Rough Raph(1)
(Background: Night of March 29, 1794, Edith changed her mind and went into exile with Raphael.)
The following is a part of the original text:
With a jarring and quivering sound of the bowstring, the impassioned music abruptly ceased. Edith awakened from the dreamlike melancholy, her eyes fluttering open and closed, as hot tears welled up and streamed down. Her heart felt empty, yet a sense of relief washed over her.
Unconsciously, she approached Raphael, her lips shivering, wanting to plead for him to continue. But the violin suddenly crashed to the ground; the bewitching melody of this elegy all at once overwhelmed the despairing performer, who finally couldn't contain himself any longer, burying his face in his elbow.
His agitated state frightened her, yet also infected her soul, making her unable to resist the urge to draw closer to him.
Suddenly, Raphael cast aside the bow in his hand and forcibly embraced Edith in his arms, pressing her bosom tightly against his chest, kissing her lips in a frenzy.
"Raphael!" she cried out in alarm, but was immediately enveloped by the scorching heat of his lips.
She reached out to push his shoulder, but her efforts were feeble. Like a drowning man gasping for his last breath of faint air from the surface, he greedily and hopelessly drank from her lips and tongue, blind to everything else.
Their noses collided as his hand pressed her turning head towards his own lips like mad. Edith tasted the salty bitterness of their mingled tears, her mind becoming even more disoriented and bewildered.
"Raphael!" She finally regained some strength, her voice taking on a calm tone of persuasion.
This time, Raphael didn't struggle anymore. He allowed her to push him onto the writing desk, tilting his head to the side, the expression on his face resembling someone who had just committed homicide. A strand of disheveled golden hair from their previous passion hung over his forehead, concealing his blue eyes devoid of all luster.
Edith stood in place, initially glaring at him annoyed, but as she saw this state of him, her eyes gradually softened with pity.
"Forgive me," he murmured in a barely audible voice after a while, his gaze still fixed on the void before him.
"Forgive me," he repeated. Then, he hastily grabbed his belongings and stumbled out of the dimly lit room, leaving Edith behind.
Edith remained there for a while, until the flickering candlelight was extinguished by a gust of cold wind, plunging the surroundings into utter darkness. Slowly, she followed out, but the young man's figure was no longer visible in the foyer.
Delete the last paragraph and replace it with the following:
Edith watched his forlorn figure, and in that instant, her heart became as clear as a mirror. Raphael's premonition was right—today, once he left, it would be an eternal farewell! If she let him go like this, she would lose him forever.
Without thinking, she impulsively dashed out the door, disregarding her anxious friend, Charlene, calling out to her from behind. With a loud voice, she shouted the name of the person who meant so much to her at that moment:"Raphael! Raphael!"
In the darkness of the night, his desolate and solitary form finally merged with the blonde youth she had just envisioned on the edge of the cliff in that dreamlike melody.
Raphael halted his steps in surprise, then let out a bitter smile without turning around."Why must you chase after me again?"
"If I let you go like this, I will regret it for the rest of my life," Edith firmly spoke.
"Why... are you saying these words?" Raphael's voice trembled."Especially now? I won't be able to take another step if you do."
"But I can't let you go either."
"Are you deciding my fate for me, Edith?" Raphael suddenly smiled, his voice quivering."Then I will stay, only to be with you until the very last moment. Let them catch me, let them take me to the guillotine; death will be so sweet, for it's the ending you have bestowed upon me!"
"No, let me go with you!" She abruptly rushed forward, embracing his waist from behind, calling out in agitation.
Raphael raised his arms in disbelief, hesitantly placing them on the warm hands clutching his abdomen."Have you truly made up your mind, Edith?"
She didn't answer, but instead tightened her hold around his arms, pressing her cheek forcefully against his back. After a while, she felt a few cold droplets of water fall onto her hands.
As they mounted the horse, Edith still clung to him from behind. After leaving the city gates, she cast a deep glance back at the shrouded darkness of Paris. It was at this moment that the maiden truly realised there was no turning back on this journey of escape. She had left behind her past loves and vows, forever bound to the man in front of her.
---------------------------
The two of them restlessly journeyed day and night, reaching Caen and finding shelter in a small inn of a former Girondin arranged by Danton. As they checked in at the reception desk, Edith noticed the man attending to them casting vigilant glances at Raphael's face.
"Something's off, Edith," Raphael abruptly halted his steps while climbing the stairs, his voice filled with gloom."There was something off about that man just now."
Nervously, Edith grabbed his hand, holding her breath as she overheard hushed discussions downstairs mentioning "portrait,""sheriff," and urgent commands to "hurry and return."
Suddenly, Saint-Clemont appeared at the staircase, causing the two men whispering at the counter to panic and attempt to flee. Without hesitation, Raphael raised his pistol, bringing the two men down to the ground.
Edith gazed at the crimson-black blood seeping from the fallen men's heads onto the floor, her heart pounding in fear as she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands.
Raphael stood still, clenching his teeth tightly, making a grinding sound."So, Danton and Desmoulins, they have already been arrested! They just couldn't wait any longer! Hurry, Edith, we need to hide in the forest!"
She grasped the hand he extended, and together they sprinted towards the nearby maze-like woods. Along the way, they faintly heard the earlier gunshots causing a chaotic uproar of cries and shouts behind them, urging them not to slow their pace.
Finally reaching a secure area deep within the forest, Raphael abruptly sat down under a tree, gasping for breath. The nighttime air was chilly in the woods. He removed his coat to wrap it around the girl at his side.
After a while, rain began to fall from the sky. He tore off his vest, shielding her head, leaving himself with only a loosely buttoned white shirt, drenched by the rain and clinging tightly to his slender yet sturdy physique.
Raphael's lips braced as he muttered under his breath,"I had suspected this all along; Quenet won't let me off. Merely daring to hope for your pity is an unforgivable sin in his eyes!"
Edith sensed that the killing just now and the sight of blood had plunged Raphael into a dark state of mind. Worriedly, she reached out and caressed his hand.
Suddenly, he turned his face towards her, a smile of determination spreading across his face."But what do I have to fear anymore? You have chosen to come with me. I have triumphed over Andre Quenet. I have won over him forever."
As the early hours approached, the air around them grew increasingly frigid, but they dared not venture outside. Edith hadn't eaten anything in a long time, and the freezing cold sent shivers down her entire body.
Raphael embraced her tightly, his gaze fixed as he whispered in her ear, "We can't make a fire; the light would attract pursuers."
She nodded silently, feeling his body trembling slightly, but it was feverish and provided her with some warmth.
Suddenly, Raphael pushed her down onto the layers of leaves on the damp earth, pressing her beneath him, panting heavily as he exclaimed, "It seems we'll have to warm each other this way!"
Before she could react, he unleashed a frenzy of caresses upon her, his fingers and tongue wandering over her body, igniting sparks of desire wherever they touched.
"Let go of me, Raphael!" she cried out in panic, struggling to free herself.
Raphael lifted his head from between her legs and lunged forward, passionately kissing her lips. This kiss was filled with more desperation than the one they shared in the candlelit room—it was a kiss of despair. He kept caressing the hair at the back of her head, his teeth occasionally grazing against hers. She felt a hot and rigid object pressing firmly at the entrance of her garden.
"Raphael!" When he finally released her, she called out with a tearful voice.
"Have mercy, have mercy on me, dear Edith! Don't you forgive a man who's on the brink of death!" Raphael cried out with deep affection and sincerity, as if he was the one begging for pity.
He kicked off his culottes, spread her thighs with his hands, and thrust himself into her. The agonizing pain made her sob; he leaned over, capturing her tears with his mouth.
"Andre..." She turned her head away, avoiding his kisses, intentionally or unintentionally invoking the name of her lover.
Upon hearing this call, a momentary glimmer of sadness flickered in the depths of his eyes, quickly replaced by a bitter smile. "At least I look like him, don't I? You can consider me your Andre, my love. I won't mind, but please show me some mercy!"
A beam of moonlight seeped through the dense foliage above, illuminating Raphael's intoxicated and fervent countenance. Through her tears, she gazed at him and, in an instant, felt that he truly became her Andre.
With each passionate and intense thrust, she couldn't help but moan involuntarily, clasping her slender legs tightly around his sturdy waist. His feverish body, ablaze with desire, burned even hotter, and she felt herself gradually warming, as waves of pleasure surged through her being.
As the ecstasy reached its peak, she clung desperately to his neck with both arms, almost suffocating him, crying out, "Raphael! Raphael!"
Raphael responded with an unmatched fervor, intensifying his movements. "Yes! Call my name, angel! I know you love me too! I've known it all along!"
In the silent forest, a few night owls screeched from the treetops.
Edith's love fluids gushed forth like a gentle rain, spreading across the earth, and for a moment, she nearly lost consciousness. She vaguely felt his member trembling inside her, followed by his weighty body pressing down on her, his breath hot against her ear. Too weak to open her eyes any longer, she succumbed to a deep slumber.
Close to dawn, she was suddenly awakened by Raphael's push. "Quick, Edith, we need to run! The searchers have found this place!"
In a panic, she grabbed his hand and tried to move with weakened steps, but she stumbled and fell to the ground after a few steps. Raphael hurriedly helped her up, but a sharp pain shot through her ankle, causing her to lose balance once again. Her legs could no longer support her, and she found herself leaning against his damp body.
As they listened to the approaching sound of hooves and the voices of pursuers, Raphael's expression turned grave. Yet, he tried to remain calm as he whispered to her, "Let's see if there's anywhere to hide around here, at least for now."
Placing one hand beneath her knee and the other lifting her neck, he scooped her up, carrying her forward.
They soon discovered a nearby cave, its edges covered in overgrown weeds. Without hesitation, Raphael supported Edith and bent down, entering the cave, then used some weeds to conceal the hidden entrance.
The space within the cave was cramped, and the two held each other tightly, able to hear the pounding of their hearts in their chests. It didn't take long before the search party arrived in the vicinity, poking around, scanning their surroundings.
The faint glow of torches seeped into the cave, causing sweat to form in Edith's palms. Raphael squeezed her hand and spoke with the utmost composure, "Edith, we need to venture further into the depths."
She cautiously followed the young man as they ventured deeper into the cave, relieved that the clamour from the outside gradually faded away. He settled her in a corner, urging her to continue resting.
Edith had no intention of falling asleep in such a tense situation, but the fatigue accumulated from days of travel and the passion of the previous night overcame her, and she soon drifted into slumber.
When she awoke, she found herself lying in Raphael's arms, her head resting on his knee.
"You're awake? We must continue our journey. Caen can no longer provide refuge; we need to traverse the forest and continue westward," he swiftly explained, signaling her to remain quietly in place while he went to assess the situation at the cave entrance.
Upon his return, his face was anxious and sombre. "The Committee of General Security has stationed guards at the cave entrance again, led by Quenet himself! It seems that my taking you away has truly dealt him a significant blow!"
"What should we do, Raphael?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.
"We have no choice but to venture deeper," he shook his head. "If fate shows me a glimmer of mercy, perhaps there's another exit at the other end of this cave."
Edith nodded, and the two of them continued their path towards the source of the faint light. However, when they finally faced the true origin of the glow, both fell into silence. It was merely phosphorescence emitted by stalactites in the darkness, reflecting upon a vast, stagnant pool ahead.
"Have we reached the end?" the girl's voice trembled.
At this moment, Raphael's lips curled into a dangerous smile, as he turned to face her. "If fate insists on treating me this way, why not take what I rightfully deserve?"
The following is a part of the original text:
With a jarring and quivering sound of the bowstring, the impassioned music abruptly ceased. Edith awakened from the dreamlike melancholy, her eyes fluttering open and closed, as hot tears welled up and streamed down. Her heart felt empty, yet a sense of relief washed over her.
Unconsciously, she approached Raphael, her lips shivering, wanting to plead for him to continue. But the violin suddenly crashed to the ground; the bewitching melody of this elegy all at once overwhelmed the despairing performer, who finally couldn't contain himself any longer, burying his face in his elbow.
His agitated state frightened her, yet also infected her soul, making her unable to resist the urge to draw closer to him.
Suddenly, Raphael cast aside the bow in his hand and forcibly embraced Edith in his arms, pressing her bosom tightly against his chest, kissing her lips in a frenzy.
"Raphael!" she cried out in alarm, but was immediately enveloped by the scorching heat of his lips.
She reached out to push his shoulder, but her efforts were feeble. Like a drowning man gasping for his last breath of faint air from the surface, he greedily and hopelessly drank from her lips and tongue, blind to everything else.
Their noses collided as his hand pressed her turning head towards his own lips like mad. Edith tasted the salty bitterness of their mingled tears, her mind becoming even more disoriented and bewildered.
"Raphael!" She finally regained some strength, her voice taking on a calm tone of persuasion.
This time, Raphael didn't struggle anymore. He allowed her to push him onto the writing desk, tilting his head to the side, the expression on his face resembling someone who had just committed homicide. A strand of disheveled golden hair from their previous passion hung over his forehead, concealing his blue eyes devoid of all luster.
Edith stood in place, initially glaring at him annoyed, but as she saw this state of him, her eyes gradually softened with pity.
"Forgive me," he murmured in a barely audible voice after a while, his gaze still fixed on the void before him.
"Forgive me," he repeated. Then, he hastily grabbed his belongings and stumbled out of the dimly lit room, leaving Edith behind.
Edith remained there for a while, until the flickering candlelight was extinguished by a gust of cold wind, plunging the surroundings into utter darkness. Slowly, she followed out, but the young man's figure was no longer visible in the foyer.
Delete the last paragraph and replace it with the following:
Edith watched his forlorn figure, and in that instant, her heart became as clear as a mirror. Raphael's premonition was right—today, once he left, it would be an eternal farewell! If she let him go like this, she would lose him forever.
Without thinking, she impulsively dashed out the door, disregarding her anxious friend, Charlene, calling out to her from behind. With a loud voice, she shouted the name of the person who meant so much to her at that moment:"Raphael! Raphael!"
In the darkness of the night, his desolate and solitary form finally merged with the blonde youth she had just envisioned on the edge of the cliff in that dreamlike melody.
Raphael halted his steps in surprise, then let out a bitter smile without turning around."Why must you chase after me again?"
"If I let you go like this, I will regret it for the rest of my life," Edith firmly spoke.
"Why... are you saying these words?" Raphael's voice trembled."Especially now? I won't be able to take another step if you do."
"But I can't let you go either."
"Are you deciding my fate for me, Edith?" Raphael suddenly smiled, his voice quivering."Then I will stay, only to be with you until the very last moment. Let them catch me, let them take me to the guillotine; death will be so sweet, for it's the ending you have bestowed upon me!"
"No, let me go with you!" She abruptly rushed forward, embracing his waist from behind, calling out in agitation.
Raphael raised his arms in disbelief, hesitantly placing them on the warm hands clutching his abdomen."Have you truly made up your mind, Edith?"
She didn't answer, but instead tightened her hold around his arms, pressing her cheek forcefully against his back. After a while, she felt a few cold droplets of water fall onto her hands.
As they mounted the horse, Edith still clung to him from behind. After leaving the city gates, she cast a deep glance back at the shrouded darkness of Paris. It was at this moment that the maiden truly realised there was no turning back on this journey of escape. She had left behind her past loves and vows, forever bound to the man in front of her.
---------------------------
The two of them restlessly journeyed day and night, reaching Caen and finding shelter in a small inn of a former Girondin arranged by Danton. As they checked in at the reception desk, Edith noticed the man attending to them casting vigilant glances at Raphael's face.
"Something's off, Edith," Raphael abruptly halted his steps while climbing the stairs, his voice filled with gloom."There was something off about that man just now."
Nervously, Edith grabbed his hand, holding her breath as she overheard hushed discussions downstairs mentioning "portrait,""sheriff," and urgent commands to "hurry and return."
Suddenly, Saint-Clemont appeared at the staircase, causing the two men whispering at the counter to panic and attempt to flee. Without hesitation, Raphael raised his pistol, bringing the two men down to the ground.
Edith gazed at the crimson-black blood seeping from the fallen men's heads onto the floor, her heart pounding in fear as she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands.
Raphael stood still, clenching his teeth tightly, making a grinding sound."So, Danton and Desmoulins, they have already been arrested! They just couldn't wait any longer! Hurry, Edith, we need to hide in the forest!"
She grasped the hand he extended, and together they sprinted towards the nearby maze-like woods. Along the way, they faintly heard the earlier gunshots causing a chaotic uproar of cries and shouts behind them, urging them not to slow their pace.
Finally reaching a secure area deep within the forest, Raphael abruptly sat down under a tree, gasping for breath. The nighttime air was chilly in the woods. He removed his coat to wrap it around the girl at his side.
After a while, rain began to fall from the sky. He tore off his vest, shielding her head, leaving himself with only a loosely buttoned white shirt, drenched by the rain and clinging tightly to his slender yet sturdy physique.
Raphael's lips braced as he muttered under his breath,"I had suspected this all along; Quenet won't let me off. Merely daring to hope for your pity is an unforgivable sin in his eyes!"
Edith sensed that the killing just now and the sight of blood had plunged Raphael into a dark state of mind. Worriedly, she reached out and caressed his hand.
Suddenly, he turned his face towards her, a smile of determination spreading across his face."But what do I have to fear anymore? You have chosen to come with me. I have triumphed over Andre Quenet. I have won over him forever."
As the early hours approached, the air around them grew increasingly frigid, but they dared not venture outside. Edith hadn't eaten anything in a long time, and the freezing cold sent shivers down her entire body.
Raphael embraced her tightly, his gaze fixed as he whispered in her ear, "We can't make a fire; the light would attract pursuers."
She nodded silently, feeling his body trembling slightly, but it was feverish and provided her with some warmth.
Suddenly, Raphael pushed her down onto the layers of leaves on the damp earth, pressing her beneath him, panting heavily as he exclaimed, "It seems we'll have to warm each other this way!"
Before she could react, he unleashed a frenzy of caresses upon her, his fingers and tongue wandering over her body, igniting sparks of desire wherever they touched.
"Let go of me, Raphael!" she cried out in panic, struggling to free herself.
Raphael lifted his head from between her legs and lunged forward, passionately kissing her lips. This kiss was filled with more desperation than the one they shared in the candlelit room—it was a kiss of despair. He kept caressing the hair at the back of her head, his teeth occasionally grazing against hers. She felt a hot and rigid object pressing firmly at the entrance of her garden.
"Raphael!" When he finally released her, she called out with a tearful voice.
"Have mercy, have mercy on me, dear Edith! Don't you forgive a man who's on the brink of death!" Raphael cried out with deep affection and sincerity, as if he was the one begging for pity.
He kicked off his culottes, spread her thighs with his hands, and thrust himself into her. The agonizing pain made her sob; he leaned over, capturing her tears with his mouth.
"Andre..." She turned her head away, avoiding his kisses, intentionally or unintentionally invoking the name of her lover.
Upon hearing this call, a momentary glimmer of sadness flickered in the depths of his eyes, quickly replaced by a bitter smile. "At least I look like him, don't I? You can consider me your Andre, my love. I won't mind, but please show me some mercy!"
A beam of moonlight seeped through the dense foliage above, illuminating Raphael's intoxicated and fervent countenance. Through her tears, she gazed at him and, in an instant, felt that he truly became her Andre.
With each passionate and intense thrust, she couldn't help but moan involuntarily, clasping her slender legs tightly around his sturdy waist. His feverish body, ablaze with desire, burned even hotter, and she felt herself gradually warming, as waves of pleasure surged through her being.
As the ecstasy reached its peak, she clung desperately to his neck with both arms, almost suffocating him, crying out, "Raphael! Raphael!"
Raphael responded with an unmatched fervor, intensifying his movements. "Yes! Call my name, angel! I know you love me too! I've known it all along!"
In the silent forest, a few night owls screeched from the treetops.
Edith's love fluids gushed forth like a gentle rain, spreading across the earth, and for a moment, she nearly lost consciousness. She vaguely felt his member trembling inside her, followed by his weighty body pressing down on her, his breath hot against her ear. Too weak to open her eyes any longer, she succumbed to a deep slumber.
Close to dawn, she was suddenly awakened by Raphael's push. "Quick, Edith, we need to run! The searchers have found this place!"
In a panic, she grabbed his hand and tried to move with weakened steps, but she stumbled and fell to the ground after a few steps. Raphael hurriedly helped her up, but a sharp pain shot through her ankle, causing her to lose balance once again. Her legs could no longer support her, and she found herself leaning against his damp body.
As they listened to the approaching sound of hooves and the voices of pursuers, Raphael's expression turned grave. Yet, he tried to remain calm as he whispered to her, "Let's see if there's anywhere to hide around here, at least for now."
Placing one hand beneath her knee and the other lifting her neck, he scooped her up, carrying her forward.
They soon discovered a nearby cave, its edges covered in overgrown weeds. Without hesitation, Raphael supported Edith and bent down, entering the cave, then used some weeds to conceal the hidden entrance.
The space within the cave was cramped, and the two held each other tightly, able to hear the pounding of their hearts in their chests. It didn't take long before the search party arrived in the vicinity, poking around, scanning their surroundings.
The faint glow of torches seeped into the cave, causing sweat to form in Edith's palms. Raphael squeezed her hand and spoke with the utmost composure, "Edith, we need to venture further into the depths."
She cautiously followed the young man as they ventured deeper into the cave, relieved that the clamour from the outside gradually faded away. He settled her in a corner, urging her to continue resting.
Edith had no intention of falling asleep in such a tense situation, but the fatigue accumulated from days of travel and the passion of the previous night overcame her, and she soon drifted into slumber.
When she awoke, she found herself lying in Raphael's arms, her head resting on his knee.
"You're awake? We must continue our journey. Caen can no longer provide refuge; we need to traverse the forest and continue westward," he swiftly explained, signaling her to remain quietly in place while he went to assess the situation at the cave entrance.
Upon his return, his face was anxious and sombre. "The Committee of General Security has stationed guards at the cave entrance again, led by Quenet himself! It seems that my taking you away has truly dealt him a significant blow!"
"What should we do, Raphael?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.
"We have no choice but to venture deeper," he shook his head. "If fate shows me a glimmer of mercy, perhaps there's another exit at the other end of this cave."
Edith nodded, and the two of them continued their path towards the source of the faint light. However, when they finally faced the true origin of the glow, both fell into silence. It was merely phosphorescence emitted by stalactites in the darkness, reflecting upon a vast, stagnant pool ahead.
"Have we reached the end?" the girl's voice trembled.
At this moment, Raphael's lips curled into a dangerous smile, as he turned to face her. "If fate insists on treating me this way, why not take what I rightfully deserve?"