The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Heaven's Light

Epilogue

10 years later...

The Seine was as still as ice...until a tiny wake came. A fragile leg stepped into the peaceful river. A stag lowered down to drink and there was another with him. A doe, whether a mate was she or not, slowly emerged from the trees. She was tall, slender and very light on her feet. The grand stag lifted his head as she came. She gave him a fond lick before going down to drink for herself. As she lapped, he stuck his head high...gazing upon the great stone marvel as the sun embraced her towers.

The glass of one glass chime, rattled lightly together as the wind softly blew through an open window.

It had been a while of peace and anticipation. Not of fear as it once was.

Ten years it was since the return of the young princess, the final born of King Louis. On this day, Paris was expecting the royal family to come, which was annual. At least once a year. The king would see to that his capital was doing lawfully well, on account of the many mishaps over the last few decades. His new hire as the Minister of Justice was coming along with him today.

Paris was a swirl of nerves, as one would say.

The day was going along fondly as someone had stepped out of a woodworker's door. She groped for her key and then the knob before locking it. The heavy key hanging out on her belt. She had a firm stick with her and she took it before tapping the road with it to find her way.

It was now 1494 and things had changed so much during the last ten years. Paris kept changing when new inventions kept coming in, left and right. The printing press was what the millions were gossiping about. Books. What good would they do her? Bah!

She was helping her husband to man his shop. He had turned into a practiced woodcarver. Known all through out. Of course, he was always the bell ringer of Notre Dame and still was to this day. But his ability to ring more then four had greatly lessened. He put much time into his carving, perhaps too much, seeing as his mind would continuously flow on to so many things at once.

The orphans, perhaps a great many of them had moved on to do their own things. All except the two girls, who were always best friends. The two who befriended the Rose long ago. Judeth and Lillian Rosalie were still attached to this city as well as to the bell ringer. They called him father, or friend. More so, they were family to him and her.

She, herself, had stayed with him ever since and around the third year after the struggle, they fully decided to wed. It wasn't all that a big a wedding ceremony. (a inn, of all ruddy places), but it was all the more worth it.

Her own father, if he was alive now or not, would think different of her, would he? Well, he would probably be far too drunk or senile to care at all.

For today, now that everyone was as giddy as spring lambs, she needed to go to him. He was probably walking the Seine, as he would do at every noon after a full morning of work. He did feel less anxious of her going around alone. The birth of Esmeralda's first child made it all the better, perhaps. She was happy, in a way, that he was able to experience the birth, since... she was barren. Barren because of that assault, but she was thankful to be alive right now....

It was during late October, on the 22nd... when the Court of Miracles grew as silent as could be. Everyone was fearful that she was a stillborn. It was near the end of the year...which was a very cold time. Quasimodo was a frightened soul that day. After his worrisome experience with children in general, a birth itself was unnerving to him more than anything.

Phoebus was there, gladly, who was resulted to a mere gate keeper since his retirement from a soldier. A veteran now, and he was needed. But the promise Esmeralda gave to the hunchback was harshly fought for by the gypsy. For the bell ringer was to hold the baby first.... And it was a blessed moment. Phoebus surely understood, for he was proud of Quasimodo's courage for the kingdom itself.