Amelia Merlin and the Game for Okamila

Part 97: The Gypsies

Isaac never had many belongings to begin with so packing took no time at all, Davyd had even less so they were ready to leave in less than an hour. He scratched a quick note to the Crow telling him of their plan, grabbed Davyd's hand and walked briskly from the crowded mansion where he had lived for the past decade. The little boy was struggling to keep up but Isaac didn't slow down, not until Davyd tripped did he stop and look at the boy.

"Get up." he demanded. "You need to keep up."

Davyd glowered at him and Isaac was sort of impressed with the boy's attitude. "You're walking too fast."

"We need to leave this place. Don't you understand? I've told you, there's bad people here now-"

"There's always been bad people."

Isaac looked around the crowded streets as if someone could help him now. "This is different, this is worse."

"I killed the last bad man."

"Yes, and we're so happy you did, kiddo. But you can't touch this one, this one's different. We need to go okay? I'm going to take you somewhere safe." he held out his hand but the child folded his arms stubbornly. "Goddammit, I liked it better when you never talked." he murmured.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to find the Elves."

"You're lying."

"I'm not kiddo, I think they're the ones who can keep us safe." Isaac grabbed Davyd's hand and this time he didn't resist. They wove through the streets they both knew so well until they reached one of the back gates at the city wall. There were no guards so Isaac smashed the lock and they pushed through to the other side. The trees were dense here and it was easy for them to blend in.

"Isaac?" Davyd said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Are elves real?" he frowned. "Not like house elves, those are just slaves like I was. But real elves, the ones who are tall and pretty?"

"Yeah, yeah they are, kiddo." he smiled and gestured for Davyd to climb on his back. "Want to hear the story of how I met them?"

"Yeah."

"Okay.  It was a long time ago. Before I came to Okamila, I lived in a village, not too far from here actually. I was so young, this was right after my parents died and I was wondering the forest because I had no one to take me in. Anyway, I stumbled across this castle in the forest. It wasn't really a castle though, it was something like I've never seen before. And the elves took care of me until they found a place for me in Okamila with the Crow."

"What are they like?"

"I can't really describe it, kiddo. Just wait until we get there, okay?"

"Are we close?"

"Yeah, we're pretty close." he smiled. Truth be told, Isaac had no idea where he was going. He hoped he could find the elves or just someone who wasn't as evil as Koal Lattantio. So he trooped through the forest with Davyd on his back and made up stories to keep the kid from asking when they would get there.

When Isaac heard the noise of a group approaching he ducked behind a fallen log nearby and motioned for Davyd to remain silent. The good thing about growing up around a bunch of criminals was that the kid learned when to shut up. He watched as they came closer and he could make out what they were wearing. It was obvious from one glance that they were gypsies. The brightly coloured clothes and scarves around their head was almost as obnoxious as the clinking of the bracelets and necklaces they all wore. Their hair was long, braided and full of beads just as colourful as their outfits.

"Come on," Isaac said and took Davyd by the hand again.

"Are those the elves?" he whispered.

"Nah, kid, those aren't elves. They're gypsies."

"Are they magic?"

"I dunno. Maybe some of them." he smiled and waved to the crowd of colour. They enthusiastically waved back and he could hear them shouting at each other. Isaac walked up to a lady with dark hair and eyes, with Davyd in tow. "Hi, I'm Isaac and this is Davyd." he introduced them.

The woman smiled to reveal teeth with gold fillings. She had feathered earrings and clearly loved orange. "I'm so happy you're here. My name is Roxanne, this is my husband, Isati. Are you hungry? We have food and plenty to share!"

Davyd looked at Isaac who answered, "Yeah the kid hasn't eaten all day. But I'm fine, thank you."

Roxanne didn't accept that answer and soon had piled them with fruit, bread, meats, wine and little biscuits that Davyd loved. She talked insistently while they walked and ate about the entire band of gypsies, describing each member to them so by the end of an hour, Isaac knew every single one of them. 

Her husband, Isati was a Fire-Eater and the best one in the whole kingdom. Fire was not only his friend but a lover as well. He danced with the flames and they never bit him despite their usual temper.

Then came Banda, the Knife-Thrower. His fingers were covered in scars from decades of practice with the deadly blades. He had a terrible temper but also made the most beautiful masks any of them had ever seen, and if they were nice enough, he would surely make them one as well.

Jay was a robber. He never stole from anyone in the gypsy band but any high lord or lady who passed by them would lose every penny if Jay spotted them. He never kept any of it, he just liked to steal. But his true passion was books, he read with a passion to rival love and carried pounds of books on his back every where he went.

And on and on it went. There were minstrels and seamstresses and witches and even a goblin or two. Isaac discovered Roxanne singing was like watching the ocean on any given day. When he found out they were making a stop at the elves, he begged to tag along and was welcomed in like a brother. He lost track of Davyd only to find him at the front with the other children, watching as the Fire-Eater showed them small tricks with sparks in the palm of his hand.

"So the elves," Isaac began, he was walking with Banda and Roxanne. Banda was twirling a small blade between his fingers so fast all Isaac saw was blurred steel. "Have you seen them before?"

"Loads of times." Banda grinned, his teeth were small and sharp. "We go there about once a year."

"What are they like?" he asked. If he hadn't grown up around criminals, Banda would have terrified him.

Roxanne smiled at him and linked their arms together in a friendly way. "The elves and the gypsies are surprisingly good friends."

"How much longer until we get there?"

"You sound like the children." she laughed. "Not far, maybe two days now."

"Do we just camp for the night?"

Roxanne shook her head, her feathered earrings nearly got tangled in her dark hair. "No, I'm afraid the forest floor is a very dangerous place. All kinds of nasty creatures come out at night."

"So what do we do?" he was used to men of every kind, men didn't frighten him anymore, but monsters were another issue.

Banda grinned, "Hope you're not afraid of heights, boy."

........

As they climbed, Jay told them the story of the nests. He leaped through the branches of the trees with ease, grinning as Isaac struggled along.

"Hundreds of year ago, the hippogriffs, Pegasi and other winged creatures built these nests here in the gentle forest. But then for some reason they migrated farther north in the forest, away from all the cities and people. So people would come up here to hide from all other creatures that would eat them on the forest floor. It became a sanctuary, it was high up enough that giants can't reach us, and the nests are large enough to fit at least seven people in each."

So that was how Isaac found himself in a nest, high in the branches of a tree, surrounded by gypsies. At least he and Davyd were safe, and they were on their way to the elves and maybe, for a moment, all was right.