Teza felt dizzy, hardly able to focus on anything, her head spun and black dots clouded the bit of vision she did have, not to mention pain seemed to consume her whole body. She could faintly hear a woman talking to her, but couldn't make out the words, or who it was. Soon she begins to find it hard to keep her eyes open.
"Teza, Teza listen to me!" A woman spoke sternly, trying to mask her fear. "Teza come on, focus on me." The woman tried again as she held on tightly to the younger girl, keeping pressure over a wound in her stomach, a bloody arrow protruding from the younger girl.
"Teza!" The woman shouted, before realizing her mistake, glancing up nervously she gave a shaky breath as she heard the shouts of the guards. Soon the older woman quickly stood lifting Teza from the ground, she ran.
The woman was unsure on if she would make it back to the court of miracles, on if she would get her daughter to safety, but she would have to try. Pushing herself she willed to run faster as torches appeared behind her, the guards catching sight of her. The woman ducked down alleys only to have them catch up to her not long after, she was too far from the church, she wouldn't be able to beat them there and get inside for sanctuary, the court of miracles, home was the only option, but if she was to enter then she would possibly give her friends, her family away.
The woman ducked into another ally, heading for the cemetery. Being careful to duck out of the way the woman got far enough ahead of the guards to get into the cemetery, she could see the tomb where the entrance was, but the sound of guards was still to close, she wouldn't risk it, couldn't risk it. As she neared the tomb she turned heading towards a thicket covered area, and placed Teza down, covering her. She could hear the guards entering the cemetery, behind her.
"Be silent," She whispered stroking Teza's cheek, as the young child gave a whimper of pain. "And please my sweet, stay with me… My dear Teza fight, you must stay." The woman said praying to whatever God there was, and hoping he would hear her before standing and moving away from the thicket, to lead the guards away further.
She ran making sure to run by the guards to get their attention, to get them away. She almost succeeds, if one of the guards wouldn't have sent an arrow through her shoulder causing her to spiral to the ground. A shout of agony left the woman's mouth.
Off to the side a man about the age of thirty, took a step forward from the shadows, he had watched the older woman come running in, she was one of the women who lived amongst them, one he was supposed to protect. And now he watched as she was hurt, he couldn't allow it. The gypsy woman almost as if she had known he was here looked over at him and shook her head, causing him to freeze. She gave him a small pained smile as she was pulled to her feet. He watched as her eyes darted to the thicket where he watched her lay her daughter not long before the guards came in, he knew what she wanted him to do, yet he felt guilty… If he would have responded sooner than he might could have saved both of them, now he could only for certain save one.
Watching as the woman was carried out he ran quickly yet silently to the thicket, pulling young Teza from where she laid.
"Teza, vous êtes en sécurité," The man whispered to the young gypsy girl no older than ten, carefully carrying her over to the tombstone, "You're safe." The gypsy man took her inside the court of miracles, handing her over to an older woman inside instructing her to help her, before going to find his son, Clopin, along with some of the older men.
He would instruct his son to watch over the gypsy's, for if he didn't survive tonight, his son would be the new leader. As soon as Clopin was informed the man left, going after the soldiers to try and save the other woman.
Clopin stood silently for a moment watching his père departing back, he knew his father was being brave, and doing what he felt was right. But it scared him, soon Clopin moved to the wagon where père had delivered Teza. He sat outside with Monsieur Luca, the old woman's husband, and waited for news on his friend, while also waiting in childish hope for père to return, minuets passed, minuets that turned into hours and still no sign of père was seen.
A little while later Madam Luca came out of her cavern, she had Teza all patched up and was motioning for both boys to come inside. Clopin only moved as Monsieur Luca prodded at him, his eyes were still fixed towards the road, waiting, hoping.
Reluctantly he entered into the wagon, sliding into the bed next to the younger girl carefully, Madam Luca prodding him over there. "Sleep Clopin, you should rest now it's late." The fifth teen year old frowned at being spoken to as a young child but reluctantly sunk down into the bed; he didn't sleep though, only stared at the girl next to him.
"Dieu, s'il vous plaît ... amener mon père à la maison, je ne sais pas si vous êtes réel ... Mais si vous êtes alors répondre à ma prière, pour que je sois juste un paria ... mais ma mère dit que nous étions tous les enfants de Dieu." Clopin prayed. He was never sure if a God existed, but now he wished he did.