Chapter 33: The Heartbreak

Claude returned to the main hall with a handful of coins, but was surprised to find Esmeralda absent. He stopped dead, looking around in confusion. Had she left already? That made little sense when she needed money.

Some quick footsteps could be heard coming through one corridor. Claude briefly wondered if they belonged to Esmeralda, but that was impossible. These were heavy footsteps, probably coming from someone who wore boots. A guard? No, guards didn't move that frantically.

Claude pocketed the coins and stared at the entrance to the corridor, waiting for someone to come out of it. Finally, a figure emerged. The last one that Claude expected to see.

He saw Phoebus, who immediately stopped upon noticing his former commander. They locked eyes intensely.

"Captain Phoebus..." Claude observed, dumbfounded.

"It's just Phoebus, now." Phoebus informed.

Claude slightly looked down and noticed the former soldier's handless arm.

"I see." He acknowledged.

Phoebus was eying him intently.

"Nice black eye." The former soldier jabbed. "Did Esmeralda give it to you?"

"...Quasimodo." Claude corrected.

"Well, good for him."

Claude didn't know what to say. It was a shock to see the previous Captain of the Guard back in Paris, let alone in the Palace of Justice. Claude wanted to know how this was possible and, more importantly, what intentions had brought Phoebus here. Of course, those intentions were most likely violent.

"Don't worry." Phoebus said, reading Claude's mind. "I was just on my way out."

Claude remembered Esmeralda. Where was she? Did Phoebus have something to do with her disappearance?

"Esmeralda-" Claude started.

"Second door on the left." Phoebus cut off, gesturing to the corridor. "I was just with her."

"And you're leaving already?" Claude asked.

"I came to rescue her from you." Phoebus informed. "But she tells me that isn't necessary."

"Well... No." Claude confirmed. "But... Isn't there something between the two of you?"

"Not anymore." Phoebus replied.

Claude was upset by that, especially when he thought of what the reason must be.

"Phoebus, she adores you!" He reported. "If this has something to do with me-"

"It doesn't." Phoebus interrupted. "I'm getting married."

Claude's heart sank.

"...You're getting married?"

"Yes."

"You're certain about that?"

"Yes."

"But, Esmeralda-"

"I'm not interested in her. I'm in love with someone else."

Poor Esmeralda. Claude imagined the conversation that must have happened between her and Phoebus. He hated to think of what Esmeralda must be going through right now, newly aware that the man she loved had decided to marry someone else...

Phoebus looked at Claude with an impressed expression.

"You actually care about her." He observed. "I didn't think you were capable of that."

Claude didn't know what to say. He did care about Esmeralda, and until recently, even he hadn't thought he was capable of that.

"You really have changed." Phoebus decided. "I believed her about that, of course. But I couldn't wrap my head around it. It's still difficult, but I see it for myself now."

Claude was still at a loss for words. Phoebus started toward the front door.

"It's good to see." The ex-captain admitted. "But I will say this: You'd better keep treating her right, or I won't leave peacefully next time."

Claude nodded.

"I assure you," He began. "I could not bear to mistreat her ever again."

"I don't trust you." Phoebus informed. "But I trust Esmeralda. So as long as she reports that you're behaving, I'll believe it."

Phoebus opened the door, but Claude interrupted him before he left.

"Phoebus," He said solemnly. "I'm sorry for everything I did to you. You were by far the greatest soldier I have ever commanded. I shouldn't have wasted such a good man."

Phoebus hesitated.

"It's fine." He eventually responded. "I wouldn't have met my soon-to-be wife if not for all of that."

He started to leave, but stopped himself.

"Look after Esmeralda." Phoebus requested. "I'm afraid I broke her heart."

Esmeralda tried to calm herself, but the thought of Phoebus kept her crying. She hated this. It wasn't like her to break down. She always held herself together well. But knowing that Phoebus was marrying another woman was too painful for tears to be avoided.

Phoebus had been Esmeralda's hope. A hope that she might stop dancing for coins and running from Frollo's soldiers. A hope that she might settle down and have a family, and that romance and intimacy might finally be hers. Now he was nothing but a dead dream. Someone who had looked at her so lovingly only to choose another woman.

"Esmeralda..."

Esmeralda heard the concerned voice of her husband coming from behind her. Immediately, she got to her feet and turned around to look at him.

Claude's expression was one of great sympathy. He clearly already knew what was wrong.

"You ran into him." Esmeralda assumed.

"Yes." Claude confirmed.

Esmeralda closed her eyes in hopes of barricading some tears. Claude took a few steps toward her.

"Esmeralda..." He whispered. "I'm so sorry..."

He tried to touch her, but was met with a violent shove.

"STOP IT!" Esmeralda snapped. "THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU HADN'T SENT HIM AWAY!"

Claude was hit by guilt when he realized his part in causing this. Esmeralda was right. If he hadn't forced her and Phoebus apart, the two likely would have remained in love. The realization was horribly upsetting. Esmeralda deserved happiness, and Claude felt that he had stolen it from her.

Esmeralda opened her eyes after lashing out. She saw the look on Claude's face and quickly regretted it. One glance told her that he felt horrible. She quickly pulled him into an apologetic hug.

"I'm sorry!" Esmeralda sobbed.

Claude was surprised, but automatically hugged her back.

"You don't need to apologize." He assured. "I know I've ruined so much for you, and I'm deeply sorry."

"It's not your fault!" Esmeralda insisted. "I thought it would be what you did. Or what I did. But it's neither... He just doesn't love me. He loves her..."

"He would have loved you." Claude said confidently. "If he'd been given more time with you..."

"I don't think so. He passed me up so easily! I think... I'm just not that memorable..."

"My dear, I promise you are very memorable!"

Esmeralda didn't know how to respond to that, so she just kept crying into Claude's shoulder. After a few minutes, she pulled away from him, tears still flowing. Claude was looking at her with desperation, yearning to do something to help her feel better.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked.

It felt strange coming from him, even though Esmeralda knew that he had changed. She still didn't expect Claude to be the person to comfort her, and she was slightly surprised that he wanted to be that person.

"Is that who you are now?" She asked.

Claude thought about it. The answer seemed obvious. Of course he wanted to be there for her, because he wanted to be good from now on. But he realized that it was more than that. He didn't just want to help her because it was the good thing to do, but also because she was important to him. He wanted to support her in any way she needed him to. He wanted to be someone she could count on, to have a relationship built on the kind of caring behavior she had taught him.

"It is who I want to be." Claude replied. "Someone who is there for you. I don't know if this is possible but... I would like to be your friend."

Esmeralda was taken aback. It was odd, the idea that someone who had practically ruined her life a few weeks ago now wanted to be her friend. But she knew Claude, and she knew he was sincere. And more importantly, she did need a friend. A friend other than Quasimodo, who needed her to be strong for him. She needed someone who she didn't have to be strong with.

Her anger toward Claude wasn't gone. It had slightly increased after the encounter with Phoebus. But she did care about him, and saw that he cared about her. That was enough. She was willing to have him as a friend, for now at least.

She hugged him again. Claude held her tightly as she depleted her tears.