Justice is Swift But Vengeance is Sweeter (A Judge Frollo Fanfiction)

"Nobody Deserve's to Die Like This"

Healia smiled gently, listening to the soft sounds of the river beside them and their matched steps on the road. It was soothing in a way, angelic and comforting. Nikolas felt his breath catch eagerly as she lay her head against his shoulder, arms linked. He chuckled.

"Tired cherie?" She giggled softly at the nickname and whispered in his ear,

"No, just blissful." Nikolas faked a pout and sighed.

"Aw, I wanted to carry you back." Healia gave a gasp and shoved him, causing him to laugh aloud at her bashfulness. He stumbled and almost fell into the water before catching his footing, turning to her and giving her a face. She made a face in reply and both of them cracked a smile before going back to their walk. The night was fresh and cool, neither cold or hot, just, perfect. Nikolas wondered if he'd died and was in heaven because this was too perfect to be real. Healia was teasing with him and she might even love him, this had to be a dream. But if it is, I don't ever want to wake up he thought to himself, listening to her talk about how Clopin would let Esmeralda ride on her shoulders while Healia walked, gripping his hand as her little eyes wandered about. Suddenly her words died and he glanced at her, finding an expression of concern on her face. What did she have to be concerned about right now? Healia spoke softly, still staring into the distance.

"Why is there smoke?" He turned his gaze to where she was staring and found she was right, there was smoke, thick and black. Something was burning. Healia broke into a run and a stunned Nikolas snapped into action, running after her but unable to be disinterested. Once at the origination of the smoke they stood, open mouthed, gawking at the burning house before them. Nikolas dumbfounded, what had happened? Who'd burned his house down?! Was this a murder attempt? He began to panic, was someone on to him? Were they going to try and catch him and kill him? This wasn't good; he was in deep trouble if this was a murder attempt. However Healia gasped, looking to the side of the house, finding something that made Nikolas' blood go cold. Frollo's stallion bucked and whined beside the blazing inferno. Healia began to go to the house, knowing that the front door would be the only way in and they were near the back. Nikolas hastily grabbed her arm, holding her still.

"Healia no! What are you going to do!" He cried. Healia tugged him towards the house.

"Frollo's in there, he'd never leave his horse alone and he's without any arms or we would have seen guards. He needs help!" She retorted. Nikolas didn't lessen his grip, staring at her intensely.

"He's not your problem or mine Healia, he's a horrid man, you said it yourself! Besides, that house looks like Inferno burst out of the ground, you're going to get hurt!" He snapped. Healia paused and turned to him, gaze just as intense.

"Nobody deserves to die like this Nikolas, not even him. Now are you going to help me or not?" She said edgily. They never broke each other's gaze, brown meeting gold. Finally he broke down and gave her a weak nod, making a look of relief come to her face. Wrapping her arms around him he heard her whisper gently. "Thank you Nikolas" He hugged her tightly, praying nothing would happen to her or him before she broke away, staring at the house. "Okay, we need to go to the front door and maybe we can get in." Nikolas shook his head, calculating in his mind.

"No, that will take too much time, we need to go through the back door, it will be easier to break down and make our job easier." He said swiftly, freezing as Healia stared at him strangely. He glanced at the ground. "What?" Nikolas asked quickly, feeling sweat begin to collect on his forehead. Healia raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know that?" She inquired; suspicion in her voice. Oh no, if he didn't squirm his way out of this one he'd be in for it. He already had someone after him. Giving a shrug he replied swiftly.

"A lot of homes in Greece look like this and work the same way." Nikolas lied. Healia gave a slow nod, still looking at him oddly before she took his arm, leading him closer to the house. And to her surprise he was right, there was a back door and it thankfully hadn't been fully consumed by fire. Healia gestured to the door and Nikolas braced himself, using his thinly clothed foot to kick the door. Thankfully for him, the wood was frail and broke easily, letting them both jump into the mess. The floor was burning now, the roof incredibly frail as flames devoured anything that held up the building. If they weren't careful they could just bring down the entire thing. Smoke hung thickly like fog in the air, anything dry enough being burned, books and furniture included. They coughed, going deeper into the room, Nikolas shouting over the roar of the flames. "You check here and I'll check upstairs alight?" Healia shook her head, eyes watering.

"No, it's too dangerous, let's check the first floor first; the second is a last resort." He nodded; not very sure he would have wanted to go up there in the first place. They began to search the kitchen area, Nikolas staring bitterly at all the beautiful furniture and books that would be turned to ash, money down the drain. Covering their noses and mouths they coughed as it grew harder to see, Healia struggling into the parlor. That's when she screamed, "Nikolas! I've found him!" He barely heard her over the roaring fire and threw squinted eyes found her squatting beside a body, no one other than Judge Frollo. Nikolas smirked in his mind but noticed the beam on his body, crushing him. Healia grasped the edges and cried out as it burned her hands, the metal parts hot to the touch while the wood gave her splinters. Knowing he had to help her Nikolas decided that if Healia wanted to save this disgusting creature, then he would help her, for Healia, not Frollo. Bracing himself he began to lift the beam with her, muscles straining and burning as they cried for clean air. But all they received was dirty smoke. The heat was getting worse, he felt his skin practically peeling off, Healia was probably no better and they were doused in sweat, panting heavily. Finally they managed with a final heave to lift the beam, heaving it off him. Healia grasped his arm and Nikolas grudgingly took the other, both carrying the Judge.

"You owe me big time Judge." He hissed between coughs as if Frollo could hear him. They began to lug him out of the house before stopping, finding he wouldn't move. Healia glanced down, discovering his robe caught on the edge of the fireplace. With a snarl of frustration she yanked out her knife and cut the fabric, finally freeing him. As she finally sawed off the trapped fabric they heard the roof groan and moan like an old man and with a fearful glance they knew there wasn't much time. Rushing and stumbling out the just managed to get both of them and the Judge out, right as the roof collapsed, dumping fiery chunks of wood everywhere. Healia and Nikolas were panting, gulping in the fresh air greedily and hacking violent, trying to get out the taste of burnt wood from their mouths. Healia suddenly grinned at Nikolas and he smiled back.

"We did it." She panted, giving a giggle. Nikolas laughed, scooping her up and spinning her around. However a twitch from the Judge broke their joyous escape dance from death. Healia pressed her head to his chest and after a long moment sighed in relief. "He's alive, just unconscious. We have to get him somewhere safe. Help me carry him." Nikolas gave Frollo a look of distaste.

"Where?" She hefted Frollo up, trying to carry him.

"There's a safe place I can tend to him, he's burned and needs help, please Nikolas, help me." She pleaded, giving him a pitiful look. He narrowed his eyes, angry at the way she was acting about him.

"Why? Why bother helping him? He's only going to get better and hurt you more! Don't you see? It won't do you any good, it will only make your life worse, trust me Healia, we should leave him and run, he isn't your problem." Nikolas snapped, staring furiously at Frollo's unconscious body. Healia gave him a sad look.

"Nikolas, he may be our enemy and he may despise us and we him but that doesn't mean we should let him die, besides, Paris will be in uproar if the Prime Minister died, and who knows, if we let him die the king might send an army after the gypsies since it looks like we killed him. I will not beg Nikolas, but if you will give me your help, I will gladly take it." Nikolas covered his face, groaning aloud. That voice, that honeyed, innocent, pleading voice always got to him, good lord he couldn't refuse her a thing! Then again if she was going somewhere secret and safe it would be the best place to hide, he probably would get in big trouble going to the gypsies since they probably set this all up, he honestly had no choice left, especially with his safe house burning. Taking one of Frollo's arms he heaved his weight up and with an encouraging nod from Healia they began to drag the Judge to safety, never noticing that Clopin was on the other side, watching the house burn with tears glistening in his dark eyes, deep down knowing he'd done the right thing.