She had seen the Palace of Justice before, she had passed it many times, but she never realized how big the building really was. From the outside, it looked like an unconquered fortress with bloodcurdling secrets only few have access to. This is where the Minister of Justice decided who will survive and who will be executed, often for trivial crimes. Esmeralda wondered how many innocent lives the coldhearted judge had on his conscience. Captain of the Guard, a huge man with cold, blue eyes and a dull face expression led her into the building. He was holding her arm very tightly, causing her slight, burning pain. Esmeralda didn't have the strength to oppose him in any way. She followed his steps obediently, hoping he would loosen his grip a little.

Cold air hit her as she stepped through the large wooden doors leading to the palace. All the windows were covered with long, thick curtains, so it was no surprise that the temperature inside was much lower than outside. Esmeralda quickly looked around. She felt overwhelmed by the high, hollow stone walls and the lack of any decorations. This place was very different from her home, colorful and full of life. She felt a strong need to run away, but the soldier's strong grip brought her back to reality. Even if she tried to escape, where would she go? Frollo would find her eventually, and the mere thought of the consequences she and her people would suffer made her shiver.

The man gripped her arm even tighter and began to lead her down the hall. He pulled out a bunch of keys and opened a large, mahogany door. A spacious, richly decorated room appeared before her eyes. Huge bookcases took up most of the space in the room, filling it with a pleasant scent of parchment. Esmeralda sighed softly – she was not used to being inside buildings, especially so luxurious and sumptuous.

"You will stay here and wait. I expect you not to cause any trouble." the captain said in an authoritative voice. He gave her a quick, contemptuous look and left the room, locking the door behind him.

Esmeralda didn't know what to do, she was completely confused by the situation she found herself in. She felt her hands trembling with fear. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her uneven breathing. When she opened her eyes again, she looked around the room, searching for a place to rest. She noticed two large, crimson red armchairs, standing next to a cold, stone fireplace. Esmeralda felt a strong urge to sit down, even if it were only for a moment. She was tired, both mentally or physically. She quickly moved to the armchair and sat back in it, tucking up her legs against her chest. In her head, she replayed the events of the past few days over and over again – her being chased like an animal, her friends getting arrested and executed because of her. And then she saw a fire, terrifying, dark fire consuming the body of an innocent woman. All these events have merged into one unreal and terrifying nightmare. With every passing minute her eyelids grew heavier, making it impossible to stay awake. She didn't even notice when she fell asleep.

xxxx

It was already getting dark when the minister arrived at the Palace of Justice. He quickly dismounted his tremendous, black stallion and headed to the building. Captain of the Guard told him he had locked the gypsy girl in the library. A devilish, dark smile crept across his face.

The chase after Esmeralda was tiring not only for the gypsy. The bags under the judge's eyes were dark and clearly visible. He didn't have time to eat properly, which made his already thin face look like a skull. He fought the temptation to lock himself up in his chamber and fall asleep. However, he knew that what awaited him was better than anything he could have dreamed of. Esmeralda... The very thought of her ignited a fire in his veins. His cold heart skipped a beat at the thought of the beautiful gypsy girl. She was now in his possession, and he could do whatever he wished with her. And he certainly intended to do so.

His breathing quickened as he stood outside the library door. There was no sound coming from inside the room. "Is she even there? If she escaped..." Frollo quickly got rid of those thoughts, she knew what the consequences of such actions would be. Slowly he turned the key in the lock, opening the heavy wooden door. He didn't notice her at first, which made his heart stop. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed a small figure sitting on a armchair. He silently approached her, taking his steps slowly and carefully.

She looked sound asleep. Frollo studied her face features. He had never seen her so calm, she was always tense in his presence, her face expressing sadness, fear or anger. He could not deny that the gypsy was incredibly beautiful. "How could God bestow such a sinful being with such beauty?" The minister sat down in the other chair and watched Esmeralda in silence. He even thought about not waking her up. But then he remembered that he had a special surprise for her.

He cleared his throat. Esmeralda did not seem to notice, so he cleared his throat again, louder this time. She opened her eyes slowly, but her gaze was still absent. It took a moment before she realized where she was and who was sitting next to her. Frollo's presence so close to her made her tremble. She quickly got up from her chair and moved away from him. In the dark he looked like a ghost or a demon, watching her silently. Several seconds had passed before he spoke.

"I can see you've made yourself quite comfortable" he said silently, observing her with his dark, piercing eyes. His cold, indifferent face showed no emotion.

"Who would have thought that being tied to the pyre could be quite tiring" she barked, his sarcastic remark filling her with anger. "You, at the other hand, seemed quite excited. Maybe you should try it yourself, see what it feels like."

"Careful, witch. I am a patient man, but even my patience has its limits. If you decide to disrespect me, you will face punishment. Are we clear on that matter?" he hissed, trying to contain his rising rage. Why was he unable to control his emotions in her presence? She didn't answer his question, her eyes burning like flames. And then she snorted.

He jumped up from his chair and walked quickly towards her. He couldn't control himself, catching her jaw in a firm, painful grip. "I asked you a question. And you will be answering all my questions. Without hesitation. So let me repeat, for the first and last time. Are. We. Clear?" he emphasized every word, feeling like he was about to lose control.

She nodded, too frightened to produce any sound. His pitch black eyes were boiling with anger, his teeth bare and clenched. She was afraid of his piercing gaze, she felt like he could look right into her soul. Frollo's grip loosened and he took a few steps away from her.

"Good. I am glad that we have come to a consensus. Your disobedience almost made me forget that I had prepared a surprise for you. Please, follow me." he said, anger disappearing from his face completely. She couldn't believe how quickly his emotions could change. The smile on his face made her uneasy – she didn't know what Frollo's surprise was, but she was sure it wasn't a pleasant one.

xxxx

She followed him down the stairs. The place was dark and the only light came from a candle held by the minister. Esmeralda clung to the wall, trying to keep her balance. There was a moment when she almost slipped on the damp stairs. To protect herself from falling, she grabbed Frollo's robe. She couldn't see his face, but she knew he smirked. She also knew her cheeks had flushed red.

"Where are we going?" she asked, annoyed by the fact that she couldn't even see her feet.

"To the dungeons, of course. I was convinced it was quite obvious. Apparently, I overestimated your deduction skills." he replied harshly. Esmeralda sighed. Does he always have to be so rude?

As they reached the dungeons, a thin, tall guard greeted them.

"Everything is prepared as you ordered, sir" the man said, a slight sadness in his voice. "Or was it fear?" Esmeralda wondered.

"Excellent. Lead the way" Frollo replied shortly.

The dungeons were much better illuminated than the stairs. Numerous torches hanging on the walls dispersed the darkness. The guard led Esmeralda and Frollo to a large metal gate.

"Open the door" the minister said, directing his words to the gypsy. She hesitated, afraid of what she would see on the other side of it. Seeing his expectant, impatient gaze, she realized it wasn't a request. It was an order. Using all her strength, she pushed the metal door open. She heard a click, followed by a loud creak.

What she saw inside made her heart stop. She blinked her eyes several times, unable to believe what she was seeing. Former Captain of the Guard. The only man she truly loved. Her Sun God. Phoebus was kneeling in front of her, his white shirt soaked with crimson blood. She wanted to run to him, but the minister grabbed her by the hair.

"You are in quite a hurry, now aren't you? So eager to run to another man. Such behavior is not befitting a lady." he whispered in Esmeralda's ear. But she wasn't listening to him. All she heard was a deafening buzzing noise. She tried to break free from Frollo's clutches. In a desperate attempt, she managed to hit him in the ribs with her elbow. The minister exhaled sharply, loosening his grip. It was enough for Esmeralda. She rushed forward and fell to her knees in front of her beloved captain. She cupped his face in her hands and looked into his tired, sore eyes.

"Phoebus... I'm so sorry" she whispered, feeling the tears begin to run down her cheeks. Before she could say anything else, she felt Frollo's hands grabbing her. He lifted her off the ground and tightened her arms firmly, preventing her from making any movement.

"Stupid witch! You will pay for your reprehensible behavior" the minister shouted straight into her ear. "You never listen, do you? Or maybe is your brain not capable of understanding the simplest of messages? You belong to me now!" Esmeralda has never heard a voice so full of anger. She tried to break free from his steel grip, but the minister was stronger than she was. "Of course I couldn't damage such a beautiful body. You are fortunate enough to have your beloved captain present" he hissed, pure hatred pouring out of his voice. Then he nodded at the guard standing next to the stone wall.

There was no need for words, the guard apparently knew exactly what the minister expected of him. He grabbed a whip and struck Phoebus on his back with all his might. The captain screamed in pain and curled slightly on the cold floor.

"Again!" the minister yelled, still holding the gypsy in a firm grip. She heard the crack of a whip, followed by another cry of pain.

"Stop! Please stop!" she cried, her vision blurred by the tears that kept pouring into her eyes "I beg you, tell him to stop!"

"Again." Frollo hissed, looking down at the former captain. His blood was slowly dripping from his back, creating a small burgundy pool on the ground "Again."

"Please! I'll do anything!" she begged, her voice desperate. She felt that she no longer had the strength to fight him "Just make it stop!"

"Again."

AU: Okay, I honestly didn't expect this story to get so many views! Thanks for reading this chapter and I hope you enjoyed it!

+Well, this chapter basically sums up Frollo's character. I feel bad for Esmeralda.