Previous Post Silver Aegis #8 “The Trail of the Ü-Wolf” Concludes (Check out the previous page on the site for the earlier part to this story, which I seem unable to link to) For as long as the Stavrosos clan had made their home in America, there had been a Shuvani among them. She had usually been a woman whose age had brought knowledge of the herbs and techniques that made them gifted healers, and wisdom that let them serve as advisor to everyone in camp, even the king. Then there was Desmerelda. As a child she appeared to have the “Gift” to see what others could not, to look beyond the natural world and into the spiritual. The “Gift” had to be honed; so much of her youth was spent studying the instruments of the oracle. It was a lonely time for Desmerelda. She was isolated from her friends while they worked in the carnival that supported the clan, but what she did would one day be important too. And she knew it, but it was still difficult sometimes to watch them choose their paths in life, to learn a trade, to fall in love with each other or outsiders, to have children of their own. Desmerelda’s path had been chosen for her by the Fates, and as thus she had no such luxuries. The beautiful young woman had seen her future, and it was in the cards. And the crystal, and tea leaves, and the other tools of her trade. There was a knock on the door to Desmerelda’s wagon. She rose from her couch to answer, but not before straightening the purple velvet scarf that kept the rich swells of her jet black hair free from her face, and adjusting a corset, while matching the headband in form, was unnecessary in regards to function. The King of the Gypsies stood outside and he had brought with him the man who had tried to help Desmerelda earlier that day. “Hello, King Rajko,” Desmerelda curtsied slightly. “Greetings…. Daughter,” Rajko smiled and drew the girl into his arms. After they separated, he introduced the guest, “This is Scott Scoggins.” “We have met before.” “Yes, we have. Hello Miss Desmerelda.” “Mr. Scoggins says he is here to help us with our….. problem. He claims to have experience. I would ask him to prove such things, but it is not as though we can make curses appear on a whim so that he may break them. And I doubt very much he has a resume’ handy for us to inspect. So I turn to you, my daughter, our Shuvani, to divine the truth,” Rajko nodded at Scott, and then stepped back. Desmerelda moved away as well, back into her wagon, “Please come in, Mister Scoggins, and submit to a reading?” ***** “Nice place you have here,” Scott looked around the parlor appreciatively, “Cozy.” Desmerelda lit another candle and set it on the table in front of her. The light scent of jasmine filled the air, “The accommodations of a Vadros can be a bit snug.” “That’s my recollection. Of course, at the time I was hiding under a pile of carpets for three days while being smuggled across the Bulgarian border, so my perspective may be a bit skewed.” The young woman smiled, “It sounds as though you have led an interesting life, Mr. Scoggins.” “It would be fair to say it’s been extraordinary. And please, call me Scott.” “Very well, Scott. Now, please, hold out your hand. It is time to learn what kind of man you truly are.” Scott shrugged, “If you like, though I must admit most of the fortune tellers I’ve come across were doing little more than peddle Grade A bunkum. A person’s future isn’t something that’s set in stone.” “It’s not your future we’re interested in, Scott, not at this moment,” Desmerelda took hold of his right hand (“Which shows the past,” she explained) and examined it. “Hm, your hand is round in shape. That means you are a man of action. Very impulsive. You tend to work best with a deadline. Your fingers are straight, which tells me you are honest.” “That’s what I’ve been saying,” Scott chided genially. “Yes, and this confirms it,” Desi smiled back before turning the hand over to inspect the lines of his palm, “Your heart line is curved, and ends under your second finger. This shows you to be a giving person, someone who is willing to make sacrifices for others, and that you are idealistic, even romantic.” “I’m afraid in my line of work I haven’t had much time for romance, Miss Desmerelda.” “Opportunity isn’t the same as tendency, Scott. Now, let’s move onto the head line. This gap here,” she pressed the spot with a long lacquered nail, “between the head and life line means you were very independent as a child.” “That’s true,” the man who had lost both his parents by the time he was six was forced to admit. “Isn't everything I said so far the truth?” Desi asked before turning her attention to Scott’s life line. It was deep and clear, “You are a strong and healthy person, and the line curving outward towards the Mount of the Moon, that’s the fleshy part of your palm, says you are very adventuresome. The fork at the end of your life line means the same.” Lastly, the gypsy woman examined his fate line. It began at the bottom center of his hand, this meant Scott was very self-motivated and self-assured. She traced the groove up until it vanished, “This, this is interesting. There is a gap in your fate line. Not long ago there was a period of strong stagnation, of inactivity, in your life,” Desi received a burst of intuition, “And not by choice. It was only recently that you were pulled free from this malaise.” “Doc Drang calls it a Cosmic Sinkhole in the Narrative, but I suppose what I went through could be considered a ‘malaise’,” the Silver Aegis smiled, “That was fun, Miss Desmerelda. Very illuminating. Of course, almost everything you told me could have been spotted or guessed by a person with a good eye for detail.” “I’m not trying to con you,” Desi stated, her dark eyes flashing, “I have nothing to prove here. In fact, it’s the opposite.” “That’s true. I apologize for implying your motives were less than pure. So, do I pass muster?” Desmerlda’s expression softened, “I believe you, Scott. About everything. You want, and can, help us.” She stood and straightened her skirts, “Come, so we may see King Rajko, and you may learn of the curse that returns to trouble the Stavrosos Clan.” Next: “The Legend of the Ü-Wolf!”

I kid...

A well done chapter with some fun fortune telling. I'm not sure how exactly one tells that a man has been out of commission for so long without being psychic... unless of course he dresses like Austin Powers or something.

In any event, I look forward to some werewolf action!