His Angel

Chapter 7 - Within Stone Walls

A while later, the guards dispersed the crowd to regain order and to find the defiant gypsy, Esmeraldo. Phoebus had been overseeing his guards when he noticed something peculiar. An old man hobbled down the road in a cloak had suddenly turned and changed the direction he was walking in, when a group of guards had come into his view. The captain was even more suspicious as the old man entered the Notre Dame cathedral.

...

The old man removed his cloak once safely inside, revealing himself as none other than Esmeraldo. Djali, that had been hiding with him, hopped off his shoulders as Esmeraldo looked around in awe. The man had never been inside such a holy building and he marvelled at the beauty of its stained-glass windows and enormous stone pillars.

He walked further inside the cathedral, his emerald eyes scanning around when they landed on a familiar face. The face of an angel. Of the girl he had danced with at the festival. She had just descended some stairs, having changed into a plain (F/C) dress. Her expression was downcast and despondent as she made her way over to the confessionals. 

Her disheartened expression did not sit well with him and he was quick to sneak over to a nearby pillar and teasingly scared her as she got closer. A small scream left (Y/N)'s lips but they soon curled into a smile at the sight of the green-eyed man.

"Sorry, Angel. I couldn't resist." Esmeraldo cheekily apologised, sending a wink her way.

"I honestly didn't think I'd be seeing you again." (Y/N) admitted.

"Why? I didn't think my dancing was that bad."

(Y/N) giggled at his words, kneeling to pet his adorable pet goat. But, no sooner had the smile appeared on her face, it just as quickly faded.

"It's just...my brother and I weren't planning on leaving the church again. We just wanted to go to get out for one day. And, with what happened at the festival..." Her words grew silent and Esmeraldo understood why, sympathising with both the girl and her brother. "But I'm glad I at least get to thank you for helping my brother. It didn't seem like many others would have done the same."

Esmeraldo slightly chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck tensely as he replied, "It was only right that I did, though I feel I should also apologise. Had I known who he was, I would have never brought him up on that stage."

"I do not blame you for what happened. I blame myself and I was going to the confessionals to repent."

This confused the man even more, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "Repent for what?"

"For disobeying my master, for going to the festival when I was aware it was a place of sin and evil, and for allowing my brother to be in such a terrible situation."

(Y/N) was genuinely ashamed of what had happened. And, in her opinion, she was the one who had put the idea into Quasi's head to go. Their master had been right and, though she did not entirely agree with his views on the festival, the guilt still ate at her like a scavenger with a corpse.

But, the next words out of Esmeraldo's mouth, changed everything. "Why should you feel guilty?"

(Y/N) gazed up into his hypnotic green eyes, eyes that only looked at her with softness and kindness, as he continued to say, "You and your brother just wanted to have fun. There's nothing sinful about that. And there is nothing wrong with searching for the best in others. The people let themselves get swept up in others' hate but it does not mean everyone is cruel. You did nothing but love your brother at his lowest. In the end, are you not what people of God should strive to be?"

It felt like she couldn't breathe. But...in a good way. 

This gypsy...this man, who had barely known her a whole day, somehow knew the right thing to say in that moment. She had never felt that wanting to do what the normal people did, was a good thing, especially when she wanted to involve her brother. Her master had told her it was sinful and he had told her good people only existed within the church and he was her and her brother's only light in the dark, cruel world.