It was January sixth! Today was the day! It was the Feast of Fools!

Rosa could hardly hold in her excitement as she waited ever so patiently for her keeper to fall asleep for her afternoon nap. Once she was sure she wouldn't get caught, Rosa slipped out of her room with her costume hidden beneath her skirts, and made her way through the halls down the stone stairs and out the massive doors that had been left open so that the guards could come and go freely. Quietly she made her way to the stables where she then stripped herself of her dress and, with some difficulty, preceded to wrap her chest as tightly as she could before slipping her dark jesters outfit on. Once her cloths were in place and she was sure no one would recognize her to be a girl she pulled her hair up and twisted it into a knot before slipping her black hat on and placing her crow beaked mask on her face. Once she made sure that the outfit was perfect once more she started down the stable doors looking at the horses until she found one she knew was fast enough to get her to the festival and back without a problem and one that she recognized from her childhood. Her uncles black horse, Snowball…. She never knew why he named the horse that but oddly enough it fit the black steed.

Once she got the horse to take its reins she pulled it out of the stable with some difficulty. The horse never really listened to anyone but her uncle but she couldn't take any of the guard horses because they would definitely notice them missing… She was now wondering if they would notice the old ministers horse missing to now.

Once out of the stable she climbed on its bare back and gave it a firm kick to move the horse forward. Of course Snowball didn't do it quietly like she hoped. Instead he reared and gave a frightful bellow before giving a few bucks and then jolting forward into a run towards town.

Half way to town Rosa had been able to get control of the angry animal and they cantered through the streets. She couldn't help but notice that people steered clear of Snowball and she began to think that it hadn't been a good idea to use the large black horse. She just kept riding looking for the festival but all she saw were a few booths and a stage but that was it. No shows no dancing and no singing….. Did she miss it?

Rosa heaved a sigh and was about to turn around when the street was then flooded with people dressed in dark hooded cloaks. She could feel Snowball move under her and hear as he stamped his foot as the cloaked figures raised their voices.

Come one, come all!
Leave your loops and milking stools
Coop the hens and pen the mules

Rosa tried digging her foot into the horse and get him to move forward and out of the way, but all he did was rear slightly and canter in a circle.

Come one, come all!
Close the churches and the schools
It's the day for breaking rules
Come and join the feast of ...

Rosa gasped as small bits of colored paper started to rain down and banners of colors unfurled and a brightly colored man that she recognized to be the story teller slid out from between the legs of one of the cloaked figures and shouted at the top of his lungs: FOOLS! He then began running and jumping around singing and laughing as he did.

Once a year we throw a party here in town

He did a flip and jumped as high as he could and landed on the large black steed behind Rosa and stood on his hand as he sang.

Once a year we turn all Paris upside down

He flipped over onto his feet and withdrew a few balls from his outfit and juggled them as the hooded figures threw off their dark attire to show that they wore brightly colored costumes underneath. They marched past them as Clopin threw the balls into the crowed and then jumped ahead of the costumed crowed.

Ev'ry man's a king and ev'ry king's a clown
Once again it's Topsy Turvy Day

Clopin had taken note of the 'other' jester when he arrived and the familiar black horse…. Frollos horse. His eyes narrowed behind his mask but he still kept his jovial outlook as he sang his song and jumped around and messed with a people. But his target now was the other jester… Monsieur Frollo. He practically hissed the name in his head.

It's the day the devil in us gets released
It's the day we mock the prig and shock the priest
Ev'rything is topsy turvy at the Feast of Fools!

Rosa had abandoned the horse after a moment and joined the crowd. She had seen Minister Diable's carriage and she decided that hiding in the crowed was better than staying on the horse.

Ev'ryone is acting crazy
Dross is gold and weeds are a bouquet
That's the way on Topsy Turvy Day

Everything was mayhem and she was soon lost in the celebration and was laughing and singing along with the crowed. Many people offered her ale and beer but she turned it away politely each time.

Beat the drums and blow the trumpets

A thin fingered hand wrapped around her wrist tightly and she was jerked sharply away from a puppet stand and found herself being spun around by the story teller.

Join the bums and thieves and strumpets
Streaming in from Chartres to Calais

Scurvy knaves are extra scurvy
On the sixth of "Januervy"

Clopin noticed how small the young Frollo's wrists were and he could see the large grin just below the crow beaked mask. But he shoved that aside as he released the younger man and sang with the crowed as he vanished into the crowed leaving the Frollo to join the crowed once more.

All because it's Topy Turvy Day!

Rosa looked around trying to find the story teller but couldn't find him amongst the bright colors the swirled around her. She then heard him again and she began jumping up and down to try and see over the heads. He was on the stage!

Come one, come all!
Hurry, hurry, here's your chance
See the myst'ry and romance
Come one, come all
See the finest girl in France
Make an entrance to entrance
Dance la Esmeralda
Dance!

A loud bang and he was gone in a swirling cloud of colored smoke. A women with dark skin and raven colored hair replaced him and Rosa despratly tried to see over the crowed.

Clopin stood hided near the stage searching for the young Frollo and found him trying to shimmy up a pole, only to slip back down and give up the attempt. He watched Frollo shove his way through the crowd to the front to watch Esmeralda dance.

Rosa was amazed by the Gypsy women and wished beyond anything that she was as beautiful as she was. The dance came to an end and Clopin quickly took his place next to Esmeralda and took note of the young Frollo next to the stage.

Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for
Here it is, you know exactly what's in store
Now's the time we laugh until our sides get sore
Now's the time we crown the King of Fools!
So make a face that's horrible and frightening
Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing
For the face that's ugliest will be the King of Fools!
Why?

Topsy turvy!

Ugly folk, forget your shyness

Clpoin grabbed ahold of the young Frollo and yanked him onto the stage while Esmeralda pulled a few others up on stage as well.

Topsy turvy!

You could soon be called Your Highness!

One by one the masks started to come off and Rosa was panicking as she tried to jump off the stage but the story teller wouldn't have it. The smile on his face wasn't the fun jovial one he had on earlier. Instead it was cruel looking and it sent chills down her spin. But she couldn't care less about that she was more worried about being seen by Minister Diable. She was supposed to be back at the Palace of Justice and she didn't want to be caught! If she was caught then he would send word back to her family and she desperately didn't want her mother to know!

Put your foulest features on display

Esmeralda came to her and reached up to remove her mask and hat but Rosa knocked her hands down and they stared at each other. Esmeralda tried again only to have her hands slapped away again. Now Rosa's full attention was on the Gypsy women and she wasn't aware of the story teller behind her until it was too late. His gloved hands gripped her hat and mask as he shouted out.

Be the king of Topsy Turvy Day!

Clopin yanked the hat and mask off and to him everything seemed to move in slow motion as a large mass of brown hair flew from the hat and fanned out over the young Frollo's shoulders. The owner of the hair spun around and Clopins chest tightened as his black eyes met the emerald green eyes of the young 'women' before him. The eyes of the women hidden behind the curtain of the carriage and the eyes described by Pierre… The eyes of not a Monsieur Frollo… But of a Madmozel Frollo. Clopin hadn't been aware that everything was silent until the women in front of him struck him across the face and the sound of skin on skin resounded across the square. Clopins head had snapped to the side and his face stung but the shock had yet to fade as an angry voice split the silence.

" mon Dieu! Madmozel Frollo!" It was the voice of Minister Diable. The brown haired green eyed women in front of Clopin didn't waste time in jumping from the stage and disappearing into the crowed. " Rosa! Rosa!... Rosa Frollo get back her at once!" Clopin didn't know what he was watching as guards vanished into the crowed after the young lady…

The Festivall was ruined and Clopin made his way off the stage and hid behind it as muttering slowly filled the air as the crowed finally came out of its own state of shock. The whole point of what he had done was to make a fool of the relative of Claude Frollo and crown him the King of Fools… But had he known that 'he' was a 'she'…

"Une femme?... Une Dame et j'ai fait un fou de Her... mon Dieu ce que je fais?" Clopin groaned. He was disgusted with himself.

Rosa had been able to hide from the guards and slip inside Notre Dame… Once she was sure she was alone she sunk to the ground with her back against the wall and placed her head in her hands… She cried in embarrassment and anger.

"Ce fou des fous... That horrid, horrid man." She sobbed as she thought back to the story teller… The man she still had yet to learn the name of.