Chapter 4

"Your majesty," Duncan's mother began at the large dining table. "I must comment on that beautiful work of art on the wall over there. It is quite magnificent."

Queen Elaine took a second to look to the painting Duncan's mother was referring to. It was something to talk about while she wondered where in God's name her daughter was. It has been fifteen minutes and no questions of to where she was from her future in-laws yet. "Yes, it was a painting drawn on our wedding day," she stated calmly and politely. The painting was of her and her husband. The color was a light orange and yellow, as if it was painted by the sun. She never looked upon it much, for it never really occurred to her that it was beautiful. It painted a lie of her and her husband's so called love. Although they looked very happy together. Faces of joy and positions of hope. What happened to them is that life brought upon it's spell of reality.

"I think the painting glitters with royalty and is magnanimous, your majesty," Duncan stated as he ate carefully with his fork making sure nothing dripped or touched his heavy beige blouse dangling with jewelry. "It's as lovely as your daughter." Duncan gave a hard smile and pretended to look around as if he did not notice she wasn't here before. "Where is your daughter, your highness," Duncan said almost through cringed teeth.

"My daughter?" Queen Elaine said as she glanced at the king for an answer.

"Oh yes, she seems to have disappeared," Duncan's father managed to say through the tension.

"She's a free spirit," King John said as Queen Elaine laughed through a tight mouth to ease her nerves. "Yes, a very free spirit……"

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Jean ran inches behind Scott with his hand around her wrist. He was leading her somewhere. She didn't know exactly where yet. But she knew somewhere safe from Kurtis Chagner. She was afraid to look back and see him behind her and so was Scott. So they kept their eyes forward and their legs moving.

When they were past the town, woods, and down the hill, they came to a stop. It seemed as if they have been running forever. Their legs could not carry them any longer, so they fell to the ground.

Jean took a moment to catch her breath and regain the feeling in her bones. She contemplated the words she had heard from Kurtis Chagner back at the church. Now she definitely believed the story, no doubt about it. Did the priest not see him in the church? Did he not do anything about it? What kind of society were they living in? No one knew of anyone else.

Jean silently put her head on the dirt, not careful of her hair or clothes. She was unaware of the surrounding around her as well as the people. Her eyes began to shut after ten minutes of silence and rest. "Jean?" Scott asked as he stared at his friend for a long moment. "J…e…a…n…?…?…?"

Jean's eyes shut completely and in seconds she was lost in her sleep, in her dreams.

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Music played loudly from a tambourine and a small trumpet sounded in Jean's ears. She didn't feel her usual fluffy pillows under her, but instead a thin sheet on a rock floor. She had never slept on the floor before and she was glad for that by the way it feels. But there was something about the music and the laughter and the noise that made her want to stay sleeping on the uncomfortable mattress.

She was somehow unafraid to open her eyes. She fluttered them open for a fire light to cover her green eyes. There was a large fire lit in the middle and torches hung on the rock walls. Jean peered to the opening on both sides of the room to see woods. She peered up at the ceiling to see a wavy roof of light brown rocks.

"Wake up my child," a voice sounded in Jean's ears. A kind and calm voice. Jean opened her eyes fully to see a woman wearing a beautiful, color-coded dress. It flowed to the bottom of her ankles in red and tightened around her small waist in red, blue, and yellow. White sleeves fluffed out from her arms and brought out the tone of her dark skin.

The soothing looking woman patted Jean's dirt covered face with a red scarf. It had what looked like gold coins hanging down from it. Jean sat up slightly and looked upon the woman's face with wide eyes. She had never seen a person such as this. The woman's blue eyes glittered through her dark skin and her long raven hair looked like the night sky. The light of the fire reflected off of it as the many white strands of her hair shone through. She looked extremely young to start growing white hairs.

Wait……… what if this was Kurtis Chagner's sister? What if she had caught her and Kurtis had caught Scott? The last thing she remembered seeing was the soil covered earth. What if this woman was just pretending to be nice and wearing something to disguise herself? What if, what if, what if?!?!

Jean could not stop it. She could not contain the questions anymore, so she let out a piercing scream. Then she saw Scott and let out another piercing scream because of her confusion. She felt cold water tumble onto her face which stopped the loud noise that was coming out of her mouth. She looked up at Scott who was now holding an empty bucket that had been full of water.

"Do not worry about that, my child," the woman on her knees said as she tied the scarf around her waist. She handed Jean a green scarf with almost the same design as hers and Jean embraced it. She wiped her face lightly and placed the scarf in her lap. To calm herself down she began to fiddle with the edges of it. "You just frightened Scott a bit with that scream of yours."

A smile suddenly escaped on Jean's lips at the thought of the whole situation. Who was she kidding, this is not Kurtis Chagner's sister. She looked around behind the woman to see people dancing, drinking, and having a good time with each other. The music was so loud that her scream could not be heard. Boy, she wished that could happen at her dinner parties.

"But there is not anything or anyone to fear in life, my child, but those who fear life and everyone in it, rather than live it," Ororo spoke with wisdom beyond her years.

Jean looked into her blue eyes intently and respectfully. Those were words of beauty. But she was still confused. Where were they and why had she fallen asleep? "Hello Mother," Scott said as he sat beside her and gave her a peck on the cheek. He handed his mother a bouquet of flowers and faced Jean with unwilling eyes. His heart was beating faster than usual and his palms were getting sweaty. Maybe it was a mistake to bring her here, to his home. But where else would they go?

Mother? Ok, now she was even more confused. Mother?

"Jean," Scott said as he cleared his throat in hope to get rid of the shakiness, "this is Ororo, my mother."

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"How could she just leave like that?!? Does she not know the consequences of her actions?" Queen Elaine raged to her husband and Charles, former king.

"We should be asking where she is and if she's safe or not," King John yelled back to his Queen in a proper manner. Queen Elaine began to pace back and forth with her hands on her hips. She stopped and turned to look at her husband.

"Do not lecture me about my daughter's safety. I believe I tried to tell you that before when she was with that, that………boy," Queen Elaine said with a loud whisper. "Whatever his name is."

King John turned to look at his father-in-law and Charles just shrugged. What was he supposed to say?

"I don't know exactly where she is but I do know who she's with. She is with that filthy boy," Queen Elaine said stressfully. "And if she is with him then there is no doubt that she is in no place a princess should be."

"Elaine, when she makes it home, God willing, you will not be forceful upon her," King John said with a pointed finger at his stressed wife.

"That is exactly the kind of behavior that needs to be bestowed upon her 'free spirit'!"

"No, that is exactly the kind of behavior that will drive our daughter away from us!"

Queen Elaine glared at her husband and turned on her heel to exit the planning room. King John watched her disappear into the long hallway and gave a long sigh. "Maybe Jean should be able to choose the man she is going to marry. Then she won't have any regrets."

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Scott sat next to her as Ororo got up and left them alone. Scott cleared his throat and looked at Jean. He smiled at the dirt covering one half of her face and noted that she still looked beautiful, the way she is. Inside and out. "They took me in when I was one year old. They took me in when no one else would and I remember them my whole life, no one else. They are my family, this is my home. I can't find any other way to speak of this. I am a gypsy."

Jean widened her eyes at the surprise but was not afraid. She had to admit to herself that she was terrified at first. But when she heard the laughter and the environment around her the more she fell in love with it. Why had Scott not brought her here before?

Familiar words suddenly rang in her ears. ……they are thieves……they do not have a solid home………their way of life is barbaric………disgusting and unacceptable. Something we would never be able to live in, she heard the words spoken with her voice.

"But I promise that I have never robbed you," Scott said as he put his hands up in defense.

Jean let out her usual giggle which made Scott's face widen with a huge smile. She looked around the place and noticed mothers taking care of their young, men courting women, and happiness. They were kind enough to care for a son that is not their own. They were kind enough to see him when no one else would. "Gypsies would only steal because their own country would deprive them of equality," Jean said lightly as she took a sip of water Scott had given her. She was taken aback by her own words. Where did that come from? It was true and an intelligent thing to say. Especially when she was not being a hypocrite to herself. Maybe if King and Queen of countries mingled with the commoners they would know how to run their country correctly.

"I propose not everyone agrees with the concepts Utopia presents," Scott said with a large smile as his shakiness disappeared.

Jean sighed and blinked hard and long at the thoughts of maybe ruining her country when she was queen. "You want to know my secret?" Jean asked Scott as he nodded and looked at her intently. "I always wish that I could be able to read minds. That way I would know what everyone wanted and everybody would live a perfect life."

"Then life would not introduce much of a challenge, would it?" Scott questioned rhetorically as Jean laughed. "I might add that you cannot satisfy everyone's needs because they all wish opposing things."

"I suppose you are right," Jean said with a smile and a sigh to follow. "Then that brings me to a conclusion. If one wants to satisfy correctly, one should satisfy a single person. Their lover and companion."

Scott diverted his attention towards his friend and began to admire her features more every time he looked upon them. Her lips always seemed to captivate him.

He watched her watching fortune tellers work their magic. They had talent, but the picture of a woman foretelling her son's future in front of her eyes helped her believe they did it for the enjoyment of their young. Jean put her hand, palm up, on Scott's knee. Scott looked at her with a confused line formed on his white forehead. "Read my palm," Jean said as Scott laughed and raised her palm slightly so he could be able to look upon it. While he was studying her palm Jean studied his face. There was something different about it at that very moment. She never took time to notice his masculine features. He had an edged and strong jaw line that tightened when he was trying to concentrate. His grip was firm but tender with his growing hands. His broad shoulders were like an armor she could hold onto and lean on. He looked up at her and began talking. Jean had never seen his eyes look so catchy. She had to blink twice and look away when she caught them on accident. They were soft, warm, and affectionate. With his lips pursed in the glowing light of the fire, Jean had to admit that she found him very attractive.

"Although you are a spoiled princess," Scott said with a laugh, "your palm says that you are passionate about your people. You are kind and full of energy."

"Tell me something I do not know," Jean said jokingly.

"It says here that you are engaged," Scott said as he looked closer at her palm.

Jean's heart began to beat faster. She suddenly had fear that he would know she was betrothed to Duncan. But she brushed her worries away with her words by saying, "Really? To whom?"

"You have been engaged for almost two years now," Scott said as Jean began to wonder who. He was definitely not talking about Duncan.

"Well, who is it?"

"A handsome fellow who goes by the name of," Scott paused to run his hands through his hair, "Scott." Jean broke out in laughter followed by Scott's. She leaned her loose red hair against the rock wall and watched everyone in a brawl, having a good time. She's never seen anything like it. Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a gruff voice.

"Listen child," the gruff voice began, "your mother is beginning to think that I need to be more romantic if you continue giving her roses everyday!" The man was muscularly built with deep black hair and a beard. His eyebrows were creased inwards and he was scowling. But when Scott got up to stand next to him he was not very tall. The man took out a sword from the side of his pants as one of the other gypsies threw Scott a sword. Jean gasped at the sight. Why was this man doing such a thing?

They parried. Scott suddenly dropped his sword as the man held the tip of the sword to the bottom of his chin. "I surrender Father. She is all yours tonight." The man suddenly dropped his sword and began to clap and laugh with a raspy voice. Jean started to clap along with them and found herself cheering also. It was not allowed in the castle, for a lady should never raise her voice above a gentle hum of a whisper.

Scott turned his father to Jean and introduced her to him. "Madam," the gypsy man, Logan, said as he bowed lightly. "Be careful with him, appearances can be deceiving." Jean could not help laughing at that. She watched how the man properly bowed and went over to his love, Ororo. The way they lived was a bit different than her way back home, but when she watched mother and son together along with father and son she decided that human beings will be human beings.

Scott diverted his attention to the direction Jean's green eyes were pointing. She was watching how Logan held Ororo's hand with purity and love. He was a gruff but good man, and what she saw now was a man bowing down to something more powerful than he. Love. She wondered why a concept such as that could possibly be named. This concept they call love has no language. It is blind to see gypsy from royalty.

"Sometimes we call my mother the weather," Scott said, interrupting her thoughts. He slouched and leaned on his palms that were placed behind his back. Jean was sitting upright more as she put her knees to her chest. She found this position comfortable and almost impossible to do at home in front of people.

"Why is that?" Jean asked with interest and curiosity as she moved her eyes from his parents and onto him.

"She can be as calm as the damp summer air or as windy as the autumn leaves," Scott said with a smile and twinkle in his eyes. "She is too young to begin to grow white hairs. So we tease her and tell her that it is because she loves the snow so much."

"Your parents are so interesting," Jean said as if she had known them forever. "I wish I could have met them before."

Scott bent his head forward shamefully in a way. "The reason my father is the gypsy leader is because of his strong-will. A strong-will is needed in a world such as this," Scott said, lowering his voice. His tone was serious and full of emotion. She believed he also had a strong-will to show such sentiment. "People look at those who are different from them. They look at them and punish them. Many times in his life has my father been sent to the stalks. And every time he comes out stronger."

"How is it that first they make thieves and then punish them?" Jean asked as she looked at the fire, oblivious to Scott's eyes on her.

"You not only taught me how to read with passion, but also read with passion yourself," Scott said as Jean turned to him and smiled with flushed cheeks. "You take in everything you read, as if each word is a lesson of life somehow."

"Yes, but you also have to experience life to learn from it," Jean said as Scott nodded with enthusiasm at her wit. "What about you? You live a life with gypsies and are best friends with a princess."

"I manage," Scott said as they both giggled.

Jean subsided slowly and turned her eyes to watch the wonderfully happy people who definitely know how to have fun. Her eyes fell on Ororo and Logan again and she found them laughing together as Logan gave her a peck on the cheek. Logan held her shoulders with a firm grip as if to say she was only his, but made sure he would not hurt her. She looked at him as if she was enchanted and he looked at her as if her eyes had him captivated. As if she had trapped him in there and their love burned the key. Their mouths did not move to speak except for the smiles that emanated from them. Logan suddenly put one finger up to indicate for her to hold on for one second. He reached for his back pocket and slipped out a white rose and then he took her in his embrace. Then he looked around him to make sure no one had been looking. Jean would give anything to see her parents acting like they owned their own world.

"Flowers, to my father and I, symbolize our favorite females. Ones we claim to be the most beautiful ones in our eyes," Scott explained intently. Jean just nodded and smiled as she took another sip of her water. She sipped up the last drops and suddenly felt more thirsty. "Here, let me fill that up for you."

Jean handed him the cup and said her thanks as she watched him get up. She looked down on her lap to find a red rose, the color of her hair. She embraced it in her hands and inhaled the sweet sent deeply. A smile escaped her lips as she held the rose and stared at it for the longest moments. There was something different about the color green in her eyes, for there was a twinkle that shone brightly.

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Author's Note: I quoted "First you make thieves and then punish them" from the movie Ever After, who quoted it from the book Utopia.