She did not know how much time had passed or how many strokes had the man received. Her vision was blurry, her eyes still full of hot tears. The throbbing headache she was feeling made it impossible to think clearly. "Make it stop" she prayed. She wasn't religious, she didn't believe anyone was listening to her pleads. But what else could she possibly do? She was feeling hopeless and powerless. So she prayed, with all her heart. "How can God even allow such cruelty? Why is he always indifferent? First the suffering of my people, now the suffering of an innocent man." Esmeralda thought as she felt more tears welling up in her eyes. "They say you are almighty! Then use your might and help him!"

"Enough." His deep, cold voice echoed throughout the cell. Frollo was still holding her painfully in his firm grip. "I am convinced she... he learned his lesson." he said haughtily, satisfaction pouring out of his lips. "For now at least." the minister added, not trying to hide a vicious smirk.

As soon as he loosened his grip, Esmeralda fell limp to the floor. She didn't have enough strength to get up. She could feel the contemptuous eyes of the judge on her, but that wasn't what she cared about now. She looked at the captain, who was lying on the cold stone floor just next to her. He was motionless but his shallow breathing and soft murmurs of pain indicated he was alive. Esmeralda wanted to hug him, caress his hair and assure him that everything would be fine. But she knew that would be a lie. And that they would both suffer the consequences for such an act.

"Is there something troubling you, my dear? You seem lost in thought. I'm really curious what's on your mind." Frollo couldn't help but mock her. He kneeled and snapped his fingers in front of Esmeralda's face. She gave him a short, hateful look. "Oh, you appear quite displeased. Was the punishment too severe? Or maybe was it too lenient? Would you like me to continue?"

She didn't answer him. The hatred she felt for the man was overwhelming. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her tongue.

"I'd like you to recall what I told you about answering my questions" he hissed, closing his eyes so as not to lose his temper. "And I'd like you to do it this instant." He couldn't afford losing control of himself again, not in front of the guard. Why couldn't she just obey him? It would be easier for both of them.

"It was... fair, sir." Frollo heard a voice, but it wasn't Esmeralda's. It was coming from behind his back. He turned his head to see his former Captain of the Guard, trying to get up from the ground. The man was shaking, but his eyes were fierce and stubborn.

"Phoebus... I'm so sorry... I didn't know that you..." the girl whispered, but was quickly interrupted by an angry yell.

"Silence! If you decide to say one more word to him..." Frollo growled, his eyes boiling with both fury and frustration. "I will make sure he meets the worst possible fate. And you will witness it. "

The minister felt the urge to hurt her, to punish her for her disobedience and infidelity. God, what was happening to him? Why did the very fact that she was speaking to another man ignite a fire in his skin? He bit his tongue hard to keep himself from hitting her. He knew that if they were alone, he would. Probably more than once. He felt a bitter, metallic taste in his mouth.

"I... I'm sorry." Esmeralda stammered, lowering her gaze and staring at the floor. She knew Frollo was a man of his word. She did not dare to look at the judge, his gaze terrified her even more than his words. "I won't... disobey you again. I give you my word."

"Ah, the promises of the gypsies. How much do you think your word is worth to me?" he whispered, not hiding his contempt. How could he believe anything she was saying? So far, she had only shown him disrespect and disobedience. She ridiculed him in front of the crowd of peasants. His mind immediately went back to that day. The way she moved, the way she danced... The way her tight red dress emphasized her perfect curves, stimulating his imagination and pushing him to the limit... He quickly snapped out of these thoughts. He looked down at her and exhaled loudly. "But what choice do I have? You have nothing more to offer me anyway."

There was a moment of silence. Esmeralda gathered her strength to get up. However, she still did not have the courage to look up at her pursuer. Even though the judge was no longer holding her, she still felt a burning pain in her arm. She was also afraid to look at Phoebus, lest she accidentally upset the minister. Finally, Frollo cleared his throat and spoke formally.

"Tonight we will be eating dinner together. Your new maid will see you to your chamber. At this point, she should be waiting for our return. She will give you a bath and provide you with more appropriate clothes." he stated.

She felt a wave of anger boil within her. "Aren't my clothes appropriate? I'm a gypsy after all. I am not worthy to wear such sophisticated clothes." Esmeralda snapped. She mentally scolded herself a second later. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut? Frollo clenched his jaw and closed his eyes.

"No, they are not appropriate. You may be a gypsy, but you live in an elegant house now. I cannot allow you to wear these..." he opened his eyes and looked at her "Rags." he said between clenched teeth, clearly disgusted.

Esmeralda wanted to say something, perhaps comment on his wardrobe, but held back. Instead, she looked at him and nodded her head, letting him know that she understood his words. The corner of his lips lifted slightly.

"Good. Come on then." he ordered and headed for the stairs.

xxxx

A short, thin woman was indeed waiting for them at the top of the stairs. She looked like she was in her 30s, but her eyes were tired and achy. When the maid saw the minister emerging from the darkness, she forced a slight smile and lowered her head respectfully.

"I prepared a bath for your guest, sir. The room you assigned has been cleaned and the clothes were left on the bed as ordered. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?" the woman asked humbly, still staring at the ground.

"Thank you, Diane. From now on I appoint you as my guest's personal maid. You will ensure she gets to the dining room on time." Frollo declared without taking his eyes off the maid. His voice was cold and imperious, but at the same time it was also very polite. It was not filled with the same contempt that Esmeralda felt when the minister spoke to her. He then looked at the gypsy girl from top to bottom, a barely visible, sarcastic smile appearing on his lips. "I expect her to present herself with dignity, as befits a noble woman."

Esmeralda looked at him with open disdain. She realized that Frollo would never miss an opportunity to mock her. He wanted her to be obedient to him, but why did he have to make it so difficult? She decided to play along but she couldn't hide the venom in her voice.

"Of course, sir. I also want to thank you for your hospitality, it is indeed a great honor to be the guest of the mighty Minister of Justice himself" the gypsy sneered, her teeth clenched. She had to bite her tongue not to say anything more.

Frollo's dark eyes flashed in a way that sent shiver down her spine. An ominous, wicked grin appeared on his face. "Oh, trust me, the pleasure is all mine." he spoke slowly, savoring each word. "I believe you should be going now. You don't want to be late for dinner, do you?"

xxxx

The chamber to which Esmeralda was led took her breath away. The girl had never seen an interior so rich and magnificent. She was used to living in the cool and damp catacombs, deep below picturesque Paris. When she was younger, she often looked through the windows of Parisian houses curiously. She wanted to see how ordinary people live, people who are not considered bandits and thieves just because of their ethnicity. None of the apartments she saw, however, could match the view that was now in front of her.

She looked around the room slowly, appreciating every element of it. The large marble fireplace burned with mesmerizing, soothing fire, filling the room with the pleasant, comforting scent of wood. Next to it was a carved mahogany armchair and a small table. The windows were covered with thick red curtains with gold ornaments, creating an intimate atmosphere in the room. Then her eyes moved to an enormous double bed, neatly covered with a crimson red blanket. On the bed, she noticed a beautiful emerald dress. Esmeralda only now felt how tired she was. The short nap in the library did not help much. She couldn't believe how many events could have happened in one day. She looked at the bed again and felt her stomach twist.

"Is it... his chamber?" she asked the maid almost breathlessly. The woman looked at Esmeralda confused and blinked a few times, letting the gypsy girl know that she did not understand her question. "I want to know if this is his chamber. Will I be sharing this room with him?" Esmeralda asked again, her voice now trembling with fear. She looked at the maid, who now appeared even more lost.

"Him? You mean the judge, ma'am? " Diane asked shyly. Seeing the gypsy's gaze, she knew what the answer was. "Oh, of course not! The minister's chamber is located at the end of the corridor. This is a guest room."

The girl breathed out a sigh of relief. "Finally some good news" she thought and smiled under her breath. Her tense body relaxed slightly. Much to Esmeralda's disappointment, the moment of peace did not last long. Her muscles tightened again when she heard the maid's voice.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we have to hurry up a little if we don't want to be late for dinner." Diane whispered as she walked over to the dress lying on the bed. Esmeralda sensed nervousness in her voice, maybe even fear. "Is there a single person in Paris who is not afraid of Frollo?" the girl thought, following the maid.

Esmeralda looked at the dress and sighed. She imagined the minister's gaze when he saw her wearing it. She pressed her lips together and threw off the towel she had been wrapped in after her bath. "Let's just get this over with."