The Servant of Judge Frollo

"She's Melted Your Icy Heart"

     "Frollo, wait!" The judge paused and turned to the voice that was calling him, giving a sigh as he saw it was the archdeacon. "What do you want right now? I have to get back to the Palace of Justice." He said irritably, crossing his arms. The deacon smiled, "I wanted to know how little Healia is doing as a servant in your home. How is she?" He asked, making Frollo narrow his eyes, "She fares fine for a gypsy brat, how long have you known that she could speak and read Greek?" The deacon raised an eyebrow, "I knew she could speak Greek since she first came here but I didn't know she could read such an ancient language, how did you find out?" The deacon inquired, making Frollo snort. "The brat wandered into my study and sat down near the fire and happened to find a book in Greek on the floor and began to read it. When I caught her I told her she had to be lying since she was merely seven years old and a gypsy as well but when I asked her to read aloud she did so perfectly. I was stunned and quite surprised, ideas of her becoming a very educated woman someday with the proper professor and the future she could have in... wait, this is not your business old geezer, don't prod like a nosy washerwoman." Frollo paused, looking at the archdeacon who looked happy, an almost smug twinkle in his eyes. "I told you this would benefit the two of you,she came to me again and again, asking if I knew what certain words meant and I tried my best to help her but that girl was incredibly curious. What has she done to change you?" Frollo grinded his teeth, "That's not your concern, that girl, that brat has done nothing to me, just wonder why I didn't kill her in the first place." Frollo lied, glaring at the deacon. The archdeacon sighed, "Little Healia is like no other girl or gypsy in all of Paris, I bet you have never come across such an eager to learn little girl. Have you?" Frollo felt his answer slip past his lips before he could stop it. "No, never in my life has there ever been a girl so intent on learning. She is something unusual." The archdeacon shook his head, "Not unusual Frollo, unique, special. Someday she will become something special, more extraordinary than anything we've ever seen. But, that actually rides on your answer, are you going to keep her your servant or let her go?" Frollo turned away from the deacon and rubbed his eyes, "I wanted to..." But then he glanced at his rings, the ones that had been stained with her blood, because he couldn't control his temper, he couldn't do that her, or him. "No, I am going to set her free when she has done her year of service. You wouldn't understand old man, I... I won't do things to her that I've done in the past, besides her heart aches to be reunited with her only family. I have nothing to provide her, nothing she needs." He said bitterly. The deacon looked confused, "But what can you not provide her? You can provide a home, an amazing education, food, a place to rest her head..." But suddenly Frollo burst out furiously, "LOVE! That is what I cannot provide for her, and she needs that more than anything right now. I, the Prime Minister of Paris cannot provide her the love of family that she needs in her life if she wants to grow up into a joyful person. For I will only raise her the way my father raised me and I ended up successful yes, rich yes, but happy? No, I will not do that to her and kill the future she has. I'd rather she be uneducated but happy instead of miserable and successful. That is why old geezer I will not keep her as my servant." Frollo spat, eyes blazing before looking at the statue of Virgin Mary and slowly falling to his knees, hands clasped in prayer.The deacon smiled kindly and patted Frollo's shoulder, "Do what you deem fit Frollo, but remember, this little girl has done the impossible." Frollo paused his prayers and glared at the older man, "And what might that be?" The deacon gave a grin, "That little girl has melted your icy heart and replaced it with one that feels and wants." And with that Frollo stood and gave a growl, "She will leave at the end of the year and that is final, she had no effect on me and I am the same man I was before her and I will be the same man after. Don't try and make me wonder what my life would be if I raised her, got it?" The Judge snarled before striding proudly out of the church, trying his best to harden the heart the little gypsy had melted.