The news was met with surprise by the Parisians. They had never expected Frollo to just let the Romani leave without punishment. But perhaps it was better for everyone, they thought; the war had ended without any more bloodshed, and now that they were gone, maybe Frollo would start being more mellow? Even King Louis was pleased by the agreement and made sure to increase Frollo and Charmolue's salaries "for their good diplomacy".
Many still came out on the streets to curse the leaving people. Adhering to Frollo's contract, Mathias Spicali begged the city and God for forgiveness before they set off. After so much, he was ready to do anything to get them out alive. Many wanted to stay and rescue Esmeralda, but they knew how bleak their situation was.
A celebration was set-up for the city folk, where they could come and eat and drink all they like. They could paint the town red. Even those who didn't care about the Romani or religion loved a celebration after so much time.
Frollo for his part was happier than he had been in the past twenty years. He made a brief speech on how pleased he was to purify Paris at last, and how he hoped that the citizens would now deter themselves from participating in 'impure' passions and be loyal to the system. The citizens didn't really care, but did it matter? They were getting to enjoy, so they cheered anyway.
Quasimodo meanwhile, was confused on what was happening. Due to Frollo visiting him much less than he used to do, he was oblivious to the current affairs of the city. He just prayed that Esmeralda was alright.
--
After the celebration Frollo came up to the belltower. Quasimodo was surprised to see him in a good mood.
'I'm delighted today, boy. I have finally achieved success in getting the city rid of gypsies!' he boasted.
'Oh! Congratulations.' Quasimodo replied. 'How did it happen?'
'Ah, yes. You know nothing about it, do you? I will tell you.'
Quasimodo listened to Frollo's story with interest, happy that his master had gotten some of his old self back. But his master didn't touch on the topic he wished to learn about the most.
'Well, what do you think of it, boy?' Frollo asked upon finishing and taking a sip of wine.
'It's...great, master,' he lied. 'So, did Esmeralda go with them too?'
Frollo's eyes lifted from the cup to Quasimodo in a way that made him instantly regret his question.
'I was just curious,' he clarified.
Frollo kept the cup on the table, surprisingly calmly. 'She will remain in Paris as collateral.'
'Oh,' was his only reply. He knew better than to ask more, no matter how much he longed for it.
--
Esmeralda spent the rest of the day crying. Just after Mathias' departure she was back in prison, and wasn't allowed to even say goodbye to her people. Just imagining a life with Frollo, the old, manipulative sadist made her sick. Why did it have to be her? Couldn't he have found a Frenchwoman for himself to go crazy over? Somebody he could actually marry respectably in his eyes?
In the afternoon someone came to visit her, but it wasn't Frollo. It was her mother.
'My dear daughter!' she cried, hugging Esmeralda. Gudule was released sometime after we last saw her, and she looked significantly better.
Esmeralda recalled what Mathias had said about her father. Was it true? She didn't know, and it made her frustrated. Why did life had to throw so much at her in such little time? She didn't want to cry more; she had met her mother after so much time, and they didn't have one meeting without crying. But she couldn't help it.
'Why are you upset?'
'Now I will have to live with him,' she agonized. It wasn't all that was troubling her, but it was the most urgent issue.
Gudule looked at Esmeralda with pity. 'I left my work in the Rheims so you wouldn't have to go through what I did. So you won't have to meet the kind of men I did. My wish failed. But I...I never thought Judge Frollo would do something like this, that too with a girl as young as you?'
'I don't know,' was all she could say. 'I still can't forget Phoebus.'
Gudule pressed Esmeralda's head closer to her chest. 'It's ok. At least we have each other now, right? I will defend you.'
'I'm afraid of him. I don't want to be with him,' she agonized in a shaking voice.
Gudule consoled, 'I will keep seeing you. Keep telling me about what is happening, alright?'
Esmeralda nodded silently. She didn't have the energy to bring up her father.
--
That evening, she heard the guards whisper to each other outside her cell. Had Frollo forgiven her yet? After some time her cell opened, finally. A guard came in, but his demeanour was strangely different. This time he appeared... courteous?
'Minister Frollo has ordered us to take you to the palace, madame.'
She blinked. After six months of being berated and cursed by the city, this respect almost made her uncomfortable.
The guard seemed just as discomfited. 'Do you, wish to come upstairs?'
'Um...yes. Sure.'
He stood aside, making way for her. She walked outside, processing everything around. Some guards were looking at the floor, some elsewhere, but none at her. One led her out. As she walked through the series of dungeons again, she heard a loud crackling sound of a whip. It was some prisoner in a nearby cell. Crossing it, the howling, miserable creature gradually entered her vision. He looked up at her, confused.
'Aren't you the gypsy witch who was about to be hung?' he taunted, before screaming from another lash. The guards ignored him and continued taking her upstairs. She heard him laugh from the back, 'Of course. That spalpeen Frollo is still a man, isn't he? Very nice. Go make him happy, Egyptian.'
At last, the guards reached the gate of the dungeons, and opened it.
--
It was like a different world. The Palace of Justice was undeniably stunning. She had heard about the riches the powerful of the country possessed, but here she was witnessing them. And she admitted, it was every bit as different and excessive from the commoner's world as rumoured to be.
'There you are.' A maid appeared from another corner, surveying her. 'Those dungeons are rather harsh, aren't they? But don't you worry, madame. We shall get you dolled-up in no time.' She came off as amiable. The guards left and she proceeded to lead her upstairs.
She stopped at a room and opened it.
The material wasn't gold: this wasn't the Versailles after all. But it surely looked like it. Sunlight emerged from the window-panes, casting golden rays all around. There was a vanity with a framed mirror, along with some other chambermaids.
All her life she had lived in the slums of Paris. Seeing all this was a bit overwhelming for the girl. She wondered how Frollo managed to be so peevish and hateful living in a home like this.
'Breath-taking, isn't it?' the head maid who had brought her remarked. 'It's our first time here too,' she confessed, smiling nervously at Esmeralda.
They gave her a bath first, which was needed. Her hair was washed with some flowers she didn't identify, and her face got doused with rosewater, which felt nice. She wondered if the maids cared that they were attending to a gypsy, whether they noticed any difference.
'Have you done this before?' she asked one of them.
'Oh, all the time to the ladies. We never expected to do it here, though,' she chuckled. Esmeralda grew flustered.
'We can't even agree on whether we should consider you fortunate or unfortunate,' another confided, after which they fell silent.
They made her wear a chemise made of linen, that chemise probably being the most luxurious piece of clothing she had worn so far. Until she wore the dress.
It was a pretty gown; light pink in colour with flower embroidery in golden thread. It went well with her dark hair.
They applied some lavender oil for scent and styled her hair in braids.
'Should I take this off, madame?' one of the maids asked, pointing to her emerald amulet.
She knew her family now, what was the need for it? And it wasn't like it had given her any protection so far from the evil of Frollo. But she rarely took it off. It would feel strange to do it now.
"Well, what part of this isn't strange?" she argued with herself. 'You may, but please don't throw it.'
'Oh, certainly. Shall I put it at the table in the Minister's chamber?'
'Why would you- '
Of course. The Minister's chamber was her chamber. How stupid was she. 'Yes, you can.'
She kept the amulet aside and replaced it with a necklace of red stones. They then put on a little rouge on her cheeks and lips. 'You are done,' said the head-maid, looking at Esmeralda with pride.
She looked in the mirror. She looked so...different. It reminded her of the noblewomen she used to see with Phoebus, and a wave of melancholia hit her.
"Now none of them can make fun of me," she comforted herself. But it still stung.
--
Having the guards not treat her as vermin felt weird to say the least. Regardless, she walked through the corridors, not knowing what to do. She didn't want to ask someone where Frollo was, and frankly didn't want to know its answer either. So, she kept walking and gawking at the palace's beauty.
Upon reaching a room that was guarded, she understood that this was where the judge was in. The guard positioned looked at her curiously, then said, 'Minister Frollo is at a meeting, madame. He will come for dinner shortly.'
'Oh. Thank you,' she smiled politely, but it didn't help the awkwardness. The guard kept staring in the distance, ignoring her.
Then the door opened. She looked at it and stopped dead.
Phoebus De Chateaupers emerged from the room. Still wearing his handsome uniform, he seemed more ruffled than anything. Looking at Esmeralda; his eyes widened.
It was as if all her heartstrings were being heaved at once. This was the man who had been her last hope. Who she believed to be the love of her life. She always knew that Frollo was rotten, but Phoebus! Phoebus's pain hurt deeper than anything had.
He was followed by none other than Frollo. The judge looked at Esmeralda in her new look, then at Phoebus, and his eyes danced with pleasure.
'To think that we kept you waiting all this time!' He went towards her like she was an old acquaintance and put his arm around her shoulder. It made her cringe internally, but also surprised. Phoebus too seemed caught-off guard.
Charmolue aloofly came walking out of the room, and did a double take.
Frollo turned to his new sweetheart, 'You must be puzzled. Well, Master Jacques and I were discussing with the captain how much of a success our agreement with the gypsies is. And of course, it wouldn't have been possible without you, my dear. Would it?' he asked his companions, smiling. Too much actually. To see him smile so much was uncomfortable.
Charmolue gawked, still in shock. 'Ah...definitely. Indeed.'
Frollo wasn't looking at Charmolue, though.
'And you look ravishing!' he remarked, gazing her up and down. Her eyes wandered around the room uneasily. 'Doesn't she, captain?'
'Certainly, sir.'
Charmolue looked at his idol, then at Phoebus, and started feeling misplaced. He knew that the girl had been convicted of stabbing the captain, but the atmosphere made him think that there was something else; something that he didn't know, yet. Frollo grinned ear to ear. 'Let us eat now, gentlemen. It's late. Besides, we shouldn't keep the lady waiting, should we?' he teased looking at Esmeralda.
'Right,' Charmolue agreed. Phoebus nodded quietly, following his host to the dinner-table.