Hellfire On The Other Side

Chapter 25

   "I'm busy; leave me alone!"  Clara texted. "I don't care, come over!"  Markus texted back not a second later. "She isn't coming without force Markus. Do it!" Garrett said. "I thought we discussed this! I am giving the orders now!" Markus replied angrily. "Do you want her to come or not?!" Markus bit his lip before going over to his cauldron. He muttered a few words and within seconds, green smoke appeared at the entrance of the cave. It disappeared and Clara stood there. "I said leave me alone!" she said glaring at him. "I told you, we needed to talk," Markus said leaning up against the cave wall. "I am busy doing things!" Clara said more sternly. "We have three months, we need to plan," Garrett says from the rock he was sitting on with Anna on his lap. Clara looked over at them. "And I will take care of that! You want me to lead, then I lead my way! You got it! I will plan and all you idiots have to do is follow orders!" Clara said raising her voice. Markus raised his hand. Clara screamed in pain. "That's not how this is going to work," Markus said over her screams. "STOP!" Clara screamed. "Do you agree to our terms? Will you plan with us?" Anna asks. Clara bit her tongue and didn't answer. Markus had the pain go into her arm. Clara screamed again. "FINE! I AGREE! NOW FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE STOP!" Markus put his hand down smirking. "I thought you'd agree." Clara glared and took out her dagger as she started to play with it. "So far I don't have much of a plan. But I know we are using each one of our skills. Garrett can gather other villain kids and recruit others who want to help with the takeover. Markus, well your magic will have a big part in this but if we are taking over all of France, we need something that will make you even more powerful. Anna and Dawn, well you're both practically useless and right now I don't have anything for you," Clara explained. "We aren't useless.." Anna muttered. Dawn hadn't said a word to her, just stood there glaring at Clara. "I know something that can make my magic more powerful," Markus said crossing his arms. "And what's that?" "My mother's staff." Clara froze, her thoughts going wild, "With his mother's staff he becomes one of the most powerful beings. If things went out of hand and Shane, stupidly, tried to help... Markus could easily kill him..." "No," Clara refused. "Why not?" Garrett asks. "Do we even know where it is?!" Clara asked rolling her eyes. Markus went over to a closet and took out as few powders. "Not hard to find out, I just have to contact my mother," he said. "Well, I still said no." "How about this, we use it to take over France and then we put it away. That will keep you, leader," Markus suggested. Clara gave him a look, "And why would you just put it away?" "Because I am not as power-hungry as you. I also like using my powers as I have been for eighteen years. The staff is my mother's legacy. I want my own legacy, not to carry around my mother's," Markus replied shrugging, "I mean, do you really want to carry your father's legacy with you, Clara? Or do you want your own?" Clara slapped him, "Don't mention my father to me!" she growled. Markus put his hand up again, she screamed, then he put it down. "You and your father get in a fight after you became a hero Frollo?" Dawn asks. "So she speaks..." Clara muttered. "Guess we should have told you we weren't just planning," Garrett said taking a sip of beer and Anna giggled. "What are you talking about?" Clara asked. The other four just smiled their villainous smile. "Tell me or I swear I will hurt you! I don't care how much it hurts!" Clara threatened. "Turn around Clara," a cold voice said.

   Clara tightened her grip on her dagger and turned around, sighing. "Hello, father..." Claude Frollo was on top of his horse at the entrance of the cave. "I see the scratch marks are healing well..." she said, moving some of her hair out of her face. "We need to talk," Frollo said simply. "I don't need to do anything with you," she growled. "Clara, go," Markus said. Clara looked back to him, glaring. "You aren't the boss of me! You may be forcing me to lead the takeover but you stay out of my family business! That is a direct order!" Clara yelled. Markus backed up a few steps sarcastically. "Do what you want Clara, but I doubt you get past him and there is only one entrance-slash-exit," he said. Clara gave an annoyed huff and looked back to her father, "No flogging, branding, hitting or any type of abuse. Or I swear, those scratch marks won't be the only thing I give you!" He nodded and she went up to him. He grabbed her arm and threw her over the back of his horse. "Shane is going to kill me if he is watching or if he finds out I am doing this..." She had to wrap her arms around Frollo's waist to keep from falling off the horse as they rode away. Clara made sure her hood was up when they got close to the city. They were heading towards the same car that Clara had been dragged to when taken last, the same horse trailer hooked on the back. It was parked right outside of the city. "No, I am not going back to that side of Paris..." Clara said about to jump off the horse. Her father grabbed her arm, stopping her. He stopped Snowball(A/N can anyone tell me why he named a black horse Snowball??? Or why a villain named a horse Snowball? LOL) and got off him. Then Frollo, re-grabbing Clara's arm, helped her slide off. "I can unmount a horse on my own..." Clara said ripping her arm away. Claude grabbed her again but she fought him off. This went on for thirty seconds before Frollo sternly said, "Enough Clara!" Frollo managed to grab her shoulders and keep her still. "Let go of me!" Clara growled giving a struggle trying to push him away. Sighing, he shoved her down and she fell to the ground. "Be a good girl and listen won't you?" Frollo said standing over her. "I'm not evil so that would mean I'm good so there..." Clara muttered. "Now, now, what did I teach you about good or evil. They don't exist. There are just heroes, villains, and the neutral folk. Did you throw all my teachings away?" Frollo asked kneeling down and moving her hair behind her ear. "Don't touch me!" Clara said slapping his hand away. He grabbed her hair and forced her up. "I didn't bring you here to argue! If you had a choice, I'd tell you!" "Like you told me about how you had mom killed?" Claude slapped her across the face and she fell to the ground again. "Stupid girl. It is already bad enough for you I had to get your old friends to back you in a corner so you can come back to your true self!" he said, anger sewed into his voice. "My true self?! I am my so-called true self!" Clara said through gritted teeth. Frollo gave a cold, evil chuckle. "You are a villain at heart. You are a bad person, a villain! This hero act is just that, an act. You are just to blind to see it. That Facilier boy is corrupting your mind!" he said flicking Clara's forehead. "You leave Shane out of this!" Clara yelled, "He is one of the only people who actually cares about me! You don't care about me! You abused me! You don't love me no matter what you say! Claytin loves me! Shane loves me! Heck, my mother even loves me!" Frollo grabbed her throat quickly. Clara stiffened, too afraid to move. "You see what I mean Clara. That boy convinced you that what I did was abuse. What I did was punishment and did it not work? But you let him so deep into that head of yours, you try to fight what you know is right! He is so deep in your head that even the hardest punishment I give you doesn't change what he wants you to think. He has clouded your judgment!" He released her neck and she started breathing heavily. "We are going home, or if you decide to act up again you can stay in the church. It is up to you," Frollo said grabbing her arm and standing up. "No, I am not going back. I am not a hero. You are the one who clouded my brain. Not Shane..." Clara muttered, her confidence and voice weaker. Frollo started petting her hair still holding her arm to keep her still. "It doesn't matter now. As soon as you take over France and as soon as you do villainous things, you will remember what it is you love about being bad. And you will go back to your roots, to your true self," he said taking a break from petting her hair to stroke her nose gently before going back to the petting. Clara had to fight back tears when she finally was able to take a step back, getting her arm away from him. "I can't. We aren't supposed to alert anyone of the takeover. If I go back with you it will cause suspicion, plus, Markus' cave is closer to this side of Paris. It would be easier and smarter for me to stay," Clara said. "Clara, I do not trust you, if I say you're going home, then you're going home! Now go get in the car!" Frollo said. Clara's rage suddenly took over along with her hurt and sadness. "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE! TO HAVE BOTH OF YOUR PARENTS BARELY CARE FOR YOU! ESPECIALLY WHEN I CARE SO MUCH! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LOVE SOMEONE  WHO IS ABUSIVE TOWARDS YOU! HOW IT FEELS TO MISS THEM! YOU RUINED MY LIFE! I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY BEST FRIEND AND MY FATHER! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE FATHER?! TO GO WITH THE BOY LET ME BE ME AND WHO WOULD RISK HIS LIFE FOR ME OR THE MAN WHO ABUSED ME! THE MAN I WAS AFRAID OF! I FINALLY CHOOSE AND YOU GO AROUND AND USE WHATEVER YOU CAN AGAINST ME! WHEN YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE ME THEN YOU CAN BOSS ME AROUND! UNTIL THEN, LEAVE ME ALONE TO CLEAN UP THIS STUPID MESS OF A DEAL AND LIFE! YOU ALREADY GOT ME BACK! YOU CAN WAIT THREE MONTHS TO LOCK ME BACK UP!" Clara's knees buckled and she was sobbing on the ground, curled up in a ball. Frollo came up beside her and stood over her. "Very well then, you will stay here for three months. After the takeover, I am taking you home. And in these three months, once a week you and I will meet. I will text you and I do not want any excuses, or punishment will come. And I can tell by the mark on your hand the Facilier boy did a spell. I expect every time you get hurt, he does too. You don't want to hurt your best friend now do you?" Frollo said with a taunting tone. Clara let out a cry. "Look up at me Clara," Frollo ordered. Clara refused shaking her head. "I said look up at me!" Frollo said raising his voice more sternly. Clara flinched and looked at him. Frollo smirked at her, took out a silver cross, her favorite one she had left back in the mansion and put it around her neck. He patted her head, mounted Snowball and rode toward the car. She waited until Snowball was in the trailer, her father in the back of the car and the driver drove off. She took out her phone texting her mom, "I need to talk to you. Meet me outside the bar next to the wedding gown shop and bakery? The one with the cute small benches out front. I'll be there in five minutes." Clara put her phone away, hid the cross under her dress collar, keeping it on, wiped tears away and headed towards the bar.

  Clara got to the bar and saw her mom already there. Going over, she put her hood down and sat next to her. "You wanted to talk to me?" Roma asked. "Yes, um, can I ask you some questions about you and father?" Clara asked. Roma didn't answer at first. "I guess I should have expected you to ask questions sooner than later. What do you want to know?" Roma finally responded. "First of all, are you two still... married?" Roma frowned and said, "Yes, technically we are. We never got divorced and to get divorced we'd both have to sign the papers, you know he won't." Clara nodded. "How did you and father meet?" "He saw me perform and kidnapped me. I was trapped in that mansion for weeks, months even. In the beginning, I was trapped in a bedroom. Probably the guest one now. Every time I refused your father, I'd get punished. Finally, I stopped refusing, I let him do to me as he wished, I didn't fight back. He allowed me to walk around the house. I tried to escape once but every window and every door had guards not including the ones already inside. I was punished so badly I could hardly move for a whole month. When I was finally healed, that's when your father told me we were to get married. I refused for months but then I realized if I agreed, at least I'd be allowed out the mansion with him leaving room for escape so I agreed. We got married, I was kicked out of the Court before I could explain, heck even Shane's mom, Verity, stopped talking to me for a time. Mostly because I pushed her away, too ashamed of letting myself get to that point. And she was my best friend. One day, I had enough and I was going to steal a sword and fight my way out but the day I was going to do that I found out I was pregnant with you and I couldn't risk you. I lived with your father for over five years. No, not as much as you have but it was the longest five years of my life. And before you ask, I had no idea what was going on with Esmeralda or Quasimodo. Most of the time I was locked in that mansion." "I get that..." Clara said quietly looking down at her hands. They sat there in silence for a good minute. "Mom?" Roma gave her a confused look along with a small smile. "I am surprised, I would have expected you to call me by my name after our last fight," Roma said. Clara shrugged. "Clara, are you okay? You aren't acting like yourself. Usually, you are, well confident and angry. Right now, you're quiet and reserved. I mean we are right outside a bar and you aren't trying to get a drink." Roma said concerned. "I'm fine, just deep in thought. And not really up for a drink..." "Not up for a drink?! Clara Frollo what is going on with you?! I won't hesitate to call your husband or Shane!" "No! Don't call them! Especially Shane!" Clara said quickly. Roma raised her eyebrow. "What is going on? I just talked to Shane and he didn't mention a fight between you two?" Roma asked. "It's nothing, I'm fine. Everything is fine..." Clara muttered. Roma scanned over her and noticed her hands were sightly shaking and her eyes were off somewhere else. "You're having a panic attack and you're trying to hide it!" Roma realized. "Wh-what?" Clara asked slightly stuttering looking over to her mother. "I used to do it all the time. Verity used to have to tie me to a chair and shove sleeping pills down my throat. It was the only way I'd calm down." "Shane's mom sounds cool. I hardly remember her. Once father came back I never saw her again. Did she really shove sleeping pills down your throat?" "Yep, she also trained with me in fighting. I am the better sword fighter though." Roma said giving a small laugh. "Shane better not shove sleeping pills down my throat, or tie me up," Clara said rolling her eyes. "Doubt he'd have to. He has voodoo stuff, he could probably find a way to calm you down or put you to sleep if he needed to," Roma said. "That is true," Clara said. "What can I do to calm you down?" Roma asked. "No, it's fine. I'll calm down on my own." Clara said standing up not noticing the cross was poking out of her collar now. "What's that?" Roma asked. Clara quickly hid it back. "Nothing..." she muttered standing up. Roma got up and pulled the cross out from the chain. She froze."You talked to your father..." she said. Clara backed away, "I said it was nothing!" "Clara! This man abused you! Why would you talk to him?!" Roma asked. "Just leave it alone mom!" "Leave it alone?! Clara this is Claude Frollo we are talking about! The man who branded you with a cross!" "Yeah because you didn't try to help me!" "Clara, I said I was sorry!" "Sorry doesn't cover it!" Clara started to leave. "Shane told me about the deal!' Clara stopped and turned back to her. "He what?" "He said you made a deal with Markus, Garrett, Anna, and Dawn." "Did he tell you what it was?" "No." "Good." Clara turned to leave when Roma grabbed her wrist. "He is the reason you're having this attack. Don't talk to him, Clara! He is going to hurt you!" Clara pulled her wrist away. "Look, I didn't come here to argue or yell. I came to warn you, to be careful." "Careful? What do you mean?" "Well, it's no secret that father isn't just looking for me. He is hunting for you too." "So?" "I don't think he is leaving this side of Paris anytime soon."