Fallen One (Book three of Alfireán age)

- The Gypsies -

Alf, just as curious as Drake to find out why these strangers would be praying to Vackzilian of all people, followed the prince as he marched through the field and across the road towards the caravan.

An older gentleman wearing a neon green vest, which revealed his hairy muscular chest, strolled out to meet them. His purple baggy pants flopped loosely in the breeze, and his curly grey hair, streaked with black, bounced with every step he took.

The odd-looking fellow met them in the middle of the road, and Drake's booted feet produced an angry staccato on the flagstone as he marched up to the man. "Who are you?" the prince snapped in an accusing tone. "And why are you people worshiping Vackzilian?"

The older gentlemen's bushy grey eyebrows scrunched in confusion while his brown eyes peered down at the child, then looked up at Alf. "Good sir," he said in a rich, dark baritone as he stroked his well maintained, silvery beard. "I believe you need to teach your son some manners."

"He is not my son," Alf stated, his face straight and his normal jovial spirit absent. "And he's mad about you and your people praising Vackzilian, and frankly, so am I."

The colorful fellow raised his hands which were covered in finely worked metal rings and stepped back, his leather braided sandals scraping against the hardened stone. "Whoa, we mean no offense. We are nothing but humble gypsies, traveling merchants if you will, and Vackzilian is our patron saint."

"He's what?" Olivia exclaimed next to Alf, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Your surprise is understandable my Lady healer," the man said patiently, recognizing Olivia's white healer garments. "You have no doubt heard a great many evil things about him, but that is no revelation. Most people who changed the world for better were despised by the simpletons of their time and spoken evil of," the gypsy continued, waxing lyrical as he waved his sun-baked hands about. "We gypsies have come to realize that Vackzilian is one such person. He, unlike the dragons of old, knows the evil teleportation has wrought upon the world. Many a family and civilization has been destroyed by its beguiling lure. So," he said, placing his hand on his chest as if in reverence, "Vackzilian, in his great wisdom, is endeavoring to bring an end to it."

"You can't be serious," Zaphaniea exclaimed as the light of the evening sun lit on her outraged expression. "He only stopped the teleportation stones for his own profit."

"No, you are mistaken. The media of the day has construed what he has done," the man who seemed to be the leader of the gypsies persisted, his bushy eyebrows moving up and down like the billows of the sea. "Vackzilian, in his sainthood, knows that teleportation destroys man's lives, but to take it away directly would have been too hard on the people, so he slowly weaned them off of it."

Zaphaniea tossed up her hands and turned her back on the eccentric, old man. "That's it. I'm out. I can't talk to such a loony," the grand champion stated and marched off to join Rex who was currently stabbing random, twitching birds to ensure they were dead. Meanwhile, Pony was off combing through the meadow, attempting to catch some kind of random creature.

Alf halfway wished he was there with her instead of talking to this crazy fellow.

"That is such a pity," the gypsies' leader said while gazing off after the champion. The soft murmur of voices and clattering of pots and pans floated in the air along with the smell of spicy food as the evenings meal was doled out. "God never intended man to zip to and fro across the earth. If only I could open her eyes to see," he said in a mournful tone. "One doesn't have to look very far to see the truth of my words. Take us for example," he said, waving his hand back at the caravan. "Before St. Vackzilian, we couldn't make enough money to eat, but ever since he regulated the evil known as the teleportation stones, we have had a thriving business and wonderful lives." He grinned, his bright white teeth gleaming in the light. "My family has grown," he said, "and joy fills our every day."