Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 15:41:25 +0000 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: "kimberly (k.s.) smith" Subject: BLIND FAITH (2/4) O.K., here's part two. Please send comments to ksmith@aludra.usc.edu. If I don't get comments, I'll assume everyone hates it and never write again.:) BLIND FAITH (part two) Kim Smith (c) 1994 Cadian's quiet voice brought Duncan back from his memories. "You never told me why you helped us, all those years ago." "I'm Scottish," he answered. "I spent my childhood fighting the British. You offered me a chance to do it again." "Bull. You were nearly two hundred years old. You outgrew that nonsense long before we met." Duncan stared out at the sea. The deep blue of the water had changed to green. After a long moment, he gave another answer. "I respected your father, and you. It took courage for you and the others to defy England, to fight to be free of them. You deserved better than to be destroyed by Danneau." Cadian nodded, satisfied. A stroke of lightning caught his eye. The thunder came only moments later. It was getting closer. ********************************************************** Two dances later, Duncan's legs began to cramp. "Come on, you bastard, take her someplace private." In response, Danneau leaned over to whisper something in Cadian's ear. After a moment she followed him out of the room, her hand placed on his arm for guidance. Duncan followed. He couldn't find St. John, but didn't worry. The fewer eyes on the coming fight, the better. Danneau led Acadiana up the stairs. She leaned on him heavily, to all eyes another lady tired from too much dancing and delight. Once up the stairs, she let herself straighten. "It is to the right, Jean-Paul." "Good girl." She led him down the hall and into her father's study. Using one of the 'stolen' keys, Danneau opened the door and closed it behind them. "Where is the safe?" "Behind the portrait." He found it above the desk, a striking portrait of Cadian herself. The safe was behind it. It opened easily on well-oiled hinges. Inside was a packet of papers and a ledger. "Well done," he murmered, ostensibly to the girl. "Well done indeed." Cadian began to fidgit. "Jean-Paul, we must be away from here." She saw his lips tighten with annoyance, and smiled to herself. At least she was accomplishing that much. "Of course, my dear," he covered smoothly. "See me away?" *With pleasure.* None of her thoughts showed on her face. Instead, she smiled and walked into his arms, pretending to cling. "You will come back for me?" she fluttered up at him. "Of course," he lied smoothly, leading her out the terrace doors. As the doors opened, the scent of the garden hit them. Heavy night air filled with the cloying scent of roses. It mingled sickeningly with his cologne. "But, before I leave, there is one thing we must discuss." The tone of his voice had changed. "What, Jean-Paul?" He stood beside her. She felt his eyes move over her, stripping away the charade. "Why, you, my dear," he answered at last. "And the games you have been playing." Cadian's heart stopped. "What games?" She asked with all the lightness of young innocence. "Serious games. Your father's games... and Monsieur Macleaod's." She gasped as his hand tightened brutally on her wrist. His breath was hot against her face. "Did you think I wouldn't realize. Quite a good game, for amateurs. You and this lovely open house to bait the trap, with those lovely documents still lying in your father's safe. False documents, meant to lead me to a British prison." He smiled calmly, charmingly. "But you've quite got in the way of my game. Most unsporting." "It's no game, Danneau." Danneau never flinched. "Ah, Macleod, I was wondering when you would join us." He turned abruptly, keeping Cadian between him and Duncan. Something cold and hard touched her side. *A pistol. So much for true love.* "Let her go," Duncan warned. "This is between you and me." "Always playing by the rules, Macleod." Contempt twisted his words. "I've always chosen to make my own. And it was you who brought her into this Game." He smiled with no humor and less mercy. "You chose rather well this time. She's quite lovely." Cadian shrank back from his hand, which still clutched the pistol. "I think, after I dispose of you, I might still take the bait. A good game deserves to be ended well." His mouth came back to her ear. "I would have settled for you, my dear. Instead, I'll have his head." *Helpless again. Always helpless.* Her senses were clouded with fear, but sudden rage burned through. She twisted viciously, driving a heeled boot into his foot and a hard elbow into his stomach. Her blows struck true, his grip weakened with the loss of breath. She twisted free and fell, the ground knocking out her own breath. The papers and ledger hit the ground with her, the wind scattering the papers instantly. The pistol hit as well. Duncan lunged forward, drawing his sword in the same motion. Danneau dragged his blade out in time to parry the first blow. Duncan began to circle. Cadian fought to clear her mind. Dimly, she heard the sound of metal clashing, of two men in battle. She didn't think about the swords, could only focus on moving, on finding the pistol. She didn't think about what she would do with it, only searched. An eternity later her hand closed on cold metal. She tried to figure out what to do with it. *Get it to Duncan. He can kill Danneau with it.* "Duncan!" Both men looked over, saw the pistol in her hand. Danneau moved first, lunging away from Duncan's sword toward her. She sensed him, tried to roll away. He was too quick. He wrested the gun away, striking the girl down. He stood above her, the pistol aimed at her head. Duncan froze. "And so it ends, my dear," Danneau said, his eyes on Duncan, gloating in his power. With one hand, he broke off a rose, inhaling deeply. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." As if by itself, the gun went off. Through the puff of smoke, Duncan saw the bullet drive into Cadian's body. He heard his own shout, saw the blood blossom on her gown. He saw her fall back to the ground. Daneau laughed as he tossed the flower onto Cadian's body. "Until the next round, Highlander." Duncan lunged for him, but Danneau had already faded away. Only his laugh echoed in the darkness behind him. Duncan stumbled to Cadian. As in a dream, he heard the voices behind him, guests responding to the gunshot. He could see the blood, knew the wound was fatal. Her eyes were open, staring past him at something she could not see. A few papers were still caught under her body, where Danneau had left them. "I tried, Duncan," she whispered. "I tried." Her body went limp as the last breath left it. Duncan reached over, closed her eyes. "You tried, girl," he said quietly. "I failed." He picked up the rose. Its petals were the same color as her blood, nearly black in the darkness. He threw it aside. His own eyes closed, weariness overtaking him. Tears, if they came, would come later. End part two =========================================================================