The Hunchback's Sister

Aftermath

Once the siblings had returned to the cathedral, they expected to be visited by Frollo, but he remained absent. As he was too busy, searching for the gypsy girl, Esmeralda.
Bella took her brother back to his room, where she began cleaning him up, and taking care of his wounds. Luckily they weren't too deep, and didn't require any stitches.
"Will you be O.K if I leave you now?" Bella asked softly.
"You're going back out there?" Questioned Quasimodo.
"No, not really. I will be sticking to the sewers, until I reach my destination. I won't be walking around town"
"Where are you going?"
"To see a friend. I promise I won't be long".

"What if Master comes back?" Quizzed Quasimodo nervously.
"I don't think he wants to see us right now. He's got a lot going on. So I don't think we need to worry about him dropping by" admitted Bella.
"But what if-"
"I won't be away for long. You won't even notice that I'm gone, I swear. Just try to keep out of trouble, while I'm out"
"Don't worry about me. I'm not going anywhere"
"That's good to hear... Well, I'll see you soon".
Bella bent down and kissed Quasimodo's head gently, before turning around and making her way down the bell tower.
But before she could reach the trapdoor, she bumped into another person.

"We really need to stop meeting like this".
Bella looked up, and saw Captain Phoebus standing in front of her.
"How lovely to see you again Captain" she replied.
"You too Miss Bella" he smiled back.
"What are you doing inside the cathedral?"
"I'm looking for the gypsy girl. Have you seen her?"
"No, I haven't seen anyone but you. I doubt you'll find her in here, anyway. Gypsies aren't really the religious types"
"Right... Well, I'll be on my way out... If I knew which way out was"
"It's that way".
Bella pointed to their left, and chuckled.
"Thank you Bella... It seems that once again we are going in opposite directions" Phoebus sighed.

Bella shrugged and nodded her head.
"It would seem that way".
"Well, I won't get in your way. I'm sure you've got places to be" replied Phoebus.
"Yes... Places that Frollo doesn't need to know about"
"Don't worry, your secrets are safe with me"
"Thank you... Well, goodbye Captain"
"Goodbye Bella".
Phoebus bowed his head, and Bella smiled, as her cheeks began to turn red. She then began walking away, while looking over her shoulder, to watch as Phoebus dissappeared from view.

The walk from the cathedral to the Court of Miracles, was a long one. Though the journey through the sewers, under the city, shortened the journey somewhat.
Bella had done the trip many times to visit Clopin and the other gypsies, so she could do it blindfolded, if necessary.
At first the dark, dirty sewers had scared and repulsed Bella, but over time she had become used to them. She had even grown used to the rats that also roamed there.
Once she had reached the last tunnel, Bella brushed herself down, before pushing open the door, and stepping into the gypsies secret hideaway.

The large room, was full of bright and colourful, cloths and ribbons, belonging to the gypsies. Which they had set up, to give the place a more homely feel.
Bella spotted Clopin instantly, as his costume made him stand out in the crowd, even one made of gypsies.
She made her way through the swarm of people, towards him, with an angry look on her face. As she was not happy about what he had allowed to happen during the festival.
"Bella, there you are. I was worried that something bad had happened to you" admitted Clopin, as he walked away from the people around him, and towards her.
"I, am fine. But my brother is not. I can't believe you let him get pulled up onto that stage, and humilated like that" Bella snapped.

"It was hardly my fault. I didn't pull him up there. And I've never seen him before, so I couldn't be sure it was him, until it was too late" stated Clopin.
"Well you should have done more to stop it, once the crowds had begun to throw food at him" replied Bella angrily.
"I know. And I'm sorry. But I didn't think there was much that one man could do, against all of those people"
"Well Esmeralda managed to make them all stop, simply by stepping up there. Because the people respect her"
"Yes, they do... Speaking of Esmeralda, you haven't seen her have you?"
"Why is everyone asking me if I've seen Esmeralda today?"
"Because she is still missing, and we are beginning to get worried. We know Frollo will not be happy with her, if he finds her"
"I'm pretty sure she's smart enough to stay out of his grasp".

"I hope you're right... How is your brother?" Asked Clopin cautiously.
"He'll be fine. His physical wounds were not extreme. But the way those crowds treated him, has put him off from ever wanting to go outside again... And it's all my fault" admitted Bella.
"No it's not"
"Yes it is. I convinced him to leave the cathedral. I told him that the people wouldn't treat him badly. And I was wrong.
I then failed to save him from the mob. I was a fool to think that Frollo would save him"
"It is not your fault. You did not put him up there. And you did not tie him to that wheel. You did all you could to save him"
"But it wasn't enough".

"What did Frollo say when you asked him for his help?" Clopin quizzed.
"He said that he wasn't going to interfer, until he believed that Quasi had learned his lesson" answered Bella.
"Why do you stay with that man, when he is so cruel to you both?"
"Because we've got nowhere else to go. He took us in, when our mother abandoned us. Most people would have drowned Quasi as a baby, if they'd found him. But Frollo didn't. We owe him our lives... But that doesn't mean that I have to like him"
"I understand why you stayed with him, as children. But why are you with him now? You are both adults. Why don't you leave, and be free".

"Believe me, I would like to. But I know Quasi would never leave the cathedral, it's his home. And I couldn't go without him. Besides, me and Quasi don't even have a penny to our name. We have no money, no family, and no home. If we left Frollo, we'd be on the streets, with nothing" admitted Bella.
"No you wouldn't. You could both come and live here, with us. We'd be your family" offered Clopin.
"It's a nice thought. But I don't think that Quasi would be accepted the way he is, down here, any more than he would up there"
"My people are-"
"Your people are different, it's true. But not different enough. They still care about looks and beauty, just like the peasants in the streets above us. Quasi would still be stared at, if we were to live down here. He would never be accepted, as I didn't see any of your people, leaping in to save him earlier, except for Esmeralda".

"Bella I... I'm sorry that I didn't do more" apologised Clopin.
"That's alright... But I should probably be getting back to him now. He needs me" Bella admitted.
"I understand... Just promise that you'll be careful around Frollo. You've told me how bad things can get, when he is angry with you".
Bella tensed, and rubbed her wrists, remembering the times that she had been chained up, for disobaying Frollo.
"He hasn't hurt me since I was a child. Once I became a teenager, I started standing up to him. I refused to let him walk all over me.
So don't worry, about me, I don't let him beat me any more" reassured Bella.
"That's good to hear... Goodbye Bella" replied Clopin, as he hugged Bella goodbye. She smiled and hugged him back, before turning around, and starting her long journey back to the cathedral.