Burning Hearts (Esmeralda x fem!Reader)

Chapter 16: My Father's Daughter

January 12, 1482 Paris, France

Y/N's POV:
I smiled softly as I walked hand in hand with Esmeralda through the town square. She said she had another surprise for me. "Will you at least tell me where we're going?" I asked. She shook her head, smiling brightly. "Nope! I told you, it's a surprise," she teased. I groaned as she pulled me along behind her. "You'll like it, I promise," she exclaimed, giggling. I stopped suddenly as we passed the cathedral. There it stood, the pyre. Halfway burnt, yet still smoldering. Esmeralda frowned a bit, holding me close. "Esmeralda, can we just go home? I'm not feeling the best," I whispered. She sighed and nodded slowly. "Okay, love. I guess the surprise can wait a little while longer," she whispered. "I'm sorry," I said before approaching the smoldering pyre. "It's okay, y/n," she said, kissing my cheek softly. I shook my head. "No, it's not. It's my fault," I muttered. "What is?" she asked, placing her hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "My father's death," I whispered. She sighed softly. "Y/N, please. You can't let this affect you. We both know he never truly loved you," she urged. I sighed. I knew she was trying to make me feel better. But for some reason, her words hurt. "That hurts love," I muttered, before climbing up on the platform. "Maybe you should just go." Esmeralda sighed, taking my hands gently. "Then we can go. I don't want to see you hurting," she whispered. I smiled softly. "Are you sure? I don't want to upset you," I admitted. She offered me a reassuring nod. "The surprise can wait," she said. I smiled softly. "Thank you, love," I whispered. "We'll go home and work through your guilt, and come back once they've taken this down," she said, gesturing to the pyre I now stood on. I hugged her close. Esmeralda took my hand as we walked back to the Court of Miracles. I squeezed her hand lightly. As soon as we reached the Court, I wasted no time in running to our tent in tears.

Esmeralda's POV:
I sighed softly. "Hey, what's wrong? Why is y/n crying?" Clopin asked. I sighed. "Y/N and I passed the pyre on the way to our surprise location," I said. He nodded. "But I thought everything was okay now, what happened?" I sighed. "She still feels guilty about her father's death," I explained. He nodded. "Should one of us go talk to her?" he asked. I shook my head. "Let's give her a few moments alone," I whispered. Clopin nodded. "Yeah, you're right. That'd probably be best," he said. I sighed and sat near the gallows. Clopin sighed softly. "I feel so guilty. I don't know how to help her," I cried. Clopin hugged me gently. "Shh. It's going to be okay Esme," he whispered. I shook my head. "He might not have meant much to us, but his death has left y/n broken hearted!" He smiled softly. "I know, I know. But keep in mind that he was her father," he said. "A horrible one," I muttered. "Maybe, but she still loved him. She feels guilty. She feels like she should have died instead of him," he explained. I shook my head. "But she didn't deserve that fate," I said. He sighed, frowning a bit. "He made her feel like she did." "Because he was an awful person," I said. "Frollo was a very religious man. He didn't have the same views as we do. He tried to raise y/n in a way he saw fit." I sighed. "We'll just have to patient with her," he said. I nodded. But just the thought of my precious y/n, she was heartbroken, and there was nothing I could do to help her. I felt so useless.