The Ardennes

Jack put his hand on hers, 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 at 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 had given 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 that instant when 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 as he said, "We shall see."

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 history 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, began to 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 home town 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. 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, peaceful but 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, most evil 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 as she replied, "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 tantalizing 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, then handed it to Jack. He sipped it tentatively. He was used to army coffee, hot, black, 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, then gently poke at the edges with a metal spatula. 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, making 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 were devils to the Germans. 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 saying in a soft voice, "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, 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. For the solstice we will feast, drink and I will dance for you. Please? It would mean so much to have a guest for the celebration. We have not had guests we wished to share with for sometime. Just one more night before you go? Please?"

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, burning it's way through Jack's consciousness, fueling the desire for her that blazed hot 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 as she walked out the door. 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 recognized 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 wine bottles. 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 as she said, "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, covertly (or so he thought) watching Tala bustle about as she prepared the feast. As twilight set upon them, as the daylight coming in the widow began to dim, 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 drink from a different bottle.

"You're not drinking it?" Jack asked.

Van smiled and replied, "No. At my age and with my injury it will not agree with me."

As they ate and drank, the conversation that had earlier in the day which had 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 just trying to enjoy 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 how the drink was filling him with a feeling, 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 almost 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 as he 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 led 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.