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Belle couldn’t help noticing that Melody was unusually quiet as she helped her tied up her hair that evening. All day long she had been excited for seeing the circus, but now she seemed strangely subdued. Finally, she said, awkwardly, “Maman...are we a normal family?”

Frowning, Belle paused in her brushing. “You, your father and me? I’d say so. Why?”

“No, I mean all of us. I mean...” Melody spread her arm and Belle followed her gesture to view the interior of the Court of Miracles. It had hardly changed really since she had first come to it. Tiana and Naveen still did most of the cooking, usually aided by Aladdin and Jasmine, Dr Facilier still performed his magic tricks for money, now assisted by a much older Lilo, Shanti still trailed after Jasmine and Jack still treated his sister Boo, who kept insisting he call her Mary now she was older, like she needed protecting, despite the fact that she was now nearly sixteen. And Iago still flitted about here and there squawking and grumbling as usual. The only real difference was that Esmeralda and Pocahontas weren’t here now.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Belle replied, deftly twisting her daughter’s dark hair into its usual ponytail. “Alright, we don’t live in a house like most families, but this is much better. There’s so much more room, and it’s secret. There was a time in my life when I needed a place to hide and...” She sensed her daughter wasn’t really listening. “Did I ever tell you I spent most of my life living at Notre Dame? And your grandparents spent over ten years living in the jungles of Africa?”

“Yes...” Melody wriggled her shoulders, trying to explain what she was feeling. “But don’t you ever worry that people talk?”

Belle raised her eyebrows. “Is that about those three you met yesterday? Did they say something about us, and the way we live?”

“Well, no, but...I don’t know...they seemed so much cooler than us,” Melody rambled, “and I don’t know whether they were secretly thinking that we’re...odd, or whether they actually thought I was...good enough to hang out with them.”

Belle smiled. “Melody, you need to stop worrying about what other people think. The man who raised me tried to tell me that your father was corrupt and full of sin and basically no good for me. If I’d listened to him, well, you wouldn’t be here.” Melody blinked, unable to believe someone could accuse her father of being “full of sin” when he was one of the most Godly men she knew. “If those three really think you’re odd because of the way your family is, then do you really want to hang out with them?”

Melody smiled, blushing slightly. “I guess you’re right, Maman, it’s just...the blond boy’s so good looking...”

Belle laughed and hugged her. “Oh, dear, don’t tell your father you’re having your first crush!”

“Don’t tell me what?” Clopin poked his head though the curtain.

Melody giggled. “It’s nothing, Papa. I’m ready now.”

“And looking very pretty too, ma petite fille,” Clopin grinned back. “And as for you, Belle, living up to your name, I see!”

Belle swatted at him, playfully. “Did you use your flattery on all other women before me, Clopin?”

Melody left them to it, feeling reassured by her mother’s words. She met Boo at the bottom of the stairs, the only person somewhere near her age in the entire Court of Miracles, so the closest thing she had to a best friend. Jack was at the top of the stairs, chatting with Lilo and Shanti. “Hi,” Boo smiled, “ready to go?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. Hey, Mary, how old were you when you had your first crush?”

Jack spun around.

“Mm...I think I was about your age,” Boo replied, thoughtfully. “They were a group of travellers too. There was this one-”

“Hey, aren’t you two still a bit too young to be thinking about having crushes?” Jack interrupted.

Lilo laughed. “Jack, your sister’s not a child anymore! Someone’s going to turn her head sooner or later!”

“He’s right,” Shanti smiled. “You sound just like someone’s father, getting all over protective and everything.”

“I’m not over-protective!” Jack protested.

“You are!” Mary insisted. “If it was up to you, I’d never meet anyone!”

Jack opened his mouth and then shut it again as the remainder of the large Court of Miracles family came up, and after listening to Clopin remind everyone to be vigilant at all times, they were off. The circus had set up camp on the opposite side of the Seine was Notre Dame and a large crowd was already gathering to watch. Several of their friends and acquaintances were there too, and Belle, Clopin, Clayton and Sarah soon found themselves caught up talking to people they knew. Melody followed Boo and Shanti as they wandered closer to the tents to have a look at the people setting up. Melody noticed, to her surprise, a girl about her own age, pale with light brown hair, unpacking a large box. When she struggled to pick up something inside, Melody darted over to offer a hand.

“Thank you.” The girl smiled as Melody helped her lift the heavy folding-out box. “Just help me put it down here.”

“So, you’re part of the circus?” Melody queried.

“Yes.” The girl looked pained but forced a smile. “For the past year now.”

“You sound English, though,” Melody frowned. “I thought this circus was from around here?”

“Oh, Master Sarousch is a Parisian,” the girl explained. “He often takes the circus outside of Europe, and he found me in an orphanage in London. I’m Jane, by the way.”

“I’m Melody, and sorry to hear that,” Melody added, suddenly feeling guilty that she had been querying her own family’s normality only moments ago. She knew she would feel awful if she suddenly lost her own parents.

“Oh, it happened a long time ago,” Jane replied, sensing what Melody was thinking about. “It’s not such a bad life here, only...” She hesitated and glanced sharply over her shoulder, as if worried someone was listening.

“Only what?” Melody asked.

“...He’s not really a very nice man,” Jane trailed off, lamely.

“Who?”

“Master Sarousch. He-”

Jane jumped and whipped around as someone came in behind her. But it was only a boy maybe a year older than her, thin with red hair. “Come on, Jane, quickly, he’s on the warpath. Oh, hi!” he added, spotting Melody.

“This is Melody, she was just helping me,” Jane gabbled, looking over Peter’s shoulder nervously. Melody realised she was worried about Master Sarousch coming in, and she couldn’t help wondering just what was so bad about this man.

“Hi, I’m Peter.” Peter picked up some enormous juggling balls and handed them to Jane before grabbing a long length of rope. “You know, if you really wanted to make yourself useful, you could grab that net from that round box there. We need to set everything up quickly. Jane, it’s okay.” His eyes softened as he noticed Jane still lookin worried. “He’s overseeing the stilt walkers right now. As long as we’re quick, he won’t come looking for us.”

“Not right now...” Jane mumbled. “But later-”

“Hey, I said I’d get us both out of here, and I’m working on it.” Peter glanced quickly at Melody, who couldn’t help listening in. “I’ll do it tonight, okay?” He squeezed her hand. Jane managed a smile. Melody was surprised, because they were still only around her age and yet they acted almost like her mother and father acted around each other. Silently, she handed over the net. “Thanks,” Peter said, smiling as if his conversation with Jane hadn’t just happened. “You’d better get out front, you won’t want to miss the first act.”

Melody took it as a dismissal and nodded. “Well, good luck, anyway.” She hurried away quickly, wanting to tell her mother about what she had just overheard, but by the time she found her in the crowd the show was just starting. First, the masked Master Sarousch appeared with his juggling act and then vanished the juggling balls only to make them reappear into the crowd, much to the delight of some younger children who squealed in delight and tried to catch them. Then, there was a trick with a disappearing elephant and then the stilt walkers came on. After that, the rope and net were tossed out and stretched across the stage, and Melody clapped harder than most when she saw that the tightrope walkers were Jane and Peter. Then, they switched to trapeze tricks and for a second Melody would have sworn they were really flying through the air.

“Thank you, ladies and gentleman,” cried Master Sarousch, reappearing again in a burst of smoke as Jane and Peter made their exit. “We will be taking a short break, but we welcome any donations, please!” Even as he said it, several of the jugglers were making their way through the crowd with their caps outstretched for coins.

“Watch yourselves,” Clopin muttered, dropping a single coin into the cap that was shoved their way. “I wouldn’t put it past Sarousch not to still pick pockets.” Belle automatically felt the pocket of her apron and then remembered that there was only a handkerchief in it anyway. Even so, she kept an eye on them as they circulated the crowd, but when no one cried out that they had been robbed, she relaxed. Melody, meanwhile, slipped away to the tents again. As she neared the largest, she spotted Jane and Peter with their backs to her, and was just about to tell them how great she thought they were but then she realised they weren’t alone.

“You two are doing exceedingly well,” said the familiar voice of Master Sarousch from the shadows. “But I think you both still need some...private schooling.” Ducking out of his view, Melody glanced around the open flap. Master Sarousch’s smile was a little too friendly, his tone a little too slick. She wondered what was going on. Jane was trembling slightly. Peter, on the other hand, looked defiant, from what she could see of him.

“Jane’s doing better than me,” he said. “I’m the one who needs the extra schooling.”

“Peter, no...” Jane murmured.

Master Sarousch raised his eyebrow. “Very well, Peter, come to my tent tonight-”

“Melody!”

Melody jumped and looked around to see her parents looked around in concern. She quickly hurried over. Clopin shook his head. “Melody, you need to stay close to us.”

“Sorry, Papa, I guess I got carried away looking around.”

The second act started then, and everyone enjoyed watching the tumblers and the comedy act with the trick cart and the finale with the spinning plates. By the time it was over, Melody had almost forgotten what she had witnessed earlier and found herself chattering about everything they had seen with her friends as they started to leave.

“You go ahead,” Clopin muttered to Belle. “I’ll catch up.”

Belle raised her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t it be better to simply stay away from him altogether, Clopin?”

“I will if he will,” Clopin replied.

Belle knew she wasn’t going to change his mind, so she kissed his cheek and whispered to him to be careful before hurrying to catch up to her parents and daughter. Clopin turned and almost bumped right into an unmasked Sarousch.

“Clopin Trouillefou, as I live and breathe. You’ve done well for yourself.” Sarousch glanced over at the retreating Belle and the others. “Got yourself a family now, have we?”

Clopin stiffened. “What are you doing back here, Sarousch?”

“Earning a living, of course.” Sarousch conjured a ball out of thin air to demonstrate. “I was always the best at magic, remember?”

“What about the other thing you were best at?” Clopin muttered. “Namely stealing?”

Sarousch twitched his mouth, slightly, but didn’t break his sneer otherwise. “You haven’t answered my earlier question, Clopin. That beautiful young woman, she’s yours? Surely she’s far too good for the likes of you? Or did you trick her? Does she know about your criminal activities?”

“You’re one to talk about that,” Clopin replied, not rising to the bait. “I’m only going to warn you once, Sarousch – keep away from my family. We were finished a long time ago.”

“Oh, no, my dear old friend,” Sarousch smirked as Clopin turned on his heel and walked sharply away. “I’m afraid this time we’re only just beginning...”

(I just came back from Paris and was inspire to write this. Yes, I got to see the real Notre Dame, and what’s left of it after that awful fire is pretty spectacular. Disney did a great job recreating it in cartoon form, right down to all the Saint statues outside. I wish we could have gone indoors but its closed because they’re still rebuilding it.)

Description

Belle couldn’t help noticing that Melody was unusually quiet as she helped her tied up her hair that evening. All day long she had been excited for seeing the circus, but now she seemed strangely subdued. Finally, she said, awkwardly, “Maman...are we a normal family?”

Frowning, Belle paused in her brushing. “You, your father and me? I’d say so. Why?”

“No, I mean all of us. I mean...” Melody spread her arm and Belle followed her gesture to view the interior of the Court of Miracles. It had hardly changed really since she had first come to it. Tiana and Naveen still did most of the cooking, usually aided by Aladdin and Jasmine, Dr Facilier still performed his magic tricks for money, now assisted by a much older Lilo, Shanti still trailed after Jasmine and Jack still treated his sister Boo, who kept insisting he call her Mary now she was older, like she needed protecting, despite the fact that she was now nearly sixteen. And Iago still flitted about here and there squawking and grumbling as usual. The only real difference was that Esmeralda and Pocahontas weren’t here now.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Belle replied, deftly twisting her daughter’s dark hair into its usual ponytail. “Alright, we don’t live in a house like most families, but this is much better. There’s so much more room, and it’s secret. There was a time in my life when I needed a place to hide and...” She sensed her daughter wasn’t really listening. “Did I ever tell you I spent most of my life living at Notre Dame? And your grandparents spent over ten years living in the jungles of Africa?”

“Yes...” Melody wriggled her shoulders, trying to explain what she was feeling. “But don’t you ever worry that people talk?”

Belle raised her eyebrows. “Is that about those three you met yesterday? Did they say something about us, and the way we live?”

“Well, no, but...I don’t know...they seemed so much cooler than us,” Melody rambled, “and I don’t know whether they were secretly thinking that we’re...odd, or whether they actually thought I was...good enough to hang out with them.”

Belle smiled. “Melody, you need to stop worrying about what other people think. The man who raised me tried to tell me that your father was corrupt and full of sin and basically no good for me. If I’d listened to him, well, you wouldn’t be here.” Melody blinked, unable to believe someone could accuse her father of being “full of sin” when he was one of the most Godly men she knew. “If those three really think you’re odd because of the way your family is, then do you really want to hang out with them?”

Melody smiled, blushing slightly. “I guess you’re right, Maman, it’s just...the blond boy’s so good looking...”

Belle laughed and hugged her. “Oh, dear, don’t tell your father you’re having your first crush!”

“Don’t tell me what?” Clopin poked his head though the curtain.

Melody giggled. “It’s nothing, Papa. I’m ready now.”

“And looking very pretty too, ma petite fille,” Clopin grinned back. “And as for you, Belle, living up to your name, I see!”

Belle swatted at him, playfully. “Did you use your flattery on all other women before me, Clopin?”

Melody left them to it, feeling reassured by her mother’s words. She met Boo at the bottom of the stairs, the only person somewhere near her age in the entire Court of Miracles, so the closest thing she had to a best friend. Jack was at the top of the stairs, chatting with Lilo and Shanti. “Hi,” Boo smiled, “ready to go?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. Hey, Mary, how old were you when you had your first crush?”

Jack spun around.

“Mm...I think I was about your age,” Boo replied, thoughtfully. “They were a group of travellers too. There was this one-”

“Hey, aren’t you two still a bit too young to be thinking about having crushes?” Jack interrupted.

Lilo laughed. “Jack, your sister’s not a child anymore! Someone’s going to turn her head sooner or later!”

“He’s right,” Shanti smiled. “You sound just like someone’s father, getting all over protective and everything.”

“I’m not over-protective!” Jack protested.

“You are!” Mary insisted. “If it was up to you, I’d never meet anyone!”

Jack opened his mouth and then shut it again as the remainder of the large Court of Miracles family came up, and after listening to Clopin remind everyone to be vigilant at all times, they were off. The circus had set up camp on the opposite side of the Seine was Notre Dame and a large crowd was already gathering to watch. Several of their friends and acquaintances were there too, and Belle, Clopin, Clayton and Sarah soon found themselves caught up talking to people they knew. Melody followed Boo and Shanti as they wandered closer to the tents to have a look at the people setting up. Melody noticed, to her surprise, a girl about her own age, pale with light brown hair, unpacking a large box. When she struggled to pick up something inside, Melody darted over to offer a hand.

“Thank you.” The girl smiled as Melody helped her lift the heavy folding-out box. “Just help me put it down here.”

“So, you’re part of the circus?” Melody queried.

“Yes.” The girl looked pained but forced a smile. “For the past year now.”

“You sound English, though,” Melody frowned. “I thought this circus was from around here?”

“Oh, Master Sarousch is a Parisian,” the girl explained. “He often takes the circus outside of Europe, and he found me in an orphanage in London. I’m Jane, by the way.”

“I’m Melody, and sorry to hear that,” Melody added, suddenly feeling guilty that she had been querying her own family’s normality only moments ago. She knew she would feel awful if she suddenly lost her own parents.

“Oh, it happened a long time ago,” Jane replied, sensing what Melody was thinking about. “It’s not such a bad life here, only...” She hesitated and glanced sharply over her shoulder, as if worried someone was listening.

“Only what?” Melody asked.

“...He’s not really a very nice man,” Jane trailed off, lamely.

“Who?”

“Master Sarousch. He-”

Jane jumped and whipped around as someone came in behind her. But it was only a boy maybe a year older than her, thin with red hair. “Come on, Jane, quickly, he’s on the warpath. Oh, hi!” he added, spotting Melody.

“This is Melody, she was just helping me,” Jane gabbled, looking over Peter’s shoulder nervously. Melody realised she was worried about Master Sarousch coming in, and she couldn’t help wondering just what was so bad about this man.

“Hi, I’m Peter.” Peter picked up some enormous juggling balls and handed them to Jane before grabbing a long length of rope. “You know, if you really wanted to make yourself useful, you could grab that net from that round box there. We need to set everything up quickly. Jane, it’s okay.” His eyes softened as he noticed Jane still lookin worried. “He’s overseeing the stilt walkers right now. As long as we’re quick, he won’t come looking for us.”

“Not right now...” Jane mumbled. “But later-”

“Hey, I said I’d get us both out of here, and I’m working on it.” Peter glanced quickly at Melody, who couldn’t help listening in. “I’ll do it tonight, okay?” He squeezed her hand. Jane managed a smile. Melody was surprised, because they were still only around her age and yet they acted almost like her mother and father acted around each other. Silently, she handed over the net. “Thanks,” Peter said, smiling as if his conversation with Jane hadn’t just happened. “You’d better get out front, you won’t want to miss the first act.”

Melody took it as a dismissal and nodded. “Well, good luck, anyway.” She hurried away quickly, wanting to tell her mother about what she had just overheard, but by the time she found her in the crowd the show was just starting. First, the masked Master Sarousch appeared with his juggling act and then vanished the juggling balls only to make them reappear into the crowd, much to the delight of some younger children who squealed in delight and tried to catch them. Then, there was a trick with a disappearing elephant and then the stilt walkers came on. After that, the rope and net were tossed out and stretched across the stage, and Melody clapped harder than most when she saw that the tightrope walkers were Jane and Peter. Then, they switched to trapeze tricks and for a second Melody would have sworn they were really flying through the air.

“Thank you, ladies and gentleman,” cried Master Sarousch, reappearing again in a burst of smoke as Jane and Peter made their exit. “We will be taking a short break, but we welcome any donations, please!” Even as he said it, several of the jugglers were making their way through the crowd with their caps outstretched for coins.

“Watch yourselves,” Clopin muttered, dropping a single coin into the cap that was shoved their way. “I wouldn’t put it past Sarousch not to still pick pockets.” Belle automatically felt the pocket of her apron and then remembered that there was only a handkerchief in it anyway. Even so, she kept an eye on them as they circulated the crowd, but when no one cried out that they had been robbed, she relaxed. Melody, meanwhile, slipped away to the tents again. As she neared the largest, she spotted Jane and Peter with their backs to her, and was just about to tell them how great she thought they were but then she realised they weren’t alone.

“You two are doing exceedingly well,” said the familiar voice of Master Sarousch from the shadows. “But I think you both still need some...private schooling.” Ducking out of his view, Melody glanced around the open flap. Master Sarousch’s smile was a little too friendly, his tone a little too slick. She wondered what was going on. Jane was trembling slightly. Peter, on the other hand, looked defiant, from what she could see of him.

“Jane’s doing better than me,” he said. “I’m the one who needs the extra schooling.”

“Peter, no...” Jane murmured.

Master Sarousch raised his eyebrow. “Very well, Peter, come to my tent tonight-”

“Melody!”

Melody jumped and looked around to see her parents looked around in concern. She quickly hurried over. Clopin shook his head. “Melody, you need to stay close to us.”

“Sorry, Papa, I guess I got carried away looking around.”

The second act started then, and everyone enjoyed watching the tumblers and the comedy act with the trick cart and the finale with the spinning plates. By the time it was over, Melody had almost forgotten what she had witnessed earlier and found herself chattering about everything they had seen with her friends as they started to leave.

“You go ahead,” Clopin muttered to Belle. “I’ll catch up.”

Belle raised her eyebrows. “Wouldn’t it be better to simply stay away from him altogether, Clopin?”

“I will if he will,” Clopin replied.

Belle knew she wasn’t going to change his mind, so she kissed his cheek and whispered to him to be careful before hurrying to catch up to her parents and daughter. Clopin turned and almost bumped right into an unmasked Sarousch.

“Clopin Trouillefou, as I live and breathe. You’ve done well for yourself.” Sarousch glanced over at the retreating Belle and the others. “Got yourself a family now, have we?”

Clopin stiffened. “What are you doing back here, Sarousch?”

“Earning a living, of course.” Sarousch conjured a ball out of thin air to demonstrate. “I was always the best at magic, remember?”

“What about the other thing you were best at?” Clopin muttered. “Namely stealing?”

Sarousch twitched his mouth, slightly, but didn’t break his sneer otherwise. “You haven’t answered my earlier question, Clopin. That beautiful young woman, she’s yours? Surely she’s far too good for the likes of you? Or did you trick her? Does she know about your criminal activities?”

“You’re one to talk about that,” Clopin replied, not rising to the bait. “I’m only going to warn you once, Sarousch – keep away from my family. We were finished a long time ago.”

“Oh, no, my dear old friend,” Sarousch smirked as Clopin turned on his heel and walked sharply away. “I’m afraid this time we’re only just beginning...”

(I just came back from Paris and was inspire to write this. Yes, I got to see the real Notre Dame, and what’s left of it after that awful fire is pretty spectacular. Disney did a great job recreating it in cartoon form, right down to all the Saint statues outside. I wish we could have gone indoors but its closed because they’re still rebuilding it.)