Notre-Dame de Paris - Tome 2

In the golden light of early March, Paris awakens beneath the soaring façade of the cathedral, its sun‑kissed stones casting long, warm shadows across the bustling square. From a balcony overlooking the nave, a group of well‑born young women – Fleur‑de‑Lys, Diane, Amelotte, Colombe and the little Champchevrier – chat and laugh, their elegant gowns and pearl‑adorned heads reflecting the fashions of the season. Their mother, the widowed Madame Gondelaurier, presides over the gathering in a richly appointed room, its walls lined with gilded carvings and sumptuous Flemish tapestries, while a proud young captain of the king’s archers stands nearby, his bravado as bright as his flamboyant uniform.

The scene captures a fleeting moment of aristocratic leisure and intrigue, hinting at the social games that will determine each girl’s future in the royal court. As the sun trails toward the horizon, the characters are poised on the brink of decisions that will echo through the streets of Paris and beyond.