Chapter XXXI ~ Clash of Steel

 Odette chose to rest her head against the thick build of the resting bear’s shoulder, tracking and taking in each deep breath he took. She spread her palm along his broad shoulder, fully recognizing the strength and the shield that resided inside — it was the very same strength that shielded her when her mind was melting from all this magic. Would it consume his mind as well? She could not and would not let that happen ~ never to him. He was hers, and she was his… No matter the distance or the change of face, they were together, ultimately and finally. The spoke of their lives before this fell through and it struck her now that even though they were together, they could not be human at once save for those few precious seconds once the moonlight would strike them both. However, the cruelty ended there because now their enemy had earned their rage. 

That was a permanent promise, especially deeply in the mind of the Claude Frollo as he currently obsessed with finding that sapphire shimmer that had caught his eye in the dark. Even yet, at this very moment as the lover’s heart beat against one another during the chill of the night, Odette began to sing. It began soft, against the hide of the resting heat she rested against. She had to close her eyes in order to deeply feel that he was truly here with her, back with them entirely.

Do not despair, my love

Please, rest your heart in mine…

You have never gone too far

Always, my love,

Forever by your side…

This Love Undying

The dozing form she rested against soon made a certain grumble as he tried as he might to lift his weary large head. Seeming to have heard something, he lifted only slight to gaze at her and over her shoulder, giving a short huff of a sound as if trying to nuzzle with his thickened snout. Her heart froze in her chest as this was a glimpse at himself through this single body of such immense strength. She could not help but gasp in, with the others before she choked up slightly… This was a moment before Eleonor took to her side.

“He has to stand, Ette… We cannot stay here,” she told them both. “It’s dangerous~”

“I know…” Odette hummed, collecting herself and swiping her tears. “I know…” she noted before pressing him. “I know you’re tired, love… I know… I know this feeling, but you must stand again.” she whispered to that plush ear. He adjusted himself, he shook his head and then straightened up with a groan. With a slight bob of his heavy head, he began to lift himself up from the snow, some of which had melted underneath him. 

Odette stood a ways back, mesmerized by this form and as to why this was the body that was chosen to torture him with. Her thoughts ran to the fact that this was meant to horrify her, yet… her heart was overcome that he had given himself up for this. For her and her family. Her hand fell to the pocket of her cloak, stroking the wood of the figurine he carved of her before the curse winter began… The Rosary that was a secret gift to her by his truly still remained about her neck, hung by a brown string still about her neck. She could feel it against her skin, beneath the wools. She soothed a flat palm against the fur of his bicep as he worked to tredge forth with the guidance of her and the dwarfs. Dopey carefully approached his head to gain a better look at the finer eye of the strong vanguard to truly see what Odette was seeing. 

A gleam settled on his blue eyes, and a watery smile began to form on his face. Especially when he felt him soothe his great cheek against his shoulder as if in greeting. It truly was the the Woodsman, still alive with them. 

“Aye, Dopey ~ aye, there’s no way they could keep ‘im away from us for long…” Bashful lovingly remarked as he and his brothers took the bear’s sides, two at both sides with Grumpy behind with his pick at the ready.

Happy bestowed a hand to that side as they walked close. He watched him closely as he walked, being deliberately careful with each step. “… he’s beautiful~” he remarked with soft awe.

Odette sniffled, tenderly nodding as she was agreeing to that fact entirely. She kept her arm wrapped over his head in a sense to protect his ears. She remembered her first transformation as being the most agonizing, and senses were overwhelming to an already hyper mind. Dorothea settled her hand into the mass of fur and gripped on as she and the others followed suit to surround him protection.

“Claude Frollo cannot be far from us now,” Mary pointed out. “If he sees him like this~”

“I dare not imagine what he would do.” Antoinette’s voice shivered. “His son…”

“We will need to come bring this to him in a certain way, so no one will get hurt.” Odette noted out as she gazed at Humbert who was in stride with them.

“You have my spirit and my blade, my lady.” he swore to her, sternly. “If you leave the explanation to me as you hold the fort before Quasimodo when the time comes, we can all come to some sort of compromise.” Humbert stated, being sure he was heard by the whole group. “To nulify him until the break of dawn, we must keep his person safe by all means.”

Quasimodo rose his head a little as though to smell the air, before out a deep, grueling moan. A sorrowful but an aware sound though that proved that even now, he was acknowledging the risks. Odette gazed into his eye as her fingers soothed through the thickness of the top of his head. 

“He’s going to see when he, the flock and I transform at dawn… If we can hold out until then, like I had at the lake to prove my case to him, so would Quasimodo need to prove his. Frollo is our family, and I don’t think either of us wish to see him break further than he has already.”

“And we have had enough of heart shatterin’ on this front, ‘Ette.” Grumpy agreed.

“And we’ve yet to find Jim and Doc and the Diamond,” Happy noted.

“One thing’s f’r sure is that we’re all together again~” Sneezy struggled through his own sniffles.

“We need to find them, before we even think of leaving this land~” Eleonor ordered.

“I trust them. They will find us, ladies…” Odette was certain.

*

Faer’s hearing began to come in, sluggishly, with his body being embraced by a makeshift sling that was tied around one of the men’s shoulders as they rode through the woods at a seemingly endless pace. His little body was so sore that his arms still felt as prickly as dry hay. His mind felt muddled and watery as he opened his eyes with the greatest of efforts…

“m’achin’ head…” he moaned, alerting his carrier right away. He felt the fur of his head being ruffled and stroked through.

“Hang in there, little mate.” hummed the armed man who was entrusted with the little elf’s life. “No need for those wings now. We have the vigil.”

“… where am I…? Where ~” Faer blinked, his memories floating and popping like bubbles for a moment until he finally blinked wider.

“He has roused, your Honor~” the man holding him alerted the one at the front, who immediately slowed his loyal steed down to coincide with with them.

“Faer~” breathed that baritone, though firmer and deeper this time. “… breathe in, lad. I see you. You have fallen into the path before us… Your wings have been clipped by the storm, but we have you, Faer… Look at me.”

“I - i-it’s … am I not a… bird?” Faer asked, realizing his true form was seen right now. He had never been this way in front of the Magistrate before.

“Those wings of yours have led me to my son prior, and they are now as we speak. Do you remember giving me this?” Frollo asked, as he held several thick bristles of red hair in his glove. Faer blinked at it for a long moment before his small mouth parted. By how his eyes welled up was proof enough.

“… quasi…” Faer moaned, and Frollo pressed.

“Yes, Faer. Where is our Woodsman, as his lover has found us, with her Diamond hidden in these woods?”

“He - he didn’t fall, sire…He didn’t.” Faer began. “He saved ‘him, y’honor… He saved the man who tried to kill ‘im. Then the shadow — it just…”

Faer could not find the words to describe what he had been told and snuggled his head back into the sling as his heart became undone. Frollo closed his hand around those bristles as though he were handling a holy relic as his eyes sharpened deeply at the poor elven. His jaw tightened until his muscles corded in his neck. 

“He’s livin’, yeah… but he - he isn’t human. N-Not at night. Just like Odette, only at night…” Faer tried to explain. “He gave those to me - he told me to find you…” he swallowed, fearing how Frollo would react to this so he remained curled.

“And you had, lad. You had.” his prayer was answered, being treated with softness just the same as he had when he was a robin. “Rest deep, now. We will seek him, and the one who dared~”

“He didn’t - kn-know what he was doin’, sir… The Hunter didn’t know…” Faer choked up. “… please…”

“And the one who dared ~” Frollo repeated, showing only an ounce of the hatred he had for one only. “The one who thought the lives of women were trivial, and fleeting. She who dared to touch our minds an hearts, poisoning those who dared to brave her abuse. Who threw you down to the dirt, who sent a curse after my son for merely speaking to her prisoners - for even looking at her, and seeing a soul… Her desire is to rule a realm of compliance and pettiness. She feels threatened by those who do not fear for themselves, but of others. She feels threatened by those who do not fear her… She means to make a mark only… only she is building her own trap. Now she shall know fear… She has stabbed at us for the last time.”

Faer gazed upward at him in a sort of fearful awe before he felt his paw handled to be checked of further injury. Frollo checked his wrists capability of rolling before settling it back into the warmth of sling he rested in.

“I do know who is truly responsible, and have for some time. We will find Quasimodo — tonight — before more of her poison begins to follow… Keep him bound, Armand. His complexion is paled yet…”

“Yes, sir.”

“I behold the eye of the Diamond,” Frollo remarked as he set his horse, Snow, to push forward. “Colors are our indicators ~ the black amidst emerald, keep your eyes forward towards the sapphire, men. It must be returned to her, at once! Forward, now!”

Reunion

“Ain’t this somethin’, Jim~” Doc huffed when he came to a whole other tie up of blackened thorns. Jiminy peered out from under the cloak’s hood to see for himself. There was an look of tired disappointment for a second as he sighed a puff of heat into the cold air. “Looks he’s been sniffin’ these throws — thorns…”

The giant paw prints did not stop though, so this was a blessed thing to consider. There were scratches along the bark as if there was an attempt to dig through them.

“He’s testing them… if there was another way out, he was trying to see if he was strong enough to cut through…” Jiminy analyzed. He had to gaze down though, at the beautiful starlight that peeked out of of the velvet pouch. Briskly, he climbed and hopped down to it when he noticed that pulse was calming down. He soothed a glove along it, seeking its warmth. The heart that fueled it knew something, and it settled Jiminy’s fears.

“Jim, what’s wrong?”

“It’s - no, no, nothing is wrong. He’s… he’s calm. He’s not worried. I think we’re getting closer, Doc.” Jiminy alerted before he began to climb back out to his perch on Doc’s shoulder. 

Doc tightened Odette’s cloak further and pressed his shoulder and back further against a coming chill of wind and final curtains of snowfall before he turned around a corner of bramble. “You sure you can keep going, Doc?” he heard Jiminy whisper.

“I gotta~ We don’t got more time now…” Doc strained, even having to grab the bark of a tree to keep from sliding. Jiminy held tight to his hat brim while kneeling to grip the tunic he stood on, needing to shut his eyes against the force of wind.

Doc took the pouch and chose to hold it himself rather than rely on his belt as a gust made him pause for a moment, as he shielded his eyes. He could not risk that chance of losing it. It felt as though the storm was trying to take it, but it was not to be. When they came upon a hillside that hovered over a glen directly ahead, Doc began to climb up the incline, surely… even on his knees if he had to. He had to because he thought he heard a bear’s call from yonder there.

“Doc ~ what do ya ~?” Jiminy asked, his voice leaping with hope.

“Hang on there,” Doc breathed out as he pressed on. 

Behind the veil of the storm, it would seem that the pair had found their ultimae goal. Nestled between the few bare surrounding trees was a group completely walling around a grand body of pure, thick fur. The Diamond sparked brighter, as though to reach to them, urging Doc to raise the pouch higher so that it would catch their gazes. Jiminy’s breath shook when he was able to see for himself, that their family was directly below. Doc’s eyes, if they were not full of tears by this point already, welled up at the sight of them. To the ones below, beside the bear, each rose their heads when they noticed the intensity of the brilliant sapphire that lit up the glen like a rising sun. At last, it was the bear who rose his head towards the light. Odette’s eyes wept greatly when she locked them directly onto that stone, and then to her friends whom she had to leave behind. 

When Quasimodo saw her gaze back to him, he nodded his head and urged her to go forward. Eleonor slowly stood aside with Grumpy and Happy who were each stunned with overjoy to see their comrade returned in one peace. “Doc… Gosh~ D-Doc!” Happy cried, before running out to greet them, however, Grumpy snagged his shoulder.

“Naw yet, fool~ There is still steel to come…” he warned, yet watched Doc slide down the hill as Odette ran close to greet them.

Odette caught Doc by both hands before ramming into him with a tight, warm embrace. The Diamond glowed brightly between them as though it were weeping too. “Odette!” Jiminy’s voice piped from the cloak she loaned to him before he clambered up to her shoulder, so tearfully happy.

“Odette! It’s you — He’s found you — We’ve all found you!” he cried.

“Jiminy~ oh Doc! You both made it back! We’re all back together —“ Odette’s voice cracked high only moments before the stone was purposely placed back into her palms. “… Dad… You kept him s-sound, oh I knew it - I believed it would all come to be! Oh Doc, thank you so much - We tried to find the hallow again. Quasimodo found us first and we were only a little closer but you found us all first~”

“Wouldn’t miss it f’the world, Lady Swan.” Doc finally found his words. “Would guard him ’til I die, no doubt so that you can bring us all back together…”

“It was not me,” Odette sighed as much as her heart hurt to say it. “It truly was not me…” she had the thought that this was a confession, much like it was beforehand. Long before the search. “I was losing my mind, leaving all of you in the dust - and it took the curse to worsen to get it back…” she admitted even when the Diamond was set back into her palm and she held it close to her heart. She felt Jiminy’s soft steps onto her other palm before he touched his forehead to her cheek.

“You’ve never lost your mind…” Jiminy softly whispered, overcome with emotion and indeed felt so safe in her warmth again.

Feeling that he was there, warmed beneath her hair, she rose back up with Doc by her side. The Diamond never weakened its light as she kept it close to her chest, right above the Rosary - it’s true home. No words were needed right then as they returned back into the arms of their family.  The massive bear in their midst slowly shuffled forth, to bring his head low with those ears back before settling against Odette’s thigh. Doc was stunned as his brothers all brought him back into their circle.

“Doc!! Jiminy, both of ya!” Happy and Bashful equally cried into a single chorus almost as they embraced Doc, who was close to crumbling down to his knees.

“Y’idjit! You — m’corns were burnin’, y’know, after scarin’me like that!” Grumpy finally shattered his own silence. He embraced his found brother, the one he often quarrelled with in such strength that he near knocked him over.

“Them thorns did nothin’ but make us madder!” Sneezy laughed through his joyous tears as he joined the fray. The maidens gladly huddled close with Doc still wrapped in Odette’s knitted cloak. All this happened in the bear’s shadow as the storm had seemed to come to a rest the closer they gathered together.

“Jiminy? Is it you? It is you!” Ida gasped amidst the weeps from the other girls. Eleonor swept her arms around Odette, giving her cloak to her in a way to wrap their saved Voice as well. “We were so frightened for you!” the cries surrounded him and at first he had no words to express how overjoyed he was to be with them again. Odette heard him sobbing as he tried so hard to find the words.

“Oh ladies ~ oh! Oh, I promised myself that wouldn’t cry again…”

“You’re safe and alive, alive!” Dorothea sang as she broke into happy tears. “We missed you so much!” wept Antoinette. “Oh, our Jiminy!”

“My dears! Lady Blue dared not keep me away for long, no doubt!”

Here we’ve come again ~

Save for the last sheds of snow

We are made warm again…

Our souls be filled, our hearts aligned

In no way shall that we abide

To that nasty witch

of black and Stone

A chorus had broken through to their spirits by one song. Even with their cheeks wet and rosied up by the cold, the maidens slightly parted when the Seven Dwarfs had begun to sing in pure celebration. 

Dingle dangle ~ dingle dangle

Dingle Dangle

Up in the grand jewelled mounts

Once lived a great drake in grand amounts

There among the stars in stone

You will learn that you are never alone~

Dingle Dangle ~ Dingle Dangle

Dingle Dangle

Odette began to truly smile as tears proceeded to fill her eyes while listening to them sing. Her loves surrounded her with a wall of protection just the same as the day when Happy found her dropped in those Germanian woodlands. 

Nothing will hinder us through the dark and the damp

Nothing will lead us to a trap

As long as we hold the light

~ None of us will fall by spite ~

Quasimodo, whilst in this form, slowly rose his head high to regain a full scent of the forest. He closed his eyes, slowly, and drew in a deep breath capturing the presence of new grass. Jiminy was soon able to gather himself back together, locked his eyes on each movement of the protective bear recognizing the care that was taking for each shift of muscle and breath. Ida shifted and Doc made a move to take off the cloak to give it back to her but Odette only adjusted it more around his shoulders. In turn, Doc took Dopey in arm and drew into the warmth of the cloak. With the dawn still hovering over their heads in the coming hours, the march of the Knighthood was nearing still. The dead brambles that remained stuck and tangled around the strong trees, the curse of cold was losing its bite on them.

At first sight, a black stallion led the younger mounts behind him, his spirit led on by the heart of his rider. It has been viciously too long in this separation to bear it any longer. Little did did he know that the path was about to reveal a new truth that even he could never had foretold… Amidst their stillness for the moment, the sounds of those hooves and the quaking of the earth alerted them to the knowledge that they were found… Odette gasped before she placed her clutched Diamond into the inside nook of her wool before she urged the bear’s head. Grumpy gripped a tuft of fur in his neck which told him to move out of sight behind a dune of high piled snow.

“Quasi… Quasi, it’s him, and we will bring it to him gently~ It will be all right.” Odette whispered as she was helped in guiding him. Jiminy perched on her shoulder, gazing out wide eyed with deep circles under his eyes.

“The moment of truth, ladies and gentlemen… This is the moment of truth.” he spoke out, hushed and frightened.

“We were torn asunder, he is tender with us~” Dorothea hoped out loud.

“Not when our Woodsman is forced under a new face~” Grumpy heaved, as he held his pick axe at the ready. “He will demand reason —“

“Leave that to me.” Humbert announced. “My own sin and weakness had led to this, so I shall amend it today. Stay by him, my lady…” he then glanced a truly soft gaze at Odette primarily with a swift nod. She could only gaze in return with her eyes entirely taken over by anxiety. Her arms still wrapped about Quasimodo’s head but his ears flattened. “Do not fret, dear. I can only express how deeply sorry I am… for what I had done and was nearly forced to do.”

“Even then I knew, Humbert, that it was never your hand in any of this… I saw your eyes were not right. Please…” she begged of him, but that was the only andidote she could offer in that moment before those precious seconds came. 

Dopey shuddered before he lowered himself to the ground, as did Bashful and Happy. Sleepy covered his whole self under his own cloak while he kneeled, shivering. Grumpy stood at the foot ahead of them with Doc as they each readied themselves to greet the coming horsemen. Humbert took the lead, making himself vulnerable as the women all hid beside their bear guardian. He was highly aware, calmed that the flock was by his side. He took it upon himself to stand up, using his front paws to grip the bark of the tree they hid behind and rose high to see… The movement was mesmerizing for the girls and their stunned Voice upon Odette’s shoulder. She could hear him gasp out in amazement at Quasimodo might, but she soothed along his thick flank to help him ease down.

“Quasi~” she whispered and he instantly sat down low again.

“He’s listening to everything,” Antoinette noted aloud.

“He has to.” Odette answered to that, with love in her voice. Ida had placed the soft fabric of the pouch into her hand and she tied it to her belt. It was home for their Diamond to rest in. “Quasimodo, love. Let me see your injury. Please… I have an idea.” she whispered while he curled around to find a suitable spot to sit. “Look at how spry you are right now.” she smiled. He chuffed at her in response and continued his nagging nuzzles while she tried to see that one blood stained spot at his other flank. She felt him groom with his impressively hot and rough tongue along her shoulder as he allowed her to look.

Odette was comforted that he was always reassuring her that he was aware and sound even within this massive, dangerous body. She held the Diamond surely in the palm of her hand as she lifted the thick, blood dried fur to reveal to wound beneath. “We’ve been through fire and stone, ruled by alternate light for three years straight ~” she hummed to herself. “… father waits in a coma, and my fiance is locked behind muscle and heat.” she went on as she brought the light of the precious stone close to the wound. “… the Winter Solstice. We all must endure until the Last Sunrise of the Winter Solstice…”

Quasimodo softly closed his eyes when he felt the warmth over the ache of the wound and stilled himself as something began to emerge from the heart of the stone. The three Good Fairies watched this from Richard’s warming key through its pain… Flora drew in a deep breath and cast a single spell with a single circular motion of her wand. A new spring green had mixed with the glamour of the sapphire blue light of the Diamond, flowing out towards the wound. It had seemed to guide the flesh and knit itself, slow and steady. 

Jiminy covered his mouth as he watched this unravel, thinking of how far they all have come so far. The forces of Good always remained by their side, seeking into their hearts, through and through in the most subtle and quietest of ways. Eleonor tearfully blinked as she studied the magic’s work with pure fascination. The glamour that whipped around and kissed that wound soon glowed with a thrumming presence before seeping into the healed thick skin beneath the fur, even leaving a new layer of auborn over the dimming scar until the light all died off and settled. Quasimodo gave a deep hum of relief…

Odette slowly brought the Diamond back towards her chest as she was still mesmerized by her own trust in this. Steadily, she gazed down into the center of the stone. She was able to see a green cloaked lady-like figure move before the closet in the background and the hum of voices within, and a teary smile cracked through her resolve. “… thank you. Thank you all so much…” Odette sniffled. “I love you all… so much…”

In their own quiet, with only the howl of the woods to take over, Odette soothed and massaged Quasimodo’s coat over the sewn and healed flank as she remained guarding by his side. She kept her hand along the left side of his face where the mound over his eye kept it half lidded and partially obstructed but she wiped the tear streaks in the corner of it while the bear let himself to relax more as his pain was lovingly taken away. Stowing the Diamond safely into its pouch, the moment they all worried over was coming swift. 

“He’s here, he’s coming!” Ida softly told them as she was gazing out. Humbert could be seen keeping his stance before the kneeling dwarfs to intercept first as the first few horsemen were coming down the path. Happy while was nestled directly beside Sleepy had to wipe the tears from his cheeks despite them to never cease before he watched the hooves of those white horses begin to circle them in sweeps. As frightened as he was, Happy did not move when those hooves beat down so fast and hard near him. Doc trembled, gazing at the knights as they passed, feeling a final feeling of being guarded fully once more as he still wore Odette’s cloak about his shoulders. As these horses all drew a line in front the kneeled miners, there soon came the black Fresian, who pounded close with such driven anger. The ground shook beneath him before his rider slid off of his mount as he skid to a stop. 

“Y’honor~” Grumpy was first to announce when he knew Doc was too trembled for words. “Y’came…”

Amongst the horses was a very winded Fidele. The brown little pony, held by a single line of trust in the herd came forth tiredly, and full of pain. One man held a sling… a sling that cradled an auborn little body inside it, hurt and weak. Happy gasped when he recognized the color…

“He had flown to me with horrid news…” Frollo began, without a greeting with his face a storm. “Take him close, he has been clipped sharply in the storm. Where is Odette?” Frollo gravely asked. “I find you all in the path and away from the safety of the encampment. Why must I be betrayed constantly!?”

“Claude! Claude Frollo,” came a dear voice he had so wished to hear amidst the wind. Odette was here, along with the entire flock. Using his full name, it drew his attention to her as she stepped out breathlessly, as her human self while holding that single, star glowing stone in her one hand. She stumbled and almost hit on her knees. As sharp as Frollo’s face was, he nearly knocked his shoulder through his own men in order to meet her when she made it down the slope. 

It was the crucial second and the rarest of Frollo releasing his hand from the pommel. The Diamond wearer was a woman and would soon enough wear feather as the next hour would pass. Before the men’s very eyes, Frollo swept over to embrace the brave woman before pulling back to gaze deep into her eyes. Odette wrapped her arms around the elder’s neck, privately letting her tears fall as she was squeezed. This was among the rarest and very first embrace this man had ever given… They were all together again — as safe as could be, in spite of the curses. As long as all of their hearts would beat as one.

“Father,” she strained a whisper into his ear before the moment had to be fully parted.

“Daughter,” he deepened, on the edge of breathlessness and fatigue while he studied her, sharply. “I see you whole~ but you have left the encampment. I find myself bewildered - Hurt~! After I have told you to remain guarded.”

Ida stood hidden, while holding both hands to her mouth as she listened. Eleonor kept her eyes looking outward as she glanced every so often toward the laid bear. At once when he heard his father’s voice, Quasimodo lifted his head high first, before his massive body with ears pinned down from his own worry. The sky was just on the verge of lightening up in the horizon, and already he could feel the ache deep in his bones. The voices he knew were beginning to fray at the edges, that was enough to stab where his wound used to be. Grumpy’s heart made a leap when he saw their bear try to rise, and so he ran to him. He softened his rough palm along that scrunched snout, using a hushing voice. 

“Agin it, agin it, sir~” Grumpy urged, to keep their friend calm. “She got it righ’.”

Quasimodo focused on the firm dwarf, huffing in understanding however, he had something to say. He gruffly swept his thick arm across his snout, as a form of indignation before he pressed on despite Grumpy’s solid argument. 

“‘hey hey - don’t be thinkin’, he’ll cut you through, all right.” Happy told him, quick and tight even though he knew Quasimodo was stronger than all of them combined. They each got studied, with that sliver of teal before he gave a rather patient huff before he drew a heavy paw. Those claws were natural clevers, leaving them spooked for a moment as he moved forward, only trying to point to the arriving dawn. Jiminy bounded, having been silent yet. 

Along the rocks, avoiding the snow dunes he went, just far enough above to see just what was happening below. Seeing that embrace, during the brink of it all, shattered and healed his heart all at once. Their family, their entire fellowship, was all reunited again after such a horrid season inside this enchanted prison. Truth was their lifeline, and their Maiden ~ the very final Maiden, Odette. Cassandra Rayan. She was blessed with her memories, and their dearly despaired was in obvious rage against them. Twisting Quasimodo in such an unfair way did not hinder their faith in the slightest. His mind and heart were untouched, as promised by the stars themselves. Happy felt that gruff snout press against his shoulder, having his arm lifted a bit to point his attention up higher to where Jiminy had bounded. 

Bashful, whose breaking heart had been rendering him silent mostly this voyage, took it on himself to follow their spirited Voice up the dune. Up there, they were able to see the reunion. The gathering drew Frollo’s gaze upward, with Odette’s following his for them to see the Dwarf’s silhouettes gazing down at the Knighthood, weapons gone and utterly silenced by the fateful night. Even now, Frollo did not see what he wished… A sharp stab of dread struck through his chest as he took a march forward toward the shadow that dared to greet him on the path. A new soul, one of darkness with a lowered, humbled gaze had decided to tread out from behind the dunes.

It was narrowly missed but joining on the chorus of winds, there was the mourning thrum of a distant beast of either a bear or man, but Frollo had sole focus on this new presence. As he handled his sword, Frollo drew right arm out to keep Odette directly behind him. She knew the truth but this meeting was fated and rued, no doubt. Even with tears in her eyes, she tenderly held the Diamond to her chest, drawing her eyes to it as its warmth was drawn from her father. It was as though he was right there by her side. He was among them. This voyage was about to take a turn. Her true loves were all here, and the moment of truth relied on her trust, so she held firm and obeyed Claude’s silent command.

Amidst the Dwarfs scaled up the dunes, the flock all remained hidden by the side of the weak bear, away from the eyes of the disoriented Magistrate for the time being. They were all incrdibly frightened of this moment.

“Your Honor,” Odette breathed out when she felt strong enough to speak. “… sire, if you would,”

“Keep your footing, child.” Frollo ordered of her, barely turning a cheek as they both observed the Huntsman stow his knife into his belt and approached with risen arms. “I find myself bewildered to find this shadow among you. State your business, stranger!” he barked at them, startling the hiding women, particularly the Diamond Swan he stood in front of. Jiminy choked back as he had to watch this, however, he hopped down to find footing on Odette’s shoulder, in his own way to protect her in someway — in the best way he could.

“Sire, I only ask that you listen! Please, father… listen~” she had to beg as the Diamond flickered in her grip. “I beg of you~”

“What is the meaning of this, Odette!? That you are to side with the unknown creatures that come across our paths with abandon?? Have you not learned what has befallen us thus far? Your mind has been prodded and siphoned of memory —“

“Be that as it may, I’ve come back with my mind healed… I remember this journey thoroughly. Please, don’t think me enchanted further. I can tell you that I’m not. Dawn is approaching, and he needs to speak with you…”

“He needs to speak with me, indeed!” was the Magistrate’s rather sharp remark, glaring daggers at her audacity of even trying to tame his rage at this precise moment.

“I know what this might look like to you, but it isn’t! Listen~ listen to me. Look at me, sire, please!” Odette had a scrape her voice to get her point across. “If you consider me a daughter, would you listen to me?” she had to ask, whilst trying to keep her voice from shaking.

Humbert stood at a fairly respectful distance, as the Dwarfs witnessed from the dunes. “Your Honor,” he began. “I come to you as but a servant.”

“State your being here among our ranks, if it you would be so kind? As to why the Mad Queen’s servant would bow to me —”

“My name is Humbert. Yes, I was Queen Grimhilde’s personal Huntsman for many years. I have hunted scores for her. Even women whom she had despised…” Humbert hinted with a chin lifted high. “I am here because I have sworn an oath, I have sworn an oath to the man who saved my life…”

Frollo’s eyes stung with the heat of hidden tears as he studied the man. He twisted around to eye her and the stone she grasped. Her brown eyes were overcome with loving tears. Something was spoken between them that almost made the Magistrate’s resolve almost crumble. Humbert looked hung at that mere exchange. Glancing toward the dunes, he knew all were listening to this. Grumpy arched low, as did Doc and Happy. Compared to the protective one’s, their eyes were welling up as they chose to watch.

“… I consider myself reasonable, Humbert.” Frollo’s deepness broke the winter’s whistle, with a hint of warning. With a straightening of his back, Frollo soon took a step closer toward Humbert. Amidst all this quiet, it was the most eerie they had ever seen the Judge.

“You speak of the oath to the man who saved your life,” he noted out loud, for all to hear. 

At the sharp slide of steel causing Ida to flinch, there came that deep mourning groan in the air, the froze Frollo right in his tracks.

“Yes, your Honor.” Humbert continued, still standing with no weapon drawn. “I have sworn to the man whom I’ve been sent to murder under complete thrall of the wicked. The poniard I weilded was poisoned by a spell, and I drew his blood. I had fallen over the ledge, however… he did not let me fall to my deserved death.”

As Frollo narrowed his eyes at the vagueness of that statement, Odette held a hand to her lips to try and mask her teary shock as the entire flock was flooded with catharsis. Frollo could hear them amidst the wind. Moments came by when this hefty weight began to drag through the snow from the dunes Odette stood before of. Frollo’s feet were entirely frozen into the path, even while he glanced at the dwarfs who shared deeply knowing looks, despite their pain. Happy’s eyes pooled over before he curled over and nestled his head into Doc’s side. Dopey was biting his knuckles out of pure fear. 

The air seemed to thicken, turning brittle. At Odette’s weep ~ a broken and melodic realization truly pierced him through. The silence within this snowy glen was finally shattered. There came a low, rhythmic thud of thick, heavy feet as they shuffled through the mounds slowly drew Frollo’s sole attention away from the former shadowy Huntsman. As he turned, he gazed over Odette — who stood as still as a statue — while his own cloak whipped about and flourished in the wind as a mournful sound traveled through the air. The world around them grew impossibly still, leaving only the sound of a mountain of fur emerging from the veil of brambles and rocks. 

The mark of the true leader sprung forth, much to the horror of those involved. Their one world - this one path - shined over the two forms in a single blink of time. Frollo had gripped his trusted weapon as his eyes met the shadow’s own. Humbert deeply stepped forth, aiming to keep his oath. Both men tore out steel in one fell swoop. Odette flinched, feeling the mass behind her scrape claw into the ground, feeling his weight shift strongly. She gasped, the girls wept out in alarm, as the great Eurasian beast made a steady, painful rise over her. The soldiers naturally breach back, after seeing the full scale of the mass behind the guarded swan maiden as Frollo’s blade met against Humbert’s, who stood directly between him and lumbering Quasimodo. Frollo’s knuckles turned bright white as he pressed harder against the Huntsman’s blade, a deep raging grief leaping through every inch he was pressing… Grumpy was arched, prepared to leap down until Happy yanked his tunic to keep him back… Grumpy’s eyes were vexed.

At the grate of the blades, Jiminy’s eyes widened in whole terror whilst shaking his head in utter horror that this blindness had overcome the Judge’s rationale. At the gleam of the brilliant Diamond, and at his beloved’s stance and her touch into the tuft of his fur, Quasimodo let out a deep thrum of a sound that mimicked something of a cough, as he stomped a thick foot. Humbert nearly glanced back, which would have been a foolery thing to do as he had Frollo in a deadlock before the moment came. Momentarily stunned by the bear’s unnatural demeanor, Frollo flourished his blade around his crown in order to swipe directly toward Humbert’s stomach. Humbert dodged backward, falling back with a huge kick to survive the brandish…

“FROLLO!” Odette cried out, which signalled to the Seven to come and gather low to form a further circle of protection as Quasimodo took a step forward and pressed Odette further behind him as he took initiative of his father’s maddened state. “NO!”

Quasimodo stood in front of the fallen Humbert as the Dwarfs ran right down and around the two, Grumpy gripped the man’s shoulder to get him up with them.

Frollo wavering gaze landed onto the bear’s massive presence as he took Humbert’s place, facing his executioning blade. Tears stung those eyes as he snarled at this presence as he first took as a new form of the curse this forest was infested with. He did not yet notice of the glimmer of teary aquamarine focusing on him as he rose his blade high once more… Quasimodo stepped back, raising his huge iron strong paws to open wide as though to shelter the man during his fit of grief.

“Sire, you can’t -!” Jiminy cried loud, as small as he was but he was helpless.

“He is your son! Frollo, please! It’s Quasimodo!” Odette wept just as loud.

Frollo snarled as he armed himself to try again. Quasimodo narrowed his head and turned, offering his thick shoulder should he be struck. Yet he never attacked. He defended. “… another emerald tinted lie that has been whispered into your ears.” Frollo hissed, as Quasimodo focused him with no malice but with sorrow. He moaned, in begging as he glanced at the family panicking behind him, belting a warning bark before he eyed the Judge entirely. Humbert had to hold Odette by her arms as they watched…

“Quasimodo… has fallen… The curse will burn - It will burn~” Frollo vowed as they were both drawn into a circle. With tears streaming down his aged face, he saw the form he faced, mimicking the very deformity Quasimodo had bore since birth, shattering him even further. “… you mock me. You witch, you mock us all!”

“DON’T!” Odette screamed before the brutal strike missed that paw. Quasimodo swiped the air to hit the blade aside and bobbed his head against Frollo’s armor, knocking him back into the snow, to dislodge him but not hurt him. At that moment, Quasimodo saw he had the upperhand, and stomped down, slamming a paw down onto the blade before Frollo could retrieve it. As a last resort, Frollo swung a fist and landed a hit right into the bear’s jaw.

The family gasped out, with Humbert guarding the precious woman, as she was weeping into his shoulder. The light of the Diamond became far too strong to ignore.

“This can’t be - it cannot be~” a Dwarf, possibly Bashful sobbed in the silence. The women on their knees in the snow with Eleonor gripping her scalp in shock at the scene. Quasimodo merely shook his head at the pain of even being hit before gazed at the man he hovered over. Frollo’s hand screamed with pain as he was forced to confront this illusion. 

Frollo was gasping for breath as he stared down, and grasped his ruined hand. However, he dared to gaze into the waiting eye of his apparent captor. There, deep in the amber and brown, was a jewel of liquid aquamarine instead of the soulless dark of a senseless predator as he had expected. He could feel the heat of the body, the reality of it - its steady strength, that deep huffing breath of solid warmth against him — This was no illusion. A living and breathing truth had him under its power. He was at the mercy of it. Raising a shaking hand, Frollo shook his head as he neared the snout he struck. “… no. No… what had I ~ What have I done…? What have I done!?”

Humbert soon loosened his hold over Odette, while the reality settled deeper into the breaking yet whole family. Frollo’s sobs broke out into the morning rise as Jiminy bounded from Dopey’s side, in a desperate leap to her shoulder. Grumpy exchanged a pure stunned look at Happy and Doc, then to Bashful and Sleepy before they each all came closer to where Quasimodo had remained. He kept his head lowered as he began to feel a change in the air as the light of the sun was nearing above the horizon ~