The Gypsies and the Other Realm-Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Emerald
Victor saw the belly dancer lingering in the street and invited her over and they began to socialize. They introduced themselves and exchanged names. Her name was Emerald. He thought she was named this because of her beautiful green eyes, Actually, Victor was sure of it. She confessed that she saw him playing the shell game, followed him to the tent and waited outside hoping he would come out of the tent and take notice of her. Victor was quite taken by her beauty and smile, she was mesmerizing., Victor invited her into the tent and out of the cold night air. The tent was lit up with scented candles invoking a romantic setting, Mariska and Livia had left their bouquets of fresh wildflowers in a clay jar with water on the fortune telling table. All the fortune telling supplies were packed away in a wooden trunk for the night.
Emerald thought the atmosphere was enticing and offered Victor a private belly dance. Victor poured two tins of wine from a jug and offered one to her and said “yes, I would enjoy a dance". Emerald then proceeded to click the bells that she had put on her fingers and dance for him. The dance was seductive, and tantalizing and Victor could not help reaching out and bringing her in for a long passionate kiss, he felt woozy from the wine and delirious from the kiss.
He asked Emerald if she had eaten and offered her some bread, cheese and fruit Viktoria had left in a basket for him. Together they sat at the table drinking more wine, conversing and eating. Victor found out she lived in a small village near Kirk-Yentworh, Scotland and asked if he could come and visit her when they got back to Scotland. She replied yes and then gave him directions. Victor thought, Emerald had a gentle, easy way about her They enjoyed more passionate kissing, then she excused herself as she had to get back to her sisters, her family, and her tribe they had set up camp near the market in one of the back alleys.
Victor stepped outside the tent to watch her walk away, wishing he could have spent more time with her. Emerald was walking lazily up the street in a dream-like state, she kept looking back at him and he would wink and wave. She wanted to stay there with him longer but knew she couldn't’. The street was almost empty now. A group of belly-dancers met her, and she walked with them turning down a nearby alley.
Stefan, Raj, and Badger rode their ponies by Victor waving to him on their way to the corrals. Stefan and Raj offered to watch over the livestock at the corrals. Badger walked back to the fortune telling tent to stay with Victor. Badger relayed the news about the bandits to Victor, noticing he was a little drunk on wine. Victor lie on a cot and went to sleep. Badger ate a snack of bread and cheese and then stepped outside to check on the vendor stalls. He noticed a group of men walking their horses down the street with kerchiefs over their nose and mouth. Badger moved into the shadows, standing perfectly still, so that he would not be seen. Some of the men slipped into vendor stalls and empty tents and appeared again with treasures they put into large burlap bags. The bandits! Badger thought to himself. The group back tracked and broke into a few more tents and stalls before they turned down a nearby alley.
A few soldiers appeared from out of an alley on the other side of the tent, Badger stepped out of the shadows and waved them down. he explained the suspicious behavior of the group of men and pointed to the alley they had turned down. The soldiers told him to stay out of sight and they went to investigate.
There was a loud commotion, and gun shots were fired, and Badger could hear galloping horses running away on the street. Badger peeked out of the tent and saw more soldiers gathering at the entrance to the alley. From what he could hear a group of bandits were caught stealing valuables and money from the tribe camping in the alley. and the soldiers interrupted them just in time, they were about to kidnap the belly-dancers. All the bandits, but two, had escaped. The group of gypsies and belly dancers that had run out into the street to meet with the soldiers went back into the alley to their camp .
Badger laid down on a cot after the soldiers had left. Victor had never woke up during the entire ordeal. Badger dozed off and heard a clatter outside the tent, he peeked out of the tent and didn’t see anything it was quiet out He heard some of the livestock from down the road at the corrals Badger stepped out to look around when he saw the shadow of a young woman hugging her knees, sitting on the ground. Badger asked gently "may I help you?” She looked terrified, shaking as she stood up. She was a small, pretty, slender woman, wearing a belly dancer outfit. Badger recognized her from the group of belly dancers he and his group had seen earlier in the evening, from time to time he saw them around the market place performing. She apologized for disturbing him and said she was looking for Victor. She needed to talk to him. Badger explained that Victor was sound asleep, but he would be happy to give him a message. She said her name was Emerald and she and her tribe were leaving tomorrow, because the tribesmen were afraid the bandits would return and try again to kidnap their daughters. The group of belly dancers.
Badger understood how frightened they must all be after witnessing the events earlier. She handed Badger a white kerchief with red lipstick prints on it that smelled like scented wildflowers to give to Victor, and then she scurried off to the nearby alley. Badger looked confused, he hadn’t noticed Victor giving more than a glance at the belly dancers, but apparently, he knew, Emerald.
Badger lay back down on the cot after placing the kerchief Emerald had given him for Victor on the fortune table. The sun was up and Valentino, Bavaro, and Oberon drove, on the bench of the wagon loaded with food and drink for the mid-day meal back to Market with their families and to relieve the young men from their responsibilities as night watchmen.
When Viktoria, Blossom and Maerie were climbing down off the wagon in front of the fortune telling tent. A soldier appeared and recounted the night's events for Valentino.in private so as not to alarm the family. Badger was praised as the unsung hero for alerting the soldiers of the bandits whereabouts, immediately.
The soldiers had arrested two bandits, and were able to prevent any more looting, kidnapping and harm coming to the small tribe that camped in the nearby alley. Viktoria was curious about what the soldier was talking to Valentino about.
Victor and Badger were sleeping when Viktoria, Mariska and Livia entered the tent with the twins, Rudolpho and Robin. Valentino walked in and commanded sternly to his brother Victor and Badger to wake up and start the day. There was work to be done. When they sat up on their cots a little dazed, Valentino smiled at them and said let’s get going. When all the baskets of food and drink were unloaded. Badger grabbed the kerchief off the table and gave Victor the message and lipstick printed kerchief; Emerald had left him during the night. Valentino overheard and ribbed his brother a little bit. Valentino dropped the men off at the corrals and asked Victor to please come with him, he had an errand to run. Valentino turned into the nearby alley by the fortune telling tent. Valentino disembarked from the wagon leaving Victor holding the reins in the wagon. The tribe was packed and ready to leave. An older gypsy man quickly climbed down from his bender to greet, Valentino, unbeknownst to Victor, the older Gypsy gentleman was a friend of Valentino’s from a nearby village in Scotland. Oliver recognized Valentino immediately and gave a gypsy hug and heartfelt handshake. Valentino saw that they were about to leave and invited Oliver and his tribe to set up camp on the outskirts of town where his tribe was camped, mentioning that there was safety in numbers. Oliver and Valentino walked alongside the gypsy parade inviting each tribesman, they all agreed it was a good idea.
Valentino told Victor of the plan and that they were all ready to go to their camp and set up. Valentino walked back to the corrals to send the pony riders along to help Oliver's tribe to set up camp. Emerald appeared and Victor was delighted to see her, inviting her to ride with him on the bench of the wagon next to him. She did not have her belly dancing clothes on. Emerald wore a pretty white peasant dress with vibrant colorful spring flowers embroidered on it and a pair of sandals. Emerald looked more beautiful and enticing to him in the daylight.
