This is a teaser fic, pretty strong content.
Her eyes opened and in that first moment, she simply was. A light, brilliant and beautiful was the entirety of her existing awareness. Then, it seemed to shrink slightly away and about it, a vast, blue firmament descended and for a time, she knew only a great wonder.
The sun. The sky.
Soon, the light-the sun-was joined by a sensation of warmth and in growing alertness, she discovered the existence of her form. Here and near, it was touched by the sun, yet encased in something coarse. Further down and on and yet still her, the sensation of heat was stronger and somehow free of confinement. In the second moment, she found movement and discovered the flexing of her fingers and toes, and with a gentle rocking, the motion came nearer and the firmament seemed to shift.
A vast, golden landscape, a desert rolled upward from the corners of her eye and in this, the third moment, she observed the other.
In that moment, and for many thereafter, he simply was. In her understanding, he was simply a thing not a part of the desert or the sky, but a part of her, alike but different and this was how it should be.
A man.
His eyes opened and she saw the firmament reflected in their shade and again knew the sensation of wonder. Then, nearer to her and further from him, something lighter seemed to extend and in that instant, a closer and answering force from within herself reached outward toward it and her fingers joined with his.
For a time, they simply lie together upon the floor of the desert, and as the fifth moment passed, she became aware of another thing. It circled idly about them, shaking its head and stomping with its foot and as it came nearer, the man rose and approached it.
A horse.
In the moment, an image seemed to form behind her eyes, and she saw the man within it, astride the horse, bound in crisp shapes of white and black. Now, as the image faded, and gazing downward, she found the same dark thing draped about her stomach and shoulders, a ruffled white shirt gathered around her waist.
Looking again at the man, she saw him not only in this moment, but in many others and in learning this, she realised that there were other images and other moments in her mind, things which had happened before.
"Me first."
A leering, reddened face loomed out from the shadows. Gasping, she turned, rushing away and in that instant, his arms enveloped her, pushing her behind him to safety. His cape swirled and his black hat fell to the ground as he lunged forward at the giggling man. They toppled to the floor, and then, suddenly, she was again grasped by his dark gloves. He was both behind and before her. Her vision clouded, and then suddenly, she was shoved forward into the dark fabric of his skirt, the dark gloves pulling at her skirts.
"Shut up, you fool, you're spoiling it."
"Step away."
The blade jutted forward, and suddenly he grabbed at his shoulder, releasing her and turning, and beyond him, a figure in black and white.
Her eyes opened, and once again, she was in this moment. Lifting her face from the flesh of his back, she found herself utterly still, yet in motion. Looking down, she saw her legs and his white pants encircling the sides of the horse. Ahead, far in the distance, grey shapes rose up from the desert floor and then suddenly, other men appeared.
"Luis!"
Gasping at the discovery of her own voice, she gripped Ramone tightly, screaming and frantic.
"Step away!"
Without warning, he lunged forward and the blade struck again, slicing away at his mask and then, another-still another-Zorro rose up behind Ramone, striking him on the back of his shoulders. The leering man, giggling with delight, swept up the fallen hat and mask and together the three descended on Ramone.
"Leave him, it's taking effect."
Her vision blurred, her body growing warm and listless as Zorro's face began to form before her eyes.
"Victoria!"
"Alcalde!"
"Madre de Dios, we've found them!"
An older man, a taller man, a soldier and none of them the same as the dark men in her mind, but familiar, like Luis.
"No, Diego, don't go any closer. Look at their eyes. They've been drugged."
"Alcalde?"
"Victoria!"
Victoria.
"Mendoza?"
And at Luis's words, she knew them.
Diego, his face creased with anguish, reached out to her in desperate entreat but her world was fading and spinning and in the next moment, she knew nothing.