Chapter XXII ~ Seeds of Doubt

 Act III

Unbeknownst to them all, a chill seemed to bite subtely in the air, through out the forests and windy sky, as beautiful as it all may have been. A great battle may have ended on this one night, however something else lurked through the great trees. A long quiet was coming over the land… Following that dreaded silence, someone was treading through with heavy leather boots with an intent incredibly dark and as fierce as a freezing bite of winter… A man, a live man was on the hunt within these silent woods as if in pursuit of the Parisians alone, who were guarding a precious treasure with them. 

His eyes were as cold as ice and as empty as the sky, and his ears were as sharp as a wolf’s. This was a far cry from the ambiguity that the black ravens had brought to the Flock, as this man was not in tune with his own mind, but he was following a terribly dark purpose. One of their dearest additions to their circle had vanished, leaving them voiceless and still in their forms until the next moon would rise. That was as much as he was given to this agent, as far as his purpose went. He had been prepared, with one dagger with a single poison within its compartment with one soul settled in mind.

*

Much to her horror, as long as she could remember on this horrible night, Odette had given her own head a great shake to bring herself out of it ~ Right out of this dream within a dream, as it seemed to feel like to her, Odette found arms and white wings around her. Yet in her heart, it felt like something was missing or heavily set. Eleonor’s set of black had come near her during her return to consciousness ~ with a brand new anxiety implanted in her head. Of course, she saw all the faces who greeted her on the first night she had fallen into their forest. The wonders she had seen, the magic that followed within that beautiful haven that protected them, the softness she felt, the love of these friends, and the blossoming trust she was beginning to believe in, for once.

Of what was beautiful and hopeful, now a darkness had always been following her, because of a mirror. It was still the same matter since the start and she was truthfully beginning to forget. How it was her choice to stay, for them… but now — with this impending danger now hovering above all of their heads — she feared, not only for them, but with whatever was happening to her memories, Odette began to really believe that this curse was consuming her. Even before everything began, she believed she was dreaming entirely. That was until she found out how close everyone was to her, on an emotional level. Beginning with the Seven, then to Jiminy… the Flock became a pure sisterhood… and how safe she felt among them. 

Then, the Parisians came into the mix.

Quasimodo came first.

He was first to see her.

By doing so, he as well had sealed a fate along with hers.

Whichever fate that may have been now, which was beginning to look fairly bleak. It all came in dreams, each clue made it abundantly clear, and the Seven believed it so deeply in their dear hearts. Folly, the doppelganger said. How could all of it be a folly…? All this swimming through her mind as her diamond glowing so bright, as though to protect them all from the great evil that once hovered. The ground pounded, and the Seven’s voices overwhelmed her, along with her fellow Maidens before there came two other presences. Besides that of hoofbeats drumming the ground, she finally found herself returned to earth. 

Seeing Quasimodo’s face, beside his father’s, cleared her mind of doubt, most of all. Quasimodo looked fairly upset, grieved even when he found them all huddled after the scuffle. It was all going so fast that Odette could hardly keep track - the Robin hovered and her name kept being called.

However, she did notice one important fact.

Jiminy.

Where was Jiminy Cricket? He was gone from underneath her, where she hid him… He was gone! 

“Jiminy, where are you!?” were the first words the Maidens heard from her, but it was silent for the men. Eleonor flourished her black wings at the sound of her voice. “He was right here, with me! Where has he gone!?” Odette feared, deeply, as loudly as she could. “Quasimodo?”

Seeing that she was deeply worried about something, Quasimodo was first to notice the reason for her upset. Her eyes were wild and her wings were wide open and flurried. 

“He was not about when I first looked ~ I thought someone had him nearby, of course, I thought of you!” Mary worried, like a flustered mother, nipping at Odette’s head.

“He’s so dear! Whatever do we do!?” Antoinette was pacing about. “How shall we speak in this way!?”

“I am not so worried about speaking, but it’s the fact that he’s gone!” Odette spoke out, shaking her head and pulling her neck up high towards the men who swore with their lives to protect them. “He was directly under me, how was it even possible…?” she feared for the worst yet she could not remember the last thing he said to her. The mere thought of it - the reality - was almost unbearable, as he was not even thinking about himself, in that single moment before all went completely blank in her eyes, before that vision entranced her. Were they all affected or was it only her who was? 

“Odette…” grieved Ida, hating to watch her scurry and search the grass with her bill. “… please, he’s gone…” she broke up.

“He cannot be! He was just with us!” How Ida could hear Odette’s voice break as it all began to come pouring down. 

Only then was she able to be stilled, when Quasimodo’s mighty but soft hand settled on the feathers of her back as if to calm her. Odette froze at the touch, yet she slowly sat down and her neck curled tight as she tucked her head low, nearest to the grass. Eleonor was standing before her and Ida standing strong but even she knew the truth. Slowly, she shut her wings as she slowly saundered over, witnessing the return of the men, in one peace. Particularly, that one. 

Quasimodo was the first one to reach them, to meet with the rest of dwarfs with the two returning to open arms. The only thing that was left of the poor cricket was his tiny, burgandy parasol; the one tool he used to float to safety during a fall, or to emphasis a point… and Bashful painfully picked it up into his hand. In great agony, it seemed, he gazed up to the canopy of the trees in hopes that Jiminy was up there, but there was only silence of the night. During this precise moment, Quasimodo had kneeled behind Odette, seeing that her brooch was still latched on right, and in place as it should be. As he could tell, her heart was broken and the others crowded her as though she were injured. Perhaps she had endured the same as he had — because he felt overly threatened by what he saw. Something was not sitting right with him.

As the soldiers came close, the Dwarfs all began to take a swan in arm, gently as to not startle them. He took Odette into his, and made sure to bound her wings in with his own cloak before mounting on Fidele. For the moment, they had to run and make haste. As he shakenly breathed out, he could see his own breath in the air, as it was becoming much colder now. As to why? It was not yet known, but they could not waste anymore time. As much as it was well intended, this stop had made matters worsen because they were, indeed, being watched.

*

 The Dream That She Did Not Wish For 

The hours during this ride were passing by so slowly, as she was held in the Woodsman’s arms as he guided his pony alongside the Fresian. Her grief was greatly shared among the Maidens, as well as the heartbreak of the Seven ~ Their minds still buzzed from all this trouble, the night went and bled on towards another day in the sun~ 

Grumpy kept watch over the bank with Happy and Bashful, who each decided to take vigil on triple duty. To keep his mind occupied, he was sharpening his tools, while Happy and Bashful had prepared the cloaks for each lady should the next night come. It was all growing to become a waiting game recently. Just for their precious flock would become women again, even though it would only be for a little while. 

“Perchance, we should’ve never brought them to Mondfall?” Happy found himself asking his starker brother.

“Ack-!” Grumpy made a sound as though something had gotten caught in his throat, pausing in his work for a solid second or two. “ - they would have been taken jus’ the same then, jus’ the same now, idjit. And keep it down, nowhere is sade enough to talk of their affairs.”

“He do got a point, though…” Bashful sadly came in, after folding each cloak as nicely as he could. “We weren’t prepared er anythin’, we just fled with them… like cowards.”

“We weren’t cowards for it ~” Grumpy had to passionate announced, nearly wanting to thrash he was so annoyed by this. “That Queen was goin’ to bleed ‘em. We had to flee. If we never gone …” he slowed his words when white caught his eyes.

There were the tender birds, slowly paddling their way to the bank, staying close as they each promised. Grumpy softened, his own grief taking over his fixed features, and he slowly breathed in to keep from sobbing just a little. Eleonor, the blackwing, and Ida, the gentle one, each took a side beside the Diamond one as they came close to greet the trio. Grumpy was brave to speak in front of them…

“… if we’ve never gone there, he would not’ve seen her.” he chose to finish that sentence. Secrets could no longer be kept now.

“And t’was you who believed in love then?” Happy asked, smirking at the irony.

“Not that I didn’t believe… Of course, I believed! I believe now… I were only fright’ned for her, she were thrown right into the lion’s den when you brought her to us. It could be used by wiles, their wiles, to trick them. It just happened… Doc and I searched that mine, somethin’ came over our heads!”

“What was it you saw…?” Happy asked, with his eyes widening. Odette and Eleonor craned a little to listen.

“Large room, in a large space of stone and brick. It were all dark. There was a small pond, that came from underground and there they were, all floating in it. Their heads bowed, their lovely feathers all… all dimmed, greyed, old. No light in their eyes… I couldn’t tell ‘em apart.”

“Grumpy, no…” 

“Tried callin’ them, they wouldn’t move, so I tried to pull ‘em out of the water but they just sunk. There was someone watchin’ me though, I saw a pair of emerald eyes, just glarin’ at me. It was not the Queen… But - when I pulled one o’em, that was when Quasimodo jarred me out of it… I fell er somethin’, I can’t remember now. I think we each saw somethin’. Quasimodo sure did because even I couldn’t jar ‘im out of his haze for a good minute. He hasn’t said a word of it… He just wanted to get us out.”

“And she h-had as well… We thought we lost her,” Bashful was horrified.

“I cannot relive that moment! Please!” Happy shook his head, still in some kind of denial. He had her in his arms.

“Sorry!” Bashful became a deep red, but Odette came close to comfort them. 

“The Fairy had done somethin’, she burned them away… but, what’re we to do without their Voice?” Happy then asked. “They’d taken him, them shadows!”

Odette appeared to fling her head with a stream of tears poured from her eye, and one had dropped into the stream. The others were gathered, frightened, and silently wept with her. They could tell in some way of what she was thinking right now. They had lost a good friend.

“Precious gentlemen, he was.” Grumpy’s voice went tight, watching the birds. “Like a little gem hiding on her head… Wise ’n bold.”

“He was? Is!” Happy corrected. “We cannot assume.”

“Aye, true… always the optimist.”

“It cannot hurt, we cannot just fall right into hopelessness so easily. What we need to do now is bring them to Paris… if her heart is won, this could end very soon…”

“See, even they are still looking out for our welfare, in spite of how foolish you’re being…” Odette overheard Eleonor. 

“If we stayed on that lake, Quasimodo would have seen us change. They are right… We had to leave.” Dorothea brought up.

“None of you saw what I saw…” Odette thought she’d mention her own experience as well. “No one I have told yet… Jiminy would want to me tell you, I think… It was awful. It was so detailed.”

“What did you see?” Ida asked.

“If they were able to see something from inside that mine, it would only mean one thing. Quasimodo saw something, as well… I was human, somehow lost in this castle. It was beautiful but empty, like my own head. Someone was following me. They wore all black, and I - I wore a gown of pure white… Just as the Fairy said ~” Odette then turned away from them, however, Ida paddled forth and nipped her tail feathers.

“Do not avoid it, princess! This could mean something — Do tell us~ please…” Ida begged of her. Odette swirled back with the three watching them. Her eyes looked vexed with so much pain. 

“I want this to be genuine… Out of everything, I want all this to be real.” Odette said, startling them. “I saw him, the father I left behind… and I was forgetting his face…”

“Of course, this is real… Whatever do you mean this is not real?” Eleonor defended. Odette was clearly entering a depression, but she turned away again.

“We love you, Odette. Everyone you see, here, we all love you… The man who raised you loves you still, Odette… please…”

“Jiminy is gone, because of the decision I made to stay here. My father was almost taken by the same force, years ago!” Odette’s tone was starting to tremble. “The Blue Fairy couldn’t even help then and even now. I don’t know what to believe… I don’t think I can handle losing him above all of this… My mind is so fuzzy now. She promised that she would protect us…”

“And so she is!” Ida pressed in.

“THEN, WHERE IS SHE!?” Odette suddenly made a lunge at her poor sister, flapping her wings once to emphasis just how hurt she was feeling. “She didn’t do anything - SHE IS NOT — DOING ANYTHING!” she painfully told them. At that point given, she nipped at the Diamond. “If anything, it feels like she had made things worse! She brought Jiminy, only for him to be so easily snatched away!? I tried to keep him safe - but it wasn’t enough. She let it happen — Look at us!” she emotionally spread her wings wide as she arched up in the water. Eleonor was brave enough to come closer to her with a grave arch in her neck.

“She may have been hindered as well. We must not assume, just yet, Odette. Tell us what you saw ~ What did this enemy show you? We will believe everything you say, please. We are a family now, more than just a flock. That man you dreamed of is just as real.”

“Why would you bring him into this — how dare you…” Odette broke up because she could not bear the thought that he wasn’t real as well.

“We know how much he means to you now,” Eleonor reasoned. “So, yes… I do dare. If it is so hard for you to tell us more, then why don’t you go tell him? Tonight when we change…”

“Telling Quasimodo — You are torturing me…”

They each could tell how much agony she was in, but it did feel - to them - that it was best for her to go to the source her current joy. 

“Yes, telling him is prudent. Telling him because he is just as a part of this Curse as we all are. He saw you, you saw him, it’s part of fate’s design, is it not?” Antionette spoke.

“And you are feeling safe with him,” Ida lovingly soothed her whole side against Odette as she paddled around her. “Granted, seeing you two mingle- it gives us ~ everyone hope.”

Odette lowered her head down. “I can’t tell him~” she trembled. “That’s the worst thing any of you have told me…”

“Your trust in him speaks volumes, it is all the more reason to believe - no… it is more reason to know that all this is true…” Eleonor encouraged with vigor. 

“We believe it’s best,” Mary agreed. “As a sister, please listen to me… That we still firmly believe, even if you may not, right now. Jiminy would want this for you…”

The Diamond wearing one gazed at each swan face, holding her silence well after this one breakdown. They were so faithful, and so kind with her although she was not mentally well in this moment in time, and being so tied down with grief. No one was feeling all right after this past night. Jiminy always would try to steer her irratic thinking back on the right path. Mary knew that, as they all did. It had been only weeks after finding him in Mondfall, and he made so much difference that brought the men closer, and to each other. It did not feel natural with him… gone. 

She knew it was the right to do, as it would do her heart well, and yet she was so frightened after this horrible - Horrible night. Having to keep her heart always in check, more than her poor mind at this point, Odette searched along the bank for his face. In truth, she felt truly safe with him. It was almost too good to be true, which fueled her anxiety somewhat as she swam on during her search. All she had to give was her honesty…

Only meanwhile, as memories were overwhelming them, Quasimodo was unsettled in his own way. It had been an exhausting run, because for now, he was unlatching and sliding off Fidele’s rein off of his snout. They were settled beside the river and once Fidele was beginning to graze a bit, Quasimodo eventually sat down against the tree. His heart absolutely broken for the poor cricket as well, he silently watched the young sunlight glimmer in the flowing water. It was just moments before a prestine white had caught his eye. The swan was slow in her swim towards him, because of her low spirit to blame.

His gaze softened, tarrying just a little while watching her. The sorrow slowly melted from his eyes, whilst being replaced with honest admiration. As she graced him with her presence, he edged and then kneeled lower, closer to the water so he could meet her. 

As he came, she rose her head high, and began to stretch her neck far when he began to kindly reach outward with his hand to offer her. There were no words exchanged and yet it meant the world to her… He cupped her tiny head into his palm as the rest of her body followed. She closed her eyes, as the Flock spoke true… She felt deeply safe by his side. 

Odette rested her head in his hand before she felt his thumb beginning to soothe over her eyes towards the feathers over her head, as it helped her to relax. Sweetly, he wiped the tears from her eyes. 

“You have come to me alone,” he acknowledged. His voice held a heaviness. “Why always that, dear lady?” he began with a light joke. “Had we not missed the moon on the night prior, we would talk sooner… I find myself asking how you are faring?” 

Odette swept her bill along the water, clearly withdrawn but content.

“Could be worse. It could be raining,” his words piped a little as did her head. She delighted in hearing him chuckle. “But the afternoon approaches, and we will have a chance. I take it that there is much to discuss…” Quasimodo mentioned as he took out his carving knife. “Come close, ‘Ette. I think I may have something to cheer you up… When I was a youngin’- well- twenty or so — not so young, considering… I used to carve tiny statues. Just wee enough to fit inside your pocket. I haven’t forgotten how, thank Heaven…”

Odette marveled at how he spoke to her and it appeared to him that may have been smiling a little as she was listening to him. He seemed to be that young man still, innocently watching the city below from the parapets of Notre Dame Cathedral. That was before this war even began… long down the road after those days. 

However, Odette watched when he had taken out a solid wood block from a pouch tied to his belt, and he had began to chip at it with the knife~ simply cutting pieces off as if he was only slicing through butter. 

“This was long before I fell into carpentry.” he mentioned, sparking her interest. “… long before, actually.” Quasimodo stated as he worked with a focused, furrowed brow. “I started as a bell ringer. For the times, I wasn’t welcome. As you can see, I am certainly not  among the most handsome of men.” he dryly prodded at himself much to her own dismay. He glanced at her, wryly, seeing her swing her head from side to side in mere disagreement to that statement. 

“You do not say,” he remarked with one sweet curve of his lip on the right cheek.  He witnessed her arching her head downward whilst stretching her long neck a little, as her wings fanned a little. “Are you attempting to charm or are you being shy?” he warmly teased as she turned around once more. In response to that she paddled a little and went to nip at the toe of his shoe. His light chortle was like a tender hug to her ears. 

“I do not think I was very talented in charm, but listen to you - Sir— teasing me so!” Odette thought and had wished to say. In a swan’s way, she was chortling herself. 

To someone watching, a certain Robin ~ she swept her bill along through water and splashed him. Playfully, he rained her back with a free hand. She arched and flapped her wings a couple of times before the frivolous moment ended. Faer tenderly smiled whilst being lost in some thought. 

Quasimodo caught onto the signal she was giving for him to keep telling his story, and so he did.

“Being a bell ringer, whilst in hiding, was a given… it seemed. My imagination never went far beyond the stone. I merely believed that it was meant to be~ Father, as you know him now was not the same man then. It is a… trifle to think about it now.” he saddened as he kept chipping, finishing on the edge. “… b-before this war started, I tended my own shop. I called it the Belfry, with some fresh irony served for you. I could not think of anything else better than that. My earnings came from small townsfolk to a noble, with my name thrown in. So I, one day, made him a table. A tall one with tall chairs. I’ll show you the plan sheet if we find it…” he hinted at her. 

Soon enough, he set his carver down and took a thickened knife and started to dig pieces in and flicked them off, shaping details onto the former block of wood. He was believed himself to be an optimist, however this was nice to keep their hearts lit, in spite of what went down. That heaviness was settling in though, that someone had been lost, for the first time, on this journey. For a moment, he hoped it prove to be a form of escape for them if he brought out a story or two. As it did come to his attention that she was feeling a little calmer about it. Even he had to bite back tears whenever his thoughts came upon poor Jiminy. 

There had to be some silver lining about why this had to happen…which would mean that even the Fae Queen was overwhelmed in that moment as well. That suffocation had come over them all. It was truly an attempt on each of their lives, over their minds and souls. Odette was able to sense the kind of thoughts going through Quasimodo’s mind, as he was tormented as well. It still felt fresh in their hearts, no matter what the conversation that came in earshot, and as the swans all gathered close with them, there was a great comfort knowing she was accepted as she was. Eleonor had to hold her tongue, because Odette was simply not herself ~ at least not the way she was when they all met her.

Keeping to their promise of huddling close by, never leaving anyone’s sights, the six Maiden’s floated at a reasonable distance. As it sounded to them that there was a peaceful reprieve by following the Woodsman’s voice to that one spot beneath one of the olive trees. Where Fidele grazed, they were arrived at some peace, at least. As it was a beautiful sight to see one of their own happy again. All the guilt that once felt heavy on Eleonor was lifted, as it seemed that her own dilemma had been settled. Almost keeping the blame of them nearly being captured with the Raven spies, however it seemed that all was forgiven. Their hearts radiating, throbbing with pain as they came by her side, in grief. Odette caught his distant eyes rise towards the coming flock with lowered heads. A new test of faith, a new path as they had to move on…

*

Odette had tried to keep Jiminy’s calming voice in her mind as the hours drew on, to make it sure that his legacy with them stayed, no matter the cost. Thoughts rested on the Diamond as for some reason, she and her Maidens never have gotten swept up like he did. How come the magic did not reach out to him as it did when he touched the Diamond the first time when he met Odette? Perhaps, it had… in a different way…

The magic around them perhaps was making her too hopeful but her heart was still resentful… The Fairy with such promise was not even strong enough to hold back so much evil, all at once when she was the one to grant wishes? The fuzziness she was feeling, and reeling from that vision was all too much and it made the entire family a little more broken than before. Trapped in these bodies even more so, it made her want to shrink inside her feathers even more than before. 

“Do not dive into that mentality again… Do not!” Eleonor warned her once again taking on her advocate as Odette was slowly diving back into her sorrows again.

“It does not help if you keep nipping my wing…” Odette turned around with a sway of her head.

“It is my form of relaliation towards this venture, and I worry for you…” was Eleonor’s reply as they swam together side by side, as sisters. Odette held no ill account towards her since the river as they were all very caught up in the uncertainty. As there were more clues ever since the star tower, and the fear of losing Jiminy before crashed over them all. He was so sweet and so brave… She could not wrap her mind around the fact that he was gone… Distracting herself from that enchanted assault was not boding well at all. Following Quasimodo’s words as the hours passed, keeping her emotions inside as a swan was torment…

The air was starting to push through their feathers like a shrill needle as evening fell, and anxieties came over them all as the happenings of the abandoned mine was ever flowing in their hearts. This lingering evil had surrounded them, and their reservations towards the Good Fairy lately was put closely on scrunity. 

Claude Frollo as the journey had taken a slowness in stride had brought his tired horse to the waters for a refreshing drink. At that moment, he was able to catch a glimpse of the swan’s togetherness despite all. The humililation accompanied by the visions they all had to endure… left them all scarred. Quasimodo’s stance over them was quite the sight to behold, even for his stony heart. The air of mourning was thick this morning, as beautiful and as quiet as the twilight was becoming. Soon, the flock will be adorned in their human forms in due time… 

When night did come and the encampment was set up in the distance, the expected pain of their tranformations came with a new dulling ache. Quasimodo remained with the Knighthood for a few hours, as did the Seven to allow the girls some time to settle into some kind of normalcy now that the moon was new. Odette looked at her own cloak as she awaited the other girls all adorn themselves to stay warm during the night. She looked at the knitted piece on the edge of her cloak, spying a libra… A small smile spread across her lips as Eleonor kneeled by her side.

“Still sulkin’, diamond swan?” was the dry prod but Odette didn’t mind it.

“I’m all right,” she sighed as she held her knees closer to herself, but she was clearly not all right.

“I miss him too…” Eleonor remarked as she sat beside her, cleaning tucking her black hair behind her ear. Odette’s tears flowed, even when she pressed her hand to her eye to suppress it.

“… he was so sweet and so brave — his voice - the last I remember of it,” she sniffled. “It’s not fair…” she choked.

“He was a tender one, with such a bleeding heart…” Ida sorrowfully spoke. “How could this happen…?”

“The darkness chasing us is growing stronger that - that even the Fae Queen cannot fully envelope…” Mary provided. 

“He was right under me, how the shadows just — He was so small… and fearless… He can’t be just gone. He can’t be…” Odette despaired. 

Her grief was not to be compared, since she was the one who was destined to find the cricket first. Soothing her finger over the precious Rosery as her current anchor for the moment, Odette soon got the courage within her to rise up with her tender flock. Using her two legs felt a little strange after spending so long in their swan forms, was a worrying fact. This was their chance to speak since their Voice had been stolen away… Their hidden enemy was growing more clever than ever, even in her own mind… She possessed so many questions…

“I think I’ll take a walk…” Odette suggested, her voice holding onto a strange monotone that came off as strange to her fellow ladies.

“You think that wise, ‘Ette?” Ida asked.

“My mind is distant and dull, I just need some quiet time… I’ll stick close to the camp.” she promised. It was clear that she was depressed.

“All right, ‘Ette… Yes, stay with them. We’ll make sure you eat later…” Dorothea commented, saddened.

It was the deepening need to feel a separation from this new self, in a way, as her mind was growing fuzzier by the day. Her autotomy was completely different now, that even her own mind was fighting against her. This deep personal loss had begun to make it much worse on top of it. The other girls were not effected the same she was, and those seeds of doubt planted more worry. The one she was gravitating towards right now was Quasimodo… 

“She isn’t as she was, Elle…” Ida worriedly spoke as they watched the poor diamond bearer walk off. 

“No. She saw something far worse,” Eleonor deepened as her dark eyes were locked on her as she went toward the encampment.

With herself, Odette saw Fidele amidst the other horses and proceeded to pat him, and soothe her hand all along his flanks as if to ground herself into the present moment. She touched the spot on her shoulder where Jiminy used to hide and perch, deeply hurting. Her chest trembled with sobs as she rested her back against a tree and gazed upward towards the stars to regain her resolve. He would sing of the stars… Tears trickled down her cheeks.

“Odette…” came that chime in her ear, a welcomed voice in her grief.

Quasimodo had cleanly slipped out from one of the tents, sweeping his hair from his eyes from having woken up from a very uneasy sleep. By reading her posture, he could tell she was not well. “Are you all right?” he asked.

He came to her and offered a hand but she insecurely waved him off, much to his astonishment. She choked back sobs.

“No… and I don’t think anyone is all right after that attack…” she spoke in a greatly broken voice. He had never heard her sound this way. “I… I only need an ear, Quasi.” she spoke so small.

“Always,” he reassured her before guiding her to a more private spot. 

At once, when he found a more private place to talk, Quasimodo studied her with deep compassion as he listened to the woman he vowed to. He knew there was more to it than the loss of one of their dearest friends.

“I want with all my heart for this to be real,” she expressed to him, out of fear from that poisonous enchanted assault.

He shook his head, baffled at such horrible words. Of course, he went to take her hand softly squeezing to reassure her.

“What did it make you see, ‘Ette?” he asked her, modestly with no hint of fear in his voice. They each had seen something.

It was a heavenly sound in her ear and she leaned in, despite closing her eyes.

“You can see me, hear me… after all the times we’ve seen, all those nights we’ve spoken to each other? Our friends and the fair ladies you’ve journeyed with… Tell me what it was you’ve seen?” he asked her, guiding her as best he could.

Odette drew in a deep breath, nodding before finally looking her beloved in the eye.

“… I dreamed that I was in a coma, in a hospital bed. Strapped to machines…” she slowly spoke the truth. “… during the time period I was born in. I was in an accident that put me in a three year coma. There was a man at my side - and I couldn’t see his face — I know him…” she slowly broke apart. “I don’t remember his name now…but I know who he is.”

After sharing that, she looked straight, dead ahead at the darkening wood outside the tarp. Quasimodo’s expression remained soft at her which lessened her stress a mile long. His lack of fear on the subject, brought her back a little more and she sighed, gripping his great hand in return. 

“Do you… remember encountering an accident?” he asked, trying to piece all of it together.

“No. No no… I remember a black mirror. It was dark in the middle of the night. I was asleep in my own bed, I think. I am so confused.”

Quasimodo stayed his words, studying while she quarrelled with herself, inwardly. Despite being worried, he was at least confident that this was a deception attempting to plant seeds of doubt into them both.

“Odette…? Whilst we’re awake, our journeys and our nightly chats have grown into something much more profound, I find ~ much more than you and I have ever expected. The Dwarfs unknowingly have a keen sense of goodness within certain things, particully in magic. Their faith in us, holds a lot of weight.”

“I have been waiting, for someone like you. Someone I can feel oneness with… I feel safe with you, Quasimodo.” Odette expressed. “… and I am afraid. Afraid that everything we have right now is going to all vanish, in a flash. It started with Jiminy~” she broke into a trembling weep.

“Th-that’s not going to happen —“

“What if it does — He was so sweet and so kind, he didn’t even think of himself. I remember his last words…” she expressed her grief, fully and unfiltered. “His last efforts being a lie, us right now and the Flock, the Dwarfs… It —“

“Never.” he vowed.

Quasimodo stunned her when his tone cracked with emotion matching her own. He felt her come closer to him, wrapping both of her arms about his. She rubbed her tear stained cheeks into his tunic… In response to this, he took her tight into his arms as she wrapped around him, needing to anchor herself.

“I love you…” she dearly shared, choked and tight.

“… as I love you.” he whispered back, trying to remain strong, finding that his feelings were validated. She came to him, first. “You’re so loved, Cas.” he whispered in her ear, calling her by her birth name. “Sir Jiminy wouldn’t want you this way, I do not.” he told her, tightly. Tears poured from his eyes at this point as they both were grieving. “Do not believe a word… Do not, darling. Please… We are here, we all are…”