Roi de Camargue

In the wind‑kissed plains of the Camargue, Livette tends the modest kitchen of the Château d’Avignon’s farm, preparing the evening meal while the region swarms with revelers for the Saintes‑Maries‑de‑la‑Mer festival. The landscape, a patchwork of salt marshes and ancient olive groves, frames a quiet life that suddenly feels the pull of something stranger. As the day wanes, a shadow darkens her window, and a striking gypsy woman—known by locals as the Queen—appears, her copper‑braided hair and jeweled amulet marking her as a figure of both allure and menace.

The Queen demands a bottle of olive oil, insisting she can see it hidden in Livette’s pantry and promising a glimpse of the girl’s future in return. Livette, wary yet compassionate, refuses, citing the scarcity of oil and offering bread instead, while the mysterious visitor weaves tales of Livette’s childhood among the old olive trees. Their tense exchange hints at deeper secrets and the looming influence of the Queen’s enigmatic power over the lives of those who dwell in the Camargue.