The Hunchback's Sister

Prologue

The young gypsy girl; Bella, sat alongside her mother Francine, her father Luka, and her uncle Fredrick, in a small boat driven by a strange man, she had never met before.
She didn't really understand why, but her parents had told her not to make a sound, as they travelled across the river, in the dead of night.
Unfortunately, her baby brother couldn't be told what to do, and he had begun to cry.
"Shut it up will you" snapped Fredrick.
Bella flinched at his tone, and clung on tighter to her mother.
"He's right. You need to keep him quiet, or we'll be spotted" hissed Luka, who sat behind Bella.
"Hush little one" whispered Francine, as soothingly as she could.

Bella's little brother was only a few days old, separating the siblings by 4 years. He had been crying almost non stop, since his birth, due to his deformities, which seemed to cause him some pain and discomfort.
His physical form had shocked all those that Bella's family had been travelling with, so her family had been forced to leave their home, in search of a better life.
When Bella saw land approaching in front of them, she sighed happily, as she was not a big fan of being in that boat.
Once the boat reached the land, Luka jumped out, before turning back around and lifting Bella out, placing her firmly on the ground. He then began to help Francine out, as Fredrick opened his bag, and prepared to pay the boatman, for his troubles.

Bella was watching the exchange take place, when an arrow suddenly shot out of nowhere, causing her to scream.
She lept behind her mother, as her father stood protectively in front of them all.
Dozens on soldiers descended on them, raising spears and swords, stopping them from going anywhere.
Bella peered around her mother, and stared up at the man on the large black horse, in the middle of all the soldiers.
"Judge Claude Frollo" muttered Luka, as he looked up at the man on the horse.
"Take these gypsy vermin, to the Palace of Justice" spat the rider, named Frollo.
The soldiers began to chain up Luka and Fredrick, before turning on Bella and Francine.
"You, what have you got there?" Questioned one of the soldiers, pointing to the bundle of cloths, that Francine was tightly holding to her chest, with Bella's little brother inside.

"Stolen goods no doubt. Take them from her!" Ordered Frollo.
Thinking on the spur of the moment, Francine grabbed hold of Bella's hand, and ran in the opposite direction to the soldiers, pulling her daughter with her.
Bella's little legs struggled to keep up with her mother, but adrenaline and fear kept her going.
Frollo rode after them, but struggled to keep up through the narrow streets, that weren't made to fit such a large horse.
When Francine saw the Notre Dame cathedral appearing in front of her, she began to pull her daughter towards it, praying that they would all be safe inside.

Once they reached the huge building, Francine let go of Bella's hand, and began pounding on the cathedral door.
"Sanctuary! Please, give us sanctuary!" she begged.
Francine looked over her shoulder and saw Frollo getting closer.
Not having time to grab her daughters hand, she began to run back down the stone steps, holding her baby boy tightly in her arms.
Bella screamed as the huge black horse ran in front of her, blocking her vision of her mother.
When the horse eventually moved to the side, its rider Frollo held her brother in his arms, while her mother lay, unmoving on the floor.

As the horse trotted away, towards the nearby well, Bella walked slowly towards the body of her mother. She then dropped to her knees, taking hold of her mother's hand once again, holding it tight to her body.
Bella couldn't understand why her mother was not moving, and why a large amount of red liquid was now pouring from her head.
Her thoughts were suddenly interupted by a shout from behind her. She spun around, and saw an elderly Archdeacan, standing behind her.
But the old man was not looking back at her, as he was glaring at Frollo, who was standing across the courtyard from them.
Rather begrudgingly, Frollo forced his horse to trot towards the old man, with one hand, while his other held onto Bella's brother.

"This is an unholy demon, and I'm sending it back to hell, where it belongs" spat Frollo.
The Archdeacan turned away from Frollo, and knelt beside Bella and her mother.
"See here the innocent blood you have spilled, on the steps at Notre Dame" he said.
"I am guiltless, she ran, I persued" muttered Frollo, shrugging.
"Now you would add that child's blood to your guilt, after leaving this girl motherless, at the steps of Notre Dame-
"My conscience is clear-"
"You can lie to yourself and your minions, you can claim that you haven't a qualm. But you never can run from, nor hide what you've done, from the eyes, the eyes of Notre Dame".

The Archdeacan bent down and picked up Francine, as Frollo looked nervously up at the cathedral.
"What must I do?" He asked quietly.
"Care for these children. Raise them as your own" answered the Archdeacan.
"What! I'm to be saddled with that gypsy girl, and this thing... Very well. But let them live here with you, in your church"
"Live here, where?"
"Anywhere. Just so they're kept locked away, where no one else can see. The bell tower perhaps. And who knows, our Lord works in mysterious ways. Maybe this foul creature, may yet prove one day to be, of use to me".
Frollo dismounted his horse carefully, and approached Bella.
"What is your name child?" He asked.
"Bella" she whispered back.

"Well, Bella. It looks like you and I, are going to be spending a lot of time together" said Frollo, through gritted teeth.
The Archdeacan lowered his head, before taking Francine's body inside the cathedral, leaving Bella and her brother, alone with Frollo.
"Does this creature have a name?" Questioned Frollo, raising Bella's brother into the air.
Bella shook her head.
"He has no name yet".
"Hmm... Then I guess it is up to me... How about... Quasimodo?" suggested Frollo, with a cruel smile on his face.
"Yes. Quasimodo. That is the perfect name" he continued.
Frollo took hold of Bella's hand, and began to pull her towards Notre Dame.
"Welcome, Bella, to your new home... The Notre Dame cathedral" he announced proudly.