Hey, go easy on me in terms of the chapters. I originally had this whole story in one long chapter, so I had a hell of a time trying to split them up. I love you all. :D
Like Hornets Protecting Their Hive
One
It was a particularly marvelous day in Paris. So marvelous, in fact, that even the King of Gypsies seemed to be in an unusually flirty mood. Being flirty wasn't new for Clopin Trouillefou, but he's usually more subtle about it.
Just not today.
"Semmary," he said slowly as the rose vendor passed him.
Semmary walked faster to spite him.
"Miss Dufila!" Clopin chirped, running over to the beautiful young woman and holding onto her shoulders from behind. "You don't suppose I could help you with those roses by taking one and giving it to you—?"
"What would the point be?" Semmary sighed, turning to face him and rolling her sapphire eyes. She's been through this routine several times. "You're just going to make the basket the same weight it was before."
Clopin took a rose and brushed it gently under his nose. "Mm, but it would be a lovely gesture, wouldn't it?"
Semmary set the rose basket on the ground. "What do you want, Clopin?"
There was a pause; he seemed to stop himself from saying something.
"Is Angeliqua well?"
Semmary's heart secretly melted, and she smiled. If anyone knew a way to get her to talk, it was Clopin. But another part of her secretly threw her hands up and walked away. Of course Clopin knew how Angeliqua was. He'd last seen her the previous day. "She's just fine. Why do you ask?"
Clopin's eyes softened. "Well…I'm rather fond of your daughter. I wish, sometimes, that she were my own."
Semmary narrowed her eyes sarcastically. She would never admit it out loud, nor would she fully understand it, but hearing the Gypsy King say that was enough to cause her to die of happiness, if there was such a thing. "Really, now?"
Clopin nodded. "I often note," he added, twirling the rose slowly, "that she has her mother's eyes. They remind me of…I don't know. The sky at night." He leaned against a building. "You know, one of those really peaceful nights…one that just makes you want to sneak up beside someone you love…" he sniffed, "and hold them until it ends."
If it weren't for the fact that Semmary was trying hard enough to keep her eyes from filling with tears, her jaw probably would have dropped. "Yes…yes, th-thank you—"
"Semmary!"
She looked over her shoulder at the source of the voice; a portly woman was standing outside the rose caravan, her arms crossed.
"Come back with the earnings!"
Clopin crossed his arms and grinned as Semmary glanced back at him.
"I'll tell Angeliqua…you said hello," she murmured, walking backwards towards the caravan. "It was good to see you again, Clopin."
She's said that every time she's seen him. She's seen him every day for ten years before he left for two months. But this was different; this time, she meant it.