“My people,” Karl was saying, his deep voice echoing off the stone, “we have all seen what has been happening to our people in the past year. The foundation of our existence is being eaten away. If this continues, soon there will be no place for our kind. Those in power will hunt us down and destroy each and every one of us; of this you can be sure.

Richelleen, one of the few females present cringed at his harsh words, but she was careful to conceal the indignation they caused. Her uncle was now head of the tribe. When her father had died, Karl had taken over the care of his clan and put everyone under his protection, providing for them just as he did his own people.

Yes, if not for Karl, her kin would never have been able to continue to go to school. And her people needed to continue to do this to learn the skills necessary to advance their lives. Without such chances they would be relegated to a backdoor existence in some village telling fortunes, and committing petty theft to exist.

Richelleen owed Karl. Still, his scornful reference to ‘those in power’, which included her husband, made her uneasy. Her father, bless him, had warned her that she would one day be caught between their two different worlds and it seemed now that his words had come back to haunt her. Her stomach clenched as he continued his tirade even decrying the contributions of the women in their tribe.

“True, women have their place but what should that place be?” he said leering her way. She felt Adele stiffen beside her and bade her be quiet. “As proof we have with us the beautiful Richelleen, daughter of Andre Horvath, and a skilled and educated woman who has proved to be of some worth. She wants our loyalty, even as she openly lives in the bosom of the people who want to oppress us! Who wish to control us and who among us, my brothers in arms, wishes to live under the control of the government?”

A low buzzing from the men present was his only reply.

Richelleen’s ascension to the prestigious position of healer had first been because of her mother who had been a great healer and because of her father who was a freethinker and supporter of women. Hard work cemented her position and had given others the courage to continue their schooling past an age when most women were relegated to the home, their only power being whatever they could obtain by influencing the men in their lives. Richelleen’s cheeks now burned to hear her revered uncle denouncing all that she held dear. She glanced up at him as he spoke, Karl had been a formidable man in his youth and his stance as he addressed the crowd was that of a combatant throwing down the gauntlet. He was trying to oust her! But why?

“Consider, my brothers!” he was continuing. “Consider what we must do, each and everyone one of us, to uphold our honor as men! Each of us must search his own heart to discover the best way to serve our people, even, should it prove necessary, by serving outside the strictures of official government policy. We must have the courage, the honor, the will to serve our people as leaders…not merely as puppets who blindly follow orders given by our nominal superiors!”

Richelleen’s eyes widened. Her uncle was skirting the boundary of advocating sedition…out right anarchy! Such talk was dishonorable. How could he speak so? Glancing over the faces of the assembled men, Richelleen saw their eyes were fastened on her with an avid gleam…all except one. Rene Lugesh, the representative of the southern tribe. A tall, powerfully built man, darkly handsome and legendary in his fierce defense of his own. He had drawn back in his seat, and he was shaking his head. Suddenly, he sent his fist crashing down on the aged table so hard that the old wood groaned in protest.

“Karl, you go too far!” he growled. “I have no particular feeling for the daughter of Horvath or her personal choices in men, but I support her because she is one of our own and has never turned away anyone in need. The things you are saying only point to making one person more powerful in the tribe and that is you!”

Richelleen had to restrain herself from leaping up and cheering him.

Karl drew himself up, as though deeply offended-but Richelleen suspected that his indignation was feigned. “Rene, you mistake me! I have said nothing about hurting Madame Javert or calling others to do so. I have merely requested that each and everyone person assembled here spend some time in thinking about our current situation, and how it may best be improved. There was no talk of sedition in that.”

Richelleen sighed inwardly as Rene obviously lost some of his confidence. His thick brows drew together in consternation. “Yes, Rene, were you not listening?” Renaud growled sarcastically. “Did you stay out last night drinking and wenching, only to fall asleep during the meeting?”

“Karl is correct!”

“Right!”

“We are doing nothing wrong!”

The other men snarled their support of Karl’s rebuke. Rene sat back in his seat. “Perhaps I did not understand you, Karl,” he said grudgingly.

The Gypsy leader nodded, and within minutes the meeting had broken up.

to be continued....

© 2005 Rose Carr

Contact the author:  Rosematuse@aol.com

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