Chapter One
My heart pounded as I got closer to the tree. I was so close to finally having all the answers I had been looking for for the last 217 years. I stretched my fingers out to touch the leaves. I was nearly there. Just a bit farther...
I sat upright in my bed. It was only around four in the morning but I knew that after the dream there was not much of a chance I would be going back to sleep tonight. why was this dream haunting me so often these days? I sat in total darkness and let my mind drift.
I felt my mond wander back to the day the gypsy woman had turned my life inside out. The day I learned that my mother had been more than human.
I was living in London, where i had been born in 1794. I was in my seveenth year and as such my marriage was quickly approaching. I had been promised to a wealthy Baron. Though he was not as wealthy as my own father he had a good amount of land. This would ensure our children would have both money from my family and land from their father's side.
I was on my way to the tailor shop that had been entrusted to design the gown for my ceremony. I had chosen a very pretty lilac silk with dark violet piping. The dress maker had told me that the soft color and material would be gorgeous with my pale complexion and beautiful gold hair. I was planning on wearing my hair in one simple braid for the ceremony. it would show my husband that our children would be beautiful and strong.
Upon entering the streets of downtown london I realized that the usual stalls that decorated the streets did not look as dull and grey as they normally did. Instead they were all covered with bright silks and velvets. i looked to my nurse, Brima who quickly explained to me that the wandering gypsys were in town for a while.
There were so many people in the streets and alleyways that I doubted we were going to make it to the dress shop without being robbed or worse. As we approached the street the tailor's store was on a frail'looking woman caught me by the arm. Her grip was firm for such an old woman that I could not shrug her off.
"My dear, there are many things you need to know. i see many things in front of you that will change you so. Please come inside and let me explain these things to you." The woman let go of my arm and held the curtain to her tent open as she gestured me in.
I looked to Brima who looked uncertainly at the gypsy woman.
" I do not have any money." I told the woman. I had merely enought for my dress and did not want to be taken advantage of.
"No money is necessary, child. The things I need to say are of no monetary value to me or anyone." she smiled and I decided there could be not much harm in a woman that looked so broken.
I walked into the tent and sat opposite the woman on a pillow made of yellow silk. it looked far too opulent for a gypsy but I did not question this. Brima was close behind wringing her hands in nervousness.
"Perhaps we should continue on to the tailor Miss? Your father will be very cross with me if anything were to happen to you." She seemed worried.
"Relax woman. I can handle myself. we will finish here and be on our way to the tailor shortly. Sit down and stop that wretched wringing. It irritates me. I wish to know what this gypsy woman wants to tell me."
" My dear Charlotte, please call me Giselle." the gypsy woman smiled again and I found myself realizing she looked much younger when she did so.
"How do you know my name?" I asked.
"My sweet I know many tings of you."
Chapter Two
It was still dark as I snapped back to the present. I knew that the sun would be coming up in about two more hours. I wished sleep was possible just to keep me from thinnking of the past. I had been an ordinary seventeen year old in the eighteenth century until that day.
