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The coldness of he's eyes were as deep and empty like he's frozen heart,
a magic spell keep him awake in reality, the flame of passion burned beneath he's skin the blood on he's veins urged to explote, he's mind began to hallucinate, flames like devils covered the room, and the black of the night transformed into ashes, a smoke began to intoxicate he's senses,the scorch of the fireplace turned into little demons that bitted him and burned he's whole body, a scream of terror and pain brought him to reality,waves of a strange red mass passed him like if he was only a specter,and suddenly he felt nothing, no more than obscurity surrounded him, he felt alone, even the devil had refused to comfort him,the only thing he had was that damned memory of that witch, the sorceress that kept he's mind wondering somewhere in hell,a cold mist entered from the window and caressed he's face,he looked up and saw the big crucifix just infront of him, the face of the man nailed to the cross stared at him with he's painful blood full eyes,he felt the ground opened just below he's feet,and he could feel the flames rising from the abyss beneath him covering he's wretched body,he could still see true the fire the mourning face of he's Christ,he put he's miserable hand together in a prayer,then unexpectedly the hell disappeared from the room,the sinful man began to mourn and he's tears were like blood,he's face was so pale and white he trembled on every movement that seemed he was about to die,then a weak voice echoed: "esmeralda!"
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Chapter 1
the night was cold and cruel just as evil as that unmistakable figure of the archdeacon, she felt like a coward, she knew she could save the gypsies and not just them but all of Paris, she left her costume of a beggar, and stroked the fur of her goat, because she knew she was about to do something mad, esmeralda knew exactly what the judge wanted, the gypsy started walking like a shadow between the streets of Paris, without a single torch that could guide her in the midst of eternal darkness, esmeralda's heart jumped when she saw at the distance the palace of justice that place of horror and cruel tortures, her body began to tremble at the thought of those devices full of daggers and knives, a tear slid down her cheek and she quickly dryed the tear with her hand, esmeralda took a deep breath and resumed her pace, she finally was in front of the palace those two huge wooden doors were like a giant, she knocked on the door shyly and with a trembling hand. guard: Who's out there? said the voice of a guard Esmeralda: I'm Esmeralda I want to talk with Judge Frollo (said shakily) After a few minutes of silence that seemed eternal ... frollo: Finally I have you witch? His voice was rough and seductive (Esmeralda trembled and the cold was not the cause of her chills it was the judge frollo) esmeralda: What do you want from me? Let my people go, I promise you if you give us freedom you will never see us again in Paris. (frollo smiled and let out a slight malicious laugh) frollo: you do not guess what do I want in return? I want you esmeralda, just you and nobody else, pick me or all Gypsies will be burned at the stake, and you'll be the only one responsible for his death, give me and answer now! I can save you and your people from the flames of hell, confess your sins and repent for the atrocities that you have done. esmeralda: Atrocities? what are you talking about?!, we gypsy's had not done things as terrible as you, and your being Archdeacon of Paris you are a murderer! a corrupt, a monster, I'm not going to be yours!... plus you do not love me, I doubt you are capable of loving. (frollo approached esmeralda he looked in her eyes and lightly stroked her cheek ... Esmeralda was so scared she could not move) frollo: how can you say that?!.. no one else in this world loves you more than me, you have seen what im capable of doing for you, you have bewitched me with your dance,you must be satisfied your spell worked gypsy. (esmeralda was speechless, frollo's eyes were swollen and red as if he was about to cry, his gray hair tousled and he's lips were dry as if he had never kissed anyone in he's whole life, in that very instant esmeralda thought of a plan to end the horrible war,she needed to accept he's offer, also esmeralda was beginning to feel sorry for him) esmeralda: Frollo do not ask me to feel the same, it is impossible and you know it, what I feel now is hatred and pain. (the archdeacon brought his face close to the gypsy) frollo:- Lie to me and tell me you feel something more than that, have pity on this poor unfortunate man. (Emerald turned around, and began to feel his body burn like fire as if those words were burning her very soul, then she began to mourn) esmeralda:- You're lying, the only thing you want from me is to make me yours and then you will trow me like a dirty rag... just like phoebus. (at the same instant that she finished speaking,frollo took her by surprise and kissed her,the gypsy wanted to separate from him but she could not, his kiss was rough and long seemed it would last an eternity, it was a pleasing sensation esmeralda could not help it and she kissed him too, tenderly she caressed frollo's gray hair, while she closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, but in that instant she realized she was kissing his worst enemy the devil incarnate in person, Judge Claude Frollo!,she pushed frollo violently away from her, and wiped her lips with a look of disgust on her face) esmeralda:- what have you just done? Esmeralda said angrily frollo:- Now tell me what you feel,(frollo exclaimed with and arrogant tone) esmeralda:- Disgust and nothing more than that. Esmeralda said spitting frollo:- you are Wrong Gypsy you're lying I know you love me! (the Archdeacon Frollo approached and rose his voice suddenly) frollo:- Now it wont be so hard to decide, choose me or the fire of hell! (Esmeralda was silent and thought to herself ... "Frollo will destroy all paris and all Gypsies, it is in my hands the lives of all that innocent people, I can not be that cruel, I will not be like him, I will not become a killer, a monster, I will sacrifice myself for them, only one life to save thousands of innocent people, maybe if I follow the rules of he's game I will come alive out of this problem" "the gypsy approached frollo exactly as she had done the day of the festival of fools, esmeralda rose her arms on frollo's shoulders, and caressed his face and ran his hand near his mouth and hugged him tenderly" Frollo felt he's blood boil and he's heart leaped from joy, finally he had in his arms the beautiful esmeralda, the gypsy sorceress who once set a spell with his dance on him, he could now stroke her long black hair and get lost in her fragrance, the trance was interrupted when he heard a sound, esmeralda said with a different voice... I accept your proposal ... Esmeralda's voice trembled and with little force she pronounce the words ... frollo I choose you.
suddenly the door began to open and in middle of the darkness inside the palace, a figure began to advanced towards her, the moonlight rebeled he's identity,it was the archdeacon Frollo!, he walked with downward gaze and confident.
esmeralda was confused she just said yes to the man she hated the most, but she did it for the good of her people, that was the only way to save them from the cruelty of judge claude frollo,she was hugging him right now, he's breathing was fast and paused like if he was purring like a cat, her head was placed just where frollo's heart was, she could hear he's fast and strong heartbeat,then she felt something touching her hair...it was frollo's hand gently caresing her head,esmeralda felt strangely safe in he's arms, he was thin and tall but yet a very strong man,not a bit of weakness in him,she tough if he's so evil and vile why is he good and kind with me?,maybe he theated me with anger because of me rejecting him everytime and now that i sayd yes to he's mad proposition he changed he's attitude... hmmm, esmeralda's toughts were interrupted by a strong seductive voice frollo: esmeralda you are now mine, my esmeralda esmeralda: yours?! (a bit angry) (frollo stopped the hugging to stare to esmeralda) frollo: oh my dear... i cant share you with anyone, all this time and i finally have you in my arms (esmeralda could not resist he's stare, he's eyes were so deep and they burned like the fire of the sun) esmeralda: now that i agreed... what are you going to do with me... (scared) (frollo caresed esmeralda's cheek) frollo: i asked god to let you be mine, or else let you burn on the fire of hell... god have saved you and you save'd me, (esmeralda's face turned in pure disgust and horror) esmeralda: what did you just said? (tring to get calm, in those moments the life of hundreds of gypsy's where at her hands, she needed to think the words she spoke) frollo: god saved you my dear esmeralda from the claws of devil esmeralda: but not from... (she was about to say "but not from you frollo" but she just covered her mouth at time) (frollo rised and eyebrow) frollo: what were you going to say?... esmeralda: but not from... amm the rejection of people, they point at me and they turn away from me just because im a gypsy (she cried) (frollo took esmeralda's hand and cleaned her tears with he's hand,she felt a burning touch he just made her tremble every time he touched her,esmeralda rised her eyes and spoke) esmeralda: im a gypsy and you hate my kind... why do you care about me? frollo: it's true i hate gypsy's (with hatred) but i just cant hate you... i tried but i cant, i wished your death but i could not until i declared to you my feelings esmeralda: what feelings? frollo: you have bewitched me with your dance, your hair is like the sun and the stars sleep in your eyes, hear me esmeralda i tell you the truth! (raising he's voice a bit) (esmeralda's heart skipped a heartbeat) esmeralda:... you are saying that you feel something more than hatred to me? (astonished) frollo: yes (a sore simple yes with no emotion) esmeralda: is it... love?(she could not pronounce the words she trembled in fear of he's reaction) (frollo turned around giving he's back to esmeralda, then she turned around to face her, but now with a arrogant normal look, like he always was) frollo: there is a problem,you are a gypsy are you capable of real love?! (a bit angry) (esmeralda tried to calm down and not to yell at him, he was being just mean again) esmeralda: im human like everybody else... are you human too? (with a calm tone) (frollo smirked with malice) frollo: of course i am human... you see i am a good man im not like the vulgar weak minded common people,and you my dear... you are my sin (frollo passed beside esmeralda, she shivered with fear, he was looking at her, staring at her whole body, from top to bottom) esmeralda:hmm... it's something wrong? (scared) frollo: no (he disimulated and stared at the night sky) (there was a silence, but suddenly frollo interrupted) frollo: take my hand, the night is cold you will freeze out here (offering he's hand to esmeralda) (esmeralda stared at he's hand and them she took it) esmeralda: where are we going? (scared) (frollo pointed at the door that was infront of them, the door to the palace of justice) esmeralda: please dont take me there i beg you please have mercy (she cried, and stooped holding frollo's hand) (frollo looked at the gypsy in shock) frollo: you are not going as a prisioner... are you afraid? (with arogance) esmeralda: im not?! (she rise her eyes to see him) frollo: no my dear esmeralda: but you know that we gypsy's dont do well inside stone wall's you said it yourself!... please take me somewhere else, now that i agreed to your proposition what shall i do, what are you going to do with me? (frollo stared at her and then spoke) frollo: first of all...you will no longer be a gypsy, and i will no longer be a priest, because i cant be devoted to god and at the same time to you my dear esmeralda (he pronounced the words with autority) (esmeralda was in shook) esmeralda: you you... i mean, you will no longer be a priest?! for me? (astonished) (frollo took a step forward) frollo: yes, but i will still be the judge and minister of paris! (with arrogance and pride) esmeralda: how!? they will burn you on the public square! (frollo raised and eyebrow) frollo: they wont my dear, im barely part of the church, i have concentrated for so many years on politics and diplomacy that notre dame's cathedral have's requested me to renounce to my religious title, they say that i dont longer attend my church... they say i must focus on god's work and renounce my other occupations or else i will be automaticly no longer a priest of paris. esmeralda: you quit being a priest,but i must quit being a gypsy? i cant do that! it's in my veins frollo: you must or you will not be worthy of me (with arrogance and pride) (esmeralda just wanted to yell to frollo and run away, but she could not, he was so selfish and arrogant) esmeralda: if i do that will you free my people? (calmly) (frollo looked esmeralda in the eye) frollo: yes you have my word