The night was becoming slowly unbearable for the Judge. Upon his horse on a corner, on a humid night in May, thoughts raced through his head. His adopted son becoming increasingly defiant, his new captain of the guard being nothing more than a idiot, and a woman who drove him crazy. He sat under cover of darkness to try and see if any criminal would be bold enough to commit a crime around him. He longed to be freed of the heavy clothing that was encasing his body.
A couple of streets over, the gypsy for which he longed for walked the streets trying to cool herself off from her days dancing. Esmeralda always did things that any other person would consider dangerous. Being the way she is, she walked down a dark alley to get to a near by fountain. She was also suffering the from the nights weather. She went to the well and washed her face with the lukewarm water. She drank and suddenly felt like she was being watched in some way. She heard the drunken laughs of gawking men. She jolted suddenly and whipped her body around. "What a beautiful wench!" one of the rather broad drunkards jeered. "Look at that body! How would you like to spend a night with me huh?"he said stumbling closer. She quickly drew the dagger she always held close to her. They dared to go even closer to the enraged gypsy woman. Despite their current disposition and deceiving looks, one of them came up to her and grabbed her by the arm. The other followed behind and drew her back to the stone of the well. She struggled. Her only defense, her dagger fell at her feet. They tried kiss her mouth violently. They were over powering. She let out a squeal as their hand began to wander. She kicked them off as best she could and fell to the ground. The flesh on her arms was torn open and bleeding. She winced from pain. They tried to pull her up. She began to scream. She quickly jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could they got her in an alleyway and pinned her to the wall. "Help! Dear God above, help!" she shrieked with the greatest power she could muster. They began to over step all boundaries that the young woman had set to these situations.
Claude jumped at the sound of the screams. He became suddenly alert and tried to point where the painful screams where coming from. Suddenly from the alley right next to him ran out a disheveled mess of dark hair, ripped clothing and golden skin. He was petrified by her sudden appearance. He stared down at the wild gypsy. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed on the stones of the street. As she wept, rain began to pour from the sky. The men came out of the alley and continued to attack her young body. "Please! I beg of you! Help me! Save me!" she yelped with great passion pleading to the man who often wanted her dead. She had fainted. Frollo came to his senses and did the deeds required of his station. He dismounted his horse and walked over to the violent scene. He took out his gold and ruby encrusted dagger and held it to the throat one of the men. "If you wish to see tomorrow I would get off now." he sneered as the men both slowly backed away and ran to shelter themselves from the rain and the wrath of the Judge. He looked down at the her body, bruised, battered, violated and half exposed. His heart stopped. He fell to his knees and gazed down at her, he couldn't resist the thoughts that ran though his head. His hand trembled as he inched it closer to her face. He caressed her face. He was losing control, holding her face with both hands and moving her face closer to his. No, he would not torture her now. He took her body in his strong arms. He laid her upon his horse and trotted away.
He tried to not think about the things he could do right now. His head was clouded with unholy images and thoughts. It was becoming too much for him to handle. He braced himself tightly, trying to contain his inner demons. He came upon the well, he shook and breathed heavily. He then papered to regain his composure. He took Esmeralda up and threw her face into the water. "Be gone demon! I will be rid of you! Burn! Burn! Burn in the flames of Hell!" he yelled desperately trying to drown her. He let out a cry and held her close. He cried out, disgusted with the act he just committed. "God, please…" he pleaded. He took her back up again this time he was furious, no one would ever touch her again as long as he lived. After this epiphany, he rode off at a fast speed to the Palace of Justice.
Esmeralda woke up to the sound of chiming bells and singing birds. She was quite delirious and confused. She sat up to find she was on a bed of the finest sheets. Silk and velvet surrounded her body with heavenly comfort, but she was cautious. She tried to regain consciousness and looked around the room. It was stone and cold, a fireplace stood before the massive bed. A crucifix lay directly over it. She suddenly than realized that she was in different clothes and her wounds bandaged. She wore a white linen dress. She now felt the pain of the night before, she couldn't remember much of it. She heard the faint sound of breathing and turned quickly beside her. There sat Claude Frollo. Her eyes widened, her breathing went wild and she was terrified. She shrieked and almost feel off the bed. Frollo woke abruptly, he stared at her with compassion in his eyes. "Where am I? What did you do? I swear if you…" she suddenly realized she was defenseless. He went over to her slowly looking deeply in her eyes. "Please, I am not here to harm you." he said standing before her. "Don't come any closer! Please I beg of you!" she said trying to stop his advances. He gripped her hand firmly. "Please, help me! I can't let them have you!" he said desperately to Esmeralda. "But…why did you save me? What do you want from me you animal!" she said. "I want you. But right now I just want to protect you from the world and it's filth! You must remain untouched as you are!" he said starting to tear. Esmeralda flung herself onto the bed away from him. "Don't cry any more! My heart can't bare it!" he said caressing her leg. "I have to leave now, stay here or they will take you away. Don't make a sound, and please don't leave…I'll put you up in the tower with 'him' when I come back, if it would make you happy." he said desperately trying to make her happy. He than realized he could not help her, it burned his heart. He had to leave to his duty. But he would be thinking about his "wasted" opportunity all through court that day. He left Esmeralda weeping on the bed It drove him mad. He locked the door and went on his way
Claude walked out into the morning sun on his horse. He passed a couple of men who were drinking and laughing. "Claude! Jehan is looking for you! He just went inside! He needs your help." one said with a mocking tone. "My brother? Where has he been!" he demanded. "We had been in Le Val D'amour! Boy did we have a good time, but you know, it wasn't cheap!" he replied. Frollo was infuriated and almost melancholy at the fact he had failed himself and his parents. But than it hit him, Jehan had the keys to his chamber. He was mortified of what was going to happen.
Jehan creped up the steps to Frollo's chamber, a drunken fool. He pounded at the door. From inside Esmeralda jumped she was frightened. "Is it the Judge? It has to be! If it's not what can I do?" she thought franticly. "Brother! Open up! I need to ask you something!" Jehan shouted. He took out the key and began to unlock the door. Esmeralda's heat raced and clutched the sheets with fear. Jehan walked it stumbling. "Claude" He couldn't finish his sentence. His eyes laid squarely on the gypsy. "Has my brother been hiding something?" he said with his eyes racing across her body. "Claude you hypocrite! You tell me I spend your money on booze and whores! Now look here, you have one of your own! A special one at that, what breasts…" he said with heightened emotion. He walked up to her, stared at her straight in the face and grabbed her chin. He laid a wet kiss upon her cheek, then he caressed her breasts. She flinched and threw him of squealing. His face had a furious look. He swiftly mounted her. He violated her body as she cringed in pain below. Claude threw open the door. "Jehan! She's a virgin!" he cried, his eye's looked down upon the scene. He ran to the bed trying to get his brother off her. "Leave me alone! Stop! Stop!" Esmeralda cried as he continued to touch her cool flesh. "You're a whore! What do you care!" he said turning up abruptly. "She is not a whore, but a gypsy…the gypsy who danced in the square!" he yelled. "The witch!" he asked. He grabbed her and ran off.
He took her into the streets and yelled "This witch had bewitched me! We must burn her!" She managed to break free in her ripped and thin clothing. She ran down the streets trying to run away. She found shelter near a tavern. She sat and wept in the darkness. Frollo looked to his brother with great fury and slapped him across the face. " How dare you. You are a failure…" he said coldly as he stormed off.
Under cover off darkness Frollo went out into the city. He searched every alley and street until he saw her. He walked up to her and placed him and on her shoulder. "Mercy! Please in God's name have mercy on me!" she screamed tears gushing down her soft face. Frollo removed his hood. Utter terror grew over her. She tried to run but stumbled. He ran to her helping her up she looked at him "Please, what could you want from me now! I don't have anything to give!" she said. "I have a heart of love to give, you wont accept it. When your final day comes you will have to accept it…but now I can keep you safe from the filth of this world." He said as he lead her off to Notre Dame.
He lead her up the stone stairs to the bell tower. "Quasimodo…" he called. He came out of the darkness. "Esmeralda! You're, are you hurt!" he said with concern. "Master what…I-" Frollo cut him off
"Keep her here, let no one near her do you understand?" he said swiftly. He turned and looked at Esmeralda's body one last time, and a shot of great emotion ran up his spine. He could barley control him self. He ran out slamming the door and sobbed on the stairs. He shook uncontrollably "I will have her, I must see her body and have it for myself or… I will die or she will…."