A Vagabond's Tale [COMPLETED]

Chapter 34 - "I fell in love."

A twig snapped as Gigi pushed it aside, moving through the tangle of trees. The dirt was soft and cool beneath her feet. Around her, a breeze whistled seeming to sing along to the melody that rose from the camp. She descended a small embankment onto a pebbly strip of sand. On either side of her the narrow beach stretched out, running along the water.

The sun was lowering behind her, evening rising from the edge of the sea before her. Gigi breathed in the scent of the ocean, the salty smell so familiar to her that her heart ached. With the world still and peaceful around her, she stood there, savoring it all. She dug her toes into the damp ground, storing up the feel of it wedged between them.

Water skidded up and wrapped around her ankles before returning to travel to some other part of the world. The feel of it was silky, like the finest clothes she had worn. But standing there, in a threadbare skirt and homespun shirt she never wanted to leave.

But it was what she had to do.

Raif had left the morning after their arrival. Everyone had been sad to see him leave, his teasing manner and reckless ways making it feel as if he were one of them. When he had said goodbye to Gigi, he had told her that no matter where she went, if she ever needed him he would come.

A part of her had wanted to blurt out her problem to him, knowing he could solve it. Wanting him to so she wouldn't have to face her grandparents.

But she didn't. She knew it was her place to protect her family, not his. Besides, he had a wandering soul like her and she knew she could never do anything to trap it. The only consolation she had was knowing she would see him again. Knowing that when she did he would know the truth and she would have a true friend.

With a smile that hid so much of her grief, she waved goodbye, wishing him clear skies. The same smile had carried her through the remaining days with her family. At times she saw her mother watching her as if trying to see what thoughts filled her head. If she wondered about the past months she never spoke of it, giving Gigi space to speak if she needed to.

The days passed as if nothing had ever changed. No one talked about her leaving. Instead of patching the crack in her heart it hurt more knowing that they wouldn't understand why she would leave again.

She had to leave though. There was no way around it. Living with her grandparents had taught her that they had power and money, enough to get their way in any matter. As she went through each day she struggled with telling her parents or not. Wondering if it would make them proud or force them to do something rash like making her stay, telling her they would find a way out of it. But she wasn't a fool, spending time in the palace had changed that. It was her life or the livelihoods of all the people she loved.

There was no choice. She would never do that to them.

A seagull swooped overhead, calling out to Gigi. She looked up, watching as it glided on the wind, free from even the laws that held her down. The waves built, rolled and crashed in front of her, the sound echoing the churning of her own thoughts.

She knew to leave without any reason would be devastating to her parents and so she would leave a note explaining it all. They would find it by the time it was too late to change anything. In some ways, she hoped when they read it they would be proud of her, but she knew that more than that they would be heartbroken.

Gigi gripped her skirt, hating how much it would affect them. Already knowing the words she would write. Words that would be read over and over again. She had to leave. Even though that act felt as easy as tearing out her own heart. Part of her knew it would feel that way.

A branch groaned under someone's hand and Gigi released her skirt, smoothing out her expression. Huck jumped onto the beach and took up a spot beside her. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and some part of Gigi wanted to cry, the act was so much a part of who he was and it was something she wouldn't see again.