The Ripper and The Gypsy: Chapter 1

Annette dreams of one day leaving the Gypsy Caravans. 
==The Nightmare==
Annette found herself paralyzed as she watched the horror unfold before her eyes. A man dressed in all blacks stood in the center of an arena. Dozens of bodies lay around him, their blood seeping into the sand, staining his clothes, and dripping from his blade. Slowly the man turns to her, his face hidden in shadow. With careful, measured steps, the blood-covered man approaches her, his bloodstained coat trailing behind him. Before long he stood in front of her, his face still hidden in shadow. In contrast Annette could clearly make out his eyes, a bright green that had an almost unnatural glow to them.
An eternity passed before he lifted his sword into the air. The light reflected off the blade and illuminated his face. He was young, only about 19, his face unmarked, save for a long slender scar that ran across his right cheek. Void of emotion the young man brought his blade down.
Annette's eyes shot open as she sat up on her sleeping mat. Panting, she wiped the sweat from her brow as her senses returned to her. The man, the blood, the arena, and the bodies were gone, in their place was her caravan. With a sigh she fell back onto her sleeping mat, sunlight drifted in through the window, preventing her from drifting back to sleep.
"Like I could after that nightmare." She muttered shielding her eyes from the light with her hands. After a few moments she forced herself to get and dress herself. Once she had her clothes on she stepped outside her caravan into the gypsy camp. With winter come and gone, her family, along with the rest of their group of nomads, had returned to their seasonal home at Bower Lake. Annette yawned as several children ran past her, before sliding to a stop in front of old Karl, the story weaver in the camp.
Karl had been old when Annette was only 5, now she was 17 and story weaver looked like he would fall apart if you blew on him. Still the old man smiled as the children settled down and begged him to tell them a story. Karl sat on his bench and told them the story of how Albion's King came to power. Karl claimed to have known the King years ago, back when he was called Sparrow. Annette had heard this story several times during her childhood.
==Uneventful Lifestyle==
Annette smiled before she headed for the center of the camp. As usual the camp was filled with activity, from the musicians to the dancers, there was hardly ever a dull moment in the camp. Unless you wanted an actual life. Annette had grown tired of the repetitive lifestyle in the camp over the years. As childish as it seemed, Annette wanted a life of adventure, wanted to do something meaningful.
"Hey Anne!" a voice called to her, Annette turned to see her friend, Rachel approach with her boyfriend, William. "Guess what." Rachel said then immediately answered without waiting for a response. "William asked me to marry him!"
"Oh, congratulations Rachel!" Annette cried pulling her friend for a hug. "So when's the ceremony?"
"Two weeks from today." William answered with a large grin on his face. "We were about to make the announcement to the rest of the camp, but Rachel insisted we tell you first."
"I'm so happy for you two." Annette laughed as William draped his arm over Rachel's shoulder.
"Thanks Anne." Rachel said with a grin that rivaled her fiancé's. "We were going to go down to the lake after the announcement, you want to join us?"
"Sure." Annette responded.
The news of Rachel and William's engagement was well received by the camp, but not a big shock to anyone. Everyone had suspected that William was going to propose sooner or later. In any case once the couple had received congratulations, and a few condolences from William's friends, Annette, Rachel, William, and their friends all headed down to the lake.
Annette stayed on the shore while everyone else swam to their hearts content. After she'd almost drowned in the lake when she was about 7 she'd never gone into water, save to take a bath.
'Two weeks until something interesting happens in the camp.' Annette thought as she lay in the grass. 'Then it's back to the boring routine.' Automatically she turned her head to look at the road leading to Bowerstone. In the distance she could barely make out the royal castle. 'Maybe after the wedding I'll take a trip to Bowerstone. It's bound to be more entertaining than living here day after day.'