[Private] The Hunchback of Notre Dame (AdAstra)

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Spoiler: show

This is a remake, any similarities to the original Disney film are intended and most characters belong to Disney and Victor Hugo

Characters -

Quasimodo - AmyMarie when interacting with Esmeralda, Phoebus and Frollo, AdAstra for interaction with Aimee
Aimee Maria (viewtopic.php?f=119&t=24743) - AmyMarie
Esmeralda - AdAstra
Frollo - AmyMarie when interacting with Phoebus and Esemeralda, AdAstra when interacting with Aimee and Quasimodo
Phoebus - AdAstra
Roseriya - AdAstra
Others - Both will play them if necessary.

The young girl shifted from where she was sat on the steps of the Palace of Justice, for the hard stone was cold. Her blue eyes watched as soldiers passed her, and she glanced up at the two watching her for a moment, wondering what on earth was going to happen to her. Aimee Maria had turned 15 a few days ago, just as she entered the area surrounding Notre Dame.

Her stomach growled for a moment, she was hungry. She was just about to buy some bread with some coins she had found in an alley when she was 'captured' by soilder. She didn't know what they wanted, but none of them had harmed her. They had just told her that the Judge at the Palace of Justice requested her presence. Aimee just went along with it, although, while she sat, knee's tucked up to her chest to keep out the cold of the morning, she had wondered why someone of such importance wanted to see her.

She was just a girl of the street, an orphan who was trying to keep alive. A breeze picked up, and her tatty, but decent blue dress made from curtain material kept out some of the cold, but it was getting old. It was all she had for now. Well, not all she had. She did have a silver necklace with a cross on that used to belong to her mother, but it was hidden in her shoe. It was better off there than out on display for others to steal it.

Aimee was surprised she still had it, after all the travelling and bad encounters she had, she was surprised she was still alive. What surprised her even more was that she was still innocent, for there were plenty of men she came across who had almost managed to...take advantage of her age and weakness. None of them were gypsies. The gypsies wouldn't do stuff like that. Aimee was thankful though, and often thanked God for her luck.

She looked at one of the soldiers guarding her again, none of them seemed like they would be friendly, even so, she decided to say something. She had been waiting for a while, and she was sure the cold wouldn't be good for her. Drawing a breath, she finally said,
"Excuse me, how long will it be until the Judge turns up?". She was ignored, rolling her eyes she let her legs fall onto the next step. She didn't even know his name yet, she hoped he would introduce himself properly, and tell her why he wanted to speak to her, it could be about anything and Aimee prayed it wouldn't be bad.

[AdAstrα]

Judge Claude Frollo sighed as he hastily walked down the hallway, in a terrible mood already even though the day had just begun. He hadn't slept well for one thing, tossing and turning while all kinds of thoughts ran through his mind. Blocking them out had been impossible, and thus he had spent many hours staring desperately at the ceiling, as if it held any answers for him.

First, there was the matter of Quasimodo, who had been acting odd for several days. Normally this wouldn't bother him; it wasn't like he had ever actually cared for the little misfit, deformed and useless as he was. But he had a feeling it could escalate and turn into something uncontrollable, although to what extent he could not predict. Quasimodo was a young man now after all, and could not always be trusted to do exactly what he was told. This had to stop. He was to obey, or suffer the consequences. It wasn't difficult to understand, surely? Perhaps he just needed reminding.

And if this wasn't enough to make him worried, there was another problem. The girl. The relative he, until merely days ago, had no idea existed, and who was supposedly roaming the streets like some sort of gypsy. He had tried his best to stop the rumour but it had already spread, and therefore he had no choice but to deal with it. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly he was going to do, but talking to her would be the best place to start. He'd decide from there. It was, after all, difficult to know what a life on the street could've possibly done to a young woman. Some could be saved from their sins, but others were better off dead. Which kind she would turn out to be, he could not know, but he would find out soon. He gave the door a hard knock before opening it, glancing at the pale girl sat on the steps. "Good morning." he said unenthusiastically, "And what is your name?"

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee was just about to say something to the soldiers again when she heard a voice behind her. It was a deep, creepy voice. A well spoken one though. She saw some of the soldiers tense up as well. Wearily she stood up, and turned around. That's why she saw the Judge. He was tall, and had a harsh, strict looking face. By his appearance, and his voice, she could tell she was going to be scared by him. All she could do now was be polite, she took every ounce of confidence she had to speak clearly to him.
"Good morning sir. My name is Aimee Maria, or just Aimee to many people".

Her name came partly from her mother, Colette Maria. Her mother had told her that her grandmother had the 'Maria' in her name as well. Aimee didn't hear a lot of talk about her grandparents, or any of her mother's family for that matter. All she had told her is that they didn't accept her, and that she doubted they'd accept Aimee either.

[AdAstrα]

Frollo shuddered as he heard her name. Aimee Maria. Daughter of Colette Maria, the woman who had once been his sister. The woman who had let the entire family down, and become nothing but an outcast. He had seen her on occasions, her fair skin and golden hair standing out against the grime surrounding her on the street, and the much darker gypsies she teamed up with from time to time. Although he had never known until now that she had a child, there was no doubt whatsoever that this was her daughter. The resemblance wasn't spot on, her face had some features that he didn't quite recognise, but there was enough Colette in her to almost scare him a little. For a moment it felt like he was talking to her rather than her offspring, and he had to resist a sudden urge to grab her by the neck and drag her out into the street where she belonged. But that wasn't an option. He had to remain calm.

"Aimee." He said, showing no emotions as he eyed her from head to toe. "My name is Judge Claude Frollo. Do you know why you have been brought to me this morning?

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee watched him closely, of course she couldn't read minds or anything, but she wondered what the man was thinking. The girl knew something was up. She felt a little out of her depth. At times like this she wished her mother and father were there to speak for her, and she had her gypsie friend's to back her up. She hadn't heard off any of them who lived on the outskirts of Paris, she assumed most were dead or had fled and forgotten about her. However, her brother was someone she didn't know existed until the last hours her mother was alive. She had told her about him, and how he had disappeared one day.

Aimee constantly thought about him, and wondered if he was alive, and would come and rescue her out of this nightmare she was in. Her mother had been dead for a year now, and her father has been dead for 3. There was no way she could move on, she missed them both dearly. She lost her trail of thought when she heard the man speak again. Ah, so that was his name. Claude Frollo. It sounded somewhat familiar, very familiar. She could of sworn her mother had mentioned that name.

"No, I do not. People have been giving me strange looks in the streets though...even before these soldiers appeared. But...I think I've heard your name before. My mother mentioned it to my father once. I'm surprised I remember these things. Especially since both of them are gone now". The girl wondered whether she had said too much. She doubted nothing bad would happen. Not yet anyway.

[AdAstrα]

Frollo gazed at her for a few seconds, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in what she had just said. My mother mentioned it to my father once. Oh, did she? For some reason, knowing that he had been spoken of in their family made him feel a little better about this whole situation. If she had mentioned him, she must also have mentioned how powerful he was, and how he had made it his mission to rid the city of the vermin that inhabited it. Perhaps there had been an expression of horror etched upon on her face as she uttered his name...he could picture it. Her eyes widening in fear, just like that night many years ago now, when the door had been slammed shut and the realisation sank in that she was all alone, with no place to go...

"Let's go inside." Frollo snapped as a shiver, that had little to do with the cold morning air, ran down his spine. "We'll have to discuss this thoroughly, and this is not the place to do so." He opened the door again and glanced back at her, waiting for her to proceed into the hall.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee couldn't help but feel nervous. As she waited for a reply, her mind was full of thoughts. What exactly did he want? Did he know her mother? If so, why did her mother know someone so creepy? What could he possibly have to say to her? She bit her bottom lip out of anxiety and when she heard him speak again she almost jumped. For a moment, she hesitated to walk in. She glanced behind her at the town, and as another cold breeze passed she decided she might as well.

She walked inside, glancing up at the walls. It was quite dark place, it seemed miserable, especially for somewhere called the 'Palace of Justice'. Then again, if Judge Frollo lived there, she could see why it was miserable. She followed him, glancing up at him every so often. He was a tall man, but Aimee knew she still had some growing to do. And 5''5' or so wasn't bad for teenage girl. Her mother wasn't much taller than her, but her father was about Judge Frollo's height from what Aimee remembered.

[AdAstrα]

Frollo remained silent as he showed her the way, through the hallways and up the stairs to where he lived; a luxuriously large but rather gloomy place. He hadn't initially planned to bring her there straight away, but the girl was about to be told something that would change her life forever, and it somehow seemed a little inappropriate for that to happen elsewhere. Especially downstairs, where so many young women just like her had seen daylight for the very last time. And where there was also a risk of them being overheard, which he most certainly did not want. Although nearly everyone probably knew by now, there was still a chance that some people had not yet heard, and he intended for it to stay that way. First the hunchback, and now this? He'd earn himself a reputation of trying to start up his own orphanage before long...

"Sit down." he finally said after what felt like hours even to him, and probably like an eternity to her. It was difficult to tell what she might be thinking, although at this very moment she mainly looked awed. When she hesitated, he pointed to a chair right by the fireplace, indicating that she was to sit down immediately. "I have had you brought to me, Aimee, because I want to tell you something. Something very important."

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee hadn't actually been in a proper building for years, and this one was impressive. So she was actually a little interested. They entered his living quarters, and the fire brought little comfort to her. The warmth of the room was less harsh then the rest of the building. When he told her to sit, she did so, and for good reason. His next words gave her both curiosity and anxiousness. In her head she was trying to figure out what he was going to tell her, all the possibilities. It didn't work. Her breath quickened and she awaited what he had to say.

[AdAstrα]

Frollo took a deep breath before he continued, suddenly a little...apprehensive. He could not predict how she might react to this after all. It wouldn't matter, because she would have nothing to say about it regardless. She should be lucky that the orders had been to bring her here alive, when he could easily have just had her hanged or burnt at the stake. And there was no way she could stay on the streets without ending up like her mother....dead. Buried. Decomposed and turned to dust. She was well on her way there already, for although she appeared relatively healthy her eyes had an eerie, almost hollow look about them. To his trained eye, it was fairly obvious that she hadn't eaten properly in a while.

"Your mother mentioned me..." he began, his heart almost pounding now. Annoyed at himself, he bit his lip, and when he continued he automatically raised his voice, "Because I'm related to her. She was my sister."