Die Another Day (#WTV+Movie)

Chapter 4

I'm pulling Dancer's reins to avoid a quick gallop. Saint Marguerite isn't far away. I'm sure I was faster than my father and his mercenaries.

The wind is blowing hard. Rain will probably come soon and be as icy as big waves where unfortunate shipwrecked will drown.

Far away, I see several flickering lights. So I'm in the right place, the one where innocent travelers have a rendezvous with death.

When the road becomes too steep, I decide to get off my horse. I tie Dancer securely to a tree, worried I'll have to leave him when the storm threatens. And the wind redoubles in violence as I slowly make my way toward the lights.

Soon, I no longer have the slightest doubt about the drama that just happened. From the beach, howls of the wind blend with those of the ocean.

Men, women, and children are busy among wood pieces, ropes, and barrels still floating. In the distance, we hear shipwrecked moans. They're swept away by raging waters, but no one thinks of rescuing them.

Some poor girl reached the beach. She's probably injured, and collapses face down when wreckers finally see her. They rush to beat her, to strip her of her clothes, of her jewelry, even if it means cutting off her fingers to take her rings.

Screams of joy greet the discovery of valuable cargo.

Alcohol!

Wreckers are opening barrels for immediate consumption. They exult, dancing around loot and corpses washed up from the ocean.

I'm looking for Gabriel.

I can't imagine he or his family would participate in such an abomination. I'm thinking of leaving this horrible place to let my father and his mercenaries harshly punish these monsters.

Alas!

Here he comes out of water half-naked, like Neptune.

Gabriel!

I run to him, not worrying about other wreckers. It's starting to rain, and I'm cold. I warm myself against his chest to whisper, "I find you at last! You're in danger."

"Ann... Mistress! What are you doing here? It's not a place for you."

"I came telling you my father and his mercenaries are on their way."

Gabriel tightens his embrace around me, despite the surprise caused by my announcement.

"They can't find us," he mutters with a strange, wild smile.

I can feel under my fingers warm, viscous liquid.

Blood!

I take a few steps back, amidst uncertainty, if not fear. Wise Gabriel has nasty red marks on his face and torso. It looks like desperate hands tried to defend meager possessions with their fingernails. A large bag is held around his waist with a belt. Coins, watches, necklaces, bracelets are spilling out of it so much it's full.

Why should I be surprised? 

Why should I be shocked?

He chose to take several lives to save one.

His mother's!

As for me, I'm desperately trying to escape the dreadful invention of cruel Mr. Guillotin.

Threatening, wreckers gathered around us. "It's master's daughter. She must have told him where to find us," a colossal guy says.

"Damn bitch!" a woman answers with a nasty look.