A Vagabond's Tale [COMPLETED]

Chapter 1 - "Did you find any survivors?"

Twigs snapped beneath Gigi's bare feet as she hurried through the cluster of trees. Sunlight flickered in and out as leaves fluttered. In the distance, the faint strains of a fiddle drifted through the air. Coarse dirt gave way to uneven sand as Gigi stepped onto the secluded beach.

Gigi moved to the water's edge, the folds of her skirt clenched in her hand. Waves crashed against damp sand and raced up to engulf her feet. The sun's rays touched the edge of the world, trailing it's robe of soft peaches, oranges and pinks. 

The undulating water before her melted from her mind as she conjured up images of grand ballrooms, lavish grounds, and richly dressed lords and ladies. A smile tugged at her mouth as she sat in the vision.

The images vanished as a rush of cold water splashed over her feet. A sigh escaped her lips and the world came back into focus. She dropped her gaze, curling her toes in the sand. 

Her gaze rose, landing on a blurry object bobbing in the water. Curiously, she watched it as it rose and fell on the waves. As she studied the vague outline, it edged closer. Leaning forward, she narrowed her eyes. Clarity hit her and her heart faltered. In an instant she was fumbling with the belt around her waist. The soft leather was tossed to the sand, followed a second later by her skirt.

Gigi splashed into the sea and dived. Cold water enveloped her. She burst through the surface, her arms stretching forward, pulling further in. With each stroke, she fought against the current. Water dashed itself against her face, as waves threatened to drag her under. Her heart pounded in her ears. Her breath came in short bursts. Salt water flooded her mouth and tangled her hair. Her arms ached, her legs beating against the ocean's strength.

Eventually, she drew closer to the object. A plank of wood, an arm and the upper half of a torso.

With weakening limbs, she pushed on, struggling to make it. When she curled her fingers around the waterlogged wood, she let out an exhausted gasp. Her lungs burned and the cold leeched her energy. The figure was a young man, black hair obscuring his face. Gigi shifted the plank. She swiped away the young man's hair, revealing tanned, defined features.

She placed one hand on his chest but couldn't feel the thrum of a heart beat. Water lapped at the wood, and splashed over his body. Gigi eyed the sky warily, the last trails of the sun slipping beyond the horizon. She turned back towards the shore and started kicking, one hand clamped on the wood. 

The tide carried her, buoying the plank behind her. Waves crested over her, pulling her down. Her shirt clung to her, tugging at her. Her body ached with fatigue as soft sand sank beneath her feet. She kicked harder, searching for a solid footing.

When she found purchase on the ocean floor, she turned back towards the wood. She wrapped her arms around the man's torso. Her limbs shook as she pulled herself and the man toward the beach. She groaned as the water released them and she pulled the man further up the shore. The body dropped lifelessly as she let go. Damp sand collapsed under her knees as she stumbled to the ground. She coughed up sea water, her body shaking with the effort.

Taking one more deep breath, she shifted over to the man. Pulling her curls over one shoulder, she lowered her head to his chest and closed her eyes. Waves crashed around her, seagulls squabbled above. A smile touched Gigi's lips as she heard the faint drumming of his heart.

"Stars above, you're alive. That in itself is a miracle," Gigi breathed. "How did you survive?"

She looked at his handsome face. She shook his shoulder, urging him to wake up. When that attempt failed, she tapped his cheeks, trying to bring him back.

Finally, with a sigh, she drew back her hand and slapped him. He jerked awake with a gasp, water spouting from his mouth. He rolled to the side, heaving up the contents of the ocean. His body trembled, his arms barely supporting him as his lungs emptied every drop of water.