Mannon made her way back into the curtained off changing space, her hands full of coins. Odette rushed at her, beaming. "Mannon you were spectacular." She hugged her sister.

"Not bad for my first public appearance huh?" Mannon said with a grin. She took a small velvet pouch from her sister and poured the coins into it. "That was so exciting" said Mannon, elated. "I have never felt that wonderful in my life."

"I feel I've judged you too quickly Mannon" declared Clopin, as he boisterously barged into the tent. He stood in front of her, looking down at her. All five foot five of her.

She looked up at him. All six feet of him. "How did you previously judge me?" she asked indignantly. She arched an eyebrow at Clopin. Although handsome, he also appeared quite smug, even behind the magenta mask he currently sported.

"Well I didn't know you did more in that dress than look pretty. You can move in it too." He grinned, Mannon laughed. She couldn't help it. Whenever someone flirted with her (even if they did not mean a word of it) she giggled. "You dance very well."

"Thank you Clopin" Mannon managed to say as she felt her cheeks burn with flattery. "I owe it all to Esmerelda. She taught me."

"So I've heard. She's a fine teacher then. You were lovely mon cherie, as you always are" Clopin said to Esmerelda giving her shoulder a generous squeeze. "I only hope you will dance as well at the Feast of Fools come January."

Odette sighed. "Clopin that is months away. You needn't worry, I'm sure Esmerelda will be prepared by then." She looked at Mannon and frowned. "I've brought you your normal clothes" she said holding out layers upon layers of white cloth. Mannon rolled her eyes.

"You said I could wear this for the day" she said, gently stepping away from her sister. She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips at her sister in a very unflattering fashion.

"Awh, let the girl wear her dress. After all this is a celebration" Clopin said playfully. He took the white skirt and blouse and tucked it away into the satchel it came from and handed it back to Odette.

Odette's face grew a pained expression, but took the bag from him. "Clopin, your appetites will be the death of us."

Clopin grinned, did an about face and exited the tent. Esmerelda began to change and Odette counted coins. Mannon felt it would be alright if she slipped out for a moment.

The crowd was very exciting as they jostled about the square. Mannon saw the Judge, Frollo, sitting in his box looking miserable. She edged nearer to him, standing to the left of his platform seat. He looked disgusted, and impatient. Had he not had an ounce of fun today? She examined his pallid sallow face and frowned. She had never seen a sadder soul than he. Although a man of the cloth, could he not also enjoy himself?

Suddenly he whipped around and his cold eyes met her own. He appeared infuriated. "You" he shouted at her. "Gypsy girl. What in god's name are you looking at? You'll find no coins to steal here. Captain Phoebus, have this tart removed" he shouted pointing a long gaunt finger at her.

A tall blond man on a horse rode over to her, a grimace on his face. Mannon froze in shock. Then Esmerelda stepped out in front of her, he arms stretched out on their respective sides. Mannon's breath shuttered as Esmerelda stood solid, glaring up at the Captain.

"Keep away from her" Esmerelda declared. The captain looked back at the Judge who said nothing, but only glared.

"Alright, alright. Just... keep away from the Judge's seat. Ok?" Esmerelda nodded. They held each other's gaze for a moment more until Phoebus shifted his towards Mannon. "Ok?" he pressed, raising his eyebrows.

Mannon placed her hands on her hips, her confidence anew. She raised her eyebrows at Esmerelda, recognizing the exchange of glances between the Captain and her. Esmerelda looked daggers back at her. Mannon forced an obviously fake toothy smile at the Captain and batted her eyelashes in an overstated manner. "We shall be gone Captain" she mocked, her voice an octave deeper than usual in attempts to appear as a dramatic persona. Esmerelda struck her palm to her own forehead and allowed her hand to slide down her face in exasperation. The Captain frowned, and rode away.

Esmerelda grabbed Mannon by the wrist and took her back to the tent. "How can you even think it's ok to pull something like that?"

Mannon rolled her eyes and sighed. "I knew he was going to let us go after you stepped in" she began.

"That doesn't make it ok!" Esmerelda interrupted. "Next time I'll just let you fend for yourself." She dropped Mannon's wrist and walked away, leaving Mannon alone. Her hands returned to her hips as she sighed.

"Why the long face young one?" Mannon heard a voice behind her. She turned around and was met face to face with the masked Clopin. He hung upside down on a beam suspended between two wagons. He hung there so comfortably it was as if he lived his entire life upside down.

Mannon smiled at the Gypsy King, but turned away with crossed arms. "I have upset Esmerelda. It's my own fault too, if I hadn't been so childish." She frowned "but thats all I really am isn't it. A ridiculous child."

"Oh come now, end this self pity parade!" Clopin said as he swung himself onto the top of the beam. He then did a forward flip and landed in front of Mannon, facing her. "It wasn't a ridiculous child I saw dancing on that stage today. I saw a true woman."

"You flatter me Clopin" she said shrugging off his compliment.

"Would you prefer me to disparage you?" he asked with a laugh. Still seemingly unconvinced, he tried again. "I mean it, you are, in all truths, a woman."

Mannon turned to the sovereign jester and gave him a puzzled, hopeful look. "Well, I suppose a bustier can make any girl appear a woman" she joked. They both laughed and she smiled sweetly up at him. "Thank you Clopin."

"It is not a problem cherie" he said gently placing a hand on her back. Mannon felt the heat rising in her cheeks again at his touch. "I believe it is time to begin to pack up the caravan. Shall we?" he said offering her his arm. Mannon smiled and took it. Continuing his welcome playful gesture.

Together they helped the others gather up their boxes and trinkets, and sided in the deconstruction of the stage they had erected in the square. He told her stories of festivals back when he was a teen. Festival back in a time when Gypsies weren't totally despised, especially by Claude Frollo.

However, the square was still busy with sloshed lushes, loose women abound with willing men nuzzled against their ample bosoms. Street performers still decorated the corners, attracting the attention of the lingering crowd. A few men on stilts waltzed by, their vibrant attire losing none of it's childlike appeal.

As night fell the plaza finally began to clear out. For Mannon the hours of clean up had flown for she had been entertained by Clopin all the while. He loaded the final crate onto his cart and heaved a tired sigh.

"Well, that was quite the day" he said with a small, simple smile. "Well, are you riding with me tonight?" he asked hopping up on his cart and offering her his gloved hand. Mannon willingly reached out to take it when Odette's voice interrupted her action.

"Not this evening Clopin. Mannon will be riding with her sister" Odette said standing behind her sister, placing her hands on Mannon's shoulders.

Clopin shrugged, unaffected. "I won't protest. Your family bond it strong, and I would not attempt to come between it for a thousand guilders. Good night to you both." Clopin flicked the reigns gently and the horse that pulled his cart began to walk. It was a mild, lazy pace. An appropriate pace for an evening of that nature. An evening that followed a day of such energy.

"Now, would you like to drive the cart tonight or shall I?" asked Odette turning to her sister. Mannon failed to respond, her mind to taxed with the events of the day. For she was certain it has been one of the best in her life so far.

Odette frowned. "You've had a long day, it's better if you rest. I'll drive the cart." Odette took a seat at the head of their wagon as Mannon clambered into the back of it, where she joined Esmerelda's goat Djali. At the sight of Mannon he bleated loudly at her.

"So you're mad at me too huh?" she asked the goat sleepily.

"Mannon, she's never liked you in the first place" Odette said from the front of the cart with a slight chuckle.

"Ha, ha" Mannon said as she allowed herself to stretch out as best she could in the back of the wagon. "So it would have been totally impossible for me to return to the court with Clopin tonight?"

"Would you have preferred to have gone with him?" Odette asked inquisitively.

"Anything to escape your terrible humor, sister" Mannon joked. Odette let out a slight laugh.

"Ah, you jest. It's best not to joke when you're this tired, they're never that good." The two went on in silence for a few moments, until Odette's mind got the better of her. "Besides, you and Clopin reside in the same court, perform your craft in the same city. You're bound to run into him again at some point."

Mannon said nothing but let the gently clopping of horses hooves be her staccato lullaby.