by Stephy Smith
Loud cracks of tree branches breaking and rustling in the underbrush silenced him. He held his breath. Gasping from the woods grew louder and nearer.
Sam took several steps toward the sound. A low, half-scream, half-sob echoed down the path. He rushed into the tree line. It had to be Aisley. He recognized her cries. His blood rushing through his veins pounded his neck against the collar of his shirt. The bile rose in his throat.
“Where are you?” He called out when he stopped to listen. There was no answer. A shiver ran down his spine. His eyes scanned the area, looking for any movement to give him a clue as to where she could be.
She emerged from a bush he had stopped close to. Her body slammed into his, knocking him to the ground. He jumped up just in time to see Aisley collapse on the ground in front of him.
“Over here!” He called over his shoulder to the rest of the clan.
****
Aisley’s breath was knocked from her body when she hit something hard and collapsed to the ground. When she opened her eyes, Sam was leaning over her. His calloused hand caressed her cheek.
Sam swiftly swept her dripping wet body into his arms and carried her into the center of the camp. He sat her on a large rock near the fire. Sierra called for warm water and squeezed rags over Aisley’s mud-smeared body. Her face stung as the water penetrated the scrapes and cuts the branches left on her face. The mumbles of the clan pounded in her aching head.
Shivering from the cold rain, Aisley tried to speak but her chattering teeth prevented any understandable words to slide from her half-frozen mouth. Someone brought a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. A woman brought a warm cup of tea. The smell of the fire mixed with the crisp air of the camp. She drew in a deep breath and was thankful she was no longer in the cabin.
“Someone needs to tell Aleandro that his daughter has returned,” Sam’s mother, Abagail Grey, said as she helped Sierra tend to Aisley.
Sam knelt on one knee, holding Aisley’s hand; her fingers gripped his.
“I have told him,” Oscar, her husband said. “He’s on his way.”
Aleandro’s face was wet with tears. Darkness etched across his brow as he hugged his daughter to his chest. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again. Are you all right?”
Aisley looked into the sunken red eyes of her father; she had never seen her father cry and she was sure he had been now. Something was terribly wrong. Where was her mother? She looked to Sam for answers. His brow was creased and he glanced at Aleandro.
“Yes, I’m all right. I heard the men who took me, talking. Who was shot with an arrow? They said it was a woman and they laughed when they heard her screaming.” Quivering, Aisley could feel her heart pulse in her chest as the fear continued to run ferociously through her body.
“Your mother.” Aleandro lowered his head. His tears flowed, his shaking body held tight to Aisley. “She heard you scream and she got there before the rest of us.”
Aisley wasn’t sure she wanted to hear anymore. She had thought the last scream she’d heard was her own, now she knew it was from her mother. Shaking her head as if that would make it all go away; the pain, the tears, the fear swirled around in her mind.
“Is she going to be all right?” Aisley whispered, as her heart plummeted to depths deep within her own soul. Looking at Sam for guidance, she saw for the first time the concern, fear and worry reflected in his eyes. She read his surprise as he heard the news for the first time also.
“I pray so,” Aleandro said. The doubt showed on his face clearly.
“I must go to her.” Aisley resigned her fears and replaced them with the strength of a fierce lioness she knew her mother needed. She glanced at Sam, turned and went to her mother’s side, unsure of what she would find.
Entering the vardo, Aisley saw her mother’s blood-soaked clothing. Pain filled her before she could recover. Her mother’s eyes were closed, giving Aisley a chance to pull herself together before she spoke, “Mama, can you hear me?”
Rosanna reached for her daughter’s hand. Steadying herself, Aisley took it in hers and pressed it to her cheek. With confidence that she no longer felt, Aisley asked, “Has Sam been to see you?”
Rosanna tried to speak, but only shook her head. She opened her eyes only for a moment. There was no color in her face and the life had all but escaped from her eyes. Aisley’s heart clenched, but she knew she couldn’t let her mother see her losing her ability to be strong when she needed to be strong. Aisley quickly went to the door.
She called for Sam as she stepped out of the vardo. “Sam, would you try healing mother? I know you can do it on horses. But will you try on Mama?” Aisley’s pleading mixed with the fear in her voice. She wanted nothing more than to escape this madness in the comfort of Sam’s strong arms, but she knew now was not the time.
“I’ll try. I just got back and heard what had happened. I’m sorry, Aisley. I should have been here for you, for your family.” His words were sincere as he held her at arm’s length. “I’ll do everything in my power to make things right for you and your family if it takes me forever and a day.”
“We’ll talk later. Right now, Mama needs you. She has lost a lot of blood. It may be...too late.” Despite trying to sound strong and confident, tears spilled over the brims of her eyes. She tried to smile and could tell Sam was fighting his own his own demons. However, she was grateful that he had agreed to help her and there was no time to reflect on these things, for time was running out for her mother and they had to act as quickly as possible.
“What do you need? I’ll gather it for you while you begin treatment on Mama.” Her voice was strangled with concern. “I need to cleanse myself before I step into the vardo. It doesn’t take but a minute for me to get myself ready. I’ll need herbs crushed and clean bandages to dress her wound. If you can gather the herbs and crush them into a poultice while I cleanse myself, I’ll be ready to start.”
He described the herbs he needed and told her they were in his saddlebag. Aisley called for the boy who took Sam’s horses and asked him to bring the saddlebag to her. The boy disappeared for only a minute before he came back and handed her the pouch of herbs Sam had asked for.
Throwing them into a bowl, she took to grinding them together while other women of the clan cut strips of white cloth for the bandages. When Sam returned, everything had been set up and he entered the vardo. There was a strong radiance surrounding his body and a smile on his face that chased away the harmful energy inside the vardo.
Keeping the negativity away from Rosanna, Sam began a silent prayer giving thanks and asking for guidance, while Aisley cut the blouse to expose her mother’s wound. Increasing his smile, he ordered Aisley to clear her mind of all negative things and focus on positive, then to take hold of her mother’s hand and send warm loving thoughts.
Aisley did as Sam asked. Never doubting, never questioning, she sent all of her love into her mother. It was more than she had ever felt and she knew it was coming from being close to Sam. She had forgotten the fear and could feel her body draining as her mother freely accepted all of the energy being sent to her.
The low murmurs of prayers from outside the vardo surrounded Aisley, emitting more energy than the two of them could conjure up together.
Chapter Four
Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. He leaned back in the chair by the bed. His neck ached from leaning over to cleanse Rosanna’s wounds and apply the poultice before he bandaged it. Aleandro and Aisley sat close by. There was nothing more to do at this point.
“Call a meeting of the clan. Instruct them to move as quickly as possible.” Sam nodded as he listened to the quiver in Aleandro’s voice.
“We can go for a few hours and let her rest now. She will need her strength to recover and we are overwhelming her at the moment with all of the energy she is receiving.” Sam lightly touched Aisley’s arms and she followed him out of the door.
All eyes turned to him as he stepped outside of Aleandro’s vardo
.
“Aleandro asks you all to pray and send healing to Rosanna.” Sam addressed the crowd from the steps of the vardo.
A low murmur spread throughout the group. Sam waited for the onlookers to quiet down. “He also asked to move the clan four days to the west. You must move away from the danger of the gaje.”
“Is Rosanna able to be moved?” Oscar Grey stepped forward.
“No, Father. They will remain here until she gets better and then join the clan.”
“We can’t up and leave them unprotected,” Oscar said.
“Aisley will be blamed for the death of the man in the cabin. I will remain with the Smith family. There is much to be done for them.” Sam pointed to the vardo. “Aisley also will remain behind to assist. Aleandro wishes you to move as quickly as possible.”
The crowd lingered around for a few minutes before they dispersed.
Aisley and Sam both took a deep breath. Tears slid down her cheeks and he knew what she was experiencing.
“This is a normal feeling, Aisley. We must do a release before we give the next treatment. You’ll feel this every time we step out after a treatment. Don’t fight it. It helps cleanse us for the next round,” Sam said, unashamed of the tears sliding down his face. He pulled Aisley to his broad chest and let her cry herself out before releasing her.
Comforting her brought a new calmness to his soul. It was as if she had always been there since they were little. Sam remembered the day his parents had taken him to his grandparent’s clan. His Grandfather Grey was sick and didn’t last long after they had arrived. But they stayed to help with his grandmother until her death. The heartache he felt when he had to leave Aisley devastated him. He missed out on her teenage years and getting to know her.
There was no sense in reliving the past. What mattered now was tending to Rosanna, and then he could work on rekindling his friendship and affection for Aisley. His heart ached as she moved away. He watched as she made her way down the path to the black cypress.
He loved the way her body blended into his as she leaned against him and her ragged breaths breathed life into his very existence. He couldn’t say he loved her but the tingles running down his spine, the warmth searing his veins, was more than a physical attraction.
Heat radiated from his neck to his cheeks. How could he be thinking of an amorous relationship in a moment like this? He tried to push his carnal desires from his mind and concentrate on the problems set before him. Right now, she needed his strength to draw on, not his selfish desires to quench the flames her body was causing on his flesh.
Oscar and Abagail strolled to Sam’s side.
“Son, we are proud of you. We know you will do everything you can for Rosanna and her family. Please be careful and keep an eye out for the men who did this. I have a terrible feeling we have not seen the last of them.” Oscar hugged Sam.
“We will be praying for you, too, Sam.” Abagail reached up and touched Sam’s face. Sam pulled her into his embrace. Her tears silently streamed down her cheeks.
Within the hour, the last of the vardos left the camp. A shiver ran through Sam. He turned and strolled back to the remaining wagon. Lifting his hand he tapped on the doorframe and then walked in. Aisley had returned from her walk and he was surprised he hadn’t noticed. Aleandro sat next to his wife, holding her hand, and squeezing water over her feverish body.
Rosanna’s skin had turned red and angry-looking where the infection had set in. Sam opened the wound and let the blood flow freely. Aisley worked beside him, preparing the poultice. She handed him the bowl and he applied the fresh herbs to the wound.
Sam noticed the change in Aisley. She sat with a smile on her face and her eyes sparkled with love as she gazed at Rosanna. Aisley’s voice was soft and filled with tenderness as she recited happy stories to her mother. He drew off her strength and encouragement.
After the treatment, the three gathered around the fire. Together, Sam and Aisley worked with Aleandro, teaching him how to release his negative energy and replace it with positive for Rosanna to soak in.
Rosanna’s body fought hard as she clung to a life she was unwilling to give up so easily. Sweat poured out of her, convulsions shook the vardo, and Rosanna talked in a foreign tongue that Sam didn’t understand. Everything was happening so fast as the three took turns sitting beside Rosanna.
Aleandro would disappear down to Aisley’s black cypress for long periods at a time. He shared that he would go there to shed his negative energy and renew the positive as he’d grown to love this place and now understood why Aisley had spent so much time there. When he would return to give what he could to his wife, he told her of the peaceful place that Aisley had taken into her heart long ago when they first arrived.
“When news of the man’s death gets back to Jefferson they’re going to blame us,” Aleandro told Sam and Aisley as they sat around the fire, waiting for a pot of broth to heat. Sam poured a dipper of warm broth into a bowl and instructed Aleandro to let Rosanna take small sips. Before leaving, Aleandro turned to Aisley and Sam and said in a quiet voice, “You two need to catch up with the others. I’ll stay here with Rosanna.”
“No, I will not leave her! You can’t ask me to do that.” Aisley shook her head defiantly. “I will not and cannot abandon either one of you. It’s unfair to ask such a thing.”
“Aisley, you must listen. You have to leave. I can’t lose you too.” The burden and reality of the suggestion was written on his face with such intensity it broke Sam’s heart. His own fear of losing Aisley and her parents was more than he wanted to occupy his mind.
Sam watched in silence, and then he broke in. “She’s right, Aleandro. We’re going to stay.” He was surprised at the strength he had found. There was no way he was going to leave Aisley behind while he tucked his tail to run. He would stand and fight like a man if he had to, he would die beside Aleandro while protecting the family who had become so dear to him. He knew deep in his heart he would marry Aisley when this was all over. No matter what it took, they would be together.
Aleandro shrugged his shoulders and walked toward the vardo.
Aisley walked behind him. “I’ll help you with Mama.”
Sam turned his attention back to the fire. He sat watching the flames tickling and jumping as if chasing each other around the rock enclosure. Aisley’s image of the night she danced for the fire came to his mind. How nice it would be if only she had a reason to, now. Under the circumstances, Sam didn’t know when the next time he would see her as passionate as she was that night.
The sound of riders approaching caught his attention.
Jumping to his feet, Sam warned the others; they huddled together between the riders and the vardo. They were ready to defend the precious cargo that lay healing inside.
“Where is the Gypsy wench who killed the trapper?” one of the men asked. A hideous laugh filled the air, echoing in the surrounding area.
“As you can see we are the only ones here. What did this woman look like?” Aleandro asked.
“Like all Gypsy trollops,” the second man said, then both of the men laughed. Sam felt the shivers take over Aisley. He gripped her arm tighter. Fear that the men would recognize her shook him to the bones. He waited impatiently for the sign, but none came to the faces of the two gajes.
“We know nothing about that,” Aleandro said, with a vengeance that caused Sam to straighten his posture and stand strong to meet an attack of the trappers. For the second time in his life, he wished he had the gun he had hidden in his trunk.
“You best be moving on,” the first man said. Smiling at his partner, showing his yellow, broken teeth, he gave a nod and spit his tobacco on the ground at Sam’s feet. Aisley grabbed Sam’s arm.
“We’ll help you along,” the second man glanced at the first and pulled out his rope. Deliberately, he hooked one end of it on the vardo; Sam noticed that the other end was tied to his saddle horn. The first man went to the other end and repeated the actions. With a nod, the men s
purred their horses hard, pulling the vardo over into the fire. Dropping the ends of the ropes, the men rode off into the darkness as their evil laughter lingered behind loud and clear.
****
“Rosanna! Rosanna!” Aleandro ran to the vardo with Sam on his heels. Aisley froze, tears welled in her eyes, and the beat of her heart pounded against her rib cage. Her own screams echoed in her ears and she peered through her wet lashes as the fire grew larger. The fingers of death squeezed the life from her heart as the strength left her body. Aleandro pulled on the door while Sam kicked the top of the vardo.
Within seconds, the severity of the scene replaced her shock. She ran to her father’s tools, grabbed a hammer, and handed it to Sam to help him pry off the boards. Aisley covered her ears as the screeching from the nails mixed with her mother’s screams. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She trembled as Sam and her father disappear into the burning vardo. Aisley held her breath until they carried out her mother’s burning figure.
Aleandro and Sam quickly placed Rosanna’s frail body on the ground away from the burning wagon. The fresh blood from the wound flowed again and her screams were louder than before. Aisley ran to get a pail of water and pour on her mother’s burning clothes as the material melted to her mother’s flesh. Her blood pooled on the ground. Rosanna’s moans were unbearable as they ripped through Aisley’s heart.
The two men returned, galloping at full speed, torches in hand. Aleandro clung to his wife, shielding her with his body, he yelled for Sam to take Aisley and run and don’t turn back. The men tossed the flaming torches at Aleandro and Rosanna. Aleandro fought to put out the fire on Rosanna’s clothing. His own pain filled the silence of the cypress trees surrounding the vacant camp.
Sam grabbed Aisley’s hand, dragging her with him into the stand of cypress. Gunshots echoed and then the screams intensified. Aisley stopped dead in her tracks. Breaking free of Sam, she ran back. Her parents were now engulfed in flames and she heard the last scream as it escaped her mother’s lips. Aisley could hear their sizzling skin and smell their burning blood and flesh. Aleandro slumped next to his wife. Their bodies twined together, fused together by the flames of death. Aisley froze where she stood, mortified at the scene before her as she watched her parents burning, clinging to each other. Darkness closed in to overtake her.