The attack had come as a surprise. A battalion-sized unit of Germans had crept up on his company, taken out the sentries and killed many of his company before they even got out of their tents. He had been lucky. His tent was tucked into some bushes on the side opposite from where the fighting began. He made it out of his tent with his boots, rifle and rucksack and coat, but had to leave his sleeping bag behind.
He ran into the trees and hid in a small hollow as he put on his boots. He stashed his rucksack, then headed back to the company area to join the fight that was going on. By the time he made it to the edge of the camp the German Infantry had either killed or captured the majority of his unit.
He didn't want to surrender, so he decided to slip away and try to find another unit. Unfortunately, he had left his map and compass in his now flattened tent. From memory he dredged up a picture of his map and realized the closest Allied units were west of his position. He decided the best thing was to head in that direction and try to find them.
He trudged through the dark forest all that day. Heavy, dark, snow-laden clouds covered the sky keeping the forest floor in twilight-like conditions. There was no road in the direction he traveled and after a while he realized he was lost and had no idea if he was still going in the right direction. That night he made an emergency shelter out of branches. He didn't build a fire for fear of giving away his position to the enemy, so he spent a miserable night balled up under the pile of limbs shivering, trying to stay warm.
The next morning at first light he ate a can of cold C-rations, then started moving again, hoping it was West. He was in a very heavily forested area without a road or path to be seen except for game trails cutting through the dark gloom under the trees. As he walked he tried to be very quiet so as to hear if anyone was close. It was gloomy and silent in the forest, eerily so. By noon the only thing he had heard, other than the crunch of his own steps on the frozen white carpet, was the ‘plop' of snow falling from the trees or an occasional branch breaking from the weight of the snow.
He saw a lighter area ahead between the trees and he approached cautiously, not wanting to blunder into a German encampment. He saw that it was an open area and crept to the edge of the clearing. 50 yards to his left a stone cottage sat at the edge of the trees. A ramshackle wooden barn was close by as well as the distinctive round casement of a well. A few feet on the other side of the house was another stone building and at the edge of the trees he could see the small distinctive silhouette of what he was sure was an outhouse. As he stood looking over the idyllic scene the cottage door slammed open and a figure stumbled out and fell to the ground.
A moment later a figure in a German uniform stepped from the door. He kicked the figure on the ground and said something in French. Jack's interest peaked as he heard the words. He had spent what little spare time he had since landing, working at learning the French language. He wasn't greatly proficient at it yet, but he could make out what was said, most of the time, as well as get across what he wanted to say, most of the time.
The German soldier spoke in French and asked the man on the ground where his money was and that he knew it was here because all zigeuner had money hidden.
Jack heard the man on the ground reply in French, "Just because we are Romani does not mean we have gold."
Jack had to think about that and finally it came to him. He had heard the word used before. It referred to gypsies. The man on the ground said something that Jack couldn't make out.
The German's lips lifted in a cold menacing smile as he said ominously, "I know how to get the answer from you."
He turned and motioned at the door. A moment later another soldier stepped out of the door dragging a young woman with him.
The first German soldier told the man on the ground, "If you don't tell where you hid your gold, we will take your woman in front of you and then make you watch us kill her, before we kill you."
The man on the ground said something else Jack couldn't make out, but which seemed to anger the German. He nodded at his companion, who stepped over, grabbed the top of the young woman's dress and jerked at it, tearing the front of her blouse open. For an instant Jack took note of the young woman's firm breasts. Her nipples were crinkled and standing up in the cold air.
That lasted only a second before the first German soldier said something in German to the one next to the girl. He nodded, grabbed her arm and began to drag her back into the cottage as the other one pulled the man to his feet and began to drag him toward the cottage.
Over his time in the war Jack had discovered that when things got bad he was good at blocking out fear, for a short time anyway. He would go into an emotionally devoid state. He could see and hear what was going on. He could analyze it and at times take actions that would be hard for him in any normal circumstance. Before the war the thought of killing people, even when they were trying to kill him would have sent him into a deep funk. Now though, after what he had seen and done, it only caused him to switch off his emotions and do what he needed to do.
Jack knew he couldn't just hide and let the two Germans ravage the woman and kill her and the man. He didn't stop to think as I raised his M1 Garand and rested it against the tree he was hiding behind. At a little over 50 yards it was a comparatively easy shot. He knew he was going to have to kill both of them quickly, so he placed the sights on the chest of the one holding the girl, took a breath and squeezed off the shot. As soon as he felt the recoil he swung his rifle to the second and fired. The two shots came within a second of each other. The two Germans never knew what hit them.
Jack stepped out from behind the tree and walked over to the cottage. As he stopped next to one of the Germans the two Gypsies looked at him shocked. He nudged first one then the other of the soldiers with his foot. His mind told him they were dead. His experience said not to trust it. He pulled out the .45 pistol he carried and with a dead calm fired a 230-grain slug into each of them.
He holstered his pistol, then turned to the couple. The man appeared to be old, in his late sixties or seventies, the woman was much younger, in her early twenties. Both looked terrified as they stared back at him.
"American." He said pointing at himself.
The couple looked confused and very frightened so Jack tried some of his not-so-good French and stumbled through an explanation, telling them that he wasn't going to hurt them, that he was an American fighting the Germans and got separated from his unit. His explanation appeared to calm the couple, at least a bit. He then asked why these two were asking for gold. The man had gotten up off the ground and was standing holding his ribs as he replied that the Germans hated the Romani and thought all of them had much gold.
Jack dragged the German bodies to the edge of the woods and then returned. He told the couple he was very cold and asked if he could warm himself in their cottage before he continued on to find his unit.
The man smiled and replied, "You have saved us. Please be welcome in our house.".
The woman helped the man into the house and Jack followed. He propped his rifle against the wall next to the door, dropped his rucksack next to it, then walked over and stood close to the fireplace where a small fire was burning. As he warmed himself he noticed that the woman had disappeared into another room. She returned in a few moments after changing her torn blouse.
She began to take the man's shirt off. When she had it off Jack could see the dark purple bruises where the soldier had kicked him. As Jack watched the man breathe he suspected he had one or two broken ribs from the beating. The woman touched the man's side, which caused him to wince and grunt in pain. When he saw that Jack was sure the ribs were broken.
He walked to his rucksack and rummaged around until he found his first aid kit. He pulled out a roll of heavy medical tape, turned and in his rudimentary French told the woman that the man had some broken ribs and they were going to have to tape his chest tightly to allow them to heal. The woman looked cautious but allowed Jack to tape the man's chest. When he was done the woman helped the man put on his shirt.
She turned to Jack and for the first time he took full stock of her. She stood slightly over 5" tall with black hair falling to the middle of her back. Her eyes were large and brown and filled with defiance. Her face was beautiful in a dark exotic way.
"You have been good to us." She said in French, "You saved us from the soldiers and now have fixed Vano's injuries. If you will stay for a while I will make you some food and something to drink."
"Thank you I would be honored," Jack said in his terrible French which brought an unexpected smile from her.
She said in heavily French-accented English, "You do not need to use our language. We both speak your language."
"Thank you. I'm not yet very good with French yet."
Jack turned to the man as he said, "My name is Jack. I am an American."
"We do not get much news here. We are isolated but I know that the Americans are fighting to push the Germans out of this country. I am honored to have one of their soldiers in my home. My name is Vano Vandlo and that is my daughter-in-law Talaitha. We call her Tala. I would be honored to know your full name so I may tell other Romani what you have done for us."
"I am happy to meet you Vano. My full name is Jackson Gabriel Benton. My mom was very religious and insisted on that middle name."
Vano's eyes widened and Jack heard Tala gasp than Vano whispered, "The archangel of new beginnings."
Jack wondered at their reaction but had a different question he wanted to ask.
"Tala is your son's wife? May I ask where your son is?"
Jack could see pain fill the man's eyes as he said, "A German soldier killed him trying to get him to tell where our nonexistent gold is hidden."
"Everyone seems to think you have money," Jack said.
"Yes everyone thinks the Romani amass gold and jewels. If I had that kind of riches, we would not be hiding in a dark forest!"
A moment later Tala handed a plate to each of them.
"Thank you." Jack said, "And I am very sorry to hear about your husband."
Tala stopped and stared at him with a hard, almost angry look on her face.
Jack thought for a moment she was going to scream, then her face softened and she said, "Thank you. We were chosen for each other. We were not married long. We didn't even have a chance to conceive a child."
That reply surprised Jack but he didn't say anything more and began to eat. When he took the first bite Jack realized how hungry he was. He devoured every crumb on the plate. When he was done Tala asked if he wanted more. Jack was about to say yes when he realized that they may not have a lot of food so he replied that if they had enough and wouldn't be a drain on them he would like a second helping. He didn't know why but both of his hosts grinned and told him they had plenty to eat.
Jack had two more servings before he stopped. As he sat staring into the fire he couldn't remember the last time he had been full of food, warm and relaxed. He found himself nodding off. A half-hour later he jerked awake, jumped to his feet disoriented, fumbling to pull out his pistol.
"Please, you are safe," Tala said in a soft soothing voice.
He looked in her direction and finally remembered where he was.
"Sorry." He said, "An automatic reaction."
"How long have you fought?" she asked.
"I landed on Sicily in ‘43 with my unit. I fought there for a few months, then we were sent to southern France to invade some islands and finally they disbanded my unit and I was assigned to this one, the 2nd Ranger Battalion. I parachuted into France before the invasion and we've been fighting ever since. "
"This is your second unit?" She asked touching the shoulder patch on his jacket.
"Yea." Jack said as he touched a second patch sewed to his pocket and said," This was my first unit, the 1st Special Forces. We were trained for and did a lot of covert night work. We were feared by the Germans. Because of the shoe polish we used on our faces they called us the black Devils." Jack replied with a grin.
Talaitha's eyes widened and she said, "Papa! Did you hear?"
Vano replied with only a nod.
"You have fought for a very long time." she said, "You must be tired."
"Yes, but we have a long way to go to get to Berlin." He said, then added, "If I make it."
Tala stepped closer and used both her hands to cup his cheeks, then closed her eyes. She began to hum, a soft sweet sound and he wondered what she was doing, but the touch of her soft hands felt so good he didn't want to ask and make her stop. She hummed for a bit, then a gasp and a moan of pain came from her. That lasted several seconds then she again began to hum. A moment more she opened her eyes and smiled at him.
"You will be in Germany. You will see the end of this war. You will go home and you will have children to carry on." She said in a soft voice.
"I hope so." He replied.
"You will." she replied, then turned her head to Vano and said, "He has the fire in him. He will have sons. "
Vano's eyes widened as she spoke, then he smiled and nodded. Jack had no idea what that exchange was about but he figured it was time for him to leave and see if he could find a unit to join.
"Thank you for the food and the fire, but I think I'd best get going. It will be dark in an hour or two and I need to see if I can find an Allied unit."
"There is none close to here." Vano said," We came to this place because few come this way, no one but deserters and the lost that is."
"So how far away do you think they could be?" Jack asked.
"North maybe two days walk. South the same. East you will find only Germans. West you will find your friends in maybe a day."
"You are out here in nowhere!" Jack said.
"Yes we try to stay out of everyone's way. Romani are not viewed well, especially by the Germans."
"Ok, I guess I'll set out in the morning. Would you mind if I used your barn to sleep in?"
"You will not!" Talaitha said, "You saved us. The least we can do is show you hospitality. I will make a pallet here in front of the fire. You will sleep in my bed."
Jack opened his mouth to protest but her look told him it was futile. He closed his mouth and nodded, which brought a grin from Vano.
"She is strong-willed that one." He said, amusement filling his voice as he lit his pipe.
"I do not wish to offend you, but I must ask that you bath before you stay," she said.
Of a sudden Jack was conscious of the fact that he hadn't had a bath in weeks. He had grown used to his smell, but he imagined how it must be to these folks.
"I'm sorry. I haven't had a bath in a long time. I didn't mean to offend you with my stench." He said.
Talaitha smiled and replied, "That is alright. We know that you do not smell this way on purpose. Relax, talk with Papa while I get your bath ready."
"I can do that if you show me how," Jack replied.
Tala looked at him as if he had two heads as she replied, "You will not! You are a guest!"
As she left Vano chuckled and said, "Yes a very strong-willed one. She also has the sight."
"The sight?" Jack asked.
"Yes. Sometimes she can see what will happen, like when she said you would see Germany and home again. She saw that in your future."
Jack looked dubious and thought that the older man must have a screw loose, but said nothing. Vano grinned and said nothing more. Talaitha returned a half-hour later and beaconed Jack to follow her. As he trailed after her out the door his eyes fell on the two German bodies laying at the edge of the woods.
"We can't leave those there." He said pointing at the bodies, "If you have a shovel I'll bury them."
She nodded and disappeared into the barn. She returned a few moments later with a shovel. She motioned Jack to follow and lead him a short way into the woods.
When she stopped she said, "Here. Bury them here."
She turned and walked back toward the house. Jack watched her go, admiring the sway of her hips. The sight of her reminded him he hadn't touched a woman since leaving England. As he watched her go a feeling of want, of desire sparked in him. Until now he had been able to keep that feeling buried under the sharper more immediate and ever-present feelings of pain, homesickness and fear, but the simple sight of her walking away woke a hunger for the soft touch of a woman.
When she was out of sight he sighed and set to work. The ground was soft loam and easy digging. Within an hour he had a 4' deep hole dug. He went back and drug the bodies to the hole, dumped them in and covered them. When he was done he walked back, put the shovel in the barn and headed for the house.
Tala came out of the small stone building he had seen and beaconed to him. Jack could see smoke curling up out of a small chimney at the back as they walked to it. When she opened the door and they entered Jack found they were in a kind of combination bath/laundry house. There was a large stone fireplace with a huge iron kettle steaming over the fire, two stone sinks on one side and a copper bathtub close to one wall. The tub was full of hot, steaming water.
"Bathe then put these on." she handed him a set of baggy pants and a puffy-sleeved shirt, "I will wash your uniform and put it next to the fireplace to dry."
She nodded and turned to leave. As she did, as he watched her walk away, again that hunger for the touch of a woman filled him, but this time it was stronger, much stronger. If he had been another type of man, the strength of that want would have prompted him to grab her and force himself on her. But he knew, no matter how much he desired it, he couldn't, wouldn't do such a thing. It wasn't who he was.
Jack slowly undressed, trying to force the unbidden sexual thoughts away. By the time he was naked he had succeeded. He climbed into the tub and it felt wonderful. He hadn't had a bath or shower since he left England in June. He scrubbed himself and sat in the warm water enjoying the feel of it. A moment later he heard the door open and looked up to find Tala entering. He glanced down and found the water to be bellybutton deep and opaque from the soap he had been using, concealing his manhood beneath.
"I will help you bathe." She said matter of factly as she removed her jacket and rolled up the sleeves of her blouse.
"You don't have to do..." He began but was cut off by her taking the soap and washcloth from his hand.
She began to scrub his back and shoulders. As she did, as her soft hand touched him, that flaming hot desire for a woman returned. He gritted his teeth as his manhood swelled to hardness under the concealing cover of the soap-laden water. She gently scrubbed his back, shoulders and arms, then poured water over his head and gently washed his hair. With each touch, with each second Jack could feel the flame of desire, the throbbing sexual want of her building. As she used fresh warm water to rinse his hair he knew he couldn't let her do more, knew if he did he would lose control. When she was done rinsing his hair she put her hand on his shoulder.
Jack put his hand on her's, looked up at her and said, "I can do the rest myself. Please leave. I don't want..."
His eyes were on her face as he spoke. He saw a smile lift the corners of her mouth. An unbidden thought flitted across his mind, how would those full soft lips feel against his?
Again he said, "I can do the rest. Go...please?"
He saw her gaze move down to the water in the tub and her smile widen, then move back to lock with his as she replied, "As you wish."
She rose, the smile still on her face as she left. Jack watched her go then remembered how she had looked down to the water just before she left. He glanced down to see the head of his hard rod jutting up out of the opaque liquid. For an instant he was embarrassed knowing she had seen it. Then he remembered her smile and wondered what she had thought. A moment more and he wrapped his hand around his hard rod and began to stroke it. Normally it would have taken him several minutes to stroke it to completion, but as he began to stroke it, a picture of Tala in his mind his climax rose and burst within seconds.
He wondered at it. He had never had such a reaction before. Most times it took him a few minutes, others, much more. He had never ever cummed in seconds like he just did. He sat in the tub soaking and thinking until it began to get cold. He climbed out, dried himself and dressed in the clothes she gave him. When he walked back into the house Talaitha had more food prepared.
She handed him a plate and as she did his hand touched hers. For the instant their hand touched that mental war between the brutal, animalistic war spawned part of him and the gentler, civilized human side again clashed. The animal side screamed, with an almost overpowering insistence, for him to put down the plate, grab her, rip her clothes off and take her to sate that hunger it had for base animal sex. The civilized part fought back, flashing images of things he'd seen done to people in the war and pushing into his mind a question, ‘Do you want to do that to them?' It lasted only an instant, but to Jack it felt like a century before the civilized part of him won.
He smiled knowing she would never know of that battle as he pulled the plate to him, stepped back and said, "Thank you."
Tala smiled and replied, "You are welcome." Then with her gaze still locked to Jack's added, "Papa? The prophecy will be full filled."
"Are you sure?" Vano asked as he pulled the pipe from his mouth.
"Yes. I am positive."
Vano smiled, took a puff from the pipe and said, "Then it shall be as it shall be."
Jack was puzzled at the exchange as he asked, "What prophecy?"
"That a leader would be born from an angel, a demon and a princess."
Jack still couldn't understand what they were talking about, but with the smell of the food on his plate reminding him he was hungry decided not to pursue it. As he sat and ate with Vano, Tala disappeared. She returned just as he took his last bite. She had his uniform draped over one arm. She hung it on a wire strung next to the fireplace to dry.
As it grew dark outside they sat talking. Vano told Jack some of the histories of his Romani band. How they had traveled and traded in a wagon, how the people in some of the towns they had passed through would throw stones at them for the simple reason they were Gypsies and how when the Germans had invaded, had begun to gather the Romani and send them off to places unknown they had stopped here in this out of the way area of the Ardennes to try to stay out of sight.
In return, Jack told his hosts about his hometown in the northwest of the U.S., about his family and the work of his father as a lumberjack. After hours of talking Vano finally said he was tired and was going to bed.
When he was gone Tala asked, "Would you like a glass of wine?"
"Sure," Jack replied.
She left and returned a few minutes later with a bottle. She poured each of them a large glass and they sat drinking wine and staring into the fire. To Jack it felt surreal. Less than a day ago he had been fighting for his life. Now he sat next to a beautiful woman sipping wine in front of a warm fire. But the surreal feeling of the circumstance wasn't strange to him. He had been in similarly unreal feeling circumstances in Italy and the time since landing in France. He had come to realize that such moments were part and parcel of what war is made of, calm surreal moments mixed into the brutal, bloody reality of war.
"When you said I would see Germany and home, how do you know that?" he asked.
Tala smiled and replied, "When I touched your face, I saw. I saw you standing at the gates of a place where none want to be. I did not see much more of it, but I warn you now, it felt very evil. When you get to a place contained in wire, inhabited by walking skeletons, be prepared for it will be the worse thing you have faced. That is all I can tell you of it. I also saw you sitting on the stump of a huge tree, smiling, holding two babies. I could feel the first place was in Germany, the second in your homeland."
Jack didn't know why but he was starting to believe her.
"Could you tell me more about the prophecy you spoke to Vano about?"
She smiled and said, "I am the daughter of Gipsy royalty. My father was a prince and my mother had the sight. Many years ago, before the first war to end all wars, one of our shamans foretold that a man would arise from the German people and try to wipe the Romani from the earth. He said many would die, but that the Romani would survive. He also foretold that during the dark time a child would be born of an angel, a demon and a princess to lead us. Papa Vano knew I was from royalty and therefore a princess. His son, Azrail was named for the angel of death, but he was a gentle, very good man. We all thought because he was such a good man, but named as he was, he was the demon and angel who would sire the child. As a princess I was chosen to be his wife, to be the mother of the child. But it was not to be. The German soldier who killed him put an end to that prophecy, or so we thought."
She stopped talking and stared into the fire.
After a time of silence Jack asked, "What do you mean or so we thought?"
She turned to him and smiled as she said, "I am very tired as I am sure you are. I will tell you the rest tomorrow. Let us now rest."
Tala led him to her room and left him there with a candle for light. Jack stripped and climbed into the bed. He hadn't slept in a bed in months and lay there enjoying the embrace of clean bedding and the soft mattress. Before he knew it he woke with sunlight streaming through the small window. He lay for a long time enjoying the warmth of the blankets, knowing when he got out of the bed it would be time to leave. Finally with a sigh he threw back the blankets and rose to meet the day.
Jack couldn't find his uniform so dressed in the clothes Tala had given him the day before. As he stepped out of the curtain-covered doorway of the bedroom the scent of coffee and cooking food caused his mouth to water. As he entered the main room he saw Tala next to the fireplace.
She turned when she heard him enter and said with a smile, "Good morning. The food will be ready in a few minutes. Would you like coffee?"
Jack hadn't had a hot cup of coffee in a week, so he nodded yes. She poured the black liquid from a pot sitting on an iron grate over the fire, dropped in two large spoonfuls of sugar and handed it to Jack. He sipped it tentatively. He used to army coffee, hot, black and tasting like the inside of a combat boot. As the hot liquid hit his taste buds Jack couldn‘t believe how good it was. He sipped the coffee and watched Tala cook.
She would pour some batter from a pitcher onto a flat iron plate sitting over the fire. She would poke at the edges, then when she was satisfied, she would flip it over. She already had a stack of the flat cakes on a plate next to her. As soon as the one on the grill was ready she flipped it onto the stack on the plate. As she stood and picked up the full plate Vano stepped into the room from outside.
"I hoped you slept well?" The old gypsy asked.
"I haven't slept that good in months!" Jack replied with a grin.
"Breakfast will be a few more minutes if you need to use the toilet facilities," Vano said.
As the old man spoke Jack realized he did need to empty his bladder. Wordlessly he nodded, stepped out the door and made his way to the outhouse. He relieved himself and shivering lightly in the cold morning air, quickly made his way back into the house. Just as he was about to enter he heard Vano and Tala talking so he stopped to listen.
"Are you sure this is as it was foretold? He is a gorger! And outsider!" Vano said.
"Yes he is, but he has the demon and angel inside him. He is named for the archangel of new beginnings and served in the unit that was called devils. He saved us but demanded nothing from us, has treated us very well. That is the angel part of him. But when he killed the soldiers did you not see how he shot them again to assure they were dead? Only a devil could do so in such a cold way. But Papa, what convinced me was when I touched him. I felt it. Even though he is a gorger and not one of us, he carries the fire. He is the one papa."
Vano's answer was a sigh and a harumph.
Jack silently backed off the porch, not wanting them to know he had overheard their conversation. He stomped loudly back onto the porch to announce his arrival. As he entered Jack saw that Tala was setting plates at the small wooden table. Vano was already seated. The old man motioned to a chair. Jack sat down and a moment later Tala placed a food-laden plate in front of him. He stared at it in awe. The flat cakes she had made lay on the plate topped with what looked like jam.
"Where did you get this?" He asked.
Vano grinned and replied, "We have stores hidden away. We do not keep it out where they can be found. We have had some come through who would take it all."
"What is it?" Jack asked as he leaned down and took a long whiff of the enticing scent.
"In French, it would be called crepes." Tala said, "The topping is a plum jam."
Jack took a bite and as the delicate sweet flavor hit his tongue he groaned, "That is delicious!"
"Eat my young friend!" Vano said with a grin, "Tala made these especially for you!"
Jack ate one after another until he couldn't eat anymore.
He finally pushed himself back from the table and said, "I can't eat another bite. That was fantastic!"
"It is a good thing too!" Tala said, laughter in her voice, "I have no more batter!"
"I am sorry if I made a pig of myself." Jack said, "I should not..."
Tala put her hands on his shoulders, leaned down until her lips were next to his ear and said," Do not be sorry! I am very touched you showed your appreciation of my cooking."
As he felt the warmth of her hands on his shoulders, the musky pheromone-laden scent of her filled his nostrils and a sharp blast of desire coursed through him. He could feel his manhood growing instantly hard. It was getting more and more difficult for him to ignore that urge. He knew he had to leave before he gave in to it.
"I appreciate your hospitality, but I think it's time for me to go." He said, "As much as I don't want to, I need to get back to the war. Where is my uniform?"
"Your uniform is not yet dry. I had to wash it a second time to get it completely clean. But please stay for just one more night. One more with us will not matter." Tala pleaded, "Today is the solstice. I will make a special supper tonight to celebrate. We will feast and drink and I will dance for you for the solstice. Please? It would mean so much to have a guest for the celebration. Just one more night before you go?"
For a moment there was a war in Jack's head, one voice telling him to go, one telling him to stay. The battle wasn't even joined before it was over. Jack knew he had to get back to the war, but he also knew that one more day here wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. And one more day of peace and contentment with Vano and Tala was too enticing to pass up.
"All right. I'll stay one more night."
"Thank you!" Tala replied as she leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.
The kiss was hot and burned it's way through Jack's consciousness, fueling the desire for her that burned in him. He realized this was the one downside of staying for another night, that almost overpowering sexual urge he had for her.
‘Don't do anything stupid, don't do anything stupid, don't do...' He repeated over and over to himself.
Tala took his hand and lead him to a chair on one side of the fireplace.
"Sit. Relax. Stay warm. Drink coffee and talk with Vano while I begin preparations for the celebration. I must go fetch the ingredients."
"I'll stay only if I can help." Jack told her.
Tala smiled and Jack could feel that hot ball of desire grow even hotter in his stomach.
"Then come. You may help me carry things to the house."
Tala picked up a straw basket and Jack followed her out to the barn. When they entered, Tala went to one of the stalls. The floor was covered with straw which she brushed aside revealing a trap door in the floor. She took hold of a large iron ring attached to the door, pulled it up, uncovering a set of steps leading down into darkness. Tala lit a lantern hanging on a post nearby and climbed down the steep, narrow stairs. Jack followed. When they reached the bottom and Jack's eyes adjusted to the dim light from the lantern he saw they were in a cellar lined with shelves that held rows of jars. He saw jars of vegetables, meat and fruit. On the top shelf a row of jars held what appeared to be dried herbs. Additionally, there were bins stuffed with straw that held winter vegetables and to one side was a hanging row of sausages and a rack of bottles that appeared to be wine. Tala began to pull down different jars and put them into the basket, as well as a cabbage from one of the bins and one of the hanging sausages. Before long the basket was full.
"Take them to the house. I will get the rest." Tala said as she held the basket out to Jack.
He took it and made his way up the stairs and back to the house. He set the basket on the table and looked over the contents. Tala came in a few minutes later and put several jars of herbs on the table next to the basket.
"For the celebration I will make for us Toltott Tojas, Krumpli, slices of Teliszalami and Foldi with Raspberry jam topping." She said.
Jack looked at her puzzled and Tala said with a smile, "Krumpli is a stew. Toltott Tojas are cabbage rolls, Teliszalami is, how you say salami and Foldi is a cake. All are traditional Romani dishes."
Jack pointed to the jars with the herbs and asked, "Are those to spice the dishes?"
"Some, yes. There are a few though that I will use to make a traditional Romani drink for the celebration."
"What are they?" Jack asked.
"Tala touched each jar and said as she did, "This is Blue Lotus. This is a mushroom we use. This is ashwagandha root, this is canepa and this is chanvre."
"And you make a drink from those?" Jack asked.
Tala smiled and replied, "Yes for very special occasions. We will mix it with the wine for this celebration."
Jack smiled and asked, "Can I help?"
Tala smiled back and replied, "No. The meal and drink are my responsibility. You may get more firewood though."
Jack grinned and replied, "Done deal!"
Jack carried armload after armload of wood into the house until there was room for no more.
When he was done Tala smiled and pointed to his chair and said, "Now sit while I prepare our meal."
Jack sat down and Tala poured him another cup of coffee. Through the rest of the day Jack and Vano talked while Vano smoked his pipe and Jack sipped coffee and covertly (or so he thought) watched Tala bustle about as she prepared the feast. As twilight began to dim the daylight coming in the widow Tala had the table set with all the food she had made.
She smiled and said "It is ready. As solstice day draws to a close let us feast and celebrate new beginnings."
All three sat at the table and began to eat. Jack took a drink of the wine and realized it had a slightly bitter after taste.
He looked at Tala and asked, "This is the drink you spoke of?"
"Yes. It tastes bitter, but is something my people use for special occasions."
"Ok then, I guess I'll drink it!" Jack said with a grin.
Jack noticed that he and Tala were drinking the concoction but Vano was pouring his from a different bottle.
"You're not drinking it?" Jack asked.
Van smiled and replied, "No. At my age and with my injury it does not agree with me."
As they ate and drank, the conversation that had earlier in the day covered the war and the Nazis changed. None of them wanted to taint the feast with such talk. Instead they began to tell tales of family and happy times. They spent several hours eating, drinking, laughing and enjoying themselves.
When they were full and could eat no more Tala said, "Go sit by the fire while I pick up and get ready for my dance."
Jack nodded feeling a bit buzzed. As the meal had progressed he had become aware that how the drink was filling him with a feeling with a warm glow. He also noticed that the desire he had for Tala had grown stronger. He knew he was going to have to be very, very careful, even more than he had been, to not do something stupid.
‘You can't.' He told himself, ‘These people took you into their home. They fed you. They treated you well. DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID!'
Jack took his seat near the fireplace and talked with Vano as Tala bustled about cleaning up. She left some food on the table for snacks. When she was done cleaning up she went into a back room and brought out several large fur-covered hides.
She laid them in front of the fire smiled at Jack and said, "This will be my dance area. Now it is time for me to get ready for the dance."
She disappeared into her room and Jack went back to talking with Vano. As they talked time slipped by. Jack didn't realize that Vano had been pouring Jack's glass full each time he drank it down.
Late in the evening Jack realized he was feeling euphoric from the concoction he had been drinking. He also realized his mind had been dwelling on Tala for the entire night and that he had been hard for an hour or more.
He had an overpowering urge to see her dance and asked, "When will Tala do her dance?"
"Soon." Vano replied with a smile, "Soon. She should be out directly. But I must miss it. I am an old man. I am very tired and my injury is hurting. I will let you two young people finish this celebration."
Vano stood, poured the last of the bottle into Jack's glass and said, "I will see you in the morning my young friend. Thank you for helping us celebrate."
He smiled, walked to the curtain-covered doorway that lead to the bedrooms and disappeared behind it. After he was gone Jack sat sipping his drink staring into the fire, his mind filled with images of Tala, which caused his manhood to grow even more rigid. He didn't know how long he had been staring into the flames when he heard a tinkling sound. When he turned to look Tala had stepped out of the curtained doorway and stood illuminated by the firelight.
She was dressed in a gauzy material, long strips of which trailed from her waist to her knees. As she moved Jack could see her bare legs to mid-thigh slide through the hanging material and then disappear behind it. The tinkling sound Jack had heard were metal disks tied in a string around her hips striking each other as she moved.
Her midriff was bare, a jewel in her navel twinkled in the firelight. Her ample breasts were barely contained, spilling out of the top of the same gauzy material that her skirt was made of that was tied around them. Her hair cascaded down over her shoulders held back from her face by an ivory comb on either side. On her fingers, she wore metal disks that Jack was unfamiliar with but would later learn were castanets. With a lithe grace, Tala walked to the furs and stopped facing Jack. "We should have music, but I will do my best without it," she said with a smile.
Jack nodded his head because he couldn't speak. Her appearance had struck him dumb. Tala bowed her head for a moment, then began to move. Her body swayed, her hips moved back and forth up and down as if on their own, the metal disks tinkling as she moved. She used the castanets on her fingers to mark time for her dance. As she danced Jack felt like he was being drawn into a dream world, with nothing in it but him, Tala and the click of the castanets.
She danced close to him and ran her fingers along his cheek. As she did Jack felt like her fingers traced a line of fire down his face, not painful but full of heat, a heat that shot straight to his manhood. He was already hard, but her touch made it almost painfully so.
Tala took his hand and pulled him to his feet and onto the furs. She danced against him, her body undulating in a wild, provocative, sexual way driving his desire even higher. She turned to face him, pushed against him, her arms over is shoulders, her body undulating against his and her gaze fastened to his.
Jack had fought valiantly to keep from doing anything stupid. He had struggled with his desire for this young, beautiful woman. But the drink he had been served, her young, nubile body rubbing against his won. He couldn't stop himself as he reached behind her and untied the knot holding the material of her top around her. As it fell away, Tala continued to dance, her full breasts swaying to and fro, in an entrancing, enticing way.
Jack groaned. Leaned down and filled his mouth with one of her chocolate-colored nipples. As he did Tala responded by putting her hand on the back of his head and pulling his mouth tighter to her breast. A moment more, he felt her hand on his cheek, urging him up to face her. He reluctantly released her nipple, stood and looked into her eyes.
Jack stared into her dark brown eyes as she said, "My husband was killed a year ago. I married him because we were part of the prophecy, but I also loved him. When I touched you yesterday I felt the goodness in you. I have not been with a man since my husband died. I have met many but none have kindled a desire in me, until I met you."
She paused then added forcefully, "Take me! Now!"
As if he was only observing and had no control over what was happening, Jack felt his hands slide down, up under the material of her skirt and cup her firm ass cheeks. He was neither surprised nor shocked to find she had on nothing under it. He picked her up and as he did she wrapped her legs around his waist. He sank to his knees, then eased her onto her back on the furs. All the while Tala's hips had been moving, rubbing the warmth of her nethers against the lump of his hard manhood.
With trembling a hand Jack reached down and undid the buttons holding his trousers closed. As he did he didn't need to pull his hard rod out. As if of its own accord it sprang forth and nestled between the warm moist folds of Tala's entrance. As the crown of his rod touched her folds, Jack didn't have time to push it in. Instead Tala used her legs to pull her hips up, sliding his manhood into her.
She began to thrust with her hips pushing him in and out of her tunnel, chanting in time to the click of her castanets as she did, "Yes...yes...yes...yes..."
Her chants grew louder as Jack began to move, matching her movements, sliding his hard rod in and out of her. Each time he slid in, his balls would slap her bare ass, pulling a gasp for each of them.
As they coupled Tala's chants of 'yes' grew in volume, until finally she buried her face against his shoulder, then she let out a long quavering cry as she climaxed. The feel of her pulsing around his manhood pushed Jack over the edge. His cock exploded, shooting spurt after spurt of fertile sperm into her womb.
As their orgasms fade Jack could feel himself ready for more, knew he wasn't close to being done. Without a word he began to slowly slide in and out of Tala. In response she groaned and her hips began to move, again matching his movements. After a few moments Tala pushed him over onto his back and without ever letting him slip out of her ended sitting astride of him. She put her hand on his chest and began to move her hips in small circles, then back and forth, riding his hard manhood.
Jack reached up and filled his hands with her ample breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers. He felt Tala push her chest out, pushing her breasts tighter into his hands, wordlessly asking for more of his touch, After a few minutes Jack could feel he was again close to a climax. He put his hand on her hip and began to ram up into her warm, wetness. When his climax hit him Jack pushed up into her with such strength that her knees were off the furs. Again his cock throbbed, blasting his essence into her womb. As she sat impaled on his rod Tala panted with exertion. She finally slid off and lay next to him on the furs.
"Thank you," Jack said softly.
Tala turned to look at him and said "I thank you also. But do you not feel like doing it again?"
Jack rolled up onto his elbow and looked down along her body. Somewhere in the maelstrom of passion her skirt and belt of metal disks had come off. The light from the fireplace flickered over her dark skin, highlighting the smoothness of it, her crinkled nipples and the dark curls of her pubs.
"Actually I feel like I could do this all night," Jack replied with a smile.
Tala smiled and reached for the bottle filled with the celebration drink she had placed close. She took a drink, then offered it to Jack. He took a drink, then handed it back to her. Tala sat in back where it had been, within arms reach. As she laid back on the furs jack cupped her breast in his hand and gently rolled her nipple with his fingers.
"Then it should be as you say," Tala replied with a smile, pushing her chest up for more of his touch, "We have only this one night. Let us enjoy it to the fullest."
Jack grinned as he stroked his fingertip over her nipple. His grin widened as he felt her hand circle his now flaccid shaft. He didn't think after what they had done he could get another erection again for a while. It surprised him when he felt his cock respond to her touch and realized a minute later he was hard once again. As she felt him grow hard in her hand Tala smiled, rolled onto her knees and pushed her ass into the air in a wordless invitation. Jack got up behind her and slid back into her warm, waiting tunnel. It wasn't long and he had her hips in his hands and was ramming into her hard, pushing them both to another orgasm.
Through the night, the couple drank, napped and made love. Jack being a young man had in the past had two or three climaxes in a row. But over the course of that night he came in Tala a half dozen times. On her part, Tala had that many orgasms or more. Jack woke from one of their brief naps to see faint grey light filtering through the window. He looked over at Tala to find her staring at the light of the coming day.
"Our night is almost over." She said, a note of sadness and finality in her voice.
"Yes. I will have to leave when the daylight comes." Jack said.
Tala looked into his eyes and asked, "Will you, can you make love to me once more before we part?"
Jack smiled fondly at her and said, "Yes."
"First I must tell you a truth. The drink we had, it was a special one."
"Yea, you said it was a celebration drink." Jack said.
"It was, it had a special purpose. It is an old family secret. Ah...how do you say it, a drink to make people, men and women want much sex."
"An aphrodisiac? Why would you give me that? You must have know the way I looked at you that I would have made love to you without it."
"Yes, I knew you would have. But I wanted not just to make love but to do so through the night. I wanted one special night with you before you had to go."
Jack grinned and said, "Well it worked! But now back to your original request."
He put his hand on her breast and slowly trailed it down over her young nubile body until his palm cupped her nethers and his finger slipped between her warm, wet inviting folds.
"Yes...yes..touch me like that. Make love to me Jack."
Even though she had asked him to and he had agreed, after the night they had spent in lovemaking Jack wasn't really sure he could get another erection. But as his fingers slid over her pubs, as he felt his finger slide into her warm, wet groove he realized his cock was already rising. By the time his finger was in her wet tunnel for mere minutes, he was hard again.
"This is for you, how would you like to do it?" He asked.
Tala smiled and pushed at his shoulder. Jack laid back and as he did she slid astride of him. She held his hard rod up and with a moan slid down onto it. Jack pulled her down until her firm, ample breasts were pressed to his chest, then he did something they hadn't done through the entire night. He kissed her. As his lips touched hers she moaned and responded, kissing him back as her hips began to move, sliding him in and out of her warm wetness.
They lay together, lips locked to each other's, as they slowly did a dance of passion. How long it lasted neither knew nor cared, but because of the long intense night of lovemaking it was a long time. All the while, their lips never parted from each other. When a climax finally came to them, it came as one. They both cried out as his rod throbbed inside her and her tunnel pulsed around his throbbing rod. Afterward they lay still, cocooned in the warm afterglow, neither one wanting to move and break the spell. But all things, even good things must end.
Tala stirred and sat up as she said, "It is time. I must make you something to eat before you go. And Papa will be up soon. We must stop and get dressed now."
Jack nodded but said nothing, unable to think of anything to say. Tala slowly rose and as she stood Jack got to his feet. They looked at each other for a moment and Jack pulled her into his arms and kissed her, a long passion-filled kiss, then released her and without a word turned and began to get dressed in his uniform. Shortly Tala was dressed and stoking the fire to cook breakfast. She again cooked the crepes she had the day before. As she put the last one on the plate Vano pushed through the curtain from the back room.
"Breakfast!" He said with a smile.
Jack felt a bit guilty. After all he had spent the night having sex with the man's daughter-in-law. Tala must have perceived his thoughts because she smiled at him and nodded as if to say, ‘it's alright.
They ate in silence. No one seemed to know what to say. When they were done Jack stood. He knew he had to go and go now, otherwise he would want to stay another night, or more and he knew he couldn't. He had a duty to fulfill. He picked up his rifle and rucksack. He stopped and stood still, then without a word pulled out the .45 pistol from where he carried it, laid it, several full magazines and a box of shells on the table. He turned and wordlessly headed to the door.
As he did Vano said, "Please be careful. We were very happy to have your company."
Tala followed him. At the door she stepped close, put her fingertips on his cheek and said, "I will remember you."
Gruffly, because he was afraid to show what he truly felt Jack replied, "Yeah. Me to. Take care of you."
Tala nodded as Jack opened the door. Before he could step out she leaned in and kissed him lightly on the lips. He stared at her, then silently stepped out the door. As he did he realized it was snowing. He trudged away from the little stone cottage. When he reached the edge of the clearing he turned to look back and through the softly falling snow could just make out the figures of Tala and Vano standing at the door. He raised his hand in a goodbye, then turned and headed back to the cauldron of war. As Jack disappeared through the white wall of snow Vano looked at his daughter-in-law.
Tala smiled, "He will be fine Papa. I have the sight. I have seen."
She looked down, put her hand over her womb and with a smile added softly, "And the prophecy will be full filled. "
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