========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 18:58:22 -0400 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Isabel 10/13 Isabel By: Wendy Tillis jjswbt@aol.com Copyright April 1996 Part Ten ===================== The next morning, Richie's phone rang early. "What?" "Richie, it's Adam. Can you meet me?" "Adam! What's up? Where's MacLeod? He isn't. . ." " No, MacLeod is fine. Look - meet me at the Country Kitchen on Mulberry in half an hour, right?" "Sure, Adam. See ya there." Richie hung up the phone and got up. He hurriedly showered, dressed and headed out the door. He wondered what Adam wanted so early - what was so important that he had to see him immediately. And what about Duncan? Richie arrived at the Country Kitchen 25 minutes after he hung up the phone. He found a booth and ordered a full breakfast. The place was busy. It was Monday morning and there were lots of construction workers having their breakfast before heading off to work. The sun wasn't even up yet. This close to Christmas, it seemed to stayed dark well into the morning. Ten minutes later Richie's breakfast arrived. Adam arrived a few minutes later. After the waitress had taken Adam's order of toast and coffee, Adam came to the point. " I was doing some checking last night - talking to Joe's people. Seems he was spending a lot of time on the computer recently, trying to track down information on Sister Gabriel. His people are convinced it was she that killed him. " " No! Son-of-a-bitch. A nun. I guess that works for her, huh? No one expects a nun to be a killer. What did Mac say when you told him? " He didn't want to listen. That's why I called you next." What are you going to do?" " What can I do? I am Adam Pierson the Watcher here. If I go after her, I blow my cover and we all lose whatever access I have inside the Watcher organization. No. I can't risk that. I guess. . ." Methos paused for dramatic affect. "I guess we'll just have to hope MacLeod sees the light before she takes his head. Sure. It will be all right. Really. Duncan will do what he has to, right?" Methos' tone of voice made it clear he thought it would be anything *but* all right. " Maybe *you* can't do anything, but I can." Richie said with sudden determination. " What do you mean?" Adam/Methos asked with seeming innocence. "I can find her. I can kill her before she has a chance to come after MacLeod." "No, Richie, you shouldn't" " It will work! She doesn't know that I know she did it. She will think I am just stopping by to say Merry Christmas or something. I can take her before she realizes what the score is." " I don't think you should try it, Richie. What would MacLeod say? And what if she does put up a fight?" " I can take her, I know I can. Look at who she's killed. MacLeod says Ray Allan and Grey Buffalo had been staying out of the Game. I practice, I'm ready for her. As for Mac, he might be mad at first, but he'll come around eventually. At least he'll be alive." " Are you sure you want to try this Richie?" Adam smiled to himself. The boy really wasn't hard to manipulate. "Yes. Thanks, Adam. Thanks for the information." Richie pushed his plate away. "I'm going to go look for her - it's still early. She'll probably be at her apartment." Richie started to reach into his pocket for some money. "No, Richie , that's OK, I'll get this. It's the least I can do. Good Luck." Richie squared his shoulders manfully and headed out of the restaurant to his motorcycle. Adam sat and finished his coffee as the sound of the motorcycle died away. "Better and better" he thought. Richie pulled up on Montgomery Street and parked the bike. He was about two blocks down from the Youth Center building. He hung his helmet on the handle bars of the bike and checked his sword. He was more nervous than he had expected. He began walking toward the building slowly. As he drew opposite the Youth Center he realized that he could feel another Immortal but the feeling didn't seem to be coming from the apartment across the street. It was more. . . distant, he thought. Clearing his mind the way Duncan had shown him, he concentrated on the feeling. It was coming from . . . he opened his eyes. Maybe that alley on the far side of the building? Richie crossed the street and headed for the alley. It didn't occur to him to wonder why Sister Gabriel was in the alley at this time the morning. He came to the entrance to the alley and stopped. He could definitely "feel" an Immortal nearby but he still couldn't see her. Richie started to walk down the alley very slowly . Yes, the feeling was stronger here. Fifteen feet inside the alley, he stopped. " I know you're there. Why don't you come out , you coward." There was movement at the far end of the alley and then a figure appeared from behind some boxes of trash piled there. The figure advanced toward Richie. Richie looked at the approaching person and swallowed hard. It was *not* Sister Gabriel that was coming toward him. Instead it was a man. A man that was at least 6 foot 6 inches tall. Broad shouldered and well built. Long dark blonde hair held off his face by a silver circlet across his brow. In his hands a sword of tremendous length. Richie could remember seeing such great swords in museums and wondering how anyone had carried them. In this stranger's hand, the sword looked uncomfortably natural. The man stopped about 15 feet from Richie. " I am Etienne of Navarre. Who are you and what are you doing here?" " I am Richard Ryan and I wasn't looking for you. I was looking for Isabel." Richie didn't know that he had just sealed his own death warrant with those words. "If you come looking for Isabel, you must face me first." Richie looked at the tall man and knew he was in trouble. He had a brief thought of escape - of turning and running as fast as he could to safety. He put the thought out of his mind. He had come to do a job, to try and protect his best friend . The fact that he was about to face a different enemy than he had planned on didn't change the plan. If he could stop this Etienne, he would be saving MacLeod who was surely next on the list to be killed. Richie looked around. The sun was coming up. It was going to be a beautiful day. Only ten days until Christmas, Richie thought irrelevantly. 'I would have liked to see Christmas' he said to himself. Etienne was coming closer now and Richie's time for flight or reflection ended. Steeling himself for the fight ahead, he raised his sword to meet Etienne's first blow. =========== Duncan woke up on the couch. He was fully clothed and his mouth felt like the whole Turkish Army had trooped through it while he slept. He checked his watch and was shocked to discover it was 9:30am already. Amazing. He never slept that late. And what was he doing on the couch? Oh yes, now he remembered. Duncan had arrived home last night from the bogus trip to the dry cleaners to find both Richie and Methos gone. After he read Richie's brief note, he had looked around the kitchen at the remains of dinner and decided he wasn't really hungry. He turned on the TV but there was nothing on but pointless sitcoms and stupid action shows. He turned it off and looked around for something new to read. He ran his eyes over the bookshelves and found nothing he felt like reading. He wandered back to the kitchen and picked up the phone. He almost called Richie but didn't. He didn't know where Methos was staying so he couldn't call *him*. Duncan realized he didn't have another friend in town that would appreciate hearing from him. That was depressing. He went back to the bookshelf and turned on the stereo. Picking up his 1812 Overture CD, he put in on and turned the volume up louder. He checked to see that all the doors were locked and the elevator secure, then he went over to the liquor cabinet. Choosing an almost full bottle of Glenmorangie and a medium sized tumbler, Duncan went back to the couch. Somewhere before he reached the end of the bottle, he passed out. Now he was stiff and groggy and in desperate need of coffee and a shower. He washed out the coffee pot and set a new batch to brewing. He went into the bathroom and took a shower. It was amazing how 30 gallons of scalding hot water can clear your head, he thought. Stepping out of the shower, Duncan decided he felt almost human again. Not a day over 250. He grabbed some clothes and dressed. He glanced out the window and saw it was a bright sunny day. Good. He was tired of the dreary grey days that had characterized December thus far. Pouring himself some coffee he picked up the phone and dialed Richie's number. There was no answer. Duncan wasn't too concerned about that. Richie knew not to go near St. Thomas' or the Youth Center. He was probably off running errands. Maybe even Christmas shopping. Richie had gotten very excited about Christmas this year. The first few years after Tessa's death they had neither one done much for Christmas. This year was different, they had big plans. After some breakfast, Duncan decided to drive over to Richie's and check on him. It was now almost 11:00 and he still wasn't answering his phone. He made the trip to Richie's apartment in a few minutes and went upstairs. No one answered his ring or his knock on the door. Duncan pulled out the spare key Richie had given him last Spring when Richie had decided to hit the road and went in. The place was its usual mess. The bed had been slept in and there was a damp towel in the bath. The kitchen sink held the remains of a bowl of cereal. So. Richie had been here last night and had left sometime this morning. Fine. Duncan wasn't too worried about him - they would catch up with each other later. Leaving Richie's apartment, Duncan found himself just driving around town . He knew he was avoiding doing what he *should* be doing - finding whomever had killed Joe. But part of him didn't want to know, was afraid that he already *knew* the answer. Stopping at a light, Duncan saw he was just down the street from Joe's Place. There wouldn't be anyone there at this time of day, especially now, but he pulled into the parking lot anyway. He had a key that Joe had given him years ago in happier times and he used it now. As expected, the bar was empty. Duncan came down the stairs and looked around. He wondered what Joe's family would do with the place. Joe's sister, Horton's widow, and her daughter Lisa still lived in town. Maybe Lisa would fancy being a bar owner? Duncan walked behind the bar, running his hand down the polished surface. He picked a bottle of 150 year old brandy from the shelf and grabbed a snifter. Just as he started to come back around the bar, he simultaneously felt another Immortal and heard a woman's voice say: " Grab one for me too." Duncan looked up and saw Isabel at the top of the stairs. He had forgotten to lock the door behind him. She came down the stairs as Duncan picked up another brandy snifter and came out from behind the bar. He walked to a table and set the glasses and bottle on it. He remained standing as she approached. Isabel was wearing a black woolen cape with the hood thrown back. Instead of coming over to the table she went over to the bar. She undid the clasp on the cape and swirled if off her shoulders. She shook it out and laid it carefully across the bar. She was wearing black knee-high boots, black leggings, and a heavy black cable sweater with flecks of red in it. Across her chest was the leather strap of her scabbard which was riding across her back- the pommel of her sword just visible above her left shoulder. Slowly and deliberately she pulled the sword and laid it on the bar on top of her cape. Finally she pulled the scabbard over her head and laid it on the bar too. Then she came over and stood by Duncan's table. Duncan smiled and shrugged out of his heavy trenchcoat . He threw it over the bar and followed it with the katana. They both stood looking at each other for a moment - then both sat. Duncan poured them each a healthy portion of the brandy and they sat - staring at each other. " I . . . I have something to tell you. Something I should have told you before. When Ray died. Certainly after Grey Buffalo. Maybe I could have prevented Joe's death. Maybe." "Go ahead. I'm listening." Duncan's voice was hard. Isabel took a big drink of the brandy and cleared her throat before she began. " Do you think we get smarter as we get older? I used to think so. But - I've learned. . learned the hard way that we can still make stupid mistakes . . no matter how old we are. As I told you, I was born 2000 years ago. The first 1000 years were great. I was young, I was pretty and I was . . what? . . *alive*. I was going to live forever and I was going to enjoy every minute of it." She shook her head. "I was so cocky. In the year 1087, I was living in France. I'd been there a long time and it was time to move on. My plan was to travel south through the Pyrenees, down across Spain to the straits and then into North Africa. I liked North Africa. I'd been there often before. So, I packed up my not-inconsiderable household - furnishings, servants, private guards and we started out. The trip was uneventful until we reached the Spanish fortress-city of Aguilar. Do you know Spain?" "I've been there ." "Aguilar is in the south, Cordoba province. It was, is , a small town set on the hillsides. The fortress on the highest point looks out over the dusty houses and the main road. The land around is very beautiful - very 'Mediterranean'. Vineyard, olive groves, citrus orchards. The people are friendly. It was ruled back then by a duke. My caravan rode into Aguilar and went directly to the Duke's fortress. I was traveling as a lady of wealth- where else would I stay but with the Duke? I found him to be a man of about 50, very proud and vain of his looks. Duke Juan Carlos Miguel Fernandes y Arroyo. He was a widower - his wife and only son had died a few years past of some fever. The Duke invited me in and made us all feel welcome in his home. As we had been traveling steadily for some weeks, I accepted his 'kind' invitation to rest for a few days - or weeks - in his cool shaded hacienda. That was a mistake. I didn't know then that he was on the look-out for a new wife - one who could give him more sons. I appeared a likely prospect. Little did he know. That first night , at dinner, I met the household - including the Captain of the Duke's guard, Etienne of Navarre." Isabel sighed and took another drink. " You didn't happen to see the movie "Ladyhawke" did you?" "No, why?" "Oh, it would just make the story shorter. I told the tale to a screen writer once. He made quite a nice movie - got most of the details wrong, mind you, but a nice movie. Anyway. Etienne was . . is a very handsome, striking man. Six foot, six inches tall. Very handsome - he likes to wear his hair long, like yours . He was big and powerful but not slow or blocky. And he was fairly intelligent and very noble. And utterly dedicated to his Duke and to God. He was a true knight. The thing was - Etienne was also destined to become Immortal. I knew that the first moment I met him. I wanted to stick around - to be there when he changed. So - I stayed and I spent what time I could with Etienne when the Duke wasn't looking. We fell in love -Etienne and I. I hadn't planned on it but it happened. I had soon discovered the Duke's intentions and I was careful to show him enough affection to keep him happy. He knew nothing of my love for Etienne. Etienne was very quilt-ridden - he felt he was betraying his Duke by being with me. I thought that was *so* sweet. I never considered the possible consequences - after all I was 1000 years old. I could handle things. Ha! I had been in Aguilar about three months when the Duke discovered my affair with Etienne. He was livid! He had Etienne dragged before his whole court to punish him. The Duke said Etienne had betrayed him and must die for his 'treason'. Etienne felt so guilty that he said nothing in his own defense. The Duke wanted me to bargain for Etienne's live. Stay with him and Etienne would go free. I said no - let me die with Etienne. You see what my plan was? We would die, Etienne would become Immortal and we would both escape. Seemed like a good plan. The Duke was furious that I had rejected him there in open court. He said I *could* die with my lover - we would be beheaded in the morning. That was a nasty surprise. I put on the performance of my life that day. I threw myself at the Duke's feet. I cried, I begged, I swore that I couldn't bear the thought of beheading - which of course was true. The Duke finally relented and ordered us hung. We were thrown into separate cells for the night. I could hear Etienne praying all night long. I wanted to tell him the truth but I couldn't with the guards listening. The next morning we were lead to the gallows and I got a shock. Etienne was terrified. I mean - he broke down like a child. He was terrified of dying. I couldn't believe that this strong knight who had fought in the Duke's service for years was so afraid. It seems he could stand the thought of a sudden death in battle but standing there waiting to hang totally unnerved him. I must say it almost broke my heart to see him . So - I talked to him constantly while the orders were read, as the nooses were prepared - I told him that he wouldn't really die, that God had a plan for him , that we would always be together, that he was special - anything to keep him calm. Then the hangman kicked the stools out from under us and we died. Our bodies were thrown over the fortress wall into the garbage pit. A while later we revived and I hurried a very stunned Etienne out of town. He actually handled the shock of Immortality rather well. His deep faith in God had convinced him that he was 'special". But then I learned what my attempts to calm him on the gallows had done. He was convinced that he had been appointed by *God* to protect me. I was a saint - he was there to guard me as I passed through the world. Very scary stuff, believe me. But - I thought it was just a passing thing. That once he had been Immortal a while he would see that I was no saint and he was no Guardian Angel. I taught him the rules of the Game - he didn't need any help with his sword-work - and we moved out of Spain to Tunis as I had originally planned. I soon discovered that life with Etienne was going to be difficult. He guarded me *all* the time. I couldn't get away from him - not even for a few hours. Our affair, which had heated up immediately after our escape, now cooled. At least my desire for him cooled. I wanted to be free again - without this omnipresent 'force' beside me 24 hours a day. And . . . he was extreme protective - when it came to other Immortals. He took every challenge- I didn't have to lift my sword. He saw every female Immortal as another saint - these he left alone. But he saw every other male Immortal as a danger to me. He killed them -whether they meant any harm or not. After 50 years I'd had quite enough and I tried to leave. He saw this as some kind of test - God was testing his devotion. He followed me. I ran. He caught up. I tried to reason with Etienne - to make him understand but he wouldn't listen. It was truly the case that *I* couldn't live *with* him and *he* couldn't live *without* me. About 75 years after we met, I let him follow me to Constantinople. Once I got him there, I took him to a monastery I knew of . The monks ran a kind of insane asylum. I managed to get Etienne locked up - I told the monks that he thought he was immortal. After all, it was true. They promised to keep him safe, but restrained, until I, or someone from my family, returned for him. I left the monastery a sizable donation of gold and rode away. I went back and got him about 40 years later. I felt so guilty for having locked him up. He was much subdued and for a while he was content just to be near me. But then it began again. Every Immortal man that crossed our path - Etienne felt the need to challenge and kill. I couldn't stop him - short of killing him. And I couldn't bring myself to do that. It was my 'fault' he was so messed up - I felt responsible." Isabel stopped talking and took another drink. Duncan was trying to absorb the story. It made some sense. Etienne must still be killing all the male Immortals that came in contact with Isabel. " But - that was 800 years ago. He hasn't been following you around for all that time?" " Yes, yes he has. As I said I should have killed him then, but I didn't . He still dogs my steps everywhere I go. I run - he follows. Sometimes it takes him decades to find me. Once I lost him for almost a hundred years - I thought I was free. But he found me. Sometimes I use what authority I still have over him - as his saint - to drive him into monasteries, insane asylums - once onto a deserted island- someplace safe where I can leave him. He has to be restrained or he tries to follow me." " Why not just leave him? Why *not* kill him?" " I can't leave him. Forever behind bars of some sort? I can't. And kill him? At one point I think he would have offered up his head to me if I asked - now I think he will fight. I would have the best chance of anyone - he might hesitate to strike at me in a critical moment - but he's very strong, very good - I don't know that I *can* kill him now. And he's getting worse, not better. He's learned over the centuries that if I catch him, I'll make him stop - I'll lock him up. So now he is sneaking around to do it. Protecting me in spite of myself. You see? " And this time? Here in Seattle?" " I had ditched him in Japan in 1907. He caught up with me in Russia just before the Germans invaded. We were stuck together - I admit I was glad of his presence then. We stayed in Russia as long as we could, then made a run west. It was horrible -Etienne was a killing machine - unstoppable. When the War ended and we washed up in the Netherlands, he still couldn't stop. I had to chain him in his sleep and drag him to an asylum. I told them how dangerous he was. How he needed to be carefully watched. Then I walked down the street and joined a convent. To forget - for some peace. When Ray was killed, I convinced myself it wasn't him. But - when Grey Buffalo died - I felt another Immortal outside that evening. I went out looking. Later I found Grey Buffalo just after the Quickening - I didn't see Etienne . He must have felt me coming and hid. I called the asylum. He had escaped eight years ago. He'd found me again. So, there it is. Ray. Grey Buffalo. Your friend Joe - all died because of me. I should have told you sooner. I should have checked on Etienne after Ray died. I was hoping I was wrong. When I knew it was him - I was afraid that if I told you, you'd try to stop him and you'd die too. I should have killed him centuries ago when I had the chance. It's my fault. All of it. If you want my head, take it. I won't fight you." She stopped talking and sat very still looking at him. Duncan closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face. He was furious with her for not telling him sooner. Duncan got up suddenly and walked over to the bar. He put his hand on the katana - thinking about using it. She was sitting there, waiting for his reaction. She looked very calm - he believed that she would sit there and let him take her head. It would be so easy. He tried to calm down and make sense of what she had said. She couldn't really be blamed for Ray's death. She'd had no reason to know Etienne was free. After Ray's death? If she had told Grey Buffalo about Etienne, would he have been safe? And himself? She was right, if he had known, he *would* have tried to find and kill Etienne. And he might well have lost his head. What about Joe? And the female Watcher that Etienne had killed? Duncan wanted to blame her for Joe's death. But to be fair - Joe was a Watcher, he had known the risks of getting so close to Immortals. What with the Watcher records, Joe had probably known of Etienne - and he was still willing Watch. Joe's death had in some ways been his own fault - not Isabel's. Duncan took a deep breath and took his hand off the sword. God - what a mess. He walked back over to the table where she sat waiting . " I can't kill you. Whatever part you played in these deaths, it wasn't totally your fault. You were right when you said that Immortals die - it is the nature of the Game. Ray and Grey Buffalo - they knew someone could be out there waiting for them. And Joe - Joe knew the risks, I guess. But now - what are we going to do about Etienne? He's still out there - I wonder why he hasn't tried for my head?" "He isn't stupid. He picks off the easy targets first - you were never around the Center much at night. Ray and Grey Buffalo were. He also may know something about you - he may have been using the others as warm-ups before he faced you." " Great. Thank for sharing that." She tossed back the rest of her brandy. " I need to use the bathroom - I'll be right back." ================= End Part 10