Chapter 1- A different kind of Gypsy
Erik was briefly shocked to see a small girl run straight into him at a breakneck speed. Instantly snapping out of it, Erik caught the girl before she fell to the ground. She struggled with a strength he was surprised to see someone so small possess.
"Let go of me, please! Let go!" she screamed in heavily accented French. Erik loosened his hold on her, merely gripping her shoulders so she wouldn't run away.
"Hush, I won't hurt you," Erik soothingly said, wanting to calm her down. "Please, calm down. I just want to help." But the girl hysterics continued.
"Help me? No one wants to help me or any of my people. We are merely garbage you not fit to spit on."
Erik held on fast, taking in her appearance. Obviously, the people she spoke of were gypsies. He recognized her accent as Romany from the years he had been among them. She dressed in a black skirt that didn't quite reach her ankles and a red velvet bodice laced in the front. Very Gypsy. But her oval face and skin suggested anything but Gypsy. True her thick wavy hair, heavily mussed by running, was black as any gypsies, but her skin behind the layer of dirt was a fair, slightly sun kissed tone. Looking into her angry tear filled eyes, he saw they were a vivid green. Looking deeper, he saw the pain of someone who had been hurt and ridiculed wherever she went. He saw incredible strength. Yes, she was a Gypsy. He also noted, that she was very beautiful.
Breathing heavily and staring challengingly at him, the girl whispered, "Please let me go, they'll find me."
Understanding this was who the mob was after, Erik knew she stood no chance of eluding the mob. The only thing to do was take her to his home.
Letting go of her shoulders, Erik told the girl, "They won't hurt you. I can take you somewhere where they will never find you." he held out his hand to her. The girl looked at him suspiciously and didn't take it. She tried to run around him, but Erik swiftly caught her.
"No, let go. I don't want to go with you." She was screaming again. Erik held on fast to her, rubbing her shoulder to soothe her. "Please, I just want to help you," he said. "I don't need any help. Please let me go," she ended with a sob.
The voices of the mob were dangerously near now. Damn, we've wasted to much time. The girl whipped her head around, fearfully gazing to where the mob would soon be.
Shakily, she whispered to him, "What is your name?"
"Erik."
"Well Erik, if I go with you, do you promise not to act like a Frenchman?"
Not fully understanding what she meant, Erik nodded. Taking of his cravat, Erik told the girl, "I will have to blindfold you." The girl's eyes widened and she looked ready to run again. "You see, I like my privacy and I would prefer that no one know this place I am taking you to."
Turing her around, Erik whispered in her ear, "Just trust me."
Slowly, the girl nodded and Erik placed the material over her eyes. Erik took her hand and lead her to a passage in the wall. Before entering, Erik had one question he had to ask.
"What is your name?"
"Sita Palak"
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