The Gypsy Queen (33 page)

  “The King... there are rules. Serving under the King’s rule does not look like freedom... but here, I am free to be a gypsy, and free to not be afraid. Besides- this city needs as much gypsy flavor as I can give it!” Mille said with a laugh.

  “I know that!”
Yana
said. “The
gaje
are so dry!”

  “It’s a joy to share with the people here,” Mille said. “I just wish we had a bigger place to play, where all the city could come and watch us perform. The people of
Jedikai
could use more music and dance in their lives!”

  “And it would help so much, if they could get to know us better. They would not be so harsh and suspicious,”
Yana
said.

  “If their queen was gypsy, that might help too,” Mille said.

  “Or it could make things worse,”
Yana
said. “I do not know the wisdom of that. I don’t want to become a problem for the King.”

  “The King rules well. He can handle the citizens. He probably already has a plan. You have seen how he is.” Mille said.

 
Yana
could feel her heart swell with love for her dear King. Mille was absolutely right. Bastion always had a plan. Bastion always had answers. She remembered how it felt to take orders from him. She did not mind. In fact, she recalled how terrible it felt when she defied him on the ship to Kaffa.
Yana
had never accepted a leader before him. Only the most excellent man could ever gain her trust that way. Bastion was that man.

  “Yes,”
Yana
agreed. “He is the only man that I would ever follow.”

  “I do hope you decide to stay, at least for a while,” Mille said. “It is so good to dance with you. The entire palace is brighter with you here.”

  “I will decide after the Coronation,”
Yana
said. “I love it here too. You are a good friend to me, and being with Bastion...” she trailed off, shaking her head. “I fear I will never be the same.”

  “That good, huh?” Mille said, laughing.

  “Bosh!”
Yana
said, laughing with her.

  “Hey- we should go on journey together! You could come with my caravan!”
Yana
said. Mille hesitated. She had been thinking about that lately.

  “I would travel with you,” Mille said. “But I do not have a good horse.”

  “We can figure something out. Bastion is not the only one who can hatch a good plan!”
Yana
said. “We could bellydance together too!”

  “I have not done that in ages,” Mille said.

  “I could help you,”
Yana
said. “I know we could do it.”

  “Should we really do that in the King’s courts?”
Mille asked.

  “I did it for Bastion,”
Yana
said.

  “You did?” Mille said, incredulous. “No wonder he is in love with you.”

  “Let’s add it to our show!”
Yana
said.

  “And you will help me? We don’t have that much time left before the Coronation.”

  “You will be amazing! Oh, I have such a good idea. Let’s go out to the west meadows. I know a few others who can help!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Draiman strolled through the open market near
Tatu
Castle
. He had stayed much longer than he expected, but Degonyat had not arrived on time. His ships had come with men, including
Bari
, his lieutenant.

  “
Bari
!” he shouted, spotting him.

  “Draiman,”
Bari
greeted him. “You are still here?”

  “Is that him?” Draiman asked, pointing out to the ship that was making port.

  “He should be on board, yes,”
Bari
said. “Let’s go find out.” They m
ade their way
for the docks. Sailors were throwing out ropes and shouting, as they secured their ship. Degonyat leapt out, onto the big planks.

  “Oi!” Draiman said. “How was your voyage?”

  “Damned boring!” Degonyat said. “I hate sailing.”

  “We have made good progress,”
Bari
reported. “We have cleared out most of the rubble, and the c
astle is big enough to suit us
.”
They walked towards it, as the other men began to unload the ship.

  “How many men will you have?” Draiman asked.

  “We will have over four hundred, all told,” Degonyat said. “I did well with the men from
Trebizond
.”

  “My man said that you will have slaves for soldiers?”

  “We will,” he confirmed. “The slaves are eager to fight.”

  “Four hundred will be enough, as long as the gates are open,” Draiman said. “They will not be ready for us.”

  “Good, good,” Degonyat said.

  “Even better,” Draiman said. “The new King has enemies in his city. They will support us, and give us free reign to capture all the gypsies we can when they scatter. They are comfortable and careless right now.”

  “We must have surprise,” Degonyat said.

  “We have something else too,” Draiman said. “The King’s uncle will be easily turned. He wants to be King. We can destroy Bastion and the black riders, and install him as the King. The people will accept him. They are angry at the new King for allowing all the gypsies in the city and the west meadows.”

  “If we can get him to help, he can sell us his enemies!” Degonyat laughed, his voice as crusty and thick as his massive eyebrows. “At a discount, of course,” he added.
They entered the castle, and looked around. The men that had come so far wer
e industrious and active
.

  “I am impressed!” Degonyat said. “Good work,
Bari
.”

  “Thank you,”
Bari
said. “We should be ready to move on
Jedikai
within a couple weeks, once everyone else has arrived. We have more weapons than we can carry.” Men were training
-
some of them with staffs, some with swords, some were fighting hand-to-hand.

  “How are you with a sword, Draiman?” Degonyat asked.

  “I don’t carry a sword,” Draiman said.

  “How are you going to fight with no sword?”
Bari
said. Draiman picked up a sword near him, and hefted it, and then drew it out.

  “I’ll bet you ten pieces of silver that I am better than you,” Draiman said, challenging him.
Bari
drew his sword before Draiman could even finish speaking. They squared off, and a clash of metal rang out as
Bari
went on the offensive. Draiman defended him, moving around to his left. Draiman went on the attack, slashing furiously, forcing
Bari
to retreat under the blows.
Bari
recovered, launching another volley of slashes. Draiman deflected them easily.

  “Is that your best?” Draiman said, mocking him.
Bari
slashed again, and Draiman turned him around and kicked him in the side, knocking him down.
Bari
scrambled to get up. Draiman came after him, forcing
Bari
to retreat once more.
Bari
shoved him back, and flung sand in his face when he advanced again. Draiman closed his eyes, expecting the move. He struck down the sword from
Bari
’s hand, kicked him to the ground, and held his own sword to his chest.

  “Damned gypsies,”
Bari
muttered, conceding the fight.

  “Very good!” Degonyat bellowed, clapping his hands. “We need good swordsmen!”

  “I hear the new King is an expert,”
Bari
said. “You better practice up, Draiman,”
Bari
said, hoping to provoke him.

  “I hope I get the chance,” Draiman said. “His black cowards are not used to a real fight.”

  “Ah yes. The black bastards. They killed
Volga
, and every one of his men. Filled them full of arrows. One of them was even shot through the mouth!”
Degonyat said with disgust.

  “The King’s uncle said that he may disband the riders,” Draiman said. “I will see what I can find out about it.”

  “That will make it even easier for us!” Degonyat said. “How do you know the King’s uncle so well?” Degonyat asked. Draiman smiled.

  “I am one of his spies! He thinks of me as an old friend!” They all burst out laughing.

  “If he does not cooperate,” Degonyat said, “He will be your old
dead
friend.”

  “He will cooperate. Trust me.” Draiman said.

  “Trust a gypsy?”
Bari
said. They all burst into laughter again.

  Draiman left th
e Lower R
each, with promises that he or his men would relay information between them, as the army gathered. The anticipation of what was to come excited him more than he could stand. He smiled in amusement at Degonyat’s report of
Volga
’s men shot full of arrows. The black riders were not archers. He only knew one person who could shoot like that.

 
Yana
must have killed them all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  The Great Hall throbbed with life, as people from all over the
kingdom
had come for the party, and even some from other
kingdom
s. The Coronation was tomorrow, and it was tradition to celebrate the King’s last night before he assumed the crown.

  Otta worked with the Chamberlain to make sure everything was getting done. Every worker in the palace was on hand, hustling to accommodate the huge crowd. The inns
of the city were filled with
visitors, and
even
some gypsi
es
. The city was in celebration
outside the palace
, as well
.

  Bastion and
Yana
were in his chambers, getting ready. Bastion was wearing the cloak that the gypsy girls had given him, and his white gypsy shirt, with tall black leather boots.

  “You are not going to wear the King’s wardrobe?”
Yana
asked.

  “The King’s wardrobe is whatever I want it to be,” Bastion said.

  “I like that.”
Yana
, on the other hand, was dressed in royal garb more suited for the palace- not her normal gypsy dresses. Her hair was even done up, thanks to the servant girls and Mille.

  “Now I am the gypsy, and you are the royalty,” Bastion joked.

  “Does that mean I can tell you what to do?”
Yana
said, mischief in her eyes. Bastion took her and wrapped her in his arms.

  “Absolutely not.” he said.

  “No? Here I am in the royal chambers, in a royal dress, in a grand palace. It looks to me like I’m in charge, gypsy boy!” Bastion laughed and kissed her.

  “
You don’t look too much like a king in that big dress!”

  “Then maybe you should get me out of it,”
Yana
teased him.

  “You won’t look like a king then either!” he said.

  “I might look like a queen, though,” she said. The thought of
Yana
’s naked form made his blood run hot. He loved the way she was with him. They had been having an exceptional time, since they got back to the city together. Since they locked eyes in that gulley, really.
Yana
had helped him through the death of his father, and was a boon to his soul, helping him cast off his cares every time they were together. But they could not dodge the approaching crossroads much longer. After the Coronation, the citizens might accept her as queen, but not as a lover or mistress. Bastion began thinking of her naked once more, which was a much more pleasant thought.
  “You look like a queen, right now,” Bastion said, his voice taking on a less playful tone.
Yana
embraced him tightly.

  “But I am only a common gypsy,” she said, with a pouty, coy smile.

  “You are a gypsy, but there is nothing common about you.” he said.
Yana
kissed him, savoring the taste of his lips, and the feel of his arms around her.

  “I know we need to talk, Bastion,” she said. “I have wanted just to enjoy you
a while
,
live in the moment, making
love with you.”