| Fortune's Fool |
| Disclaimers: The usual. Queen of Swords belongs to Fireworks Entertainment and Highlander belongs to Panzer/Davis productions. |
| Author: Shirley Long |
| Synopsis: The Queen finally meets her end...or does she? |
| Rating: Two Swords |
| ******************************* |
| Chapter 1: The End? |
| This is it, Tessa thought grimly as the soldiers led her to the post that had been set up in the town square. Looks like Montoya wins after all. This morning's mission had been simple, almost routine: jump the stagecoach headed to Monterrey and retrieve the tax shipment. However, on the way to meet it she had been unable to shake the bad feeling she'd had since waking up, which had only been compounded by Marta's warnings not to go. Part of her had agreed, but she had simply echoed the same words she'd used before her confrontation with Krane two years earlier and left anyway. Turned out, Marta's warning had been right--Tessa ended up walking straight into an ambush. She and Chico had managed to get clear of the main road when one of the soldiers--probably Grisham--shot her beloved horse right out from under her. The other soldiers quickly took advantage and Tessa was taken back to town, where Montoya ordered her immediate public execution. No trial, no jail time, just straight to the firing squad. Chico was dead and she'd soon be joining him. |
| Tessa was shaken from her reverie when one of the soldiers escorting her shoved her roughly against the post as the other looped a rope around her chest and upper arms, pulling it so tight she could scarcely breathe. Not that it matters, as I won't be breathing much longer anyway. Soon, her hands and feet were tightly bound to the post as well. Tessa's eyes searched what she could see of the crowd that had gathered, vainly hoping for a miracle, but finding none. The dons were too frightened of the Colonel to oppose him, not to mention the fact the most of them thought her to be a criminal anyway. And Helm, looking very much in shock himself, appeared to have his hands full trying to keep Marta from attacking the guards and getting killed herself. |
| Her eyes never wavered as she watched Montoya approach stopping only inches away from her face. "Any last words, my dear Reina?" She responded by spitting on him. "Very well then--Grisham!" Montoya backed off and the Captain strode forward to offer her a blindfold. Tessa refused, not wanting to give Montoya the satisfaction of knowing how much this really terrified her. A grim look playing across his features, Grisham merely nodded and then took his place alongside the small squad of soldiers that was lined up and waiting for his signal. |
| "Goodbye, mi Reina..." said Montoya, looking very much like the cat who ate the canary. "...see you in Hell." He signaled Grisham to carry on and retreated to the safety of his balcony. Grisham gave Tessa a look that almost seemed to say 'I'm sorry' before turning towards the squad and raising his sword in the air. The crowd fell into a stunned silence, as if they couldn't believe this was really happening. Tessa stared straight ahead at her executioners, silently praying that this would just turn out to be some horrible nightmare. After what seemed like an eternity, Grisham's voice broke the silence. |
| "Ready...aim...fire!" He brought the sword down and the sound of gunfire rang out across the square. Tessa felt blinding pain in her chest and abdomen...and slowly her world faded away to nothing. |
| ********************************** |
| Tessa woke up, gasping for air as she did. She immediately sat up and started rubbing her temples, as her head felt like Montoya's flamenco troupe had decided to use it as their stage. "Ugh...I shouldn't have eaten all that chocolate last night before going to bed. What a nightmare! It felt so..real." Something wasn't quite right here. She stopped rubbing her temples and looked at her hands. They were still encased in the Queen's gloves. In fact, except for the mask, she was still wearing the entire costume. And the front of the costume was covered in blood, with bullet holes in several spots. Tentatively, she stuck her finger in one near the top, quickly pulling it back out. Tessa carefully pushed aside the ruined silk where that hole was and looked at the skin underneath, expecting to see some horrible wound. And...nothing. Except for some dried blood, her skin was unmarked. "What the..." She put her hands down behind her in order to keep herself upright, as the shock threatened to knock her over. It was then that Tessa realized exactly where she was sitting--inside a rough pine box in what looked to be an open grave. And not a very deep one either. Sitting up straighter, Tessa could actually see out over the side. Looking out to her right, it didn't take long to figure out where she was. The Potter's Field. Where suicides and other undesirables were buried. "Oh, no...it can't be..." |
| "'Bout time you woke up. I was beginning ta get worried." |
| Startled, Tessa turned her head towards the sound of the voice and found a strange man perched on top of a pile of dirt next to the grave. She could see a part of the coffin lid visible behind him. The man looked like the kind described in the romance novels Tessa had hidden under her mattress. His long, black hair flowing over his broad shoulders enhanced by his bronzed skin, and deep, soulful brown eyes. When she looked into those eyes, her headache mysteriously disappeared, fading into little more than a dull buzzing feeling. The stranger was dressed simply, only wearing a loose-fitting white poet's shirt, black riding trousers and black boots. An intricately detailed Japanese sword was at his side, and her own weapon lay across his lap. "What....who...." |
| "I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. And, like you, I have a hard time dying." |