Frollo was sitting in the dining room at an enormous wooden table. The light from the lit candles cast a slight shadow over his gaunt face. His servants were walking back and forth, bringing more and more various dishes. Despite the hunger and the gripping stomach pain he was feeling, the minister did not pay attention to the food that was brought. He had an appetite for something else.
Frollo smiled and leaned slightly in his chair. Esmeralda was his, and at that moment she had no chance of escaping his clutches. He could do whatever he wanted with her, use her in any way possible. Thoughts that came to his mind tightened his throat. But this time he did not resist these images. He closed his eyes and let his imagination run wild.
Her soft raven curls that fell so beautifully over her skinny shoulders. Her pure caramel skin, so different from that of the noblewomen. Her big emerald eyes that haunted him in his dreams for weeks. Frollo wanted to touch her chin, to run his finger over her full, wet lips. He wanted to kiss her, taste her, and make her beg for more. Her perfect body so clearly visible under her clothes, yet hidden from his sight. The minister felt that the temperature in the room was getting unbearably high. All these thoughts made him breathless.
Frollo opened his eyes and tried to regain control of his body. "Open the windows" he muttered silently at one of the servants. The man obeyed his order without a word, but it didn't help much. The fire burned deep in his body and there was nothing that could extinguish it. He wanted to focus on something else, to get rid of the images that had such destructive power over him. He looked blankly ahead, focusing on one point. His heart was pounding, his breath rapid and shallow. "You may now leave" he directed his words to the servants, his voice soft and trembling.
"Control yourself!" his mind screamed, but his body wouldn't listen. He clenched his hands into fists, digging his nails painfully into the skin. "She is a gypsy, a scourge consuming your beautiful city." He tried to reason with his imagination, to erase these sinful images from his restless mind. "She is an unholy, impure creature, sent from hell to cloud your mind and divert your attention from God. A creature with such a beautiful face, such perfect breasts, such alluring hips... Stop it!" he scolded himself, feeling he was now on the edge of his endurance. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes again, irritated. His mind, so far his strongest asset, was now his greatest enemy.
Deep in thought, Frollo didn't even notice when Esmeralda entered the room. The minister looked detached from reality, silently ignoring the gypsy girl. She looked at him, not knowing how she should react. "Should I say something?" she thought to herself, but decided to remain silent.
She took a seat at the table, as far away from him as possible. She looked at the food lying right in front of her. The sight and the smell of it were stunning and only now did Esmeralda realize how hungry she was. She wanted to grab the closest platter and sink her teeth into juicy, roasted meat. She wanted to put her hands on the hot fresh bread. She wanted to try all those fruits and vegetables that she had never even seen before. All these delicacies made her mouth water. She looked at the minister, expecting him to finally say something. Yet, his eyes remained closed, his breathing loud and unequal.
"Maybe he is sleeping" Esmeralda thought, and then began to wonder if she would prefer him to be awake. She looked at the thin face of the figure sitting on the other side of the table. His eyebrows were furrowed, as if he was deeply contemplating something. No, of course not, she'd prefer the judge never to wake up again. A silent growling in her stomach snapped her out of her thoughts. She decided not to wait for him. If he's deeply asleep, it may take hours for him to wake up. She silently grabbed a piece of meat and a bun and began to eat.
The sounds of her eating, however, weren't loud enough to roust him out of his stupor. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her out of his head. Her burning gaze, soft hair, mesmerizing body trembling under his touch. The scent of her skin, the way she screamed with pleasure, calling out his name. Frollo couldn't bear these thoughts anymore. With a loud growl, he got up from the chair.
Only then did he open his eyes and only then did he notice that the object of his most sinful fantasies was now sitting on the other side of the long table, looking at him confused and scared. He could only imagine what he looked like right now, his hair disheveled and his eyes burning and wild. He felt ashamed of losing control over his body. His behavior was animalistic and did not befit his social position. He fixed his hair quickly and exhaled loudly, closing his eyes for a moment.
"A bad dream?" Esmeralda asked innocently. Frollo looked at her, her voice echoing in his head. He didn't understand what she said.
"What?" he asked baffled, still trying to focus on the situation he was in. Was she really sitting there or was his mind playing with him again?
"Did you have a nightmare?" she asked again, pronouncing each word extremely slowly as if she wasn't sure if the minister was fully awake.
Frollo looked at her, slowly regaining his consciousness. "I wasn't sleeping. I was just... thinking" he muttered quietly, sitting back down in his chair. He stared at the table, still wondering how could he sink so deeply into his fantasies. "Nevermind, it will not happen again" he tried to convince himself, but that didn't help with the shame he felt deep in his heart. All his life he was pure, free from sin of the flesh. As a young man, he pledged to devote his life to God and the people of Paris. Now everything he did, everything he sacrificed seemed unimportant, unreal. He looked up at the gypsy girl. She was still staring at him, holding a piece of bread in her hand.
"I can see that patience is not your forte. I consider it highly ill-mannered to begin eating without the host's permission" Frollo stated, trying to sound as resentful as possible. Deep down in his heart he knew that he couldn't blame her – she must have been starving. Besides, he was starving too.
"I thought you were asleep and didn't feel like waiting hours for you to wake up. If it upsets you so deeply you shouldn't have drifted off while you were waiting for your guest to arrive. What kind of host does something like that?" Esmeralda snapped back, annoyed by his behaviour.
"You will not tell me what I should or shouldn't do" Frollo hissed, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. The burning desire he had felt in his veins not so long ago was now turning into a different kind of fire. He could feel his blood boiling, but he had neither the time nor the desire to argue with her now. Taking a deep breath, he placed a piece of meat on his plate and grabbed a slice of bread. He closed his eyes and whispered a short prayer, thanking God for the meal he had been given. Then he began to eat, slowly and gracefully, chewing each bite thoroughly. When he finished eating, he cleared his throat and looked back at Esmeralda.
"I would like to clarify the rules of this house. You will do what I tell you to do, without resistance or opposition. You will behave with dignity and learn good manners. You will not leave the Palace of Justice without my permission. Near my servants you will be addressing me by my title. I would also like to remind you of the consequences of insubordination. Your people are still locked up in my dungeons and may be punished at any time. If you decide to disobey my orders of course." The minister reached for the jug and poured himself a glass of wine. He took a long sip and then looked her in the eyes, awaiting her reaction. Her silence was starting to get on his nerves. "Understood?" Frollo asked, his voice becoming less and less composed.
Esmeralda felt like an object, a toy in his hands. She knew she had no choice but to accept his rules. But the words wouldn't get out of her throat. She didn't want to admit that she was agreeing to become his slave. She decided that she would not give up without a fight, however pointless her efforts might be.
"I agree with your rules, but I want you to agree with a few of my own" she proclaimed, trying to sound as confident as possible. Deep inside, however, she felt a paralyzing fear. Esmeralda looked into the judges' eyes and saw a terrifying, ominous flash. He slowly rose from his chair, a malicious smile creeping on his face. Then he took a few steps towards her.
"And what makes you think you are in a position to set any rules?" he said silently, closing the distance between them even more. Her face was fierce, but her eyes betrayed the fear she was so desperately trying to hide. "However, I cannot deny that you intrigued me. Proceed."
"I want you to let some of my people go. Women and children are less of a threat to Paris and they won't survive in the dungeons" Esmeralda said, feeling her voice begin to tremble. His presence so close to her made her anxious. "And I want you not to touch me. Not without my express consent." She swallowed, nervously waiting for his answer.
"The first rule sounds a little more like a request, don't you think? Which can be met if you behave properly" he muttered, taking a few more steps closer. He was now standing right above her, looking down into her eyes. He reached out and stroked her cheek lightly. She trembled at his touch. "The second rule however... would be quite difficult to follow." He ran his thumb over her lower lip and then sank his hand into her soft, raven hair. He noticed her breathing quicken with each passing second. "How could I stop myself from touching such a beautiful being? You cast a spell on me, witch, and you must atone for it" he murmured. The minister gripped her hair tighter and pulled her face closer to him. Then he leaned in and kissed her. His kiss was deep, passionate and hungry, full of unsatisfied desire that was now burning in his skin.
Esmeralda felt her body stiffen, she became numb the second his lips touched her. She couldn't make any movement nor produce any sound. She was too shocked to oppose him in any way. She could smell his scent, feel his hand drawing her face closer to him. She heard his rapid, uneven breathing and felt the taste of wine on his lips. The whole situation made her sick to her stomach. Frollo deepened his kiss, running his tongue over her mouth, trying to get inside. When she felt his other hand on her thigh, she sprang from her chair and jumped away from him, breaking the kiss. She looked at his face, both startled and terrified. She had never seen eyes so hungry and full of desire. She could see the ferocity on his face, he looked like a predator ready to attack at any moment.
Before she could react, Frollo rushed to her and grabbed her arms firmly. He pulled her close to him and kissed her again, this time more aggressively and greedily. Esmeralda turned her head to the side, trying to break free from his iron grip. Her resistance angered the minister. He pushed her onto the table and pressed her hard with his body, preventing her from making any movement.
"I advise you to stop resisting, gypsy." he threatened, barely catching his breath, trying to keep the girl in one place. Pressing her against the table with all his weight, he reached for his pants, trying to untie them. "If you give yourself to me now, I might consider sparing the lives of those animals you call your friends."
Esmeralda felt his hardening member pressing against her inner thigh. At this point, her instinct for survival was stronger than any rational thought. She didn't think about the consequences, she just wanted to break free from his embrace. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. Using all her strength, she pulled one arm out of his grasp and slapped him in the face. She saw her fingernails leave a gash on his cheek.
Frollo roared and moved away from her, his eyes now blazing with pure hatred and contempt. Esmeralda expected him to assault her again, but he was motionless. He just stood there and stared at her, his teeth bared and clenched. He took a few more quick breaths, trying to clear his mind a little. Then he straightened his back and smoothed his robe.
"As you wish, gypsy. We will do it the hard way" Frollo whispered. He quickly walked up to the door and opened it. "Guards!" Two tall men quickly appeared in the doorway. "Take her to her chamber. Make sure the door is locked. I have some urgent matters to attend to" he said in his cold and indifferent voice and left the room without looking back.