THE DAY AFTER A MAGICAL NIGHT

by Laney



(The scene occurs in Oscar’s bedroom, just like in the manga.)


Everything was silent in the bedroom. Andr·got out the bed, being 
careful not to wake Oscar up. When up, he contemplated her, his 
heart filled with this love it contained for twenty years for the 
young woman. This love spread its wings and flied. It was even 
shared.

	But Andr·had difficulty in believing that the woman of his 
life confessed him her feelings. “All of that is really romantic, 
Oscar, but what is going to happen now ?” Andr·couldn’t help 
asking himself this question since the moment when Oscar gave 
herself up in his arms ; this question turned into a poison which 
sprawled on his heart, each time he was looking at the young woman.

	And he was still looking at her, he couldn’t unfasten his 
eyes from her face with delicate features, her gilded hair messy 
on the pillow, and her body, which he could guess under the thin 
stuff of the sheet. A body Andr·knew perfectly. A so feminine body. 
“A woman being Oscar will find it hard to assume now”, a smiling 
Andr·thought. 

	The young man stopped dreaming, dressed himself and went to 
the window, which he opened slowly. The sun had barely risen, and 
the castle was still asleep.

	It was July, 13th, 1789. A period Andr·thought it would be 
important for France, because he was quite sure that something was 
going to change. And suddenly, he realized with fright that he was 
shaking : thinking it was due to the early breeze, he closed the 
window and stayed motionless looking at the still dark garden.
  
	Oscar, who was affecting to sleep during all this time, was 
worried about her lover. His behaviour in front of the window, 
then the shudder which ran over him had alarmed the young woman, 
who thought then that Andr·was going weaker because of his right 
eye. But she was realist too : she didn’t forget that she was 
done for the tuberculosis

	She reproved herself inside her mind : ? well, Oscar, you 
have finally found happiness. Why are you worried about the future ? 
Live the present moment and make the most of it.”

	The young woman moved a bit so that Andr·could hear the 
movements of the sheet and understand that she was awaken.

	He did what she expected : he suddenly turned back, and, 
with a smile on his lips, he sat down close to her :

   	Good morning, Oscar. How do you feel ?
- Wonderfully well. I have never slept so well. ?

	She straightened herself and kissed him long, valuing the 
taste of his soft and sensual lips. “Lips that are sealed for a 
too long time because of me” Oscar thought with bitterness.

	Andr·saw her confusion and asked her :

   	What’s happening, Oscar ?

- Oh·it’s terrible, I was thinking about the suffering you endured 
all these years because of me

- Don’t care about it, Oscar, in that you accepted your feelings. 
These years with you were sensational, I promise you, even if 
sometimes, I agree with you, you seemed to take delight in torturing 
my poor bruised heart·?

	Andr·said these last words with a voice someone could barely 
hear.
  
His mind went in an other place, he remembered the evening just 
after the ball where his dear Oscar had danced with Axel von Fersen·
This evening, he would never forget it : the young woman had confessed 
to the gorgeous Swedish that she loved him·Et he, Andr· had spent 
his evening alone getting drunk in a tavern·It had been worse when 
Oscar told him she would be the most pitiless of all men ; at this 
moment Andr·had stopped hoping he could bring himself together with 
her
  
Andr·drove his bad memories away and came back to reality : 
Oscar was still seating on the bed and she supported her back 
against the wall. Her eyes were closed, and the young man thought 
she hadn’t heard what he said. But by looking at his beloved’s
face, he distinguished a furrow of crystal on her each single cheek. 
Andr·couldn’t hide his wonder, in that he had never seen Oscar cry. 
Softened, he took her in his arms, whispering :

   	My sweet, my unique Oscar ! Forgive me, I shouldn’t tell you 
that. That’s over, that’s the past now.

- Oh Andr· I love you so ! Why was I so blind ? When my heart 
started torturing me for the first time, I thought it was for 
Axel von Fersen

- Oscar, don’t

- No let me finish, I must say it ! I have to free myself from 
this evil that is gnawing me and makes me sick with shame·Yes, 
Andr· I’m ashamed, because I was weak enough to believe that all 
my soul was burning for Monsieur de Fersen, while I knew deep 
inside me that it was tearing up your heart. I knew it, but 
I didn’t want to face this painful reality. So when 
you confessed me your troubles a few instants ago, I really realized 
the gravity of my fault, and I can promise you that I will never 
forgive myself for making you suffer all these years·These years 
where you were there each time I needed you ! And you didn’t receive 
even a word of gratitude from me, whereas you were my most precious 
and faithful support

- Oscar, stop worrying about the past errors, Andr·interrupted her. 
I can give you an example of the gratitude you gave me : you answered 
to my love, and we are together ! All that we shared the last evening 
takes the place of all the ‘thank you’ you didn’t tell me.”

	Their eyes met. Andr’s ones were full with tenderness, and 
Oscar’s ones were filled with love too, but accompanied with 
gratitude which could be only discerned, because it was hidden 
in the limpid sapphire.

	Then with an accomplice glance they stretched themselves on the 
bed, they wanted to take advantage of this short moment of 
happiness.

	Oscar huddled herself in Andr’s arms, who had put off his clothes 
to warm his dearly loved with his burning body. Her head in the 
hollow of her lover’s neck, Oscar put her hand on his throbbing 
heart and heard its beat without saying a single word. She smelled 
his so masculine perfume too, and smiled. It was the perfume 
she had offered him at last Christmas ; he had made her believe 
that he didn’t like this toilet water. Confused, Oscar realized
she didn’t observe this smell the night before, when she let 
herself go in his arms

	Andr·realized that something was happening, and he bent 
his head to discover a red-with-confusion Oscar. After explaining 
him the reasons of her trouble, she took her place in his arms 
again and put her hand on his heart again, which was beating faster. 
Oscar, half surprised by this sudden change, raised interrogative 
eyes on the man she loved and answered to his lips’ invitation by 
kissing him with mettle. Understanding Andre’s wish, she tried to 
protest :

  	Well Andr· it must be late and I have to lead a Company ! Today 
is a great day for France·?

	Andr·lost his smile :

  	What are you willing to do ? ?

	Here they were, the question always embossed had been asked. 
Oscar stayed silent a few moment, then she straightened herself and 
she answered firmly :

   	I must go on what I began. Andr· we can’t abandon our friends 
from the French Guards, not now that we are so close to the goal ! 
I beg you, let’s end this cursed war and then let’s go far away, far 
from all this !

- Oscar·my love·you don’t know how difficult it is for me to 
understand you. How can you be so disinterested ? It’s our happiness 
you’re talking about, and each other’s life !”

	Andr·was disappointed. He had thought that after all that 
happened between them the night before, Oscar would let down her 
uniform·Conquered, he smiled sadly admiring the determination of 
the one who was his colonel. But Oscar was before all a woman, who 
had at last agreed to see herself this way. So strong when she was 
wearing the uniform·and so fragile when she let it down to become 
a woman in love with the man who knew her perfectly and was her most 
certain support for so long years

	Oscar didn’t say anything more either. She knew her decision 
was cruel for Andr· but it was cruel for her too, who had discovered 
happily a part of herself, hidden deep inside her heart, hardened at 
the surface. Her, who had had to deny her real being and was not 
allowed to love during all these years before stopping herself for 
a moment and listening to herself·to feel herself live

	After a few minutes of silence, Andr·capitulated and told her :

   	Well, Oscar, I will do what you want. I am at your disposal. 
I will follow you and I will protect you until death.”

	Oscar plunged her blue eyes into Andr’s green eyes, bright 
with emotion and fear. Yes, Andr·was afraid : he didn’t dread the 
fight for his ideas, but he dread to lose Oscar.

	The young woman, moved, had understood the message drowned in 
her lovers’ eyes. Her glance stayed on his dark hair, his muscular 
and strong body, to come back finally to his wonderful emerald eyes. 
She couldn’t either survive in the case that he died, however they 
had to go on the fight. But before, Oscar wanted to make the most 
of their love again, their love which was willing to open itself, 
like a flower in bud. A flower·a rose is a rose·at this thought, 
tears appeared in her eyes.

	When he saw his beloved so desperate, Andr·couldn’t help 
shaking again, just the way he did when he had opened the window 
after his waking. He realized with anguish that the origin of his 
trouble was a bad foreboding which was stifling his heart, but 
he couldn’t understand what exactly was torturing him. Oscar saw 
him worried, so she opened her arms and welcomed him, who kissed 
her passionately. Their grasp was wonderful, each one wanted to 
impregnate him/herself of the other’s skin taste in order to keep 
it on memory.

	The memory·Without daring confessing it, Oscar and Andr·had 
the same painful idea ; just as if they were projected in the future, 
they knew with certainty that this grasp would be their last one.


The end.

June 2001.