Gypsy in Black: The Romance of Gypsy Travelers

by Sarah Price

  “Rom Baro!” Robello called out first, waiting several seconds before shouting louder, “Nicolae!” This time, they heard movement from inside. Sahara emerged from the tent opening and stepped outside. Her eyes were dark and confident as she stared at the group of people in front of her. In her arms, she clutched her baby, hugging Lea tightly as she stood before the gypsies. “What is wrong, Robello? Has something happened?”

  The older man glanced over his shoulder at the small crowd. Taking a deep breath, Robello looked back at Sahara. Her long, black hair hung over her shoulder. The baby in her arms tangled her pudgy fingers in it, pulling gently to get her mother's attention. The child had all the same features as her mother: the dark glowing eyes, high cheekbones, slightly puckered lips. The only feature of her father's was the very obvious gypsy nose. But the hair. It was the hair that bothered Robello. The child's thin patch of hair was highlighted over the right ear with a small patch of white. “We have come to speak with the Rom Baro.”

  “Is something wrong, Robello, that you wish to see the Rom Baro?” she asked.

  The concern in her voice touched Robello. Was she truly so blind? So self-centered as to not have no idea to the unrest among the gypsies? “Nothing, romni. We must speak with Nicolae, ‘tis all.”

  “Well, you cannot.” She stated. The crowd murmured and some of the men seemed to shuffle on their feet. “You see, he isn't here.”

  The noise among the crowd grew louder. What did she mean? The Rom Baro left camp? No one had been aware of that. Robello lifted his hand to silence the people behind him. “Romni, where is the Rom Baro and when is he expected?”

  “Well, he was expected last evening so I assume he'll be back sometime tonight.” Sahara shifted Lea in her arms. The baby gurgled, giggling to herself as she tugged harder at Sahara's hair. “He's been gone almost a week.” The crowd began to talk at once. Never had a Rom Baro left his kumpania without informing someone. Never had a Rom Baro been gone for so long without anyone noticing his absence. A panic began to rise among the people. Sahara was quick to explain. “He went in search of supplies and to hear any news of the weather up north. Word had traveled to the Rom Baro that one of the kumpania that left several weeks ago may have been caught in a sudden blizzard. Many gadjo up north have perished. He thought it best not to tell anyone until he found out what has happened.” The crowd silenced again, ashamed of themselves for thinking the Rom Baro had been hibernating everyday in his wagon, his back to his people when, in fact, he had been traveling alone in search of news and to make sure it was safe to venture north again. “Now, what is so urgent, Robello? What is so important for the Rom Baro?”

  Robello smiled at her, ashamed, too, for doubting Nicolae's capability to lead them. “Nothing, romni. Nothing at all.” Quickly, the crowd dispersed, talking quietly among each other about the sudden turn of events. Emilian had been wrong. Nicolae had not forgotten the people. Instead, they had been on his mind more than anyone had expected. It was out of concern that he had left and out of concern that he would return. The gypsies knew they would only have to wait for Nicolae to return before packing up and moving out.

  As Sahara had predicted, later that evening, Nicolae rode into camp. His face was flushed and he led two horses, laden with sacks of food. A few people had already retired but most of the gypsies crowded around him, laughing and smiling as they took the sacks from him, eager to hear what their Rom Baro had to say. Nicolae searched the crowd with his eyes, catching Sahara's. Quickly he dismounted and he walked over to her. The excited crowd waited breathlessly, knowing Nicolae was going to present his wife with a gift, a token of his love and respect as all good husbands did when separated from their families for any period of time.

  Sahara stood on the outskirts of the group, holding Lea protectively in her arms. The child wore a pale cream-colored dress with lace around the collar and sleeves. Upon her head, even though the sun had retired many hours ago, Sahara had tied a beautiful white bonnet. In the radiance from the fire, both mother and daughter stared at him, their cheeks pressed lightly together and their eyes catching the orange flickers from the flames. Lea seemed to be watching Nicolae with the same curiosity and love as was in Sahara's eyes.

  Stopping before them, Nicolae reached out to brush Sahara's cheek. Then, with fatherly affection, he tweaked Lea's nose, causing a tired giggle to escape her puckered lips. Reaching into his pockets, Nicolae withdrew a thick gold ring with a dark stone centered on it. He took Sahara's hand, sliding it gently on a free finger. Her neck was covered with gold necklaces and her wrists with bracelets. But the only other ring she wore was the one Nicolae had given her after Lea was born. “I did not forget you, my devoted wife, while we were apart.” He leaned forward, kissing her forehead softly before turning around to face the people. “I have good news for everyone.”

  The crowd silenced, eagerly awaiting word from their leader. He let them wait in silence as he scanned the crowd. He had known what they were thinking and he had known what they were considering. Now, it was time to let them know the truth. “Late winter storms are cursing the north. Even though we are far from them, I feared we would touch sudden cold weather and be taken ill. While many of you were anxious to move north and thought that I had forgotten you, it was because of you that we stayed. I have ridden north. I have gone as far as I could to learn the truth in order to protect our kumpania. The storms have moved north and the weather on our trail is warming to the spring sun. We will leave tomorrow.”

  The crowd cheered, laughing and smiling, relieved to know they would finally begin their travels again. The winter had been long and marked with few incidences worthy of remembrance, with the exceptions of the Rom Baro's death and Lea's birth. Someone shouted out, “Tonight will be our last slava! Our tribute to the sedentary months and our relief for the months of travel ahead of us!” The people began to laugh again, hurrying

  away as they began to prepare for the final slava at the winter grounds.

  Nicolae watched them leave before turning to Sahara. His eyes were weary, heavy bags underneath them. The past week had not been easy. The days were long with continual horseback riding. The nights had been sleepless for he missed the loving body that curled against him every night. The mornings were lonely for there was no baby's cry to awaken him. But now he was home, back with the woman he loved and the child their love had created. “I am in no mood for a slava, S'hara. Instead, I wish to retire early.”

  “I'll get you something to eat then. Certainly you are hungry after such a long journey.”

  Nicolae placed his hand on the back of her neck, holding her tight but careful not to crush Lea. “I am hungry, yes, but only for you.”

  Back in the tent, Sahara laid the drowsy Lea on her bed of pillows, covering the baby with a soft blanket to keep the slight chill of the night off her. She stared into the sleeping face for a couple minutes before turning to Nicolae.

  He was sitting on the oak trunk, tugging at his black leather boots. Quickly, Sahara hurried over, helping him pull the boots off. She set them aside and stood before Nicolae. “You made the people very happy. The men were here earlier, wanting to speak to you. I think they were going to tell you they wanted to leave. There has been talk among the people. Your brother has been stirring their desire to leave. Instead, you returned and told them what they wanted to hear.”

  Nicolae sighed and reached out for her hand. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. “S'hara, if you only knew the things I have heard. The blizzard fooled many, yes. But they also fooled the gypsies. Indeed the storm was further north than I believed but the first kumpania that left was caught in it. I do not know what has become of them. But it cannot be good.” He noticed the dark cloud fall over her face. Not wanting to ruin the mood, Nicolae smiled and brushed the hair off her neck. “Enough of that. There will be time to mourn for them when we know what has happened, yes? But for now, my beautiful wife, I want to love you like never before. I vowed
I would never be apart from you again but I had to break that vow for the people. Now, I must amend for it, yes?”

  Nicolae pressed his lips against hers, kissing her with all the passion that had built up within him over the past week. He could feel her heart pounding as he held her tight, one arm tucking under her legs as he lifted her up and carried her to their mattress. Setting her on her feet, Nicolae took a step back, carefully helping her undress. The softness of her skin warmed him as he ran his hands over her body as each layer of clothing slowly fell to the ground. When she finally stood naked before him, Nicolae kissed her shoulders, her breast, her stomach. He kissed every part of her body, wanting to taste her skin before he made love to her.

  Their bodies entwined as they had so many other nights in the past but each time was as the first, a moment of love and passion so intense, Sahara knew it could never get better. But always on the next night, when Nicolae held her tight, kissing her and loving her, it was better. So much better than Sahara had remembered. And she wanted him over and over again. She wanted to feel the warmth of his eyes staring into hers, telling her how much he wanted her, needed her, loved her. Always he told her how he loved her and could never go on living without her. And then, they'd make love again, their bodies joined as one and their hearts molded together for all eternity.

  Sahara lay in his arms, caressing his back, still sweaty from their lovemaking. His breath was warm on her throat as he rested his head on the pillow, his face next to hers. One hand rested on her waist, the other was tangled into her silky hair. He opened his eyes, watching her stare at the top of the wagon. “What are you thinking, S'hara?”

  She turned her head, her eyes meeting his gaze. “I was thinking about leaving here. I had hoped we could stay here forever. It was so wonderful. Lea was born, we fell in love...”

  Nicolae pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her from finishing the rest of the sentence. “I always was in-love with you, S'hara. Only here, I realized how much.”

  She reached a hand up and wrapped her fingers around his, gently kissing his fingertips. “And I too. I love you, Nicolae. I love you so much. I think I loved you from the first night we danced.” She hesitated, and then smiled. “The night we were married. Only I didn't know it then.”

  Nicolae kissed her shoulder. “And if I remember correctly, you weren't too happy about it when you found out, yes?”

  Sahara leaned on her elbow, gazing at him. The darkness shrouded his face, hiding his expression from her. She longed to know what he was thinking and how he felt. She wanted to crawl inside him and curl around his heart. “I think deep down I wasn't so upset. I mean, my life at the saloon was going nowhere. And now I had this man, the future leader of the kumpania. You didn't make it easy on me, Nicolae, never telling me what I was doing wrong or about the customs.”

  Nicolae laughed softly, pressing his palm against her cheek. He could barely believe that the loving woman staring down at him was the same feisty girl he had fallen in-love with almost one year ago. He sighed, leaning back into his pillow, one arm over his forehead as he thought back to those days. They seemed like years ago. “You were an innocent child then and now, you are a woman. A loving mother, a wife, a gypsy. Yes, you are truly gypsy now, S'hara.” He moved his arm and stared at her. There was a growing orange glow from outside. It shone through the narrow cracks in the wagon, reflecting off her winter-faded golden skin. “I love you, S'hara. I cannot imagine life without you and Lea. She is so perfect, an exact replica of you. One day, she will marry a man and make him as happy as you have made me.”

  Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. “And I love you, Nicolae.”

  After they had made love again, they fell asleep, oblivious to the music and dancing outside. Their sleep was peaceful, their legs entwined and their arms tossed lazily over each other with the blankets tossed aside. They shared their dreams of each other and their child. They dreamed of the many more children they wanted and how their life would be years down the road.

   

  The Rom Baro stood with Nicolae and the girl, Miquela. He could see the bruises and see the damage that had been done. The girl continued to weep, afraid for her own future. No man wanted a woman who was dirty and spoiled. Emilian had made certain of that by forcing himself onto her. Would she be mahrimed or sent away? The tears streamed down her face, her eyes downcast and staring only at the ground beneath her feet.

  Nicolae stood by her side, his own heart broken. He could not take this woman but he did not wish to desert her, either. “I will stand by her, father,” he finally said. “I cannot see her sent away for a crime in which she is the victim.” Nicolae spoke the words but he was uncertain what that actually meant. Such a thing had never happened before in the kumpania. There was no precedence.

  “It will have to be known,” the Rom Baro said slowly to the couple before him. There was a pain in his eyes. “Emilian is undeserving of a wife. I have suspected that since…” His words trailed off and he thought back to Amaya. It was painful to think of her and the loss of the child. He shook his head and turned back to Nicolae. “But you,” he said slowly. “You will have to wait to see.” The Rom Baro lowered his voice until he was speaking in just a whisper. “If he has made her with child, you cannot have questions about who is the father. There can be no question about the leader of the kumpania.”

  Nicolae frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  The Rom Baro laid his hand on Nicolae’s shoulder but he hung his head low from his shoulder. “You will be the future Rom Baro, Nicolae. You will lead the kumpania when I have passed.”

  “Father?”

  “Emilian has crossed a line that cannot be undone. He is dead to me, Nicolae. And you are my true and only son.” The Rom Baro looked at the girl who still stood weeping, her nightshift torn and small specks of blood covering the front. In the quiet, she finally raised her eyes. The Rom Baro reached a hand out to gently brush a tear from her cheek. “Emilian will be mahrime forever for what he has done to your bride.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  She was the first to hear the noise. It was too dark for such a commotion. Sahara sat up in the bed, clutching the blankets around her bare body. She looked down at Nicolae. In the darkness, she could barely make out his silhouette. He was sleeping. After such a long ride, how could he not sleep? She thought better about disturbing him and quickly rose to her feet, searching for her clothing in the darkness. She could hear the soft breathing of Lea from her blankets. Reassured that her loved ones were sleeping soundly, Sahara pulled back the tent canvas and went outside.

  It was dark and she stepped away from the tent. They had been camped on the outskirts of the campsite. She walked through the darkness toward the center of the camp. When she got there, what she saw amazed her. Half of the tents were gone and several of the wagons were missing. The moon lit up the campsite and she could see that many of the people had prepared to leave during the night and under the guise of the slava. But the noise that she heard now disturbed her. It was the wheels of the wagons pulling away under cover of darkness. It was the sound of dissent, of unhappy people turning their backs on the Rom Baro and leaving in the middle of the night. The kumpania was no longer one but split amongst each other.

  “You will come with us, S’hara,” a voice said from behind.

  She spun around, startled by Emilian’s presence. He had snuck upon her, as if waiting for her to emerge. “Emilian!” she said. The pieces came together and she realized what had happened. Nicolae’s return had come one day too late and the people were leaving with Emilian. “You cannot do this!”

  He laughed. “I can because the people will it, S’hara. And you are my rightful wife. You will come with us and, together, we will lead the people.”

  “I will follow no one but my husband,” she replied, her heart beating inside of her chest but her face stoic and strong.

  He walked toward her. “I am your true husband.” His voice
was low and his temperament calm. Too calm. It unnerved her and she backed away. “It was your mother who stole you away, S’hara. She stole my right to wed. Now, I will reclaim it.”

  “I am already married, Emilian. You cannot marry your brother’s wife.”

  “Ah, but you are wrong, S’hara.” For every step that she took backward, he took one forward. The distance between them was closing. “You see, there is a gypsy custom that a man may wed his dead brother’s wife.”

  “Emilian!” she gasped.

  “And you will soon be a widow, S’hara.” As he spoke, she saw the orange glow from behind him, the sparks of a fire on the far side of the tent that she shared with Nicolae. It burned brighter as she watched and she knew that, within seconds, it would be engulfed in flames and Nicolae would be dead before he even awoke.

  “No!” she screamed. She started to run toward the tent but Emilian grabbed her before she could pass. “Lea!” she cried out. “Nicolae!”

  “They will be gone before you can save them, S’hara.” He held her tight, despite her struggle.

  She could hear people behind her. Those who had not packed to leave under cover of darkness had been awoken by her scream. They came from their tents and wagons, rubbing sleep from their eyes in disbelief. They saw the flames engulfing the Rom Baro’s tent. The dry canvas crackled beneath the flames. It was too late to save anyone inside, although a few men tried to run toward the blazing inferno. It burned bright and it burned loud, roaring in the night as it destroyed everything in its grasp.