Featured on @HistoricalFiction @NARomance
🥇2023 Rose Gold Awards
🥇Literary Book Awards
Story of Edith&Andre:
"O'Lady Liberty divine!
For thee alone, my life I'd resign:
I beseech all to carve thy name so fair,
On my tombstone, for all to stare...
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In the prison, Margot displayed an unimaginable strength. Those who emerged from the battle as victors were eager to coerce the relatives of their victims, forcing them to utter the desired testimonies, in order to add credibility to their own defamation, and turn their infamy of abandoning colleagues into righteous deeds.
In the eyes of these men, Edith was clearly the young sister of the family, while Aunt Adele was aged and feeble, thus most of the interrogations fell upon Margot's shoulders.
Under the pretext of continuing the questioning, they detained the frail black-haired girl in the committee, depriving her of food and rest for two consecutive days and nights.
When Margot was roughly thrown back onto the straw heap in her prison cell, her face pale, with bruises marring her body, too weak to stand up, yet she immediately mustered a resolute voice towards the people outside, saying, "No matter what vile means you employ against me, do not expect a single word of slander against my brother and Citizen Quenet to escape my lips!"
Also held together with their family was a commis who had a close relationship with Andre. Last year, this person had been entangled in a case involving embezzlement of supplies for the Republic's army, almost certainly doomed. It was Andre who risked his own jeopardy, defending him in the National Convention, pleading on his behalf multiple times, ultimately saving the lives of this only son and the mother who relied on him for survival.
For this person, there was no need to resort to any methods of torture. Almost on the day he was imprisoned, he had already written a confession, fluently and comprehensively, surpassing even the requirements of those outside.
In his testimony, Andre Quenet was portrayed as an accomplice to the traitor Dumouriez and his collusion with the Austrian royalty. It accused Andre of exploiting the masses' property as representative-on-mission in Vendée, conniving at the wanton slaughter committed by his subordinates, engaging in corruption and lawlessness within the military camps on the front lines. Every soldier and peasant held a deep-rooted hatred for him, wishing nothing more than to see him die.
When this person was released from prison, Edith stared at him with fiery eyes, disdain and resentment pouring forth as she spat, "Shameless traitor! This is your loyalty to liberty! Fawning on those who murdered him!"
He hung his head, avoiding the gaze of the women within the cell, and with quick, small steps, he followed the ones who had come to set him free, leaving the prison behind.
Lying on the ground, Margot held her sister's hand, soothing her, "We cannot expect everyone to be worthy of them, Edith. Some people only seek their own survival and peace, and we cannot blame them for it. But I shall never waver. The more I witness the fickleness and ugliness of humanity, the prouder I am of myself. We must live with strength, to defend the reputation of our unfortunate brother and his noble friend! For the dead cannot vindicate themselves!"
