Not a Clue [Millie]

[Cristiana Grykara]

“Cristiana, I just don’t like you going out like this. We haven’t even been here a whole day yet.” Rawnie Grykara’s voice, musical and slightly accented, washed over her daughter’s ears in a quiet stream. Cris turned her head towards her mother and rolled her eyes. “We’re all set up on the Green, Mama, and you certainly don’t need my help unpacking.” Her voice was light and held the same accent as her mother’s. Her teasing tone was matched by the humor in her milky blue eyes. One slim hand gripped the leather-bound section near the top of a wooden staff. The area just above and below the handle, as well as the few inches above the bottom, had been painted bright red to mark her as blind. At the moment, however, her lack of sight wasn’t obvious as she rolled her blue eyes at her mom.

”Look, Mama. We’ve been to Sandimont before. We know they accept Romany people. I’m useless to have around when we’re setting up the caravan because I get in the way. And I want to go out. I’ll take Abby with me and no one will look twice at me, you know that. Please, Mama, let me go out.” She begged openly, trying to tug at the Gypsy woman’s heartstrings. Everything she said was true; while the caravan of Grykara wagons was being set up and their string of horses unloaded and corralled for sale, Cris had to stay out of the way. All of the heavy equipment being moved around rendered the small, blind teen a liability to the operation and herself. She could get crushed by the wagons, trampled by the horses, anything. So she stayed inside the main wagon and waited until she could go exploring.

That was what Cris loved about moving around with her family’s caravan. Every time they reached a new town, there was a whole new world for her to explore. She had Gypsy blood, rambling feet and a heart for wandering. After they set up their wagons on the Gypsy Green, she would spend weeks exploring in her free time, when she wasn’t helping with the horses or helping with her family’s Gypsy show. Even if they’d been in a town before, by the time they got back everything had changed- at least for Cris. Where others would see the same streets and buildings, Cris heard and smelled and touched a whole new city. It could be disorienting, never being in one place long enough to really learn it, but she wouldn’t change it for the world.

”Garri, what do you think?” Rawnie called over her shoulder. A deep male voice answered her- Garridan, Cris’ father. ”Oh, let her go, Rawnie love. She has Abby, and no one messes with that thing. We don’t want her hurt hanging around the caravan.” Cris grinned, standing up in a fluid, graceful motion. She adjusted her grip so the tip of her staff was just touching the floor of the wagon. Her gaze was blank, but her eyes were happy. ”Thanks, Da! Come here, Abby, we’re going out.”

A huge form surged off of the floor and padded over to her on oversized paws. A furry nose nudged Cris’ cheek excitedly, and she laughed. She reached down and scratched the head of her dog, Abela, a wolfhound the size of a small pony. The dog’s back reached Cris’ waist, and her head was at her mistress’ chest. Officially, Abby belonged to the whole family, but it was Cris who raised her, Cris who took her everywhere she went, and Cris to whom she was completely devoted. Cris heard the air swish as she wagged her tail. ”Come on, baby, it’s time to go.” Cris laid a hand on the huge back and let the dog lead her to the door and out into the bright sunlight.

Cris blinked automatically, an immediate reaction to heat on her eyelids. Her nose and ears were flooded with the sounds and scents of a bustling city. People called out to one another, hundreds of feet sounded off of the sidewalk, food cooked, refuse rotted, and dust filled every breath of air. Smiling, Cris set out into the crowds with her cane to feel the way and her wolfhound by her side.

[Mildred (Milly) Osfhanti]

SINGUSASONGANDWE'LLSINGITBACKTOYOU*
WECANSINGOUROWN
but what would we be without you?*

The area had been rather busy this day, with local merchants selling their weekly wares and the incoming trade market giving more of a hustle than a sale it was not a foolish idea to take this day as one to go shopping. Her parents were unwilling as to let their naive daughter take their money out to be swindled so easily. "Dont worry ma'ma. I will not buy anything that will upset you." She said; petting her mothers head with a glint of a smile. She knew her mother worried endlessly over money; with so little of it, it was only right that the family be wary how much they spend. And I will not travel farther than the city borders."

With a look of pure innocence and adoration for the family around her Milly set off out of the house. Her red hair shining in the sun as her yellow summer dress srifted around her ankles. She was one of the commoners who tended to walk barefoot through the city; enjoying the feeling of nature between her toea.

"Just remember baby not to talk to strangers and don't let any strange men offer you rides. You're not sage at your age." her mother called out after her as she left. Watching as her daughter walked out from the house and away into the bustling town. What more could she do to prevent her being attacked by perverted men around the town.

Soon the young girl, known to many as a kind one; willing to help anyone and anything at any time. She was known for being easily lef away from her jobs and someone who could drift off into daydreams at the drop of a hat. But there was one thing she could do; and that was get a good deal. She could flutter her eyelashes and pout her pretty pink lips until the price was lower than anyone could imagine.

However well minded as she may be; she always looked for someone to help. Whoever they may be. "Good morning miss. do you need any help?" She shouted over at a girl whose cane she notices alerted her to being visually impared. She had helped a few of the older generation with the same cane so she was always on the lookout. "My name is Milly." She offered kindly; reaching her hand out palm flat in front of her in the hopes that the woman would reach for her.

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[Cristiana Grykara]

Cris was always momentarily overwhelmed by her first day in a city. The family caravan had been traveling for days, sometimes weeks, through the relatively unpopulated wilderness that spanned the areas between large settlements. During that time, the blind girl was only subject to sounds and smells associated with her eight-member family, their four wagons, and their herd of horses. She got used to the relatively quiet traveling life, filled with the conversations and jokes of her family, the heavy tramping of hooves and creaking of wagon wheels, and het dusky smell of campfire smoke and cooking meat every night. When compared to the noise of a city, it was virtually silent out on the open road.

Now, though, that relative quiet had vanished. The layout of the city was more or less familiar to Cris, so she made her way slowly through the thick crowds towards the market. It was perhaps not the smartest place for a blind girl to be, with so many people around, but it was always the most exciting place to be, the heart of every town. From the market could be read the mood of the townspeople, the news of the populace, the happiness of the place, and just about every important piece of information about the gypsy family’s temporary home. It was the middle of everything, and that’s where Cris wanted to be.

It didn’t take her long to find it, following the sounds of people and the scents of food and salable items. On every side she heard stall owners hawking their wares in strident voices. Other voices argued over prices or complained of too many children and not enough money. She heard horse hooves and wagon wheels, dogs barking, chickens and other fowl complaining, sheep and goats baaing, birds singing in the background. The air smelled of a million different things- the dust of the dirt streets covered everything, and refuse ripened in the sun. Leather and cloth goods gave off their own sun-warmed scents, and food was enticing or repelling by turns. Cris could feel the ground tremble slightly under so many feet; her cane was constantly moving, flicking rocks out of her path, nudging ankles and feet, and keeping track of where the edge of the street proper was. People called out to hear, reaching out to catch her sleeve and pull her towards their stalls, but Abby warned them away with a snarl and bared teeth. No one tugged on her for long with the huge dog around. She could taste dust on her tongue and occasionally caught the flavor of a particularly pungent soap or food item. The combination of what basically amounted to a sensory overload disoriented her, and she eventually moved to the side of a building and paused to collect herself. Abby sensed her distress and whined softly, pressing close to Cris’ side and getting between her and the rest of the people on the street. Cris patted her head absently, finding comfort in the wolfhound’s solidity.

Practiced though she was with crowded situations, Cris was overwhelmed enough that she didn’t immediately realize she was being hailed. A woman’s voice, clear and friendly, rose over the others that assailed Cris’ sensitive ears, but she didn’t at once connect the greeting with being directed at her. It was Abby’s growl that alerted her. The wolfhound saw a hand reaching toward her mistress and moved forward to intercept, growling low in her throat and lifting her lips to show large white teeth. Cris caught the rustle of cloth that denoted the outstretched hand and tapped Abby’s neck twice. ”Leave off, girl, she’s just being friendly.” Abby’s growl stopped but she didn’t relax. She’d moved in between Cris and the other woman so Cris couldn’t take the offered hand. ”Abby, down girl!” she said sharply, and the dog sighed and sat by Cris’ side.

That particular obstacle removed, Cris smiled shyly in the direction the voice came from and reached out. It took her a moment, but she found the offered hand and shook it. ”I’m Cris,” she answered. ”I’m just passing through the area with my family; our wagons are camped out on the Gypsy Green for a while. Thank you for your offer; if you have the time I’d love a guide. Exploring always goes better when I have someone to make sure I don’t get lost.” Her hand came to rest on Abby’s head and she added, "This is Abby. Sorry about the growling; she’s very protective. If you hold your hand out to her she’ll smell it and learn your scent.” To the dog she said, ”Sniff, Abby. Milly’s a friend now. No more growling.”

[Mildred (Milly) Osfhanti]

SINGUSASONGANDWE'LLSINGITBACKTOYOU*
WECANSINGOUROWN
but what would we be without you?*

with a faltered look Milly backed up from the massive dog in front of the blind girl. The sheer size of it alone was enough to make the trainee witch wonder if it had been cast upon at birth. Growing to such a size was immense. Yet still she turned hr thoughts to wellness of the other female. From her accent she knew she wasn't local. That and she had never before met her, while everyone in the town knew everyone else. It was quite nice having someone who knew everyone around them, it made for interesting conversations. "Never you worry miss Cris. I'm simply not used to other animals ... escpecially one such a size before. We don't even have a horse!" She exclaimed excitedly. Comments like that would have gotten her in trouble with her mother, making the family out to be lesser than others. But there was never a dishonest word that came from the innocent woman.

Never really tainted by the world she held on to the purity of her innocence and used it well in day to day life. Often getting herself in and out of trouble without blinking an eye. It was a very handy technique.

With a small bubble of laughter she noted the way in which the massive dog was controlled by the woman, she was no bigger than the beast but could control her with such ease. It was an interesting sight to behold. But she was anxious about putting her hand out again; especially toward the dog. "Will she bite me?" She asked fearfully, a little waver in her voice indicating the fearful thought of going home with one hand and a tale of simply trying to be friendly. "Im not nasty, I promise. I just don't like to sit around when I can be helpful. I didn't mean to upset her." She said to the woman, of course it could be misconstruid that she spoke to the dog also. As absurd as such an action would be.

Yet still she nodded her head stupidly; indicating that she would be more than happy to help her around the town. The market was in and this would provide her a very useful distraction so she didn't purchase yet another set of necklaces that her mother told her made little to no use in a household and would once again throw in a drawr to never be seen again. Milly wasn't supposed to draw attention to herself. "But if your dog would not mind i'd love to show you around. The market is in this week and I think there may be musicians passing by also. I do love listening to them. Apparently I used to sit on my own until they left, just listening to them." The girl rambled, her hand still stiffly by her side as she refused to extend it toward the dog. "Oh! And I think the baker's cousin from the city is here with exotic cakes. I usually get some of them because the baker said he'd hate for a girl like me to go without treats." She giggled.

Every time she went past the old widowd baker his eyes would wander over her and he would entice her with sweets. As did many of the other shop owners. It was no secret that she was not smart enough to notice the ways and dangers of men. And they tried many times to take her for their own. Still; she never learned her lesson and took the sweets as a symbol of kindness and generosity. never readdy wondering why she was the only one in the town to get such treatment.

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[Cristiana Grykara]

Cris grinned at Milly’s words, spoken a bit nervously but with obvious good cheer. She couldn’t imagine living without animals- Abby especially, since she was her guard dog, but the horses as well. Her family always had a small herd with them, a mixture of their own animals and the ones they sold in every town they visited. Her favorite was Camlo, her father’s oldest stallion and the horse she usually rode. He was unusually gentle and was the perfect mount for his master’s blind daughter. ”Oh, you don’t need to worry about her,” she said reassuringly. ”She’s big for a dog, I know, and she looks fierce but she’s a sweetheart. My family raises horses, so I guess I’m used to big animals.” She smiled gently and scratched Abby’s ears. The dog thumped her tail in appreciation and panted happily.

She shook her head firmly at Milly’s unease. ”She won’t bite now that she knows you’re a friend,” she said. ”She just gets protective, that’s all. She’s been my dog since I was twelve. You didn’t upset her, you probably just startled her.” The dog in question was now leaning on Cris in thanks for the ear-scratching she was getting, and Cris was close to staggering under the weight. She pushed Abby’s head sideways until the dog sat up and huffed, offended. Cris laughed at her.

Since Milly was obviously not planning on offering her hand to the wolfhound, Cris decided to take matters into her own hands. She tapped Abby’s neck. ”Go on, girl,” she said to the dog. ”Sniff.”Obediently, Abby stood up and plodded over to Milly, nosing the girl’s hand and sniffing busily. Once she had inspected the entire hand, she sat back and looked up at Milly, panting. She could smell the fear coming off of the redhead, and didn’t like it- since her mistress had marked Milly a friend, that put her under Abby’s care. She whined and licked Milly’s hand before going to Cris and nudging her arm for reassurance. Cris rubbed her ears and she relaxed, sitting once more beside the slight girl.

Cris smiled widely when Milly mentioned the ‘passing musicians’. She was excited to have found someone who obviously knew the city well and was willing to tote around a blind girl all day. That was a problem Cris had often when she was new to a place and learning her way around. Most people either weren’t comfortable with the idea of being around Cris for any length of time, or didn’t want to take that much time out of their lives to help a stranger. Well, that or they just didn’t like gypsies. Either way, it was a nice surprise to find someone happy to help out. She was already planning how to thank Milly for her generosity. ”Well, if the market’s in, I’ll definitely need some help; the crowds on market day are always pretty disorienting. Thanks so much for helping me out.”

Now for the fun part. ”Um…those musicians you mentioned? That would be my family.” She grinned. ”We’re Gypsies. We put on a show every night after we’ve closed down the horse showing for the day. If you want, I could introduce you to the musicians. I play the violin; do you want me to play for you as a thank-you?” She tried her best to look at Milly, but her gaze ended up over the girl’s shoulder. She closed those milky eyes a second later and sighed dramatically. ”Ohhhh, cake….I love cake.” She grinned. ”Should we go on a cake hunt?”

[Mildred (Milly) Osfhanti]

SINGUSASONGANDWE'LLSINGITBACKTOYOU*
WECANSINGOUROWN
but what would we be without you?*


"we've never had animals around our house. We can't afford them or their upkeep. Pa'pa is just an odd jobs man and ma'ma had to stay home to look after me. She schooled me and showed me how to be a good ma'ma. I don't have no skills to work. But she said If I stop falling and get my head out of the clouds then I'll be a good ma'ma." She said with a small shrug, her thoughts always trailed off. It was part of the reason that she had been such a target in her earlier teenage years. At one point almost falling victim to kidnapp and rape. Something she is still very clueless about. "But i'm real sorry If I startled her. I don't mean nothing bad." She said honestly, her face a shining of innocence that would be lost on the blind Gypsey girl.

The thought of someone being blind made no difference to how Milly saw anyone. She was well enough versed in helping those around the small place she lived. Despite being locked up from men since she turned nine she was able to go out when supervised and help out the people around her. It had just been one unfortunate mistaken night when Milly had overheard her pa'pa saying they were in need and she had taken her savings out to the village square. Going to find someone who could get what it was her parents had needed. but instead finding the payment ... different.

Not long after going out she was huddled into the back of a cart with four middle aged men holding her down while she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Had she not been found by the bitcher woman who came out to tend to her animals Milly may well have found herself in a very different situation. She still never found out who it was that had taken her and it hadn't hindered her in any way. Other than increasing her understanding of her own naivity. She was not someone who knew about the world; her limited knowledge of life and of the people around her made her far more vulnerable than any nineteen year old should be.

Still, it didn't help that she was petrified to the spot when the massive dog was marched over to the almost shaking girl to sniff her out. Couldn't dogs smell fear? Did dogs eat people?! it was a possibility with the massive beast at the Cris' side. Once she had returned of course it was easier to move, but the once open face had stiffened very noticably and her voice became a little thicker. "Um ... right; yes. Yes! No not a problem Cris. I used to get lost when my ma'ma finally let me out last year. But i'll help you. I found some shortcuts through the city. Avoids alot of the crowds." She said enthusiastically, taking her eyes from the dog to the girl. She seemed very open for someone whose world was not made for them.

And milly was not one to let anyone down. Despite her only information coming from trial and error over the past year she thought that she knew her way around the city well enough that with a few of her saved gold coins in her purse she could take home something nice for her ma'ma and pa'pa for supper. They had been very ill recently, not eating enough to save for work tools for her pa'pa. Milly herself gained reward payment from kind people who appreciated a bit of help from the girl. "Really? That is very beautiful music you all play. I've never been musical. The only time i hear it is when musicians pass by. It's always nice to have a bit of sparkle to lighten up a busy day yes?" She said sweetly, offering a hand out to the blind girl. "And you do not need to thank me. I like helping; it lets me meet people. I have not been allowed to leave home because I was too inviting my ma'ma said. But i am an adult now. And she must let me be a woman... Perhaps today will be the day I meet my husband!" She giggled excitedly. The image of her prince charming riding through the city on a white horse playing in her mind once more.

"Come with me. The bakers cousin always has extras for me, I will let you have my piece today. Ma'ma says I will have a round belly from all the sweets he feeds me. Tells me he's trying to sweeten me up for him; but I dont think she knows that he is a married man." She said lightly, her red hair being pushed away from her face as she began leading the way for the girl and her ... 'dog'. The brightness and the smells of the market always made Milly smile.

And if perchance she was able to go into an apocerathy then she would be able to learn more about her craft. She had found that she posessed magic not long before she was allowed out of the home. She had been fiddling with some of the things around the house when she found the magic stirring. From that point on whenever she had the chance to ask questions -away from the ears of her parents - she tried to learn anything she could. It just made her life that little bit more exciting.

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