Disclaimer:
	Ain't mine, wish it was, blah (allow me to quote the Barenaked Ladies
but "it's all been done")


feedback--> the more I gets, the faster I writes





Branded
by Aria (crune@coqui.net)





    The mark they left on my back hurt like hell, it was like scorching fire.

That hasn't changed, I can still feel the burn, even now. Yet the 

humiliation of being publicly branded was ten times worse, so much that I 

actually appreciated being in my dark, dirty cell where rats scurried about.  

	I don't think anyone knew or cared, but I cried when I woke up the 

next morning and found out that it hadn't been a dream.  Bitter tears ran 

down my face and I longed for the comfort of a drink.  I longed to drift away 

to oblivion, if only for a while.

	As time passed, the shame of it all faded away and I was just left 

with flaming anger matching my scorching mark.  Anger at the one who had

shamed me and I vowed revenge thinking:

	She made me cry, I promised that I would never cry, but she made 
me... 


~~~

    The young queen from Austria, is the culprit.  All my hopes and dreams

shattered bacause of her.   

    I think that if I hadn't developed the necklace ploy, she would have done

it herself--not with the necklace, perhaps, but her selfishness would be 

discovered evetually with some other superficial whim.  I *helped* the people

 of Paris discover exactly what she was-- a spoiled child.

    I deserved my glory, after all those years of living in poverty

and filth.  I guess the circle's complete now, I'm back where I started.       

    And so I sat and thought...

~~~

    One night a  figure appeared in front of my cell.  I blinked, 

thinking it was a dream, but the figure remained.  

    "The people are with you", it said in a whisper, "I represent them".

  He handed me a cloak identical to his, which did not show his face.  It 

didn't matter, though, I did not care.

    I nodded solemnly.

    "Where will you take me?" I said as he led me outside towards two horses.  

He had simply showed up at my cell with the key and led me out.  

    "Somewhere far away where you will not be harmed", he said as he mounted 

his horse.

    "I cannot go now", I said as I mounted mine.

    "Why not?"

    "I have unfinished business in Versailles".

    My saviour nodded silently. 

    "Take me to Versailles", I demanded rather than asked and we set off.

~~~

    My saviour led me through the dirty maze that is Paris.  The *real* Paris, 

not the Paris of queens and kings, the Paris of the beggars who can rarely 

afford a piece of bread.

    The Paris I never wanted to live in.

    We got to the Palace a few hours before dawn and dismounted away from 

the entrance.  I still hadn't seen my saviour face.  He wore a long dark 

cloak and moved like a cat, silently in shadows. 

    He led me to down some stairs to a door below the Palace.

    "When the Palace of Versailles was built the reigning king built below it

a series of halls and corridors that would lead his family to safety if the 

Palace was attacked, Marie Antoniette's chambers are located up the second 

stairs to the right".

    Even though I could not see his eyes, I was aware of the intesity of his 

gaze on me.  For the first time since he had shown up, I felt curious about

his identity.  Knowing would never tell me, I controlled my curiosity.

    "She does not know her room can be accessed from outside, she doesn't 

know about the secret halls and corridors below.  Your door is behind the 

bookshelf in her room".

    I reached under my bustier, between my breasts where I had hidden 

something sharp and hard.  It used to be cold--death cold, but now it was as 

hot as my fevered skin.  As my mark.

    "I will wait for you here.  Go", said my saviour.

    I looked at him.

    "You truly represent the people?"

    He nodded, his tall form creating shadows, now that the moon was out.

    I took his hand and kissed his palm tenderly.

    "Then tell them that this is as much for them as it is for me". 

~~~

    It was very easy to follow his instructions, I found the young queen's 

room in a matter of minutes.  My heart was beating rapidly and I could feel 

it in my ears.  I wondered could she feel it now that I was so near?

    In the darkness I smiled, that was a foolish thought, but the blood was 

all but boiling in my veins...

    I pushed the door open slowly, I was pleased to note it made no sound.

    Within minutes I was sliding out from behind the gigantic bookshelf on 

Marie-Antoinette's chamber.  Across from me was a full length mirror.  I 

looked at it and saw was pale as a ghost.  I seemed like a female version of 

Death with my black cloak and with tendrils of black hair escaping from the 

hood, which was pulled back halfway to reveal my face.

    I *wanted* her to know.

    Fixing my gaze on the sleeping figure on the bed I walked forward seeing 

out of the corner of my eye that in the mirror it looked as if I was 

*gliding* forward.

    Marie-Antoinette was sleeping on her back, her golden hair, white in the 

dark was spread on her pillow.

    Golden...

    Gold...

    I pulled out the dagger concealed in my bustier and placed it below her 

chin.  She jerked, making the dagger pierce her skin.  Drops of black-looking

blood in the darkness stained her porcelain skin.

    She opened her eyes, the fear in them was noticeable since the beginning.

In that moment I stepped into the cold, white light of the moon, stained 

dagger in hand.   

    The young queen gasped and her mouth formed a silent "you" of recognition.
 
I smiled slowly.  She shivered.  Like a cornered animal, she darted from the 

bed and tried to run to the door--to yell for help.

    I grabbed her hair and her head snapped back, moving behind her, I placed

 one arm across her neck and with the other I pressed the dagger below her 

ear.  She whimpered and fainted in my arms.

    With an unconcealed snort of disgust, I dragged her limp body to the bed.

 I laid her there on her stomach.  Lifting the dagger, I inhaled sharply and 

brought down in an arc feeling its contact with cloth and flesh.  Her pulse 

was steady, but her body did not react.  A red line had been formed 

diagonally in her back, the black blood was seeping into her nightgown.  

    It would leave a scar.

    Now she too was branded.

~~~   

    I left quietly, leaving the dagger behind, the only proof of my assault 

being my hands stained lightly with blood.  Her blood.

    My saviour was as good as his word and we departed silently.  He asked no

 questions, but I sensed he had looked at my hands and found his answers 

there.

    The sun came up as we reached a clearing with a huge, decrepit house. 

    "You shall live here for now. I will bring you all that you need", he 

said.

    I nodded and encouraged the horse to go forward.

    "Jeanne de la Motte", he called.  It was the first time he used my name.

    "Yes".

    His voice was expressionless.  "Did you murder her?"

    I became cold, frozen under the sun's early rays as I said: "No, I 

branded her".

    

END  

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