Summary: A gypsy girl is imprisoned by a haughty prince, much to her self-disgust. Every attempt he makes to befriend her fails – miserably, I might add. But what will happen when he drops the big, king-of-the-world act and stops being a pain? Gypsy's POV, R/R
A/N: To let you know, I used actual Gypsy names. Well, they're Hungarian and Romanian names, since Gypsies are from both heritages, but since I am completely obsessed with strange names, I love them. Anyway, please review... if I get enough reviews (still don't know my goal) maybe I won't be too discouraged to continue the story. And NO FLAMES. They don't help.
Chapter One: Eszti
My tale is a very uncommon one, something people would be tempted to categorize as a fairytale. I wouldn't call it that, despite the prince and the magical creatures and lands. This is my story now, and to let you know beforehand, it is a story written in a completely opposite way to Cinderella, who is just too weak and frail for her own good. I mean, who wouldn't run away or fight back after being forced to work for their two stepsisters? Really, now...
I am a fifteen-year-old Gypsy girl, one of the dark-complexioned people that are believed to be magicians and bandits. We laugh at those stereotyped ideas, rather than take them as deep insults. In reality, we are simply fortunetellers, musicians, and artists. But sometimes, we like to scare the rich people by stealing little things as jokes, and returning them later in the night. As they have presented our people with little honor, we enjoy their shrieks of terror and pleading. Somehow, they believe that we can murder them with our "magic". I wonder who started those ridiculous ideas...
One night, Mariutza, Jenica, Lorant, and I were settled in our group's camp right by the city of Arvette, where the royal family lived. We were joking and laughing over a warm fire in the woods.
In our clearing, the pale light of the moon radiated through the thick canopy of leaves and the campfire shown like a ruby among coal. Apart from a clump of glittering stars, the moon and the fire were the only sources of light. Everything else was an endless black.
"Tomorrow, Lorant and I are going riding," Mariutza declared, grinning at Jenica and I. Jenica's face fell, though mine lit up. Riding? I've always wanted to go riding. My mind was set; I'd force Mariutza and Lorant to allow me to come if I had to.
"Nani wants me to help her set up our tent two days from now," said Jenica timidly, staring at the ground. Mariutza and Lorant exchanged glances; Jenica's mother never let her do anything, and Mariutza, Lorant, and I were always looking for a way she could join. They seemed to come up with nothing. Lorant had shrugged and Mariutza had grimaced.
"Maybe next time, Jenica," Mariutza said gently. Jenica nodded absently, still staring at the ground and frowning.
"Can I come, Mariutza?" I asked her. She looked thoughtful. I made a face, annoyed. Was this girl dangling the opportunity in my face? Because it wasn't a hard decision.
"You don't have a horse, Eszti," she reasoned. My heart plummeted. Did this mean they wouldn't let me borrow one? I scavenged for a way in my head, finally finding a solution.
"What if I steal a horse?" I asked eagerly. Mariutza and Lorant sucked in their breaths and Jenica's head darted up. I knew what they were thinking; although we stole frequently, they were always little things. Sometimes we stole chicken eggs, a few pieces of silver, and other small possessions. But they were all for fun and we always returned what we stole. And the idea of stealing a horse right under the nose of the royal family... not pretty. Still, they weren't going to get me to give up this opportunity to go riding.
"Are you sure you'd try such a thing, Eszti?" Jenica asked hesitantly. I nodded hard. I'd at least "borrow" the horse until the riding was over, then return it later on. No one need know it was even gone.
"Of course." I said boldly. Mariutza and Lorant shook their heads in time and Jenica bit her lip. But they knew better than to argue with me, since I won almost every single argument thrown my way. Nen (my mother) claimed it was the way I could use words to make everything defend me, while Da (my father) claimed it was my hardheadedness. Whatever it was, I was more than grateful for it.
"It's your choice, Eszti, but be careful. The rich people show no mercy," Mariutza said sagely.
I didn't realize how right she was until later on.
The next morning, I woke up with an impossibly churning stomach. The thought of stealing something as large and as noticeable as a horse made my stomach flip and writhe, but I couldn't back out from my word. I was known around the camp as a strong-willed, determined girl who, if not directly given her way, would find it on her own. It was my reputation, and I would not soil it.
I dressed into a sleeveless silk gown of bright, Gypsy purple. The hems and sides of the dress were decorated with small, gold bangles, and the hemline was slanted: it was from an inch or two past my knee down to my ankles. I wore my hair down as usual, but I did wear long gold earrings, a single gold necklace, and several gold bracelets.
When I stepped out of my tent, I saw Mariutza and Jenica talking in low voices. When they finally spotted me, they stopped and stared.
"Eszti, do you really want to do this?" Jenica asked tentatively.
"Because Lorant and I don't need to go riding," Mariutza added quickly.
I gazed from one to the other and shook my head.
"No. I will stick to my word and take a horse from the stables. If either of you tell anyone, I swear I will never forgive you."
"We won't tell, Eszti," said Jenica reassuringly.
"But we have to warn you," Mariutza insisted. "that the only stable in Arvette is the royal stable. Under the highest, rich-man security."
I was silent. The royal stables? Royal stables? Exactly how secure would this guard be in the royal stables? But this didn't dissuade me at all.
"Be that is it may, but I stand strong. I am leaving later in the afternoon."
"Later in the afternoon," Jenica repeated, still looking a bit shaken.
"Later in the afternoon," chorused Mariutza, as though to reassure herself.
Later in the afternoon...
I was facing the stables, and was instantly struck at how tall and intimidating it was. I swallowed hard and slipped under its wooden shelter, hiding behind the thick poles and behind groups of haystacks.
I strained my hearing hard for any voices anywhere nearby. When I was sure that no one was there, I took a deep breath and stepped up to the nearest horse, staring at it. Would it be good enough for me? I was a hard rider, and I needed a horse that could run fast and follow directions right.
Yes, it was good enough, I decided. Besides, I didn't want to be stuck in this gigantic stable-house for too long a time. The scent was unbearable.
My hands frantically fumbled around the reins and I unsteadily loosened the tie. I checked behind my shoulder.
No one there. Good.
Just as I began leading the horse out its stall, I heard footsteps behind me. My heart skipped. They weren't the horses' quick footsteps. They were a man's.
My head whipped around. There was a great burly man hurrying towards me, looking especially scary at a time like this.
"Gypsy! What do you think you're doing? Unhand that horse!" he yelled, now breaking into a run.
Great. Was it so necessary that he had to be stereotyped about this?
Dropping the reins, I ran. This wasn't supposed to happen; I wasn't supposed to get caught, What would the camp say? What would Jenica, Mariutza, and Lorant say? What would Nen and Da say?
This urged my legs faster and I was running like I never had before. I still heard the man's less-than-whispered obscenities as he chased after me, now followed by a few other voices. The only word I could distinguish was 'Gypsy'. This didn't improve my feelings for them.
Curse these rich people.
My calves stung with pain and a stitch in the side of my hips developed, but I kept on running. Running along the dirt road, small clouds of dust flew up with my every light step, until I could barely breathe. I chanced a glance behind my shoulder, but no one was there. I slowed down and tried to catch my breath.
Good. Now where to hide...
Frenetically scanning the landscape with my eyes, they landed on a shed near a manor, with a few clucking chickens scratching the ground. I stole into the shed and carefully closed the metal door shut. Then, right on cue, I heard a few voices outside.
Nen and Da will have my head, I thought to myself.
Cluck. Cluck.
I jumped. What the heck was that? I whipped around and looked down.
A chicken. Great.
I bent down and tried to keep its beak shut with my hands. No such luck. It pecked at the tips of my fingers until I gave a sort of strangled yelp. I frowned at my bleeding fingertips. Then, looking up, I gave a horrible start.
The aluminum door of the shed was open, and upon its rough threshold stood the owner of the manor: a rich stately man dressed in a black suit and with an elaborate mustache. Somehow, he reminded me of a butler. He was staring at me with huge eyes.
"Sir," I pleaded, wringing my hands together. "please, I wasn't trying to take anything, I was just hiding -"
"GYPSY!" He yelled, nearly bursting my eardrums. "GYPSY! BANDIT! GUARDS!"
Swearing under my breath, I leapt up and shoved him aside, breaking into a run. I hadn't gone far until I saw horses and riders riding my way, all bellowing at me. I whirled around and ran the other way until a pair of strong hands tightly gripped my arms. I struggled aggressively against the grasp until my captor forced me into the circle of guards, all of whom were glaring at me.
Cursing them all loudly, I whirled around and my dark, Egyptian eyes met the dark blue of someone else's.
I saw his face and paled.
A/N: A horrible way to end this chapter, I know, especially with a cliffhanger. To specify a little more, a really bad cliffhanger. But I had accidentally written on and on and on and I had to cut out the parts that belonged in the next chapter. Really. Otherwise, I would've worked on it a bit more and would've been more consistent with my writing style. But the story is progressing along fine, and I like the text voice...
SO REVIEW, DANGIT! Man, I will I never get tired of that line...