In the mid 1880s, there was a Gypsy troupe that travelled across Spain. There was natural apprehension in the villages they passed through, for the gypsies were free folk, and there was always resentments for their free lifestyle.

They had a role in society among both the poor and the wealthy; they were great tinkers, entertainers and rogues. Their freedom allowed them to perform and to watch them perform was to enter that world of freedom. This particular troupe wasn't very large; just about 20 adults and 15 young ones of various ages. One of the young ones was a foundling girl, found and adopted by the gypsies when she was only five.

She looked a lot like the gypsies except for her eyes. They were emerald green surrounded by thick black lashes and had an odd almond shape to them making her look beautiful and exotic. Her skin was olive coloured and she had a beauty mark on her right cheek bone. Her hair was thick, dark brown with red tones curling softly down her back to her waist. When she was angry, her eyes would flash, gaining her the reputation of being hot tempered and wild. She was a spirited self reliant girl having grown up pretty much on her own, with no parents to guide her.

They called her Esmeralda, for her striking eyes. She was a girl that kept largely to herself, knowing she didn't really belong. There was one thing that came naturally to her and that was the art of dance. She had danced since very small and throughout her childhood, until dancing became second nature to her and was as easy as breathing. Her dancing was all hers and hers alone.

No one knew where she could have learned to dance that way, maybe it came from her ancestors. When the day’s work was done, dinner eaten, dishes washed and put away, out would come the musical instruments and soon music filled the air. It was then that Esmeralda would join in and laugh and begin to spin and twirl. She turned into another person when she heard the music; not the quiet one you saw all day, but a happy girl full of life.

She was something to see when she danced. She loved to tease the men as she danced, her eyes alight with suggestion, and her body moving sensuously in a way that got men breathing hard and women nodding in appreciation. More then once Esmeralda had to fend off the advances of men after the music ended for the night. The most dangerous men were the townsfolk. Even among her troupe however, there were more than a few bruises on the married men the next day.

Esmeralda had no real protector, for most of the gypsy men of the troupe wanted to bed her, and the townsmen thought she was just a typical gypsy whore. In truth, she was neither easy nor a whore.

She wore the usual many coloured gypsy clothes; the dark skirt was long and flared out whenever she twirled around, she showed her long slender legs encased in boots that came up to her knees. This glimpse of her legs drove the men wild. Her blouse was a bright red, ruffled along the top, and worn very low so her ample and youthful cleavage showed. When the men looked there she just would laugh and say teasingly, “Those are not for you, my friends!” Somehow she had acquired a modest amount of jewelry in her travels. When she danced she would move very slowly, swinging her hips to the music, moving her arms so that her whole body looked like one long undulating feminine movement. The tinkle of her jewelry filled the space around her. Men watching could be seen to be dreaming of having her.

But she would have none of them. She knew there was someone out there for her and she was waiting for him to come for her, one day.

There was a man named Carlos who had been watching Esmeralda dance for three years. He was able to watch her because he was learning the trade of tinkering and doing odd jobs. He had made up his mind that he was going to have Esmeralda for his own. It wouldn't be easy so he carefully thought it through. He had to be careful, he knew he wouldn't get a second chance to have her. He planned on taking her away from the troupe, by sweet talking her into running away with him. The gypsy elders would never let her go on her own. She was a big draw for them with her dancing.

Whenever the troupe came to his little village he would watch her at every opportunity and when he saw her dance he could barely control himself. But he knew he had to be patient if he wanted to have his prize in the end. So he settled for just dreaming of when he had her in his arms and what he would do with her.

She was now 19 years old. He had been watching and dreaming of her since she was 16 and he was only a few years older than she. He knew they would not be able to stay at his village. That was when his apprenticeship would come in handy. He was near the end of it, and ready to implement his plans for Esmeralda.

He often would hang around with the gypsy craftsmen so he could furtively watch all her movements and routines and eventually he knew them by heart. Whenever she would look at him, he would wink and smile at her. At first she was very suspicious, raising her eyebrow and flipping her long hair at him before walking off. But eventually, she softened a little, and even smiled at him once.

On the last night before the gypsies broke camp, he watched her dance and decided the time was finally here. He hid behind the trees and waited on his chance. After the music and dancing was over everyone made ready for bed and Esmeralda went just outside the light of the campfires to throw out some leftover food.

He came up behind her quietly, and whispered her name. Startled she spun around. He took her hands and brought them to his chest. He pleaded with her to come away with him saying he loved her and would give her all the things she could ever wish for.

Esmeralda shook her head. “ I don't even know you, how can I go with you?”

He said, ” You do know me, you have seen me whenever the troupe came to my village. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you dance.”

She tried to pull away from him and said, “ Where have I heard that line before?”

He held her to him and just looked deeply into her eyes. Finally he said, “ For me its no line, I do love you and would treat you like you deserve to be treated. I could give you a happy life, one I know you have dreamed about.”

She replied, “ How do you know what I dream about? “

He smiled. ”Because I have the same dream. I want a woman who would love only me as I would love her, and I think Esmeralda you are that woman.”

She bit her lip and looked thoughtful. Could he really love her? And not just want to bed her like all the rest? She looked back up at him.

He took this as his opportunity to press his suit. He begged, “Please come with me, it will be the best thing you could ever do for yourself. You don't want to live this kind of life forever. I have watched you, the men treat you like a puta and I know your not like that. Come with me now, leave everything behind.

“We will be on the run, and need to travel light, the elders will send men to bring you back. You make the troupe a lot of coins with your dancing.” He held his breath waiting for her answer.

She finally nodded her head then looked up at him and said, “I will go with you now, but have to get a few precious things that I must take with me. Give me ten minutes.” And in a flash she was gone.

It was the longest ten minutes of Carlos's life. Just when he thought she wasn't coming back, he heard footsteps. There she was with a sack of things in her arms. He took it from her and said, “Hurry, we have a long ways to go before we are safe from the men that will be searching for you.”

So with the sack under one arm and her hand in his other they went to the hiding place where he had put the horses and wagon. He threw the sack in the back and helped her up into the seat. Then got up beside her flicked the horses and said softly, ”Hey!” They drove all night long until the morning came. When the horses couldn't go any further, Carlos drove off the road finding a secluded place. Esmeralda had taken turns driving the horses but had long since fallen asleep on his shoulder. He fed and watered the tired horses and then went to take care of the girl.

He picked her up and went around the back of the wagon, placed her carefully on the bed of straw. She moaned softly as he placed a blanket over her. He smiled and touched her cheek. As tired as he was, he wanted her and badly, but that would have to wait. So he slid under the blanket put his arms around her pulled her up against him and soon fell asleep.

He woke up hours later, to the horses blowing nervously. When he opened his eyes, the wagon was surrounded by four men from the gypsy troupe. He reached for his hidden rifle, but it was gone.

The leader laughed and said, “You didn't really think you were going to take our little Esmeralda away from us, did you?” The other three men snickered and licked their lips.

By this time Esmeralda was awake and watching the men. She knew them well enough to know she was in trouble. They had looks in their eyes she had seen many times. She sat up reaching for the knife hidden in her boot. Esmeralda never went anywhere without it. The men pulled the couple out of the wagon. Carlos kept the girl behind him and said, “Now just a minute, Esmeralda came with me of her own free will. I won't let you take her.”

The leader just laughed and reached for the girl. Suddenly he yelped and brought his arm back. It was bleeding profusely from a deep gash. He held it and looked at her. She came from around Carlos with her knife in full view, bending low and ready to fight. Carlos tried to pull her back but two of the other men grabbed him from behind and held him fast. He fought them as he saw the leader closing in on Esmeralda, fury in his eyes.

She circled smiling at him then said; “Come on Jose, you know what I am like when cornered, come on, if you dare! You also know if the elders knew what you want to do to me now, it wouldn't go good with you or your slimy friends.”

He hesitated, knowing she was right, and he knew he would have some explaining to do over his cut arm. He had been told to bring her back only if she was willing. They all knew of her flaming temper. More then a few men carried scars from encounters with this spitfire of a girl.

He looked at her burning green eyes and nodded his head and said to his men, “Let go of the boy, and let's get out of here. Looks like we are going back empty handed.” As they mounted their horses Jose looked at Carlos and said, “I hope you know what you got yourself into, she is and always will be nothing but trouble.” As they rode away he laughed and yelled, “Good luck, you're going to need it”.

Carlos watched the men ride away, putting his arm around Esmeralda's shoulders. He felt her tremble and looked down at her. She looked up at him now and he saw she was just a scared little girl. He pulled her close and whispered, “It's ok now, you're safe I would have died before I let those men hurt you.” He held her as she slowly calmed down, then he lifted her up and took her to the wagon and lay her down on the soft straw. He lay down beside her and looked into her wonderful green eyes and told her how much he loved her and that now they were really free. They talked for awhile of the kind of life they were going to have.

As they talked and laughed he felt his desire for her rise. He longed to kiss her ruby lips and as he moved to kiss her she sat up, breaking the spell. He sat up and asked, “Is something wrong?”

Esmeralda looked down and replied, “I have not been bedded and I am afraid I won't like it, Carlos.”

He laughed softly, saying, ”You will like it , I guarantee you will. I will go slowly and stop anytime you say to stop, OK?” She nodded yes to this. He leaned down and his lips touched hers as he gently pushing her back down onto the straw. They kissed for a long time, his passion building, and she started to make little moaning sounds.

Then Esmeralda stopped and said, “I want to dance for you. I saw that you had a guitar behind the seat. Can you play some music for me?”

Carlos replied, “Of course I can play, querida, let me show you.”

He reaches for the guitar and starts to strum on it as the girl stands and listens.

As the sounds of the guitar fill the air, Esmeralda starts to sway. Her hips moving from side to side, her arms reach up and lift her heavy mane of hair up, twisting it in her hands. She smiles at Carlos. She lets it go and it falls back down her back. She now moves her hands down to her swaying hips, fingers splayed slowly moving them back upwards to her bosom. She keeps up this steady rhythm with his music. Her hands now travel down her legs and she takes her shirt and lifts it slowly up, showing Carlos those lovely legs he has up til now only seen from afar. Above her knees he sees her pantaloons, with ruffles and lace. Carlos gasps, mesmerized by her grace and sexuality.

He plays on, as she starts to slowly spin, dropping the skirt and moving her arms outwards. She throws her head back, hair flies in all directions. He starts to play faster, she dances to match the speed, laughing as she moves. She is in her element now, looks at him, in her eyes he can see her desire.

They go on like this, for a long time, when he slows the music, she matches it, and speeds up when he does. Her breathing increases as the minutes go by. Esmeralda looks Carlos deeply in his eyes. He stops suddenly, looks up at her and puts the guitar down. His arms reach for her, Esmeralda comes to him willingly now. She sees the love and desire in his eyes, she can't help but response with the same emotions. She lays down on the soft bed in the wagon. He makes love to her, and true to his promise she likes it very well. Afterwards they kiss and look into each others eyes. No words are needed. Soon they fall asleep in each others arms.

It is late in the day when Carlos wakes and looks down at the girl in his arms. He watches her for awhile and finally kisses her lips tenderly. She awakens smiles and eagerly responds. They make love again and afterwards Esmeralda says she is starving and puts on her clothes and prepares some much needed food. They talk about their plans for the future. They know there will be good and bad times, but as long as they have each other, it will all work out in the end.

Story ideas and editing contributed by Cal Erickson. Thank you Cal for all of your
encouragement and support.