The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Heaven's Light

Family

Underneath the slivered moon, two horsemen were still well on their way. The Captain and his brave ward, Kristoff may had been thoroughly exhausted, but Pheobus kept the voyage on. Achilles may had been a mighty stallion, but his gallop was falling drastically to a grueling trot. The mare trying to keep up with him was fretting for him. To assist, she kept nipping Achilles to wake him up more.

Phoebus was first to stop his horse, followed by Johnathan. Reason being for stopping was that there were torches moving close at range towards them. This was either good news or bad news.

Just then, a horn was blown from those riders ahead. The soldiers had just been seen.

Phoebus's eyes went wide. This was an unfortunate event.

"Not good." Phoebus remained as calm as he could and he turned Achilles the opposite direction. "Not good at all...."

"Sir? Sir!" Kristoff cried after him. "Could they be the -?"

"I have a good feeling that they might be."

It seemed that Captain Phoebus was right about their visitors; they were actually French agents of the King's guard, sent to scout the kingdom for evidence and hunters for any of the attacking outlaws.

Now that they have been seen, it was short work made for the horseman to catch up to them. The following soon turned into a chase right when Phoebus and John made it passed an abandoned miller farm just at the edge of a river. Both of the fleeing soldiers nearly fell off the ledge, their horses almost slipping off into the deathly rapids. Phoebus took to the left to face the persuers. There had to be a grand total of thirty men and there was no possible way of out running them. In short time, they were surrounded by the men of King Louis XIV, who were on voyage from the capital city, Versailles, which was where the Parisian Captain and his ward were heading.

Knowing of the awful authority these people had, Phoebus got down off his horse and bowed low and still. Scared, Johnathan did so as well. Both were speechless. These strangers were practically royalty.

"Who are you? State your names!" ordered the Captain of the royal scouts.

"I am Phoebus de Chateaupers." Phoebus spoke clear with respect and strength. "Captain of the guard of the city of Paris. This here is my ward in training, Johnathan Kristoff."

John swallowed and bowed further in high respect, despite his nervousness.

"Yes, we know you well. You're spoken highly of. State your business, soldier."

"Paris has fallen. The Spanish had penetrated the border lines. We were just on our way to Versailles."

The Royal Captain sighed deeply and heavily in great contempt. "That is our reasons for heading out this far."

"There has been word that the hier is certainly well and alive."

"Says you. Where is she, then? She is known to be dead."

"I assure you, sir, she isn't."

"Have you any proof of her whereabouts, maybe?" he taunted the weary Captain of the Parisian guard. "Any shred of evidence, at all?" he challanged.

Hearing them all laugh, Phoebus grumbled angrily. "Captain, the Spaniards have went up northern and we all know that there are no settlements up there. There's only one reason why they would be heading that direction."

"Well, then, Captain. Tell us more."

*

It was going to be another hard morning for the Burrowers.