The beginning

I walked across the town to the western fields and checked on the workers. Then I went back to my hut near the outskirts of the Village. Yaffa was there waiting for me. I sighed and sat at the table across from her. She touched my hand gently. "I dread night." I told her. She smiled sadly and nodded once.

"I know, as do I." was her reply. She stood and stretched her arms out. "Last night one of the Watchers spied a group of Gypsies. They are headed this way." Her tone was cautious, knowing that I had been raised to fear them. My mother had once been threatened by a gypsy. That is another story, though, one I am reluctant to tell. I stiffened in my seat. "Rose, you know that we will not let them hurt you. I, personally, don't think they are bad. I think that they are just trying to find their place in the world. They are just trying to live."

"It's not my fault that my mother was superstitious!" I grumbled. Yaffa knew I didn't

like to talk about it; she didn't press my lie.

"Rose, you have to get over your fear. I think us, as in you, I, and Ormond, should go meet them. We can easily overpower them if we need to."

"I won't go during the night! I'll be too exposed that way. If I do go, then it will have to be before sundown."

"Then we will go tonight. Go get your things, we leave in an hour."

"Why so soon?" I complained, but I went into the back room that I shared with Yaffa and grabbed some things. A lantern, a whistle, a horn, a knife (even though I'm not supposed to have it until I change) and a cloak. I met Yaffa back in the main room. Ormond was with her, holding her hand tightly. I looked away for a moment, a slow blush coming to my tanned skin. "Well,"

"I thought you didn't want to go,"

"I don't, but you are going to make me whether I want to or not, so we may as well get it over with."

"You don't sound scared." murmured Ormond.

"I am very good at disguising my fears. Would you want your enemies to find out that you're scared out of your mind?"

"Suppose not." he shook his head and we headed out. We wove in and out of the trees, sometimes following the path, other times not. It took us an hour (very slow, since at night we have wings and can fly or run very fast) to reach the edge of the Wood of the Lights. There was no one, much to my relief. We waited for half an hour and we were just about to leave when we heard wagon wheels turning in the distance. Over the hill came a group of Gypsy caravans. A few young children ran around the wagons, chasing each other and throwing stones. When they reached us, the wagons stopped and all was silent. Out of one of the wagons came a young man. He was half naked. His trousers were pin-striped red and brown. They fell to the middle of his shins and the edges were frayed and torn. His hair was dark brown and matched his warm eyes. His skin was brown, but not dark, like those from across the sea. He was an Indian. The last I knew no one had seen one in fifty years, not since the Downfall. He stepped up to us, the grass crunching lightly under his feet. Against my better judgment, I stepped back, my hands nervously fingering my dress. He watched curiously, but soon crossed his arms and frowned. "Are you Guardians?" he asked.

Yaffa looked at Ormond. He nodded, "Yes, yes we are. I'm sorry, but you will have to wait until night before you can enter." he said strongly. "My name is Ormond. This is Yaffa," She inclined her head lightly. "And this is Rose, or Gaia."

"It is nice to meet you. I am called Amir. This is my tribe; my people."

"Are you the leader?" Yaffa asked, her gentle yellow eyes glancing over him quickly.

"No, our leader has fallen ill and asked me to take his stead for the moment."

"Perhaps Rose can do something for him, she is very fluent in the study of healing and of herbs." Amir's eyes flickered to my face and I took another step back. Why were they being so open with him? "Rose, say hello."

"Hello," I muttered barely loud enough for him to hear. Amir grinned at me.

"Hello, maybe you will look at him later, tonight?"

"Maybe, but I am not sure." I managed to say. He frowned, looking worried.

"Of course she will look at him tonight. She will be here at a little past three, if it is not too late?" Ormond said loudly, mostly to me.

"No, that is not too late. I will meet you here then."

I nodded feebly. "You are not to go into the Wood at all." Ormond said. "We will know if you do. Until tonight, then." he bowed his head formally and backed into the Wood. "Well, was it that bad?"

"He kept looking at me." I mumbled.

"Well, you are pretty." Ormond said softly. I shook my head, dreading the night to come.

That night was painful. It hurt more than most other times to transform and by the end I was in tears. It took me an hour to transform and I walked slowly to the edge of the Wood. It was around three when I reached the edge. Ormond and Yaffa were already there waiting and talking to Amir. Another man stood next to him, listening to the conversations. Amir glanced up as I approached. He took in my wings, hair, and skin. His eyes were wide with fascination and I tried to ignore him as best I could. My eyes were still red and puffy. He noticed.

"Are you . . ."

"I'm fine." I said stiffly, indicating that I was not in any way fine. "Where is he?"

"In here," He led me to one of the smaller wagons where an old man with graying hair lay nestled among blankets. "He has a fever and he won't eat or drink."

"How long?" My fingers were shaking I was so nervous.

"Three days. Sure you're sure your fine?"

"I'm fine!" I snapped. "I'll need milkweed, rosemary, peppermint, and thyme. I need a bowl, water, and a spoon." I struggled not to let myself fall into my fear, but I was still shaking. He touched my hand lightly and I pulled away. "Don't touch me!" I knew my eyes were laced with fear, but there was nothing I could do about it, at least until I was out of the Gypsy camp. He leaped off the wagon, easily landing on his feet and hurried to another wagon. I touched the old man's brow with the back of my hand. His skin was on fire. Amir returned quickly and leaped back up. He was showing off a bit, but he didn't know that it was all for nothing. I took the supplies from him and poured some of the peppermint extract into the bowl. I stirred in water and thyme. Then I mashed up the Milkweed. collecting the white paste and adding it to the bowl. I sprinkled the rosemary on top and settled down to wait. Amir eyed me curiously.

"Does it hurt?"

"What?"

He motioned to my wings.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Feed him the paste every day for as long as it lasts. Come find me if it doesn't help. Add sugar if he complains about the taste. I must go." I left the wagon only to find that Yaffa and Ormond had gone and left me inside a living nightmare. I glanced around at the men who sat near fires talking and laughing. I hurried past them, hoping that once I was in the Wood I would be safe.

When I reached my favorite lookout spot, an old tree with thick branches that were saddle-like, I crawled up and cried. Suddenly my senses took over. Someone was coming. A man. He was barefoot, by the sound of it. I slid back up into the tallest branches, waiting, not trusting myself. "Rose –I mean, Gaia? Are you there?"

No! It can't be! What is he doing here? I thought desperately. I flattened myself into the tree. "Gaia, I can see you. Please come down, I swear I'm not going to hurt you." There was honesty in his voice, but what if I didn't go down? Would he come after me? I started sliding back down to the lowest branches. He was at the bottom of the tree watching. "I never got a chance to thank you."

I said nothing, but I didn't need to, my face said everything. I was afraid of him. He studied my face, "You know that I won't hurt you right?" He stepped up to the tree and swung up onto a branch. I flinched. "I just want to talk to you. And thank you. That man– he means a lot to me, to the whole tribe. He is my father. Say something, please."

"How do I know that I can trust you? How do I know that you will not spill my secrets?" I asked softly, lowering my eyes to look at the forest floor.

"You, like every other person, must learn to trust. With time you will find that I am not willing to hurt anyone, or anything!" The sudden change of his mood surprised me and I slid up a branch. "Sorry, you just frustrate me. I don't know why you are afraid of me, but I want you to trust me. I am not a bad person."