Frollo stood there, paralyzed. He watched the scene before his eyes. The chair knocked over in the floor, Esmeralda flinching with her back to him and Quasimodo standing as well, looking at both of them with a fake anxious smile.
- Hi...hi, master! - he said, in an apparently light but quivering tone.- You're here early!
Frollo was shaken from his stupor, and clearing his throat he pointed out.
- Actually, I am not. - his voice sounded irritated. And he was. He had been very careful as to delay their lunches as much as possible, so the gypsy would have a wider margin to leave before he arrived. Even when that caused him to rearrange some of his duties. But now the careless woman had overstretched her stay and caused this uncomfortable situation. Why couldn't anyone understand the importance of rules and order?
- I was just leaving. - Esmeralda finally said, walking towards the table to gather her cape without looking at him.
Was that really all she had to say? he wondered, feeling his blood starting to bubble up in annoyance. After everything that had happened, were they back to being strangers who despised each other? Alright then. If this was her game, he'd show her he knew how to play too.
So he walked to the table as well, positioning right next to her pretending she wasn't there. He placed the food basket on the surface and casually asked Quasimodo:
- How are you doing today?
- I'm … I'm well, thank you. - the young man answered carefully, still looking alternately at both of them.
Frollo heard Esmeralda snort by his side, and fought to contain a smug grin. He had been weak and vulnerable around her, but that was over for good. If she wanted to show him that she didn't care, he would prove her that she wasn't as cold as she thought. She fed on attention, so he would ignore her. That would serve her well.
His thoughts were interrupted when she pulled from her cape over the table, dragging along Quasimodo's tools to the floor.
- Oh, Quasi, I'm so sorry! - she said, squatting on the floor and cursing internally for causing a scene instead of the prideful decided exit she had envisioned.
- Don't worry, I will clean it up. You can go. - Quasimodo replied promptly, moving around the table and wishing the tense encounter would end as soon as possible.
Frollo bent down as well, to pick up the closest piece of wood. But his hand and Esmeralda's accidentally crossed paths, and she retired it immediately as if she had been burnt.
- I can do it alone, thank you. - she spat, bitterly, with an abrupt movement. But the sudden change of position made her lose her balance, and when she moved her foot to avoid falling, she placed it over a sharp curved carving knife that sunk into her flesh, under her ankle.
- Careful! - Quasimodo shouted, but it was too late.
Esmeralda let out a loud howl, as the sudden pain made her definitely lose her balance. Frollo reacted quickly and grabbed her before she hit the ground. Her face was contorted in a silent grimace, her eyes tearing up alarmingly.
- Oh my God! What do we do? - Quasimodo asked nervously, with his hands shaking.
Frollo helped her move towards the bench and carefully placed her there. She was grasping onto his shoulder, with her fingers livid with pain.
- Let me take a look. - he said in a low, calmed voice. She nodded, taking in fast, shallow breaths.
Frollo kneeled beside her, and with the utmost delicacy, he lifted her foot and placed it over his knee, to get a better view of the wound. The knife was still inside her flesh.
- I'll have to remove it. - he explained, waiting for her permission.
- Shouldn't we call a doctor? - Quasimodo asked again, concerned.
- There's no need. I have everything I need in my bag. Please bring it to me.
The lad obeyed quickly. He laid the dark velvet bag at Frollo's feet.
- Now open it, and take some bandages and the sewing kit.
- Sewing? - Esmeralda repeated hoarsely, her face paling even more.
- You don't want to bleed out, do you? - Frollo simply asked.
Quasimodo sat beside him on the floor and followed his instructions, leaving the bandages and sewing kit on display at the bench so he could grab them when he needed to.
- Alright. I'm going to pull it out now. - Frollo announced. He looked up at Esmeralda again, who was still holding onto his robes. - It's going to hurt. - he warned her. She inhaled deeply, closed her eyes and nodded.
Frollo was swift and efficient, and took the knife out with one single fluid movement. His hands flew to the bandages, and he pressed them against the wound, though it had already splattered his clothes and the floor around with blood.
Esmeralda gasped loudly, and he felt her fingernails digging into his skin through his robes.
- It's out. - he informed, and he signaled Quasimodo to maintain pressure on the wound while he took the sewing kit and threaded the needle. But before stitching the flesh, he had a sudden idea.
- You – he told Esmeralda – grab the food basked and take out the bottle of wine.
She obeyed, and handled him the bottle. She then had a flashback to when Phoebus had been shot with an arrow, and she had been the one cleaning the wound and sewing it. How things had changed in such a short time. When had that happened? Three weeks ago, maybe?
Her pondering came to a sudden end when she felt the sharp burning of the alcohol over her open flesh. She cursed loudly, lifting her leg to take her foot away from the judge.
- I need you to hold still.- he scolded her, irritated.
- Well, why don't you try holding still while I stab you? - she replied harshly.
But Frollo didn't mind her outburst. Instead, he threw a meaningful look at Quasimodo, pointing at her with his head.
- Please. - he asked, and Quasimodo sat at the bench by Esmeralda's side and grabbed her shoulders so she wouldn't move.
Frollo carefully took her foot again, and proceeded to stitch the wound, sewing the flesh back together. It was soothing for him, doing that. He felt so in control, whenever he was able to tend to a wound and fix it, restoring it to its original state with his bare hands. It was a warm, reassuring feeling, knowing he was able to do that. If only his heart could be sewn back together as easily.
Of course, it wasn't as pleasant for the wounded person, in this case Esmeralda, who kept cursing between her gritted teeth, and letting out small cries of pain.
By the time Frollo was done, her hair was damp with sweat, and her eyes reddened with tears.
Quasimodo made sure she wouldn't move, and ran to get her some water, his own eyes wet with empathy.
Frollo covered her foot with linen bandages, and placed it back on the floor slowly. She attempted to put some weight on it, only to scream and lift it again quickly.
- You shouldn't do that. - Frollo pointed out, while getting up from the floor, and rubbing his bloody hands on his robe. Esmeralda's hand fell from his shoulder as he rose, lightly sliding down his chest before she moved it away. Though he knew it had been involuntary, the mere touch of her skin over his clothes sent flames throughout his whole body. He cleared his throat and focused on gathering his things into the bag, while he explained- It's not very deep but it may have touched your tendons. You'll need to rest and not bear any weight on it for a couple of days.
- So… no walking? - she asked, taking the glass that Quasimodo was offering her, and drinking a small sip of water.
- No. - Frollo answered, appearing suddenly lost in his thoughts.- You should stay here. - he finally resolved.
- No. - Esmeralda replied roundly. She didn't want to be at his disposition again, she feared he would use this as an excuse to control her even further. - I want to go home.
- It's no bother at all! - Quasimodo clarified, thinking she was trying to be polite.
- I'll rest better at home. Clopin will take care of me. - she insisted.
Frollo frowned, but at this point he knew better than to contradict her. He knew it would only lead to more resistance from her side. So he agreed to her plead.
- Alright then. Quasimodo and I will help you down the stairs. There you can take my carriage. I'll order the driver to take you to the Court of Miracles, and wait there until someone picks you up.
Esmeralda was so shocked at Frollo's will to help, that she didn't complain, even if she didn't like the idea of bringing his carriage to her home entrance. She just nodded, before asking:
- When will I have to come back? How do you know I won't use this opportunity to run away? - she asked in a bitter, mocking tone.
- I can't imagine you doing much running anytime soon. - Frollo pointed out with a crooked smile.
Quasimodo chuckled involuntarily, though he could feel the tension building up again between the two of them.
- This is what we'll do. - Frollo stated resolutely.- I have to leave the city for a couple days, for some business I need to attend. I've been postponing it due to… recent events. - he cleared his throat, and continued. - I will seize this opportunity to take my leave while you're on bed rest. So you won't have to come here tomorrow, or the day after that. You'll come back on Saturday, when you should be able to walk again. However, I recommend you bring someone with you, just in case you need help.
- So two days of freedom? That's what a knife to the foot will get you around here? - she asked, ironically. But the look on her face was not bellicose, but grateful.
- Well, if you decided to run away, two days won't get you far enough to hide from my soldiers anyway. - Frollo answered menacingly.
Esmeralda exhaled, shaking her head in frustration.
- Alright. So I'll see you both on Saturday. - she promised, with a sigh of surrender.