Chapter 8: The Continuation

Esmeralda was woken by the sound of a struggle. It was the same as the previous night. Frollo was waking up from an obvious nightmare, hyperventilating and cursing.

"Not again!" He said under his breath.

Esmeralda's natural instinct was to check on him.

"Are you alright?" She asked with some urgency.

"Don't speak to me!" Frollo snapped.

He repeated his actions from the previous night, getting up, dressing, and setting out for a place to be alone.

"You'd better not follow me this time." Frollo threatened as he left. "There will be nothing to gain!"

He slammed the door shut.

Esmeralda was frightened both by her husband's rage and the thought of what must be happening to him. She was certainly tempted to follow him again, but Frollo's tone made it clear that it would be a bad decision. She believed him that there would be nothing to gain. After all, he had no intention of telling her what was going on.

Although worried, she obeyed his instructions. Esmeralda tried to sleep again, but she was wide awake after the disturbance. She likely wouldn't be able to sleep until her husband was back. Not because she had any need for him, but because she was too disturbed by the thought of the breakdown he must be having right now, if this night was anything like the last.

She waited. But after what must have been an hour, her worries grew. Esmeralda feared a disaster in the hall of the fireplace. It made her too anxious.

That was it. Even if Frollo smacked her over the head for it, she was going to check on him. She wouldn't sleep, otherwise.

Esmeralda threw on a nightgown and went through the corridor as quietly as possible. When she came to the door she'd been looking for, she only stood by it, listening. The room was silent, although Esmeralda could see a very faint light under the door. She waited for a sound, but heard nothing. Nervously, she barely cracked the door open to peek inside.

Frollo was sprawled out on the floor, motionless. Concerned, Esmeralda went into the room.

She concluded that the judge was asleep. He must have knocked himself out with all the emotional energy he probably spent. His body lay vulnerable in front of the dying fire.

Esmeralda questioned if she should do something. Wake him up, maybe? He looked awfully uncomfortable on the floor...

No, she wouldn't do it. It would make him mad. Besides, why should she care if he was uncomfortable? Frollo was the worst person Esmeralda had ever known. She didn't need to pity him. If he wanted to sleep on that hard floor, she would let him. Satisfied, Esmeralda left. She could sleep now. No disaster was happening.

But when she returned to the bedroom, she still wasn't able to sleep. The thought of Frollo passed out in front of the fireplace worried her. It occurred to her that the fire had nearly burned out. And that stone floor had to be bitterly cold in the middle of the night... Esmeralda sighed. Her compassion got the best of her.

She took a blanket, returned to the room where Frollo slept, and laid the blanket over him. At least now he wouldn't freeze overnight.

Frollo's night had been awful. The first nightmare had been unexpected, so he was even more unprepared for the second. It had been the exact same dream, which forced him to relive the burning all over again. The realization that this terror wasn't over had scared him. He'd prayed harder than ever, begging for this trauma to just vanish.

"I've repented from my sins..." He'd prayed. "I no longer deserve to burn. Why do you let me suffer this way? Please, make it stop!"

He'd fallen to his knees again. This time he'd avoided letting out the blood curdling scream that developed within him, not wanting to attract attention again. Keeping it inside had made him tremble more. He'd ended up laying on the floor, struggling to calm down and contain his breathing. It had worked eventually, but he'd fallen asleep as a result.

The morning was beginning now. Frollo woke up with a shiver. He pulled the blanket tightly around him. This was disappointing. He hadn't intended to stay here all night. How foolish of him to fall asleep like that. At least he had a blanket.

But it occurred to Frollo that he hadn't had a blanket last night. Someone must have brought this to him. And he knew who!

He made it back to the bedroom, where Esmeralda was still asleep. He touched her shoulder to wake her up.

The girl was slightly startled to see him. Frollo looked at her sternly.

"Would you like to explain this?" He asked, holding up the blanket.

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Esmeralda claimed.

"Don't play daft with me." Frollo ordered. "You knew where I was last night and you followed after I told you not to!"

"I was asleep the whole time!" Esmeralda insisted.

"Then why did I wake up under a blanket?" Frollo challenged.

Esmeralda tried to think of an explanation. The only people roaming the palace in the middle of the night would have been the guards.

"...Maybe a guard saw you and decided you needed one."

"A guard would have woken me."

Frollo gently grabbed his wife's jaw, trying to assert dominance. She shivered just a little from his touch.

"I'm a smart man, dear." Frollo said menacingly. "You shouldn't lie to me."

Esmeralda brushed his hand away.

"Fine." She said. "I did it. But is this really something you want to complain about?"

"I told you not to follow me!" Frollo snapped.

"I left you alone at first!" Esmeralda argued. "But you were gone for so long that I couldn't help worrying!"

"Worrying?! Gypsy, do you forget who I am? I am the Minister of Justice! I'm the one who keeps this city safe! I am the last person you need to worry about!"

"I disagree."

Frollo threw the blanket at Esmeralda with a growl.

"I ought to punish you for this!" Frollo declared.

He went to his wardrobe and grabbed a fresh set of clothes, folding them over his arm.

"I'm going to see Quasimodo." Frollo informed. "And you won't be coming."

He tossed his robe over his arm. Normally he preferred to change his clothes in his room, but this morning Frollo wouldn't spend any more time around Esmeralda than necessary. He would change in the bathroom.

"If he doesn't see me-" Esmeralda started.

"He'll see you tomorrow!" Frollo insisted. "One day won't be enough to make him panic!"

His hand was on the door handle when he suddenly stopped. Without looking at her, Frollo asked his wife a question.

"I would just like to know... Why did you leave that blanket?"

"Because I have a heart." Esmeralda replied. "Not that you would know anything about that."

Frollo paused only a moment. He could think about this elsewhere, so he left.

The judge was tired. Tired of everything. The sudden surfacing of his worst memories was wearing him out. His marriage was a journey of frustration. What was he to do about Esmeralda's attitude? None of the obvious solutions would work for much. She was too resilient. And even if he was to take some action to keep her in check, she would no doubt take it out on him in bed... Frollo resented the fact that he was so attracted to this woman. How much easier his life would be if he didn't need her as a lover!

But although he despised her, Frollo was starting to find the gypsy... interesting.

He pondered what she'd done last night. He never would have known she'd come after him if not for the blanket. She'd exposed herself in her effort to keep him warm. That was hard to understand. But Frollo wanted to understand it.