Pearl embraced her children they spent the rest of the day busing with the endless chores of the manor. Late into the evening pearl beaded scarves and frocks for the season of festivals yet to come. It was another lonely night to quiet in the manor. Alone with her thoughts from voices in her shadowy past that she tried to forget. The smell of her calming steeping and a cool breeze thrust her back to being just thirteen.......On a night of cool breezes a young Pearl wandered away from the restrictive farm house of her father. A meat and potatoes man with little time for play, her mother an indentured gypsy with to much magic to be sane. Pearl loved her secret nightly walks, none of the bickering and broken dreams to hear about in the night air. This time she wandered down the road all the way in to town past the village and near the tavern. It was filled with noise and excitement. Nothing like the drudgery of thet farm. pearl tip toed to the window just to take a peak. From behind her she felt a cool breeze and a dark figure shadowing her. " Spying are we gypsy girl?" asked the man. He was of his early 20s dressed a bit too frilly and he had a very dark aura. "No sir I'll be going home now, just seeing what hte excitement was." Pearl walked abit past him. " Oh nothing but drunk men looking for young women looking for coin. Find any customers Gypsy girl?" said the young man. "NO sir I wasn't looking for that at all sir. I'll be going now." she began to walk on the road. The young man followed and walked backwards in front of her. "I've seen you ya know, in the market, selling vegtables from that ratty old farm. Setting up with that crazy old gypsy woman." his words were stinging and his tone was pure condesention. It made young earl shrink. That is my mother sir and my father's farm." she held back the tears but walked faster. he kept pace beside her." Some mother dressing you in those revealing rags just to sell vegtables!" " They are not rags! They were made by family in ancient custom. " Pearl was angry with tears and was now stopped with her fists clenched. "Ancient Custom of cleavage?!! Ha more like showing off a plump girls melons" he said nastily. He reached out his hand to grab her breast. She waited silently when he reached foward she swung her fist upward into his chin. his teeth knocked together he was starteled she ran past him as fast as she could he was right behind her and grbbed her by the hair. She couldn't move. He got into her face " Like I would touch something as filthy as you!" He dragged her back to the tavern....The tavern door swung open to a loud smoky room smelling of stale food and unwashed men. they were all staring at Pearl. " Gentlemen I have here a young gypsy girl of well endowment. For just a few coins she will gladly let you touch her ample body. Loud cheers came from the crowd. coins flew into the air andthen into the young mans purse as the youg gypsy girl was handled roughly over and over as he laughed and drank . Eventually through tears she held her head high and the finely dress young man passed out from his drunkeness. and fell over onto the floor. In the distration Pearl escaped the tavern and ran home in tears. She tried bathing several times that night to get the smell and feeling of filth off of her. She climbed into her bed and wept. Not wanting to tell her unforgiving parents of her fate.... tears rolled down Pearls face as she sewed the final bead into a skirt. A small hand wiped away the tears. "Why are you crying mommy?" Pearl hugged her youngest daughter and said "Nothing important now, it's all over now." She held tight to the child and walked her back to her bed.