The Dark River

The wind pushed at the chapel door, testing its strength, trying to force its way inside. Gabriel leaned forward and kissed Maya for a long time, but then she pulled back. A powerful tradition had just been destroyed like a scrap of paper tossed into a fire. The desire he had felt for so many months pushed all his other thoughts away. When he looked at her, it felt as if there were no barriers between them.

Gently, he took the sword from her shoulder and placed it on a wooden bench. Gabriel returned to her, brushed the hair from her face, and they kissed again. Maya pulled away, but this time very slowly. She whispered in his ear.

“Stay here, Gabriel. Please. Stay here…”

21

An hour later they lay together on the floor wrapped in the black wool shawl. The room was still cold and they were only half-dressed. Gabriel’s shirt was draped over the bench, and Maya felt his warm skin touching her breasts. She wanted to stay here forever. His arms were around her; for the first time she could remember, it felt as if someone were protecting her.

She was a woman lying with her lover, but her Harlequin self had been waiting like a ghost in a dark house. Suddenly she pulled away from Gabriel and sat up.

“Open your eyes, Gabriel.”

“Why?”

“You have to get out of here.”

He gave her a sleepy smile. “Nothing’s going to happen…”

“Get dressed and return to the storage hut. Harlequins can’t be involved with Travelers.”

“Maybe I could talk to Mother Blessing.”

“Don’t even think about that. You can’t say anything to her and you can’t act differently. Don’t touch me when she’s around. Don’t look in my eyes. We’ll talk about this later. I promise. But right now you have to get dressed and go.”

“This doesn’t make any sense, Maya. You’re an adult. Mother Blessing can’t tell you how to live your life.”

“You don’t realize how dangerous she is.”

“All I know is that she walks around this island giving orders and insulting everybody.”

“Do this for me. Please.”

Gabriel sighed, but he obeyed her. Slowly, he pulled on his shirt, boots, and jacket. “This will happen again,” he said.

“No. It won’t.”

“It’s what we both want. You know that’s true…”

Gabriel kissed her on the lips and walked out of the chapel. When the door creaked shut, Maya was able to relax. She would let him return to the storage hut, wait a few minutes, then get dressed. Pulling the wool shawl around her body, she lay back on the floor. If she curled up in a ball, she could preserve the warmth of the Traveler’s body pressed against hers, that moment of intimacy and exaltation. A memory drifted through her mind of making a wish on the Charles Bridge in Prague. May someone love me and may I love him in return.

She was gliding into a pleasant dream when the door creaked open and someone entered the chapel. She felt a moment of pleasure, believing that Gabriel had come back to see her again; then she heard that someone walking hard and fast across the wooden floor.

Strong fingers grabbed her hair and pulled her upward. A hand slapped her across the face, drew back, and slapped again.

Maya opened her eyes and saw Mother Blessing standing over her. The Irish Harlequin had abandoned her nun’s skirt and was wearing black pants and a sweater.

“Get dressed,” Mother Blessing said. She picked up Maya’s shirt and tossed it in her direction.

Maya removed the shawl and pulled on her shirt, fumbling with the buttons. Her feet were still bare, her shoes and socks scattered across the floor.

“If you lie to me in any way, I’ll kill you in front of this altar. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes.”

Maya finished buttoning her shirt and scrambled to her feet. Her own sword was about eight feet away on the bench.

“Are you Gabriel’s lover?”

“Yes.”

“And when did this start?”

“Tonight.”

“I told you not to lie to me!”

“I swear that’s true.”

Mother Blessing stepped forward and grabbed Maya’s chin with her right hand. She studied the younger woman, looking for any sign of deceit or hesitation. Then she pushed Maya away.

“I had my disagreements with your father, but I always respected him. He was a true Harlequin, worthy of our tradition. But you’re nothing. You’ve betrayed us.”

“That’s not true.” Maya tried to sound strong and confident. “I found Gabriel in Los Angeles. I protected him from the Tabula-”

“Didn’t your father teach you? Or did you just refuse to listen? We protect Travelers, but we have no attachments to them. And now you’ve indulged yourself with this weakness and sentimentality.”