ROSALIE Oscar… Andre, you shouldn’t go out. Oscar said that your right is not good either. It is dangerous for you.
ANDRE Tell me where Oscar is!
Rosalie made her head down. There was no way of persuading him.
ROSALIE They are going to storm Bastille. Oscar is leading cannons.
Andre didn’t listen more. He had to catch her. He wasn’t felling faintness anymore, Oscar was in danger. He should go and help her.
ROSALIE Andre! Where are you going? Wait for me!
When Rosalie and Andre reached Bastille, the preparation of cannons was over. There were 114 soldiers in Bastille on 14th of July. Bastille had solid, high walls and cannons which killed many citizens. There were thousands of people around the castle and hundreds were dying each minute. Deaths, guns, fires and cannons had turned all the area into hell. Andre looked around for seeing Oscar. Soon after he noticed the people with uniforms and the cannons. Oscar should be there. In fact, Oscar was trying to find most suitable position for firing the cannons. At last she decided to start the fire. Andre recognized her agile movements and blonde hair. Oscar took off her sword.
OSCAR Elevate 45o degrees. Aim the upper part of Fortress. Fire! Fire!
Flames raised in the fog of gun powder. Everyone around was rocked except Oscar. She was stepping strong to the ground as a landmark. Bastille was shook by these unexpected cannonballs. Andre was trying to contact her, but crowd was not allowing him to move towards her.
Andre and Rosalie were closer. Cannons had stopped for a while. Andre was calling Oscar’s name but they were still away and everything was so noisy. He was trying to make a way through the sea of men. Sometimes somebody near him was falling with a cry but he was not thinking anything else than Oscar. Suddenly, his half blind right eye recognized metallic reflections on the fortress of Oscar’s side.
ANDRE Rosalie, look at top of that fortress. What do you see?
ROSALIE That side? Nothing. Oh my God! There are soldiers with rifles. And now they are aimed at Oscar!
Oscar was pretty close to the fortress, she was in the range of fire but also so busy for realizing rifles pointed toward her. Her precise aiming had strengthened citizens. Bastille had only one chance; shooting Oscar. Andre was shouting her name desperately. Each second, he was moving closer but not being able save her was killing him. Rosalie had found a huge stone to step up. Now, she was taller than anyone around. She tried to call Oscar but it was impossible. Suddenly Andre stopped to move. He turned to Rosalie.
ANDRE Rosalie, can you see the bucket near Alain.
ROSALIE Yes, I can. But why?
Andre took of his gun and gave it to Rosalie. Rosalie was looking at him in surprise.
ANDRE Shoot the bucket. I can’t aim with these eyes. But you can.
ROSALIE Andre, I haven’t used a gun for a long while. How can I?
ANDRE You can! You should. You are my only chance.
Rosalie’s hands were trembling until she directed the gun. Then she turned back her old days in
By Rosalie’s touch to the trigger, water started to come out of metal bucket. Alain, who was close to the bucket, turned his head toward the source of bullet since it was a weird direction. Then he saw Andre and Rosalie, who were shouting Oscar’s name and pointing the top of the fortress. Even he did not have enough time.
ALAIN Commander!!!!
He moved fast to her while shouting. Soldiers in Bastille had the order of firing the rifles. As Alain reached Oscar, he cuddled her and they both tumbled to the back of the cannons. Alain was on time. Nearly…
When he stepped up, Oscar was lying unconsciously. She was shot on her leg and chest.
ALAIN Commander!!!! Oscar!!! Commander!!!
OSCAR Alain, don’t yell near my ear. I am Ok.
Company B carried Oscar to a mob. Immediately a doctor from the citizens came to the mob. Now, Andre was trying to go there and it was the longest way of his life. Alain had ran to Oscar but what happened next? Why did they carry Oscar?
ANDRE Oscar!! Allow me!! Oscar!!
As he got to the mob, doctor had finished the examination.
ANDRE Oscar!! How is she? Oscar!!
DOCTOR Young man, slow down. She is injured on her right leg and shoulder. But there isn’t any life danger. Now, we should move her to a safer place. And please, don’t tire her.
Andre could not be relieved before seeing her with his eye. He moved to her, saw her pale face. A small beam appeared on her face as she noticed Andre. No more words were needed. As they wanted to move her, Oscar started to say something slowly. Andre went closer, listened her.
OSCAR Why did you stop? Alain, go on firing!
They would not give up firing; even when their commander was shot. Alain saluted Oscar and Andre, he was expecting the same from Andre however Andre embraced him tightly instead of saluting and whispered:
ANDRE I owe you a life! No, thousands of lives… Thank you!
It took more than 3 months for Oscar to recover. She had lost a lot of blood, the wounds were not that easy and tuberculosis was making her body weaker. They had found a village house in Normandie since they might never go back Mansion Jarjayes again.
Revolution did not end by storming Bastille. In fact, it was all just starting. In August 26th, “Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizen” was accepted. In the beginning of October, a huge group of women, rioted
The bullet in her leg was taken by a surgery. But she was having difficulty to walk. Andre was furious of seeing her struggle. On the other hand, he could not stop thinking that if she hadn’t taken this injury they could not take her away from work. By this break, she was having a rest and her tuberculosis was being cured. Doctors had told him that she may need 6 more months to recover her walk.
A simple coach approached their house by 12th of February. Bernard and Rosalie had come to visit them. In fact, Rosalie was checking them when she had some free time but Bernard was coming rarely.
OSCAR Here is my rescuer.
Oscar was smiling but Rosalie was embarrassed. She made her head down.
OSCAR I have known your talent for long time. You don’t need to be ashamed.
She laughed loudly as old days;
OSCAR Come in!
Andre asked the condition in
BERNARD This was my reason of visit. Coming of a constitution is inevitable. This is what we all desire. There are some out-breaks of anti-revolutionaries. We know that these groups are encouraged by Royal Family.
Oscar was looking down, Bernard looked for her eyes.
BERNARD The aggressiveness against nobles is increasing. Most of them, including your father, ran away. In addition to this, new groups are going to appear. All of them are going to want to be the only power. Oscar, Bastille was nothing! Coming bloodshed is going to be a disaster.
Oscar and Andre weren’t expecting such hopeless words. Bernard realized their feelings. They were furious about the Revolution that they had dedicated their lives.
BERNARD Such kind of a big change in the order of the world will come only by blood. Don’t worry. Better days will come. But I have some fears. Especially for you. Oscar, you were born as a noble. You worked for queen for years. But now, you are a heroine of revolution. When groups start to eliminate each other, they are also going to attack you and try to make you down as soon as possible.
Nobody disturbed silence when Bernard stopped.
BERNARD I think I talked a lot to night. The reason which made me come is, warning you. Oscar, you should leave
OSCAR This is crazy!
BERNARD I know how it sounds. But things may not become better than this.
OSCAR I… I!!!!
Oscar couldn’t go on. She was born as a noble but she had never discriminated people by the means of nobility. She had believed justice and equality. These were her motives of attending revolution. Even her heart was fallen in love with a servant. And now…. They were judging her as being a noble.
She was tired of fighting over and over. Rosalie saw an injured lion on her blue eyes; full of pride but also endlessly tired. She walked to her;
ROSALIE Oscar, you are not going to leave for forever. Just for a few years, maybe 4 or 5.
Oscar looked at Andre. Andre, who was silent in whole conversation, was confirming Rosalie’s words with his eyes.
ANDRE Why don’t we start a new life in a new world? Wasn’t it what we had always wanted.
It was a cold but sunny afternoon. Oscar and Andre were on the deck. Ship to
OSCAR Andre, what are we doing? We should turn back. We are nothing without
Her scream left its place to shaking. Andre hold her wrists and embraced her, tried to soothe her pain. Tears fell down for a while. When she ran out of tears, also some of her pain was swept away. She was feeling hope again, her eyes started to shine. She turned her face to their destination. Andre moved to her and whispered to her ear;
ANDRE A new world, a new life is waiting for us. And we have the most important thing to build a new life; we have each other…