Prelude - @Short Story

Prelude - Part 1

Prelude

by sloanranger

Part 1

"Oh, Mama. You always say that," the young girl said.

"And why not, my little chey? It's true, you do have the sight."

The girl and her mother laid their two baited lines in the water and were securing the ends to young saplings near the rushing stream. "Make sure you tie it strong, Simza."

"Yes, Mama."

It was difficult to say who was the more lovely, the chey - the young black-eyed girl with the still childish laughter on her red lips - or her not much older mother. They both had the dark caste of their long ago Indian heritage. The only differences between the looks of the two, were the mother's amber eyes and the riper figure she had gained from child bearing.  Indeed, the entire family was good looking in the Romany way - they were a handsome people.

"Why should I not learn how to give the 'gadjes' what they want, Daj? Nano and Papa, do," the young girl said.

"Your Uncle and Papa have not the 'sight' as you and I," her mother answered.

Vadoma heard a loud splash to the left and grabbed the line that she had just lowered into the water.

"Aiee!" She said, and quickly pulled a big fish onto the earth and hit him on the head with a large stone.

"This fish was hungry; he was waiting for us, Simza - the Nivasi sent him." Removing the hook, she re-baited before she threw her line back into the stream.

"The water spirits, Mama?"

Her mother answered, yes, and both of them spit quickly into the water.

"I won't be long," her mother spoke before she stepped into the forest to gather mushrooms.

"We need but a few more for the fusui ( few - see), tonight. Watch the lines."

The fusui was a pot of beans; nutritious, light, inexpensive and easy to travel with - beans were a staple of their diet. Fish, vegetables, chicken or game were added when available. Papa and Nano Merival were hunting and setting traps in the forest, now.

Simza chose a likely tree and sat on the bright green moss below it. Leaning against the trunk and looking up at the sky through the leaves, she lost herself in the clouds.

Clouds did something to her; her imagination soared looking at them - she saw faces, scenes, entire pageants in their shapes. An ever changing panorama played before her. And then, there he was - her husband-to-be - floating above her in the clouds.

(To be continued).