"Hear me well, and do not forget what I am about to tell you: until this is over, you can trust no one who is Hungarian, except, of course, our cousin. Someone has betrayed us. Now, remember these words I say to you: do not ever come back to Hungary for any reason."
"But, Frederic, not ever?"
"Not ever. Swear this to me now: you are never to return to Hungary."
"But, what if—?"
"Do you swear?"
Gazing up into her brother's solemn expression, Czanna nodded and whispered, "I swear."
"Good. As you know, our family is one of the noble families who sided with the Revolution. I do not have the knowledge of what the future holds here. But, whatever our future is to be, I and our father and mother wish you and our siblings to survive. Make a new life for yourself, as well as for our brother and sister. Do you understand?"
Czanna nodded.
"Good. Now, grab your cloak, gather our siblings together and go! Outside of what I've given you, take nothing else with you."
"But, my clothes, my shoes, my—"
"They are all Hungarian made. You must disappear. You and our brother and sister are to have nothing with you or on you that can identity you as to whom you really are. Now, Henrik waits outside with a coach."
Czanna's brother, who was probably her best friend in all the world as well as being her brother, took both her hands into his own. Breathing in deeply, he said, "Farewell, Czanna. I will miss you and the others. I am sorry to burden you with so much responsibility. If there were a way to do it, I would take the cares of the world away from you, our sister and our brother. I, alone, would carry this weight if I could. But, there is not a manner bywhich to do it. I must free our parents. I will write. Look for my letters, but do not write back to me except to inform me of your journey and that you have reached America. Know this: I will never ask where you are and you are never to tell me. Nor will I ever ask you to go against your word and return to Hungary. Again, I am sorry I have to burden you with this, but upon your shoulders rests the future life of our family."
Czanna nodded, looking down and hiding, if only for a moment, the shock as well as the tears in her eyes. It was at some length when, at last, clearing her throat, she said, "I know and I understand the burden I carry. Farewell, Frederic. We will see one another again. I am certain of it."
"Let us hope your words will hold true."
Standing up, Frederic reached out a hand to pull Czanna to her feet. He hugged her, and, as was tradition, he kissed her gently on each side of her face. Then, Czanna stood to her tiptoes and, reaching up, returned the endearment.
Shaking a little, Czanna stepped back and, turning away, hurried from the study, rushing toward her younger siblings' rooms.
"Farewell," she called as she reached the door.
"Farewell, Czanna," answered Frederic. "Godspeed."
****
Cherokee Proverb
"A woman's highest calling is to lead a man to his soul to unite him with source.
"A Man's highest calling is to protect the woman so she is free to walk the earth unharmed."
