The Servant of Judge Frollo

A Responsibility and A Fever

"WHAT? NO! THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!!!" Healia just shrugged, "You can ask him yourself Marie, he told me that I am to be his personal servant. It's not like I get any special treats or anything. I just have to work for him and take more orders from the master himself." Marie looked prime to combust, "NO! How is it possible that our master would want you as his personal servant! It should have been me!!!" She wailed, throwing down the sheet she was washing. Mrs. Bette looked at Marie with disapproval, but the young woman wouldn't give a shred about some sheet, she was fretting over the new trust in this, this brat. "What if he likes you more than me?! His servant? A gypsy of all people! He's supposed to be over the moon for me!" Marie huffed furiously, glaring at Healia who scrubbed one nightshirt roughly, trying hard not to smile. Suddenly they heard a well-known, dark voice, "Over the moon hm? I am supposed to be madly in love with you? I don't think that's accurate." They turned to find Frollo himself standing in the door, staring at them with boredom. "Master, I was just... um..." Marie began stuttering but he held up a hand, "Do not waste your breath girl, it's not like I'm blind and deaf, you are of no marriage interest to me and I'm not going to marry at all in fact." Marie hung her head forlornly and Healia gave a bow along with the rest of the servants. "What is it you might need sir?" Mrs. Bette asked and Frollo set down a basket and put his hands behind his back, "I am to be gone for the rest of the day and will not return until tomorrow. But before I leave I will need the brat to come to my study, this instant." Healia quickly followed Frollo as he walked out of the room, leaving Marie to burst into envious tears. Once in his study Frollo scanned the shelves before pulling down a book and flipping to a certain page. Once Healia walked in he handed her the book, "Well brat I want you to read this aloud before I leave. Now I have to get everything necessary packed and..." he began but she interrupted, "Where are you going?" He turned to her, a look on his face that made her take a sheepish step back, "Sorry master" But he did answer the question, much to her surprise. "I am leaving for the palace of the king of France. He is planning to build a new monastery in Metz and so I have to be present and put my ideas into the melting pot. I don't know why though but he makes those who are working on such a building to stay the night and have a feast with him. I would much rather just send a servant to him with my ideas and plans on paper and let him decide what to use and what not." He grumbled and Healia then noticed he was flipping through a book before setting it to the side. "What is the king like?" She asked curiously, making him glare at her, "Why do you care? It's not like he does a thing to get rid of your vulgar race." He growled but she still stared at him expectantly. "He is a brutish man with the intellect of a seven year old who in my opinion doesn't deserve to rule over such a beautiful land. But God is the one who assigned him to this position in life as he had done so for me. It's not really worth to travel all the way over there to go over plans. That is what the king is like brat." He muttered before pulling down the book he'd flipped through and handed it to her, "I want you to keep this book in perfect condition got it? You may read it on your own time to make sure you don't slack off your skills and become an uneducated twit like others your age. Besides, that book is full of rubbish that I don't care for. But if you get a mere stain on this book I am going to remove you from your place as personal servant." He added, eyes glowing dangerously. Healia took the book in shock and hugged it tightly, smiling joyously, "Thank you ever so much master, I promise to take care of such a beautiful book." She whispered blissfully, making him snort, "You better" He murmured gruffly. Healia then looked up at him happily, making his eyes soften ever so slightly for a moment for such a happy sight before him. It sent a new feeling down his frame to see her smiling and practically bouncing with delight. It was merely a book; she reacted like it was a treasure cove with jewels and coins. He had acted this way when his father had allowed him a true sword for the first time in his life since he'd favored swordplay. But then he quickly hardened himself and turned back into the cold, cunning man he always was. "Go off now; make sure to take care of that book, leave me to get ready." Healia gave a bow and rushed off, hoping to show her master how trustworthy she was.

But she didn't get to show her master how responsible she was since he came back from the meeting, ill. It had started out as a headache until it had evolved into a fever and cough that had him so weary and sick that he had to stay in bed. The fact that he didn't come down for prayers got them concerned, he would never miss prayers, ever. All the servants were worried about one thing, who was going to tend to him? The person would probably fall ill themselves and there wasn't a good chance they'd get better later on. They gathered in the late morning as the doctor was tending to him, chattering about who was going to do the job. "Who should it be?" "I don't want to do it." "But neither do I, what if it spreads?" That's when Healia spoke up, "I'll do it" She said softly and everyone turned to her, 'But Healia! What if you get sick?" Gigi gasped. Marie smirked, "She should do it, she is after all his personal servant." She hissed smugly, making Healia's eyes narrow. "I'll do it Marie, no need to get so huffy about it." There were lots of murmurs of agreement since nobody wanted to be picked and Healia dusted her dress off, "So what am I going to do first?"

Frollo gave a wince as the door opened slowly, flashing a candle light into his eyes,making his head throb worse than before. He weakly tried to open his eyes wide enough to be able to process who was coming in but his body cried out in pain,making him give a heavy sigh. "Master? You look awfully ill." A voice said,causing him to growl, "Yes, I am sick, now stop speaking so loud, my head throbs worse than the pounding of a hammer. Who has come to tend to me exactly?" He rasped, throat dry and slightly sore. "It's Healia, the one you left the book to." She whispered gently, clambering up onto his large bed and looking him up and down in the candlelight. He did look awful, his skin was ashen gray, eyes lidded from the headache and bright from fever, hair drenched in sweat like the rest of him and lips as dry as a desert. He was dressed in a nightshirt that clung to his sweat drenched skin. "What are you doing here brat? You're going to get yourself sick!" he said sharply but ended up giving aloud, hacking cough. "I'm your personal servant and I am going to heal you alright?" She said, trying to make herself sound confident but he just chuckled dryly. She crept closer to him, wrinkling her nose at the scent of illness."You need water, here." And with that she pulled on the tray she had brought with her and held up a small cup of water, bringing it to his dry lips. He greedily lapped down the liquid, thankful to get hydrated again. Then he tried sitting up but the force of the headache and fever sent his head back against the goose feather pillows, groaning in pain. "It looks like fever, headache and maybe cough. You are going to be healthy again soon, I'm sure of it." She said softly, pulling up a rag and dunking it in a jug of water and dabbing his forehead, making him sigh with relief as she rubbed the cloth against his scorched skin. "Like the fires of Hell,"he thought to himself but gave another moan; it hurt too much to think unnecessary thoughts right now. Wow, he must be really sick to believe it was too much to think. But he then drifted into a deep slumber as Healia tended to keeping him cool, hoping she knew what she was doing.