Frollo tried to go after her. But he realized she didn't want him around her. Then he stopped and just watched her go.
Going to the fireplace he heard: "meowwww." "I know midnight. I'm stupid."
Someone knocks on the door and quickly Frollo feels hope to be the green-eyed girl he adores. Then answer: "Come in!"
But for his disappointment, was only Madame Ethienne. That says: "Wow, you seem so disappointed to see me. You thought it was the girl, did not, sir?"
Frollo didn't answer, just snarled and turned back to the fireplace.
"You know, my lord. If you will allow me, I would love to help you. I know I'm just a housekeeper ... but I've known him since you was a boy. And I genuinely care about you."
The minister softened at the words of the old lady, who raised him as his mother. And he answered: "You can not help me. I'm stupid. And I scared her. I don't even know what I did wrong. I was just honest. But she looked offended."
The old lady knew she would not get much details. She knew the minister was a very reserved man, had always been since he was young, so she had to help him with what she understood about the situation. Saying:
"Well, if she's upset ... have you tried to grovel?"
Indignant with suggestion he turns to the little lady and says: "I AM NOT A MAN WHO GROVEL!" Crossing his arms he continues with angry expression. And look at the old woman for a few moments before continuing: "Grovel, you say?"
Smiling Ethienne says: "yes ... grovel. Flowers also help. And try to be less honest. Go slow."
Without patience the minister throws his hands forward while saying: "I am old! I'm dying! I do not have time to lose! I'm in hurry!"
Shaking her head, she replies, "That was always your worst flaw." And leaves the room leaving the minister alone with his thoughts.
Turning around he looks at the white cat and says: "Damn it."
And he leaves his desk, wears clean clothes, arranges his hair, and takes his horse to the city. Where he buys shoes for her and a bouquet of flowers. He walks around town hoping to find the girl but soon realizes it was not the best idea. As the sinister minister was walking around town with a bouquet of flowers. Attracting many curious looks and some even laughing.
With the crowd turning their attention to someone, Clopin had to take in who was attracting them. He stopped when he saw Claude and he couldn't help but burst out laughing. Him, holding shoes, looking around, with a bouquet of flowers in his hand was priceless to say the least. He laughed more and shook his head. "Mon dieu," the gypsy laughed.
He caught sight of Esmeralda and ran over to her. "Come, come. You must see this," he smiled and then he saw the look in her eyes when she caught sight of Claude herself. She immediately snatched her arm out of his grasp and left quickly in the other direction, confusing her brother like figure. He merely smirked. He didn't think that Claude's love interest would take too kindly in him being laughed at or observed. But that wasn't it. No. It was something more.
He hurried after her before she could go any further. "Where are you going exactly? What's the rush?"
"No rush," she lied.
"Oh, of course there's no rush. No rush to be alone perhaps. Or to think," he grinned.
"Clopin. I don't want to talk about this. Claude proposed something that…"
At that, his eyes darkened and his grip unconsciously tightened around her arm. "What did he propose?" He demanded. She said nothing once more.
"Just. Leave me alone…" She sighed and got out of his grip, turning and leaving quickly, now running into the wooded area around Paris.
Seeing that he was only making a fool of himself. Frollo returned to the courthouse where he saw Ethienne at the door. He gave her the bouquet of flowers.
"Take it. Forgive me if I screamed at you."
"Thank you...You didn't find her, did you?"
"No. She does not want me to find her." He said looking down at the floor, his face defeated. Until someone said: "She's in the forest!"
Turning Frollo sees Clopin and speaks: "You. Ah ... thank you. But I'm not going there. Frollo slowly removes the ring of wool from his finger and dropped it to the , give these shoes to her. She needs at least the rainy days."
Turning, he begins to pound the reigns of his horse, toward the stall. Clopin looks at the little shoes in his hands and says: "Wait there man!"
Clopin ran over to Claude, handing him the shoes. "She's not going to wear them no matter what you say. She's a very, very stubborn girl if you didn't know already which is why she isn't exactly an easy kill," he smirked and sighed. "Look. You asked for her hand in marriage, didn't you? And whatever you brought up turned her away from you but that doesn't mean that you should give up. She'll come around. One way or another. Give her time. A week, a month. Hell, maybe even a year if you're willing to wait that long but she'll come around. I'm not giving her the shoes. I don't know when I'll see her again but I'm not giving her the shoes either way. She won't wear them." He nodded to Claude then turned and left.
Claude felt all the sadness in him turn into anger. Picking up the shoes, he throws them on the floor and stomps as he says. "DAMN. Nothing I do is right! I was born to be wrong! I'm tired! Go to hell, you gypsy!" Extremely irritated frollo take the horse to the stable. There he begins to take off his armor cape and opens his white blouse. Rolling up the sleeves he begins to clean the stable with anger and vigor. While cursing all the few swear words he knew.
Stable officials have seen this happen before. A few years ago the king refused a request Frollo had made. Making him angry for days. In an attempt to release all his energy he began to do manual labor until he became exasperated. Knowing this they all left discreetly, because if they went in his way they would be in trouble.
And that was the last time they heard from Esmeralda for days to come. She wasn't seen in town, wasn't seen in Paris, hell, wasn't even seen in the neighboring towns. She wasn't in the forest and the only thing left of her was Djali who appeared back in Paris a week after she left. The goat slowly approached the stables, seeing the doors open. He entered and laid down in a corner on a pile of large straw.
Phoebus saw Djali pacing the city. He was an easy goat to recognize. Then he discreetly followed the goat in the hope of finding Emerald. But he was disappointed to see the animal go to the stable of the palace of justice. He leaned over the wooden fence and said, "Do you know where it is?" Well, could you tell me if she's alright, my little friend? with a sigh the captain bows his head and says: I'm talking to a goat. That must be pathetic painting.
Djali just looked up at him in response, a slash on his side which was slowly but surely healing. He laid his head down, bleating pathetically. He was waiting for Claude, wanting him since he didn't have Esmeralda.
Phoebus saw the bruise on the goat, but he was not surprise, since without his mistress he must have hurt himself. Before leaving he said: "You will be safer here, little friend." Leaving the stable he closes the door so the goat doesn't run out.
And then he goes back to town to look for Clopin. "Maybe he does not have any news ..." The captain thought.
Arriving in the square the puppet wagon was there but with the doors closed. Some kids were around looking sad for not having the show.
Approaching the captain's wagon slam the door and then Clopin opens it and says: "Sorry kidos, today Uncle Clopin will not- Oh. Are not you too big for puppet shows, captain?"
"We needs to talk." Said the captain with a serious face.
Clopim replied sadly: "I don't know where she is ... everyone is looking for her but she has always been good at hiding. But at least she sent word for someone ... she never stayed so long without send news."
The captain puts his hand on the gypsy's shoulder and says: "Then let us search for her with more... devotion."
Clopim responds with concern in the look: "Are you suggesting?"
"Yes." The captain answers.
Meanwhile Frollo was destroyed. He had not slept for days and barely ate, spent hours staring at the fireplace, and several palace officials saw that he murmured words without meaning, as though he were discussing with someone. Some had thought he had gone mad, but others like Madame Ethienne knew well what was going on.
With no strength to bear what was happening she goes to him and tries to talk: "My lord, you can not be like this anymore. At least eat, when the girl comes back she will be sad to see you in this state."
Frolo was leaning over the fireplace, sweat oozing from his face from the heat staring into the fire he replied: "She will not come back."
"So go after her, master. You're not going to give up like this, are you?" She was already clutching her little fists, indignant at the minister's lack of initiative.
"She does not want me around. Everything I do is useless and wrong. You said be patient. I am being. Patient."
The old lady was already crying. Going to her she gathered all her strength and with courage turned the destroyed man to him to look at her. "Look at me boy! What if she's in danger ?!"
The minister was not shocked and only replied placidly: "She knows how to take care of herself."
Now she has lost all her composure. And slapped the minister's face. Shocked he stood still and wide-eyed.
"Wake up stubborn boy! You will go outside and you'll only come back when you find the girl! The lady began to push the minister out of the room."
Very shocked at the situation to reply he just kept walking.
Esmeralda silently stood in the middle of the forest, having been walking for such a long time, thinking, not being able to think of anyone else except Claude Frollo and his proposal. She had lost Djali a while back. He had been tired and she had fell asleep only to wake up to see him gone.
She knew he could sense his way back. She wasnt worried for he had gotten lost before and he always came back to her. He would be at Paris by now no doubt. But now, she didn't know where she was. She silently sat down against a tree, eating her bread that she had brought for the trip.
The gypsy was running low on supplies as well as energy. She looked around, trying to find where she had just came from. She was lost but she wasn't worried. The forest couldn't go on forever, now could it? She would eventually stumble across a town before winter would begin. She could simply ask for directions given at the townspeople would be friendly enough.
"You'll get through this," Esmeralda mumbled tiredly one night, angry and bitter tears in her eyes. She wanted to fall asleep in Clopin's arms, wake up to see Claude, go and earn coins. She wanted to go back and she regretted letting her mind wander and just allowing her legs to walk wherever they wanted.
She sighed and began to climb up a tree like she did every night to avoid any bandits, something Clopin told her. She pulled her cloak close to her. It was heavy wool. She had found it on the forest floor and it was in almost mint condition. With that, she began to fall asleep as night fell.
Djali looked up at the door, hearing footsteps and he stood, walking over and sitting down, waiting for whoever would come out, hoping that it was Claude.
The door of the stable opens and Djali is happy to see Clopin. The animal jumps and feasts around the gypsy. And he says: "Ah, there you are. The captain said you were here."
Clopin crouches to pet the animal and begins to say: "Hey! Why didn't you come home? Got crazy?! Ah?" Suddenly the gypsy sees a plant twig tangled in the long fur of the animal belly. Carefully not to hurt he puchos the branch and thinks: This is olive tree. There is a forest area with some of them. We used to go sometimes there, to harvest olives in the summer. But it's deep inside the forest ... it's dangerous to go it alone. Perhaps.."
Suddenly Clopin stands up and scream: "SHE MUST BE LOST! SHIT!" Happy Djali runs after the gypsy."
Meanwhile Phoebus goes to Frollo and says: "Your Excellency, the Gypsy girl. Esmeralda. She is no where. Her brother has no news either. He's worried, he said she's never done this before."
Frollo was looking out the window looking at the stars, hearing this news only made him even more worried, he was feeling guilty, feeling that he should have looked for her earlier and then replied: "I know you want her captain. But if I kill every man who desires her, there will not be many men left in Paris."
Phoebus feels a chill with the minister's assassinous intent. And stand in silence.
Frollo continues: "Gather all the men, tomorrow morning, let's look more carefully. I'll find her even if I have to set fire all over Paris!" Frollo bangs his fist on the window making long latch on the glass."
Phoebus nods and leaves the room in silence to obey orders. He did not like what he heard. Maybe it was a mistake to bring this news, clearly made the man much more worried and desperate.
The gypsy in the tree groaned softly as she heard voices late that night. She opened her eyes just in time to see an arrow go whizzing past her. She looked down, seeing men under the tree with torches, daggers, bows and arrows and she felt her blood run cold.
"Hey! Come down here, gypsy!" He called out, having a thick German accent in his French dialogue.
"Shit, shit, shit," she cursed beneath her breath, growing pale with fear. She froze as one man began to climb up the tree and she began to climb higher, knowing she couldn't get away. She felt him attempting to grab her cloak and her skirt. She kicked him harshly once he did, knocking him off the tree. He fell on the forest floor, the man with the bow beginning to aim again.
She jumped down, beginning to run off, the men following after her. "Think, think, think. Oh god! Think! How can I get out of this one?!" She had no escape method. She was lost, she was tired, hungry. She couldn't do anything more. She just had to keep running.
And she fell. She collapsed about an hour later, exhausted. "I'm sorry," she whispered tiredly as she was grabbed. "I'm sorry, Clopin, Claude… Djali… Phoebus…" she was certain she would be killed now. She was more than certain.
"We won't kill you," one whispered in her ear. "We won't… You'll be sold as a whore," he grinned. "You're a gypsy. You should be used to this."
She groaned softly and slammed her elbow into his stomach, finding new energy to keep going. And she did. She kept running, her chest burning but she couldn't stop. She couldn't. She just kept running, hoping she would somehow be going the right way and would arrive in Paris.
Clopin was riding as fast as the stolen horse could run, with just the moonlight he was not sure he could find her. Until he sees lights of torches and voices that seemed to speak in another language. Sneakily Clopim ties his horse in a tree and tries to get close to hear what the men were saying.
Foreigner1: That Gypsy girl escapes very fast!
Foreigner2:Never mind, she must be a beggar, we would not have anything to steal.
Foreigner3:Oh, but at least we could have some fun!
The three men began to laugh and kept on looking for her as they shouted, "Come here girl! We will not hurt you!"
Clopin felt a bad feeling and thought: "Shit. It must be her. She was here! My men have not arrived yet, I can not face them alone! Shit!" His thoughts are interrupted when he sees one of the men separating himself from the group and entering the forest.
Clopin smirks and follows the man. When the stranger places the beast armed with an arrow at the side of a tree and opened his trousers to pee clopin arrives at the back and puts his knife on the man's neck.