Chapter 7 – Outfoxed

Numb.

I felt so numb. Before I could protest I was hurried out, out of the room I had spent the night in, out of the palace of justice and down the streets of the city. All the while becoming further and further away from Frollo. Deafening roars from the crowds was all I could hear as my bare feet hit against the stones of the road. Clopin was to my right holding onto my arm as he guided me through the streets. We were only about two blocks away from the palace when in the corner of my eye I saw a white horse galloping towards us. I turned my head and saw a man riding atop in shining golden armor. I recognized him immediately as Phoebus. He certainly was imposing clad in all that armor atop the horse, I got a real sense of the weight as the hoof beats boomed against the street as the horse strode up to us.

"Esmeralda!" he called out to me.

Oh geeze! I thought. Here he was in all probability rescuing me and all I can think of is 'Where is Frollo? What did they do with Frollo?'

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern while getting off of his horse, the metal armor jingling as he neared me. Good grief, he was handsome. Strong jaw, golden blonde hair, muscles bulging, the epitome of a knight in shining armor. He was nice too, such a nice person, but honestly I had no interest in him. I had to be honest, he was the handsome hero, but in my mind he was boring, a plain flat character. I even found Quasimodo more appealing than him, as crazy as that sounds.

"I'm fine, thank you." I said distracted but still trying my best to be polite. Spotting any signs of Frollo or finding out what they had done with him filled my mind and distracted me terribly.

"Did anything happen to you?" Phoebus asked nervously eyeing me as if to look for damage.

By 'Did anything happen' he meant did Frollo happen to me. Oh boy DID Frollo happen to me, and it was glorious!

"Umm…" I said hesitating, starting to work up a nice blush as I remembered all the prior events. Phoebus' expression turned to panicked concern suddenly.

"Phoebus calm down, I'm fine. Everything is fine. I'm fine, you're fine, look Clopin's fine." I said leaning onto Clopin with a smile. I couldn't help it, I started being silly, especially thinking about what Phoebus' reaction might be if I told him exactly what Frollo did to me. Or what I did to Frollo.

"I am so fine." Clopin said back with a laugh while putting a hand up to his chest in a sass like fashion.

"So….Clopin? What are you going to do with Frollo?" I asked turning to the Truant King.

Clopin smiled a toothy grin and scruffed his small bit of black facial hair along his chin with a small chuckle, likely taking pride in his kidnapped prize.

"We are taking him to the Court of Miracles, there he will be put on a Gypsy trial tomorrow." He said stretching his arm out dramatically.

Wow, thoroughly derailed story! I thought.

"May I speak with Esmeralda a moment?" Phoebus interjected. I realized he had been patiently waiting to continue to talk to me. I felt a twinge of guilt, but at the same time I really wished he would leave.

"Quasimodo will be glad to hear you are well, he broke free from the cathedral and fought to free us all. He is the reason we were able to rescue you." He said looking down on me with that radiant golden blonde hair.

"That's great, where is he now?" I asked curiously.

"Um…we actually don't know, we lost him somewhere in the crowd." Phoebus sheepishly admitted.

"Maybe you should try to find him. He's a very strong guy but he could've gotten seriously hurt."

"I'm going to continue to look for him, you take care in the meantime." He said warmly. "The French guard have resigned Frollo as missing amidst the chaos for now, I am not sure if anyone will figure out what happened to him, or if there will be consequences, so keep on guard for the authorities."

Phoebus looked as if he were expecting an embrace or something from me, but I kept my body just far enough away and gave him a simple nod. Phoebus awkwardly turned and climbed back up on his white horse.

"Keep yourself safe out there." I said as the horse began to move.

Phoebus smiled back at me and saluted. With a stern flip of the leather reins Phoebus trotted off on his horse Achilles and through the crowd.

The court of miracles was somehow still there, Frollo must've been in such a rush for the trial and so busy imprisoning all the gypsies that he delayed the destruction. France it seemed had a ridiculous amount of catacombs beneath the city and the court was an oasis among the bones of the deep. It was like a shanty town, but well-kept and reasonably homey.

Just outside the many tents there was a darkened hallway with a few doors, it seemed it had been made into an impromptu stockade for the time being. In all probability the rooms were old crypts that had been cleaned out. I stood at the entrance to the darkened hallway and stared, trying to think of a way to get in to that room Frollo was being kept in. Now in my regular colorful gypsy clothes again I fingered the fringe on my skirt as I looked longingly, inner wheels of thought in turmoil. Clopin himself was outside the door talking with two other gypsy men, likely about their plans for a trial. I smiled as a devious idea popped into my head.

Heart racing, I neared the group of Gypsy men. My footsteps alerting them as I moved closer I held a hand up to them warmly.

"Hello Clopin." I said walking up to him. Clopin paused and turned his gaze at me, the two other men turned and looked also, pausing their conversation. Clopin smiled warmly at me.

"Esmeralda. What can I do for you?" He said placing a hand on his hip and leaning lazily against the rough stone walls.

"I…was wondering…can I have a quick word with you?" I asked him, eyes darting back and forth to the two extra men that accompanied him.

Clopin nodded to the other Gypsy men and they turned and slowly walked off.

"Alright then, what is it?" Clopin asked crossing his arms as he continued to lean against the stone wall in the dim hallway.

Okay let's try this directly first. I thought

"I was hoping you might let me in to see Frollo?" I asked him hopefully.

Clopin was surprised at the request.

"You want to see him?" he asked curiously, putting a hand to his chin wondering why I would want anywhere near the man who had just imprisoned me.

"A little revenge, I'm guessing?" he speculated, squinting his dark eyes at me.

"No, I would just like a word with him." I continued, trying not to fidget with my hands.

"Well…" he said in thought. "I really don't want anyone having contact with him right now, especially you my dear." He said with concern. "That man is a monster, I'm sure you know first hand."

Scenes of the night before flooded my head, he was a monster all right!

I could see that it was going to take some effort to convince Clopin to let me in.

I sauntered closer to Clopin and placed my hand against the rough stone wall next to his face, leaning closer to him. My heart raced, I had never tried something like this in my life. Esmeralda had the looks that could send any man into a stupor so I hoped this would work. My eyes looked up into his and I brought myself even closer, our heat intermingling. Clopin had a puzzled look on his face as closed the gap between us.

This was crazy! I wasn't even sure of what type of relationship Esmeralda and Clopin had.

His arms dropped to his sides and his eyebrows raised, it was as if he didn't know how to react to this unexpected attention. The gypsy king swallowed nervously his Adam's apple falling then rising in a fit of nerves. My other hand moved up and traced the purple collar on his neck playfully. Clopin emitted a weak sheepish laugh as I continued.

"Ooo…Esmeralda?" he asked, voice wavering with nervous excitement.

Now or never.

I made my move. Lifting myself upwards onto my toes I pushed my lips onto his. I heard a muffled gasp of surprise from him. Our warm lips intermingled softly and briefly and I peeled my lips away from his slowly in a tease. A shuddering breath escaped him with the chaste kiss and his eyes widened.

"Oh wow." He whispered with surprise. I looked up at Clopin, his sharp face was ablaze with redness and his brown eyes watched me with great intent.

"I can handle myself Clopin." I tried again. "Let me see the judge." I urged him gently.

"I-I- that just happened." Clopin pinched himself and winced comically. "Uhm… okay!" he said blinking.

"Alright Esmeralda…if you want to THAT badly, sure." He said laughing to himself. "But first…" he said narrowing his eyes at me.

A yelp of surprise passed my lips as Clopin wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me in closer. He whispered something unintelligible in my ear softly and pressed his lips against mine as his sharp nose pressed against my cheek.

Whoa now!

I had expected him to laugh cheekily and let me in, not this! My heart fluttered as he kissed me and I could smell the faint aroma of spiced rum on his breath and feel the tickling bristles of his ebony facial hair against my face. I wanted to pull away, but the Gypsy kings gravity was so strong I felt myself falling right into it. Before I knew it his warm wet tongue snaked its way into my mouth and brushed against mine. My breath hitched and my knees nearly gave out. This man was not a just a good kisser, he was a great kisser!

That tongue followed suit on Clopin's sharp and cunning character and did not disappoint at all. I felt feverish my face burned so red, and try as I might I couldn't contain a whimpering moan of excitement as his tongue slid against mine with no remorse. My toes curled in pleasure against the dark cold stones beneath my feet. A faint chuckle erupted from his throat, incredibly satisfied in just what he was doing to me. I had come over to try and seduce him, yet now the tables were turned on me! I really had no idea what I was getting myself into here.

It couldn't be helped, I just couldn't stop, and before I knew it my hands were tangled in his hair and we were kissing with complete abandonment. Those nimble gypsy hands worked up and down the small of my back and entangled themselves into my long hair. Warmth flooded me, my heart rattled in my ribcage, and I wanted more.

No! No! No! No! Resist!

With as much willpower as I could muster I pulled away from Clopin's kiss, his lips sliding excruciatingly slowly away from mine. I was practically out of breath, and it felt like there was a furnace burning between my legs. Shifting uncomfortably with want, I bit my lip tightly and looked up at him as I tried to catch my breath.

"Damn…" I whispered finally through panting breaths. "You are one hell of a kisser." I complimented him with a laugh.

Clopin smiled with pride, tilting his head downwards, the light glinted off of his golden hoop earring on his left ear as he did so.

"So I have been told." He said eyeing me. "You surprise me Esmeralda, pleasantly surprise."

He chuckled softly with delight, hands still gripped around my waist, fingers rubbing against the edges of my bodice lazily.

"You know, we could continue this somewhere private…" he said giving me a suggestive look and flashing a toothy grin.

I felt drunk as I looked back at him, my head swimming in a sea of feelings. I had to bite down on my tongue hard to stop myself from blurting out a 'hell yes!' I had went over to try and seduce Clopin and had become seduced myself! I had never thought him this alluring before, but damn, the man had skills. That man's tongue was so incredibly skilled I wanted to see what else the man could do. But no, I needed to remember why I was here. The want to see Frollo kept me going. I needed to see him again.

"We shouldn't Clopin." I breathed out the hardest statement I've ever had to utter.

Reaching out to Clopin's hip I brazenly snagged the key to Frollo's cell and with a quick wave I moved away and tried to open the wood door to the room containing the Judge.

Clopin chuckled as he watched me fumble clumsily with the lock. It seemed I couldn't even function properly after Clopin's attention.

"Alright my dear, go ahead and see the judge… I doubt he kisses as well as me though." He said jesting.

The keys nearly dropped from my hand as I made an incriminating face, it was a good thing I was looking down at the lock. Finally the thick old metal lock released and I pulled the rickety door open. I took one last look at Clopin, let loose a small awkward laugh and walked inside quickly and slammed the door shut.

A/N: This is meant to be a fun, comical fic so I hope you do not mind the bit of Clopin fluff. She is a Frollophile yes, but why not a little Clopin on the side? Frollo dun have to know about that.