Little did (Y/N) know that in that very moment, her hopes were indeed true. Esmeraldo made it back to the Court of Miracles, pulling back the curtain of the entrance, with a large grin adorning his face. A grin only suited for a man whose heart had been struck by Cupid's arrow. And it yearned for the angel of the church, (Y/N).
He couldn't help himself as he thought of her beautiful (H/C) coloured locks, her soft (S/C) skin, and her dazzling smile. Everything about her felt like a dream, a poem come to life. She was interesting, kind, determined and brave. She cared deeply and her heart was pure.
And he was truly in love with her.
"Ah, I see you finally decided to stop worrying us and come back without your neck snapped by a hangman's noose."
Esmeraldo glanced over next to him to see none other than Clopin, the puppeteer in front of the church, the man in charge of running the Feast of Fools, and Leader of the Gypsies.
Clopin stared at Esmeraldo with unimpressed eyes as Esmeraldo answered, "At least I made it back."
"From what I heard; you had been trapped within Notre Dame. How did you escape?"
The lovestruck smile reappeared on his face as he simply said, "I had a little help."
Clopin raised a brow in question, watching the young man closely as he made to leave. But, a smirk of his own crawled up the corners of his mouth and Esmeraldo had barely taken five steps away before Clopin spoke up.
"Who's the girl?"
"Excuse me?" Esmeraldo asked, turning at break-neck speeds to face the colourfully clad jester.
"Don't play dumb with me. I know that grin. It is the grin of a man deeply in love. So, I repeat, who's the girl?"
Esmeraldo chuckled, not surprised that Clopin had caught on so quickly as he stated, "The girl I danced with at the festival."
"(Y/N), the angel of Notre Dame?" Clopin asked for clarification.
"That's the one."
Clopin's face morphed into one of concern as he asked, "As in the ward of Judge Claude Frollo?"
Esmeraldo remained silent, his blood already boiling at the mention of Frollo's name. He stiffly nodded, unable to answer through his anger but Clopin's response had not been what he had expected.
"As much as I'd like to call you a complete and utter idiot for picking the most problematic girl in all of Paris, I must say that I cannot blame you for falling for her."
"What?"
"Unlike you, Es, I am not an idiot." Esmeraldo rolled his eyes while Clopin chuckled at his own joke. "I saw how you two danced on stage. You never looked so happy to have a dance partner. And, out of all the girls in Paris, she definitely has the kindest heart."
"She really is amazing, Clopin." Esmeraldo sighed out.
Clopin smiled as he patted Esmeraldo on the shoulder. "A word of advise, my friend. Love this girl with your whole heart, I will not stop you. But beware Frollo's wrath. Some spies above have told me that Frollo has not yet been pacified. In fact, his anger is still going strong. There's no telling what he will do. So, be careful, with your next actions and...with this girl."
With those ominous words, Clopin walked off. Esmeraldo stood still for a moment, thinking over Clopin's words.
He wasn't sure if he was warning him that (Y/N) might betray them to appease her master. He didn't want to believe this; in fact he couldn't believe it. She was just too kind and she had even stood up for him in the church, when she had barely known him.
Which led him to believe that Clopin was warning him on where Frollo might displace his anger if he were not to extinguish it. His hands tightened into fists at the thought of Frollo laying a single finger upon her or even her brother for that matter. He wanted nothing more than to take them away from Notre Dame, out of Frollo's clutches.
He had seen a glimpse of Frollo's depraved mind, especially towards (Y/N). He did not want to even imagine what else that man could be capable of.
...
As the bells of Notre Dame rang throughout the city and the monks chanted prayers within its walls, over at the Palace of Justice, something much more sinister was afoot. Inside, Frollo was in his bedchamber, gazing out at the church.
🎵Frollo: "Beata Maria. You know I am a righteous man. Of my virtue, I am justly proud."
🎵Chorus: "Et tibi patri."
He walked away and over to the fireplace, gazing into the flames as they danced unpredictably.
🎵Frollo: "Beata Maria. You know I'm so much purer than the common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd."
🎵Chorus: "Quia peccavi nimis."
🎵Frollo: "Then tell me, Maria, why I see her dancing there? Why her smouldering eyes still scorch my soul?"
🎵Chorus: "Cogitatione."
Frollo stared deep within the flames, holding onto himself tightly as if to try and stop himself from reaching in.
🎵Frollo: "I feel her, I see her. The sun caught in her silken hair, is blazing in me out of all control!"
🎵Chorus: "Verbo et opera."
As he looked back into the flames, his eyes widening as a fiery silhouette of (Y/N) seemingly appeared within them. She teasingly glanced at him from over her shoulder before turning fully, dancing seductively like she had done at the festival. Only this time she beckoned him to join her.
He was almost appalled as he took a step away from the fireplace.
🎵Frollo: "Like fire! Hellfire! This fire in my skin!"
He took the scarf he had snatched from (Y/N) out from his robes and began caressing it against his face. It still had a tinge of her sweet scent clinging to it and he relished in it.
🎵Frollo: "This burning desire is turning me to sin!"
As he realised what he was doing, he began wrapping the scarf tightly around his hands, a hateful look passing through his face as he dropped to his knees in prayer. As he did, hundreds of figures in blood red cloaks, hoods drawn up so they were nothing but faceless tormentors, surrounded him. He looked around confused and afraid, jumping to his feet in alarm.
🎵Frollo: "It's not my fault!"
🎵Chorus: "Mea culpa."
🎵Frollo: "I'm not to blame!"
🎵Chorus: "Mea culpa."
As Frollo denied his sinful thoughts, lying to himself and the nightmarish figures, as he frantically ran past them.
🎵Frollo: "It is the (Y/N), the witch who sent this flame!"
🎵Chorus: "Mea maxima culpa."
🎵Frollo: "It's not my fault. If in God's plan."
🎵Chorus: "Mea culpa."
🎵Frollo: "He made the devil so much stronger than a man!"
He reached back out to the fireplace, the red-hooded figures melting and swirling inside of it, passing by Frollo and over his outstretched hand. Things, at least in Frollo's mind, had gone back to normal.
🎵Frollo: "Protect me, Maria!"
Frollo looked over to see the fiery shape of (Y/N) once more, blowing him a kiss and then continued beckoning him towards her.
🎵Frollo: "Don't let this siren cast her spell! Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone!"
However, just as he was tempted to come closer, another figure appeared. It was that of Esmeraldo, smirking evilly as he forcefully grabbed (Y/N) around her waist. Her fiery image screamed out in an almost ghoulish high-pitch as her arm stretched out for Frollo to rescue her.
His face morphed into one of pure anger and hatred as he raised the scarf in the air to make his proclamation.
🎵Frollo: "Destroy Esmeraldo! And let him taste the fires of hell! So that she can be mine and mine alone!"
Esmeraldo's form seemed to burn away while a smoke cloud of (Y/N)'s figure swirled out of the fireplace, her arms wide open as she floated happily towards Frollo. He had his arms outstretched as well, ready to wrap her in his embrace when the door of his bedchambers suddenly burst open. (Y/N)'s smoky form disappeared and Frollo turned, breathing heavily as a guard greeted his gaze.
"Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped." He informed.
"What?" He practically growled.
"He's nowhere in the cathedral. He's gone."
"But how? I...never mind. Get out, you idiot!" The guard immediately followed orders as Frollo turned back to the fireplace, seething with anger as he clasped the scarf tightly in his grip. "I'll find him. I'll find him if I have to burn down all of Paris! He will not take her away from me!"
🎵Frollo: "Hellfire. Dark fire. Now, my dear it's your turn! Choose me or your pyre. Be mine or you will burn!"
In his clouded rage, he threw the scarf into the fire and it was instantly swallowed up by the flames.
🎵Frollo: "God have mercy on her. God have mercy on me."
He stepped away from the fireplace, his back hitting a wall, before he turned to face away from the scene. As he did all this, long shadows of those hooded figures appeared, seemingly encasing him in darkness.
But, with a scary determined look in his eyes, he turned back to face the fireplace, getting on his knees and raising his fists as if power radiated from them.
🎵Frollo: "But she will be mine or she will burn!"