Chapter 1

Before you start reading

Be aware this is a love story with a mature content 18+ only.

The story is not inspired by real life events or people. Any resemblance of names, characters or places is pure content of the author’s imagination.

If at any point you feel that the story is not for you, please leave peacefully.

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Enjoy reading! 

Sabine

We have been traveling by wagon for a day and night now. With the storm approaching and the winter around the corner, we need to find a safe place to camp.

I kept tossing between the animal skins that serve me as blankets trying to warm up, but it is hard. I can feel the chill air caressing my face, making me shiver.

“Jonah, we need to stop before the night settles,” I heard my grandmother's voice and I pushed the skins over so I could go and listen the conversation. I looked through the wagon cover slit and I could see my grandmother's worried face.

“Our men need to rest and so does the horses,” she said troublingly.

“Mom, we will take the path through the forest. Once we get to the caves everyone can rest” Dad replied with his usual calm voice.

“Jonah, I don’t think that’s wise. The forest is full of danger. There is darkness and savage animals inside, remember your dad's stories, we can’ never disturb the balance that Mother Earth created. It’s not safe for the children and women”, grandma insisted but it seems dad is not going to listen.. 

After my grandfather died, my dad, being the only child, had to step up and take his place as the gipsy leader of our group. 

A lot of the people considered my dad to young to rule and lead such a big group, but with the help of my grandmother and the elders of the group, my dad was appointed the next chief.

It wasn’t easy to fill my grandad's shoes. He was one of the best leaders our people had. My grandad always respected nature and taught every member to live in harmony with Mother Earth. He was against killing or destroying unless it was necessary. Even the food, he always made sure it didn't go to waste.

“Mom, we need to reach the caves before the storm. We won’t be able to survive if we don’t get there faster” the coldness in my dad’s voice made me shiver. “We are running low on supplies. If we go around it will take us an extra week, a week we don’t have” Dad continued.

“I see.”  my grandmother whispered softly. 

“Mom, I know you are worried. We will be fine.” Dad told her, trying to chase her negative thoughts.

“There is no other way?” Grandma asked him, surprising me with her stubbornness.

“I wished it was. I really did”.  Dad said before yelling at Paul, his second in command.

“Paul, let the men know that we will take the path through the forest” 

“Sure, Chief.” Paul replied quickly without questioning my dad’s decision.

My stomach growled reminding me that I skipped dinner last night, I wasn’t that hungry anyway. I could feel hard times were coming so I decided to keep my bread and meat for later.

I crawled to the corner of the wagon where I usually hide my food. I removed the hay that covered the fabric where I had wrapped my food. As I was munching some of the bread, men’s cursing words filled the air, followed by horses' sounds and whiplashes.

I went to the slit looking outside to see what was happening. The forest was darkening while the men were struggling to keep the horses focused as the path was becoming steeper. 

I closed my eyes trying to block the horses' hurting sounds as I returned to my corner where I slid under the skins which now felt cold. 

I sighed thinking about my life…being the leader’s daughter was never easy growing up. I was always treated badly and beaten by the other kids for the simple reason I was a girl.

If I would have been born a boy I would have been the next leader of the group and everyone would have been showing me respect. But I was born a girl which is nothing in the Gipsy eyes.

According to the Gipsy laws and customs I was supposed to get engaged on the day I turned sixteen to the man that paid more for me. My husband would have become the new Chief and decide the future of the group. 

I started braiding my hair remembering that day. 

***FLASHBACK

I covered my face so I could block the sun. I was not ready to wake up and face everyone. I knew my dad would have no say in picking up my husband. I knew that I had to accept my fate and obey the gipsy laws. The chirping of the birds was getting on my nerves so I decided to open my eyes and face my destiny. 

I was shocked when I discovered that I was alone, half dressed in the middle of the woods. The fear got the best of me thinking that I was kidnapped or worse abused. I couldn’t bear seeing my dad ashamed for having a useless daughter, a stained one.

“Stop worrying, nothing like that happened” a girly voice sounded in my head. 

“Who are you? Where are you? Why can't I see you?” I blurted out questions without thinking too much.

“First of all Happy Birthday! I have been trying for a while now to make you hear me. I am glad you can right now. To answer your other questions well I am inside your head and let’s say I am your guardian angel.” The voice said, teasing me a little.

“Am I crazy?” I heard myself saying. 

“Only if you tell others,” the voice replied instantly. “You are destined for greatnesses and I will help you to achieve that, but you will have to let me guide you. You have to stay hidden and not tell a single soul about me, until the reveal time comes” she continued. I was trying to make sense of her words, but somehow my dad's disappointed face came to mind.

“You need to stop worrying about the Chief, that is not your pack or your destiny” she added quickly. 

“How did you?..” 

“How did I know what you are thinking about? I told you I am inside your head” she answered amused. “My name is Inna, I can see and feel everything you do. Now, let’s go back, I am sorry I took you far but I had to stop the engagement.” Inna mumbled  annoyed but yet relieved.

“Dad and grandma are probably upset” I voiced out…

“Oh trust me they are upset…” Inna added laughing and I rolled my eyes thinking what to tell my Dad. Trying to figure out a reason for my disappearance. I couldn’t  just tell them that the voice in my head took me far away because she didn’t want me to get engaged. Who would believe me? 

By the time I reached where the group was camped all the suitors were gone. My dad rejected all the proposals in order to hide my disappearing.

***END OF FLASHBACK 

“Chief, the men are tired and so are the horses. It’s hard to make them move forward.” Paul's voice rang outside, making Inna shout loudly inside my head louder. “Danger is coming”

I started rocking myself trying to shake off the feeling I had.

Dad whistled suddenly and everyone stop to listen his command” 

“I sent men to check out the surroundings. They should be back any time now. Until then we need to keep moving” Dad uttered.

Before anyone could say anything whistles filled the air followed by trotting horses as they were approaching.

“Chief, we found a clearing not far away from here.” I recognized Mika’s voice, one of my dad's commanders.

“There is also a lake nearby,” another man said excited.

“Everyone, you all heard Mika. After we get to the clearing we can all relax.” 

Men and women clapped and shouted, happy that finally they could relax.

If they only had known that the danger was lurking around.