Frollo felt his heart skip a beat as he took in the gypsy's appearance. Her skirt flowed delicately around her shapely legs while her hair framed her perfect Romany features, emphasising her emerald green eyes. Frollo reached out a hand to her face, touching her velvet skin with awe. When she did not flinch or force him to remove his hand, Frollo smiled and recovered his composure.

"Gypsy girl," he drawled, "how did you get in here?" The smile faded and he straightened, releasing his sword and folding his arms in front of his chest.

"The Palace of Justice is very heavily ornamented Judge Frollo. It is a matter of moments to scale the wall." Frollo crossed to the window and looked down, eight stories of stonework separating his room from the street below. He made a mental note to have security increased on this side of the building before continuing.

"Why are you here?"

"To make a deal with you. This has to end Frollo – too many people have suffered already. Call off the search – tell them you caught the witch and that she has repented. Let the gypsies in the prison go. Allow Phoebus to return to his position as captain of the guard. Leave my people in peace."

"And in return?"

"You will have me."

"What makes you think I want you?"

"You burned the city last night!"

"A dangerous witch such as yourself must be caught and punished. You left me with no other option."

"Lying suits you very well Frollo. But you and I both know why you were looking for me last night." She stepped forward to Frollo, snaking a hand up and around his face. He shuddered at her touch, revealing some of the lust he felt for her.

"Suppose you were correct. What makes you think I would meet your demands in any case?"

"Because you want me. And if you do what I ask," she added in a whisper, stroking his face, "I will do whatever you ask." Esmeralda slipped her other arm around his waist, drawing him close to her in emphasis of her meaning. Frollo closed his eyes and for a moment looked as though he might object. As Esmeralda lay her head on Frollo's chest, she felt him exhale deeply, the sigh releasing some tension in him as his arms circled her waist. Frollo tilted his head forward and breathed in her perfume. He had dared to hope that this moment would happen, dared to believe he could hold her in his arms without her protesting. Unsure of what to do next, Frollo backed away from the gypsy and held her hands, looking her up and down and considering his options.

"And in return for your… compliance… you ask me to abandon my calling to rid this city of gypsies?"

"Yes."

"And to spare the life of your captain friend?"

"Yes."

"I shall need time to decide." He was aware he was taking a gamble even considering her offer – what would the other nobles think if his crusade against the gypsies suddenly ended? Would she leave him as soon as he had freed the captain and the prisoners? "You will wait in the prison under guard until I have made up my mind."

"No."

"I beg your pardon?" Esmeralda pulled her hands away from Frollo and stepped back.

"I will wait here. Out of sight of your maid, of course."

"You ask much in return for your company – what makes you think I will agree to your terms?"

"Because I think you would prefer me to obey you and remain faithfully at your side, instead of running away every chance I get. Trust me to stay here today and I will trust you to free my people. Try to keep me under lock and key or harm my people and I will disappear as silently as I arrived last night."

"If you are not here when I return," said Frollo quietly, pointing menacingly at her breast, "I will assume you have reneged on our agreement and the gypsies will suffer as a result." He turned and left the room without another word. Esmeralda stood watching the door for a moment, silent tears weeping for her lost freedom. She had decided to come to Frollo last night while at the miller's farm. The gypsies and the poor of the city had rallied around her, but it was clear that Frollo was not going to give up until he found her. Esmeralda had decided that her freedom was not worth the suffering of any more innocents. Thus, she had left Phoebus with no promise of any future with her and made her way straight to the Palace of Justice. She had watched Frollo stare out of his window all night; she was crouched amongst the gargoyles above his window. She had heard him scream and seen him weep – both actions she thought the judge incapable of. If her companionship was the only way to buy her people's freedom, then so be it. She would willingly prostitute herself for the cause, if only so no more families would have to suffer.

In the bell tower, Phoebus paced back and forth, waiting for news from or about Esmeralda. He found little comfort in the bell-ringer's presence, finding Quasimodo's eternal optimism a little wearing. Throughout the day, the captain watched as his troops scattered through the city, helping to rebuild the devastated buildings. He wondered at this – surely Frollo could not be admitting that he was wrong and trying to repair the damage? Looking over to the Palace of Justice, Phoebus saw a group of gypsies being thrown out of the palace around noon, apparently free to go on their way. It suddenly hit Phoebus that it would have taken something monumental to change Frollo's mind about the gypsies and his attack on Paris. Suspecting that Esmeralda had surrendered, Phoebus felt the knot in his stomach tighten with the thought she could be Frollo's consort. He had guessed at the judge's fascination with the girl and had long suspected the real reason Esmeralda was being hunted down. He remembered how close he had been to the gypsy the night before and smiled at the memory. Then his frown reappeared as he recalled he was now a fugitive and that any thoughts he might have of rescuing her were futile until he was fully recovered. Cursing the pain in his arm, Phoebus settled down on a chair made from a broken gargoyle. There was nothing he could do but wait for Esmeralda and pray she would not have surrendered to Frollo's will.