A Gypsy woman.

Chapter seven.

Chapter seven.

Its dinner time, and I’ve gone to my aunt Eva, for a new skirt. I want to look clean presentable, not like a tramp who’s using a boy to get her way.

She smiles knowingly at me and pulls me into her caravan. Closing the wooden door behind us.

“I’ve got just the thing for you my dear!” she says rushing to the back room, leaving me in her living area. Where all her beads are kept.

I wait anxiously watching the sun go down so quickly.

“I had this made for your mama before she left us! Had her in mind when I made it, but it would suit you just as well.” She says hobbling back into the room, holding a black long flowing  sleeved dress, with small  faded orange, a sweet Tan and bight coral flowers printed on the fabric. It was long, and around the waist had a braded leather belt.

I took it from her with wide unbelieving eyes. “It’s so beautiful!” I whisper pressing it to my body and twirling around like a little girl.

She laughs. And then pulls her face back into her usual scowl. “Hurry up girl go in there and put it on, and don’t forget to get that hair tamed before you go. I’ll be down with the girls if you need me.

I nod at her, before stopping her as she walked past and planting a kiss on her withered cheek.

She smiles and pats my arm. “Do right by Dee! Eh darling? Don’t want to be on his bad side!” she warns quietly.

I nod solemnly and watch as she walks away.

I walk to the back room, slip off my skirt, my flowing white blouse and pull the dress over my head, fastening the belt around my waist fitting the dress perfectly to my size.

I’m a bit smaller than my mother was, but you can’t tell with the belt fitted tight to my thin frame.

I Look in the mirror flatten the dress at my sides, I can’t help but realize how much it flatters me, how beautiful I feel in it.

A smile forms on my face, and I turn my attention to my hair. I let each tied braid fall down from my hair, until my long waves are all left together Flowing elegantly down my back.

I take a strand of jet black hair into my hands and delicately get to work, putting it half up letting the rest of my waves fall beautifully at either side of my face.  

Then I reach into the top drawer of my aunt’s wardrobe, where I find Rose oil, which I splash on my wrists and rub them together.

I’m so desperate to make a good impression to show Dee that I’m not taking this chance for granted, and that I didn’t try to get it dishonorably by turning his son against him.

I inhale deeply for strength and walk slowly out of my aunts little home.

The people all laugh together, telling story’s sharing meals in the camp, music is played and children and adults dance alike in the sweet breeze of the evening.

Normally Lian and I would be down by the fire dancing to the music and Drinking all together to much ale!

But today I walk past the fun of the night toward the purple tent, where no music is played and conversation can be heard from outside the doors.

I walk in without question smiling at Eli as I pass.   He returns my smile silently giving me a thumbs up.

I laugh a little at his goofy smile and enter with a little worry gone.

There’s Emilian waiting for me in front of the second set of doors. Looking dashing as usual with his hat returned to his head.

“Dear lord what are you wearing?” he asks quickly but quietly.

I frown at him, knit my eye-brows together.

“Does it look bad?” I ask worried looking down at myself. He laughs a little.

“NO! No not at all! It’s just, damn cacia! You’re making our task impossible! You don’t want to be married and yet you go around looking like… Like that?” he whispers the last word just staring at me.

A flush comes to my cheeks as I pull a smile on my lips. “Yeah?” I ask quietly.

He shakes his head at me with an awestruck smile on his dazed face. “Believe me I’m considering it myself!” he says with a jokey air.

I laugh and roll my eyes. “Don’t go overboard now! It’s not a magical Dress! After all, that’s what it would take to get you complacently married to anyone!”  He laughs and nods.

“Your right, I don’t know what I was thinking.” He says and I can see it in his eyes, he’s as nervous about this as I am.  I reach out and take his hand.

“You alright there?” I ask him inching closer.

He looks at me quietly, I can really tell now he’s not. With his free hand he takes his hat off.

“fine.” He lies not looking directly at me.

“You ready?” he asks before I can press the matter further.

I sigh in defeat and nod once.

He inhales a great breath and leads me through the flaps to the large room where we spot his father and his two men at the table already seated.

Time to get to business.