(A/N: So far, the longest chapter I have ever written. Hope you enjoy.)
The crowd cheered as the dance ended, tossing coins onto the stage to show their appreciation for the show. Meanwhile, (Y/N) rushed to try and find her fallen mask, soon making her way to the back. Realising she wasn't going to find it anytime soon; she made a move to try and hide until she could think of something else when her arm was grabbed.
A small yelp left her lips and she turned to see Phoebus giving her a pitying smile as he hoisted her up onto his horse. Her face fell as she looked ahead, seeing Frollo's glare harsher than usual, as she was led over to him.
"Here she- "
Phoebus couldn't even finish as Frollo seized her wrist and yanked the poor girl off. She staggered for balance but was somewhat steadied as Frollo snatched up her chin and brought her face terrifyingly close to his own, his nostrils flaring with rage as he gazed down at her with unparalleled anger.
"Master, I- "
"You came to the festival against my express orders!" He bellowed.
She shook within his grasp and even Phoebus noticed her terror and was quick to step in, "Sir, what exactly has this woman done to receive such treatment."
Frollo looked up at the captain with an unwavering glare as he stated, "This woman is my ward and I shall handle her as I see fit. Maybe your focus should be on your work and not on how I reprimand."
Phoebus wanted to interject when the crowd suddenly cheered and Clopin began to address them once again.
🎵Clopin: "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!"
Quasimodo grew excited at the mention of the crowning, probably the most important event at the festival. This made him look around even more for his sister so that she could witness it with him. However, he was right at the front of the crowd, with his view obstructed, and was still not aware of the position (Y/N) was in.
Frollo growled at the mention of the crowning as he turned to face (Y/N). "Is Quasimodo here?"
The girl furiously shook her head, not wanting to get her brother into any trouble and hoping harder than she ever had that Frollo wouldn't spot him. The older man merely glared down at her before forcing her to sit at his side, holding her close in case she decided to run.
"We'll discuss this later."
Meanwhile, the festival continued as normal for everyone else as Clopin cheerfully asked, "You all remember last year's king?"
He pointed off to the side, where people were carrying a drunken man on a makeshift throne.
🎵Clopin: "So make a face that's horrible and frightening! Make a face as gruesome as a gargoyle's wing!"
...
"Hey!" Hugo gasped, taking offense to the statement.
...
🎵Clopin: "For the face that's ugliest will be the king of fools! Why?"
Clopin began pulling participants onto the stage.
🎵Crowd: "Topsy-Turvy!"
🎵Clopin: "Ugly folks, forget your shyness!"
Esmeraldo smiled over at Quasimodo, offering the man his hand and pulling him up on stage as well. His cloak slipped off as he was hoisted up and stood at the end of the line of participants.
🎵Crowd: "Topsy-Turvy!"
🎵Clopin: "You could soon be called your highness!"
🎵Crowd: "Put your foulest features on display! Be the king of Topsy-Turvy day!"
As soon as (Y/N) saw her brother go up on stage, her eyes widened and her heart began to beat rapidly at what could happen next, taking a quick glance at Frollo who had not yet noticed him.
Esmeraldo pulled off the first man's mask and he made the ugliest face he could. However, the audience wasn't impressed as they booed and jeered and the man was quick to get pushed off the stage by Djali the goat. The same thing happened to each and every other contestant, soon forming a small pile at the bottom of the stage, until they finally got to Quasimodo. Esmeraldo tried to pull off the "mask" but stopped when he noticed that it wasn't coming off. His eyes widened in realisation and he gasped in surprise, as did the rest of the audience.
"That's no mask!"
"It's his face!"
"He's hideous!"
"It's the bell ringer from Notre Dame!"
The crowd's words reached Frollo's ears and he stood up in shock and outrage. (Y/N) gasped, as she saw the devastated expression of her brother, who was desperately trying to hide his face from the disgusted gazes of the townspeople. She tried to rush over to his side but Frollo immediately stopped her.
Before anything could be said by the hateful old man, Clopin sprang into action, grinning ear-to-ear in an attempt to keep the festive atmosphere alive as he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, don't panic. We asked for the ugliest face in Paris and here he is! Quasimodo, the hunchback of Notre Dame!"
🎵Clopin: "E-very-bo-dy!"
The moment the words left his lips, the crowd's tune immediately changed. They all began to grin, agreeing with the gypsy. He placed the crown of the king of fools on Quasimodo's head while the crowd hurried over to the stage, dumping the old king out of his throne and replacing him with Quasimodo.
🎵Crowd: "Once a year, we throw a party here in town!"
🎵Clopin: "Hail to the king!"
🎵Crowd: "Once a year, we turn all Paris upside down!"
The poor boy was very confused at first, having not really expected such a warm treatment but was soon smiling and getting in on it all. Even his sister noticed the change in his mood, smiling as she stood to cheer him on, much to their master's disgust.
🎵Clopin: "Oh, what a king!"
🎵Crowd: "Once a year the ugliest will wear a crown!"
🎵Clopin: "Girls, give a kiss!"
Quasimodo passed by a tower that held two girls dressed as princesses and they each gave him a kiss on his cheek.
🎵Crowd: "Once a year on Topsy-Turvy day!"
🎵Clopin: "We've never had a king like this!"
Quasimodo looked over to Frollo's booth, growing slightly concerned when he saw his sister right next to their enraged master. But his worry was quick to subside when he saw (Y/N) grinning and cheering him on, supporting him at his highest moment and he felt his heart flutter at the gesture. He sent her a shy wave and she waved back enthusiastically.
🎵Clopin: "And it's the day we do the things that we deplore! On the other three-hundred-and-sixty-four!"
Quasimodo was carried all the way to a second stage, where he was placed down and Clopin wrapped a royal-like cloak around him. He also handed him a sceptre, fitted with a little jester head at the end. Quasimodo was so overjoyed he began to cry, looking around at the cheering and dancing crowd while they smiled back up at him.
🎵Clopin: "Once a year we love to drop in, where the beer is never stoppin', for the chance to pop some popinjay, and pick a king who'll put the top in Topsy...Turvy...day!"
🎵All: "Topsy-Turvy! Mad and crazy, Upsy-Daisy, Topsy-Turvy day!"
Everyone was cheering and chanting Quasimodo's name while he gazed out all around him, feeling happier than ever. Frollo growled as he gazed out all the gleeful people and festive screams that only fuelled his anger. And it only seemed to worsen as he glanced next to him to see Phoebus smiling at the display and (Y/N) was encouraging her brother louder than anyone else. Even the gargoyles were celebrating as they hooted enthusiastically and threw confetti.
However, it was soon to be ruined as two guards standing below Quasimodo's stage sneered. One smirked meanly as he tossed a tomato in his hand and looked over at his fellow guard.
"You think he's ugly now? Watch this!"
The cheering almost immediately ended, replaced with gasps as the guard threw the tomato square in Quasimodo's face. The poor hunchback touched his face, horrified by the action. (Y/N) gasped too, placing her hands over her mouth, not believing what had just happened before her eyes.
"Now that's ugly!" The guard laughed mockingly.
"Hail to the king!" The other mocked, chucking another tomato at him.
Soon a bunch of soldiers were throwing all kinds of vegetables at the poor boy. He tried to run away but he slipped on produce that was on the stage floor. Soon this turned the gasps of horror into laughs of amusement.
Quasimodo tried to escape once more but a voice from the crowd stopped him as the man called out, "Where are you going, hunchback? The fun's just beginning."
The man lassoed a rope around Quasimodo's neck, pulling him down to fall on the stage floor. Soon another rope was lassoed around his arm and the crowd was in an uproar of laughter, taking pleasure from the poor boy's pain. He tried to fight back, ripping his tunic in the process and exposing his hunch.
But it wasn't enough as a few men from the crowd hopped onto the stage and tied him down to the rotating platform. They spun him around for everyone to see and people continued to throw whatever food they could at the poor boy.
He looked around in fear and confusion, and his large eyes soon fell on his sister. Her eyes were wide in complete horror and disbelief while her mouth was gaped open, unable to say anything. Then there was Frollo, who merely looked on in complete disregard to what was happening to Quasimodo.
"Master! Master, please! Help me!" The boy begged but the man just looked away, with his nose almost proudly lifted into the air.
"Quasi!" (Y/N) cried as she attempted to run over to him but was stopped as Frollo seized her wrists once more.
He glared over at the trembling girl but his focus was shifted as Phoebus asked, "Sir, request permission to stop this cruelty."
"Yes!" (Y/N) pleaded.
"In just a moment, Captain." Frollo responded as he roughly dragged (Y/N) to his side, grabbing her chin and forcing her to watch her brother's torment. "A lesson needs to be learned here. For both of them."
The girl watched as the crowd continued their unending assault upon her brother and all she could manage were tears.
"Quasi..." She softly cried. She wasn't strong enough to escape Frollo's hold and she silently prayed for God to end her brother's suffering as that was all she could do.
As soon as she had finished her prayer, as if a miracle had been made just for her and her brother, the crowd stopped their wicked acts, gasping before falling into silence. Phoebus, Frollo and (Y/N) looked up at the stage and the girl's (E/C) eyes widened with joy as Esmeraldo slowly ascended the steps, making his way over to the trembling Quasimodo.
The gypsy man stared down at the poor boy as he slowly removed the cloth from around his waist, bending down to wipe away whatever had been thrown on Quasimodo. The hunchback slightly flinched at the gesture but Esmeraldo didn't let it deter him as he gazed sadly at the fearful boy.
"Don't be afraid." He softly stated as he wiped away the filth from Quasimodo's face. "I'm sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen."
(Y/N) took that moment to rip herself from Frollo's grip, slightly glaring at him from over her shoulder as she dashed over to her brother, pushing and shoving people out of her way. She madly and clumsily got up on stage as she threw her arms around her brother, sobbing loudly against him.
"I'm sorry, Quasi. I'm here, I'm here." She cried, trying her best to provide comfort.
Esmeraldo gazed down at the two siblings, his heart breaking at the sight. His heart was filled with sorrow from the torment that had been released upon Quasimodo. But it was also filled with rage at seeing (Y/N) cry. To him, she was an image of innocence and purity, and he wanted nothing more than to smite those that had caused her tears.
"You! Gypsy boy! Get down at once!" Frollo ordered, rage within in his tone.
Esmeraldo did not miss the shiver of fear that passed through (Y/N)'s body at the sound of the minister's voice.
"Yes, your honour. Just as soon as I free this poor creature."
"I forbid it!"
Esmeraldo glared at the man as he whipped out a dagger and cut the ropes that were holding down Quasimodo. (Y/N) looked up at him with grateful tears and a smile, as she helped to remove the rest of the ropes from her brother.
"How dare you defy me!"
"You mistreat this poor boy the same way you mistreat my people." Esmeraldo proclaimed, speaking his mind and refusing to hold back what was inside his heart. "You speak of justice, yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help."
He pointed towards the siblings, Quasimodo looking up at the man as if he were an angel while (Y/N) looked up at him in admiration.
"Silence!"
"Justice!" He yelled out, raising his fist to emphasize his claim.
Everyone gasped while Esmeraldo turned, kneeling to help up Quasimodo. (Y/N) helped to lift her brother with him, gazing over into his hypnotic green eyes and they smiled softly at one another.
"Thank you." She whispered and he merely nodded in gratitude.
Their sweet moment did not last as Frollo's ice cold glare bore down on them. He hated this gypsy more than any other. Not only had he questioned his methods but he was able to entrance (Y/N) in a way that was, in his opinion, seeping with sin.
He pointed a menacing finger at Esmeraldo as he stated, "Mark my words, gypsy. You will pay for this insolence."
Esmeraldo sent a smile his way, one filled with mockery and false sweetness, his tone holding similar characteristics as he announced, "Then it appears we've crowned the wrong fool."
He knelt down, grabbing the fallen crown of fools, raising it high in the air.
"The only fool I see is you!"
The siblings watched in awe as he threw the item right at Frollo's feet, making all around him gasp while Frollo's glare only seemed to harden.
"Captain Phoebus! Arrest him."
Phoebus motioned for his guards to move in and arrest Esmeraldo and they were quick to surround the stage.
"Now, let's see." Esmeraldo stood and thought as he counted the guards. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine... Ten of you and one of me." His face scrunched up in sadness as he pulled a handkerchief from his shirt. "What's a poor boy to do?"
He began to cry, though it was so awfully fake, before blowing his nose then disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Frollo flinched back in fear as he whispered, "Witchcraft."
"Oh, boys! Over here!"
The guards turned and saw Esmeraldo and his goat in a completely different spot, smiling up at them from a basket filled with pumpkins and masks.
"There he is!"
"Get him!"
He leapt off the stage, waving to the guards as he and his goat were carried away by the crowd. When the soldiers tried to follow in a similar manner, the crowd parted and made them fall flat on their faces.
Some other guards rushed at him but he thought fast, jumping up on a prisoner cage that hung above the ground. The cage broke off from what held it off the ground, knocking the guards down and Esmeraldo and Djali rolled away on it.
The cage caught on the cart of a man and both gypsy and goat jumped over to catch a ride on it. Meanwhile, the old prisoner that had been held in the cage shakily got up on his frail legs.
"I'm free, I'm free!" He excitedly proclaimed, only to trip and fall into a stockade, which closed and locked itself on him. "Dang it."
Meanwhile, Esmeraldo continued to evade the guards. He used a pair of trousers from one of the stilt walkers as a slingshot, sending a group of guards flying through the air. Quasimodo watched on in amazement as did (Y/N). She looked over at Esmeraldo who smirked and sent a wink her way, causing her cheeks to redden as she glanced away shyly.
He grabbed a helmet that dropped from one of the guards, spinning it on his head, before throwing it like a frisbee. It hit three guards, knocking them out, before almost colliding with Phoebus' head. He was quick enough to duck, the helmet lodging into a pillar behind him. The captain couldn't really complain though, he was impressed as well as thoroughly entertained.
And this went for (Y/N) as well as she exclaimed, "What a man!"
Two guards on horseback soon began chasing Esmeraldo and he immediately started running again. However, he never broke eye contact with the lovely lady who had captured his attention. It was almost impossible and he decided to show off a little.
He whistled to one of the stilt walkers, who grinned as he dropped the large pole in his hands. This was caught between the two guards, who stared at each other in confusion, giving Esmeraldo ample opportunity to spilt. The guards were too late to realise their mistake as they ran right into Frollo, taking down his tent and the minister as well.
Frollo angrily ripped away the tent that covered him as he wildly stood back up, glaring as Esmeraldo was hoisted up onto a stage roof, along with his goat. He gave a bow to the cheering crowd before taking a long stretch of fabric, wrapping him and Djali in it before disappearing from everyone's sight.
As soon as he did though, the sky darkened and thunder erupted, seeming to match Frollo's mood as he turned to glare hatefully at his two wards. The siblings slightly flinched back at his harsh gaze before lowering their heads in shame.
He turned away from them, focusing to address Phoebus. "Find him, Captain! I want him alive!"
"Yes, sir." He turned to relay his orders to his men. "Seal off the area, men. Find the gypsy boy and do not harm him!"
Frollo mounted his dark steed and rode over to continue his disapproving glare upon the siblings. They both hung their heads low, unable to do anything else. Frollo didn't really acknowledge it as his gaze zeroed in on the purple scarf around (Y/N)'s neck. He immediately snatched it away, not being able to stand the thought of a gypsy item on his fair (Y/N), making her stiffen at the action.
"We're sorry, Master." (Y/N) whispered, once her fear slightly lessened, though the words felt somehow foreign to her. She had said them almost constantly yet this time it did not relate to how she truly felt.
"We will never disobey you again." Quasimodo finished for them.
They moved to head back into the cathedral, (Y/N) helping her brother by placing his arm in hers, just as the rain started to pour down on the crowd. Some people flinched away as Quasimodo walked down the path and he staggered to try and get in faster, covering his face away from their disgusted gazes.
His sister hurried him inside, letting go of his arm once they entered the cathedral to stare down at her festival dress. She had been so proud of it, thinking she had looked beautiful and full of life when wearing it. Now, she didn't know how to feel, and she tightened her fists around the fabric of her skirt, just wanting it off.
Meanwhile, Quasimodo gripped onto the door, almost as if it were the only thing keeping him up. His heart was filled with pain and the tears flowed horribly down his cheeks as he slowly closed the door, to both him and his sister's freedom.