Jewel of his Heart

Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I only own my OC and her animal companion.

It wasn't long passed sun set by the time the parade had returned to the Square. The number of citizens who had stayed behind during the parade had built a huge bonfire in the Centre, music began to play and dancing soon followed. Everyone was enjoying themselves tremendously especially Sapphira and Quasimodo who were dancing with each other a majority of the time before occasionally changing partners with Esmeralda and Pierre. During the interlude a majority of the people sat down to catch their breath, Clopin on the other hand approached the musicians to request they play a traditional gypsy song and as soon as Sapphira and Esmeralda heard it's tune they were back on their feet and danced once again whilst Pierre and Quasimodo watched from the side.

The sisters were dancing in synchronization with each other once again and soon they were joined by many of their comrades. At one point a group of men hoisted Sapphira up in their arms, tossed her up and caught her again which frightened her at first but at the same time excited her. Meanwhile Pierre and Quasimodo watched as the women they loved having the time of their lives and basked in the happiness. But that was soon broken for Quasimodo when he saw a group of men huddles together nearby and whilst he read their lips he picked up a few of the comments they were making.

"Ahh now look at those lovely women, don't you wish they were yours?" said the first man who was the biggest in the group with ragged clothes and sporting a short beard.

"You said it my friend, pity the two of them are already taken. I tell you that hunchback is one lucky sod for catching such a pretty girl like that Sapphira" said the second man who was skinny with ragged clothes and a few teeth missing.

"Yeah well too bad luck had no effect on his ugly mug" said the third man with a laugh that his friend soon joined in with. This man was skinny and wearing ragged clothes too only over his left eye he wore a patch.

"HA! Good one Antoine, you're not wrong there." Said the first man as he pat his friend on the back.

"I don't know what that girl sees in him, she is so beautiful whilst he is just mangles flesh. I tell you she deserves way better than that" said Antoine with a sneer.

"You mean like you?" scoffed the second man which then caused the first man to laugh along with him.

"I sure wouldn't mind having her in my arms, maybe even my bed" said the first man as he looked at Sapphira with a sinister grin on his face.

Quasimodo could no longer read their lips after that for their words had hit him hard. He then had a long think about what was going on between himself and Sapphira and began to see some truth in the men's word. He was an ugly mass of flesh and bones whilst Sapphira was an angel in human form and she deserved someone more worthy of her love, he then took one last look at her as she danced gracefully with her sister and reluctantly he got up and walked away towards Notre Dame. By the time he had passed the doors the song had come to an end and everyone cheered and laughed from all the fun. When Esmeralda and Sapphira made their way back to where they had left their lovers Sapphira immediately noticed Quasimodo had vanished.

"Pierre where's Quasimodo?" she asked her brother in law.

Until she asked Pierre too had no idea where Quasimodo had gone for he was too busy watching his wife as she and her sister were dancing.

"I do not know dear sister, but I'm sure he's around here somewhere" he said.

The three siblings had a look around to see if they could spot the bell ringer somewhere in the crowd but found they had no luck, Sapphira was beginning to worry for her beloved until she had a theory of where he might have disappeared to and she too made her way towards Notre Dame. Once she passed its doors she made her way up the steps towards the bell tower once again and found herself back in a familiar place. She looked towards the bed and found Quasimodo sitting there slumped over and with a depressed look on his face. With slow steps she made her way forward, he did not notice her presents until she stood before him.