A few days later, Gigi moved through the camp, a bowl held before her. Deep yellow rays poked through the treetops, setting them ablaze. Gigi paused outside the tent Jayis had been moved to, listening. When no noise came from inside, she ducked in. Jayis lay asleep. His bandages had been removed and a healthy color had returned to his features.
Gigi crept forward to his bed. She placed the bowl down and backed away. Sunlight poured into the tent as she lifted the flap. She glanced back and hesitated. Something about Jayis's neck winked the light back at her. Gigi looked at the opening, watching as pair of girls walked past, heads bent, voices lowered. She let the flap fall shut and moved cautiously back to the bed.
Noiselessly, she crouched down beside Jayis's unconscious form. Jayis's breathing was deep, his chest rising and fall in an steady rhythm. Gigi kept her eyes trained on him as she tugged the silver chain free from his shirt. A ring slid down the chain, swaying gently.
Jayis stirred. Gigi froze, her heart pounding in her ears. He shifted towards her but his eyes remained closed. She watched for a breathless moment as Jayis settled back into a deeper sleep, then let out a quiet breath.
She looked back at the chain she held and at the ring. Carefully, Gigi picked it up and examined it. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes flashed to Jayis's face, the thick ring, heavy in her palm.
"You're..."
She stopped herself before any more words could slip out. She sat there, stunned. Thoughts rushed about her. Images flooded her brain, as she stared into the defined features of the young man before her. She broke from her reverie when Jayis mumbled something, the sound like a canon blast in the stillness of the tent.
With trembling fingers, she laid the chain down. She pushed herself soundlessly to her feet. Gaze locked on Jayis, she tiptoed away, almost tripping over the bowl of stew on her way out.
Once free from the confines of the tent, Gigi released her breath. Her thoughts crashed inside her mind, muffling the world about her. A group of children brushed past, pulling her back into reality.
One thought struck through the storm in her mind and she took off running. She dodged clusters of women and raced past huddled groups, searching for Huck. She was rushing around a tent when she nearly collided with him. Stumbling to a halt, she reached out for his arms, balancing herself.
"Huck!" she said breathless. "Jayis..."
The rest of her words died in her throat as she met Huck's gaze. Panic rose inside her at the sight of Huck's troubled expression
"Huck, what is it?"
"It's your mother's brother. He's dead."
All of Gigi's previous thoughts were wiped from her mind as she stared at him.
"What?" she said, her brow scrunching in confusion.
"We just got word. Dead since yesterday," he said.
The image she had of her mother's family flashed through her mind and she looked up at Huck.
"Where is she?"
"Your tent."
Gigi took off running. Huck kept pace beside her, as they wound their way through the camp. Her parent's voices greeted her before the tent came in sight. Gigi halted a few feet away, her breath caught in her throat. Huck stopped beside her and they exchanged startled expressions at the harsh tones.
"You left for a reason. I don't see why you need to go back," Quinn said.
"They are my family," Annaleigh said, her voice tinged with sadness.
"We're your family."
Gigi glanced about, noticing as eyes dropped from her's when they met. She wrapped her arms about her, frown deepening.
"He was my brother," Annaleigh said.
"He disowned you, like they did."
"You won't change my mind, Quinn. I need to go."
The flap to the tent swung open and Annaleigh strode out. At the sight of Gigi, she paused. Sadness lingered behind the soft hazel of her eyes.
"You heard?" Annaleigh said.
Gigi dropped her arms as she moved forward.
"Let me go with you."
"What?" both Huck and Annaleigh cried in unison.
Huck moved to stand beside her, but Gigi didn't look at him, her gaze glued to her mother's.
"Gigi, you can't go," Huck said.
She looked at him then, her face earnest.
"I want to, Huck."
"Gigi, dearest." Gigi turned back to her mother, as Annaleigh pushed back a strand of her wild hair. "I can't let you go," she said.
"What's this?" Quinn said, appearing.
His face was calm, but Gigi could see the tempest that hid in his blue eyes. She looked to her mother once more.
"Mother, please. I want to go with you. This might be my only chance to meet my grandparents. Don't I deserve to meet them once?"
"They are not people you want to meet," Annaleigh said, her tone despondent.
Gigi stood a little straighter.
"I think I should have the choice to decide," she said.
"Gigi, you're not going," Quinn said. "That's final. Your mother is going because she feels the need to honor her brother. But I will not allow you to go."
Gigi's stiff posture vanished as she stepped closer.
"Why? I have a right to go as much as she."
"You're not going. That is my final say," Quinn said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Gigi turned to her mother, her expression pleading.
"Mother."
"Gigi, your father has decided."
Gigi held their gazes for a long moment. Her shoulders sagged and she spun away. Her pace quickened as she broke from the camp and headed towards the forest. The temperature dropped as she moved beneath the canopy of branches.
Uneven dirt gave way to soft, damp sand. Gigi sank down, wrapping her thin arms around her legs and resting her chin on her boney knees. Brush strokes of color painted the sky with sunset. Waves crashed against each other before chasing each other up the beach, bubbles of white foam tickling her toes.
A twig snapped and Huck appeared. He fell down to the sand, stretching his legs out, and resting back on his hands. Gigi didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on the water. He lounged in silence, the salty sea breeze playing with his hair.
"Why do you want to go, Gigi?" he asked, his focus following the swoop of a bird.
Gigi didn't answer right away, the pause filling with the sound of seagulls calling to one another. She looked at him, and he met her gaze, his blue eyes quiet with puzzlement.
"Huck, haven't you ever wanted better? Did you ever think that there was more than living from day to day, meal to meal? Have you ever wanted to talk ideas with someone?"
"Gigi, you know I don't care for books."
Gigi unwrapped her arms and crossed her legs.
"I'm talking about a better society, Huck."
He frowned.
"I don't see what's wrong with our's."
"It's mundane."
"It's simple."
"It's boring."
Huck was silent as he looked away from her, his expression clouded. Gigi sighed, resting her head in her hand.
"You really believe the society your grandparents keep is better?" he said, looking at her. "Their lot are a load of scoundrels."
"People believe we're scoundrels."
"The difference being we're not. They are."
Gigi sighed and turned away. One hand fell to the sand, her fingers carving paths into the damp surface.
"Gigi, why?"
They looked at each other, confusion butting up against determination.
"I want the chance to see what it's like," she said. The corner of her mouth curved. "You afraid I'll run away?"
Huck scoffed, his manner relaxing.
"I don't see where you could run away to. We're vagabonds. The lowest there is. Or so we are told," he said, his tone petulant.
Gigi shifted to face him, her expression thoughtful.
"And you've never wanted to be more than the lowest?"
"No. I live by no rules but my own."
He smirked, his blue eyes snapping with a mischievous glint.
"Your's and the King's," she said.
Huck shrugged off the comment, as if it were a dead leaf to be tossed away.
"His rules have very little effect on my life. Don't steal and don't murder. I'm in the clear."
Gigi made no reply, her focus shifting back to the waves. The last rays of the sun reached just above the horizon, like fingers grasping for a hand hold, about to be pulled down. Huck kicked aside a seashell, then looked to Gigi.
"Are you really going?" Huck asked.
Gigi didn't meet his gaze, her focus lost on the water and the sun's final battle with the night.
"You heard my father."
"Yeah, I did. But I know his mind can be changed."
Gigi didn't respond, but a smile creased her lips. The sun vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind a blanket of dark blue. Eventually Huck stood, stretching out a hand to Gigi. She grasped it and he pulled her up. They moved back to the forest, hands reaching out to brush against rough bark as they picked their way through in the dim light.
Warmth poured out of the camp, fires roaring like beacons of camaraderie. Huck broke away with a single nod and a troubled expression. Greetings followed Gigi, her spoken echoes falling behind her, as she found her way to her father.
He sat on a broken log, his face glowing before a fire. The flames crackled and popped in the night air. Sparks leapt free and raced towards the stars. He looked up as she approached, his thoughts tumbling in his eyes. Gigi settled on the grass beside him, resting her head against his knee. He smelled of wood smoke, hay and dust. One large, gentle hand stroked her hair.
"You have come to convince me to change my mind," her father said.
She didn't answer for a long moment. Then she shifted, looking up at the weather worn face, her hands resting on his knee.
"I know that you don't want me to go. I know that you don't want mother to go either. But this is something she has to do, just like I have to."
Loving blue eyes stared back at her. Years seem to settle into his features as he looked at her.
"Gigi..." his tone was low and sorrowful.
"Father, you have to understand. I've never met my grandparents. Don't I deserve the chance to meet them at least once?" she said, her tone strong but quiet.
They studied each other for a long moment.
"I'm your daughter, you won't lose me."
Quinn was silent as he placed one callused hand on top of her's. He let out a tired breath.
"The life they lead can seem enchanting. I don't wish for you to be carried away by a fantasy that isn't real."
"I know that. But can't you trust me to see the difference?"
Her father gave a weary sigh. He stared into the flames, his face riddled with indecision. Gigi waited, her heart thumping against her ribs. He cupped her face in his hands, the barest hint of a smile peeking out.
"My beautiful girl," he whispered.
Gigi covered his hands with her own. Quinn's shoulders relaxed.
"Yes, I can. But that doesn't mean I wish you would still stay."
Gigi's heart jumped into her throat and her lungs ceased to work.
"I can go?" she asked, her voice barely rising above a whisper.
Quinn paused, his gaze holding her with a quiet intensity. He dropped his hands away, holding her's in his firm grasp.
"You can go."
Gigi flung her arms around her father's neck, laughing with delight. She kissed his cheek.
"Thank you!"
"Promise me you'll be wise."
Gigi tightened her grip around his neck.
"I will! I promise!"
**********************************************************************
How does the wind blow?
Okay, yeah I have no idea what I just said, I ran out of fantasy sounding greetings and that's all that came to mind. Feel free to ignore me, you would not be the first.
I'm not going to lie to you, I'm an odd noodle and don't know if these author's notes should be different from my other book's author's notes because it's a fantasy-ish type book. But let's face it, my oddities really don't improve and I don't know how to change them. Any ideas?
Paper bags over the head are stifling. Hiding in a cardboard box is difficult because it really doesn't stand any sort of weather. And damp cardboard just smells weird. See! I told you I'm an odd noodle. I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. 🙈
*Throws out a question to divert your attention*
Dragon or unicorn?
That's a fantasy type question, right?
Also who do you think Jayis is?
Don't even bother voting, commenting, or following, I'm way too weird to show any sort of support for. It just might mean I continuing talking and really who wants that? 😉