Running.
Panting.
Watch your step.
The hunt begins.
Esmeralda felt her chest getting tighter as she struggled to pull air into her lungs. She felt the tips of low branches catch strands of her hair as she sprinted through them. She didn't care that her outfit was being torn to shreds by the bramble, or that her feet were most likely bloody from the terrain.
She just needed to run faster.
She didn't think it was possible to hear it over the pounding of her heart in her ears, but there it was; hooves.
The wind stung her eyes as she ducked to the left, trying to find a more difficult path for her hunter. She knew he was close. She could practically feel him behind her, breathing down her neck.
She quickly turned right, but felt her foot get caught in between the ground and part of an exposed root, twisting her ankle. She hit the ground hard, her left shoulder bearing most of it. She inhaled sharply, hearing the sliding of metal against metal.
He caught up.
"I told you my dear, I always catch my prey." His voice was deep and filled with anticipation.
She glanced up at Minister Claude Frollo with a glare as he smirked down at her from his saddle. They had agreed to let her go if she could outrun him until sundown. If she was caught beforehand, she was to do whatever Frollo commanded for twenty-four hours. The challenge began at dawn and it was barely past lunch time when he finally caught up to her.
If she was honest with herself, she would admit that she was excited by it. The thought of this untouchable man chasing her down to have his way with her was the most exciting thing she'd had in a long time.
Of course, with him being a righteous man, he had to negotiate the terms of the challenge and did so respectfully. He had her full consent, despite her being in his custody, awaiting her trial. She believed she could outsmart him in more ways than one.
As she looked at the man above her, she noticed his dark eyes were gleaming with excitement. He wore a gray shirt, black doublet, and black hose. She noticed he looked much leaner than she would have guessed.
He dismounted his horse, making his way over to her, sword tip directly pointed in her direction.
She felt the cold tip get pressed to the hollow of her neck, the same spot she'd seen his eyes rest a number of times before. She turned herself and propped up on her elbows, matching his gaze evenly, a smirk ghosting her lips.
"I've caught the gypsy Esmeralda," he said almost breathlessly. He stood above her for a moment longer before sheathing his word and kneeling before her.
She watched him closely as he examined her ankle, which looked swollen.
"Are you alright?" he asked, reaching out but not touching the swollen area.
"I'm fine," she answered, surprised at the huskiness of her own voice. She saw color rise to his cheeks,a dns eh almost saw him as human as she was.
"Gypsy witch you rouse in me the foolish with to set you free," he said quietly, almost in a whisper. He looked at her with an almost pained look. "You make me question myself. I'm drawn to you. I should kill you here, now, with one swing of my sword," he paused, taking in a breath. "But I can't," he finished desperately.
"Why me?" Esmeralda asked quietly. "You hate my people. You hate me. So why save me?"
"Maybe we're drawn to the things we despise the most." he replied evenly. "I'd leave all of this behind for you." He gestured in a way to indicate he wanted to pick her up. "May I?" he asked.
She regarded herself, knowing that she would be unable to walk. She nodded and nearly gasped at how gentle he was.
His hands glided across her back and behind her knees. He braced one leg up as he lifted her into his arms easily, fluidly standing at the same time. He walked steadily to the base of a large tree and set her down, going to his horse and retrieving a knapsack. He knelt beside her again and pulled out wrapping cloth and wrapped it around her ankle expertly.
Esmeralda was still in awe of his kindness. She was expecting him to get right to the point and do what he's been wanting all along, but was instead met with a humble man helping her.
She stared at the ground numbly as she became caught up in her own thoughts. What if she agreed to stay with him? Only if he stepped down from position and left the city. She wondered if it would be so terrible. He seemed to be genuinely mindful of her. He hadn't touched her in a malicious way. In fact, he never did anything malicious to her, other than keep her in a locked cell for days.
She was interrupted when she felt Frollo's long fingers brush her inner calf. He was eyeing several cuts she had acquired from the chase.
Her skin broke out into goosebump and she had to suppress a shiver from making its way down her spine.
His hands started to move up her legs, and she eyed him cautiously. He looked at her with questioning in his eyes.
"I need to check if there are any more injuries," he said matter-of-factly, despite the flush of his face.
She nearly rolled her eyes at his excuse, but nodded anyway, desperately trying to ignore how heated his hands made her feel.
Surely she wasn't aroused by this, let alone by the man.
Clearly she was.
His hands pushed her skirt high upon her legs, exposing her dark skin to him, but still keeping her most sacred part covered. She could practically feel the heat coming off of him as he leaned in to examine her legs closely, brushing his fingers gently against fresh wounds to indicate his findings.
As he found more and traveled higher, Esmeralda had to part her legs in order for him to get a better look at her inner thighs, eliciting as full body flush from the Romani. She didn't remember running through anything that would have cut her there, but the brushes of the Minister's fingers indicated otherwise.
She watched Frollo closely, her chest heaving from the tension. She felt her stomach clench when she felt a ghost of his breath brush against the swollen lips of her covered sex, and she closed her eyes. She knew he noticed it as well when she felt an abrupt pause against her leg.
"I'm not sure this is wise," she heard him say huskily. She opened her eyes and saw he wasn't moving from his spot between her legs, despite his previous statement. He was kneeling, her good leg bent, her left one stretched out straight. His left hand was splayed out across her right thigh, and she was acutely aware of how his leather gloves felt against her skin.
"I'm not going to stop you", she said surprised at her boldness.
"It is against my very nature," he said softly, his eyes resting on that damn spot. "Against everything I know."
Esmeralda felt herself becoming impatient and she sat up higher, leaning in close to Frollo. "You did win," she reminded him, finding herself having to drag her eyes from his mouth. She took in deep breaths, awaiting his response.
Moments passed, and Frollo had made no indication of moving. He seemed stuck.
Just as Esmeralda sat back onto the tree, Frollo swiftly grabbed the back of her head with his right hand and pulled her face to his. He stopped the movement, his hand wrapped in her hair, her lips barely brushing his.
She gasped against him and she could feel the groan force its way out of his mouth.
"Oh how my love burns for you," he whispered. "It's like hot lead." he tilted her head, exposing her neck to him. "Molten lava," he said into her shoulder. He dragged his lips up her neck, to her ear and along her jaw, eliciting a long moan from the woman.
"You bewitched me, and I don't want it to stop," he whispered desperately against her lips before covering them with his own.
Her body felt like is was set aflame. Desire consumed her as his hands grasped at her urgently. He kissed her a little sloppily at first, but then started to reign in his own desire. He put his arms underneath her legs and turned them, laying her back against the bed of grass, all while keeping his mouth on her.
Esmeralda couldn't believe it. She was enjoying this. Her body was craving to feel him inside and she started to claw at the belt that blocked her from getting to her target.
"Please," she gasped against his lips. "I don't know how but I want this," she admitted, clutching his jaw and making him look at her.
"Perhaps I am drawn to you as well."
With that, she saw Frollo groan and lean into her chest. His hands tore at what little was left of her shirt, exposing her ample sized breasts to him. He gave sweet attentions to them, his hands and mouth working her breasts and pinching her nipples.
She cried out when she felt his leg come up between hers and push against her core, creating such sweet friction. She ground herself onto his leg, almost embarrassed at her own wanton desire.
Their movement were hurried but slowed at the same time. They wanted to enjoy themselves but they couldn't wait to sink themselves into each other.
Esmeralda had managed to remove his shirt, doublet and belt, leaving him in his hose, which barely hid an impressive erection, while he managed to tear off what little clothing she had left. She pushed the garment down, exposing his cock and she nearly moaned at the sight of it.
It was long and thick, but not overwhelmingly so. It stood straight out, and Frollo made no move to hide himself.
Claude climbed further on top of her, making her lay back fully. He curled his legs beneath hers, the tip of his erection barely pushing at the entrance of her sex. She groaned in frustration.
"Don't make me beg," she ground out, moving her hips closer, only to be met with his moving equally backwards.
"I've waited for this," he breathed out heavily. "Beg me. Say my name, Esmeralda."
She shivered at the way he said her name. It was the first time she'd heard it from the man himself. It was always "witch" or "enchantress."
As per the agreed terms, she did as he asked.
"Claude," she said huskily. "Please." She watched his reaction of pure bliss as he sunk into her at the sound of his name.
In one fluid motion, he was inside of her, filling her completely from the inside. She felt her walls accommodate him, flexing around him, which elicited small bucks of his hips. She could tell he was trying to be gentle, for her sake or his, she wasn't sure. But they were soon moving in unison, trying to find a rhythm.
Deeper.
She clawed at him, leaving numerous scratches left in her wake as he started to lose his rhythm, indicating his was close to finishing.
He pounded into her ruthlessly, driving himself deeper than before, hitting that sweet spot just right. Esmeralda cried out his name like a mantra as he drove into her, causing Claude to gasp aloud and cry out her name as he came inside of her.
With a long exhale, he slid himself out of her, falling to his elbows above her, minding his weight atop her. From beneath him, she breathed heavily, gazing at him with a sated look on her face, a glow to her skin.
"I will take you somewhere I can be your… Sanctuary," he said softly, brushing one hand through her hair, an almost apprehensive look on his face at her words.
She considered it before saying "I'm not sure that's such a bad idea."