†Esmerasmine†

~To Live~*

Mud and water from the streets sloshed about as the rain fell. Piercing screams could be heard throughout the quiet night. All the voices were those of gypsies. Foul creatures of seduction and witchery. Master Frollo had given the commandment. Gather all the Gypsies, sell them, kill them, and burn them in the fires of hell. And so his word was obeyed. The gypsies were captured, sold, killed, and burned one by one. The rounding was tonight and twenty gypsies had been discovered. The night rang out with their screams of terror and grief.

"Phoebus!" A gypsy's scream pierced the night louder than the rest as she watched her beloved die before her eyes. She watched as the light faded from his perfect blue eyes. Esmeralda was yanked roughly back as she lunged towards her now dead husband. She fell limply into the arms of her captor and was dragged through the filthy street and thrown uncaringly into the back of a caged wagon. Her and nineteen other gypsies rode through the rain in silent fresh grief.

The ride was long and cold. Soon Paris disappeared into other cities. Esmeralda slept when she could and talked reassuringly with the other gypsies when she wasn't. She knew the other gypsies. They were her only family… now. As she thought of Phoebus a fresh wave of torturous grief washed over her.

Esmeralda had lost track of time as they had been traveling so much. They stopped in the nights to sleep but Esmeralda hardly seemed to notice. Time meant nothing anymore to her. She had no idea where they were taking her and her people and she really didn't care anymore.

The creaking of the cage door being opened startled Esmeralda. She jumped and opened her eyes squinting at the brightness of the sun that beat down upon her. The smells of dust and salt wafted to her nose. She sat up pushing her raven black hair from her face and looked around. The city looked much like Paris with cobblestone streets and horses and people milling about. The door to the cage opened and rough hands dragged her out. She fought and jerked against them and was slapped hard across the face. The slap made her fall to her knees. She was of course dragged along the ground but managed to gain her footing and walk at the same pace as the man holding her. Her hands were bound so she could not move nor try to run or strangle him. She merely was pushed along in silence. As they walked further a large platform loomed ahead. Esmeralda was shoved roughly from behind and forced up the stairs and onto the platform. A man came forward and began to speak.

"Gypsies from England! Fair as they are wicked! Who will buy?" Shouts rang out among men who stood below. Esmeralda had never seen the likes of such men dressed as these men were. Some carried swords that curved instead of staying strait as most of the soldiers back in Paris. Some wore capes and cloaks. Some were dark skinned, others light. All of them hollered out prices and one by one a gypsy was shoved from the stage into the grasp of man. Esmeralda wanted to scream and run after her beloved family members but it was useless. All of the men there were armed and would kill her in a matter of seconds if she moved, so she remained standing in line. As another woman was pushed off she could fully view the crowd of men. She felt a hand shove her forward and she nearly fell.

"Who will pay for this exotic beauty? Do I have ten pounds?"

"Thirty!" A man shouted. No one bid higher. Esmeralda glared fiercely at the man and he seemed to smile at her. She spit in his face. The man had dark skin almost the same color as hers. A cloth covered his mouth and he wore a strange looking round hat upon his head. She was shoved forward and fell from the platform hitting the cobblestone on her hands and knees. She gritted her teeth as her hands scraped against the rough stone. The man looked down at her and picked her up roughly by her wrist. She cried out in pain and he laughed.

"Get up." He dragged her to her feet and tied a rope to the one that bound her wrists together. She was led away from the platform and got to look back once at her fellow gypsies knowing in her heart she would never see them again.

The sounds of water and smell of salt grew stronger as they walked. She could see boats in the distance; and not the ones she knew from Paris. As they grew nearer the man stopped and she ran into him not paying attention. He knocked her back and then turned back to the man he was addressing. She saw him give him a few coins and then he began to walk toward one of the boats. Esmeralda's eyes narrowed and she pulled her hands back hard. The rope her buyer held slipped from his grip and Esmeralda took her chance, she ran. She looked back and saw the man was merely standing there clutching his now burned hand.

"Slave escape!" He bellowed suddenly. Men drawing swords, all of them trying to catch her, soon surrounded Esmeralda. She was trapped; she couldn't run and she couldn't escape. She felt a hand grab her from behind. She fell to her knees and stared up into the cold eyes of her buyer. He twisted her arm and Esmeralda blacked out.

The sound of rushing water stirred Esmeralda from unconsciousness. For a moment she thought she was back in the safety of the court of miracles underneath the city. She shook her head groggily and viewed her surroundings, expecting the familiar fabric hanging from the ceiling of the wet rock walls. What she saw was entirely different. The sound of rushing water was not that of her home in the court of miracles but of the ocean surrounding the boat she was now on. And the fabric she saw was not the fabric draped from the ceilings but was the bleach white of the boats sails. Esmeralda felt hot tears begin to prick her eyes but she blinked them away. Where was she being taken and why?

A shadow loomed above her.

"We'll be docking in a few so I suggest you get yourself together." A harsh voice said. Esmeralda looked up and blinked. She glared at the man and remained silent. "I said get up you filthy bitch!" He grasped her by her hair and she cried out, stumbling to gain her footing and stand. He laughed roughly and threw to the ground. Esmeralda struggled to her feet and faced him, her eyes filled with anger and defiance. He raised his hand as if to strike her and she flinched away from him.

"Ha! Just as I thought!"

"Balthazar, we're ready to unload." A man said from behind him. He lowered his hand and turned away from Esmeralda.

"Fine, tie her up. I'll be glad to be rid of her."

"Yes, I hear the Sultans going to pay a mighty price." He nodded and walked away. The other man sneered at Esmeralda.

"Your lucky he bought you my sweet." He caressed her cheek and she snapped at his hand. He smiled at her.

"I wouldn't do that now my sweet."

"Argun! Is she tied yet?"

"Yes sir!" The man hastily tied the rope back to her bound hands and shoved her forward towards Balthazar. She glared at him and he took the rope and yanked her forward. She stumbled and fell to her knees before him. He laughed harshly.

"Get up." She stood shakily and followed him from the boat.

The streets were full of venders shouting and people dressed much the same as her captor. The houses were very different from those in Paris, so were the people.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Agrabah." Balthazar said roughly.

"And where exactly is that?"

"Shut your mouth and stop talking!" He snapped angrily. Esmeralda fell silent and continued to survey her surroundings. Music caught her attention and she looked to her left. The scene before her bought back memories but she couldn't stop looking, couldn't stop remembering. A woman was dancing in the street. She wore pants the flowed but were tight at the ankle. Her top was short and showed her belly and breasts. Her wrists were adorned with bracelets and bangles. She danced gracefully, twisting her body and moving fluidly. Esmeralda had not danced in so long and she yearned to join the woman. The moves looked familiar to her even if the music and clothes were not she still yearned for it. A tug on her wrists pulled her from her daze.

"Keep moving." Balthazar snapped. He pulled her along and she glanced back once more at the dancing woman. What was this place?