Chapter Four: Under Paris

So this morning we are all having breakfast together and discussing our adventures from the previous day. Jace and I regale the others with stories of Disneyland, while Jon and Izzy tell us about the picnic they went on and the museums they visited. Jonathan informs me that it's his turn to spend the day with me (if I want him to, which of course I do) but he won't tell me where we are going. He says it has to be a surprise but that he plans on appealing to the Shadowhunter in me.

When we arrive later at the meeting place for our tour, I learn that we are going on a tour of the Paris Catacombs. It sounds really cool so I'm totally up for it. As we begin the walk there, we start out by walking through a maze of skinny tunnels with nothing much to see. We hold hands and chat along the way.

"So, are you wondering why I chose this tour?" Jon asks me.

"A little, I mean it sounds cool, it's just that I would never have thought of something like this." I smile.

"Well, when you told me about the Silent City and how they use the remains of cremated Shadowhunters to fortify the marble arches, it sounded like something worth seeing, and I imagine, eventually we'll see that. I read about this place in one of the Paris tourism brochures and it sounded like the mundane equivalent, except the walls in here, as you'll see are a little more obvious as to what they are made out of." He says mysteriously.

"Cool, well it's definitely a different sort of adventure. I'm sure it'll be awesome." I assure him.

We are silent for a while as we walk through the tunnels. Eventually, Jonathan speaks. "Clay, I've been thinking about the future a lot lately. And one issue I keep coming back to is, what's going to happen after we're married. It's not for a while, I know but I think there are some proverbial 'ducks' we should have in a row before then, especially where you and I are concerned." He sighs, obviously worried.

I smile reassuringly and grasp his hand more tightly in mine. "Oh Jon, I think I know what has you so worried. And really, sometimes, you are still such a mundie about things. You're worried about children and all that that encompasses where it pertains to our shared DNA, right?" I decided it was better to just get it out there on the table.

"Yes, actually, I am. Are you telling me, that it's not an issue when it comes to Shadowhunters?" He asks hopefully.

"Look, Jon, do you remember my 17th birthday party, when all our guests came in from Idris? My Uncle Lucian and Aunt Amatis were there and do you remember meeting their children, Stephan and Rowan?" I ask, watching him for signs of recognition. He nods.

"Yeah, they were the fourteen and twelve year old, right?"

"That's right. Did you happen to see or pick up on anything unusual about those kids?" I ask.

He thinks for a minute, trying to remember. "Nothing I can think of. Why?"

"Because, Jon, my Uncle Lucian and Aunt Amatis are actually brother and sister, as well as husband and wife, that's why. They got together after her first husband, Stephen Herondale, which is a name you probably recognize, divorced her. Stephen went on to marry Celine and they later had Jace. Meanwhile, Amatis was heartbroken. Her brother was there for her when she needed him most and it evolved into something more. Eventually, they had Stephan and Rowan, who were born completely normal and healthy.

So while I can't conclusively tell you that nothing could go wrong, since there haven't been any tests that I'm aware of, I can tell you, that in the lives of people I actually know, there have been no problems. I can also tell you, that that's good enough for me. Is it good enough for you?" Now I am the one who is worried. I've been thinking about going off of my birth-control after the wedding, but that isn't something I would do unless we're all on the same page about it.

"Yeah, I mostly wanted to see how you felt about it, Babe. For me, it's a risk I'm willing to take regardless. I want that life with you. And all that comes with it. It's nice to know we probably have nothing to worry about, but even still, I would have wanted to try. And if there are any problems, we'll face them head on, okay?" He smiles.

"Okay, Jonathan. I love you." I say and stop walking long enough to give him a passionate kiss.

Sometime later, the tunnel starts to open up and become wider and we begin to see intricate archways and some more spacious rooms. There are signs that say we are entering a main memorial area and we walk through one last doorway before I see it. My jaw drops and my eyes bug open at the sight unfolding before my eyes and I can't believe it.

Now I know what Jon meant about the building materials being a bit more obvious! These are not cremated ashes being used here. These are human bones, scads of them! There are arm and leg bones and whole skulls every so often too. They make up the walls, there are entire walls here made of nothing but human bones. I can't believe it. I've never seen anything like this in my whole life!

In some places, the skulls are placed amid the other bones in a specific pattern. We just passed a heart made out of them of all things! Mostly, the skulls are placed in rows, bordering the bottoms, tops, or middles of the walls among the other bones, sometimes rising and falling in arch shapes along the top.

It's surreal, thinking that each of these skull faces belonged to a person who once lived here, in the lively city above us. Each skeleton placed in these catacombs was once someone's friend or lover, sister or brother, father or mother. I almost wish Jace were here, I'm sure he'd be inspired to write a song or two if he could see this. It's hauntingly mesmerizing to walk along these passages, taking all of this in.

There are plaques every so often written in French and iron gates barricading some of the areas that are off limits. We are passing something now that looks like a well but may be a drain or a pipe of some kind. The walls just go on and on, branching off frequently from the main corridor into several other hallways and rooms. Sometimes there are stone support pillars and the ceilings are stone, but the walls are all bone, almost everywhere! We pass an area with some special monuments and there are so many plaques around, I wish that I could read French!

The time it must have taken to lay all of those bones and what it must have felt like for the people tasked with doing that, I can't even imagine. We've reached a really beautiful, spherical pillar now that is made entirely out of bones. It's huge and I have no idea how they were able to shape it so precisely, it almost looks like a globe, except it's a bit flat where it meets with the floor and the ceiling.

Shortly after that, we begin our trek upwards and out of the catacombs. I have taken a ton of pictures to show the others and Jon is very pleased that I enjoyed our adventure. I can't say it was a very happy place but it was surprisingly peaceful considering. Jon teases that I had the easy time because the ceilings were low and I am much shorter than he is, so I didn't have to duck very often, if at all (whereas he had to duck most of the way through). Again it makes you wonder about the people who built it and how tall would they have been.

"So what did you honestly think?" He asks again.

"It was remarkable! There is so much history down there. So many people are memorialized in such a real, tangible way. And it doesn't matter who they were, what they did, how they lived or how they died, they are all just there together. Some might have been enemies in life but in death their remains might be together.

"Their wealth and status are long forgotten, they aren't separated by class, color, age, gender, lifestyle, occupation or interests. The only thing they ever had in common may be that they share that final resting place. And maybe there is something profound that we all can learn from that.

"Maybe in the end, we aren't all that different. Inside we're all made from the same stuff physically and maybe on a deeper level too. It's really our experiences that shape us. What matters to each of us is different, but we all enter the world in the same way and in the end we leave it. The only thing we take with us is our memory of our experiences. The only wealth we keep is the wealth of knowledge and enlightenment we achieve.

"And afterward, maybe we all go to the same place, or maybe we don't, but I think the main thing is always about how well we lived while we had the chance, because that's the real measure of our character. That's what makes us more than just bones. How we lived and how much we loved. How many lives we touched and whether they were made better or worse by our presence in them. That is what's important.

"Thank you Jonathan; it really was a wonderful experience. I'm grateful that you thought of doing this. It was very meaningful to me and I hope, to you as well." I smile at him as we make our way back to the hotel. We're returning earlier than we would have, because after the catacombs, I think we're both wiped (physically and emotionally).

"It was. I really enjoyed this time together. The catacombs were quite the sight to behold and it was so great to have the chance to talk with you as well. Thank you for accompanying me, Clarissa. I'm glad we did this."