Chapter 49: The Concern

"I may have found a lead." The captain reported.

"What have you found?" Claude asked urgently.

"A few soldiers have told me that they remember hearing about something like the attack you described. I'm still getting to source of the information, but it shouldn't be long now."

Claude felt his blood boil. Here he was, likely close to locating Esmeralda's attackers. He was ready to catch them. No more evil would be allowed to run free in this city. Especially not anyone who dared to harm Esmeralda.

"When you think you've found any of them, tell me immediately." Claude instructed. "I should be there so I can hear the confession for myself."

"Yes, Sir."

Claude would have something to report to Esmeralda, which he suspected was both a good thing and a bad thing. She'd be glad to know that progress was being made in finding her attackers, but just bringing the topic up would probably be somewhat upsetting to her.

Maybe there was something that could raise her spirits. Claude came up with a marvelous idea.

He made his way to the blacksmith's shop. The blacksmith was slightly startled at the sight of the judge.

"Minister Frollo!" He acknowledged. "What brings you to my shop?"

"Only the obvious reasons." Claude replied. "I need some iron work done."

He explained what he wanted and paid the blacksmith a sizeable sum, then asked when he could expect the item to be prepared.

"I'm not certain." The blacksmith answered. "But I will prioritize your request over other projects. The Minister of Justice is certainly a customer of importance."

"Take your time." Claude encouraged. "I only ask so I know when to return."

"Then you may check with me in three days."

Claude nodded and went on his way, satisfied. This was definitely a gift that Esmeralda would appreciate.

Esmeralda paced anxiously through the Palace of Justice. She had a decision to make, and it wasn't an easy one.

She truly wanted for her and Claude to be a real couple. As unbelievable as it was, she had come to feel something overpowering for him. More than she had felt for any man. The time she'd spent with him recently had been one of the greatest times of her life. She never wanted it to end.

But at the same time, Esmeralda struggled to imagine a scenario where she and Claude were together and everything was fine. There would be complications. Could Esmeralda endure those complications? She wasn't sure.

Her internal debate was interrupted when a guard approached. He told Esmeralda that a man was at the front door, requesting to see her. A man by the name of Phoebus.

Esmeralda questioned whether she should acknowledge this. She partly felt that Phoebus did not deserve to speak to her at the moment, but another part of her felt a need to speak to him as soon as possible. Although she was frustrated with him, Esmeralda knew that Phoebus cared for her. And since she had so few friends in Paris right now, she certainly didn't want to lose him. Besides, Phoebus had already apologized for his behavior the previous night. Hopefully that meant that there would be no drama today.

He looked pitiful when Esmeralda came to meet him, like he'd been guilting himself.

"Hi..." Phoebus greeted weakly.

Esmeralda sighed.

"Hello." She said coldly.

Phoebus broke eye contact with her, taking a difficult breath.

"I just wanted to check with you." He explained. "Are we... Still friends?"

It appeared that Phoebus had come to beg, even if he wasn't doing it outwardly. Esmeralda was annoyed by it, but she still eased his concerns.

"I'm still mad at you." She replied. "But I don't end friendships easily."

"I'll make it up to you." Phoebus promised. "You're a good friend. And I know I did a poor job of showing it, but I really am grateful that you came to my wedding."

"So am I..." Esmeralda thought aloud.

She quickly realized that she shouldn't have said that. It was evident that the only reason Esmeralda was glad to have been there was that the evening had opened her eyes about her relationship with Phoebus. And with Claude, though she didn't want Phoebus to know that part. He already knew that she'd gotten over him, which felt rude enough to share even if it was a good thing for both of them.

Phoebus was looking at her awkwardly.

"It's okay." He said with attempted optimism. "I sure was flattered when you were into me, but I wouldn't want that to get in the way of you... Finding the right guy."

The comment felt slightly accusatory. It made Esmeralda suspicious.

"Is something wrong?" Esmeralda asked.

Phoebus flinched. He hesitated, then let out a long sigh and looked at Esmeralda intensely.

"Last night, after you went out, I felt really bad. I was afraid I upset you too much and you wouldn't want to see me again. So I was thinking of what I could say to make it better, and I looked out the window..."

He paused, looking very reluctant to finish.

"...And I saw you kissing him." He said uncomfortably.

Esmeralda gasped. She realized how impulsive she'd been the previous night. When she'd kissed Claude, she hadn't stopped to think about the fact that they were still close enough to be seen. But when she thought about it, it occurred to her that this shouldn't matter.

She folded her arms.

"Yes, I kissed him." Esmeralda admitted. "What is it to you?"

"I'm worried." Phoebus replied. "What is going on here?"

"That's none of your business."

"I just want to know what's between you and him. Are you-"

"Phoebus, you don't get to reject me and then demand the details of my love life!"

Phoebus flushed with humiliation. He looked as if he was sorry for his invasive questions, but he still proceeded.

"Look," He said pleadingly. "I'm just concerned for you as a friend."

"And what exactly are you concerned about?" Esmeralda asked sharply.

"I just don't want you to end up with the wrong man!" Phoebus insisted.

"Seriously?!" Esmeralda sighed. "If you learned anything last night, it should have been that you don't know a thing about Claude. Or me!"

"But-"

"You've never doubted my judgment before. Do you think I would choose someone who wasn't a good person?"

"I don't know, maybe..."

"Why would I do that?!"

"Maybe if you were... Horny?"

Esmeralda gawked at the suggestion, then closed her eyes angrily and called for a guard.

"Wait!" Phoebus begged. "I'm not saying that's what I think!"

"Then what DO you think?!" Esmeralda asked.

"I... I don't know what to think! I don't understand this, so I'm imagining the worst!"

"Well, I'll make it simple for you. Do you believe that he's changed?"

"Well, yes. But-"

"And do you believe that he cares about me?"

"...Yes."

"Then what is there to worry about?"

Phoebus let out a sigh of defeat.

"Okay, maybe I'm being irrational." He admitted. "It's just that I have trouble trusting him after everything he's done. I can't help worrying that something is wrong here."

A guard came into the main hall.

"You called for me?" He asked.

"Just a minute." Esmeralda responded.

She looked at Phoebus with exhaustion.

"I understand why you don't trust him." She said coldly. "But you said you trusted me."

"I do." Phoebus assured. "But this is the man who tried to kill me because I wouldn't murder an innocent family. I don't feel good about him."

Unfortunately, Esmeralda couldn't blame Phoebus for feeling that way. She would feel that way too if she hadn't personally experienced the effects of Claude's change.

"I know he's changed." Phoebus acknowledged. "But it's all so weird to me. I don't see how someone so evil could just stop being that way. Maybe if I knew why..."

He looked at Esmeralda pleadingly.

"What happened?" Phoebus asked.

Esmeralda wished that she could explain this and help Phoebus understand. But she couldn't possibly do that without revealing Claude's secrets. She wouldn't do that to him.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "But I can't tell you that."

"Why not?" Phoebus questioned.

"It's too personal."

"Personal? But, we're friends..."

"It's personal to Claude. I couldn't tell you why he changed without telling you his secrets."

Phoebus sighed.

"Well, you're very loyal." He praised.

"I can tell you this." Esmeralda offered. "One night, unprompted, he started apologizing to me and said he wanted to make things right. He said he'd bring you back if that would make me happy. He even offered his life."

Phoebus listened with a gaping expression. That was natural. Anyone who hadn't had Esmeralda's experiences would struggle to believe this.

"There are reasons." Esmeralda assured. "You'd understand if I could tell you the whole story, but I can't. So can you trust me that this is real, even if it doesn't seem possible?"

Phoebus hesitated, still taking in what he'd heard.

"...I suppose so." He said eventually.

The pair became quiet. Neither of them knew where to go from here.

"Well, I'm sorry." Phoebus apologized. "I guess it really is none of my business if you and him are... Together."

"We're not." Esmeralda corrected.

"You're not?" Phoebus asked in disbelief.

"We have feelings for each other." Esmeralda explained. "But I turned him down because of how I felt about you. But then last night... Well, I had quite a realization... About who I want..."

"But you're still not together?"

"I'm... Making up my mind. I know how I feel, but I'm not sure about everything else."

Phoebus nodded in understanding.

"Normally I'd ask why on earth you like him." He said regretfully. "But I guess there's a lot more to this than I'm aware of."

"There is." Esmeralda confirmed. "But simply put: He's a good man, he treats me well, I like the things he likes, and I feel very comfortable with him."

"I see." Phoebus said in acceptance.

He was trying to be polite now, but Esmeralda saw his discomfort. Phoebus obviously didn't like this.

"You're not happy about this, are you?" Esmeralda asked.

"I'll support you no matter what you decide." Phoebus assured.

"But you won't approve."

"Does it matter if I approve?"

"Well... It would just be nice if my friends liked my husband."

Phoebus frowned.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." He apologized. "But... I don't think I could ever really like him after what he's done."

Esmeralda looked to the floor, crestfallen. But she wasn't angry. She didn't expect Phoebus to like Claude. She had uncomfortable feelings about him herself. Those feelings had been buried for a while now, but they weren't gone. If she felt that way about Claude despite being friends with him, how could Phoebus, who'd had no such relationship with him, possibly feel anything positive?

"But I want you to be happy." Phoebus insisted. "So please, do what makes you happy."

"Thank you..." Esmeralda said sadly.

Phoebus felt bad for putting her in this mood, so he tried to change the subject.

"How's Quasimodo doing?" He inquired.

"Not great..." Esmeralda replied.

Phoebus became somewhat worried.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "Does he... Know?"

"He only knows that we're friends." Esmeralda shared. "But that alone has really upset him."

"I can imagine. I heard he was the source of the black eye."

Esmeralda remembered that Claude had sported a black eye when Phoebus had been here before, and that was indeed Quasimodo's doing. Esmeralda hated to think about the dynamic between those two. It was heartbreaking.

"Esmeralda..." Phoebus started ominously. "Are you aware that Quasimodo is... Interested in you?"

Esmeralda's eyes popped.

"You know about that?" She asked in shock.

"I'll take that as a yes." Phoebus said pessimistically. "I only know it because he looked really upset when you hugged me at the Court of Miracles."

"Ugh..."

Esmeralda cringed at herself. How had she been so unaware? Had everyone known of Quasimodo's feelings except for her?!

"I broke his heart." She admitted. "When he finds out about this..."

Esmeralda was hurt by the idea of how Quasimodo would react to her falling for Claude. He'd already been broken over her previous love for Phoebus. Seeing her and Claude together would be far worse for him.

"I don't know how to help with that..." Phoebus said apologetically. "But... I hope you do what makes you happy."

Esmeralda frowned. She didn't know if there was a way for her to be happy at this point. It would be a struggle just to find the course of action that would make her the least unhappy.

"I'll try." She said hopefully.

Thanks for reading! I'm so excited to get further into this!

I can't believe I'm 49 chapters into this story now. Originally, I only thought it would be around five, then I decided to take a little more time to flesh it out. Well, a little turned into a lot. At one point I thought I would get to about 40 chapters, but the plot I have in mind has needed much more development than I realized.

Not that I'm complaining! I'm enjoying working on this story, and I'm especially enjoying the comments I've received. I still have quite a way to go before this story is complete, so stay tuned!

I took my time on this chapter, but the next one should be up much sooner!

Thanks again for reading and commenting! I'm always inspired by your support!