Or Else Let Her Be Mine And Mine Alone

Haunted

'As the master of this palace, I order you to come out!'

'My master...do whatever you want...I'm yours...'

'I said I want you here!'

'I want you inside me...till the end of time... oh my!'

'Judge Claude Frollo, Minister of Justice, I DEMAND your presence!'

That broke the daydream. He hurriedly rearranged his clothes before opening the door. 'Your majesty?'

Having his jaw tightened, King Louis jabbed a finger to Frollo's chest. 'Where were you? You are so lost nowadays. I didn't call you here to wander off and play chess with enemies!'

'I-I'm terribly sorry, your highness. My head felt heavy, so I took some sedatives and slept.'

'Whatever,' said the King, still cross. 'You are required in the meeting. Come with me.' He started to walk towards the quarters. Frollo sheepishly followed him. Internally he cursed himself. Since childhood, emotions had gotten the better of him, but with age he had learnt the art of concealing them. It benefitted his life as a public official. Sparing Esmeralda, his image of a stoic and chaste man had never faltered. Why then, at the height of his profession, was he going weak?

When they reached the room, Louis stopped. 'Before we go, I tell you that Maximilian has been thinking too highly of himself. His side has made a resolution difficult. I want you to be firm. We want this to get over soon, don't we?'

'Yes, your highness,' Frollo replied diligently.

The guards opened the door. It directly showed a large table, holding elaborate seats on which were seated officials. Two massive flags of the Valois and Habsburg dynasties hung on the wall behind them. Everybody rose.

'Yes, yes,' Louis acknowledged, sitting down. 'Like I promised- Monseigneur Claude Frollo.'

The officials turned at Frollo.

He rapidly mused. Louis had thrust him into this situation, and he must not disappoint. If the King got angry with him, there would be no scheme, no scientific success and no time with Esmeralda. He took a long breath and blithered, 'Gentlemen, we have assembled here to accomplish a goal that is crucial and urgent. His highness the King has called me to assist you. I hope that my guidance will contribute to making this a cooperative session.'

Maximilian sat quietly. A minister beside him said in an Austrian accent, 'We shall cooperate with your King only if he considers our requests, which he isn't.'

Frollo tilted his head. 'Which request of yours is that?'

'He asked us to give him the whole county of Burgundy; an outrageous demand on its own, but we agreed. He wanted the archduke to hand over his infant daughter Margaret to him. We agreed. The officials of Burgundy went against the legacies of their late Duke Charles and their Duchess Mary. All we ask is to keep one county. But your King refuses.' The Austrian minister threw a hostile glare at the French side. 'He refuses, for he cannot digest the fact that the world isn't obliged to bow down in front of France. Despite his talks of peace and cooperation, what he truly seeks is not resolution. He seeks our humiliation!'

The Burgundians and Austrians cheered. Maximilian, meanwhile, kept his demeanor neutral and eyes down.

A French marshal boomed, 'You speak as if you're unaware of the might the French army possesses. And you accuse us like the county was forcibly taken. Burgundy has always been French.'

The Burgundian officials didn't stay silent. 'What do you mean by "always"? Burgundy belonged to the Holy Roman Empire till you French people annexed it!'