[Private] The Hunchback of Notre Dame (AdAstra)

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee gave a grateful smile to Estelle and thanked her, watching her leave to go about her work. Sighing, Aimee sat and drank the milk. She was itching to get up and go, but she would wait a while. Frollo would be busy with that Captain, and the maid wouldn't be around. She ate the croissant, savouring it. She wouldn't have such things out on the streets. Time passed and the temptation was simply to much for her. Standing up, she crept towards the door. Opening slowly, she was thankful it produced no sound, as she stepped out, she felt a rush of excitement and rebillion she hadn't felt since she lost her gypsie friends.

She hurried down the corridor, and then the stairs. Checking there was no one down there. When she saw the door to go down to the basement, her heart fluttered, there was no one guarding it, and it had been left unlocked. A grin appeared on her face as she finally reached the door. Hand reaching out to grip the handle she felt a twinge of fear, if Frollo found out he'd be ever so angry. A moment of hesitation took hold before she forced herself to go down there.

As she reached the bottom of the flight of stairs, she realized this was no basement. There was a cold stone floor corridor, and she wearily went to the first door to that corridor. Something didn't feel right, it was like she could feel death lingering in the air. As she turned the handle, she heard a scream. It took all she had not to scream right back with shock. What was going on? Was Frollo hiding something from her? Shaking now, she opened the door slightly, peeking through.

Her eyes widened. She must be having a nightmare. Aimee refused to believe what she was seeing. Torture tools, limbs, even a body.
"It's a nightmare, it's just a nightmare", she whispered to herself. However, the coldness and the continued sounds of the people down there, who she hadn't even looked at properly, told her she was not fast asleep. She shut the door, taking a moment to analyize what she saw. Frollo was much darker than she thought. The trauma hadn't kicked in, but Aimee went back up the stairs and shut bigger door behind her. Leaning on it, legs numb with fear.

She thought she better get to her room, before Frollo discovered she had been out of her room, and worse, down there. As she shakily climbed the stairs, she was not looking where she was going, and felt herself bump into someone on the way up. It wasn't Frollo, to her greatest relief, but someone else.

[AdAstrα]

Captain Phoebus stopped abruptly, bewilderedly looking around to see what had bumped into him with such force. He saw the girl almost instantly, but still, it took a few seconds for this sight to fully register in his brain; for if there was anything he would have never expected to find inside this kind of building, it was a healthy-looking and properly dressed teenage girl. Therefore, he gazed at her in silence for a few moments, but when he did speak his voice was calm, carrying no traces of surprise or shock.

"Whoa...hello there." he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

He looked around again, trying to find some sort of explanation for why she was down there but finding none; she was all alone and there were no guards in sight. He also could not help but notice how utterly terrified she seemed as she stared at him. Her face was a shade of white which almost exactly matched that of icy snow, and her remarkably blue eyes were wide with horror.

"Are you allright?" he asked kindly.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee came to the quick conclusion that this must be Captain Phoebus, for she hadn't seen him before. She was terrified he'd call for Frollo or something, and after seeing what was down in the so called 'basement' for the first time.
"N-No, I'm sorry". Then something clicked, she then naturally assumed the soilder had seen her come out of the dungeon.

"Please don't tell him I went down there!", she nervously begged, "He'll kill me...". Replaying that last sentence in her head, she meant it to be a figure of speech, but after seeing what was downstairs, she wouldn't be too surprised. She glanced up at the Captain again, taking time to anaylize him. He looked in his mid 20's, he was quite tall with fair hair. He had a beard too, cut short and neat. Damn it, he was in her way, she needed to get up those stairs, her heart was pounding in fear that Frollo might walk past and she her.

[AdAstrα]

Phoebus merely gazed at her, confused. "Tell who?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.
Then, a somewhat frightening thought entered his head, "Judge Frollo?"

That might explain it. He knew nothing of Frollo's personal life after all. Perhaps this was his daughter? Although this did seem like a strange place to have raised a child, surrounded by so much pain and despair, he could somehow imagine it. He had always got the impression that the Judge wasn't married, however....and if he had no wife, how could he have a child? Unless, of course, the girl was adopted...?

Seeing the expression of pure horror still on her face, he suddenly realised what "down there" probably meant. Had she been down in the cellar? The torture chambers with the many tools and weapons? Haunted by the many souls that had their lives mercilessly taken away there, ripped apart and doomed for eternity...the thought of what she may have witnessed only minutes ago sent cold shivers down his spine, and in an attempt to comfort her, he gently stroked her cheek.

"It'll be all right." he said, hoping this might calm her down a little.

[AdAstrα]

(posting this on behalf of Amy, who has trouble going on MLK atm as she's having problems with her internet connection. We are currently doing this RP over Facebook)

Aimee nodded nervously when she heard Frollo's name. She was worrying. She had gotten into a right mess. She was shaking and only wished she had someone to hug right now. Her mother would know how to comfort her in a situation like this, she'd just have to-

Aimee tensed up when Phoebus touched her cheek. In the exact way her mother used to. But it was different at the same time somehow. Aimee studied the man closely. He had kind eyes, and a soft but manly hand. 'Real Man' hands. Her mother used to say that about her father's hands.

"I-I'm Aimee...", she finally said. "I'm Judge Frollo's niece". She gave him a small smile, attempting to calm herself down. She couldn't help but feel a little threatened. She always had been around men after being out there on her own.

[AdAstrα]

"Oh, I didn't know he had a niece." Phoebus said, surprised, "Well... to be honest I don't know that much about him at all. Nice to meet you, Aimee. I'm Phoebus." He smiled at her, but seconds later he felt his heart drop, for behind him there was a sound of heavy footsteps...

"Would anyone mind telling me what's going on here?" Said a dark, menacing voice. Phoebus turned around instantly, and found himself face to face with the Judge himself. He was not looking directly at him however, but at poor Aimee, who looked as if every last drop of blood had drained from her face.

[AdAstrα]

(on behalf of Amy)

Aimee was frozen to the spot. She cowered behind Phoebus, but Frollo's glare seemed to stare into her very soul. No, no, no, no, no..., the one word repeating in her head. "I-um...um-er..." the girl stuttered breathlessly.

It was then glanced up at Phoebus, giving him a look which clearly meant - help me. Her blue eyes were watery with tears of fear, and it was almost like she was mentally begging Phoebus to say something, anything, to make the situation seem less grim.

[AdAstrα]

"Have you been downstairs!?" Frollo shouted, his dark eyes sparkling with fury, "HAVE YOU!?

"Sir!" Phoebus interrupted quickly, seeing Aimee's facial expression, "She hasn't been downstairs. I bumped into her right on this spot, she was indeed...erm...headed in that direction, but she stopped at the sight of me. In fact, she was just telling me how much she regrets it, and never will attempt it again."

Frollo gazed from Aimee to Phoebus, his eyes narrowing suspisciously. He had no reason yet not to trust the Captain, however, and therefore he assumed that he would not lie straight to his face, even if he certainly wasn't entirely convinced.

"Aimee, go back upstairs." It was an order. "I have important things to do, I'll deal with you later when I get back." He gave her one more look of utter disgust before he turned around and vanished out the door.

[UncoordinatedPisces]

Aimee couldn't help but let out a whimper of fear. Frollo had never shouted as loud as that before. When Phoebus started to speal however, she felt a little less scared. As she watched Frollo leave and finally go out of her sight, she began to dread what he would say and do. Aimee gazed up at Phoebus,

"T-Thank you...". Her tone of voice was incredibly grateful, but hoarse with tears she knew she had to let out. But she didn't want to cry in front of him, that would just embarress her. However, the more she thought about Frollo and his anger, the worse she became. "H-He was so angry...oh god, why did I g-go investigating. All I discovered w-was...".

Aimee couldn't bring herself to say what she saw, but she guessed the Captain knew anyway. She was a little too shaky to move at the point, but knew she better go upstairs before Frollo returned.

[AdAstrα]

Phoebus smiled sympathetically at Aimee, giving her shoulder a reassuring little pat.

"I'm glad I could help you out there, sweetie. I don't know what to say to make you feel better about this whole situation....but one word of advice would be to never go down there again. It's nowhere near the worst I've ever seen." he said, shivering at the memory. He then took a few steps towards the very same door Frollo had just vanished out of a few seconds ago. "Now, I think it's best if we both leave. It was nice meeting you, Aimee. I hope you stay out of trouble from now on."