Gypsy Trail

by West, Nicole Leigh

  Soft fur caressed her shoulders as Brishan wrapped them both in a coat. They curled inside, Snow-White and Rose-Red settling beside them on a sprig of lavender. They looked into each other’s eyes. They looked until they found the silent nothingness of sleep.

  Much later, something woke her up; her eyes blinked uncontrollably in the strong sunlight. Brishan’s body still warmed her, encased beneath the fur coat.

  “I warned you, Grace. I told you she’d be nothing but trouble.”

  The voice was low and pompous and…strange. Her eyes snapped open. It belonged to a short, stout man, standing above them. A woman stood next to him, blonde hair glinting in the sun and red lips pursed together so tightly they were turning pale through the paint.

  “Claudia, wake up this instant and look at me. What on earth is going on here? Why do you stare so? It’s me, your mother.”

  Chapter Seven

  The Promise of a Hug

  Brishan jumped up and the air swirled, cold and harsh. Claudia blinked over and over, trying to focus. Her arms ached as she pushed herself up from the chair, ignoring the knot in her stomach.

  She pushed her hand through the hair tangling about her face and pressed her palms over her dress to try to smooth the wrinkles.

  “What do you have to say for yourself, young lady?” This from the portly man, presumably Edward. A man so vile, so full of hatred that he’d sent her away from her own mother. She took a deep, shaky breath.

  “Excuse me, Sir, Madam,” Brishan said, keeping his eyes on the ground. “Last night we were attacked. Our camp was destroyed and these kind people have taken us in.” Brishan’s eyes flicked sideways, meeting Claudia’s.

  Claudia gasped, flinching as Brishan appealed to people far less worthy then he. His eyes skimmed the ground again, and his hands clasped in front of him. What must it cost him to behave so? She couldn’t imagine — and she wouldn’t allow it.

  “I am pleased to see you, Mother, Edward.” She dipped her head towards them, using every drop of energy left in her. “However you have come at the most inopportune time, we’re in the midst of a crisis. Perhaps you should stay in the village, until such time as these unfortunate people have had a chance to collect themselves and recover.” She breathed deeply and stood straight, with poise, as Mr Campbell had taught her.

  “Well, I never,” Grace Spencer said, royal blue eyes widening. “At least I see you’ve been well schooled, child, but this situation is, well, disappointing to say the least. As for your obvious association with these people…” She scanned Brishan from head to toe, then dismissed him with the flick of a hand.

  Claudia stood tall, directly facing her mother. “These people are my friends and I will help them. Please be so kind as to return in a few days, when we’ve had sufficient time to be useful to them.” Where did that come from? Brishan gawked at her as though she was an alien.

  She couldn’t explain the jolts of power zapping through her, as they had the night of the gatekeeper’s downfall, filling her with a sense of strength she’d only known since she’d met the gypsies.

  “You are making a fool of yourself, my dear, despite your eloquent words. We will not stand for it, do you hear?” Edward said, eyes glinting in their black circled sockets. He strode into the house, arms swinging wildly and head pushed forward like an angry bull about to go into the ring.

  Claudia glanced at Brishan as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, green eyes searching her own. “No matter what happens, we’ll get through this, I promise you, precious fairy. Always believe that,” he whispered in her ear, stroking the soft skin of her neck as his warm breath caressed her cheek.

  She shivered with the closeness of him. Despite all the chaos, she still felt awed by him, by his tenderness and strength and overpoweringly masculine smell. His black hair stood out from his tanned face, wildly framing his pointed eyebrows and she leaned into him, lifting her hand to smooth strands from his soot-covered cheeks.

  “Move away from my daughter. This instant.” Grace Spencer’s voice, controlled and sharp, pierced through the calm Brishan had started to create within her.

  Brishan turned and faced the woman, hands by his sides and eyebrows raised, a slight smile playing on his lips.

  “As you wish. For now,” he said, winking at Claudia and turning around, eyes already scanning the lines of people leaving the house.

  “What on earth…?” Claudia ran inside, in time to see Edward standing in the middle of the entrance hall, barking orders left and right for the removal of suitcases, instruments and pieces of cloth holding their precious, hidden treasures — along with the people who owned them.

  Claudia stood, eyes closed, trying to breathe normally. Brief gusts of wind whooshed by her cheeks as the gypsies ran outside, eager to escape the wrath of Edward, scared for their children, running for the safety of the hills and villages beyond.

  Snow-White and Rose-Red hovered close by her head, swirling around and around until she was dizzy with their movement. But she would not send them out, searching for Dane’s spirit, begging for his help. Oriana’s need was greater than hers, perhaps greater than everyone’s. She turned to stare at the stout English man as his voice boomed throughout the hall.

  “Please, Edward, I only ask for your charity. These people have suffered enough.” She spoke quietly and prayed the sincerity she felt would penetrate the man’s cold heart.

  Edward turned to look straight at Claudia. Stared as if he was seeing her for the first time. “I see you’ve grown into quite a beauty, like your mother. What a shame,” he sneered, “you have that unfortunate, dark colouring.” His face was impossibly ugly to her. “Why do you call me Edward?”

  “Because…that’s your name.” Claudia floundered, her face burning under the scrutiny.

  “I am your father and I will be addressed as such.”

  “All right then, Father.” The word caught in her throat. “Please extend your sympathy to my friends.” She grabbed her thighs to steady herself and looked him directly in the eyes.

  “Your friends?” Edwards raised his eyebrows. “These people are constantly purged from society for their bohemian, thieving ways. Last night was no accident, my dear. Vigilante groups, though I don’t condone such illegal pursuits, actually do us all a favour you know! And the police would have moved them on in any case.” Edward drew his last words out through smirking, twisted his lips.

  Grace moved to stand by her side. “Claudia, surely you know it’s illegal what they do, going from town to town tricking innocent people with their pathetic, pretend magic. They are not your friends, however they may act. The law would have most certainly dealt…” Grace paused, her white hand fluttering to her neck as she turned to look at the door.

  Eamon stood there, covering his mouth, stifling the cough that betrayed his presence. Selina was beside him, her back ramrod straight and her eyes fixed on Grace.

  “Be off with you then,” Edward barked.

  “We simply want to thank the lady of the house, Claudia, for her unrelenting kindness. We will be forever in her debt. You should be proud of her.” Selina remained poised and unflinching, now gazing directly at Edward.

  “You are not permitted to tell me what I should or should not be proud of. Leave.” Edward didn’t look at them.

  Selina took a step forward, but Eamon stretched a protective arm across his wife, pushing her behind him.

  Claudia felt her bottom lip tremble as the tears came. Shame burned its way down her throat, her chest, her stomach. Selina smiled at her, the gesture reaching her warm, dark eyes and piercing Claudia’s aching heart. Eamon raised his hand to his heart, then to his lips, blowing her a kiss.

  Then, the gypsies were gone. All of them. Gone.

  Great, rasping sobs escaped, the force of the emotion buckling her knees.

  “Good Lord, child, it can’t be that bad. I understand you’ve had a remarkable night, however, please, control yourself.” Grace Spencer…what a cold, brittle na
me…knelt in front of her, placing a cool hand on the top of her head. The woman’s voice was shrill and her touch unsettling in its lightness.

  Margaret rushed in from the kitchen, flour coating her cheeks and grey hair standing up in odd, curling strands around her face without the headscarf. She was twisting her voluminous apron around her hands. “Excuse me, Mr and Mrs Spencer, it’s my greatest pleasure to welcome you to the house. Please do accept my apologies for the sorry state you find us in.”

  She bustled behind Claudia and caught her beneath the arms, giving her a secret, sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder before pushing her towards the stairs. “You must understand that the girl has had no sleep and must go to bed at once. I’ll see to it, then I’ll prepare dinner for you both. Please, if you may, retire to the library and I’ll be there promptly.” Margaret pushed Claudia up the grand staircase before any objections could be made.

  “Now, now, dear, I will admit, our circumstances could not be more awful at present, but we must make the best of it. No good can come of vexing your…your parents,” she said in a dramatic stage whisper as they reached the top. “Go to bed, I promise I’ll not abandon you, nor will Lenny, but we must ensure Mr and Mrs Spencer are consoled, or it will be worse for all of us.” The housekeeper patted her on the back, ushering her towards her door.

  Claudia’s eyes were so swollen she could only stumble blindly into her room, half-registering Margaret’s words.

  She peeled back the covers and enfolded herself in their depths. The knot in her throat wouldn’t subside as the tears continued. Still, she closed her eyes, incapable of further thought, and tried to breathe through the pain.

  She awoke to find herself at the top of a tree, legs dangling from a branch and hands grabbing precariously to the sturdy trunk. Her white nightgown blew about in the gentle breeze. How did I get here?

  “Sweet one, how are you? I hope you don’t suffer as badly as I.” Dane sat beside her, black clad legs wrapped around the branch, hands free as he balanced unaided.

  “Dane?” She stared at him for long moments, drinking in his familiar, dark eyes. His brown hands reached out to smooth the wisps of her hair curling around her temples.

  The sky glowed pale pink with streaks of orange branching out towards the horizon. Jasmine perfumed the air and Claudia pushed her nose towards the smell, careful not to lose her hold on the branch at the same time.

  “Where are we?”

  “We’re safe, my dear daughter. We’re astral travelling, in a different dimension. In a world vastly different to the one we live in most of the time. I don’t know the address.” He laughed, a soft, sad laugh. “I only know I’ve been able to speak to people of my blood through my dreams, since I can remember. That is where we are.” He smiled and his face was so beautiful, so achingly familiar.

  “Bad times are ahead, my daughter, I won’t lie to you.” His face was serious now, but his eyes spoke of courage.

  “Bad times have already been.”

  “Ah yes, I know, my poor child, I know how you suffer.”

  “Have you found her?” She searched his face, the lines etched deeper now than ever before.

  “Yes. But she’s in danger still. Her beauty is…well…a curse sometimes. Men wish to own such passion as she has. But, for now it’s saved her from death.”

  “You can’t save her?” Claudia held her breath.

  “I can. But I fear the damage has already been done, and I must bide my time…to ensure safety for all of us.”

  Claudia felt her face crumple. Why is the world falling to pieces?

  “I tell you this because you’ve been sheltered from the world for too long — not to scare you. Sometimes fate grips us and won’t let us go, other times we can control it.” He looked down at his bare hands and shook his head. When he looked back up his eyes burned with fierce intensity.

  “Claudia, you must not tell Edward what you know. He’ll only be worse for it. At least he’s bound by societal rules dictating how fathers should behave. I will not have his hate for me affect you more than it already has. Go along with their ruse, for now.”

  “But I’m not staying here, I’ll go with Brishan, he’ll keep me safe, he…” She looked down. “He loves me…I think.”

  Dane chuckled, the sound drifting musically on the warm air. “Oh yes, he loved you the first time he saw you, my sweet one.” He touched her gently on her nose. “But he, also, is on a path to hard times. He has responsibilities he must face.” Dane put his hands over his face, briefly, and sighed.

  “Brishan has a fire burning within. He’s been that way since birth — running headlong into trouble, not caring if he puts himself in danger. You see, the adventurer in him clashes with the healer. And the healer is his destiny, whether he likes it or not. What this means for you, Claudia, for now, is simple. I won’t let you be with someone who’ll put you in the path of their own demons.”

  Claudia nodded, beginning to understand Dane’s warning. The pulsating twitch above Brishan’s mouth, the reckless way he rode his horse, the slow, burning anger that raged beneath the surface of his beautiful face whenever danger was near, or whenever he felt he’d upset her. All of it contrasted dramatically with the gentle, emerald-eyed Brishan she loved and knew so well.

  “Precious Claudia, always remember, nothing is permanent, life is transient. Hold this knowledge close when you’re scared and know that you’re safe and looked after by the spirits of our ancestors.”

  “When will I see you again?” Claudia whispered, inching forward on the branch towards the promise of a hug.

  “You will always see me, if you concentrate, if you believe, even if I’m across seas and over mountains. As you’re seeing me now.” He smiled and bent forward to cradle her in his arms.

  “Claudia, I’m here for you forever and I’ll always return when you call. Your pretty little Snow-White and Rose Red will ensure this.” Again, he laughed, as he always laughed. And the music returned to his eyes.

  “Miss Claudia, wake up, child, wake up, you must.” The frantic shaking rattled her bones as she fought to stay with Dane.

  Margaret, eyes wide and hair dishevelled without her curlers, stood above her, sharp hands gripping her shoulders.

  “Margaret, no, Dane…” Claudia scanned the bedroom, searching for her father’s face, only inches from hers mere seconds ago.

  “He’s not here, Claudia. But Brishan is outside, waiting for you.”

  “Oh.” Claudia sat up, fighting through disorientation.

  “Come now, your parents are asleep in the guest wing, they’ll not hear us now. You must dress.” Margaret held out her jeans and a jacket and helped her out of the nightgown she didn’t remember changing in to.

  “The gypsies have all gone into the hills, to take shelter there with the local villagers, but Brishan has returned to speak with you. Lenny and I will help you, Miss, but you must be inside and back in your bed by sunrise, do you understand? I don’t fancy being on the end of one of Mr Spencer’s temper tantrums again.”

  “Of course, Margaret.” Claudia slipped into the clothes, her heart now beating faster than it should.

  With Margaret behind her, full of silent warning, she crept through the back door. The night slapped her face with cold and frost covered the grass. She peered into the all-encompassing dark.

  “Claudia.” The whisper came from behind and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She turned, her gaze falling straight into Brishan’s green, black fringed eyes, twinkling in a sliver of light from the kitchen window.

  She stifled a sob and ran into open arms, feeling the deep thud of his heart as she moulded her body into his. “Are you real? I mean, am I dreaming?”

  He laughed, the sound raspy and low. “I’m real, my fairy. I take it you’ve been talking to Dane this night, too?”

  She nodded.

  “Don’t be alarmed, it’s a simple trick of mind projection, nothing magical or wizard-like about it. You too could do it of
your own will, if you were taught.”

  She nodded again, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth.

  He took a deep breath. “I’ve to come to say goodbye. I couldn’t leave without seeing you again, no matter the risk of your…um…parents catching me. But I promise I’ll return, we’ll all return, we won’t abandon you.” His words tumbled out as his hand grasped the side of her face.

  She wrenched his hand from her cheek. “What do you mean? Where will you go?” Her words sounded whispery, barely audible.

  “Through the hills, into the villages we know will welcome us and shelter us from this…uprising. And then towards England, hopefully on to the festival circuit, until we can rebuild the community again.” His words were clipped and his lips were drawn into a thin line, just visible in the pale light.

  “We need to work to recover. I can’t leave them, Claudia, not without Dane. They need me, for now at least. So many are old, or too young.”

  “But I—”

  “Claudia, I know how awful your mother and her husband must seem to you, but they’re just products of their society. The point is, they’ll feed you and house you and keep you out of danger. That’s something I can’t do. Not now. I just want you safe and away from harm, until I can look after you, properly. Right now too many others need looking after.”

  “But, I thought…” Her throat dried up as his words began to sink in. Reasons for leaving her behind, excuses, all of them. “I don’t need looking after.” Even as she said it, she knew it wasn’t true, knew she’d be a burden on him. But it didn’t matter, not now, not when being with him meant everything. “Please don’t leave me here.” The words drizzled out in the company of a rasping sigh.

  The frown between his eyebrows was far deeper than should be possible on such a young man. He stroked her nose, her hair, her collarbone and bent to kiss her lightly on the mouth. Salty liquid greeted her lips and she pulled back, stunned to see his face streaked with tears.