Talena skipped along the road, making her long handmade skirts flutter around her booted ankles. She was returning from Baghdad Cafe, a small hole in the wall cafe with the best scones in Maine, when the man ran up to her. She immediately noticed that he was devilishly handsome with long black hair and gypsy features. Definitely gypsy with the dark eyes and hair, but his skin was a bit pale - shilmulo, perhaps? She wondered at his actions.
He stopped gracefully before her - moving unlike any mortal she had ever seen. At that moment, it was obvious that he was indeed shilmulo, a gypsy vampire. He immediately showed her proper deference, bowing to her. "Please." He implored softly, "The gaje come after me as we speak. Could you perhaps protect me, and in exchange I will be in your debt, sweet sister?"
Shilmulo or not, blood was blood. Talena nodded, stepping back into the shadows of the trees and looking around for immediate danger. "What sort of gaje? Vampire, Garou, Technocrats, mundanes? And how many?" She watched him as much as she watched her surroundings. Her mind spun, thinking of ways to hide them both.
"They are mortal authorities, I believe. They have the badges." The handsome shilmulo looked back in the direction he had come from.
She nodded as she spotted what she had been looking for; a large tree. Talena dashed over to it, starting to climb it. "Come on, hurry!" She urged to him. The man looked at her for a moment and then did as she urged.
Once they were both in the tree, she put her finger to her lips. "Shhhhhh." Using magic, she first gently convinced the tree branches to bend thicker under them, obscuring vision from below. Then, she sang a couple of phrases of "Creature of the Woods" to set up a magic "don't notice us" field. We're just a couple of birds. That's all. Move along. Nothing to see here.
As they waited quietly, Talena noticed that the shilmulo did not breath. She could not see his breath in the cold night's air. After a few minutes, she began to wonder if there really was any danger. In answer to her wordless question, a green Saturn suddenly sped to the area from around a corner and skidded to a stop. Two men in nice suits got out of the car, looking around. She can tell they were normal mortals.
They looked around for about three minutes, then one pulled out a cellular phone, hit one of the buttons, "Sorry, Captain, I think this one had that invisibility power or something. Suspect is lost. I repeat, suspect is lost. We're going to go back to the scene to see if we can find any clues on how he got there. Out." He then hung up his phone and nodded to his wary partner. Both got back into the car and drove away.
Talena noted the government license plates on the car and the two men. She memorized their faces for future reference. 'Probably standard government agent types... except for that one comment.' She thought to herself.
"Thank you." The shilmulo murmured to her with a half smile.
She sat back and grinned, satisfied. It was always good to pull on over on the gaje, especially government gaje. She looked over to her fellow gypsy, offering her hand. "I'm Talena. Who are you and what did you do to put a bee in their bonnet?"
"My name is Jerzei. The only thing I can think of that I did to them was to borrow some money from a briefcase they had left lying around. I do not understand why they are so upset over that." He started out with a rueful smile, but it quickly molded itself into a cocky grin.
Talena shook her head. "If they had really wanted it, they shouldn't have left it out." She paused a second. "You know, they seemed to know that you were shilmulo. That means it wasn't -just- mundane government. Maybe I ought have a look at that money to make sure they can't track you with it."
"I feel the same. As for the money, I see no sign of magic on it, like I see on you. If that is what you are asking about." Jerzei responded as he helped her out of the tree.
"Alright, Jerzei, if you're sure." She allowed the branches to move back to their original positions as she watched him from the corner of her eye. "You aren't from around here, are you? I suggest you stay far, far away from NVU. A lot of supernaturals, who don't like any kind of kindred, are there."
"Ah, this is twice you have helped me." He brushed himself off. "Where is this NVU you speak of, and what is it?"
"It's over on Notre Via Street in the East part of town. I'm serious, though. There are some powerful mojo people. You -really- don't want to go there. Some like me who make me look like I'm just a stage magician... a bumbling stage magician at that. They would kill you just as soon as look at you... and that's if the lupine don't get you first." She paused... "Also, it's my current home and I protect it." She tilts her head, wondering if she got her point across in a friendly manner. "So, what do I get since you owe me?"
"I am being serious as well. I do not know what this NVU is. If it is truly dangerous to me, I thank you for the warning." He gave her a small bow.
"Oh... I'm sorry. Notre Via University. It is a large, expensive university." She realized that he really did intend to avoid it.
"Ah. And why are their so many lupines and mages there?"
"It is a special place for special people." She grinned at him, knowing that he would be curious.
"Special people like you?" Jerzei walked along beside her, keeping most of his attention on her, but there was an aire of wariness, too.
Talena smiled, eyes sparkling. "Those of us with great potential." She semi-mock preened, fussing with her hair. "I always knew I had a Destiny."
"All of the Rom have a great Destiny. Don't tell me you don't know the stories of your own people." He scoffed.
"I do know the story of my... our... people, Jerzei. However, as a mage, I do have certain responsibilities... and duties. But, I do know that there is something -I- must do." Talena bristled a little.
"As one of the Rom, you have those as well. And a grand Destiny. You had that as your birthright, not as the result of some teaching by an old, bearded man." He smiled to her.
"Of course." She tosses her head. "But as I am in this school, learning intimately about these other supernaturals, I will have more information and more leads into learning that Destiny."
"As far as I'm concerned, there are only two types people - Rom and gaje. Nothing else matters." Jerzei shrugged.
"I used to think the same. But, after seeing and learning so much about the others, I have learned that it is the individual that does matter. As a whole, there are Rom and there are Gaje. Had you not been Rom, I would not have assisted you so readily earlier. However, I do have gaje friends. Individual people - Garou, Changeling, Mage. I have had my eyes opened to the importance of each. As a time of great change comes forth, I know that each of the supernaturals have a Destiny and that these Destinies are intertwined. I must figure out this greater Destiny to see what part the Rom will play... and how each will deal with another." She looked to him. "Perhaps you think me liberal for one such as myself... but you are the first true Rom I have met since I have been sent to NVU."
"All gaje are gaje. Those that possess some supernatural heritage are wiser and more tolerable than other gaje, but they are gaje just the same. If they knew the truth of you, they would try to kill you. Remember to hide that from them. We Rom know our part - this is what I mean about knowing of your own people. Our part has already been explained. We only need to carry it out." He added, almost as an afterthought... "I do not think of you as liberal. Wisdom only comes with time."
She forced her ire down. Perhaps she had become too comfortable with the gaje. "That is why they will not learn the truth. And do you not think that perhaps sometimes, the older wisdom no longer fits within the circumstances of the day? How old are you anyway?"
"What is there to learn? It should have been explained to you while you sat on your mother's lap."
Talena looked at him. "Do you know of the houses of the Sidhe and how to work them against each other? Do you know all of the weakness of the Garou or their strengths? Do you know who the Changelings and the Garou war against? They are all interconnected. Learning that much more about them all is important to me." She did not know what to say to get her point across. It is important to understand how the gaje and the supernaturals interact.
"That may be important to you, but none of that affects the Destiny of the Rom. I think we are discussing different things here. We have but one Destiny as a people, and it is something we are honor bound to do." He picked up a pine cone and tossed it down the street. "The older wisdom states that the sky is blue and the grass is green. It states the duty the Rom have and the things we will do when the time comes. That wisdom still applies, for we have not yet performed our destiny. As for my age - I am not that old, Talena."
She shook her head. "You did not answer my question."
"Why don't you tell me how old I am, then?" There was a hint of challenge in his dark eyes.
"Alright." She slipped her hands in her pockets, one hand palming her hematite stone as she looked at him, using her sense of Time to figure out exactly how old he is. "Humph." She tilted her head. "Seventeen mortal years. Eight as shilmulo. You really aren't that old. Only 25. You seem older. Why is that?
He shrugged. "I know not. As to what I can offer you..." He suddenly segued to her previous question. "I do not have much. This money I have taken must go to the Kumpania who let me sleep the day with them some few nights ago. I am to send it to a friend in Florida. I have naught to offer you but my friendship."
She waved her hand. "That's cool. I wasn't serious in any case. One cannot have too many friends. Do you have to leave right now?"
"Not right away - just before sunrise." There was a hint of sadness in his voice.
"I was just pondering a walk or going dancing. Join me? I would like to learn a bit about you, my new friend."
"Well, of course I will join you."
"Do you have a preference? If not, we could go to Oak Street to dance. They also have tables near the back that are quiet enough to talk." She looked him up and down. "You can dance, can't you?"
"You would go dance with the gaje? Why?" He wrinkled his nose as if he smelled something rotten.
"I dance because it brings me pleasure. I dance with the Gaje because as I said before, some of them are friends. But, the rest, I do not dance -with-. I dance in my own world and the gaje look on in awe and uncertainty. Look at you and I. We are a striking couple. You see those people we pass? They look at us with awe... with curiosity... with desire... and, with fear. There is power in the dance and they know it within and thus are changed forever." She tossed her head almost defiantly.
"I do not know how you could handle to smell their..." Jerzei paused, looking sick for a moment. "... scent around you. The gaje are simple creatures - creatures I see as being of no greater use than to take what I need from them, as much as it sickens me."
"Why do you pay so much attention to them? They are nothing more than moving scenery. I pay attention to those who are important to me. The rest are like TV or yapping dogs in a park." His thought line was beginning to bother her a little.
He face grew serious. "I pay attention to them because I will not - dishonor - the Rom as I dishonor the gaje."
"I do not understand. You pay attention to the gaje so you will not dishonor the Rom? That makes no sense."
"To do what I have to do to survive brings dishonor on the person I must do it to. I will never dishonor a Rom that way. I can not be more specific without discussing things of a vulgar nature." He unconsciously licked his lips.
She tilted her head, voice lowering for a touch. "You mean... feeding?" She tried to hide her intense curiosity but knew she was failing.
He stiffened a little. "It is not polite nor right to talk about it."
Talena nodded. "OK. I guess you're right. I do apologize. You are the first of your kind I have met. I am intrigued by you."
He looked at her seriously. "Do not be overly curious. It is dangerous to be intrigued, sweet sister. You must be careful."
She raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous to be intrigued by you? Why is that? You would not harm me."
"There is a reason this is a curse. I do many things I do not mean to do." He looked away from her into a memory.
She nods. "Yes... a curse. Would you tell me how you came to be like you are? Please?" She could not help but ask. She had to know.
He shook his head. "I would prefer not to. I was betrayed by a gaje who disguised himself as one of the Rom. My Kumpania slew him by the day and hid me until they found someone to train me. Then, they let me go and banished me from it forever."
Talena frowned. "How did he fool you? I am so sorry that you have lost your Kumpania..."
"He fooled me through a gamble. When I was alive, many gaje would say I had the luck of the devil - once in a small gambling hall in New Orleans, I was dealt a Royal Straight Flush - and I had grown to rely on it." Jerzei sighed, internally relenting to her curiosity. "I saw this shulmilo before he saw us - like my grandmother, I had a touch of the sight. I thought to keep him away from our Kumpania - it is bad luck for them to travel with us for too long. I approached him, and he seemed to be Rom - one of the Ravnos, if I'm not mistaken."
"He did not heed my warning at first, until I stood in his path. We exchanged words - I found him ignorant of our ways, but at the time explained that as an effect of the curse he had. Soon, he gave me a deal - one draw of the cards, high card wins - if I win, he stays away from the Kumpania. If he wins, one of the Kumpania becomes his. A foolish bet, and now I wonder why I took it."
"We drew - I had the Ace of Diamonds. A good card - a very high card. But then the creature drew the Ace of Spades, and called me as his. He carried me back to the Kumpania, now lifeless, and announced that he would be staying with us. My father sadly agreed, and when the sun rose he set fire to the wagon that the monster slept in.
"After that, we hooked up with a Kumpania of the Ravnos family, and I joined with them for a few nights learning from the one shulmilo who stayed with them. Only the Ravnos family are spared the curse of such kinship. ... But let's not talk any more of this subject." Jerzei's voice was cold from anger and loss.
Talena nodded, quiet for a while as they walked along the road. "What would you like to talk about?"
"I don't know. Something. Anything. Tell me of some of your adventures, sweet one. I'm sure you have something interesting ones... especially for someone so special." He teased her gently as he offered her a spot on bench next to him.
She smiled, accepting the seat next to him, choosing a story to weave and entertain. They spoke deep into the night until her new friend was forced to leave. Jerzei bowed to her and murmured. "Perhaps, we shall meet again, Talena. Until then, may the road rise to meet your feet and the wind always be at your back." With that and a cocky smile, he disappeared into the fading darkness, leaving behind only memory of their evening together.