The Wolf and the Snake (English version)

Chapter 34

Waking up, Reyn feels the sun's warmth on his tanned skin. He smiles slightly at that pretty dancer's memory.

And her fury when he refused her advances!

He has slept alone for several weeks, and it's time to end this ordeal. He looks forward to finding Ada but worries about the future. His father has always taught him that a good vassal keeps his mouth shut and blindly obeys his liege. Nevertheless, a glimmer of annoyance crosses his beautiful amber eyes when Reyn imagines the count of Provence's possible shenanigans.

Even in his worst nightmares, Reyn has no idea of the lengths to which rich and powerful men will go to coerce a woman.

The young seneschal has never had to obtain anything by force or fear. On the contrary, since he was thirteen or fourteen, many damsels living on his father's land didn't hesitate to reveal their charms. And they were so happy to teach their lord's gorgeous son about the things of love.

So he joyfully collected the most beautiful of them.

Reyn hasn't forgotten the first meeting with Ada in the city of Sens. He observed her discreetly while Aurel bawled his eyes out for her. Reyn had been almost suspicious of the young woman's breathtaking beauty. And then he had learned that she was destined to be his. So for their first night, he had wanted to impress and conquer his lovely virgin.

Deep down, Reyn is sure that his wife will give him an explanation for the vile gossip about her.

All that matters is to get her back after a painful separation.

This morning, Barral of Baux looks mysterious by informing his seneschal that he held an important secret. Reyn appreciates the Provençal, and the two soldiers have mutual respect. When Barral hands over the scroll entrusted by Ada, Reyn is surprised and nervous.

He unfolds the missive and worries about what Ada is doing, landing in Marseille in the middle of the night. Would the king's brother have dared to threaten her, or worse?

Cold anger fills Reyn at this thought.

Even before he reads, he feels a sticky liquid under his fingers and realizes with horror that it's blood.

Words pass before the seneschal's eyes, resounding in his head like great blows of a hammer not stopping anymore:

My beloved,

Where to start? First, I was ill, and when we met in Aix, my strength left me. So I didn't have enough energy and courage to confess to you what I had undergone from the king's brother.

I know you fought under this man and respect him as a vassal.

But he's just a scoundrel with excessive ambitions and repulsive desires.

I was his victim on the boat taking me back to you from Egypt.

Unbeknownst to me, this pig poured poppy into my wine and cowardly raped me in my sleep. Much later, he finally confessed his crime.

Unfortunately, he has an unhealthy obsession with me. I was able to escape him, but this prince is particularly malicious towards anyone who stands in his way.

He can order his neighbor's death without the slightest hesitation, carrying out by a vile servant, a certain Sordello, troubadour, and murderer.

I learned with terror that an assassination project concerned you, so I rushed to Marseille. I wanted to warn you, but my path crossed that of Sordello in a tavern on the port.

I love you so much.

Your Ada.

"Damn them!" Reyn yells at this Sordello, the count of Provence, and himself.

He has been so reckless in abandoning Ada in Aix!

"She was very pale, but to imagine that she could be hurt," Barral murmurs, casting a worried eye on the blood staining the parchment.

They immediately mount their horses to follow Ada's traces. They quickly find the port tavern, closed at this early hour. They knock violently against the door, attracting some workers around.

"A woman dressed in ermine with a pale face? She was on a horse, and she was heading towards the cliffs," one of them fearfully says to the seneschal, terrorized by the dark look on the young officer's face.

Reyn begins to lose his bearings more and more as he and Barral get closer to the damn cliffs.

A priest living in a leeward chapel came across Ada and confessed that she looked like a dead woman. As the lord of Baux, the cleric has the idea of hitting himself for not having understood that the young woman was seriously wounded.

Reyn is unable to blame them.

He already blames himself, and time is running out.

Ada may still be alive.

The young lord doesn't pray often but sends long supplications to God on this day. They left the horses towards the leeward chapel dedicated to Virgin Mary, surrounded by vineyards and gardens.

The priest accompanies them to the top of the highest cliff, the one that seems to walk on the sea. But he couldn't follow the race of the two soldiers.

They all hoped to find Ada!

When a bit of life remains, hope is also saved.

And then we can at least say goodbye, with eyes full of tears.

But the seneschal stubbornly repeats to himself that, with luck, the wound will not be so severe.

Out of breath, Reyn and Barral finally reach the heights.

A cloak lined with ermine was abandoned on the rocks.

Reyn realizes with terror that the white fur is drowned in blood, and a dagger has fallen beside it.

Reyn wants to advance to the cliff's edge, but Barral holds him back. If the young woman has fallen further down, it's best to prevent the husband from this tragic sight.

So Barral quickly scans the rocks and also the beach. Despite his raptor eyes, he sees nothing. He doesn't understand where she could have fallen. It would be surprising if she washed up in the water, relatively far from the beach and the rocks.

The pretty Ada should be down the cliff, broken all over, unless she possessed some strange power capable of deflecting her fall to the sea.

The two soldiers set out to descend the cliff. Feverish, Reyn wants to explore every corner of the beach and the rocks.

But as the search continues, Ada remains unaccounted for.

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