Katarina began, “When she was young, our mother joined up with a troupe of traveling entertainers.â€
“She ran away to join the circus,†Moire joked.
“They were not a circus!â€
“They should have been.â€
“You belong in a circus, then we could put you in a cage.†Katarina then raised her voice like a ring-master introducing an act, “Come, see the annoying cat-girl! Be amazed at how easily she purrs,†she said as she raised her hand to scratch Moire around her ear. Moire ducked and swatted the hand away with a giggle. “Watch how she chases rats for her daily meals, eating them raw!â€
“Eww!†Moire made a disgusted face. I couldn’t help but smirk at their antics, and caught the other patrons stifling snickers of their own. They way they could go from sullen to mirthful so quickly bespoke of a closeness.
“As I was saying,†Katarina continued, “entertainers - singers, dancers, performers. It was a small troupe, but they were good at what they did. From what we’ve heard, our mother fit right in.â€
It confirmed what I had suspected. The unusual names, the accent in their voice, the bits of jewelry they sported and colorful trims on what they wore, all pointed to them coming from the people who never settle. Among some settled people they have a reputation as thieves and swindlers, but I’ve always found those types were uncommon. Most were decent folk just trying to make a living.
“Apparently she could dance with the best of them,†Moire said, while raising her arms up as if she was about to start a dance herself, were she not still seated. From somewhere she had produced a pair of finger cymbals for each hand and tapped them together. “She could mesmerize an audience, leave them enraptured and awestruck, tossing all their valuables at her feet.â€
“Katarina shot her sister a look. “Do you have to exaggerate everything?â€
“I prefer the term ‘embellishing.’ And yes, I do, it makes stories more fun.†Katarina rolled her eyes and Moire picked up the tale, “One day the troupe came to a town from one direction, and from the other came a solitary Miqo’te traveler. He was charming and handsome, a vagabond with a roguish smile.â€
“He was a scoundrel,†Katarina interjected, a hint of contempt for her sire clear in her tone.
“From across the town square their eyes met, and in that moment their destinies were bound to each other,†Moire continued with dramatic flair. “It was market day, and the square was crowded with people and caravans hustling to and fro. They approached, two souls reaching for each other, nearly loosing sight of the other more than once. But fate would not let them be parted before they even met. They came together and-â€
“She got knocked up,†Katarina said matter-of-factly.
Moire humphed with a frown. “I like to call it a passionate romance.â€
Katarina shrugged. “Doesn’t change the end result.†She then looked at me, “he was a burglar-â€
“A cat burglar,†Moire said in a goofy voice.
Katarina shot her sister an annoyed look before turning back to me. “He was a thief with a silver tongue, with a habit of breezing through a town, pockets heavier with gold than when he came in, and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him. We know of one half-brother for certain, could easily be more half-siblings out there.â€
“I bet mama would have gotten him to change his ways,†Moire said in a dejected tone.
“We’ll never know. Of all the places he could have robbed, he chose the manor that actually had competent guards. He was caught, convicted, and executed.â€
“That’s the boring version,†Moire said, then started her tale, putting some drama into her telling. “He was so enamored with our mama he wanted to give her a ring worthy of her. But the only place to find such a ring was the nobles’ manor, and they were not the sort to part with their treasures. So he snuck in, found the most beautiful ring he had ever seen, and was about to make his escape when the trap was sprung! Oh, if only he had listened in the markets, he would have known the lord was a cruel, vicious man, who purposely let would-be thieves enter his palace. Once captured, he would offer them a deal - if they could make their way across the grounds they could get away with anything they carried.
“With no other options, our sire tied the ring to a thong around his neck so it would be close to his heart. When he was released he ran like the wind! Leaping over hedges, dodging around trees and fountains, he quickly closed the distance to freedom. By the time he was half way across the lord had loosed a dozen arrows his way, only one had nicked him. The lord was impressed, but he wasn’t about to let anyone actually escape, and gave the command to release the hounds.â€
By then, everyone’s eyes were on Moire as she spun her story. “Hearing the beasts, our sire redoubled his efforts. Heart pounding, lungs and legs burning, he sprinted faster than he had ever ran before. But the hounds had caught the scent of blood and soon caught up. Fighting would be futile against such monsters, he tried to dodge and evade. But it was to no avail, these were the hound’s grounds and they were trained hunters who knew all directions their prey could go. One hamstring was cut, then the other. In a frenzy they set upon the crippled Miqo’te and savagely rendered him, only mere yalms from the gate.â€
Katarina stared at her sister, ears back, brow furrowed and eyes wide in horror. “Twelve, Mo, that was morbid!â€
“Oh wait, wait, you didn’t let me get to the best part.†Katarina looked at Moire with an expression of dread. Then Moire continued in a tone of pure tragedy. “But when the lord examined the carcass, the ring could not be found. The hounds caught a scent of something beyond the gate and started barking. When the lord looked, there was nothing, but a shrub swaying slightly, and yet there was no breeze that night. Had someone been hiding? In a last, desperate move had the ring been thrown? He ordered a search, but nothing was found.â€
Moire took a deep breath, then let out a mournful sigh. “Sometime the next day the ring was found, by the keeper of the hounds, peeking out from a pile of shite. In their frenzy, one of the beasts had eaten it. The ring was cleaned, but some small bit must have stuck in a crevice, because whenever the lady wore the ring and someone would kiss her hand, they could never figure out just where that smell was coming from. The end.â€
There was just something about the ridiculousness of the ending, and the earnestness in Moire’s delivery, that we all could not help but to start laughing. I could even see Katarina smirking behind a hand covering her face.
After a few moments to let the laughter die down, Katarina spoke up. “Well, despite Moire’s rather colorful interpretation of events,†Moire smiled proudly, “our sire had always managed to stay one step ahead of authorities. But this time all those steps caught up while he was in prison, which is why we know about his past. Including a dozen aliases, so we can’t even be sure what his real name or tribe was. With all those charges against him he was deemed ‘beyond hope of redemption’ and,†Katarina made a motion with her thumb across her neck.
“So sad,†Moire said, “he didn’t even know about us. Actually, even mama didn’t know about us yet when he died.â€
What happened afterwards, I asked.
Katarina shrugged. “Life went on. Then our mother realized she was pregnant. Several months later she had a troubled birthing and didn’t make it.†Katarina then glared at Moire, “she most certainly did not die of a broken heart.â€
“Sheesh,†Moire rolled her eyes, “even I wouldn’t go there.†She continued to fall under her sister’s glare. “Probably. Highly unlikely. Okay, we can move on now.â€
Katarina gave a nod. “Anyroad, the Tregardes were close to our mother and had no children of their own, so they took us in and raised us. Well, you could say the whole troupe raised us, but it was Nicolae and Dominique who became our papa and mama.â€
From the look on their faces, it was clear the two were remembering good times. I asked them what happened.
“She ran away to join the circus,†Moire joked.
“They were not a circus!â€
“They should have been.â€
“You belong in a circus, then we could put you in a cage.†Katarina then raised her voice like a ring-master introducing an act, “Come, see the annoying cat-girl! Be amazed at how easily she purrs,†she said as she raised her hand to scratch Moire around her ear. Moire ducked and swatted the hand away with a giggle. “Watch how she chases rats for her daily meals, eating them raw!â€
“Eww!†Moire made a disgusted face. I couldn’t help but smirk at their antics, and caught the other patrons stifling snickers of their own. They way they could go from sullen to mirthful so quickly bespoke of a closeness.
“As I was saying,†Katarina continued, “entertainers - singers, dancers, performers. It was a small troupe, but they were good at what they did. From what we’ve heard, our mother fit right in.â€
It confirmed what I had suspected. The unusual names, the accent in their voice, the bits of jewelry they sported and colorful trims on what they wore, all pointed to them coming from the people who never settle. Among some settled people they have a reputation as thieves and swindlers, but I’ve always found those types were uncommon. Most were decent folk just trying to make a living.
“Apparently she could dance with the best of them,†Moire said, while raising her arms up as if she was about to start a dance herself, were she not still seated. From somewhere she had produced a pair of finger cymbals for each hand and tapped them together. “She could mesmerize an audience, leave them enraptured and awestruck, tossing all their valuables at her feet.â€
“Katarina shot her sister a look. “Do you have to exaggerate everything?â€
“I prefer the term ‘embellishing.’ And yes, I do, it makes stories more fun.†Katarina rolled her eyes and Moire picked up the tale, “One day the troupe came to a town from one direction, and from the other came a solitary Miqo’te traveler. He was charming and handsome, a vagabond with a roguish smile.â€
“He was a scoundrel,†Katarina interjected, a hint of contempt for her sire clear in her tone.
“From across the town square their eyes met, and in that moment their destinies were bound to each other,†Moire continued with dramatic flair. “It was market day, and the square was crowded with people and caravans hustling to and fro. They approached, two souls reaching for each other, nearly loosing sight of the other more than once. But fate would not let them be parted before they even met. They came together and-â€
“She got knocked up,†Katarina said matter-of-factly.
Moire humphed with a frown. “I like to call it a passionate romance.â€
Katarina shrugged. “Doesn’t change the end result.†She then looked at me, “he was a burglar-â€
“A cat burglar,†Moire said in a goofy voice.
Katarina shot her sister an annoyed look before turning back to me. “He was a thief with a silver tongue, with a habit of breezing through a town, pockets heavier with gold than when he came in, and leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him. We know of one half-brother for certain, could easily be more half-siblings out there.â€
“I bet mama would have gotten him to change his ways,†Moire said in a dejected tone.
“We’ll never know. Of all the places he could have robbed, he chose the manor that actually had competent guards. He was caught, convicted, and executed.â€
“That’s the boring version,†Moire said, then started her tale, putting some drama into her telling. “He was so enamored with our mama he wanted to give her a ring worthy of her. But the only place to find such a ring was the nobles’ manor, and they were not the sort to part with their treasures. So he snuck in, found the most beautiful ring he had ever seen, and was about to make his escape when the trap was sprung! Oh, if only he had listened in the markets, he would have known the lord was a cruel, vicious man, who purposely let would-be thieves enter his palace. Once captured, he would offer them a deal - if they could make their way across the grounds they could get away with anything they carried.
“With no other options, our sire tied the ring to a thong around his neck so it would be close to his heart. When he was released he ran like the wind! Leaping over hedges, dodging around trees and fountains, he quickly closed the distance to freedom. By the time he was half way across the lord had loosed a dozen arrows his way, only one had nicked him. The lord was impressed, but he wasn’t about to let anyone actually escape, and gave the command to release the hounds.â€
By then, everyone’s eyes were on Moire as she spun her story. “Hearing the beasts, our sire redoubled his efforts. Heart pounding, lungs and legs burning, he sprinted faster than he had ever ran before. But the hounds had caught the scent of blood and soon caught up. Fighting would be futile against such monsters, he tried to dodge and evade. But it was to no avail, these were the hound’s grounds and they were trained hunters who knew all directions their prey could go. One hamstring was cut, then the other. In a frenzy they set upon the crippled Miqo’te and savagely rendered him, only mere yalms from the gate.â€
Katarina stared at her sister, ears back, brow furrowed and eyes wide in horror. “Twelve, Mo, that was morbid!â€
“Oh wait, wait, you didn’t let me get to the best part.†Katarina looked at Moire with an expression of dread. Then Moire continued in a tone of pure tragedy. “But when the lord examined the carcass, the ring could not be found. The hounds caught a scent of something beyond the gate and started barking. When the lord looked, there was nothing, but a shrub swaying slightly, and yet there was no breeze that night. Had someone been hiding? In a last, desperate move had the ring been thrown? He ordered a search, but nothing was found.â€
Moire took a deep breath, then let out a mournful sigh. “Sometime the next day the ring was found, by the keeper of the hounds, peeking out from a pile of shite. In their frenzy, one of the beasts had eaten it. The ring was cleaned, but some small bit must have stuck in a crevice, because whenever the lady wore the ring and someone would kiss her hand, they could never figure out just where that smell was coming from. The end.â€
There was just something about the ridiculousness of the ending, and the earnestness in Moire’s delivery, that we all could not help but to start laughing. I could even see Katarina smirking behind a hand covering her face.
After a few moments to let the laughter die down, Katarina spoke up. “Well, despite Moire’s rather colorful interpretation of events,†Moire smiled proudly, “our sire had always managed to stay one step ahead of authorities. But this time all those steps caught up while he was in prison, which is why we know about his past. Including a dozen aliases, so we can’t even be sure what his real name or tribe was. With all those charges against him he was deemed ‘beyond hope of redemption’ and,†Katarina made a motion with her thumb across her neck.
“So sad,†Moire said, “he didn’t even know about us. Actually, even mama didn’t know about us yet when he died.â€
What happened afterwards, I asked.
Katarina shrugged. “Life went on. Then our mother realized she was pregnant. Several months later she had a troubled birthing and didn’t make it.†Katarina then glared at Moire, “she most certainly did not die of a broken heart.â€
“Sheesh,†Moire rolled her eyes, “even I wouldn’t go there.†She continued to fall under her sister’s glare. “Probably. Highly unlikely. Okay, we can move on now.â€
Katarina gave a nod. “Anyroad, the Tregardes were close to our mother and had no children of their own, so they took us in and raised us. Well, you could say the whole troupe raised us, but it was Nicolae and Dominique who became our papa and mama.â€
From the look on their faces, it was clear the two were remembering good times. I asked them what happened.
