leave, quick follow me. Go down the south tower steps!"

Right before Esmeralda ran out, she said to us,

"Be careful my friends, promise me you won't let anything happen to him."

We both said, "We promise."

She said, "Thank you." Then she left with Djali and the other gypsy.

Then I heard Laverne say, "Quick, we gotta stash the stiff!"

Me and Natalie dragged Phoebus over to the table that showed the model of Paris. While we did it, I heard Natalie mutter,

"Damn, he weighs like a ton of bricks!" Once we got to the table, we both kicked him underneath it.

I then said to her, "Natalie, go hide!"

She refused and said, "No, I don't wanna hide!"

I knew how much she cared, but I couldn't let her get hurt or let Frollo catch her. So I simply said,

"Natalie listen, I know you care. But Frollo might try to hurt you and I don't want to see that happen."

She contemplated for a minute, but then she said reluctantly,

"Alright. But if he does anything to you, I'm coming out."

She ran behind one of the gargoyles while I straightened up the model of Paris as Frollo came in.

Natalie's POV

I quickly hid behind one of the gargoyles, while Quasi straightened up the table. I didn't want to leave him because I knew Frollo would try to hurt him, but when I heard him coming up the stairs, I panicked and I did as told. That's when I saw him come in. Quasi stammered and said nervously,

"Oh master, I-I didn't think you'd be coming."

Frollo said, "I'm never too busy to share a meal with you dear boy, I brought a little treat." As he set down his basket.

Quasi ran to go get some plates and he broke a few as Frollo evilly to himself. Then he came back and Frollo asked as he put a vine of grapes on Quasimodo's plate,

"Is there something troubling you Quasimodo?"

Quasi answered hesitantly, "Oh, no!"

But Frollo said as he ate a grape, "Oh but there is, I know there is."

I muttered silently, "Shut up, Frollo!" Then a grape dropped to the ground and I nervously looked at Quasi as he carefully picked it up.

Frollo said, "I think you're hiding something."

Quasi said nervously, "Oh no master, there's-"

Frollo pointed out, "You're not eating boy."

Then he shoved the grapes into his mouth and said, "It's very good, thank you."

Phoebus started to moan and Quasi kicked him. And he pretended to choke to distract Frollo and he finally said,

"Seeds."

Frollo asked as he got up and looked around, "What's different in here?"

Quasi said, "Nothing, sir."

I hid my head behind the gargoyle as I thought Frollo was talking about me.

Frollo said picking up the figurine of Esmeralda,

"Isn't this one new? It's awfully good. It very much looks like the gypsy girl."

Quasi looked to him in shock as I thought to myself, Oh, shoot!

Then Frollo said, "Oh I know, you helped her escape!" And he knocked Quasi to the ground and I gasped in horror.

He continued to say, "Now all of Paris is burning because of you!"

Quasi said, "She was kind to me master."

Frollo snapped, "You idiot, that wasn't kindness, it was cunning, she's a gypsy!"

He grabbed Quasi by the collar and snapped as I grew more and more angrier,

"Gypsies are not capable of real love! Think boy, think of your mother!"

That was the last straw! I snapped, "Leave him alone!"

I ran over to them and I started pulling and hitting Frollo as I shouted,

"Don't you touch him! Let him go! Let him go!"

But shoved me across the table and I fell to the ground as one of the miniature buildings fell on top of me. Quasi rushed over to me and gently helped me up off of the ground.

Once I was off of the ground, I slipped away from Quasimodo's grip and ran over to Frollo and pummeled him to the ground. Then Quasi rushed over, pulled me off of Frollo, and pulled me away.

I shouted as I tried to get out of his hold, "Let me get him! Let me at him!"

But instead, Quasi brought me to the ground and leaned on me to keep me from getting away.

Then Frollo said as he walked up to us,

"Oh, so I see you've been keeping this pathetic juvenile delinquent in here."

I fired back, "At least we're more human then you could ever be, Frollo."

Then he asked, "So you say that this monster is human?"

I snapped,

"You shut up! Quasimodo isn't the monster! YOU ARE! You're killing innocent people and you're tormenting me, Quasimodo, and Esmeralda, and I am sick of it! And everyone is sick of you!"

Then he slapped me in the face and Quasi gasped. Enraged, I tried to lunge out at him, but Quasi firmly me back. Then Frollo evilly grinned and said,

"But what chance could a poor misshapen child like you and a mentally unstable juvenile like yourself have against her heathen treachery?"

I said, "You mind repeating that? You filthy son of a-"

But Quasi put his hand over my mouth before I could finish my sentence and I groaned in dismay.

Then Frollo went on to say as he burned the figurine of Esmeralda and threw it to the ground,

"Well never you mind Quasimodo, she'll be out of our lives soon enough, I will free you from her evil spell, she will torment you no longer."

Quasi asked, "What do you mean?"

Frollo answered, "I know where her hideout is and tomorrow at dawn, I attack with a thousand men."

As he left, I shouted through Quasi's hand, "Oh yeah?! I would like to see you try!"

Once he was gone, Quasi removed his hand from my mouth and I said,

"Ah, don't worry Quasi. He's lying! He doesn't know where The Court of Miracles is."

Then Quasi released me and scolded, "Why did you do that?! Natalie, you could've seriously gotten hurt!"

I said, "But Quasi, he was hurting you! I would've rather taken a hit for you then see you be treated like that!"

Then he said as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "Oh Natalie."

Then we heard Phoebus moan as he got up and said,

"We have to find the court of miracles, before daybreak, if Frollo gets there first... Are you coming with me?"

I nodded my head, but then Quasi said, "We can't."

I asked in disbelief, "What?"

Then Phoebus said, "I thought you were Esmeralda's friends."

Quasi said as he also pointed to me,

"Frollo's my master, I can't disobey him again. And I can't let you get anymore hurt than you already are!"

Then Phoebus said, "But she stood up for you, you've got a funny way of showing gratitude."

I frowned at him in response,saying in my thoughts,

Really? You're saying this now? You just kissed the one he liked and that's all you've got to say?!

He then said "Well I'm not going to sit by and watch Frollo massacre innocent people, you both do what you think is right." And he left.

Quasi looked at me and the other gargoyles looked at him with obvious looks. And he said,

"What? what am I supposed to do? Go out there and rescue the girl from the jaws of death, and the town will cheer me as if I were some kind of hero? she already has her knight and shining armor and it's not me! Frollo was right, Frollo was right about everything and I'm tired of trying to be something that I'm not."

Shocked at what he was saying, I said,

"No he wasn't. Quasimodo, you're not a monster, you're a human being and a good person and most of all, you're my friend. And Esmeralda's your friend too. Quasi you have to help her."

He tried to say, "But Natalie, I'm not-"

But I cut him off and said,

"I know, I know, Quasi I know you feel heartbroken about Esmeralda and Phoebus liking each other, and I know you feel like you're a monster. But Quasimodo you have to realize that after what Frollo's done, he's the real monster, not you. And you have to remember that Esmeralda's still your friend. You must help her. She'd do the same for you if you were in that situation right?"

He said, "I don't know."

I said, "I think she would, I know I would. Please Quasi, don't do it for me, don't do it for Phoebus, don't do it for anybody else but her."

He thought to himself for a minute as he looked at the pendant that Esmeralda gave him and the figurine of her that was burned. Then Laverne tapped Quasi on the shoulder and held out a cloak for him. He was a little hesitant, but he took the cloak as he said,

"I must be out of my mind!" I laughed in response.

Then he asked, "Are you coming with me?"

I answered, "Yes, of course I am."

He said, "Alright, but you're gonna need one of these too."

And he handed me a cloak and I asked, "Why?"

He answered, "It's so you won't be recognized if one Frollo's guards are out there."

I said, "Oh, okay."

So I put it on and we ran to the balcony, he picked me up, and we started to climb down Notre Dame to meet Phoebus. While we were climbing down, I asked,

"Hey Quasi, how are we going to find The Court of Miracles?"

He answered,

"Well, I don't know where it is, but I have a Esmeralda gave me a pendant and said that it would help us find her. Oh, but I forgot what it said. Um when you wear this woven band... Um, when you wear this, woven band..."

I finished his sentence for him by saying, "You hold the city in you're hand?"

He said nodding his head, "Yes, that's it, that's what she-"

But then he asked me with a raised brow, "Wait, how did you know that?"

I said shrugging my shoulders with a nervous smile,

"Uh, just a lucky guess?" He shrugged his shoulders in response and I let out a sigh of relief.

As soon as we reached the door, we saw it open and Phoebus was about to walk out.

We both ducked down, and said, "Phoebus!"

He jumped and Quasi said, "Shh, we're coming with you." As we jumped to the ground.

Phoebus said, "I'm glad you both changed you're minds."

Quasi said, "Look, we're not doing it for you, we're doing it for her." I nodded in response.

Then he asked, "Do you know where she is?"

Quasi answered, handing him the pendant, "No, but she said that this would help us find her."

Phoebus looked at it and said, "Good, good. Ah great, what is it?"

He answered, "We're not sure."

As Phoebus was trying to figure it out, me and Quasi both said the saying for the pendant while we were trying to figure it out,

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

Then Quasi said, "It's the city."

I asked "Huh?"

And Phoebus asked, "What are you talking about?"

Quasi explained, "It's a map see, here's the cathedral, and the river, and this little stone must be-"

Then Phoebus said cutting him off, "I've never seen a map that looks like-"

Then they both started to argue and I got in between them and said, trying I tried to break up the fight,

"No! No! No! Guys? Guys? Guys?"

Then I got annoyed and finally shouted, "GUYS!"

They both stopped and just stared at me in surprise. I gave out a relieving sigh and said,

"Now look, I agree with Quasi saying that this is a map. After all, it does make sense."

Quasi said, "Thank you!"

Then I said, "Now come on guys. If we're going to find Esmeralda, we all have to work together."

Phoebus said, "She's right, truce?" As he patted us both on the back.

I said, "Truce." And did the same to Quasi and Phoebus.

Then Quasi said as he gently patted me on the back, "Well, okay." And he roughly slapped Phoebus on the back.

Phoebus groaned in response and I smirked.

Quasi said sarcastically, "Sorry."

Phoebus said, "No you're not."

I snickered and said, "I know I'm not." And I busted out laughing. Quasi gave a small smirk in response.

Then Phoebus asked me, "You're still mad?"

I asked, "About what?"

He said, "About what happened at the last time we met at the bell tower."

I said, "No, I'm just upset that you scared me. I thought you were gonna arrest me and my friends, and you did reopen the cut on my hand that Frollo gave me earlier."

Phoebus said, "Well, I'm sorry I did that. And I couldn't have arrested you anyway because you had sanctuary."

All I did was shrug my shoulders in response. I knew Phoebus wasn't a bad guy, but I was still a little bit shy around him. Quasi took my hand and we continued walking.

Then I saw a black flash appear out of the corner of my left eye. I looked to my left to see Frollo behind the corner of a house, pointing a dagger at me.

I quickly turned away and Quasi asked, "Natalie, are you alright?"

I didn't want to tell him because I thought he wouldn't have believed me, so I said,

"Um, y-yeah, I'm fine. It's just dark."

He said, "Well that's alright, there's a torch right up there."

He ran up to one of the empty houses and grabbed it.

Then he asked, "Better?"

I said with a nod, "Y-yeah, much better." And with that, we all continued walking.

After a mile of two, we finally got to the cemetery, where it held the court of miracles. I was literally shaking when Quasi opened the gate and we all walked inside. Then we walked up to the cross that resembled the small one on the pendant. Phoebus said,

"This looks like the symbol on the map."

Quasi asked, "But what does is mean?"

As they were trying to figure it out, I saw something black whipping around the gravestones. I looked closer and I saw Frollo holding up a dagger like he was about to run out and stab me. I screamed and stumbled backwards, landing on my bum. Then Quasi and Phoebus rushed over to me and surrounded me.

Quasi asked, "Natalie, what happened?"

Phoebus asked, "Yeah, did you see something?"

I said panicking, "Yes, I saw him! He followed us! He's here!"

Quasi asked, "Frollo?"

I said as I pointed to the grave that Frollo was behind, "Yes, he's right there! See?!" They looked at the gravestone and all of a sudden, he was gone.

In disbelief, I said, "What?! No, no! Quasi he was right there, I swear it! A-And he had a dagger in his hand!"

Phoebus said, "You probably just saw a dark shadow."

I said, "No, I'm not lying, I really did see him."

Quasi just nodded and said, "We should probably get this done quicker then."

He lifted up the lid of the entrance. Before they were about to go in, I said grabbing his arm, "Quasi, we can't go in."

Quasi asked in confusion "What? Natalie-"

I said frantically,

"Quasi please! Alright I admit it. You were right and I was wrong! So, so wrong! Please Quasi, we can't go in! I'm begging you, Frollo will catch us! Please let's just go back to Notre Dame."

Then he said as he held out his hand,

"Natalie, listen. I know you're scared, but we must do this to help our friend. I promise, this won't take long, we'll just go in there, warn Esmeralda, and then we'll head back. Can you trust me?"

I knew I was making a mistake, but I couldn't back out now.

So I said as I nodded my head, "Yes." He took my hand and we all then went down the stairs into the court of miracles.

Once we got down there, I saw rats, skeletons, and sewage everywhere. I cringed in response.

Then Quasi asked as we walked into the sewage, "Is this The Court of Miracles?"

I said, "More like The Court of The Dead."

Phoebus said, "Off hand, I'd say it's the court of ankle deep sewage. Must be the old catacombs."

As we continued walking, he asked, "Cheerful place, kind of makes you wish you got out more often eh, Quasi, Nat?"

I shook my head as Quasi said,

"Not me, I just want to warn Esmeralda and get Natalie back to the bell tower before we get in anymore trouble."

Suddenly, I saw two skeletons moving and gasped in fear, moving closer to Quasi as Phoebus said,

"Speaking of trouble, we should've ran into something by now."

Quasi asked, "What do you mean?"

Phoebus said, "You know, a guard, a booby trap, or an ambush."

I leaned my head on Quasi's shoulder as everything went black.