"I believe that perhaps this challenge will go smoother if we begin tomorrow morning," Frollo declared, fingers waving for the girl to follow him down the corridor. "But before we do that, I think there's something that might, shall we say, incentivize you to act accordingly."
He could offer me everything in his coffers, and it won't change a thing between the two of us, Esmeralda remarked inwardly to herself. Her fingers twitched at her sides as she followed him, ever ready in case he tried anything. While her focus should have been solely on him, her eyes took note of every which way of the hall layout. She scanned the innumerable doors and tapestries, but still made sure to catch new glimpses of the city from this height. These glances only served to make her yearn more for the outside air and the freedom she had kissed goodbye.
Frollo led her to a door at the end of the corridor. He offered her a dark smirk and opened it slowly, indicating that where they were going was nowhere pleasant. Removing a torch from its sconce, his low voice drawled, "If you'd be so kind as to follow me."
Though apprehensive, Esmeralda cast him a doubtful glare and did such that, into the spiral staircase descending into blackness. Taking a guess to where they were going, she humorlessly noted, "I thought you said the dungeons were off limits." The walk down was quickly becoming musty, almost making her miss the cold, stale air of her chamber.
"They are," Frollo clipped, not even bothering to look at her. The bright torchlight made his rings glint and the red sash of his hat stood stark against the black space. "But I think there's something down here you might be interested to see." They finally reached the bottom of the staircase and were met with the stench of human waste, diseased flesh, and mold seeping through the aged door.
"You said that you let everyone go—that was the agreement."
"Oh, and I did," Frollo replied matter-of-factly as he turned a key in the lock. "But I also told you there would still be repercussions." The door gave an ominous and echoing creak as the two entered the dungeon.
The combination of stinks brought the gypsy back the memory of chains digging into her wrists and ankles, the hope of seeing another day quickly disappearing as she awaited her final hour. Esmeralda hated to stay close to the Minister as he ambled along, seemingly not in a hurry at all. He glanced over his shoulder at her, delighting in her evident discomfort as they strolled past cells of almost dead men. If the look of these sorry souls didn't beg pity, then their resonant groans of agony or hopelessness did. All the while he nodded to his silent soldiers in false pleasantness, to put her at more unease.
In her morbid curiosity of studying these poor, unfortunate souls, Esmeralda had bumped into the Minister before her. Her distraction quickly bled into embarrassment as he gave her a perturbed look of his own. She cleared her throat and sheepishly offered a muttered apology.
"Here we are." Frollo stopped before another one of the identical doors and hung the torch onto one of the sconces. Before he slipped another key into the lock, he turned to face the tense gypsy. "When we go in, you will keep your distance. Try anything, and you'll soon be joining him." He nodded back at one of his nameless soldiers to step forward as backup, who began to light a lantern. With a rusty jingle of the keyring, the cell door was unlocked and Frollo pushed it open slowly, happy to keep her in suspense. "After you."
The soldier handed her the lantern and Esmeralda's eyes flickered to Frollo, sickened by his sneer as she took careful steps forward into the barely lit cell. Only a couple torches flanked the sides of the door, keeping the round cell abysmal. Once her eyes adjusted, she studied a figure slumped forward in the center, head hung lifelessly through the hole of a wooden board. Dirty, scarred hands protruded through smaller holes opposite his head. The smell of straw and damp coupled with the already terrible smells pervaded the rest of the air. She clasped a hand over her mouth, stomach lurching at seeing him locked in the pillory. "Phoebus," her voice barely a whisper. Her green eyes were now large as saucers as she raised the lantern to get a better look at her beloved.
Instinctively she pushed off on one foot, wanting to rush to him and take him in her arms, but was restrained by Frollo's quick hands. "What did I just say?!"
The voices stirred Phoebus from his daze, eyes bleary as they looked to the source of the commotion. "Esmeralda?" he croaked out, fists balling when he noticed the judge holding her back.
Esmeralda shook off his grasp and spun around to face the Minister, still clutching the lantern tightly in her hand. "You were supposed to let him go!"
"And I was prepared to," he smoothly countered. "The former Captain was merely supposed to serve another day in the stocks. But an insolent tongue warranted further punishment. Isn't that right, Phoebus?"
Phoebus responded with a vicious glare. "Esmeralda," his tired voice raised. "I'm sorry…I-I should have—"
Esmeralda fought back the stinging tears that were threatening to escape her eyes. "Frollo, please," her voice low and urging. Without thinking, her hand grasped his arm—a desperate attempt to make him feel compassion. "He's suffered enough. You have me here already—you have to let him go."
Frollo felt his heart skip a beat, eyes jumping down to make sure he wasn't imagining the sight of her hand on him. He broke from this moment of stupor when he remembered his silent guard was standing right behind him, and all the while a weakened Phoebus looked on. Giving the appearance of disgust, he snatched his arm away from her.
"Release him so soon?" Frollo tested, looking back at the beaten man. "After he's proven time and time again he has no regard for his actions. Why should I?"
Esmeralda clutched a hand to her chest, considering her next words. While she admired Phoebus's defiance in the face of this tyrant, she didn't want him to endure any more suffering for her sake. "Let me speak to him."
Frollo narrowed his eyes at her. "And give you the opportunity to conspire? I think not."
"You want a soldier that will follow orders—a good soldier—then let me talk to him." Her jaw was set, indicating that she would not budge until having a word with Phoebus. She would rather be dragged out than walk away without having spoken to him.
Frollo and the half-hidden guard exchanged wary looks, Esmeralda's fierce eyes challenging them. Shaking his head, the judge mulled it over before replying, "Very well. Then let's go have a word with him." He inclined his head toward the direction of the restrained man, egging her on to take the first step.
Esmeralda wanted to land a swift fist in that jeering face, especially when she started towards Phoebus and heard the Minister's footsteps trailing behind her. She set the lantern aside and looked down at Phoebus's blond head, blue eyes still glimmering in the minimal light. When she kneeled down to his eye level, she cradled his face in her hands and urged him to look up at her. She figured it wouldn't help to emotionally crumble before him, not after all he had been through—No, better to keep his spirits up. It was a far cry from the sense of hope and devotion they shared in the bell tower. With a comforting smile and trying to lighten the tension, she greeted, "I take it you were defending a woman's honor again?"
"The things he said he'd do," Phoebus weakly muttered, gathering up what little strength he had and rattling the chains as he attempted to sit up a bit. "To you, and to everybody you know…I couldn't…I couldn't just stand there and let him—"
Esmeralda shushed him. "I understand," she assured him, brushing back some hair from his face. The action easily made Frollo sick and forced him to bite the inside of his cheeks to keep from retching. "But don't be a fool," she continued, noting the fading bruises and scrapes on Phoebus's now scraggly features. "Don't throw away everything you worked for just for me. I wouldn't have agreed to stay if it meant you'd be stuck down here."
"But…" Phoebus glanced up at his superior, whose flinty eyes met his with equal disdain. He lowered his voice, "You're still a prisoner."
The gypsy gave a pensive nod, fighting past a lump growing in her throat. "I know. But it's a small price to pay if it means you and everyone else can walk free. Besides…" She cocked her head a bit to indicate the ever-watchful Minister behind her. "We have an agreement, and I'm gonna see it through."
Phoebus's eyes went wide, begging her to reconsider. "You shouldn't have to…"
"Don't worry about me; I can take care of myself." Esmeralda offered an encouraging smile, sniffling as the tears began to flow. "You didn't leave the war just to die for some gypsy girl, right?" Her tone was light but inside it was killing her at what might have been a goodbye.
Aside, Frollo was caught between the desire of watching them exchange their parting words, and wanting to tear himself and the young lady away from this shell of a war hero. He gave a derisive snort at their saccharine affection, eliciting a resentful glower from her.
A heat rose through her that almost made her jump to her feet to smack him for his mockery. Instead, she opted to take the former Captain's face in her hands and press her lips furiously to his, kissing him so deeply that her dark curls cascaded around his face. She ignored the slight tang of blood in his mouth as she made a show of the gesture. Frollo's breathing hitched as he watched with repulsion her spiteful act, unwittingly raising a fist as though he was ready to strike.
"Enough of this sentimentality!" he hissed, stepping forward and itching to rip her away from his prisoner. "Until he's ready to follow orders again, he'll be going nowhere."
Esmeralda stood up and locked eyes with the judge, his angular face almost demonic from the shadows dancing on his features. "I think he's learned his lesson, and ready to get back to work, right, Phoebus?" Her tone begged Phoebus to concede, wanting to see him be released from this confinement.
His eyes were still challenging towards the Minister, the former not willing to budge. "You see?" Frollo taunted the girl, a hand waving toward the shackled man. "I have no use for such impudence, especially not from some disgraced mercenary."
Esmeralda shot Phoebus a beseeching glare, one that wanted to ask what he was doing. Her mind screamed, I'm trying to help you! "No! No, no—he's ready to rejoin your men! And ready to get out of this dungeon, right?" She punctuated the final word with urgency, pleading Phoebus to take the godforsaken hint.
"Think for a moment, Phoebus," Frollo warned, arms crossing over his chest. "What seems the most ideal: stay here and meet a deserving final punishment, or prove to me that you are a capable soldier worth keeping alive?"
Phoebus's eyes wandered around the desolate cell, as if seriously considering which option was preferable. "I'm starting to miss dodging Burgundian arrows," He remarked coldly. The comment made Esmeralda clasp a hand over her face in exasperation, and Frollo bare his teeth animalistically.
The Minister's lips then down at the brazenness, bitter that the man's pride was still intact. "You're more than welcome to let this gypsy take your place," Frollo threatened, placing a cold hand on her shoulder and making her recoil. "Dead or shackled, I'll be rid of one pest or another."
Ripping herself away from the judge, Esmeralda sank back down to Phoebus, eyes now dead serious. Forgoing any more playfulness, her tone was now severe and low. "I'm trying to help you—you helped me, didn't you?"
"You've already repaid me," Phoebus countered, his expression now pitiful and golden locks falling limply over his face. His voice then dropped to a hushed tone. "I won't go back to working with him."
"Phoebus." Esmeralda raised his chin up gently to look at her. "Please. Can you do this…for me?"
A conflicted look flashed across his chiseled features as he glanced between the gypsy and the judge, weighing his options.
Choose wisely, Frollo mentally chided, his fingers digging deeper into his crossed arms. He hated the rush of envy as he watched Esmeralda's delicate fingers caress his enemy's face. Your pride may be your undoing.
After a moment of consideration, Phoebus sighed exhaustively. "I…I guess it makes more sense to do what I was trained to do."
"So you admit to your disobedience?" Frollo spat, tilting his head slightly as though expecting the man to grovel. "And that you agree to rejoin your fellow soldiers, with full adherence to the law? As well as your commanding officers?"
Phoebus looked back to Esmeralda, who offered a knowing nod. Stop being so stubborn and just say yes! she thought and patted one of his hands soothingly.
"Yes," Phoebus uttered out reluctantly, not willing to look back up at the menacing judge. "I will."
The darkness hid the sneer that cracked over the judge's face. "Marvelous then," he grumbled, even more disgusted when he noticed Esmeralda squeeze her beloved's hand and smile warmly at him. Frollo strode out of this now suffocating cell and back toward his observant soldier waiting outside. He quickly ordered Phoebus's release and immediate reinstatement before turning back to see Esmeralda, still crouched and exchanging hushed words.
"Come along, gypsy," he barked with his voice echoing, stirring her from their brief moment of tenderness. When she finally appeared back at his side, he was quick to remark, "I doubt you'll want to see your "Sun God" weak and escorted home like some drunkard." Esmeralda took one last glance behind as the guard began unshackling the man. Frollo gave her a small push in the back, encouraging her to get moving. After sitting through their display of affection, the dungeon now felt like its walls were constricting around him.
"I look forward to seeing you back at the barracks tomorrow, Phoebus," the judge resentfully called back.
"Tomorrow?!" Phoebus exclaimed, shocked as he watched the judge's back turn to him. The former Captain rubbed at his chafed wrists and hissed at the stinging cuts.
"A seasoned fighter such as yourself, you won't need a day to recover." Frollo gave an apathetic wave of his hand and icy leer over his shoulder. "Resuming your duties should make those Burgundy arrows seem like child's play." He found Esmeralda waiting in the damp corridor, standing stiffly with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She kept her gaze averted and let out a ragged breath, no doubt from a suppressed cry.
The silence between them as they walked on was palpable and cut through with previous sounds of inmates' cries, and crackling fire coming off the torch in his hand. Frollo glanced aside and noticed Esmeralda trying to discreetly wipe away a tear with her thumb. As much as he despised seeing her offer so much warmth toward Phoebus, he suddenly felt as though he needed to say something.
"At least his head is still attached to his neck," he commented, hoping that she might look at him, even a little.
Esmeralda gave him no response, preferring to keep her gaze straight ahead as she collected herself. While she was relieved that Phoebus wouldn't be another casualty of Frollo's madness, there was profound heaviness in her heart knowing she would likely not see him again. Weighing this in her mind, she ran a hand through her thick hair as she let the idea sink in.
"I'll have him placed on light duty," Frollo raised, eliciting little more than an acknowledging nod from the girl. "He's not much use for any strenuous work if he's on the mend." Esmeralda detected what he was trying to do but wouldn't give him the satisfaction of replying. Instead, she feigned interest in the passing cells while the pungent stenches continued to surround them.
The rest of the walk through the dungeon and back upstairs was one of silence with both the gypsy and Minister in deep contemplation. One less person to suffer because of me, Esmeralda mused, still not wholly rid of a sense of guilt. At least he'll be back to doing what he does best. They finally reached their floor when she turned to Frollo, fixing her focus to her knuckles as she pretended to crack them. "I, um…I didn't think he'd be so stubborn," she admitted with difficulty and keeping her attention to the flagstones too.
"An admirable quality in some cases—not in a soldier. And one shouldn't confuse it with tenacity." Frollo himself barely felt capable of meeting her gaze, choosing instead to stare blankly out one of the wide corridor windows.
"You wouldn't prefer a soldier who won't go down without a fight?" she tested, not accusingly, rather just curious.
"Not against the one giving the orders." He couldn't keep the sour expression from etching over his face as he reflected on Phoebus's blatant insolence. How could she be so fond of a man so comfortable with self-sabotage? he wondered.
"Well…he's still a good soldier, isn't he?" Esmeralda retorted. Why she was indulging him now was a mystery to her—maybe she just needed to hear something that could put her at ease of Phoebus's situation. "You must have pulled a few strings to drag him away from the battlefield and get him back to Paris."
Frollo was unwilling to admit it: he had indeed shelled out a pretty penny and favors after hearing about the legendary soldier. Especially when his own fleet had been lacking in an efficient captain for too long. Uncomfortably, he stroked his chin as he considered the right words. "Proficient and accomplished, I'll give him that."
"I appreciate that…" Just as stiffly, Esmeralda now toyed with one of her gold bracelets. "You giving him another chance." With that, she let a faint and somber smile tug at her lips but was still reluctant to look at him.
He clipped, "Perhaps I'd be remiss to dispose of an effective soldier so soon." Esmeralda gave a curt nod before shuffling away from him, heading in the direction of her chamber.
Frollo stepped quickly to match her pace, muttering some excuse about escorting her back to keep her from going astray. She was slightly appreciative as she still wasn't familiar with the layout just yet, but still wary of his proximity. But she wouldn't say such.
"Your skills of witchery must be those of legend," the judge declared, but not wholly malicious. She didn't even see the smirk playing on his lips and intense focus he now held on her.
Esmeralda huffed and rolled her eyes skyward, regretting that she had just offered him a kind word. "And what makes you say that?"
"Few women could ever make a man exchange his honor to return to a lower position." The two had arrived back at the door to her bedchamber, and she gave him a weary look.
"He's a good man," she said evenly. She felt a new set of tears pushing their way into her eyes and fought to keep them back. "And the world needs more of those."
Frollo's gray eyes shifted away at her slight, not enjoying the idea that she was correct. "Then I hope he knows how indebted he is to you."
Esmeralda shook her head at the thought. Morosely, she replied, "No, he's not. We know it's what's best…for everyone." She placed a hand on the old iron handle of her chamber door, thankful it was unlocked this time.
But not for her…he reflected with an element of sadness. He was shocked at the notion. No—she's correct: this is what's best—for her and for Paris.
Frollo followed and stood somewhat awkwardly in the doorway as he watched her amble to the edge of her bed. Her bereavement was contained, having shed her tears already downstairs. The way she cradled her hands in her lap and hung her head in thought, she could have easily been mistaken for praying.
He adjusted his hat, unsure of what to do. "Well…I hope this has been a, um…an eye-opening experience."
Esmeralda shifted her attention back up to him, now looking drained as she struggled with a half-hearted smile. "Still willing to go through with our little bet?" she asked, almost teasingly.
Frollo's voice rumbled pensively, "Of course. Tomorrow morning." Before taking his leave, he muttered something about sending a servant up with her supper soon. Seeing her looking almost defeated did not leave him feeling victorious, but something else…something unpleasant.
Esmeralda sat in deep thought for a few more minutes, unable to shake the thought of Phoebus. She hated the disappointment she briefly felt in him that he was so quick to put himself in danger again, especially since she had bargained her freedom for his in the first place. Hopefully he keeps his head down for a while, she thought as she dragged herself back towards the small round table in the center of the room. She absently scratched at the aged wooden surface as she mulled over the idea. No need for the both of us to be punished again.
Esmeralda had to admit to herself that she was thoroughly surprised at Frollo: the fact that he decided to spare Phoebus once more as opposed to execution was somewhat confusing, to say the least. Either Phoebus was just too valuable of a soldier, or he was leverage in trying to sway her opinion of the Minister. It was difficult to tell, but either way she would not be inclined to trust his motives on anything.
As long as Phoebus is safe, she considered, sighing heavily. Hopefully Clopin and Quasi are holding up just fine. The last thing she needed was Frollo striding in and announcing another sweep of arrests that they were all caught up in.
Not again. She would have the chance to prove herself tomorrow, and she smiled at the idea of a humiliated Frollo, beaten at his own game. And to be rewarded with the chance to step outside this fortress of self-righteousness was a delicious thought. She could stay out of trouble for the week…all the while doing a little reconnaissance.
Tomorrow can't come fast enough.
X
A/N: Back from the dead! To whoever is still reading this, much appreciated.
R/r!