The End of the Story, chapter 5
Dec. 4th, 2018 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scripsiJust a bit of back-log fic I forgot to post here when I updated it on AO3.
Title: The End of the Story
Fandom: Versailles
Rating: Teens
Chapter: 5/?
Word Count: 1614
Characters Sophie de Clermont, Fabien Marchal
Pairings: Fabien Marchal/Sophie de Clermont
Warnings: References to abuse.
Summary: Sophie de Clermont returns to Paris with a warning to Fabien Marchal, only to find she might be too late.
AN: This fic will spoil all three seasons of Versailles.
The whole fic on AO3
This was an unexpectedly difficult chapter to write. Too much melodrama? But the whole show is basically non-stop scenes of melodrama.
Sophie slowly picked her way through the trees surrounding the cabin, with Fabien walking close behind. Even now, when Fabien was not recovered, she would never stand a chance against him, but she probably could outrun him. But what was the point in running now? Regardless of the outcome she and Fabien needed to talk, and the moment for it was here and now. And where would she run, back to Eleanor? It was better to die today than live as a living dead in a nunnery for the rest of her life.
Close to the house was a place where the trees grew more sparse, and the ground gently sloped down into a meadow with a small stream at the bottom. Sophie sat down on a boulder, carefully arranging her skirts around her and Fabien leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. For a few minutes none of them spoke, then Fabien broke the silence.
“When I last met you, I said I would do my duty if I ever saw you again.”
“I remember.”
“But then I owned my loyalty and duty to the KIng. I don’t serve him anymore. Who do I own my duty to now?”
Sophie regarded him thoughtfully. He wasn’t looking at her, his face blank and unreadable.
“Yourself, Fabien. To your own sense of right and wrong. And you owe it to the memory of the Queen She deserves your faithfulness and service far more than the King ever did. But you don’t need me to tell you this. What you want is for me to solve a riddle for you; are you to choose between your duty or your heart? You are torn by what you think you know and wish not to be true. What will you do to find out? Torture me until I confess? I’m sure you can make me say whatever you like if you try hard enough.”
He gave her a look of real horror. “No! Do you think I’m devoid of all feelings?”
“I know you are not. But if you are waiting for me to say I killed the Queen to ease your conscience, then you will wait forever.”
“So tell me again you didn’t do it!”
“No.”
Fabien looked baffled. “Why not?”
“I’ve already protested my innocence. If you didn’t believe me then, it doesn’t matter how many times I repeat it. I can beg on my knees, I can cry, I can say it to you whenever you need to hear it, but it would still only be to help pretend you believe me. It would be worthless words. For you, and for me.”
Fabien rubbed his face. “You know more about the Queen’s death than you have said.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Tell me what that is, at least.”
“I will tell you everything I know, I promise, but decide if I’m a liar, or not, first. If I tell you now, you may only hear more lies.”
There was another silence, longer this time before Fabien spoke again.
“Do you remember the first time we met?”
Sophie racked her memories. Fabien had always been part of Versailles, always there as an ominous shadow in the background, but she could not recall when she saw him for the first time.
“No.”
“I do. We met in a staircase, and as you walked down and past me, you looked at me and smiled. Such a sweet and joyful smile made even lovelier by being the only smile someone had given me for many years.”
“I don’t remember.”
“No, why should you? You had not been many days at Versailles then, and you smiled at everyone. I knew it couldn’t last; the next time you saw me you shrank away like everyone else. I thought it was a pity someone so gentle would be corrupted like everyone else coming to Versailles. But I watched you, and you remained sweet and kind when everyone else around you hardened.”
“I didn’t think you knew who I was back then.”
“Oh, I saw you. But you were not for me. Too young and too innocent. So I looked elsewhere.”
“You looked at my mother instead.”
“Yes. Not a wise choice.”
“I loved my mother, but she was not a kind woman. You had a taste of her cruelty, but did you think I was exempt from it? I decided long before she died I would never become like her. All my life I have strived to be better than her; a dutiful and obedient daughter and subject. The girl who smiled to you believed kindness would always be met with kindness. What did it give me?”
Sophie stood up and faced Fabien. “I don’t blame you for my mother’s death. She was guilty of her crimes, and you only did your duty. I understand that. But I blame the King for making her the way she was when he had my father killed. And I hate him for selling me to a monster, knowing full well what kind of man Cassel was. And all for nothing, Cassel was far too adept to let a wife find out his secrets, and I learned nothing. My innocence drowned in blood on my wedding night. For nothing.”
Memories, old and painful almost overwhelmed her, and Sophie turned away, hugging her arms around her to shield her from them.
“I took refuge with Madame afterward. For two days she kept me safe in her rooms. She soothed my nightmares and tried to ease my horror when I woke up only to realise being awake was worse than my dreams. For two days she protected me, and then came a message from the King; I was to return to my husband’s bed. A Princess word is nothing against a King’s. And two guards escorted me back to Cassel’s room like the prisoner I was and left me alone with a torturer who would never stop. No confessions would save me, and no one would come to my salvation.”
She turned back to Fabien and saw a shadow of her own pain in his eyes. “But you already know this, and that is why you never blamed me for his death.”
“Strong men have broken from less than what you had to endure. I would have killed him myself if I could. I wish I had.”
“I know. But when the Queen died you wondered. Daughter of a murderess, and a murderess herself. Poison is so easy administered; even easier for me who had the Queen’s trust. I know you thought it; I could see it in your eyes.”
Now it was Fabien’s turn to look away. “Yes, I thought it. Have you killed once, it’s so easy to kill again. Before you know it, you have lost count. Even those you know were innocent. I didn’t want that fate for you. I have blood on my hands, Sophie, from too many people. I know how heavy that burden is”
Sophie could feel a strange stillness coming over her. “You absolve me from the murder you know I’m guilty of, but you want to kill me for a crime I have not confessed to, and you don‘t have any proof I did it. Is it that easy for you to believe I could kill a good and innocent woman only because I’m no longer innocent myself? And if you avenge the Queen with my blood, will it wash you clean?”
Fabien’s face, still too gaunt from his imprisonment was pinched in misery. “With your blood on them, they would be sullied forever.”
“And you are still determined to kill me.”
“If you murdered the Queen; death is what you deserve.”
“And you, what do you deserve for those guiltless you have killed?”
“The same. It’s easy to find death for a man like me.”
A great anger seized Sophie, taking her by surprise, and she grabbed Fabien’s shoulders, almost shaking him.
“No! I didn’t save you so you can seek death in a battle somewhere; to die unmourned and lost! I will not allow it. Yes, the Queen’s killer deserves to die. If you believe, truly believe, my sins had made me a monster, and I did it, then you can’t let me go. But look at me, Fabien! Look at the woman standing here in front you. I’m no longer the girl who smiled at you, but I’m not my mother either. No one knows me better than you. I trust you, and I would do anything for you. But if you don’t trust me now, you never will. So look at me, and think of the bad things I have done, and the good things too. Am I able to kill a good and honourable woman, or not?”
Her onslaught of words made Fabien flinch, but he didn’t move away from her. Sophie touched his cheek gently. “I don’t want to die. I want to be with you and be happy. I deserve a little happiness, and so do you. But if you don’t believe me, you know I’m not innocent. I will not confess to what I haven’t done, but I will not deny I poisoned my husband. My death would be a just punishment for that crime, and I don’t want you to feel any guilt. I forgive you.”
Fabien leaned into her touch, and his own hand caressed her face in return. Sophie looked up into his eyes, willing him to hear the truth in her words. The seconds stretched into an eternity, the entire world seemed to hold its breath, and she waited with it for Fabien to reach his decision.
Title: The End of the Story
Fandom: Versailles
Rating: Teens
Chapter: 5/?
Word Count: 1614
Characters Sophie de Clermont, Fabien Marchal
Pairings: Fabien Marchal/Sophie de Clermont
Warnings: References to abuse.
Summary: Sophie de Clermont returns to Paris with a warning to Fabien Marchal, only to find she might be too late.
AN: This fic will spoil all three seasons of Versailles.
The whole fic on AO3
This was an unexpectedly difficult chapter to write. Too much melodrama? But the whole show is basically non-stop scenes of melodrama.
Sophie slowly picked her way through the trees surrounding the cabin, with Fabien walking close behind. Even now, when Fabien was not recovered, she would never stand a chance against him, but she probably could outrun him. But what was the point in running now? Regardless of the outcome she and Fabien needed to talk, and the moment for it was here and now. And where would she run, back to Eleanor? It was better to die today than live as a living dead in a nunnery for the rest of her life.
Close to the house was a place where the trees grew more sparse, and the ground gently sloped down into a meadow with a small stream at the bottom. Sophie sat down on a boulder, carefully arranging her skirts around her and Fabien leaned against a tree and crossed his arms. For a few minutes none of them spoke, then Fabien broke the silence.
“When I last met you, I said I would do my duty if I ever saw you again.”
“I remember.”
“But then I owned my loyalty and duty to the KIng. I don’t serve him anymore. Who do I own my duty to now?”
Sophie regarded him thoughtfully. He wasn’t looking at her, his face blank and unreadable.
“Yourself, Fabien. To your own sense of right and wrong. And you owe it to the memory of the Queen She deserves your faithfulness and service far more than the King ever did. But you don’t need me to tell you this. What you want is for me to solve a riddle for you; are you to choose between your duty or your heart? You are torn by what you think you know and wish not to be true. What will you do to find out? Torture me until I confess? I’m sure you can make me say whatever you like if you try hard enough.”
He gave her a look of real horror. “No! Do you think I’m devoid of all feelings?”
“I know you are not. But if you are waiting for me to say I killed the Queen to ease your conscience, then you will wait forever.”
“So tell me again you didn’t do it!”
“No.”
Fabien looked baffled. “Why not?”
“I’ve already protested my innocence. If you didn’t believe me then, it doesn’t matter how many times I repeat it. I can beg on my knees, I can cry, I can say it to you whenever you need to hear it, but it would still only be to help pretend you believe me. It would be worthless words. For you, and for me.”
Fabien rubbed his face. “You know more about the Queen’s death than you have said.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Tell me what that is, at least.”
“I will tell you everything I know, I promise, but decide if I’m a liar, or not, first. If I tell you now, you may only hear more lies.”
There was another silence, longer this time before Fabien spoke again.
“Do you remember the first time we met?”
Sophie racked her memories. Fabien had always been part of Versailles, always there as an ominous shadow in the background, but she could not recall when she saw him for the first time.
“No.”
“I do. We met in a staircase, and as you walked down and past me, you looked at me and smiled. Such a sweet and joyful smile made even lovelier by being the only smile someone had given me for many years.”
“I don’t remember.”
“No, why should you? You had not been many days at Versailles then, and you smiled at everyone. I knew it couldn’t last; the next time you saw me you shrank away like everyone else. I thought it was a pity someone so gentle would be corrupted like everyone else coming to Versailles. But I watched you, and you remained sweet and kind when everyone else around you hardened.”
“I didn’t think you knew who I was back then.”
“Oh, I saw you. But you were not for me. Too young and too innocent. So I looked elsewhere.”
“You looked at my mother instead.”
“Yes. Not a wise choice.”
“I loved my mother, but she was not a kind woman. You had a taste of her cruelty, but did you think I was exempt from it? I decided long before she died I would never become like her. All my life I have strived to be better than her; a dutiful and obedient daughter and subject. The girl who smiled to you believed kindness would always be met with kindness. What did it give me?”
Sophie stood up and faced Fabien. “I don’t blame you for my mother’s death. She was guilty of her crimes, and you only did your duty. I understand that. But I blame the King for making her the way she was when he had my father killed. And I hate him for selling me to a monster, knowing full well what kind of man Cassel was. And all for nothing, Cassel was far too adept to let a wife find out his secrets, and I learned nothing. My innocence drowned in blood on my wedding night. For nothing.”
Memories, old and painful almost overwhelmed her, and Sophie turned away, hugging her arms around her to shield her from them.
“I took refuge with Madame afterward. For two days she kept me safe in her rooms. She soothed my nightmares and tried to ease my horror when I woke up only to realise being awake was worse than my dreams. For two days she protected me, and then came a message from the King; I was to return to my husband’s bed. A Princess word is nothing against a King’s. And two guards escorted me back to Cassel’s room like the prisoner I was and left me alone with a torturer who would never stop. No confessions would save me, and no one would come to my salvation.”
She turned back to Fabien and saw a shadow of her own pain in his eyes. “But you already know this, and that is why you never blamed me for his death.”
“Strong men have broken from less than what you had to endure. I would have killed him myself if I could. I wish I had.”
“I know. But when the Queen died you wondered. Daughter of a murderess, and a murderess herself. Poison is so easy administered; even easier for me who had the Queen’s trust. I know you thought it; I could see it in your eyes.”
Now it was Fabien’s turn to look away. “Yes, I thought it. Have you killed once, it’s so easy to kill again. Before you know it, you have lost count. Even those you know were innocent. I didn’t want that fate for you. I have blood on my hands, Sophie, from too many people. I know how heavy that burden is”
Sophie could feel a strange stillness coming over her. “You absolve me from the murder you know I’m guilty of, but you want to kill me for a crime I have not confessed to, and you don‘t have any proof I did it. Is it that easy for you to believe I could kill a good and innocent woman only because I’m no longer innocent myself? And if you avenge the Queen with my blood, will it wash you clean?”
Fabien’s face, still too gaunt from his imprisonment was pinched in misery. “With your blood on them, they would be sullied forever.”
“And you are still determined to kill me.”
“If you murdered the Queen; death is what you deserve.”
“And you, what do you deserve for those guiltless you have killed?”
“The same. It’s easy to find death for a man like me.”
A great anger seized Sophie, taking her by surprise, and she grabbed Fabien’s shoulders, almost shaking him.
“No! I didn’t save you so you can seek death in a battle somewhere; to die unmourned and lost! I will not allow it. Yes, the Queen’s killer deserves to die. If you believe, truly believe, my sins had made me a monster, and I did it, then you can’t let me go. But look at me, Fabien! Look at the woman standing here in front you. I’m no longer the girl who smiled at you, but I’m not my mother either. No one knows me better than you. I trust you, and I would do anything for you. But if you don’t trust me now, you never will. So look at me, and think of the bad things I have done, and the good things too. Am I able to kill a good and honourable woman, or not?”
Her onslaught of words made Fabien flinch, but he didn’t move away from her. Sophie touched his cheek gently. “I don’t want to die. I want to be with you and be happy. I deserve a little happiness, and so do you. But if you don’t believe me, you know I’m not innocent. I will not confess to what I haven’t done, but I will not deny I poisoned my husband. My death would be a just punishment for that crime, and I don’t want you to feel any guilt. I forgive you.”
Fabien leaned into her touch, and his own hand caressed her face in return. Sophie looked up into his eyes, willing him to hear the truth in her words. The seconds stretched into an eternity, the entire world seemed to hold its breath, and she waited with it for Fabien to reach his decision.
