Disclaimer: QoS and the rest belong to Fireworks, etc. I don't own them.

Author's Note: I had this story in my head for quite a while, but I wasn't sure to put it out. But due to my frustrations at the lack of Grisham/Tessa stories and a QoS writer, Kali Nayidnam (Her story: A Knight's Tale is awesome check it out!) convinced me that I should write it. I just didn't feel the way about Helm/Tessa fics like other fans did, so sorry if you feel strongly about those two characters' relationship, please don't flame me. By the way I wanted to dedicate this fic to Cybelline (surprise!) a fellow fan fic reader who sums up a perfect attitude toward Helm/Qos/Tessa fics:

"......DONT! make it another blasted tessa/helm fic, its thorougly disgusting. helm looks like an old fart!!!"

So here goes for all those frustrated readers out there............



SEARCHING FOR A MEANING

Revelation



"Aha! I've got you now! Don't even try to think of escaping from me!" The ever-malicious Captain Grisham sarcastically announced toward the figure clad in black with only a bright ruby sash tied around her waist.

Amid the top of the sheer cliff near the edge the Queen of Swords stood surrounded by Grisham and his men.

She stole a peek behind her; the Queen knew she had nowhere to go. The end of the cliff is a cluster of rocks entirely different from the ocean that had saved her life separate times by leaping into and away from Grisham's grasp.

She deftly parried Grisham's oncoming sword movements. Unfortunately, she could feel fatigue biting away at her confidence. In her tight clutch was the stolen gold that she intended to return to the poor people of Santa Helena.

Besides Grisham, there were three of his soldiers that came up behind him to assist in the fight. Inept to compete with the Queen's sword maneuvers they had stayed back. At this particular moment, Sergeant Perez noticed the Queen's weariness he quickly seized the chance to defeat the Queen by slashing her abdomen with his sword. Too late was her reaction that the unfamiliar pain shooting up her torso paralyzed the Queen for an instant. Releasing the gold bag she held in her hand, she dropped to her knees. Shock was written all over her face.

"No......."Refusing to accept the current state of affairs, the Queen looked up to see Grisham's smiling face.

"Well, well. This is unexpected." Grisham gloated toward his soldiers. "Good work Perez, but it would have been better if I had done it myself."

"Hey! You three get outta here. I want to complete this job by me and me only. And by the way, I don't want any of this to reach the ears of our dear colonel, understood? Good.......now leave before I demote your positions!" Grisham threatened.

After the three sergeants scurried away on their horses back to Santa Helena with the recovered gold. Grisham made sure his soldiers are completely out of sight, turned toward the weakened Queen.

Still holding on to her stomach, the Queen's breath came in sharp gasps. She glared weakly at the captain in front of her.

"What are you waiting for?!?! Aren't you going to kill me?!?!" The Queen cried out in frustration at her enemy.

"Not today." Grisham stated quietly. "Oh you will die. You will pay for all the troubles you caused in Santa Helena. Troubles for me....."

"I am just not done with you yet. If you were to die today, I am out of a job. You see the colonel had enough of my antics and I am only allowed in Santa Helena because my job is to catch you or kill you. Depends on whichever comes first. I do want to stay and I do want to kill you......at least not for a while." Grisham smirked down on the Queen.

Groaning inwardly at his revelation, the Queen was about to make a biting comeback when her vision turned black. The loss of her blood had made her lightheaded before but she didn't know she had fainted until it was too late.

Giving a loud sigh. Grisham reached into his breast pocket and took out his long handkerchief and advanced toward the fallen body.

Carefully unbuttoning her dark shirt, Grisham grinned at the sight of the Queen's scarlet corset. Looking down he saw her milky white skin marred by the wound. He cautiously bandaged her gash by wrapping the handkerchief around her stomach. After tying a small knot, he stood up to scan the surrounding area. Seeing that they are absolutely alone on the cliff, Grisham picked her up from the ground and carried her toward his white charger.

"Geez. This woman weighs even less than Vera?! Probably doesn't eat enough, although Vera eats too much when the opportunity strikes." Grisham exclaimed sarcastically.

Placing her inert body on his horse, Grisham rapidly rode off toward the caves that dotted along the side of the cliffs. Reaching a particular one with a deep opening, Grisham carried the Queen from his charger to the inside of the dark cave. After laying her down near the opening of the cave, Grisham checked to make sure he wasn't being followed. His paranoia was justified. No one could ever find out about this incident. Colonel Montoya doesn't take too kindly that the thought of his own captain would help the Queen of Swords. He would probably have Grisham hanged for this furtive act.

Although Grisham himself wouldn't admit it, he had secretively admired the Queen for her courage and audacity to challenge Colonel Montoya's dictatorial rule since the day the she arrived in Santa Helena. Even Grisham himself hated the way Montoya's treatment toward him, his soldiers, and the people of Santa Helena. There are times that Grisham had slipped into the hypnotic power of Montoya's. To command his soldiers without question, to cheat people, and to hurt them without any defense is compelling that Grisham eventually have no care for others as well. Except for maybe Vera, Grisham doesn't have family, nor does he have friends. He is a lone man out in this world. There's no one to care for him and no one for him to take care of. Grisham is easily manipulated all his life and he unto others as well. Although he is insensitive to the injustices, he's also a victim of the cruel reality of society. In his mind, Grisham is aware of his actions and there were times he hated his exploitations of people but there's no incentive to change. He's riding on the coattails of the colonel and he's along for the thrill of it.

As for the Queen, she's special. She has always represented a part of Grisham that he would have done, if things were different. A rebel against authority and injustice, a symbol of the common people's hope, the Queen has a positive influence on everyone she encounters. Grisham, in one hand is in danger of going under her influence and on the other have an insatiable attraction for this mysterious woman.

At first it was a game of cat and mouse between him and her nowadays he's not so sure if he can even kill her if the time comes. Grisham kept this doubt in his mind, deceiving the soldiers and never reveal how he's truly feeling with sarcasm and wit towards the colonel.

Leaving the Queen inside the safety of the cave, Grisham climbed onto his charger and rode off towards the small town of Santa Helena. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ughh....what the...." Tessa had wakened up in a daze, while the blood had stopped flowing from her wound thanks to Grisham, she felt lightheaded and tired.

Slowly getting up in a standing position, she scanned the area around the cave. Seeing no danger in leaving, Tessa groped her way out towards the afternoon light filtering in.

"Marta is going to kill me! She's going to wonder where I am all this time." Tessa grumbled out loud. The headache is upsetting her, Tessa as the Queen of Swords have never allowed Grisham and his men to catch her before, but somehow today was an exception. Angry with herself, Tessa gradually made it outside and squinted under the setting sun.

"Where's Chico?! He must have run home when I let him go after Grisham caught me. I hope he's alright." As the Queen pondered this, she painfully walked home clutching her abdomen.

Returning to the hacienda, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief. Chico himself is locked inside the barn. One of her own workmen must have caught Chico wandering back from the cliffs to take him inside. Turning toward the back entrance to the Alvarado's kitchen, Tessa saw Marta ran outside heading for her. Grabbing Tessa in a tight embrace, Marta murmured a prayer of relief.

"You shouldn't have stole the gold bag today! Did you not notice that Grisham's men are especially cautious since the colonel had reprimanded them this morning about the recent escapades of yours to the town's treasury?!" Marta exclaimed.

"Marta! Shhhhhhh!!! Let's go inside." Tessa cautioned Marta of her outburst.

Seeing that Tessa is in serious pain and weariness, Marta helped her into the large kitchen of their hacienda. A fire was burning bright in one corner while a beef stew was simmering above it. The delicious smell was enticing and Tessa finally relaxed under Marta's comforting arms.

"I already know that Marta. But I had to! The poor farmers in Santa Helena needed me. This season's poor crop yield had led to the starvation of many people and their families. I can't stand to see those children without food, Marta. I just can't." Tessa replied almost in tears of anguish.

"Besides Marta, you don't have to worry so much for me anymore. The Queen of Swords just might disappear forever." Tessa added wearily.

Walking by herself in the dark night had scared Tessa. In this new situation, she was wary of any of her own enemies or bandits out there that might attack her while she's injured. This new fear had caused Tessa to doubt herself in her ability to maintain the Queen of Swords identity. Since the trek back to the Alvarado hacienda, Tessa thought about her responsibilities as this masked rebel of Santa Helena.

"Tessa, what are you talking about?" Marta inquired of Tessa's statement.

"Tessa? Tessa?!" Marta woke Tessa out of her reverie.

"Yes?" Tessa looked up to see Marta's anxious face.

"You must rest. I will help you with the clothes and your wound. Mios dios, child, you must take good care of yourself. Come on." Marta softly chided the younger woman.

After unwrapping Grisham's handkerchief and redress the lesion on Tessa's stomach, Marta helped Tessa put on her silk nightgown and into bed. As Tessa was about to drift off to sleep, Marta noticed the name embroidered on the bloodied handkerchief.

"Tessa? Where did you get this handkerchief?" Marta asked the drowsy Tessa.

"Hmmm? Oh, it's Captain Grisham's." Tessa sleepily replied.

"Captain Grisham's???" Marta pondered in bewilderment.

"I am sorry Marta but I am very tired right now, ask me tomorrow." Tessa said before falling into a deep sleep.

"Mama Mia." Marta softly responded, speculating about the encounter between Tessa and Grisham this time around.

















***Well? What does everyone think? I will leave this chapter as is. I would like to know if anyone likes this story. Hopefully there will be enough fans out there to support for more upcoming chapters. Don't worry about Grisham's current attitude toward Tessa, I am a Grisham/Tessa fan aren't I? This is an evolving story so stay tuned!;-P tp1031