To look at Claude Frollo, one would see a hard man, older in appearance than age, oft harsh in word and deed. He did not suffer fools gladly, to which his subordinates and the citizens of Paris could easily attest. To observe such a man, one would ask, was there any place for affection in his heart?
Surprisingly enough, the answer was yes. But the one whom he bestowed such affection upon was not human in any way, shape, or form.
Neigeux, called Nix by his master, was of Frisian stock, evidenced by his stature and the length of his mane and tail. The great stallion did not lack in courage, strength or speed – Frollo relied on him time and again for all of those qualities, these past two decades. A decent lifespan for any horse, to be certain – the judge knew he would not easily find Nix's equal anywhere else, and so the stallion was afforded the finest care possible.
Crowds parted like the Red Sea when the imposing pair came into sight, Nix's iron-shod hooves clattering on the cobbles and Frollo's steel-sharp gaze sweeping the streets around him. But sometimes, when they passed through a silent, deserted alley, Frollo's thin hand would caress the animal's neck for a moment, the judge allowing himself a brief moment of rapport, beyond the eyes of the unwashed masses. Perhaps he spoke to the stallion, in that dark, quiet rue, unheard by others. Perhaps the stallion replied with a low whicker of near understanding. But when they emerged once more upon the sunlit street, there was only the judge once more, his eyes hard and unyielding. A dark man on a dark horse, looked upon with awe by all.
A/N: Apparently the filmmakers joked that Frollo's horse was named Snowball, hence the name Nigeux (French for snowy) and the nickname Nix (Latin for snow).