Hey guys!!  Well, I know I took a really long time to update, but I’ve been having trouble with plot ideas.  I was gonna try to try a new way of writing.  Instead of just writing and having everything just come out, I was gonna organize and have everything planned.  But, I was having trouble with that.  I have a small idea of what I want to happen, so I’m just gonna go back to my old way and just write away.  So here’s the next chapter of Gypsy Enchantments.

Chapter II

            Angelique walked quickly from the stage and hurried to her tent to change out of her performing costume.  Thoughts of the eldest prince of France left her mind as she rushed into her tent.  A few towns over they were having a festival soon, and she was traveling with a few of her fellow gypsies to perform in it.  She had to hurry.  Her camp always stayed in the area around Paris during the summer season, they just traveled to some of the local towns.

She grabbed her traditional gypsy everyday clothes and changed.  Her wide skirt was dark blue and stopped at her shins.  She had on another plain white blouse that she tucked into the waist of her skirt.  She took off her bracelets and anklets and placed them in a safe bag.  She grabbed a scarf the same color of her skirt that had silver thread sewn in intricate designs on it and used it to tie her soft black curls up in a high tail on her head.  She left her feet bare, preferring the freedom of bare feet to the confinement of shoes.  She used a rag to wipe off the paints from her eyes and lips that she had applied before her performance.  Even without the paints, she was a beauty.  Her emerald eyes were large and lined with long, dark eyelashes.  Her eyebrows were thin and arched; her lips were full and soft.  Her face was long and thin, and she was tall and her body had acquired all the curves of womanhood.  She had always been lovely, and her parents had named her Angelique, meaning ‘angelic’, because of her beauty even as a baby.

As she packed her few belongings, her mind wandered to her past.  She had always been a gifted dancer, and it was her passion.  She traveled to different towns and performed in the streets, earning a lot of money and then giving it to her whole gypsy camp to use.  She earned more money than any other gypsy, and for that, sometimes other gypsies would call her “the savior of the gypsies.”  But whenever they said it, they immediately stopped and a strange look came over them.  It was almost as though they were afraid of something.  Angelique had been seeing these looks her whole life, and was used to them by now.  But she couldn’t help but wonder what made them so frightened about the saying “the savior of the gypsies.”  It was always that phrase that made them so upset.

She finished packing and headed towards the entrance to her tent, ready to leave for the next town.  But as she neared the entrance, a large masculine hand pulled back the tent flap to reveal the prince that had watched her so closely during her performance.

He was tall, a few inches taller than Angelique.  He had on a cloak and hood to hide his identity in a large crowd, but he lowered the hood as he entered.  He was handsome, with dark blue eyes and curly golden hair.  He had high cheekbones and tiny wrinkles at the edges of his eyes from smiling a lot.  His body was lean and muscular, his skin pale and white, and he had large hands.

“Excuse me,” he said.  “But I was watching your performance, and I just wanted to complement you on your exquisite dancing.”

She nodded and curtsied quickly.  “Thank you, Your Highness.”

He smiled.  “Please, call me Christophe.  What might your name be?”

She grinned.  “I am but a lowly gypsy, Your Highness.  Why do you wish for my name?”

“I wish to know you.  And I don’t care if you are a gypsy.  I don’t like my father’s laws against gypsies.”

“And you plan to change those?  Your country won’t be very happy with you.”

He smiled again.  “What is your name?”

She shook her head.  “My name is Angelique, Your Highness.”

“Angelique.  It means ‘angelic’, does it not?  Very fitting.”

Angelique was blushing in spite of herself.  “Thank you.”

He gave a nod of acknowledgment and then looked around the tent.  “Leaving so soon?  Aren’t you going to stay to enjoy the festival?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I have another festival to attend in a nearby town.  So, if you’ll excuse me…”  She made a move to leave, but he blocked her path.

“Will you be back?” he asked.

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.  “Why?”

“I just want to see you again.”

She sighed and nodded.  “Yes, I will be back in a week or two.”

He nodded and moved away from the tent entrance.  She walked out.

As she passed him, he said, “Then I’ll see you in a week or two, Angelique.”

Hey!!  Did you like it?  Please review!!