The Heart Of A Gypsy

by Roberta Kagan

  Several of the kumpania came to the couple with offerings of gifts. “Here is a little something from me,” they said as they gave their presents to the couple. “And may God bless you with much more.”

  Now, in gypsy fashion, many violins were brought out, and sweet, hypnotic music filled the camp as everyone danced separately, spellbound by the glorious music. Christian had not yet learned to dance as a Roma, and so he just stood watching in awe as his beautiful bride swayed in the wind like a graceful reed.

  The hour grew late, and the time had come for the couple to retire for the first time as man and wife. Accompanied by cheers from the crowd, Christian and Nadya held hands as they walked to the vurdun. Nadya blushed, embarrassed that everyone knew what was about to take place. Next to the marriage bed, Kizzy had left the traditional talisman to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Nadya lifted the small doll and held it to her breast.

  “Oh, Christian, if my mother could have been here, then she would have been the one who left this for us on our special day.” Tears filled her eyes as she showed him the doll.

  ”I understand, love, I wish your parents could have been here. And I’m sorry that they weren’t,” Christian said.

  “But they were, they were here with us in spirit. I felt them.”

  “My sweet angel… My darling, I wish I could protect you from all of this pain.”

  He ran his hand across the back of her silky hair and then gently kissed her lips. Bathed in the moonlight, Nadya’s skin was iridescent, like an opal. When he kissed her again he felt her respond to his kiss. Nadya had never been in a man’s arms like this before, and her own passion surprised her. She felt the warmth spread through her breasts and travel down to her most private place. No man had ever seen her naked, and she was both nervous and wanting at the same time. She wondered what it would feel like to have Christian’s hands explore her most secret parts. And strangely as afraid as she was of the unknown, she longed to open herself and to receive him, to take him deep inside of her and to hold him there, where no man had ever been before. She trembled, and her body ached for him. He kissed her again, and this time his tongue entered her mouth. The delicious sensation made her tingle, and she felt her body quivering with desire. Christian carefully helped her to remove her dress. Shyly, she covered herself with the eiderdown and sat down beside him as he undressed. Naked beneath the blanket, she felt the soft cotton against her thighs. Every sensation was heightened, and she found herself longing as she never had before for this man to uncover her sweet secrets and to explore them with his hands, with his lips…with his body. He stood up and removed his shirt. His muscular torso rippled in the moonlight and she felt her breath catch in her throat. Never having seen a man naked before, she was embarrassed, curious, and overcome with desire, all at once.

  Then Christian unzipped the tight black pants he always wore, revealing his manhood to her for the first time. He stood hard and erect. Her face was suddenly hot with embarrassment.

  “My love, it’s all right. You can look at me; I’m your husband,” he whispered.

  Reaching for her chin, he lifted her face to his own and gently kissed her. She had heard that the first time would be painful, and as she looked at the length and width of his penis she was suddenly afraid. Rolling his jacket into a pillow, he laid her head upon it with care. Slowly, so as not to frighten her, he took her into his arms and held her as he had dreamed of doing for so long.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered hoarsely into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “I would never hurt you. I would die first,” he said.

  Christian climbed under the blanket and lay beside her. The heat of his skin burned into her own as she felt him against her side. Gently he kissed her, again and again. Slowly, he moved his hot lips down her neck, covering it with soft kisses. When he came to her chest, he removed the eiderdown, revealing her full breasts to him. He moaned, filled with passion as he gently kissed her bosom. Then, taking her nipple into his mouth, he rolled his tongue gently around it until it grew hard and firm. Then he sucked until she sighed with pleasure. While she writhed under his gentle lips he moved the cover away, displaying her flat stomach, which responded by contracting in time with his every move. His lips found her belly button, and he kissed it sucking gently. Next, he pulled the cover down further. Her heart skipped a beat; she felt the cool air on her Venus mound, and she knew he looked at her nakedness and saw everything, all of her, as no man had ever done before. She had no secrets from him anymore. She was open, exposed, and loving the way it made her feel. Her womb pulsated, and she felt the wetness between her legs as he moved his face down to where he was level with her womanhood. With his fingers he gently spread her lips open wide. She quivered with longing as he took a moment to look at her…to study her…to claim her as his own. Then he kissed her clitoris softly, and she moaned. His lips pressed tenderly against her woman’s lips, savoring her sweetness. Then he circled the hard, extended bud his tongue, tasting her and reveling in the wonder of her.

  “You are so beautiful…so luscious,” he said. She couldn’t help herself. It was as if her body acted on its own as she spread her legs wider, wanting to share herself…all of herself…and wanting more of him, all of him, in her most private of places.

  His hands caressed her thighs and buttocks as he took her clitoris into his mouth and sucked. She felt her body gyrate with a pleasure unlike any she had ever known. Inside of her, it was as if she’d exploded in an eruption, as her desire came pouring out in a hot wet molten lava from a volcano. This was the first time in her life she’d had an orgasm. She cried out as her womb contracted wildly. Christian put his fingers inside of her to share the depth of her pleasure. Nadya’s body gripped on to his fingers, holding them deep within her. Once she descended from her climax, he licked the juices that flowed to the entrance to her womanhood.

  “I think you are ready,” he whispered.

  She lay naked, exposed, and no longer shy or afraid. Nadya spread her legs wide, and Christian moved his body between them. He entered her slowly…carefully. At first it was slightly painful as he spread her virgin lips, but only for a moment. Then her body reached up to seize his manhood deeper inside of her. They moved together, her passion as strong as his. Once he was sure she had found her bliss, he allowed himself the release that he had denied himself for so long.

  Now he lay down beside her and stroked her hair. “I love you, Mrs. Stearn. My wife,” he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. The soft breath upon her face reached every nerve ending in her body, and she trembled. “Are you cold?” he asked.

  “A little…” she whispered. Her body, bathed in sweat, had begun to cool. Christian took the blanket and covered her. Then he took her into his arms and kissed her gently.

  “This was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined it to be,” he said as he kissed her ear.

  “I was afraid….” Nadya said.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “No, love, not at all.”

  “I will never hurt you, never, not in any way. From this day forward, I pledge my life to you. I will protect you and love you with all my heart until the day I die,” Christian said.

  “Christian… My darling… Do you think anyone in the entire world is as happy as we are?”

  “I hope so. If more people were as filled with bliss as we are, there would be less hatred and war.”

  She stretched into him and he held her tight as she drifted off to sleep.

  Later, lying there, Christian watched Nadya as she slept. He knew he was blessed to be able to call her his own. Nothing in the world mattered as much to him as this woman he now called his partner. He smiled in the darkness as he said the words softly, “Nadya, my wife.”

  Gently, so as not to disturb her sleep, he reached over to touch her cheek and softly pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he lay back and slept.

  In the morning the lovers awoke, both bathed in the joy of their love as t
hey caressed each other. Hanzi had spent the night with his Uncle Ion, and now he was outside the vurdun with Lil. The sound of the child’s laughter brought them back to reality.

  “I suppose we should get up out of bed,” Nadya said as she gazed into Christian’s eyes.

  “I could stay here and make love to you for eternity.”

  “And so could I, but soon Hanzi will be looking for food, and he might come in here. Perhaps we should get dressed.”

  “Can I watch you as you dress?”

  In the morning light, she was suddenly shy again.

  “No…” she giggled. “Go and get ready for breakfast.

  “Just a glance?”

  No, silly…” She stood up with the blanket wrapped around her naked body. Then, when he turned to step into his pants, she picked up her day dress and began to slip it over her head, but before she did he stole a fleeting look. “So beautiful!” he exclaimed.

  “Christian… Stop…” she laughed, but the wetness had begun again between her legs and she felt the passion rise within her. “We’ll never get to the circle before the fires go out.”

  Instead of making the fire circle five miles from the camp, in honor of the newlyweds, the group had built a small, smoldering fire outside of Christian and Nadya’s vurdun. It was understood that the lovers would be too tired to make such a long trek the morning after their first night as man and wife.

  As Nadya and Christian took Hanzi and joined the others to have breakfast, the wife of the Shera Rom made the customary visit to their wagon. There she found the nuptial sheet. Discovering the blood that she searched for, which signified the bride’s virtue, she took the sheet out to show the rest of the gypsies. While everyone sat enjoying their food, Kizzy held up the sheet with the patch of blood in the center for all to see. Everyone cheered, but Christian, not used to the custom, turned a bright red. Nadya, sitting cross-legged beside him on the ground, just laughed. She was no longer shy or embarrassed. He was her husband and she was proud. Then, taking his face in her hands she kissed him full on the lips for all to see.

  Ion strolled over to Christian and hugged him, kissing him on both cheeks.

  “Only a married man is a true Rom, you know. Now, you are really one of us. From this day forward, we will be best friends until we die, and even then, in the afterlife, we will be brothers, just as we are now,” Ion said.

  “Thank you. You have become like a brother to me,” Christian said.

  “And you to me. And now you are my true brother. Someday, I hope to find a woman, and be married and as happy as the two of you. It is my greatest wish; that, and the survival of our race through this Nazi occupation.”

  “Yes, I know,” Christian patted Ion’s back. “I know.” Once again the guilt of deception tapped Christian on the back like the devil, nagging at him. Damn that secret he kept; if only he could erase it from his life. If only…

  Chapter 32

  Several days later, Shmul and Ion went out hunting. As they forged through the forest they discovered a small campsite where a group of people had been hiding. Among them were four disheveled young women and three painfully emaciated men.

  “Who are you?’ Ion asked the nervous man who shook standing before him in a gray striped prisoner’s uniform. Because they were in Poland Ion spoke to him in Polish.

  “We are escapees from Sobibor. Who are you?” the prisoner asked timidly.

  But when Shmul saw the yellow stars on their arms, he knew they were Jews and answered them in Yiddish.

  “Do bist Yids?” (Are you Jewish?) Shmul asked.

  “Yes,” the man replied. Relief came over their faces as they realized that Shmul was also a Jew.

  Ion and Shmul invited them back to camp. The group followed as they led the way.

  Since the women were close to her age, Nadya took it upon herself to speak to them.

  “Welcome to our camp,” Nadya said in Polish.

  But Shmul told her that they did not seem to understand Polish. Since Nadya had traveled most of her life, she spoke many languages. So she tried again in German. Because German is so close to Yiddish, those who did not speak Polish were able to communicate in German.

  “Thank you, thank you so very much,” one of the older women answered. “My name is Lydia and these are Clara, Gertrude, and Devorah. We are from Germany. May I be so bold to ask who you are and where we are?”

  “Of course. I am Nadya. That blond man over there, the handsome one…” her face broke into a smile. “He is my husband Christian.” Indicating Christian with her hand, she continued, “Next to him is my brother Ion, and the man who introduced you to me…the one who speaks Yiddish…that is Shmul. We are a group of freedom fighters from all different walks of life. Some of us are gypsies, some are Jews, others are Poles… We all share a common enemy.”

  “We are Jews. The men are Joseph, Jacob, and Louis. We were all in Sobibor together.”

  “Is that a work camp?’

  “It is a death camp. They are gassing and burning people every day, all day long. We made a plan and escaped during roll call. Not all together; we left days apart from each other and met here in the forest. I once had two children; the Nazis killed and burned them both.”

  Shivers ran up Nadya’s spine. “I’m so sorry.”

  “My husband is gone as well. None of us are related except for Louis and Gertrude, they were married in the camp. Although men and women are not housed together, they met through the fence and fell in love. A rabbi, also a prisoner, performed the ceremony as they reached their fingers through the wire. The two of them were not actually together in the physical sense until the escape.”

  Nadya turned pale as she listened to the story. Hearing this news brought fear of what had become of her family and the others of her kumpania. Could they already be dead? She could not bear to think about it…not now, not when she’d just experienced so much joy in her husband’s arms. She tried to change the subject.

  “You must be hungry. Come, we have food,” Nadya led the guests to a comfortable place near the fire. Because Ion and Shmul had come back empty handed, there would be no meat today; only vegetables stolen from a nearby farm

  Nadya saw the gratitude in their faces as she gave them each a plate of vegetarian stew. She watched as they devoured the soupy meal.

  With the ease and joy of a man in love, Christian strolled over to join his wife.

  “It seems as if we have some new members,” he smiled.

  “Yes. They escaped from a terrible place called Sobibar. It’s a death camp, Christian. They kill people there with gas and then they burn them,” Nadya said, clearly shaken.

  Seeing the terror in her eyes, he turned and scooped her into his embrace.

  “Don’t think about it… It’s far away from us… I will keep you safe… Do you believe in me?” he asked. Gazing deeply into her large frightened eyes, he saw her fear subside.

  “I do believe in you, Christian.”

  “We have no meat today?’ he tried to lighten the conversation as he smiled into her eyes.

  “No, not today.”

  “Ion!” Christian called out teasing, “How was the hunt?”

  Ion scoffed; he could take Christian’s teasing.

  “Would my lady like some meat?” Christian bowed in mock formality to Nadya.

  “It’s all right. I don’t care.”

  “Well… For you, I will go a-hunting, madam,” he bowed again.

  “You’re silly…”

  “I know. You’re right; I am silly. I am silly man in love…but I think I’ll try my luck at the meat situation anyway. It’s good for you and for Hanzi to have meat as often as possible. And besides, I have to outdo your brother. It’s my obligation to keep him on his toes.”

  Grinning, he gripped his rifle and walked into the forest. Returning to camp a little over an hour later, Christian carried two large rabbits and a hedgehog.

  “Don’t show me up like that,” Ion laughed as he embraced his n
ew brother. “I see you had quite the kill today.”

  “Just luck,” Christian said, handing the animals to the man in charge of tending the soup pot. He set his rifle down in the pile of weapons.

  “Well…it seems as if we will have quite the meal this evening. I fashioned some fishing poles out of tree branches, and I thought that perhaps tomorrow you might accompany me to the river,” Ion said as he lit a cigarette and offered one to Christian.

  “Of course. I never was much of a fisherman, but I’ll give it a try,” Christian said as he took the cigarette.

  “Ah, so there is something that I can do better than you?” Ion laughed aloud; a friendly competition seemed to be in the works.

  “Not so fast… Let’s wait and see.” Christian took a puff of his cigarette.

  “You should have been born a gypsy… You function in the forest quite well,” Ion observed.

  “I have a gypsy soul, I guess. Let’s face it; I love a gypsy girl with all my heart.”

  “That I know, brother… That I know,” Ion smiled.

  Chapter 33

  With the scarcity of ammunition it was essential to preserve as much as possible, so Christian built a bow and arrows and Ion fashioned sling shots for hunting.

  Ion proved himself a more successful fisherman than Christian and gloated in mock self praise as he carried his large catch of fish back to camp the following day.

  Nadya took good care of her new husband, washing his clothes carefully at the river each afternoon, and lovingly preparing his food. Then, at night, when the violin music began and everyone gathered at the circle, she danced only for him.

  Nadya took it upon herself to teach the new arrivals the rules of the river, the way of the Roma. She taught them how and where to wash clothes, bathe and keep drinking water clean by using the different areas of the river so that contamination would not set in. It had always amazed her that the gage did not automatically know these rules. She wondered how they managed to get along without them.