Prologue:

Matthew Cameron, son of Lord Thomas Cameron and Lady Theresa, had had manners and etiquette drilled into him since he was a small child. When his mother, a frail woman to begin with died giving birth to his baby brother, Tobin, who also died, three days later, he was shipped away to boarding school. There he learned all he would need to know when the time came for him to take over for his father. As the only heir there was a lot of pressure placed on Matthew�s shoulders.

Under the supervision of the headmasters at his school he learned all he needed to know to govern the lands that belonged to his father. He learned to read, write, he was drilled in arithmetic, and war strategies. He attended social events that the school held and socialized with other young people of breeding. He grew into a striking lad with hair the color of sunshine that softly waved around his face, his aristocratic nose was the trade mark that all Cameron men had had for generations along with the muddy-brown eyes that hid well the emotions within the man.

At 16, Matthew was summoned home, his father was remarrying and aside from wanting his only son in attendance Thomas felt it was time for Matthew to learn about being a lord. Matthew, ever the obedient son, went home at his father�s request and left his school, the only home he�d known for the last ten years. He wished his father and new stepmother, Amanda, much happiness, gave them his blessing to get married, and the two went off on their honeymoon. A tour of France, not just the tiny area where they lived, but the entire country of France is where they honeymooned.

Alone, under the supervision of Stephen, one of his father�s trusted employees, Matthew was free to do much of whatever he wanted. He rode in the countryside on a palomino that he called Devil Chaser. He went hunting with other young gentlemen; he even attended one or two dances that he was invited to for various occasions. His favorite thing to do, however, was to harass one particular girl in town. She was beautiful. Her hair the color of a raven�s wing, her eyes were liquid silver, her nose straight and narrow, not overly long, her cheekbones high and perfectly chiseled. In all she was the most gorgeous creature that Matthew had ever encountered and she wanted nothing to do with him.

Whenever he was in town Matthew searched her out and made inquiries as to whom she was. His every thought was consumed with thoughts of her, the mysterious girl who seemed to vanish as quickly as she appeared. By night he dreamed of her, by day he searched for her. Finally he cornered her and found her name to be Miranda. Miranda. It suited her perfectly, an exotic name for an exotic beauty. Matthew fell in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her and the feeling was mutual, although Miranda was hesitant to admit it. In secret the two met, both fearing the reactions of their families if they were found out. They became lovers, and planned to run away together, to join Miranda�s people as husband and wife. Her people, feared among many, were wandering gypsies. It was whispered that they wound put spells on your children and steal them away at night. When Matthew told his father of his plans that was what he feared had happened to his son.

Thomas was furious, he banned his son from leaving their home and swore that he would disinherit him if he ever saw Miranda again. Matthew was torn between the woman he loved with all his heart and his father, whom he also loved dearly. He made his choice. He would run away with Miranda, after two weeks without being with her he was going crazy, he knew that there was no way that he could ever live his life happily without her. The two disappeared without a trace, joining up with Miranda�s people and traveling far away from Matthew�s old home. The two were married and were really quite happy, Miranda�s father, the leader of their people welcomed Matthew with open arms. Matthew loved his life, the only regret he had was that his father hated him now.

Thomas, despite his threat had never planned to disinherit his son. He loved him dearly and continued to search for him none stop. He blamed Miranda for putting a spell on his only son and took out his hatred of her on all gypsies, especially the women. The men he believed were like his Matthew, seduced by the evil female gypsies. Everyday he searched for his lost son, high and low. When he met a stranger he searched his face, hoping it was his long lost son. No such luck. He never found him.

Chapter 1:

Erik Buttle, nephew of Amanda, the son of her only sibling, a sister, Amelia, was born three months after Matthew�s disappearance. His mother and father, both of whom loved him very much, were killed in a carriage accident when he was just six months old. He went to live with his aunt and uncle where he was treated as a son. He grew up as if he were the legitimate heir of Black Wood Manor. Thomas and Amanda treated him as their own, he was the closest they were likely to come unless Matthew was found because Amanda was unable to have children. Although Amanda was barren and Thomas desperately wanted an heir, he was after all midway through his life and not going to live forever, he never once thought of divorcing his wife or taking up a mistress. He loved Amanda if not as much as he�d loved his first wife, Theresa, enough that no other woman would do for him. He was loyal to the last, for those that he loved, and that trait he drilled into his nephew.

�Erik, come see what I�ve found,� Thomas said, finding his nephew standing on the balcony that came off of the large parlor. It was his favorite spot in the house; it afforded a view of the front lawns with their great weeping willow trees, maples, and oaks, the meticulous flowerbeds and evenly cut grass. The scene was beautiful and Erik was one that appreciated beauty when he saw it, especially in women. Although he was already 25, Erik had yet to settle on a wife, as he pointed out, there were just too many beautiful women out there to choose only one. Amanda, ever the hopeless romantic, said that he had just not found the right one for him and that she would come along one day and sweep him off his logical feet. Erik, more popular with the ladies than many of his contemporaries, largely due to his caramel brown hair that he kept tied back at the nape of his neck, wide shoulders, narrow waist, leanly muscled 6� frame, chiseled features, wide mouth made for kissing, and startlingly green, pine colored eyes, didn�t believe that he would find any woman up to his standards. Eventually he knew he�d have to settle down and start a family so that there would be an heir for Black Wood, but he figured until that time came he would have as much fun as he could and the ladies would permit.

�What have you found?� Erik asked, following his uncle who was unusually cheerful. Thomas put his arm around Erik�s shoulder and led him from the balcony and parlor to his office at the other end of the house, away from all the commotion within which allowed Thomas peace and quiet while he worked.

�You�ll see,� Thomas promised, his eyes twinkling with merriment, as if he were a small child on Christmas morning and he�d just received what he�d wanted most in the world. They walked into Thomas�s office, Thomas first, Erik following, shutting the door behind him.

�What�s this�� Erik began but stopped, seeing a stranger in his uncle�s office.

�Frederic Harris, my nephew Erik Buttle. Erik, Mr. Harris has brought us some most pleasing news. News of some people passing through town,� Thomas said, meaningfully. Erik looked at him, not comprehending what he was talking about. �People that we should keep a close eye on, if you catch my meaning,� he said, his eyes straying to a portrait that had always hung over the fireplace in his office. A picture of a woman with auburn hair and gray eyes, her hair hanging loose around her shoulders in ringlets, a small boy standing next to her, his resemblance to Thomas striking. Erik didn�t miss the glance and the hope that he could see in his uncle�s eyes and voice now that he knew what was going on.

�What do you want me to do?� Erik asked, already making plans for trailing these people that either could be Matthew or lead to Matthew. He was an accomplished military leader in his own right and was in charge of the solders that were on duty at Dark Wood Manor and in the town nearby that Thomas was the ruling lord over.

�First let�s hear what Frederic has to say,� Thomas said patiently, he knew that Erik was as anxious to find Matthew as he was, and because he hated all gypsies he�d transferred that hatred on to his nephew. He was certain that his nephew would do all he could to inflict pain on the gypsies as revenge for stealing away Matthew.

�You�re not aimin� ta hurt no one is ya?� Frederic asked, he, along with most everyone in town feared the gypsies, largely because Lord Thomas did, and if Lord Thomas, a man braver than all men put together feared them they must be really bad. He didn�t care if his lordship hurt the gypsies themselves, he was afraid that the miller and his family, the ones that were housing them, he was sure without knowing that they were evil gypsies, would be punished for giving them shelter and food. �Not ta no innocents least?�

�You have my word,� Thomas said solemnly, �no innocent people will suffer.� He didn�t add that anyone who was helping a gypsy was not innocent in his way of thinking they were just as guilty of stealing his son as the gypsies themselves because they were helping the gypsies. Yes, the only ones that were truly innocent were the men and children who were lured off by those temptresses and whores. �Now, tell us, these people you saw�are you sure they were gypsies?�

�Well, like I done telled ya it was real dark an� all. But they�s was wearin� those bright clothes and showed their ankles and bare feet, no respectable lady woulda done that, right? I was no spying, but I heared �em askin� the miller for a pile of hay ta sleep on an� some food ta eat. They says they was hungry and had two lil�uns wit �em. John, that�s the miller�s name, he woulda turned �em away, but Nelly, �is wife, she say it be too cold to let young �uns stay out a doors. She invited �em in an� say they welcome ta stay. Don�t know that they was the ones ya is lookin� fer, but I bet my crops this year they�s gypsies,� Frederic finished his recantation of the tale in a hushed voice, as if he were afraid that the gypsies would hear him speaking.

�Alright,� Thomas said, pulling a leather pouch from inside his blue frock coat. �We�ll investigate this. Thank you for your help. Ben will walk you to the door.� Frederic nodded and Thomas pulled a cord in the corner of the room, signaling his servants in the kitchen. A few minutes later Ben appeared and walked Mr. Harris from the room and to the door. He escorted him to the door and ushered him outside, promptly shutting the door when he was outside.

�Do you think its Matthew?� Erik asked, anticipation building within him. He�d never met his infamous cousin and he was certain that Matthew, the real son of Thomas would do a better job as Lord of Dark Wood than he himself would. He had never looked forward to the idea of giving up his position in the military to be the lord of the manor.

�I don�t know, but we have no choice but to see,� Thomas said, excited too. It had been 25 long years since he�d seen his son�s face.

�Should we stake out the miller�s house? Make sure that they really are gypsies that that man saw?� Erik asked, he didn�t want to disturb innocent people, or insinuate that they were anything other than innocent until they were proven not to be. Thomas looked at his nephew, his eyes, dimmed with age and weariness regarded him for a time. Finally he shook his head, as he paced the room, his arms behind his back, head bowed. If the truth were known he was in prayer, tears welling in his eyes as he hoped and prayed that this once he would be led to his son. His Matthew.

�No, tonight. I�ve waited too long to wait any longer. They may leave by the time we�re certain of who they are. Gather as many soldiers as are necessary to surround the miller�s house. Ask the miller to see his guests. Once you see them you�ll know if they are gypsies. Capture any males, tie them if you must, burn the women and the miller along with his family in the miller�s house. Let them be an example to any others who would dare to house those spawn of the devil,� Thomas directed, his eyes hard.

�Are you sure?� Erik asked. �You told that man that no innocents would be hurt,� he pointed out.

�Yes, but they aren�t innocent. They chose to house such despicable creatures in their home so they can burn in hell with them,� Thomas declared, pronouncing them all guilty. Erik watched his uncle, seeing for the first time that his uncle may not be completely sane, that loosing his only son may have addled his brain.

�Alright,� Erik agreed, not one to go against his uncle�s wishes. �I�ll get started now,� he said, leaving his uncle to his own thoughts. �Blair!� he yelled for his second in command, a man only five years older than himself whom he�d grown up with and treated as if he were a brother. Blair, never far from Erik, a man he greatly admired because of his bravery, which had saved Blair�s life, appeared at his side.

�What�s wrong Erik?� Blair asked.

�We�ve got an infestation of gypsies,� Erik said, walking swiftly out of the house and toward the stables. Efficiently he and Blair saddled their horses, Blair on a brown quarter horse with a white face, Erik on a black stallion, pure black except for a white spot above his left eye that resembled the shape of a heart. He called him Heart Breaker. Together they rode, side-by-side, into town to gather up as many soldiers as possible.

Chapter 2:

�Talia, are you certain this is wise?� Felix asked. The six of them, Talia, her two younger brother�s; Thomas and Tobin, Felix, Talia�s best friend, Codi, and Felix�s younger brother, Alexandre were staying in the home of the miller of a small town, a man named John. They were returning from a trip to Paris to where they were to meet their people, whom traveled around a lot, when Alexandre had gotten sick. The trip was taking longer than was expected and they were running out of money so they dared to venture up to the miller�s home and beg them to take them in for a day or two, until Alex was well enough to travel. Reluctantly, because of his wife, the miller agreed.

�It may not be wise, but we have no choice,� Talia said, as they carried Alex into the warm, cozy quarters that belonged to the miller and his family, his wife, Nelly, and their three daughters, Sophia, 27, she was a spinster, by the looks of her Talia was sure she had had at least a dozen or more marriage proposals and couldn�t figure out why she wasn�t married. She later learned that Sophia�s intended had died in a shipwreck and that she wasn�t interested in anyone except her beloved William. Their next daughter, Katherine, 21, was engaged to a man whom she decreed was the most handsome man alive and possibly the sweetest, but that didn�t stop her from making googolly eyes at Felix. Sarah, their youngest was just a year older than Talia herself, and a year younger than Codi. She claimed to have three different beaux, but she whispered to Talia that she didn�t really like any of them. The man she really liked was a poor farmer and her father would never let her marry him, so they met in secret.

They stayed there for two days, planning to leave the night of their second day, grateful for the miller�s hospitality. With the help of Nelly�s heartening stews and other dishes Alex grew strong enough to continue their journey. Talia and Codi left Thomas and Tobin in Felix�s care and went into the town. They needed supplies to make it home, or they never would, and Felix was capable of looking out for the young ones and his brother, whom he really didn�t feel comfortable leaving in someone else�s care. Dressed in an extra pair of Felix�s pants, beige, which ended up being long and baggy on Talia who was only 5�2� tall and extremely slender, to the point of being overly skinny, and a sturdy white work shirt, which didn�t really conceal her figure completely. With her chest bound with cloth strips so it was flat and her hair secured in a bun hidden under a handkerchief she looked like a young man of about 14 or15 as long as no one looked too closely at her and noticed her fine boned features, instead of the 17 year old woman that she was. Without a male escort to go with them Felix had insisted at least one of them go in disguise, hoping to deter anyone who would rob them by making it look like a young man and woman instead of two young females, out alone near dusk.

�How do I look?� Talia asked, modeling the clothes and the aura that she was trying to portray for her friends and family to judge. Thomas, 10, and Tobin, nearly 7, snickered at their sister�s apparent failure at looking like a boy. Codi discreetly hid her smile behind her hand and Felix openly shook his head, evidently not pleased at all by the disguise.

�Tal, you look more like a girl than I do,� Codi said, unable to hid her smile any longer.

�Here,� Felix said, rubbing some soot from the fireplace over Talia�s face. �If no one looks at you too close they shouldn�t notice. Just keep those eyes of yours downcast, they�re a dead give away.�

�At least it�s getting darker,� Thomas pointed out. �No one will be able to tell in dim light.�

�Alright,� Talia said, sighing. �Let�s go.�

�Be careful,� Felix warned as he walked them out to the stables where they had been allowed to keep their horses, there where only four of them, Tobin having been riding with Thomas, and Codi�s having been sold so they had some money. Talia saddled her horse, a palomino, five years old, named Moonbeam.

�Don�t worry, we will,� Talia promised as she mounted. Codi mounted behind her, her skirts riding up to show considerable amounts of bare skin on her legs before she could adjust them. �We�ll be back soon,� she said and rode off in the direction of town. Felix watched them go, praying that they would be alright, he watched until they disappeared from his vision and still he stared at the spot in the distance that they had once occupied.

�When will you be leaving?� Katherine asked, her eyes huge saucers of coffee with cream liberally added, fringed with thick black lashes, stared up at him when he entered the house from where she sat at the table shucking beans for a stew that Nelly was making for supper. Nelly and Sarah had been in the garden all afternoon, weeding, when Codi and Talia left, so they didn�t know about her disguise, Katherine had been in the kitchen, baking bread, Sophia was in town where she worked as a seamstresses assistant, and John was in the mill where he spent most of the day.

�Tomorrow, early,� Felix said, not wanting to tell her that they were truly planning to leave in the middle of the night because he knew that would seem suspicious. They couldn�t afford to wait any longer to leave, if they were discovered to be gypsies they were in serious danger. The miller and his family would be in danger also, for helping them, even though they didn�t know their guests� identities. As far as Felix was concerned they were pressing their luck by staying in one area for too long without the protection of the rest of their people, especially in the town they were in where it was reported that gypsies, especially female gypsies, faced extreme torture before they were killed.

�That�s too bad,� Katherine said, pressing her full, pouty lips together. �Are you sure you can�t stay a little while longer?� she asked, standing up, and crossing the room to where Felix stood, trying to find a way to leave her company and rejoin his brother and Talia�s brothers without abruptly leaving. She pressed herself close to Felix, her full bosom pressing against Felix�s chest.

�I�m sure,� he said, backing away from her. �We really must be on our way, with Alex being sick we�ve already been delayed.�

�That�s too bad,� she said, following his retreating steps with her own bold steps. Luckily, for Felix, Sarah and Nelly entered the house and he was able to make his escape into the back room that Sophia had graciously given up so they could have a place to sleep and doctor Alex. Nelly took over the preparation of the evening meal from Katherine, who was planning on eating over at her betrothed�s house and needed to get dressed in something more flattering than her everyday work dress. Just before the meal was finished John turned up, finishing his work for the day. He washed up and they prepared to serve supper.

�Where are Codi and Talia?� Nelly asked, her motherly face warm and caring.

�They went to town,� Tobin said, smiling jovially, it wasn�t often that he was able to answer anyone�s question and it made him feel important that he knew the answer to Nelly�s. �They�re getting supplies, for when we leave.� Before anyone could answer the sound of horses riding up was heard.

�Who could that be?� John asked, leaving his seat at the head of the table, they weren�t expecting guests and since Charles had already come and picked up Katherine it couldn�t be him. Already at the door he opened it just as a man with brown hair, straight as a poker, pulled back away from his face and secured with a leather tie, squinty gray eyes, and a face marked with pock scares was about to knock. �Can I help you?� he asked, noticing the dozens of men on horseback in the front yard, he held no illusions that there weren�t just as many at the back.

�Are you John, the Miller?� the man asked, knowing full well that he was, but was following his training to a �T.� John nodded, his voice gone, whatever this was about he was certain it was not good. �Would everyone within your home please come out?� he asked, expecting to be obeyed immediately.

�Everyone,� John said, turning to face his family and guests who�d all been listening and heard what the man had requested. �Everyone outside,� he said, his voice not betraying how he felt. Nelly and John walked out together, the two creating a strong united front, Sarah followed, and then Thomas and Tobin, lastly Felix who was helping Alexandre filed out. Talia and Codi were still in town and Sophia was working late, as she did sometimes when the shop was especially busy, and would be staying in the town�s only hotel.

�Is everyone out?� Erik asked from his seat on Heart Breaker. John nodded. �Blair, go make sure,� he ordered. The man who had ordered everyone out of the house nodded curtly once and headed into the house. He searched and found no one.

�No one,� Blair said, agreeing with John�s proclamation. Erik studied the faces of each of the people in turn, pausing over Thomas and Tobin, who reminded him of someone.

�Miller,� Erik said, his green eyed gaze swinging back to the man. �Is this your family?�

�My wife and daughter,� John said, seeing no need to mention that two of his daughters were away.

�And these others?� Erik prompted.

�Travelers that we took in,� John answered.

�What are your names?� Erik asked the four males in question. �Where are you from?�

�Felix, Alexandre, Thomas, and Tobin,� Felix answered for all of them. Erik mauled that response over, the names Thomas and Tobin ringing a bell in his head added to the fact that the two youngest looked familiar he was fairly certain they were in some way related to his uncle.

�Where are you from?� he prompted.

�Go to hell,� Alexandre said, spitting at Erik, obviously the leader. Blair struck him from behind in the head, causing him to lean even heavier on Felix�s shoulder.

�Tie them up,� Erik ordered, gesturing to Felix, Alex, Thomas, and Tobin. �They come with us.�

�What about the others?� Blair asked as two soldiers came out of the shadows and tied up the four men.

�Lock them in the house and set it afire,� he ordered coldly, hatred plain in his voice. �Let it be known that all that would house gypsies will be punished.� The miller looked at his wife and daughter, horror and fear plain in their eyes, then they turned stricken looks on the four who were tied and being led away.

�Please,� John begged as the soldiers were pushing them into their house where they were sure to die painful deaths. �We didn�t know that they were gypsies. If we had we would have left them to freeze in the night. Please!�

�My orders were plain,� Erik said, not budging. �Burn the house down with the people who helped the gypsies inside.� Soldiers with torches lit the roof and walls on fire, after blocking the windows and doors, making escape impossible. When the house had caught the soldiers rode out single file with their prisoners on spare horses that they led. They started back toward Dark Wood Manor, a ride that under the best of circumstances took a day and a half.

Chapter 3:

�Talia,� Codi, holding onto the supplies they purchased that wouldn�t fit into the saddlebags called. �Is that smoke?� It was later than they had planned on being out, nearly pitch black, which was why Talia was walking Moonbeam instead of galloping or even trotting her to get back faster. The moon hadn�t risen yet, causing it to be even darker since the sun had set.

�Where?� Talia asked, not seeing smoke.

�In the air,� Codi said, sniffing at the air, not doubting that what she smelled was smoke. Talia sniffed at the air and nodded. She could see a fire blazing up ahead against the horizon.

�I have a bad feeling about this,� she told Codi and encouraged Moonbeam to a trot, hoping that she wouldn�t stumble in a hole and fall. They reached a rise where they could clearly see the miller�s house and found it brightly lit, flames licking at the roof and walls. Inside the screams of the miller and his family could be heard. In panic Talia urged Moonbeam to a gallop and slid out of the saddle before she came to a complete stop. The smell of smoke in the air made the horse prance and the horses in the barn were nickering and whinnying like mad. �Check on them,� Talia ordered Codi. �Make sure the barn wasn�t set on fire.� Codi nodded and Talia ran around to the back of the house, where she hoped there would be some way to help the miller and his family to escape. Less fire consumed the back, but still all exits were blocked and Talia wasn�t sure how to help. She spotted the well and the bucket, full of water that someone must have drawn and left, nearby. She raced to it and ran back to the rear entrance of the modest cottage that the miller lived in. She threw the water on the door, the fire hissed, spitted, and for the time being only steamed, the fire being dosed.

Madly she pulled at the wood that blocked the door, nailed shut. She found a rock and started banging on one end where one of the nails had bent, not going as far into the door as the others. Sweat rolled off her, the fire burned hotter and closer to her with each passing moment. Smoke blackened her face, hands, and clothes as she worked, refusing to give up. Finally the nail gave a little, encouraged Talia beat harder, pulling at the wood as she did, trying to pry it loose. The fire licked at the edge of the door again, closing in on her, soon it would be eating away the door and with it any chance she had at saving the family inside that had given her and her friends and family shelter. She didn�t even know if her brothers where inside. The thought of Thomas and Tobin being consumed by the fire renewed her lagging energy.

�Tal, what can I do?� Codi asked, running around the side of the house, the horses and other animals within the barn apparently being safe.

�Water,� Talia said, her attention never leaving her task. �We need to keep the fire at bay so we can get this door open.� Codi ran to the well, bucket in hand and lowered it into the well as fast as she could and hauled it up as fast as she could also. One nail screeched as it was pulled from the door, one still firmly in place.

�Watch out,� Codi warned as she approached the door. Talia moved away so Codi could throw the water. She threw it, the fire withdrawing about two inches and she ran back to the well, Talia went back to the nail. They repeated the process, Talia beating the nail away from the door and Codi tossing a bucket of water on the door, twice when the nail was finally almost out. The two girls together pulled at the board, pulling it away from the house as the rafters started to groan and gave way in one of the bedrooms.

�Come on,� Talia pleaded with Codi. �Pull,� she commanded, doing as she was trying to encourage Codi to do. The nail, under protest, gave way and came away from the door. The girls dropped the board, which remained at an odd angle and pounded on the door, screaming for those inside to push on the door and open it. The miller, his wife, and youngest daughter, heard the yells faintly and with what strength they had left managed to get the door open enough for Codi and Talia to pull on. Together the five of them managed to get the door open and the three sooty and coughing that were inside crashed through the open door way and into their back yard just as the beams all gave way and crashed into the room where they had been huddled together.

�Thank you,� Nelly said between coughing and hugging her family.

�The others?� Talia questioned. �Where are they?�

�Lord Thomas�s nephew, Erik, came with his soldiers. Said y�all were gypsies, and took the others as their prisoners.� Codi and Talia looked at each other, their faces draining of color under the layers of soot and grime that covered them.

�Where,� Talia began, but had to clear her throat before she could go on. �Where did they take them?�

�Back to the manor I suppose,� John said, not entirely certain. �It�s said that a gypsy stole his only child and that�s why he hates �em all. The town says that he keeps an old gypsy locked up in the dungeon of the manor and late at night you can hear him howl.�

�Which way is this Manor?� Talia asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

�That way,� John said, pointing in the opposite direction as the town. Talia shot to her feet, hearing enough. She raced to the barn, Codi on her heels, both girls knowing that they had to find a way to rescue their friends or live with the consequences, which they didn�t want to think about. They saddled the horses that they had brought, Felix�s, Thomas�s, and Alexandre�s quickly, added the supplies that Codi had dropped in the barn to Thomas�s horse, Thunder�s saddlebags. As Codi mounted Alex�s horse, Shadow, Talia whistled for Moonbeam and she came over to her. Once they were both mounted they rode off in the direction of Dark Wood Manor, hoping to come upon their captive friends quickly and to rescue them easily. The moon, high in the sky now, helped them and they followed the trail that twenty some odd horses inevitably made. Close to dawn, about an hour before it, they crested a hill and drew reign quickly. Down below, in a valley, near the trees was a party of nearly 23 men and in the center of them, tied together Talia and Codi could just make out Felix, Alex, Thomas, and Tobin. On guard where 2 sentinels, the rest of the men were, asleep under the stars, obviously they didn�t expect any trouble and so didn�t need any more than two guards. A little away from the sleeping men and prisoners the horses were picketed. Kept together by a rope fence that had been quickly fashioned when they stopped for rest a little after midnight.

�Codi, follow me,� Talia directed, used to giving orders and being obeyed. Her father was the most powerful man in their band. He didn�t have any real power, but he was looked upon as their wisest member and he acted as their spokesman. He was their leader of course the people chose to follow his suggestions and commands, if they didn�t want to no one would have forced them to. Growing up with him Talia had grown used to giving orders that affected others. When they were forced to leave town after town she had soon learned to think up the best escape routes in a hurry, now was one of the times that she was glad to be a strategist and an intelligent young woman.

�Where are we going?� Codi asked, leading Thunder while Talia led Joker, Felix�s horse. Talia didn�t respond, just quietly led the horses to where she wanted to go, the forest. Once in the forest she continued to lead Codi and the horses away from the encamped men. When they were far enough away from them Talia stopped, dismounted and handed her reigns to Codi.

�Stay here,� she commanded. �Keep the horses quiet.� She took a knife out of her saddlebag and on bare feet started to silently become one with the forest around her.

�Wait,� Codi called stopping her. Talia turned around to see what her friend wanted. �I�ll come with you,� she said, starting to dismount, but struggling with her skirts.

�Stay with the horses,� Talia said, stopping Codi from dismounting. �With your skirts you won�t be able to run as fast. Besides, we would be wasting time if we had to untie the horses and we can�t afford to do that.� Without another word Talia disappeared into the forest, leaving Codi alone in the woods with the horses and wild animals as company. Shadow snorted and pranced around nervously, sensing Codi�s anxiety. Silently she comforted him and he settled.

Talia ran on silent feet through the woods, as fast as she�d ever run. Her heart pounding, breathing coming in ragged breaths she continued on. Finally she neared the edge of the woods, the valley where the soldiers were encamped was just ahead. She slowed down, eyes scanning to see where the soldiers were. One was on the other side of the camp; the other was passing the edge of the woods in a slow circuit of the camp. When the two were farthest away from Talia she dashed into their midst, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. Slowly she made her way to the center of the camp where the captives were being held and hid in the shadow of a tent as one of the soldiers rolled over in his sleep. Certain that he was still asleep she crept to the prisoners and cut the ropes from them. Felix started awake when he felt the ropes being pulled by the sawing of Talia�s knife. She placed her hand over his mouth to keep him from speaking and waking any of the soldiers nearby. He looked at her, his eyes glowing in the moonlight, and she removed her hand.

�What are you doing here?� he asked in a whisper so soft she, a foot away from him, barely heard.

�I couldn�t let them take you without at least trying to help,� she said just as softly. �Codi is straight back through the trees with the horses. As soon as you two are free take Alex and go as quickly and quietly as you can.� Felix nodded as Alex, hearing his name, woke up. Talia finished cutting through the ropes that bound them together and worked on the ropes that bound their hands behind their backs. Once Felix was free and Alex was too, they shadow hopped to the perimeter of the camp. When the guards were each facing the other way they made their way to the woods and Codi.

�Thomas, Tobin,� Talia said, her hand pressed over each boys mouth. They opened their eyes wide with the contact and immediately tried to get free of her. Once they realized it was their sister they quit their efforts to escape. �Now listen to me carefully,� she whispered. �I�m going to cut the ropes that bind your hands and when I do you are going to go together that way, toward the woods.� She pointed to the direction that she came from and that Felix and Alex were going. �You are going to go quietly and invisibly, like when we play hide and seek, the soldiers are the ones we�re hiding from, okay?� she asked, waiting for them each to nod before she continued. She cut through Thomas�s ropes and started on Tobin�s. �Now I want you two to stay together and when you get to the woods go straight until you reach Codi and the others. When you get there you will mount Thunder and the five of you will ride out, I�ll catch up to you. Understand?� she asked as the ropes fell away from Tobin. The two boys nodded. �Okay, go,� she directed, praying that they would make it.

Without a sound they went in the direction that she had told them to. So far so good, she turned and went in the other direction, heading for the roped off area where they kept the horses. Again using her knife she began cutting the rope that held the horses in, the animals shifted around nervously, but made no more noise than they usually did. Talia continued to cut the rope as she watched her brothers disappear into the forest and start running for where Codi and the others would be patiently waiting for them.

�Hey!� a man shouted, running toward Talia. The rope broke apart, falling to the ground. Talia grabbed the reigns of the nearest horse and mounted bareback as the man�s shouts raised the sleeping soldiers. They were so disoriented that it took them awhile to realize what was going on. Startled by the shouting the horses woke and danced around, finding that they were no longer caged they ran from the loud commotion the soldiers were making. Talia went with them, riding in the direction of home, heading towards town and not the woods so that if she were followed the others would have a better chance of escape. The man who had raised the shout was right behind her, he�d grabbed the reigns of his own horse and mounted, perusing Talia swiftly. His horse, faster than the one Talia was on made the short chase end quickly. He drew his horse up along side of Talia�s and flung himself off his horse at her, knocking her from the horse she was riding.

They rolled on the hard ground, wrestling each other, Talia, knife still in hand, was trying desperately to cut him enough so that he would let go of her and she could make her escape, but he was stronger than her. He wrestled the knife from her hand and pinned her to the ground. He held the knife to her throat, daring her to move. Each breath brought her soft skin into contact with the cold steal of the knife blade. He looked down at her, breathing hard from the wild ride and fight, the knife not moving an inch, and saw the soot stained face, male attire, and absence of hair and saw only a young man. When his breathing had evened he stood up and hauled Talia up with him, by this time another soldier joined him.

�Erik the horses are gone, it�ll be days before we can catch them again. The prisoners are gone too,� he told the man with the knife still against Talia�s throat.

�What�s your name boy?� Erik asked Talia, his eyes glowing ominously. Talia held her tongue, knowing that if she spoke she�d likely give away the fact that she was a she and not a he. �I asked you a question.� Talia just stared at him, silver eyes fringed with long black lashes glaring at pine green eyes that were as hard as granite. �Blair take our new prisoner and securely tie him up. Put him in my tent and post a guard outside of it,� Erik ordered when he received no response from their prisoner. Blair did as he was told and led Talia away. Erik watched them go, slipping the knife he�d taken from Talia into the side of his boot.

Chapter 4:

Tied up and alone Talia waited in what she presumed to be Erik�s tent. After sitting there for nearly a quarter of an hour she heard Erik outside, talking to the guard. What they said she could not decipher. As suddenly as they began the voices stopped talking and the silence stretched. Talia, facing away from the tent flap, didn�t see Erik enter until after he was inside and standing in front of her. He lit a lamp so there was some light in the tent and studied her more carefully. Talia, remembering what Felix had told her about keeping her eyes downcast followed his instructions.

�So who are you?� Erik wondered aloud, regarding her warily. He knelt before her and took her chin in his hand so he could inspect her face more closely, Talia kept her eyes lowered, her lashes fanning out on her dirty cheeks, making the dirt look light by comparison. �Oh well,� he said with a sigh, apparently realizing that Talia would not say anything. He let go of her face and sat on his pallet where he proceeded to pull off his boots and set them next to the blankets. Next he blew out the lantern and went to sleep.

By his steady breathing Talia knew that he was asleep. While he slept she tried to loosen the ropes that were tied around her wrists, leaving her ankles as the last of her worries. By the time she had any slack at all the sun had risen and with it the camp that was not already up and searching for their horses. The tent flap, the only tent that was in the encampment, which said a lot for the man who stayed within it, was raised and the man that Erik had identified as Blair walked in. He looked at Talia who had stopped all tugging at the ropes and sat with her back straight and breathed normally, then his eyes traveled to Erik whose eyes had opened when the tent flap did, light spilling across his face. Talia in the shadows had a good view of his face and inhaled sharply when she saw how incredibly beautiful he was. His was a face that would haunt a young woman�s every dream and fantasy.

�Erik, the men have recovered about half a dozen of the horses,� Blair informed him. �Should they go after the prisoners? They could not have gone far, they were on foot,� he said, oblivious to the fact that although they didn�t leave with horses they had horses waiting for them. With the lead that they had of three precious hours and some of them riding double Talia hoped that they would get away from Erik�s pursuit.

�Send all available men out to find them,� Erik ordered. �I�m going to take our young friend back to Dark Wood and let my uncle deal with him. Go in the direction that he was riding out, back towards town, doubtless that was the way they were heading.� Blair nodded and retreated from the tent, letting the flap close behind him. Erik, awake now, sat up and stretched. Beneath his white lawn shirt Talia could see the muscles of his arms and chest rippling with the slight movements and stared, unable to look away. When his eyes turned toward her a blush rose to her face causing her to turn red from her neck to her hairline and she was grateful for the cover of darkness because the blush would certainly have given her away.

�So you�re awake,� he said, running a hand over his face, which was ruff with a days worth of stubble coating it. Not really expecting a response from either his mute prisoner or resolutely silent one he poured water from a canteen into a bowl so he could shave. The temped water apparently good enough for him to shave with sat in the bowl while he removed his shirt, so it wouldn�t get wet, and began to shave with a straight razor and a small looking glass so he could see what he was doing. From where she was sitting Talia watched him, the muscles on his back clenching and relaxing with each move that he made, no matter how small. She was fascinated; it was the first time that she had seen a grown man with his shirt off, especially one so liberally muscled and handsome. The gods must have smiled on him to have given him a body such as the one he casually toted around. Of course Talia was fairly certain that the man knew how good-looking he was and probably used it to his advantage with the all the ladies. If truth where told, Talia thought, he probably had a wife, and if not every eligible woman over the age of 18 and her mother probably paraded around him, some of them probably letting him sample their wares without ties.

�What�s the matter?� Erik asked, looking at her over his shoulder, finished shaving. Talia�s eyes opened wide with shock as she realized he could see her and the way her thoughts had been traveling she hoped that he didn�t read too much into her expression. Erik chuckled as he rinsed his face with clean water and dried it with a cloth before picking up his shirt and turning toward her. �You look like you just swallowed something awful tasting,� he said, his eyes dancing with merriment. Talia sat where she was, not looking up at him, staring at the ground by his feet, afraid to watch as he pulled his shirt on, covering the light coating of dark curling hair on his chest. To see the way his broad chest flexed as he lifted his arms and the way the muscles of his arms moved. The situation was bad enough when he couldn�t see how his body affected her, but now, in the light of day, when at any second she could be recognized for what she was, a female, it was dangerous, even deadly.

�Those with horses have left, searching for the runaways,� Blair informed Erik, not coming into the tent, but standing in the doorway. �The rest are searching for their horses and will return to their posts when they find them. Your horse has been saddled, and when ever you�re ready you can go.�

�Thank you,� Erik said, the words cordial but obviously a clear dismissal. Finished buttoning his shirt, Erik pulled on his jacket, made of a deep forest green colored wool by a tailor with a fine hand, embroidered with the crest of his family on the sleeves and lapels in gold thread. He buttoned the three buttons on the bottom of the jacket, and pulled on his boots. Finished he turned to Talia. After unfastening the ties at her feet he hauled her to her feet, anticipating and easily deflecting the kick she aimed at his shin.

�I�d advise you not to do that again,� he warned, turning her and pushing her out of the tent ahead of him. As soon as they were out of the tent a man went in and started to pack everything up, neatly and efficiently. Erik led her to his horse, loyal enough that he was not even tied and he stayed close to his master. �Come here Heart Breaker,� he called and the horse came to him. When the horse was there he tossed Talia up as if she were a sack of potatoes, with her hands tied she barely could hold on and before she could even think of sliding off, Erik was there, up-righting her to a sitting position as he sat behind her, making sure there was no way for her to escape. Erik took off in the direction that Dark Wood Manor was located at a gallop because Heart Breaker was fresh and wanted to run free. For the first two hours of their trek neither spoke, Talia barely noticed the scenery, all too aware of the close proximity of Erik�s body to hers�. She was also exhausted from a night of no sleep and her eyes had trouble staying open. Finally she lost the battle with consciousness and fell asleep, her body resting limply against Erik�s. Erik looked down at the boy sleeping, his head resting against his shoulder, and had to chuckle. He, who hated gypsies above all others, had a captive gypsy youth sleeping in his arms. The situation was totally ironic and just made him laugh all the harder.

�Hey,� Erik said, shaking Talia slightly to wake her. �Wake up,� he ordered. He was slowing Heart Breaker to a walk and they were stopping by a stream about four hours from Dark Wood Manor. �We�re going to stop for supper, do I have to tie your feet or do you promise to stay put?� Talia nodded that she would stay put. Erik watched her, hiding his amusement at her stark refusal to speak behind a cold fa�ade. �Will you stay put?� he asked again. Talia, again, nodded. Erik had to take that answer because he wasn�t getting any other. He drew up the reigns of Heart Breaker and dismounted. He held out his arms to help Talia. She slid off the horse and trusted that Erik would catch her. He did. Once the burden of his two riders were removed Heart Breaker made his way to the creek to drink his fill, then grazed on the grass that grew lushly on the creek�s banks.

�Sit, and don�t move,� Erik ordered Talia directing her to where he wanted her to sit. She did as he asked, not moving. He turned and took the saddlebags off of Heart Breaker�s saddle, then came back to join Talia where she still sat by a large oak tree. �You didn�t move,� he said, sounding amazed even though he tried to hide it. Talia smiled, her small white teeth even and straight, in short perfect. �You know I bet you turn a lot of heads even if you are a gypsy,� he said, shaking his head as he said it, wondering why he�d thought of that. Maybe it was the idea of competition, not many men in his acquaintance could rival his looks. This lad had the markings to do just that, even if his was in Erik�s opinion overly feminine. Talia blushed, she had been called many things among her people and strangers, she was used to the stares and compliments and sometimes curses, but the fact that Erik, whom quite possibly, in her opinion, could have been the most gorgeous man alive, believed her to be a man and an attractive one at that mortified her and did not do anything to bolster her self confidence.

�I�ll take that blush as a yes,� Erik teased as he took the food out of the saddlebags and split it for himself and Talia. Talia blushed even harder. Erik chuckled merrily at her discomfort and continued to tease. �I bet you�re familiar with all the aspects of a lady�s attire,� he joked, taking a bite out of his half of a loaf of bread. Talia looked down at her food, half a loaf of bread and half of the cheese that was in Erik�s saddlebags, trying to concentrate on that instead of the bold comments that Erik was throwing at her. �I must confess, I was much older than you when I learned first-hand what was under a woman�s gown, and she wasn�t a lady, she was a prostitute.� Talia looked at Erik horrified, her face turning scarlet. Quickly, trying to hide from those pine colored eyes that held her spell bound she concentrated once more on her food. She bit off a chunk of the bread, chewed it, and swallowed it without ever tasting it. The rest of her meal was eaten in the same manner. Whenever possible she ignored Erik and when she heard what he said she, still staring at the ground, tried not to blush.

Chapter 5:

�Where�s Talia?� Felix asked Thomas and Tobin as they ran toward them in the woods. They scrambled up onto Thunder and started away from the camp where they had been held captive.

�She said she�d meet up with us,� Thomas said, breathless from running.

�That we should go ahead without her,� Tobin piped up from where he was sitting, behind his older brother, his arms clamped tightly around his waist. Felix nodded and led the way from their position toward their destination. They rode at a steady pace, skirting all signs of life when they could so no one would be able to give them away if questioned. They traveled throughout the day and never stopped until dusk was fast turning to dark. In the middle of a plain they made camp, there was a stream where they could clean up a little, drink, and the horses were staked near it so they wouldn�t wander off but they could get their fill of water and grass. They made do with an apple each and some bread, having to ration their food so they�d have enough, and as much water as they wanted. They laid out their bedrolls close to each other, for warmth and they felt safer closer together, and went to sleep.

At dawn they woke, had a quick breakfast of cheese and bread and headed out. They continued on at a steady pace, everyone on edge, looking over their shoulders for either the soldiers to follow and find them or Talia to join up. By noon neither had happened and they ate dried beef in the saddle as they rode, not wanting to stop if they didn�t have to, in case they were being followed. Until it was too dark to continue safely they rode, Felix in the lead, steadily closing the distance between them and home. They made camp by another stream and had a supper of more bread and cheese. Breakfast was an apple and some bread, the last of the both the bread and the apples, the only food they had left were hard biscuits they each had in their saddlebags and the dried beef they also carried in each of their saddlebags. Thomas and Tobin openly complained about having to eat the beef that tasted like leather and was about the same texture of it. After two more days of steady riding they all knew they were nearing home, and they were each more and more aware of the absence of Talia. She should have joined them by then. No one dared to speak their thoughts aloud, fearing that somehow, to do so would make their worst fears come true, but each was conscious all the time of the loss of one of their own.

By the end of the third day they had two more hours of steady riding to do and they would be home. Instead of breaking at dark to make camp they continued on slower by moonlight. It took them four hours, but by midnight they were riding inside the lines of their people�s wagons. They were joyful to be home, but they were each more and more aware that Talia was not with them. Secretly they each hoped that somehow she had beaten them home, but somehow they knew that that wasn�t the case. As they rode in the giant mastiffs that traveled with the wagons and warned them against strangers rose from their sleep to greet them with friendly barking that woke everyone in the vicinity up. As everyone assembled to welcome them home they scanned the crowd for any sign of Talia, but the closest they found was her mother, whom she looked much like.

�You�re back!� someone in the crowd cried, joyously, before they noticed that one of their number was missing. They each dismounted and were immediately surrounded by a crowd of people, their parents pushing to the front of the crowd. Someone came and led their horses away, while someone else asked how the trip had gone, if they thought the wagons would be better received in the west.

�Where�s my daughter?� Miranda asked quietly, the question could have been lost in the crowd but as she said it everyone hushed, noticing that Talia was missing and wondering the same thing as Miranda, where was she? Matthew, standing by his wife, looked over the young journeyers and regretted ever allowing them to go off on their own. It was bad enough that they had agreed to let Talia, Codi, Felix, and Alexandre go and Thomas and Tobin had snuck away and followed them, that now he had lost his only daughter.

�We�re not certain,� Felix said, watching Miranda�s face crumble. Her beautiful features distorted into a painful expression. As he watched her he could see Talia in her, although Talia�s nose was smaller, her lips fuller, her eyes more silver than her mothers which were fading into a steel gray color, her hips narrower, her breasts smaller, her height less, her beauty greater. �She could be on her way here right now,� he added, trying to sound hopeful, although if the truth were told he wasn�t hopeful about that at all. Something had happened to her, he could feel it or she would have joined up with them like she�d planned to.

�Start at the beginning,� Matthew asked, as the crowd moved over to a glowing fire. Everyone sat around it as one of the people around it, Alex and Felix�s maternal grandmother, Bethany, stirred up the fire, making it blaze a bright orange. She, along with everyone else, was waiting to hear what had happened. Everyone was concerned about Talia, besides being the daughter of Matthew, their beloved leader, and Miranda, who was the daughter of their old leader, she was one of them and they each loved her dearly. She had touched each of their lives somehow, and everyone wanted her home, where she belonged.

�We left here and on the second day of the journey we found Thomas and Tobin following us. It was too late to turn around, we wanted to get there and back before any inclement weather set in, and we couldn�t send them back on their own so we took them with us. We reached Paris, the place is crowded so full it�s liable to burst at the seams and with so many people there is much disease. None of us liked it much, but after we got used to it, it was all right, there are soldiers that patrol the streets just looking for our kind though; we�d be better off just staying here. We left the city as scheduled and were on our way home when Alex got sick. We had to stop and rest for a few days so we found a small town and against my better judgment I listened to Talia and we asked a miller and his family for shelter and food.

�We stayed there for two nights and two days, planning to leave on the night of the second day. Alex was well enough to travel and we didn�t want to risk being caught. From the miller we learned that anyone that was suspected of being a gypsy was exterminated, and anyone who helped him or her was as good as dead if not killed along with the gypsies. Not wanting anyone to get hurt we made our plans. I didn�t want to leave Alex and we needed supplies so Talia, dressed in some of my clothes, and Codi rode into town. We figured that two young women riding in alone would attract more attention than a young man and his sister would.

�While they were gone soldiers surrounded the house and took Alex, Thomas, Tobin, and myself prisoner. They locked the miller and his family in their home and lit it on fire,� Felix said, stopping his tale so that Codi could jump in with where she and Talia fit in.

�Talia and I were riding back from town, later than we�d planned to, when we smelled smoke,� Codi said, jumping in where Felix left off. �We rode closer and saw the miller�s house on fire. Not knowing who was inside but hearing people screaming we tried to find a way to let the people out. We managed to get the board that was hastily nailed across the door off, and the miller, his wife, and his youngest daughter, the only one that was home at the time spilled out of the house just before the roof caved in.

�Talia, trying to find everyone else asked where the others were. The miller said that soldiers had taken them as their prisoners, that gypsies as the soldiers had named us, didn�t do so well in the hands of their authorities. That they were tortured and you could hear them screaming at night. We found out which way they had ridden, and followed with the horses. When we found them, it was near dawn and the soldiers were all asleep. Talia and I rode into the forest, next to where the soldiers were camped, with only two sentinels on duty. She told me to wait with the horses for everyone to come back and disappeared into the forest.�

�She must have sneaked past the sentinels because she woke me up by putting her hand over my mouth as she cut through the ropes that bound us. She told me that when she had us freed to help Alex and to head for Codi,� Felix said.

�She told us to pretend that we were playing hide and seek with the soldiers and to go to the others. That when we got to them we should go and she�d catch up,� Thomas piped up. �She didn�t catch up,� he said in a whisper, looking up at his father and mother, fear in his eyes. �Is she all right?� he asked.

�That�s the last any of us saw of her,� Felix added. �For all we know she could be following us here and be here some time tomorrow.� Matthew took this into consideration and decided to give his resourceful daughter the benefit of the doubt. He would wait until the next day to decide what to do.

Chapter 6:

After midnight Erik and Talia rode up the drive to Dark Wood Manor. Erik left Heart Breaker in the capable hands of one of the stable boys that had awakened while they approached and lead Talia to the manor house. All was quiet; a lamp burning in one of the front windows cast the hall they entered in eerie shadows. Erik looked down at Talia, ready to fall asleep standing up and had to smile. Even though they tried to be quiet Thomas heard them enter the house and came down the stairs to see who it was. When he saw his nephew and a dirty boy his hopes immediately skyrocketed.

�Come with me,� he directed Erik who led Talia. He led them into his office, the office where the picture of his dead wife and son hung, and took a seat behind his large cherry wood desk. �I see you found at least one,� Thomas said to his nephew.

�We had others. They escaped,� Erik said, not elaborating on Talia�s roll in the escape. Thomas looked thoughtful for a second, pondering the ramifications of what Erik had revealed. Thomas pressed his hands together, his fingers creating a steeple over which he regarded Talia.

�What�s your name?� he asked her finally. Talia just stared at him, the resemblance between him and her father was unmistakable, but impossible, her father said that his father died many years ago and his father had had no other relations.

�He hasn�t spoken a word since he was captured,� Erik offered. �I think he�s mute. Maybe if you give him a piece of paper, ink, and a quill he could respond,� he suggested. Thomas nodded, and found just that.

�Sit down boy,� Thomas ordered shoving a piece of thick white paper toward Talia, along with a quill pen and ink. �My name is Thomas Cameron,� he introduced himself. �What is yours?� Talia wrote �Tal� on the paper. Thomas smiled, making progress, a good sign. �That,� he gestured to the painting on the wall, �is my son.� Talia looked at the picture and saw a picture that looked so much like her brothers that she nearly gasped. �He was stolen from me 25 years ago. Have you ever seen him?� Talia shook her head, not willing to admit that that was her father because something about this man made every instinct in her scream �run.�

�Two of the other�s we had captured,� Erik jumped in, willing to volunteer information since Talia was apparently not going to do it. �They looked identical to that,� he said, nodding toward the picture. Thomas regarded Erik then Talia for a moment.

�Is that so?� he asked thoughtfully. �Have you any knowledge of these two who look like my son?� Talia swallowed before meeting his eyes. She nodded, once. �Who are they?� Talia took the quill in her trembling hand and wrote, �kids,� on the paper. Thomas, exasperated by her vague answers, sighed loudly. �Where are they?� Talia shook her head, truthfully she didn�t know. She knew where they were headed, but not their exact location. �Listen to me boy!� Thomas ground out, his teeth clenched tightly together. �I want to know where they are!� he demanded.

�Uncle,� Erik intervened, standing up. �Tal and I have had a long day, we haven�t seen a bed in a long while and it�s obvious this isn�t going to be settled any time soon. Why don�t we all call it a night? You can send someone up with a bath for Tal and continue this discussion in the morning, after everyone�s had a good night�s sleep.�

�Alright,� Thomas agreed, sounding as if he were forced to agree against his will. �The only available room is the one next to yours�,� Thomas warned his nephew. �Make sure you lock the door so he can�t get out, it won�t due to lose the only link we�ve found so far of my son in 25 years.�

�Alright,� Erik agreed, hauling Talia to her feet. �Don�t forget the bath,� he said as he and Talia left the room. He led the way up the stairs to his room and the adjoining room that was to be hers. He opened the door to her room and followed Talia inside. He locked the door from the inside, lit a candle in the room, to give her some light, and went through the adjoining door to his own room. Alone, waiting for her bath to arrive, which sounded positively heavenly, Talia lit the lamp by the bed and started a fire in the fireplace since the room was chilly. When the fire was merrily crackling she looked around the room to see her surroundings. The carpet that was plush and soft under her bare feet was a deep sapphire blue, the wallpaper white with light blue flowers covering it, the furniture was all matching pine, a warm brown color, the gauzy white curtains enclosing the large four-poster bed shadowed the bed, but she could make out the covers on the bed to be an ocean blue color.

The key grated in the lock to her door, and Talia turned to see a maid enter carrying soap, and clothes with which to wash and dry. Behind her two men carried in a large copper tub, and more carried buckets of water. They filled the tub with water from the well then some more men carried in buckets of steaming water. Under the direction of the maid they added the water. When she felt the water was hot enough she told them to stop and ushered them out of the room, leaving another bucket of hot water, in case Talia wanted the water to be hotter.

�Sorry about the soap,� the maid said as the men were leaving. She handed it to Talia. �It was all I could come up with in a hurry,� she explained as Talia inhaled the aroma of the rose scented soap. �If you need anything Master Erik is in the next room and the rope in the corner,� she said, pointing to the rope she was talking about, �will summon someone.� Talia nodded, smiled her thanks and waited for the maid to leave and the key to turn in the lock before she dared to undress and submerge herself, blissfully, in the warm water.

She sighed, utterly content, under the circumstances, she felt so dirty under the layers of smoke and dirt that covered her. A nice long bath was just what she needed. Even though she was tired Talia didn�t rush her bath. She lingered in the water, making sure her body and hair was completely clean, that not a smudge of dirt remained on her person, before she emerged from the water. She wrapped the long, fluffy white towel around herself and dried off. Not relishing the idea of putting on her clothes, which were as dirty as she had been, she sat by the fire, the towel around her, and brushed her hair with a brush she had found in the room.

Gingerly she combed through her thick black hair, hair that reached down below her waist. When it was free of knots she held it up to the fire, drying it a little more and stood up. She set the brush down on a table next to a pitcher and washbowl then walked to the only window in the room. The window was large enough to let her see out, but even she, with her small size, couldn�t fit through it. Through the window she could see the back lawns of the manor bathed in moonlight. The beauty of it made her think of what she considered home. The wagons of her family and friends gathered in a circle at night, the dogs sleeping, children laughing and dancing, fires burning cheerfully, and all the people she loved. She missed them, oh how she missed them. She couldn�t get the picture she�d seen in Thomas�s office out of her head. Why had her father lied to her when he had said that his father was dead? She didn�t understand, it wasn�t like her father to lie, but he had. He had to have had a good reason she decided, but what? Her thoughts also kept centering on a certain handsome man who was probably at that instant asleep, dreaming of someone that was assuredly not her in the next room. Chaos filled her thoughts so fully that she didn�t hear the slight squeak of protest that the door issued as it was opened or the indrawn breath that came after it.

�I came to give you some clothes to wear, so you didn�t have to put yours back on,� Erik said, throwing the clothes on the bed. �But I see that I probably should have asked one of the maids for something,� he said, obviously not mistaking her for a boy again, even with her back turned toward him. Talia turned around suddenly, shocked to see him in the room. Her eyes, as round as saucers, spoke clearly her surprise as she watched Erik approach her. �So you�re a woman,� he said, his face revealing no hint at what he was thinking. Mentally he was putting all the little things from their travels together, together, the knife that was a lady�s dagger, the blushes, the looks behind lowered lashes, it all fit perfectly together; perfectly into the package that was standing tantalizingly in front of him. He reached out, his hands on her shoulders, and looked at her closer.

�I must have been blind to actually think you were a man,� he said to himself, shaking his head. �Anyone with a lick of sense can see you�re not. Do you realize how much trouble you�re in for?� he asked. Talia continued to meet his gaze, her eyes pools of molten silver, watching him, more curious of what he was going to say and do next than afraid of him. �Do you?� he asked again, shaking her slightly. In exasperation he sighed and without totally being aware of what he was doing he brought his lips to hers. Softly their lips made contact but Talia could feel the jolt of the kiss down to her toes. Startled, Erik pulled away, his hands still on her bare shoulders, and looked at her, clearly he had felt the friction in that one little kiss too.

�What did you do to me little gypsy temptress?� he asked as his lips met hers once more. The contact was longer this time, more bold. Talia tried to push away from Erik, but with his masculine scent of soap, horses, and a smell that she would always associate with Erik and the feel of his perfect lips moving over hers, his tongue running over her lips, coaxing them to part she couldn�t think and soon gave up the fight.

Erik, dressed only in the pants that he�d been wearing that day, a pair that matched his green jacket and molded to his legs as if they were soaked, showed off every muscle and Talia, wearing only a towel, stood pressed against one another, hard length against softer length. Talia�s arms were wrapped around Erik�s neck, making his mouth stay with hers. Erik, content with where his head was, but not where he was standing, picked Talia up, one hand under her knees the other under her arms, and carried her to the large bed. He parted the curtain around it and laid Talia on the plump feather mattress. Not breaking the kiss he laid down beside her, his right hand running over one of her legs, caressing the soft, silky skin of her thigh and going higher to the place no man had ever seen or touched.

Talia tried to pull away as his fingers gently explored her secret places, but Erik, more experienced by far than her, silenced her protests with kisses and surprisingly the fingers that Talia had wanted away from her core. With his left hand Erik unfastened the towel around Talia and opened it, revealing her body to his sight. Shocked, Talia stared at him for a second before she tried to cover herself again. Erik stopped her with a glance, his fingers all the while teasing her, making her feel things that she had never felt before.

�Just let me look at you,� he said softly. Talia, eyes wide, watched him look at her until her eyes closed, the feelings his fingers were setting off in her were so new, so beautiful that she arched her hips towards his hand, instinctively, so that the need that he was creating within her would be quelled. Erik smiled at her, watching her face as euphoric joy encased it. Gasping Talia opened her eyes and found Erik looking at her. �Did you like that?� he asked, still smiling. She nodded slightly, her face flushing at the admission. He smiled wider and kissed her, igniting fires in her once more. As his lips closed over hers her stomach turned into a boiling pot of emotions and she moaned when his right hand started to knead her breast and roll the nub between his thumb and forefinger.

In her mind she knew what she was doing was wonton and wrong, but she was powerless to stop it. It felt so right, so good that she couldn�t begin to understand why it was wrong. When Erik pulled away from her she protested with a soft moan, missing the heat of his body and the sensations that he evoked in her. He looked at her, seeing the innocence in her eyes and groaned, his entire body stilling. As he ran his hand through his hair he tried to figure out what he was doing. She was a child, innocent in the ways of men he was certain, and on top of all that a gypsy.

�Go to sleep,� he said, disgusted with himself, and stood up, leaving Talia to wonder what she had done, and to feel ashamed of her behavior. Erik went into his room, locked to door to Talia�s room, barring it from his admittance so that he wouldn�t be tempted to return and do anything that he would regret later, and poured himself a glass of scotch from the bottle he kept in his wardrobe for occasions such as these.

Chapter 7:

�You wanted to see me,� Erik said, striding into the room the next afternoon. He and his uncle had already talked about what would be the best course of action in dealing with Talia, whom Erik had told Thomas was really a girl.

�Yes,� Thomas agreed, waiting for Erik to seat himself in one of the blue velvet covered chairs before continuing. �I thought about what you said. Since there is no other choice I�ll hold off on finding a punishment that is fitting of one of her treacherous kind. Besides, she may know something,� he said with a mirthless smile. They talked, planning the best way to get information from her, Thomas arguing for torture to extract it and Erik thinking that Talia was probably stubborn enough to refuse to talk even under the most dire of situations so they should start off civilly, she might surprise them and volunteer what they wanted to know if they were nice. The debate was at a stalemate, neither budging in their beliefs when one of Thomas�s servants knocked timidly on the door.

�Come in,� Thomas barked. A servant, Alan by name, opened the door and ushered Talia into the room, wearing the same dirty pieces of clothing that she had worn when she was brought to Dark Wood. She had dressed, apparently refusing to use the clothes that Erik had brought her, and was standing with Alan, his hand firmly, even painfully, on her arm. �Thank you, that will be all,� Thomas said, dismissing his servant with a wave. He looked at Talia with sharp eyes, watching her steadily meet his gaze and avoid Erik�s as if he weren�t even present.

�Sit,� he ordered, nodding to the chair next to Erik�s. Talia looked at it with disdain and remained where she was. �Very well, stand,� he said, irritated by her small show of rebellion. �I would have thought your father would have taught you better than to not listen to their elders,� he added, watching her with a hooded gaze. Talia�s eyes flew the picture above the fireplace for an instant then back to Thomas, but even that was too much, he�d seen the response. He had his answer, as bad a taste as it left in his mouth this gypsy strumpet was kin.

�There�s no use hiding it. I can see the resemblance you have with your whore of a mother. Yes, I know what she looks like, and I know that she bewitched my son, your father. Where is he?� he asked, all patience gone. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. Erik looked at Talia in a new light. She was a relation to Matthew, the man who, until now, seemed more myth than man. He could see why Matthew had run away with her mother, if she was even half as beautiful as her daughter she would have made nearly any man salivate.

�My mother is not a whore,� Talia said calmly, her eyes steadily meeting Thomas�s. Thomas laughed bitterly at her claim.

�How else do you think she bewitched my son?� he asked. Talia�s cheeks flooded with color at his bold insinuation and she could no longer meet his eyes. �As much as I am loath to I suppose I need to acknowledge you as a relation to me.�

�I don�t want to be your kin anymore than you want me to be yours. As far as I�m concerned you�re dead, like Pap� told us,� Talia shot back, the look she shot at him only added to her statement.

�So my son claims that I am dead?� Thomas asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. �How interesting.� Talia wondered what was going on in Thomas�s head; the look on his face wasn�t doing anything to make her feel better. Thomas dismissed Erik, leaving himself alone with Talia. When Erik was gone he began interrogating Talia, asking her questions about her family. He wanted to know how many people were in her tribe, who their leader was, where they were, why she had been in his land, did she have any brothers, and above all where her father was. Talia avoided answering all of his questions except the most basic that wouldn�t affect anyone like what her real name was.

In frustration Thomas called for Alan to come to his office and take Talia back to her room and lock her in. He could stand no more of being in her presence without the possibility of lashing out violently and what would he say to Matthew, who no doubt loved the girl, when she told him that he had struck her even after he knew that she was his grandchild. There was no way he could use his usual means of torture with her and it was obvious that she wasn�t going to volunteer information so he had to come up with a plan to get her to lead him to his son.

Chapter 8:

�Talia,� Erik said, questioning his intelligence as he stood in the doorway to her room, waiting to see if she would answer him. She turned from her survey of the lawns that she could see through her window, her hair pulled up into a bun at the back of her head, secured with tortoise shell combs, accented the fine-boned structure of her face. The dress she wore, pale blue silk decorated with tiny white forget-me-nots embroidered onto the skirt had a square cut bodice that exposed enough of her creamy white breasts to make Erik�s eyes linger there for a few seconds more than was proper, enhanced her appearance, accenting all her curves and keeping them decently concealed at the same time.

�Did you want something?� Talia asked, completely unaware of the beauty she was. She had been surprised when the seamstress of Dark Wood Manor and the town and her assistant, Sophia, the miller�s daughter, had arrived the day after her arrival at Dark Wood Manor and started measuring her. She had been even more shocked when the seamstress had come back for a final fitting that afternoon with beautiful gowns, all the rage in society this season that were for her. She received three other everyday dressed, like the one she was wearing in pink, lavender, and green, a formal ball gown in a shade of silver that matched her eyes, and two party gowns, one blue and the other white. She also was given all the under things that completed the outfit and the combs that were at the moment in her hair and two pairs of shoes. Her only complaint was that she didn�t get a riding habit, but Mary, the seamstress, promised to make her one out of forest green cotton that had just come in, she said it would be done in a few days and Talia couldn�t wait. She couldn�t understand why her grandfather, a man who had as much as admitted to hating her, would spend so much on her.

�I was wondering if you would like to take a walk in the garden with me,� Erik asked, smiling at her with all the charm he possessed. Talia smiled back, her knees nearly crumbling at the smile Erik bestowed upon her. �I promise I will be on my best behavior.� Talia nodded and walked to Erik. Erik took her hand and placed it in the crock of his arm. Together they walked out of the house and out into the backyard where the garden was located. They strolled through the manicured paths between beds of bright colored pansies and wildflowers, roses and marigolds, to the farthest corner of the garden where there was an octagon shaped gazebo covered in wild roses and honeysuckle. Erik led Talia to that and they went inside to sit on the bench inside, surrounded by the sweet smelling yellow and white honeysuckle buds.

�It�s beautiful,� Talia said, breathing in deeply the smell of the honeysuckle. Her eyes were sparkling with delight when she turned to look at Erik who remained silent. They had come to a silent understanding, neither brought up what happened, and neither attempted to reenact what had happened. Erik was watching her, his green eyes regarding her with amusement.

�Beautiful, yes,� Erik said, his eyes never leaving hers. Talia blushed, looking away from his gaze, concentrating on a small, delicate white-rose that was growing between two yellow honeysuckle blossoms.

�Erik,� Talia said, turning to look at him. �Why did your uncle buy me all the clothes? I thought he hated me.�

�He�s your grandfather,� Erik said, as if that would answer all her questions.

�So! You heard him when he realized that I was his granddaughter. He didn�t want to acknowledge me, yet here he is buying me beautiful clothes that must have cost a lot of money. Why?�

�He is an old man, set in his ways. He has hated gypsies from the day that your father left, blaming them for the loss of his son. Now that you�re here he is trying to change, to be a better grandfather than he started out being. He loves you; he�s just never been able to express his emotions that well, even to your father. Part of the reason he left must have been that he wasn�t sure if his father loved him or just wanted him around because he was his heir. Uncle Thomas is trying, he really is,� Erik said, covering her smaller, softer hand with his own larger, more calloused hand. Talia looked up from looking at their hands, joined on the smooth wood of the bench they sat on, to his eyes.

�Do you really think so?� she asked. �Do you think one day he might like me? See me for me and not see only that I�m a gypsy? Or a girl?�

�Give him time,� Erik said, smiling encouragingly. �He�ll come around.� Talia smiled back, reassured. The two stayed in the cover of their honeysuckle covered hide-away for a few more minutes, enjoying the peace and the quiet. �We�d better get back. I promised Blair I�d ride into town and check out the new recruits.

�Thank you for walking in the garden with me,� Talia said, always glad to get out of her room, where she was no longer locked but stayed there none-the-less. She wasn�t held prisoner, but she was sure if she tried to leave she would be stopped so she spent much of her time in her room, reading and sewing when she wasn�t in the kitchen, helping the cook, Mattie, an old black woman who had worked for Thomas since before his first wife had died.

�My pleasure,� Erik said, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it with the barest of touches. �We�ll have to do it again, soon,� he said, leading her back to the house. Talia was smiling when they returned to the house, she was finding that Erik wasn�t such a bad guy that they had just got off on the wrong foot when they first met. She was actually finding out quite rapidly that she liked his company. He was charming, disarmingly attractive, intelligent, an all around good guy who was always occupying her thoughts. At the back door he kissed her cheek and bowed to her before running off in the direction of the stable and riding down the lane toward town a few minutes later. Talia watched him go, her heart fluttering against her chest.

�Good Lawd child get in this house before you catch a chill,� Mattie commanded, opening the door and pulling Talia inside. When the heat from the stove hit her she realized how cold she was. The air hadn�t seemed so chilly when she had been outside, but inside she could tell it was autumn out there. �What was that man thinking? Taking you out there without even a proper wrap?� she asked, tsking as she went about pouring a cup of steaming coffee for Talia. She put the mug in her hands and Talia inhaled the strong aroma deeply, loving the smell more than the taste of the bitter brew. Obediently she sipped at the thick black liquid while Mattie pulled a fresh apple pie from the oven. She smiled as Mattie continued to go on about a gentleman with Erik�s background and breeding letting a lady walk outside without a warm wrap when it was cold enough to cause a chill.

Things continued in the same manner. Thomas saw his granddaughter at dinner and supper, he never joined her for breakfast because he always had that in bed, and rarely saw her other than that. Erik and Talia spent more and more time together. They walked in the garden, rode horses over the grounds when Talia�s riding habit arrived, they went into town together once, staying overnight in the town�s hotel, they grew comfortable in each other�s presence. Content to sit before the fire in the parlor reading or talking. Talia found herself thinking of him whenever he wasn�t around, and even when he was she found herself thinking of thinks she shouldn�t have.

Time flew, and the cold weather set in. Soon Talia knew her family and friends would be settled into where ever they planned to stay through the winter. They would be celebrating the winter holidays and would return to where they had been camped in the fall, hoping she would be there to rejoin them. She wondered if they missed her as much as she missed them, if they thought about her as much as she thought about them. She wondered if Taran�s wife, Polly, had had her baby. What it had been, if it were healthy, if they were both all right. She wondered how her parents were fairing, what they were doing right at that moment. She also wondered what Alex, Codi, and Felix were doing. She hoped that they didn�t blame themselves for her disappearance. It wasn�t their fault and nothing had happened to her.

A week before Christmas Erik took Talia into town, at her request, to buy Christmas presents. Erik left her in a shop while he went to the hotel to make reservations for them to stay overnight and to the livery stable to put up the horse and buggy they had used to get to town. Alone Talia went about her business, asking how much it the shop keeper would give her for her silver locket, finely carved with vines that her mother and father had given her the day she was born and a gold ring she always wore with an emerald in the center. With the money she received from the locket she purchased her presents and had money left over. For her grandfather she got a new pipe inlaid with a hunting scene. For Mattie she got a purple silk shawl, the fringe on the edge nearly a foot long. Finally for Erik she couldn�t find anything that she thought he might like.

�Did you find everything you wanted?� Erik asked, coming into the store from where he�d been standing by the door.

�Yeah,� Talia said, taking her things to the counter where the man was still inspecting the ring and necklace. Talia paid for her things and turned to Erik, ready to go.

�Go on over to the hotel,� Erik said, handing her a key. �I�ll be over in a minute. I have a few things that I want to get,� he said at her questioning look. Talia shrugged and left the store, leaving Erik to attend to his own business. The next day they headed back to Dark Wood Manor with their purchases, anxiously waiting for the winter holidays so they could surprise their loved ones with the lovely new things they had gotten them.

A week before Christmas a heavy snow fell and everyone was confined to the house. Talia spent a lot of time in the kitchen with Mattie, listening to her stories about her father as a child, what his mother was like, about Erik. There was so much that she learned and she loved spending time with Mattie. She loved spending time with everyone, even her grandfather, and she put off thinking about when she would have to leave and go home. Two days before Christmas a visitor came to the house, an employee of a Mr. Martin Marques. He rode up, tied his gelding to the hitching post and delivered a missive to Alan who led him into the kitchen where Mattie and Talia were making peach cobbler, two pies, and bread, besides the evening meal, then went to deliver the missive to Thomas.

�Sit,� Mattie told the messenger, a man in his early twenties with black hair, as black as Talia�s, pulled back, away from his face with his square chin and long hawk like nose. The man took a seat at the table as Talia sat a cup of coffee in front of him and Mattie put a plate of sugar cookies on the table. �Child look at your pretty dress all covered in flour,� Mattie reprimanded Talia, seeing the small amount of flour that had found it�s way onto her dress, not caught by the apron she wore. �What would your grandpap� say if he saw you with your hands all covered in food? I�ll tell you what he�d say,� she said, not giving Talia a chance to answer. �He�d say, �Mattie, what are you doing, allowing my granddaughter to get her hands dirty?� What would I say to that?�

�You�d say nothing because he won�t know,� Talia said, smiling at Mattie, giving her, her most innocent look. �Besides I like cooking,� Talia continued. �I always helped Mam� at home, why should it be any different here?�

�It shouldn�t,� Erik said, coming into the house from the stables, catching the tale end of the conversation. �What are you making?� he asked, leaning over Talia�s shoulder to see what she was working on, his breath stirring tendrils of her hair. �It smells good,� he said, inhaling. The smell of the rose soap Talia used invaded his senses and his pulse accelerated.

�It�s bad enough that Miss Talia is in here up to her elbows in flour and who-knows what else, you get out of my kitchen,� Mattie said, shooing Erik from the room. �Go clean up for supper, you smell like a horse,� she said. Erik gave Mattie a hurt look as she ushered him from her kitchen. As he left Alan came in, a return message in his hand that he gave to the messenger. The messenger took the paper, stuffed it in his jacket, bowed to Mattie and Talia, and left.

That night at supper Erik mentioned the messenger, wondering what he had come about. Thomas smiled, telling him and Talia that Mr. Marques had invited them to his New Year�s Eve Ball. He of course had said the three of them would attend. Erik smiled, remembering Mr. Marques had a daughter who was 21 and was quite the flirt, but then he looked up and saw Talia and forgot all about Glades Marques. He intended to stick close to Talia, maybe dance a few dances with her and monopolize all her attention if he could. Talia, although she had never attended a formal ball was excited, she imagined it would be a lovely affair with servants serving them refreshments, handsome men dressed in finely tailored suits, and lovely women in their finest dresses. Erik watched her covertly, smiling to himself as he tried to imagine what she was thinking, and wondering what she would wear.

Chapter 9:

Christmas morning Talia rose with the sun. Already she could smell Mattie�s cooking. Quickly she dressed and hurried to the kitchen to help Mattie. Outside the snow was falling, covering everything with a soft blanket of white snow. Talia joined Mattie, knowing the older woman�s routine well enough to just slip into helping without bothering the woman. As she kneaded the bread dough Talia wondered what her parents and brother�s were doing. She missed them so much.

�What�s the matter child?� Mattie asked, seeing the sadness clearly etched in Talia�s expression.

�Nothing,� Talia said, looking out the window so she didn�t have to meet Mattie�s knowing gaze.

�Don�t �nothing� me. I�m not blind child. I can see as well as anyone else who looks into them pretty eyes of yours that something is wrong. Tell old Mattie what troubles you,� she coaxed, making Talia want to open up to her.

�I was just thinking about my family. My parents must be so worried about me. I miss them so much, even my brothers. Especially Taran,� Talia said, forgetting the dough and looking at Mattie. �Taran�s wife was going to have a baby. She�s probably had it by now. I wonder if it looks like Polly or Taran.�

�You poor thing,� Mattie said, wrapping Talia in a great big hug. �You must be miserable without your family. Mr. Cameron is doing all he can to find them for you though,� she said. Talia had learned soon after she arrived that Thomas Cameron had told everyone, including his staff, that Talia was staying with him because she and her family had gotten separated as they moved and she wasn�t sure where they would be. He told everyone that he was doing all he could to make contact with Talia�s family, which was entirely too true, and making her stay with him as pleasant as possible. When Talia�s companions had remained lost to him Thomas had come to the decision that Talia would stay with him until he could find her family. Everyone who didn�t know the entire story thought Thomas was doing a very noble thing since he had never met Talia before and that she was very lucky to have found her grandfather.

�What�s wrong?� Erik asked, coming in the kitchen, seeing Mattie hugging Talia. Talia wiped the tears from her face before turning to look at Erik.

�Nothing,� Talia said, turning back to the bread she�d discarded. Erik looked at her back, stiff, unyielding, and sighed. He wished she would open up to him. If there was something wrong he might be able to help, but if she wouldn�t let him in he couldn�t help.

�What are you doing up so early Master Erik?� Mattie asked. Erik, his eyes lingering on Talia shrugged.

�I was awakened by the wonderful aroma coming from your kitchen Mattie. I just had to see what you were cooking,� he said, rubbing his stomach in a gesture that said he wasn�t lying. Mattie smiled as she piled a plate with eggs, bacon, biscuits, and sausage and handed it to Erik. �Thank you,� he said, taking the plate graciously. He left the kitchen, taking his plate into the dining room, knowing that if he tried to eat in the kitchen Mattie would throw a fit and kick him out. Mattie made a plate of food up for Talia too, sending her out of the room, forcing her to eat with Erik or take her food to her room and eat alone.

�Hey,� Talia said timidly, entering the dining room, sitting across the table from Erik. Erik looked up from his food and nodded, acknowledging her presence but his attention remained on the food.

�Hey,� he said back, when his mouth wasn�t full of food.

�Merry Christmas,� she said, smiling at him. She was still sad about not seeing her family, but she was glad she was with Erik.

�Merry Christmas to you too,� Erik said, glad to see she was obviously in a better mood. They each finished their food, neither talking much, just taking pleasure in each other�s presence. Since the maids were all given the mornings off Erik and Talia took their plates back to the kitchen themselves.

�I�ll be right back,� Talia promised, placing her plate on top of Erik�s, in his hand, and went up the stairs. In her room she got the shawl for Mattie and something she had scrounged up for Erik. When she came back into the kitchen Mattie and Erik were both in there, talking about what Mattie was planning on serving for dinner since it was a special occasion. �Here you go,� Talia said, handing Mattie the shawl. Mattie took it in her old hands, her fingers feeling the fine material and she looked at Talia in confusion.

�What�s this for?� she asked, admiring it then holding it out to Talia to take back.

�For you,� Talia said, refusing to take the garment back. �Merry Christmas,� she added. Mattie looked at the garment with new understanding and tears welled up in her hazel eyes. �What�s wrong?� Talia asked. �Don�t you like it?�

�Yes Child, I do,� Mattie said, hugging Talia. �I�ve never owned anything so fine is all,� she said wiping the stray tears from her cheeks. �Thank you.� Talia smiled, hugging Mattie back. Erik watched the display with amusement on his face. �What will I do when you find your family and leave?� she asked, letting Talia go and inspecting the shawl, throwing it over her shoulders and modeling it for Erik and Talia.

�I don�t know,� Talia said, her smile dropping a little of it�s enthusiasm. �What will I do without you? Your cooking�s the best I�ve had in my life. I wouldn�t complain if you came with me though,� she said with a wistful smile.

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