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my eyes he began to move, and the power of his magic came over me like a black veil and I am ashamed to admit, I wanted him
I lay beneath him, our eyes fixed together until it was over.
"I told you that you still loved me."
Then he got up and turned to leave. I still lay on the ground my skirts up above my waist and my arms bruised where he had held them.
"I will be back, and when I come I will take you with me."
And he was gone.
The broken eggs had spilled their contents all over the emerald grass. I looked at the mixture of deep yellow and bright green and I vomited.
    Back at the house I agonized. I knew that when he came for me, I would follow Grigori.
I was under his spell.
That evening when Jan returned, I could not sleep beside him. The innocence of his kisses filled me with guilt. I knew what I must do.
In the middle of the night as Jan and mama slept, I went to the barn. I took Mara, my favorite horse, and prepared her for the journey. I gently slipped the bit into her cooperative mouth and pulled the bridle over her head. Jumping onto the animals bare back I leaned forward and patted her neck. The smell of horse manure filled the barn. I smoothed her mane and cooed over the side of her ear. Then in the blackest of night I rode away from all of the happiness I had ever known, to find the only person I thought might be able to break this spell.
I searched the trees in the darkness for patrin, signs that gypsies leave for each other , but found none. Exhausted and blinded by the lack of light from the new moon, I continued to search. Finally the following morning, I found marks on a bush indicating a Kompania had come through the area. It could be any one of a dozen different groups.
Now there were marks every few yards and I followed them carefully. At one point I rode through an open field. All around me there were deep purple flowers and a heady sweet fragrance that I found intoxicating. Finding myself lost in the peaceful beauty allowed me for a moment to forget my predicament.
    I didn't see them. Three peasant boys of maybe sixteen years were pursuing me on horse back. I might have remained oblivious until they were upon me had one not cried out
"Zigeuya"
They were taunting me. All three of them had fire orange hair, and that made me think that they might be brothers. I had learned to ride early and my horse and I were as one. With a clucking sound as I leaned into her neck. I gave her our signal to pick up speed.
"Go Mara, hurry up girl"
The little horse threw her head back and whinnied as we whipped through the field and across an open dirt road. They were hot on my trail, but they couldn't catch me. Now the boys were hollering as their laughter pierced the air.
"Gypsy girl, come over here. Come on Zigeuya, tell our fortune, we won't hurt you."
Wildly they kicked their horses racing each other as much as they were trying to catch me.
I knew they meant me no good, learning early in life that boys in a group could spell danger. I turned my horse and rode up a hill and out of the clearing. I ducked back into the forest and road through tight openings in the trees until my horse and I were virtually lost to the gagos.
After a sigh of relief, I patted Mara, grateful for her help, and rode on.
Just as the sun was making her magnificent exit in shades of bright fuchsia calmed by brushstrokes of royal blue, I came upon the kompania. There just a few miles from the Swiss border , a band of gypsy vurduns had stopped for the night.
Dogs were barking as I dismounted, but I was immediately greeted and recognized as Rom. This was not my Kompania, but all gypsies are cousins
"Please, I need to see the Shuvani, the medicine woman. I need help."
The two young boys that greeted me were Chavvis, Romany children, and so they understood immediately.
"Come and follow."
They led me to a wagon made of logs, and badly in need of paint.

"In here" One of the boys indicated, and I entered.
A woman sat on the floor