The Sleeping Curse: Homeward VIII Read online

  Taking this in, Julianna wasn’t sure how she felt. She’d heard that other villages besides Chemestúk had been burned. People were dead, men had been ripped away from their homes, and now the nobles behaved as if nothing had happened? That didn’t seem right.

  “Was Enêmûsk ever attacked?” Jan asked.

  “No.”

  He glanced at Julianna, and she was thinking the same thing. Perhaps the men conscripted from Chemestúk were on their way home. Jan had escaped on his own, but he’d not been able to rescue anyone else.

  Deandre clicked his heels. “Forgive me. I must get on with my duties.”

  Julianna nodded. “Of course.”

  He was already walking away.

  Unbidden memories nearly overwhelmed her… of the horrors that had occurred in Chemestúk, which were now probably forgotten by both the Väränj and the Äntes.

  Turning from the fire and heading for the wagon, she said, “I’ll go and unpack your tent.”

  Her mind wouldn’t stop churning. What if some slight upon the honor of one house or another could launch another such blood bath. Again… it wasn’t right. She simply had no idea what could be done to stop it.

  Suddenly, Jan was beside her. “Are you all right?”

  “Of course.” At the moment, she didn’t want to talk to anyone, not even him, and she walked faster, leaving him behind.

  “We can’t control the world, Julianna,” he called after her. “I finally realized that. All we can do is fight to protect ourselves from whatever comes and in the meantime, try to be happy with what we have now.”

  Stopping, she looked back at him. He always read her better then anyone she’d ever known… and right now, he was probably right.

  · · · · ·

  The following morning, Julianna woke up feeling better. Perhaps Jan’s words had slowly been absorbed into her thoughts during sleep, but something about them brought her comfort—that at present, she had nothing to fight and a good deal to be happy about.

  Pushing back her covers, she stretched her arms. Inside, the small wagon-house boasted three beds. Two of them were narrow bunks built into the wall that ran parallel with the front side of the wagon, and a third, wider bed had been built into the left-side wall. Doreena and Rosario had taken the wider bed while Belle and Julianna slept in the bunks.

  Julianna had given Rico’s bunk, and he slept outside in a tent with Jan. Before winter, she and Jan would go back to Chemestúk, and then Rico would sleep inside again.

  The others inside the wagon were beginning to stir, and Julianna suddenly wondered how she should dress.

  “Doreena,” she said quietly, as she tended to speak quietly in the mornings while the family was waking, “Will Rosario have us performing today or will we still be settling in?”

  Climbing out of bed in her white shift, Doreena rubbed her eyes. “We’ll start after the mid-day meal. Best wear your good gown and sash.”

  “All right.”

  Before Julianna had left Chemestúk, Jan’s mother had kindly provided clothing to help her fit in, starting with a gown of rich scarlet—as Julianna loved the color red. The dress laced up the front with a v-neckline. The sleeves were long and slender and hemmed without cuffs. The waistline was cut perfectly for Julianna’s slight figure and the skirt was full, but not so full as to be cumbersome. She’d also been given a purple paisley sash to tie around her waist, and a number of dangling bracelets.

  To earn their living, the family put on shows for the public. Everyone had at least one skill or talent, from reading palms or telling futures, to performing astonishing card tricks, to playing the violin, to singing… to dancing. Belle was a dancer and knew exactly how to draw an audience by moving seductively to the sound of music. Jan played the violin while Belle danced, and even Julianna took part in the shows.

  To her astonishment, the family had asked her to play the tambourine while following Jan. Doreena had insisted that she was “quite pretty” in her scarlet dress and would be able to add sound and color to Jan’s performance. The prospect had been terrifying at first—and Julianna hardly viewed herself as pretty—but she soon realized that what they asked was not difficult… and she’d come to enjoy it.

  “Belle,” Rosario said, “time to get up.”

  “In a moment,” Belle murmured, rolling over.

  No one suggested for a second time that she get her bottom out of bed, and Julianna sighed. Belle never helped with meals anyway.

  Julianna dressed carefully, making certain her sash was properly tied. She decided to wait on the bracelets.

  Shortly after, she stepped outside to find the camp already abuzz with activity. A fire was lit and water was boiling for tea.

  Looking all around, she couldn’t help being a bit overwhelmed by having the wagons parked here within this enormous market. Stalls were being opened for business and early customers were arriving. Goats bleated and chickens clucked and the smells from everything between roasted sausages to perfumed candles wafted on the air.

  Jan was up and about, tuning his violin.

  “Morning,” he said, smiling. “I see you’re dressed for business.”

  She smiled back, wondering how her life would have played out had she never met him—as he’d been the one who’d sent her to his mother. Without him, where would she be now? Certainly not traveling the country in a beautiful red gown with a family of Móndyalítko performers. That was certain.

  After breakfast, the morning passed quickly, and as everyone prepared to perform, Jan filled her in on what would be expected.

  “The shows here work a little differently than they did in Serov,” he began.

  The town of Serov had been their last stop.

  “We won’t be moving around between sectors like we did there,” he continued. “Master Deandre insists that everyone perform only in their assigned locations.” He gestured back toward the wagon. “So Aunt Doreena will be reading palms inside all afternoon… which means the wagon’s off limits. Get anything that you’re going to need for the rest of the day out of there now.”

  “I will.”

  He pointed to a small, circular area not far from the campfire. “The rest of us will be performing there. Uncle Rosario plans one full show for just past mid-day and another one for late afternoon. Our job with these two shows is to provide lively entertainment that will draw an audience who then stay and spend money at the stalls of farmers and merchants selling food, drink, and wares.”

  Julianna nodded. “Only two shows a day?”

  “No, the final show takes place after the sun is down and the stalls are closed, and that one is for us, staged just to earn money for us. It’s a little darker, a little more seductive, a little more… Móndyalítko.”

  She raised an eyebrow, uncertain what the last part might mean, but she supposed she’d need to wait and find out. She knew from experience that asking Jan to explain would do no good. He’d only smile and try to make the whole event sound even more mysterious.

  Just past mid-day, the family was ready, and Rosario took his place in the performance area—standing up on a tall stool with three legs stout enough to support his weight. Belle came to stand on the ground beside him.

  “Come and gather!” his deep voice boomed. “For the finest show in the land! Learn your fortune from the great Doreena!” His arm swept back toward the wagon where Doreena stood in the doorway, covered in bangles, and she bowed dramatically.

  “See the magnificent Belle dance the dance of the three veils!” he bellowed. Belle offered a blinding smile and curtseyed low as he continued. “Witness feats of magic and hear stories to amaze you!”

  Julianna found him quite a sight up there, with his broad chest and thick moustache, and his voice that seemed to carry forever.

  Within moments a crowd had gathered, and both Jan and Rico jogged into the performance ring, holding their violins and bows up over their heads. They ran around the circle a few times, and Rosario jumped down and grab
bed his stool, leaving Belle where she stood, holding three sheer handkerchiefs in her hands

  Julianna knew to wait until Jan hit his first note.

  When he did, she ran out beside him. Then he hit a long second note… and Rico joined in and the violins made music in perfect sync… and Belle began to move, swirling the sheer cloths around herself.

  People fell silent, watching her.

  Julianna had to admit that for all Belle’s faults, she was mesmerizing when she danced. Jan and Rico began playing faster, simultaneously moving about Belle. Julianna stayed with Jan, letting her dress swirl and hitting her tambourine in time to the song he played.

  The music kept growing faster, and Belle danced faster… and people stared.

  Finally, when the song ended, it ended on one sharp dramatic note, and Belle dropped to her knees.

  The gathered audience burst into shouts and applause. Rosario had placed a hat at the edge of the circle, and people began to toss in coins. Julianna had previously found this a bizarre way for a family to earn a living, but now she was used to it, and it felt quite normal.

  Julianna and Rico sat out the next song.

  This time, as he played his violin, Jan sang comic stanzas about a young man in love who was continuously spurned by the object of his affection, and as Belle danced, she acted out the part of the girl spurning the young man in more and more outrageous ways.

  The audience laughed loudly, and Julianna began to understand what Jan had meant by the daytime performances being lively and entertaining. Looking through the crowd, she noted Master Deandre was out there, watching. He met Rosario’s eye and nodded in approval. Then he walked away.

  When the song ended, Rosario’s brother, Heraldo, carried out a small table and began his magic show.

  Jan jogged over to Julianna, panting, and she handed him a mug of water, which he gulped down. “Soon as he’s finished, we’re up again for two more songs, and then Uncle Rosario will get up on his stool and tell a story.”

  She nodded. While merely telling a story didn’t sound all that exciting, Rosario could hold an audience spellbound.

  “After that,” Jan went on, “a few of the younger girls will dance, and then Heraldo will perform his card tricks. Then Belle’s up again. Rosario and I planned the rotation carefully.”

  Looking at Jan, she couldn’t help a swell of admiration. The people back home viewed him as beautiful, amusing, and useless… because he was not skilled at anything valued in Chemestúk such as growing crops or thatching roofs.

  But he was more than skilled at helping to run this show. He absolutely shone.

  “What?” he asked as she studied him.

  “Nothing… I just. I wish your father could see you here.”

  “My father? He wouldn’t find much value in this.”

  “Well… I do.”

  Then she flooded with embarrassment. What was wrong with her? Wasn’t he already vain enough without her contributing?

  Instead of preening or making a joke at her compliment, he glanced away, at a loss, and motioned with his chin toward Heraldo. “Two more magic tricks, and he’s done. Get ready.”

  Even with everyone spelling each other, they were all exhausted by the time the first show had ended, but Rosario was pleased with the money they’d earned and announced that he was going to go out and buy more grain for the horses.

  Everyone else rested until it was time for the next show—which went as smoothly as the first.

  That evening, as Julianna helped Doreena prepare dinner, for the first time, she didn’t resent Belle for going straight to the wagon and taking a nap.

  Belle had worked hard that day.

  “I can’t believe everyone is going to perform again tonight,” Julianna said, looking down into the large kettle where she was stewing two chickens.

  Doreena smiled broadly. “Yes, but the nights are different, a little slower and a little more… for us.”

  Again, Julianna wondered what this meant. She and Doreena boiled the chickens until the meat fell off the bones, and then they picked out the bones and added diced potatoes, carrots, parsley, and a little flour for thickening.

  Jan took some of the money they’d earned that day and bought a small cask of red wine to be shared. Julianna had only tasted wine a few times in her life, and she wasn’t sure she liked it. It only seemed to make her more thirsty.

  But Rosario was pleased, and he laughed and toasted to the day as Julianna began to serve dinner.

  Later, when the sun was down, and the dishes were put away, people began arriving for the evening performance without Rosario doing a calling or saying a word. Instead, he built up the campfire. For the evening performance, it seemed they would perform in a more intimate setting.

  He stepped up near the fire, and began by telling a story… a dark tale of an angry ghost taking vengeance upon his murderer… and Julianna began to understand what Jan and Doreena had meant earlier. Rosario’s stories at the first two performances had been light and comic and suitable for the ears of children. This one involved blood and hatred and revenge.

  Like everyone else, she listened, captivated until the end.

  “Who’s next?” Rosario asked, once his tale was finished.

  Then Julianna realized there was no set rotation—or any planning at all. The family would perform as they wished.

  Jan stepped forward, playing a slow, haunting tune, and Belle joined him, dancing just as slowly, sultry and seductive.

  Somewhat tired after a long day, Julianna almost hoped Jan wouldn’t need her to join him. She rather felt more like watching than performing herself, so she carefully moved outside the crowd gathered around the fire and tried to be invisible.

  It was then that she looked over and spotted Rico speaking to an unfamiliar young woman.

  The girl was lovely, perhaps eighteen years old, with long, silky hair a shade of deep brown and large brown eyes to match. She was short with a small waist and generous figure—dressed as one of the Móndyalítko in an emerald green dress with an orange sash. Normally, a pretty girl speaking to one of the men in Jan’s family would not have caught Julianna’s attention, but this was Rico. In the time that she’d known him, he’d never once shown real interest in anything besides hunting. Even the violin didn’t particularly interest him. He played it because he was expected to.

  Now, as he looked down into the girl’s face, he appeared blind to anything else around him. Slowly, she reached out to touch his hand with hers, and Julianna could almost see his sharp intake of breath.

  He grasped the girl’s hand and drew her to the outside of the circle, keeping her close to him and speaking to her softly.

  For some reason, the sight of this troubled Julianna, and she had no idea why.

  · · · · ·

  The following day followed a similar pattern. Rosario and Jan varied the two afternoon shows only by the songs performed or the stories that were told. Doreena was busy inside the wagon reading palms, and once again, by the time evening had settled in and Julianna found herself helping with dinner, she could see Rosario was pleased again with the money they’d earned.

  After leaning over the fire to see what she was cooking in the cast iron pot, he straightened and took a long swallow of wine. He was so large that she felt unusually small beside him. She was accustomed to looking most men in the eyes.

  “You did well today, girl,” he told her. “Soon we’ll have you dancing with Bell.”

  That was never going to happen.

  “I’d rather play the tambourine for Jan,” she answered and then changed the subject. “Even I can see that we’re earning a good deal more money than we did in Serov. Will the whole moon be like this?”

  Rosario nodded and took another swallow. “We earn more in this moon of autumn than the rest of the year combined. That’s why I’m so glad to have Jan back with us. He and Belle are magic together when they perform, and he knows how to help me run a show. So long as we can maintain o
ur assigned place here, we always have a nice nest egg for the rest of the year.”

  Listening to him, Julianna realized how important this fair was to the family’s livelihood.

  “Are you hungry,” she asked him, reaching for an empty bowl to fill.

  He smiled. “And I’m glad you’re with us too. I think Doreena would keep you if she could.”

  After spending years in her youth as orphan, his words touched Julianna. She couldn’t help wanting to be wanted. But Jan’s mother needed her too, and as much as she was enjoying this adventure with Jan, a part of her had never stopped missing their home.

  After handing Rosario a bowl of boiled mutton with herbs and onions, she called everyone else to dinner, and the evening passed quickly.

  Then… once the dishes were washed and put away, again, Rosario built up the flames just as people began to arrive.

  As before, he started off the fireside entertainment, only tonight, he told a tale of a young bride forced to marry a wealthy stranger who took her to his isolated castle and refused to let her go outside. He gave her a ring of keys that opened every door in the castle save one, and he forbid her to touch that door. Then one day, when he was out, she found the key in the pocket of a cloak he’d left behind, and she opened the door to find six dead women—all in their wedding clothes—hanging from hooks. All were in various states of decay.

  Knowing that she would be next, the young bride tied a message onto the leg of a bird and sent it to her brother, who cared for her. Time passed, and just as she feared her husband was about to murder her as he had the other women, her brother arrived and cut off the husband’s head.

  When Rosario finished the story, nothing could be heard except the flames cracking in the night, and Julianna almost wished she’d not remained to listen. His description of the bodies of the hanging women had been far too vivid.