I was hiding behind a wall of dresses from my step family, while pretending not to hide at the same time. I wanted absolutely no one to notice me.

For that reason someone noticed me.

"Ambrosia," a scarred man called, after we had stared each other in the eye for a good five seconds.

A tall fair haired lady appeared from nowhere. Odd, seeing how angelic she looked I thought I would've noticed her sooner.

The man walked up to me. The lady following cautiously and curiously behind.

"È perfetta," the man said. The lady just looked curiously at him, then back at me, then back at him.

"Why are you alone?" the man asked.

"I'm just staying out of sight from people who don't like me."

"Who doesn't like you?" the man asked

"My family," I said. The man and lady looked at each other.

"How convenient," the man said, "would you like to leave?"

"Absolutely," I said. The lady laughed curtly

"I have a proposition for you," the man said, "if you will meet us three days from now at the fountain at sun rise, we will wait for a half hour. You can come with us." The lady cocked an eyebrow at him, looking stoically back and forth between the man and I.

"I will," I said as I heard Them calling for me.

That's how I got to Italy.

They called me Alira

As we were sailing, we were attacked. Our boat was caught on fire and I was stolen back.

I ended up back with Her.

I was 12.

XXXXX

As I went back to Italy to find my friends again, but I couldn't find them. They had disappeared. from Italy.

However, I made a new friend while trying to find them. He called himself Leo. I went by Gianna

I learned so much with him and began to not care about things were possible or impossible. I loved my time with Leo.

But then, we were discovered. Leo told me to run.

I did, but I was caught.

I ended up back with Her

I was 13.

XXXXX

I had floated down the river into a place called Turkey.

Apparently, in Turkey, most girls do not work on ships. Yet, since I was found in a boat of my own making, I was hired on to work on a boat. But as a boy.

I went by Derya, I usually went to Italy, because I could already speak the language. But I sailed all over the Mediterranean Sea. I began to think that she could never find me, when I moved so often. So I became careless. Eventually I was found, unloading the ship in Greece. In the general chaos of the ship yard, and some other mariner's dislike of me, I was stolen.

I ended up back with Her.

I was 14.

XXXXX

I had run up river this time. I ran into a goldsmith in the Netherlands. He carved wonderfully for different royalty all over northern Europe. But he took me back to England with him, to live with his family. He had a lovely wife, and an even lovelier daughter, who was two years older than me. While they weren't rich, they lived well. Because of the fathers work, they had connections.

They're name was ironically Golde. The daughters name was Cora. They called me Sarah. She quickly became my sister, helping me learn English. She introduced me to all her friends. She taught me how to play piano. We went to everything together. I eventually became her shadow.

She found my life to be very exciting though, she wrote it down and showed all her friends. I told her not to, telling Cora about Her and how she could find me with it. Cora felt horrible and tried the amend it, but her friend told their parents, the report spread like wildfire.

Eventually I realized I was being tracked again. I told Bertha and Charles what was going on, Cora was with me when I noticed them. They said I was being jumpy. We were in England, it was so far from my native country.

The trackers set fire to the house that night. Charles had left to see some noble about goldsmith thing. Bertha had gone to visit a friend.

Cora and I were in the top room.

We were forced to jump onto the roof top next door; the fire was spreading to surrounding houses though. Cora and I jumped houses all the way down the street.

I thought we were safe when we climbed down. We were not. It was good I crept out of the alley way first. It was good when Cora gets scared she freezes.

They did not see her when they stole me.

I ended up back with Her.

I was 15.

XXXXX

"We cannot take you child," the old nun said holding her hands together.

"Why?"

"We have no resources to take more than is absolutely necessary."

"I'll work; I know how to survive. I can bring food in from the woods" I begged the sister. She looked at me and hugged me gently, nodding. I knew she would be making sacrifices taking me. I ran around her to the other orphans.

"I'm Ana!" I said happily, finally free from Her, for a time at least..

.I worked all summer long, foraging for food. I gathered quite a bit and we weren't so hungry anymore. I laughed a lot with the other orphans. I was almost as old as the new Sister Orson. I talked with her a lot, she laughed too much for a nun. She was pretty and young though. I wondered why she became a nun.

One day, I was wondering through the woods for food. I came to a hill covered in shrubbery, looking for berries or roots, when I saw a hunting party come riding up to the hill. I stood up quickly, running to a tree and scurrying up it. The party thundered up and over the hill top, trampling over all the berry bushes.

I waited until they were gone before coming down to scavenge.

In the mess of tangled bushes I found a bow and arrows inside a quiver. I thought it to be very odd that it would just fall off one of them like that. Extremely odd, almost like it was purposefully dropped. So I set it high on a tree branch, in case they came back to search for it and went home.

But it was still there when I returned the next day. So I decided to keep it. I decided to practice. All summer long I practiced. Eventually I had the confidence to shot a bird. I breathed deeply, focusing all my energy into the shot. I inhaled, drew the arrow back, and aimed for the bird in the tree. I hoped with all my might, and then let the arrow fly.

It hit!

I got it! No longer was I limited in gathering. I could go after a greater opportunity. I did, and I was happy.

The old nun came to me in autumn though, ending my happiness.

"Dearie, you're step mother has demanded that you come home. As the church, we have to comply with her orders."

"Oh no, Sister!" Sister Macmillan said.

"It is her step mother's wish," the old sister said. I went back to endless chores and Her. I learned later that the old sister died.

I was 16.

I ran away every summer.

XXXXX

A fair was in town, She and the sisters decided we should go. I was 17. We stood around the knife throwers, watching a particularly brilliant one. I guess he was handsome as well. The sisters sighed and leaned on the stage, he winked them and they nearly died. He winked at me; I cocked an eyebrow and shook my head with a mischievous smile. He seemed taken back, and missed the mark entirely.

I heard twin gasps from across the way. I turned towards it and saw two identical girls. I walked up to them, they were very alike. They turned towards me at the same time.

"Hello," they both said, "we're the twins."

"We've never seen Jinn miss a target," one said.

"Ever," the other smiled at me

"What are your names?" I asked, holding my hand out to them. They both reached for it at the same time. I shook their hands quickly.

"Dora," one said.

"Flora," the other said simultaneously.

"I knew a girl called Cora, if we go by that name, we rhyme"

"We do," they grinned, "we could have an act." They looked at me pleadingly.

"We could, if I could come with you."

"Would you?" they asked.

"I would." They smiled broadly and looked at me curiously.

"Are you scared of heights?" they asked. I shook my head.

That's how I ended up being an acrobat in the trio.

We wore identical outfits. Mine black and blue, Dora's purple and green and Flora's was orange and pink. We did trapeze, tight rope and small tricks of flexibility as we walked through the crowd. We had to wear masks, to try and keep the identical look. I eventually had to learn Spanish, because we would go to Spain most often.

Our fair master Gregario was a greedy horrid man. He kept Jinn on because he brought in a lot of money. He "forgot" to pay the statue people because their act was small. He brutalized the freak show endlessly, and terrorized us.

We could always out race him, usually swinging on ropes up onto the tents, jumping away. He couldn't really touch us though; if Jinn found out about it Gregario would become his next target.

Other than Gregario, the fair was a fun and lovely place. The towns we stayed near were very kind, until the people had enough of Jinns flirting.

I had many friends; Jinn, was always around us. He was hilarious, and we became friends. He taught me how to throw knives.

Dora and Flora were always trying new things, bringing me along. Flora and Dora were my sisters. Jinn was a brother. I finally had a family that I could claim, and they claimed me.

So when Gregario knocked me off the tightrope and sold me back to my step mother, they were angry. I do not know how angry though, I heard they got every fairs dream, to be in Spain's Carnival.

I was 17.

XXXXX

I joined a group of illegal hunters when I shot down a lark. One of their hunters had been aiming at the same lark and saw the arrow, but not the shooter. They ran to the lark and got there when I did.

"Who are you?" an Amazon barked as we grabbed for the lark at the same time.

"—Lark!" I blurted in panic. It caused her to laugh explosively as she pulled the arrow out.

"So you shot yourself?" she grinned handing me my arrow, "my arrows aren't blue on the back. You're an excellent shot."

"Thank you," I whispered taking the arrow back. She was very tall with brown hair. She looked strong, and would've frightened me, but she still had a grin.

"Not often you see a girl who can shoot,"

"What are the odds of us meeting then?"

"Very slim," she said with a grin and a thoughtful expression, "why are you hunting alone anyways?"

"Surviving, why are you?"

"Thriving, in the wild," she winked, "come, I accept you into our group. Unless you want to stay here"

"Not at all, lead the way," I said. There was the explosive laugh again.

"I'm Robin, nice to meet you Lark," she said as we began walking into the woods. We came upon a small camp. Everyone looked up at Robin as she strode in, and at me—but with a distrustful and calculating gaze

The group's leader was Jacob. A doctor in Germany at one point, but decided to leave sensible life when his wife died. He also took his only child, his daughter Robin. She had some sway in the decision.

I stayed with them for a year, laughing, running, hunting, traveling, exploring. They were all from Germany. There were six men and three women—including me. Robin, Jenna and I became very close. They helped me learn German. We would mercilessly tease Robin and Philip. Jacob would prank Philip at every opportunity, which he frequently employed me to help with. Philip was Robins "best friend" as they said. We had some good times. We all knew they were more than "best friends."

But then as I was hunting with Crespin, one of the men, I stepped into a fur trap.

Slamming close around my leg, it snapped it.

Crespin was trying to open it immediately.

But its owner jumped from behind a bush. Crispin shot the man dead center, sending him to the ground. I popped the trap open and struggled to stand.

Yet, what seemed like a small army came running.

Crispin gave a distress call as he shot into the group. I went to help him, but had lost so much blood.

"Lark!" I heard him shout as I plowed back into the ground. Everything went black.

When I woke up I was in that dreaded attic.

I was 18

XXXXX

I had heard a rumor that the Gypsies were near the town.

So I ran in the direction I heard they were.

Hearing music through the woods, and laughter and singing I ran towards it. I eventually came into their camp. It was a marvelous camp, full of colors and music. Just like the fair.

"Hello," I said to a dancing gypsy girl who beat on a tambourine. She spun to face me, her dark eyes laughing. Her dress was very red and up to her knees. I felt out of place in Avoca's old black funeral dress that swept the ground.

"Da?" she said in a different language.

"I need to leave—forever. Can you take me? I won't be a burden." Her dark eye questioned me; gypsies were not tolerated by many people. She tapped thoughtfully on the tambourine. Then she held out her tan hand, shaking the tambourine happily. She made the tambourine her method of communication.

"Vino cu mine," she said, and then she stuttered, "ahhhh, viens avec moi. Oh!" she said, shaking the tambourine in frustration, before laughing, "Com wit me?"

"Come with me," I laughed taking her hand and running with her through the camps.

"Roma camp, why Roma camp" she explained, looking back at me as we ran through a group of dancers.

"Running away," I said. She nodded and we stopped at a dirty yellow tent.

"Yes, lot….people? Lot people go run away," she struggled through, thinking of words and choking back a thick accent.

"Stop," she said holding up her hands. "Stop," she said again like she was talking to a dog. I nodded and she danced into the tent. I waited outside the tent, but watching the others. She kept saying they were Roma.

Eventually one of the men—named Chal- came and got me to dance. I didn't know the dance, but they taught me.

By the time the red gypsy girl came back out I was dancing in the circle with the others. She had a tall, wrinkled, very old lady with her. I was laughing when she locked eyes with me.

They were very kind eyes; she motioned for me to come back to them. I excused myself, making the others laugh loudly.

"Ea poate dansa deja Regina," the red girl said smiling.

"Tres bien aussi," the old lady said, "have you danced like that before?" she asked with an accent.

"No Ma'am," I said meekly.

"No fuss such like that," she said holding up her arm, "I am the gypsy Queen, not a Ma'am. You make me sound old," she said as she grinned a gap toothed grin.

"Yes M- Queen,"

"Mother will also do. Now, Jayashri has told me you want to run away. Why?"

"I'd rather not go into detail, it's just bad and I need to run"

"Alright, you can come," she said after a few seconds. I was astounded, it seemed like they would've rejected me.

"Why? How do you know you can trust me?" I asked skeptically.

"Old Gypsy trick," she winked, "now if you can learn that dance in five minutes you will learn everything you need to in a month. Now, what's your name?" I discovered I had a weak spot for new names. So I winked at her.

"What do I look like?" I asked. She gave a quick high pitched laugh. Then she held her hands up, and all the chaos of the camp died down.

"Alright my friends," she called, "we have a new addition. Nadya!"

So by now I was Nadya, I learned fast. They taught me to dance and sing. I learned French and Romanian. I learned to play the harp and fiddle. I learned many other tricks, most would be frowned upon. They replaced my black dress with a sapphire gypsy one, giving me a purple ribbon to hold my dark hair back. I loved everyone in the camps, especially Mother. We traveled all over Europe and back. I loved it.

I dressed like the other Roma girls, my hair down and full of flowers. My dress went up to my knee, something the nuns would have died over. Bangles jingled on my wrists and ankles as we danced and played. I laughed with them.

Chal and Jayashri became my confidants. Jayashri particularly, we became partners in all things mischievous. We would dance and play in the street. Or if Chal was performing we would "watch" him.

I had a fondness for pick pocketing- but I couldn't bring myself to actually steal. So I settled for stealing from thieves and returning to the rightful owner.

Chal had a particular fascination for knife throwing. So he recruited me to teach him how to throw knives. We bonded over it. Eventually it got to the point where he would call for a practice round just so we could talk and laugh together. We were growing very close.

But then we went to Russia and he discovered Vodka. I avoided him from then on. Chal stayed in Russia with another group of Roma. Jayashri and I continued on with Mother.

Suddenly, in my country, Mother went missing. We were playing sadly, hoping Mother would return, when I was shot by an arrow. I hit the ground, breaking my fiddle. All the gypsies fled.

The tracer man ran into the camp, up to me. I tried to get away, but he grabbed the arrow and twisted it around. I screamed.

An arrow appeared in the man's eye; I took my chance and ran. Another tracer shot me, this time in the leg. I was brought back to Her. She glared down at me. It had been two years since I'd seen her.

I was 20 years old. And very far from the image of perfection.