Chapter 11- A Stitch in Time

Not long after Frollo had swaggered off, Esmeralda appeared cautiously from the back hallway. She walked past the dark paneled walls with wood carved filigree roses and flowers and candlelit sconces that held bright warmth amidst the dark halls, her ebony tresses trailing down her shoulders and bouncing softly as she walked.

Jehan's lean figure was still lingering about in the hall alone, visibly aggravated by his recent conversation with his older brother. In his hand he held his small silver poniard gleaming dangerously in the low light with its bound leather handle in his hands picking at his finger nails lazily with it as he muttered to himself childishly.

Esmeralda recognized Jehan's tall thin figure cloaked in the familiar red tunic as she came into the dim hall. His words reached her ears and she dodged out of sight to listen in curiously as he had his one sided conversation.

"I am the lord of the house of Frollo!" he mocked his brother's words snidely. "Puh!" he said striking at an imaginary figure with the glinting silver weapon, a fine, yet very unused weapon.

"That cod! He hated women! How should it be that HE is now engaged to that Egyptian goddess? How could she even tolerate his presence I don't know! That old crow knows nothing of women! But I on the other hand…" he chuckled to himself as he ran the blade softly down his palm. "I know so much more than you brother." He said with a sadistic smile as he pressed the knife into the soft flesh of his palm, with gentle pressure.

Esmeralda slipped from her hiding spot and came up behind the younger Frollo.

"What do you know of women?" Came an amused voice from behind Jehan.

In a split second Jehan's entire body jumped with the unexpected presence and he let out a shrill scream. Jehan turned quickly with utter fear in his eyes as he beheld…Esmeralda.

The gypsy smirked and giggled as she held both her hands to her mouth. How quickly Jehan's pride crumbled before her!

"I didn't mean to startle you." she said with a large, rather amused smile.

With mouth agape Jehan stared back at Esmeralda in shock, it took a moment for Jehan to realize he was in no immediate danger, he was utterly afraid his brother had been listening in on his prattling. Jehan's eyes narrowed at the Gypsy as he pursed his lips with embarrassment.

"Insolent girl! How long have you been there!?" he questioned her angrily.

"Long enough." Esmeralda said but something caught her eye as she noticed something dripping from his hands. She reeled in horror. "Uh, you…" she said jumping backwards and pointing downwards at him.

"What?" Jehan said with irritation looking down. Suddenly he felt a warm spatter of liquid and looked down to see bright red across his hand, and then the pain welled up. He had sliced his own hand open and blood was spilling out onto him and the floor! The blade was well made, razor sharp, and Jehan had been utterly careless with it. Jehan paled as he saw the cut on his hand and stood in shock staring down at the fresh gash on his hand in disbelief.

Esmeralda took a step back as she watched the blood with wide eyes, full of horror.

"I didn't know you had a knife in your hand." Esmeralda stated with concern as she grimaced at the sight of his blood.

"Damn it all!" Jehan said clutching his hand in a panic. "Get Claude!" he said as the blood continued to flow in streams of red down the back of his pale hand.

Esmeralda turned quickly and bolted, dashing away from the grim sight of Jehan.

Esmeralda grabbed her long silken gown in her arms and ran across the ballroom, pushing past several appalled guests until she saw the familiar purple and black silken hat above the crowd, it was a good thing that man had height! Eager fingers gripped around Frollo's dark mantle and in a split second his piercing gray eyes were inches from hers as he whirled around face to face with her. Frollo's face was contorted with irritation but when he recognized her familiar face shock and a flush of red ran across his countenance and his thin lips parted nervously with a sigh.

"What is it?" he whispered breathlessly to her.

"Jehan..." She said out of breath as she leaned in. "He's hurt." She added in an urgent whisper.

There was a slight waver of panic in Frollo's countenance, but otherwise his cool exterior remained altogether. Frollo stood up straight, cleared his throat, and snapped into action. He gestured to a servant who quickly made his way up to him awaiting his orders.

"In my carriage, under the seat there is a black leather bag. Bring it to me immediately." He said waving the servant off quickly.

"Yes your honor." The servant said departing with haste.

"Where is he?" Frollo asked Esmeralda calmly while holding his head high and his hands folded together coolly.

"This way." Esmeralda said starting to rush off. Frollo's bony hand reached out quickly for her and gripped her shoulder gently, halting her.

Frollo took a breath and sighed. "Please, walk." He commanded her with a distant annoyance in his voice. Frollo nodded to the other nobles around him.

"You'll have to excuse me, I must take care of a small issue." He said steepling his hands in front of him carefully.

"Of course Judge Frollo." The man to his right nodded to him.

Esmeralda gave Frollo an incredulous look as she turned and continued as fast as he would permit her to lead him to his ailing brother desperately in need of his aid. Why had Jehan asked for him anyways? What could the judge do for him besides summon a doctor?

As they rounded the corner there crumpled against the wall was Jehan in a pitiful state clutching his blood covered hand and moaning in pain.

"Jehan. What happened?" Frollo asked as he approached his wounded brother.

"I-well –I" he stumbled in his words.

Frollo's eyes watched as blood poured forth from his brother's hand and grimaced.

"Put pressure on the wound, and elevate it you fool! Do you want to bleed out all over the Duke's carpets, they are worth more than you!" he scolded him.

A couple of the other party guests began to take notice of the noise and kerfuffle as Frollo tended to his ailing brother. Frollo's sixth sense and observant eyes kicked in as he noticed the onlookers starting to gather.

"Bother," Frollo said as he arched his long collared neck behind him to get a glance at the approaching onlookers. He narrowed his dark eyes and sighed with a frown. "Come, let us go back to the kitchens as to not cause a scene. There are many nobles here who would not appreciate nor be able to stand the sight of blood." Frollo said with stark irritation in his voice as he grabbed his brother under the shoulder roughly and led him away from the prying eyes.

Just then a short man approached them carrying a black leather bag with a handle.

"Monsieur." He said respectfully with a bow as he handed the bag to Frollo. Frollo barely acknowledged the servant as he snatched the bag away quickly and continued to push Jehan back to the kitchens. Esmeralda followed behind them curiously, giving an apologetic look to the servant.

As they walked through the stone doorway to the kitchens the heat hit her first, a large fireplace was to her left and a furiously sweating man stood turning all sorts of meats on large metal spits over the fire. His free hand clutched a mug of ale, which he took a sip from nervously as soon as he saw them enter.

The servants all looked to them curiously, but not one word of protest came from them as they barged into their workspace. One woman gasped and ducked out of the room as soon as she recognized the familiar judge robes that Frollo wore.

Another small woman across the room saw the bloody wound and hurried up to Frollo, clutching her hands together in front of her and bowing her covered head humbly.

"M'lord, what can I get for you sir?" she said offering her help.

Without a hitch Frollo replied to her. "Linen bandages." He said without even laying an eye on the woman. The woman turned and locked eyes with Esmeralda for a second before hurrying off to fill the Judges request.

Skillful hands delved into the black leather bag, pulling out a large wad of cotton which Frollo pressed onto his brother's hand.

"Hold this," Frollo said coldly. Jehan shakily put his hand over the wad of cotton now crimson with his own blood.

"Poniards are hardly toys…" Frollo whispered critically, staring down at his brother with darkened eyes.

Jehan took a sharp breath in, woozy and pale from the loss of blood he looked up at his brother and narrowed his eyes while pursing his lips in disdain.

"H-How did you know?" He said drunken and irritated, his pale face wracked with pain.

Frollo's serious expression softened into one of smug amusement.

"That is a well crafted blade," Frollo said taking and admiring the silver weapon from Jehans pocket. "and though you've never used it, you like to toy with it as if you had buried it within flesh before. I imagine more-so when you are angry. Honestly Jehan, you're so predictable… Ah there, the bleeding has stopped." Frollo said looking back down at the crimson blood-soaked wad of cotton.

Frollo procured a bottle of clear liquid and soaked a small cloth with it, he then dabbed the wound with it a few times. Jehan whimpered as he bit his lip, holding back his yelps of pain.

"Serves you right for being so foolish… but I suppose I will give you something to ease the pain—reminds me too much of when you were a whelp." Frollo muttered to himself with a smirk. Frollo once again delved into the black leather bag, this time procuring an aged yellow bottle, he opened it quickly and sprinkled a strange white powder into Jehan's cut.

"Lucky for you I carry opium powder…" he said lowly, not taking his eyes off of Jehan's wound.

Shining in the low light, Frollo now had a silver needle between his fingers threaded with a fine black thread. Frollo began to stitch the wound across Jehan's palm, black shiny thread pulled the two sides of flesh back together and closed the red and swollen wound. Jehan buried his sweat-ridden face into Frollo's shoulder and suppressed a tired sob into his black robes.

Just then the servant arrived carrying a stack of neatly folded ivory linen bandages she placed them onto the table and froze for a moment as her eyes spied Frollo stitching the wound. After a moment she pried her curious eyes away and cleared her throat softly before walking away. As she passed Esmeralda she stopped and looked at her for a moment.

"M'lady." She said with a small smile as she averted her eyes and continued on with her work.

Esmeralda nodded back to the woman silently, as she herself continued to watch in awe as Frollo stitched flesh as one would mend clothes.

In the background Esmeralda watched as Frollo tended to his brother's wounds. She was overwhelmed by what she saw. He was a doctor as well as a scholar? Gypsies thought him to be a simple man of office, cold and cruel-A man who was given his station, and used it to take all he could. She felt a new ounce of respect and admiration for Frollo, it took knowledge and skill to mend wounds.

Finished with his stitching, Frollo cut the black shiny thread with Jehan's own poniard. Frollo took one last look at his handiwork, his skilled stitch work was a wonder, almost looking like the intricate lacing of a woman's corset. Checking the wound carefully Frollo then wrapped it in the linen bandages.

"Now then…" Frollo said with a tired frown. "Your night is over here. You are going home."

"Oh come now Claude," Jehan said weakly. "I shouldn't have to leave so soon. The women love to pity a wounded man!" he said holding up his bandaged hand.

"Stop being such an imbecile!" Frollo barked angrily. The kitchen staff froze for a moment and gave a few scant looks but otherwise continued working. "You could have cut your tendons or an artery! And let us pray that infection does not take hold or you might lose that hand!" Frollo warned.

Jehan turned his head and sulked with a frown.

"Now, I'm going to call for the carriage. Keep this elevated," Frollo said pushing Jehans hand up onto his own shoulder. Frollo looked up at Esmeralda and froze in thought for a moment, he had almost forgotten her presence since he had leapt into action to care for his brother. He grabbed his chaperon from the table and placed it onto his head delicately and looked away from her, he then cleared his throat and walked up to her.

"I apologize Esmeralda." He whispered lowly as he walked by her. "I will take you back to Notre Dame now."

Before Frollo walked out he caught the woman that had given him the bandages earlier. Frollo reached for his purse and took a few coins out and placed them into her hands gently.

"For the bandages…and your silence." He said lowly as he spared a stern glance at the other kitchen staff.

"Yes m'lord," She said nodding nervously while keeping her gaze locked onto the floor.

Esmeralda turned and looked back at him as he walked away in stunned silence. She was speechless.

A/N:

I had a very hard time researching how wounds were tended to in the late 1400's so I did the best I could. I have no idea if they had 'opium powder' or if you could put it directly in wounds… but I figured that would be akin to the same thing as morphine and I think I saw that once in a movie.