Chapter Nine: Samhain

"You can't sleep all day, Princess. There's so much to be done!"

Getting out of bed was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. It was so quiet here, camped out in the hills, miles away from the bustling city that had been home for the last few weeks, and it was so warm with the sun streaming through the windows of the trailer. Yes, tonight was important, but today was a day for doing nothing.

"Go away, Athena," Krystiana mumbled. She pulled the heavy quilt over her head, but her friend just pulled it off and flopped down on the bed next to her.

"It's after noon! How are you ever going to be ready for the festival tonight if you don't get out of bed."

"Easily. I have you to help me, Dear. Please let me sleep. Just another hour." Her eyes were squeezed shut as tightly as she could manage.

"Aren't you excited?"

"Of course, but..."

"People are talking, you know," Athena said. There was breathless excitement in her voice.

Curiosity got the better of Krystiana, and she sat up and stared at Athena suspiciously. "People are always talking," she said. "It's one of the things they do best. Why should I be interested?"

Athena giggled and arranged Krystiana's hair around her face. "They're talking," she paused for effect, "about... you."

Krystiana raised an eyebrow. "Me? What are they saying?"

"Well," Athena said. She smiled and leaned back on the bed. "You know, Roma Tarsis is getting... well, old. And there's a rumor, started by her own daughter, I think we can take it pretty seriously, that she's going to name her replacement at the festival tonight. And, this is the exciting part, she's going to name you."

Krystiana was still regarding her suspiciously. "I'll believe it when I hear it from Roma. Why would she choose me?"

"She likes you, silly. And everyone knows you would be the right choice. Little Krystiana, always so serious, so devoted to tradition. Besides, you're the youngest girl ever to be elected Festival Princess. That's got to mean something, doesn't it?"

"It means that no one else wanted to do it." Krystiana dropped her feet over the side of the bed and stretched her arms.

"I was in the running," Athena said. "I would have loved to have done it." She laid down across the bed. "But, not for the right reasons. You're going to be the center of attention. All eyes are going to be on you. They're going to remember every little thing you do and say. Aren't you nervous?"

Krystiana stood up and pulled back the curtain that covered the closet. "Not until now, thank you very much, my dear friend."

Athena scrambled over the bed and joined Krystiana by the closet. "What are you going to wear? The green dress? That's my favorite."

"Green? That's for Beltane. It's Samhain. I'm wearing the orange dress. The one you helped me make for tonight, remember."

Athena was disappointed. "You're so predictable. I'd wear blue, just to shock everyone."

"If you wore blue, no one would be shocked. If I'm the serious, devoted one, you're the rebel. It's a good thing we're friends or they would have given up on you a long time ago. Are you going to help me with my hair?"

"Of course." Krystiana sat down on the floor in front of her. "My parents are letting me take the car tonight."

"What's your point?"

"Do you remember those guys we met last week at the carnival?"

"Lorenz and, uh, Angelo, right?"

"Yes. We have a date with them tonight."

"We? I'm expected at the festival. I can't go running off to Naples just because you want to."

"Krystiana, we'll only be in Italy for another week, and who knows when we'll be back."

"That doesn't change anything," Krystiana said. She handed Athena a hairbrush. "Let's get started."

"Fine. You want it braided?"

"Yes."

"You only have to stay until nine. We're not supposed to meet them until ten o'clock, and it's only a fifteen minute drive."

Krystiana turned to face her. "What makes you think I even want to go?"

"You thought Lorenz was cute. Didn't you?"

"Well, yes. But... Athena, you're so... you're so trusting. And sometimes you're so naive. You and I both know what most people think of people like us. I don't want you to get hurt, and I ... I'm afraid."

"How are you ever going to find true love if you never take a chance?"

"I don't even know if I believe in it, Athena. Besides, if I'm going to be the next priestess, it wouldn't do to fall in love with an outsider. They don't understand, you know."

"Are you trying to say that you want to spend the rest of your life here? I thought I knew you better than that."

Krystiana looked around at the little trailer that was her home. An old tattered sheet hung on a wire served as the wall between her bedroom and her grandmother's. Another separated the sleeping quarters from the rest of the space. The bed, her dresses, a few momentos taped to the wall and a little metal box that held a few trinkets were all that she could call her own.

She had seen how other people live. The cities, home to millions of people, where some lived all of their lives, without stopping to think that there was anything, anyplace else. The grand houses and castles in the country side, their residents looking down from balconies at the passing gypsy caravan with fear and suspicion.

"I don't know. Maybe." There were tears in her eyes. "I don't think I could be part of their society, Athena. I don't think any of us could. We'll always be gypsies, Athena. We would always be outsiders in their society. We could never blend in, just as they could never be one of us."

"Would you sit down here, and let me get to work on your hair. At this rate, we'll never have it done in time." Krystiana obeyed reluctantly. "I'm getting out, you know. Someday, I'm going to live in Rome, or maybe even Paris. Do you remember Paris?"

"No. When were we there?"

"A long time ago. I think I was seven or eight. That would have made you four or five. Of course you don't remember."

"Ten years ago? Oh, Athena, that's such a long time."

"Sarcasm doesn't suit a Princess, Krystiana. It was such a beautiful city. The Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysee. I hope we can go back sometime. You really should see it."

"Then let me see it! Close your eyes and picture it and let me see it."

"Later. I have some post cards that I took while we were there. You see, I was planning this even back then, only I didn't know it yet. I have pictures from every city we've been to and I keep them in a box under my bed."

"How come you've never told me this before?"

"It was my secret. Everyone has to have a secret, Krystiana. Don't you have one?"

"That's a secret," Krystiana said.

Athena laughed. "At night, when I can't sleep, I get those pictures and look through them. And I try to imagine where I'll be in ten years. I can't picture it, Krystiana. I try and I try, and I can't see anything. What do you think that means?" The seriousness in her voice was unnatural, and frightening.

"I think it means you don't know what you want yet. Do you want me to read for you? Do you want to glimpse your future?"

"No!" It was almost a scream. "You scare me with your readings. You're too... accurate. What if you saw something terrible? I don't want to know! What do you see for yourself?"

"I see what the cards tell me," she said shortly. "I saw tonight. I know I have to go with you tonight. I don't know why, but I know it's important."

"Why don't you ask the cards?"

"Because I'm afraid. Just like you are."

They sat in silence while Athena finished braiding Krystiana's hair. The two girls, one who saw nothing in the future, and one who already knew too much, were both contemplating what their visions, or lack of them, meant.

**********

The car was parked on a hill overlooking the city of Naples and the harbor beyond. The sky was clear and the moon was full, casting it's long and shimmering trail of light on the distant water. A gentle breeze blew in, carrying with it the salty smell of the ocean, and chilling the air on the hill top.

How long had it been since a single word had been said? Twenty minutes or more. And where were Athena and Angelo? They had promised to be back long before now. Even if they had walked to the edge of the city, they had had enough time to get back by now.

Krystiana sat down on a bench and stared out at the lights of Naples. There was something about this night. Something wrong. But she couldn't place it.

"You look sad."

Lorenz sat down next to her. He tried to put an arm around her shoulders, but she moved away and he seemed to take the message. "The city is so beautiful," she said. Lorenz spoke only Italian, and Krystiana could speak even less of the language than she understood, but she seemed to be getting by. She only hoped that she wouldn't make a fool of herself.

"And that makes you sad?"

"Leaving makes me sad. It always does."

"But you spend as much time leaving places as to do going to them."

"And I'm sad as much as I'm happy."

"That's too bad."

"No. No, it's good. It makes me remember..."

"Remember what, Bella?"

Something about that name gave her the chills. "Nothing," she said. She stood up and walked toward the car. "I can't imagine what's keeping Athena. They should be back by now."

Lorenz was laughing softly. There was something about his laugh. Something wrong. "It won't be long now," he said. He walked up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. She jumped away.

"Do you know where they are?"

"Yes. You have nothing to worry about, Bella. Nothing at all."

She nodded, but she didn't really believe him. She was beginning to think that there was something to worry about. And Lorenz saying that there wasn't only made her more certain.

"You need to relax, Bella."

"I don't feel like relaxing."

Lorenz pulled a flask out of the pocket of his jacket and screwed off the top. "Here," he said. "Try this."

"What is it?"

"It's just wine. You like wine, don't you, Bella?"

"Yes, but I'm really not thirsty. Thank you, but no."

Lorenz laughed again. There was definitely something wrong with that laugh. "You don't have to be thirsty to drink wine. Just try it." He handed her the flask, and she had to either accept it or let it fall. "Try it." She did, but just a little bit. "How is it?"

"It's fine." She tried to give the flask back to him, but he wouldn't take it.

"Have some more, Bella. Have all you want."

"I've had all I want. Thank you," she said. She balanced the flask carefully on the hood of the car and walked around to the other side. Lorenz followed her.

"You're a nervous little thing, aren't you," he asked. And that laugh again. "Why don't we go sit down until our friends come back."

"I don't want to sit down."

"You don't want to sit down. You don't want to drink. You don't want to relax. What do you want, Bella."

I want to go home, she thought, but she knew it would be a mistake to say it. "What I would really like is to be left alone," she said. She knew that was a mistake, too, but she had to say something.

"Why did you come here with us if you wanted to be left alone," he asked. He reached out to touch her hair. She looked for an escape, but this time, he had her pinned against the car. "This isn't a place people go to be left alone."

"If I had known we were coming here, I wouldn't have come along."

"Don't say that, Bella." He leaned closer to her, pressing his body against her. He tried to kiss her, but she turned away. "What's the matter, Bella, don't you like me?"

"It's not that," she said.

"You don't, do you?"

"No, I don't. I wish you would just leave me alone."

"That's too bad, Bella. I like you. I like you alot."

The next thing Krystiana knew, Lorenz was holding her by the hair and kissing her. She tried to fight him, but he was too big and too strong.

She would never know how she managed to get away from him, but a moment later, she was free and running down the lane that led, eventually, to the city.

She didn't see Angelo. He was standing behind a tree, and did not step into the path until it was too late for her to stop, and she ran into him. He grabbed her wrists and held her until Lorenz caught up.

"Lose something," Angelo asked his friend.

"Damn," Lorenz said. He was out of breath. "I thought she was going to get away."

"Where's Athena," Krystiana demanded.

Angelo tightened his grip on her wrists and pulled her close to him. "You don't have to worry about Athena any more, Bella," he said.

"Where is she?"

"Forget about her," he said. "She's not coming back."

"What did you do to her?"

Lorenz grabbed one of her arms. "That doesn't matter, Bella. We didn't want her. It's you we want."

"That's right," Angelo said. "You be a good little girl, and everything will be alright."

"Don't worry, Bella. I'm not going to hurt you."

"I don't believe you."

"Don't be afraid, Bella."

"I'm not going to hurt you, Bella."

Somewhere over head, the scream of a night bird mingled with Krystiana's screams as the two men dragged her into the woods, away from the city lights.



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Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four
Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten