A week had gone by, and everything was slowly going back to normal.
Frollo had taken a few days off his duties as a judge to fully recover, and he had temporarily assigned his captain of the guard to act on his behalf in any urgent matters that arose.
He didn't know the man well, since he had just come into his service after Phoebus's departure. But he proved himself to be effective and loyal, which allowed Frollo to focus on regaining his strength.
Esmeralda had also been resting for a couple days, but she got bored soon, for her foot healed fast and she was able to walk again if she stepped carefully. Being so impatient, she found it hard to be confined to her chambers most of the time. But Frollo had instructed that the servants should bring him his meals to his room, so she was also eating in her quarters, as there was no point in using the dining room alone.
So, apart from the short walks around the Palace that she was able to take before her foot started protesting, she would just sit by the fire and try to distract herself from the boredom. The only highlight to her day was Frollo's daily visit. He usually showed up briefly at her door after lunch, to check up on her and see how she was doing.
But his tone and words were always distant, though cordial. Everyday, their conversation was a mere exchange of questions about their respective health situation, and them wishing each other to get better. After that, with the excuse of letting her rest, he would quickly leave until next day.
The formality and politeness of it all made Esmeralda sick. She was dying to be able to speak to him authentically, but she didn't know how to do it, for once again Frollo was apparently trying to avoid her as much as possible, and despite Quasimodo's words, she was starting to doubt again if the judge cared for her at all. When she thought about the intimacy they had shared during their respective illnesses, it felt like a dream. Maybe it had been induced by their weakness or fever, and hadn't been real.
She needed more time to figure out what to do. She was terrified that she had made a mistake, turning her back on Clopin and her people to stay by Frollo's side, when he clearly didn't want her there. But at the same time, something inside her, something irrational yet real, told her that there was more to it, and that she should be patient. So, any time Frollo asked her how she was doing, she would magnify her symptoms so he would find it necessary that she remained there longer. She was afraid that he would eventually ask to take a look at her bandaged wound, only to find it healing quickly and becoming just a scar.
But one morning, she woke up to a gentle knock on her door. She rushed to open it, though when she realized it could be Frollo, she slowed down and accentuated her limp. But it wasn't the judge who was waiting on the other side of the door, but the stable boy.
- Pat! What are you doing here? - she called, but the boy rapidly hushed her.
- I'm not allowed up here miss! - he explained in a whisper.
- What is it? - she asked, also lowering her voice.
- There's someone asking for you. - he said, pointing downstairs.
Esmeralda looked confused. If someone was at the door, why wasn't a servant the one to tell her?
- Can you come? - Pat asked, looking nervously to both sides of the hall, hoping not to be seen.
- Yes, of course. - Esmeralda answered, and taking her cape, she followed the boy down the stairs, trying to make little to no sound.
But when they got to the main floor, instead of walking to the door, Pat made a turn towards the courtyard. Esmeralda walked after him, wondering, but she chose not to ask so no one would hear them. When they were finally out in the open, Pat relaxed and slowed down, waiting for her slow steps to catch up to him.
- Where are we going? - Esmeralda asked at last.
- Just come and see. - Pat said with an enigmatic smile.
He guided her down the stable's corridor to the small backyard where the crack in the wall had allowed Djali to freely come and go. As she had suspected, the goat was waiting for her there.
- Oh, you found me! - she exclaimed, leaning to pet Djali's head, while he leaped around her happily.
- He's very clever.- Pat pointed out. - He's been showing up here since you came back, I think he somehow knew you were in the Palace.
- My wise friend – she called, with an affectionate smile.
- But he's not who I wanted you to see. - Pat replied, pointing towards the crack in the wall, and then walking towards it, he yelled – Hey! I brought her, she's here!
Esmeralda looked puzzled at the open space the stones had left behind, and saw a familiar face appearing up there.
- Esmeralda! - the face called with relief.
- Dalia? - Esmeralda asked, baffled. - What are you doing here?
The gypsy girl was holding on to the upper edge of the crack with her fingertips, but given the height of the wall, she must have been hanging there with great effort. Esmeralda rushed to help her, grabbing her hands and pulling her up so she could climb the wall and descend at their side. When she reached the ground, she sighed alleviated.
She was fourteen, though she didn't look older than twelve, given her slender body and short constitution. Her long brown hair was tied up in a complex braid, and her caramel cheeks were blushed with the effort. As she dusted of her dress, Esmeralda could see Pat's expression; he was bewitched by the girl's exotic beauty. Esmeralda tried to conceal a smile, and opened her arms to hug the newcomer.
- How are you? - Dalia asked, lowering her eyes to Esmeralda's foot.
- I'm fine, as you can see. Nothing can stop me for long. - she answered with a wink.
But Dalia looked troubled, and Esmeralda guessed the girl couldn't understand what was keeping her in the palace if she was feeling better. But there were more concerning matters in her mind right now.
- How did you find this place? - she asked the girl, pointing towards the opening in the wall.
- I followed Djali. - Dalia revealed.- I noticed he was missing from time to time and I figured he was coming to visit you somehow.
- He was – Pat intervened, trying to sound confident – I've been feeding him and taking care of him every time he showed up.
Dalia threw him a quick glance, while Esmeralda gave him a warm smile of gratitude, finding it amusing that Pat was standing so straight, to appear taller. Then, she turned back to the girl.
- Do you need anything? Why did you came?
Dalia hesitated for a second, as if she was struggling to find the right words. But finally, with a sigh of exasperation, she answered:
- Clopin asked me to. He told me not to tell you it was him, but… - she shrugged.
Hearing Clopin's name felt like a splash of cold water. She tried to keep a steady face, but so many emotions showed up in her eyes.
- I don't know what's going on between you two. - Dalia continued. - And he wouldn't tell me. But he said you wouldn't be coming back.
- I never said never. - Esmeralda clarified, in a defensive tone. - But he said you were leaving the city.
- Some of us did. - Dalia explained. - When they heard Frollo was so ill, they decided to take the chance to escape somewhere else, were we wouldn't be under his rules.
- What about you? - Esmeralda asked, though it wasn't the question that was burning inside her throat.
- My parents and I decided to stay. They say Paris is our home, and that we shouldn't give it up, with or without Frollo. Some others felt the same way, but there's just a handful of us left.
Esmeralda nodded. She knew that her people's need for freedom was equal to their pride. So it made sense to her that they didn't want to relinquish their home, specially now that Frollo's iron fist towards gypsies had softened a little.
It was actually that same pride the one preventing her from asking what she desperately wanted to know. But Dalia was smart and she could see the inquiry in Esmeralda's face.
- Clopin's still here. He didn't left with the others. - she informed.
- Oh, okay. - Esmeralda nodded with indifference, but inside she felt a wave of relief. She couldn't stand the thought of never seeing her brother again after that horrible fight. And if he had stayed, maybe that meant he didn't want to leave things like that either.
- But he told me not to tell you that either. - Dalia confessed.
- It's fine, I won't tell anyone.- Esmeralda reassured her, while her hopes sunk again. If Clopin didn't want her to know he was there, that meant he had no intention of seeing her again.
- Anyway… he asked me to come and give you this. - the girl reached into a wicker bag she was carrying at her back, and pulled out Esmeralda's purple blanket.
Esmeralda's eyes teared up. Maybe not everything was lost with Clopin after all. His moving gesture showed that he still cared about her, even if he wasn't ready to admit it yet.
- Thank you so much Dalia. - Esmeralda said hoarsely, with a gentle smile.
- You're welcome. - the girl said lightly. - Now, help me get out of here already, this place gives me the creeps. - she asked, getting ready to climb the wall again.
- Don't you wanna stay and see the horses? - Pat offered quickly, not wanting her to leave so soon.
Dalia threw him a side look, and then she gave Esmeralda a meaningful one. Pat watched the exchange and immediately blushed, ashamed of his obvious behavior.
- You would like the horses. - Esmeralda added, trying to be supportive.
- No thank you. I like them better when they're free. - she stated, and started climbing the wall on her own.
Pat rushed to help her, and propelling her feet upwards, he got her to the other side.
- Thank you!- Dalia's voice said from behind the wall, and then they heard her swift footsteps running away.
Pat was mortified and couldn't look Esmeralda in the eye while they walked back through the corridor to the courtyard.
- She likes to play it cool – Esmeralda told him, trying to make him feel better . - But I'd bet she was impressed by you.
- How come? - the young lad asked, with a depressed tone.
- Well, you're the same age as her, but you're already in charge of the biggest and most important stables in the whole city. That's not something you see everyday, Pat – she explained with admiration.
Her words seemed to reassure him greatly, and he looked at her with gratitude.
- I'm really glad to see you well, miss. - he confessed wholeheartedly, remembering when he had seen his master and the bell ringer arrive at the palace with Esmeralda unconscious in their arms.
- I'm glad to be well too. - she said, taking a few small leaps with Djali, playfully.
The sun was shining brightly and she felt that Clopin's gift had taken a burden from her heart, even if he hadn't delivered it himself. She felt light and optimistic, and her cheerful energy was infectious; soon, Pat joined her in playing with the goat, that ran from one to the other, as they pretended to chase it, laughing out loud.
Esmeralda went up to her room feeling happy and relaxed, and she decided that when Frollo came to visit her later, she would finally address the situation and be honest with him. But as she was making this decision, she saw the judge was already waiting for her at her door. She greeted him with a smile, but his face was emotionless, his look indecipherable.
- Good morning – she said carefully, not knowing what to expect from him.
- To you too.- he answered politely.
There was an awkward silence, but just when Esmeralda opened her mouth to say something, Frollo spoke again:
- I see you're doing much better. - he said, pointing to her foot.
- Oh… - she mumbled, dissimulating – Yes, I just wanted to take a brief walk.
- I know. - he replied with a meaningful look. - I was looking through the window and I saw you at the courtyard, with Patrice and… Djali, is it?
Esmeralda gulped, suddenly blushing. If he had saw her, he knew she was perfectly able to walk and even jump. So her farce was over.
- I'm really glad you healed well. - he stated with honesty.
- It was all thanks to you. - she said gratefully.
- Well, it's a good sign you won't be needing my help anymore. I can ask a maid to help you pick up your things and carry them to the Court of Miracles.
Esmeralda was frozen, not knowing what to say. She wanted to protest, but he sounded so firm, so decided, that he left no margin for any kind of argument. So she stood there, mouth opened. He was waiting for her answer.
- Is that alright? - he insisted, getting uncomfortable.
Finally, she nodded. He nodded back and, walking past her, he said:
- Farewell, then. Take care of yourself.
- You too. - she muttered, his back already turned against her. In a few steps, he would disappear behind the corner. - Wait!
- What is it? - he said, turning his head around.
Esmeralda hesitated.
- Should I keep reporting to Quasimodo…? - she finally asked.
- As I said before, that won't be necessary. - Frollo replied calmly. - You kept your word, even when you were hurt. I believe you're proven you are trustworthy. So I trust there will be no more problems coming from the gypsies from now on in this city.
She didn't know whether to feel complimented or insulted, relieved or dissapointed. So she just nodded again, and said:
- Alright then… I guess I'll… see you around.
Frollo gave her a courtesy nod and turned the corner, to enter his chamber. He closed the door and then leaned his back against it, letting out a sigh.
His composure shattered as his breath accelerated. This time there was no going back. No security clause. She was leaving for good, and he was letting her go without conditions. He was being completely selfless, and he hoped that would finally prove he was able to love another human being unconditionally. Even if that love meant losing her. Because now she was free, it would only be a matter of time until she forgot about him and get back to her life, probably meeting someone else and… No. He couldn't even think about that, or he would go mad again. This time he needed to let her go for real. To surrender his control over the situation. Otherwise it would all have been in vain. This is what God wanted from him, now he knew. True selflessness. This was, at last, the right thing to do.
The door opened with such violence it threw him to the floor.
- You know what? No! Not again! - Esmeralda stormed into the room, furiously looking around until she saw him laying there, utterly perplexed. Her own expression changed to an astonished one as well.
- What are you doing? - she asked baffled.
- What am I doing? - he repeated, irritated.- You were the one that threw me to the floor, why on earth would you irrupt in my room like that?
- Why were you standing on the door? - she retorted, also annoyed.
Frollo blew exasperated, and he started to get up. Esmeralda rushed to help him, but he refused her help with a prideful expression. She snorted, offended, and took a couple steps back, placing her hands on her hips.
- Well…? - he asked, with an inviting gesture, as he straightened his chaperon.
Esmeralda hesitated again. The incident had made her lose her determination, and now she felt childish and immature. She thought of turning around and leaving, but then the indignation came back.
- It's not. Alright, I mean. It's not alright. - she said, gibbering.
- What is? - he asked, confused.
- You asked if it was alright. Before. - she clarified, not wanting to say the words.
Frollo doubted for a moment, but he recalled their conversation and understood what she was referring to.
- So what is the problem? - he asked again, impatiently.
- It's… - she struggled to find the words. Finally, she dropped her arms, raising her hands to gesticulate. - You did it again! - she accused, looking at him angrily. - Everything has to be on your terms, doesn't it? You decide when and where things happen, or not happen. Every decision made in this city seems to be under your terms! - she paused, because Frollo's expression was turning dark and menacing. But she wasn't going to let him scare her into silence. Not anymore.- But guess what? Everything is not under your terms. Everyone is not under your terms. And I am definitely not under your terms! - she declared, and before he could say anything, she decidedly walked the distance between them and kissed him.
Frollo was caught completely off guard, and he almost lost his balance and fell again, but he instinctively grabbed onto her. Seconds ago he had been feeling an increasing anger boiling up in his veins, but suddenly all that fire turned into a different kind of heat. He didn't have time to think, nor he needed to. His body responded on its own.
He passionately grabbed her waist and pulled her body hard against his. She let out a loud moan and her hands reached for the back of his neck, where her fingers clasped onto his hair, softly pulling from it. Her lips were viciously trapping his own, and her tongue was begging an entrance into his mouth, which he gladly allowed.
He was angry at her defiance, but somehow this anger made him want her even more. He could feel her anger as well, in the way she bit his lower lip, and dug her nails into his skin. The mild pain of it only fueled his inner fire, and he felt it concentrating between his legs. She felt it too, and she moved even closer, increasing the pressure in his lower area, which made him gasp.
Then, she stopped all of a sudden, retiring her face to look at him. His lips were left hanging there, in the middle of a kiss, and he looked at her puzzled. She lowered her hands from his neck and rested them on his chest.
- You stated your terms before. - she whispered. - Now you know mine. Consider them and let me know what you want. - she said, staring into his eyes for a couple of seconds, and then pulling away.
Frollo was still catching his breath when she closed the door behind her.