After the Fall(51)

Gigi followed as lightning flashed across the sky, and the heavy rain picked up its intensity, the gusts sending it sideways. Wiping the rain from her eyes, Gigi tried to see what was going on. Overhead, thunder boomed, and she stumbled and fell.

Three more boats pitched over in the swells, men and horses flailing, their screams rising above the howling wind. She got up and ran on. Magnus was headed for the end of the pier and she followed.

Frozen in shock, Verica stood with dozens of others. “Their boat — Alaric’s boat,” she sobbed.

“Stay here,” Gigi ordered, “and do not move. Stay where I can find you.”

Stricken, the queen nodded, and Gigi pushed her way through the horrified crowd, grabbing people she knew, giving orders. “Get everyone back. Make room to bring the survivors on shore.” “Get help — get supplies — blankets — now.” “Don’t panic — whatever you do — they need you to be strong.”

Gigi spotted Placidia scrambling down the jagged boulders underpinning the pier. Another bolt of lightning made Gigi’s hair stand on end, and the thunderclap hit almost simultaneously, nearly knocking the breath out of her.

“Placidia, no!” she yelled just as the princess fell between the boulders. The sea surged over her, her arms flailing to find something to grab and hold.

Gigi hurried over the slick rocks, desperate to reach her. As the wave receded, she glimpsed Placidia’s terror-filled gaze. “Placidia!” Gigi lunged for the princess as another wave hit, slamming her against a boulder — but she had a hand! She had Placidia! Pulling with all her strength, Gigi hauled her onto solid footing, but Placida immediately tried to head back to the rocks.

Gigi held her fast, shouting, “What are you doing?”

“Athaulf’s boat — I must help — my husband is in the water. Let me go — ”

“No, Placidia! The surf will kill you. You’ll be no help, and when he swims ashore he’ll find you dead.”

The words must have sunk in, because Placidia stared at Gigi, eyes wide with fright. “But … I can’t do nothing,” she wept. “I can’t just stand by and watch.”

Struggling for a response, Gigi looked around and then spotted some women praying on a nearby hill.

“Placidia, get Verica and go up on that hill and pray. You can’t jump in the water and kill yourself. I won’t allow it!”

There was a flicker in Placidia’s eyes and then she was gone, thankfully toward the hill this time.

Shouts. Screams. Gigi ran toward the end of the pier. Waves crested, crashing across the top, driving people to their knees, and sweeping some into the sea. Hulls of overturned boats rose up, only to disappear again.

Pushing her way forward, she finally reached Magnus, who was grasping at swimmers and bodies alike, trying to get them out. Helping where she could, she glanced back, and saw most of the people had retreated. Some were on the hill praying with Placidia and Verica, and she spotted Randegund with them, arms raised, her white hair whipping in the wind.

Along the beach, people helped survivors get ashore. Gigi saw a horse rise out of the waves, stumble across the sand, and dash up the hillside.

“Magnus,” she yelled, “we should go to the beaches!”

But he was staring out to sea, a look of shock on his face. Gigi followed his gaze and cried out. Athaulf, Alaric, and another man clung to an overturned boat, the sea roiling around them. Athaulf’s head was up, but not Alaric’s, and Athaulf had a death grip on the king’s arm.

Magnus started for the water, but Gigi grasped his arm. “You can’t help them. You’ll die if you go in there!” He struggled against her, but she refused to let go. “You’ll take me with you if you go in — you choose!”

He glared at her, then looked to where she pointed along the shore.

“Over there,” she shouted. “The surf is pushing them over there.”

He nodded, and they ran down the pier together, reaching the beach just as lightning crashed somewhere close. The atmosphere reeked of sulfur as thunder shook the earth. The surf pounded the shore, great sprays of saltwater filling the air, and Gigi could see huge boulders just off the beach. Even if Alaric and Athaulf survived the rough seas, they would have a terrible time avoiding the rocks. The beach was already littered with pieces of boats and rigging, and there were bodies everywhere.

While Magnus kept watch for Athaulf, Gigi hurried among the debris, turning bodies over and checking for signs of life. When one man threw up a stomach full of seawater, she waved for help, and soon he was taken away to be treated.