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

Web of Lies and Passion

  Healia lay down on the warm grass, sighing gently as she stared up at the sky, enjoying the quiet tranquility. She loved Clopin and Esmeralda and all the gypsies dearly but sometimes she just wanted somewhere quiet. However her peace was interrupted by a grinning face leaning over hers.

"Hello Healia." She shrieked and made a move to punch him in the nose but he hastily caught her wrist an inch from his face. Giving her a smirk he let her go. Sitting up she glared at him.

"Nikolas, don't scare me like that! I almost turned your nose into a bloody mess!" He chuckled and pushed a lock of dark hair out of her eyes.

"Good thing I have sharp reflexes." Healia rolled her eyes and smirked back at him, leaning forward so they were nose to nose. Nikolas couldn't help but gasp faintly. She'd never come this close. But he liked it. She just laughed and he felt the urge to lean forward to her lips that hovered only half an inch from his own. The thought itself made his lips tingle with anticipation. However her eyes, golden and trusting brought him back to cold reality. He'd only been here two weeks and already he'd told Frollo a few major things about the Court of Miracles. And he went to sleep with a guilty conscience. Frollo could attack any day and then his cover would be revealed to the gypsies who called him family and brother. And Healia, she would no doubt hate him for what he'd done. Which meant if he wanted to survive his guilt, he couldn't fall any farther for her, he couldn't be her lover or even a close friend, because it would only make the guilt burn worse. From a candle to a bonfire. He leaned back and looked away from her, sighing heavily. Healia felt the smile slip from her lips and she moved closer to him, at least taking his hand in hers to show some sort of affection. He took a deep breath and glanced at her. There was one way to clear his heavy conscious. "I...I came out here for a reason Healia. I needed to tell you something important, something dire." Healia nodded earnestly.

"Tell me Nikolas." He opened his mouth, this was it, he was going to blow his cover and beg forgiveness from her and the gypsies. Maybe they would take pity on him, maybe they would flee and Frollo would arrive to nothing and be fooled. However he knew it was all fantasy. Nikolas felt the words of truth lodge in his throat, unable to be expelled. Helplessly he gripped her hand tightly as if in pain, before letting nothing but air slide from his mouth. He looked at the ground, angry and disappointed at himself. He was weak, too weak to tell her the truth. It disgusted him, the man he'd become, he never should have come to this accursed city. Then again, he never would have met Healia. So there were pros and cons to coming here. But the cons were heavy and deadly. Were they worth it? Getting killed or staying alive knowing Healia hated him? He just wasn't sure anymore, they'd grown too close over the past weeks, too affectionate. They would spend long hours talking about Greece and sometimes she sat beside him, her head against his chest. Yes they'd never kissed but even this was over the strict line he'd placed for himself. Healia touched his hair, smiling gently at his face. "Is it a difficult topic? You seem to have trouble talking about it. Is it very dire Nikolas?" Suddenly lies tainted the truth, leaving his mouth with ease.

"No, it is just a difficult topic to talk about, that's all. I was overreacting." She gave a small nod and he shut his eyes tightly, silently calling himself every bad name under the sun. Why couldn't he just tell her the truth?! Healia lay down and smiled at him.

"Esmeralda's been on your back for some time, she says she doesn't trust you like me because she's noticed you slipping out before. Care to tell me why you are out and about?" She inquired playfully. Nikolas straightened his green vest and stared up at the sky just like her.

"I just get stuffy in the Court of Miracles that's all. Besides, I love how quiet Paris is in the night." He lied. Healia grinned at him.

"I'll tell her I was right, I doubted you were up to something. Why would you go against the people who took you in?" Nikolas only felt guiltier at the question, good lord she was good at mounting it high upon his back. A good question indeed; why go against the people who called you family? Then words flew too quickly for him to control.

"I've heard a few things about a man named Judge Frollo; I don't think he's as bad as we all think." They were dead quiet, Nikolas just realizing what he'd just said as it was processed by Healia. She suddenly sat up.

"Well then you haven't heard a lot about him. He almost killed me when I was first here, he's chased Esmeralda and I multiple times and not too long ago killed three women, one of them a close companion of mine. He's a liar and a hypocrite and a lot of other bad things. He's bad, but he has been exaggerated many times, being called the devil himself even. I hate him for what he's done, not for who he is, because who really know who he is? Maybe beneath that horrid Judge is a man driven by a raw emotion to crazed actions. At times I can sympathize with him but I dare not trust him. Who's told you about Frollo?" Nikolas felt his throat tighten, he'd barely learned the names of the gypsies, he couldn't just say Clopin or she might as him herself.

"Just heard rumors about the fire. Tales and such." Healia shook her head.

"I wouldn't trust him; he's hurt a lot of people and if he could, would hurt a lot more. Don't trust him, no matter what you hear about him, from me or from anybody else, alright?" Nikolas went quiet, maybe she was right, maybe he should take her advice. And no longer trust Frollo. But what would he do to him if he stopped bringing in reports? He'd already given a dangerous amount of information. However he felt a gentle, quick sensation on his cheek and he turned to her in shock, finding she'd...kissed his cheek? Healia pulled back, cheeks red. "I...just wanted to try, at least on your cheek. It's just I..." That's as far as she got before he leaned to kiss her, capturing her mouth in a kiss. She gasped faintly but melted into the kiss, honeyed and almost, romantic. Nikolas felt his mouth burn but he liked it, no, he loved it, the sweet taste of her mouth and her soft lips against his. He felt her touch his cheek as they gently pulled away, her eyes full of surprise. Their mouths lingered close, the tender exchange leaving them breathless. She managed to whisper, "Why?" He smiled gingerly, brushing his lips against hers once more, but the sensation was like a butterfly's wing against each other's lips.

"So you know that I care about you Healia, no matter what I do, I want you to know I care about you." He hesitated on the word 'love', instead using 'care' to express his emotions. Love was too strong a word to admit, he had to keep control on the outside, even if in his heart he loved her more than life. Healia nodded and laid her head against his shoulder,

"I care about you too Nikolas, I really do." Those few words made his heart swell and tighten at the same time, making him want to jump with delight and weep sorrowfully at her feet, begging forgiveness. But he did neither; Nikolas merely sat in silence beside her, trying to enjoy the frail web of lies he'd laid and weaved before reality would smash and tear them down to reveal the creature he'd become.