Gypsy Queen

Chapter 14: Patience

"So…" Alec leaned his shoulder against the wall of the indoor practice court early the next morning, "you and Ezra Fyn are…?"

"We have an understanding," Keriam said. He ladled himself a drink of water from the barrel the Prince stood beside. "And we have decided to further enjoy each others' company."

"Ah."

Keriam swallowed the water in a single gulp and turned to face his friend. "I asked you months ago whether such a thing would be a problem. You said it wasn't then. Is it a problem now?"

Alec stared down at a water stain on the toe of his boot and tried to organize his thoughts. The rumor of Keriam's involvement with Ezra had come to Alec's attention as quickly as the night before. He wrote it off as another false account of the infamous captain's conquests until that morning when Thanyl had come to morning drills. When Alec heard his friend confirm the rumor he accidentally left himself open for Thanyl to get a hit.

He was frustrated, that much Alec could name. He was frustrated that Ezra gave signs of interest, even, occasionally, respect and enjoyment of his company, and then pulled away from him. And he was surprised. He had thought that Ezra was not yet ready to enter into a romantic relationship, and that was why she constantly danced away from him. Of course, he chastised himself, Thanyl had told Alec of his intentions toward Ezra shortly after her arrival at the palace. It was foolish to be surprised.

Was he angry?

Alec thought he was.

Ezra had initiated both kisses between them. She had enjoyed the last one—he felt her lean into him, heard the soft moan of pleasure at the back of her throat. Since then, she blushed when he looked at her, and it made her golden skin turn the color of damask roses. Ezra looked at him, too, although Alec thought she did not realize how often that was.

And now she was in a dalliance with Thanyl. Yes, he was angry.

"I don't really have the place to argue," Alec said making sure to keep his tone even. "As you said, Ezra came to you. I may have made advances to her, but she never accepted me as a possible suitor. And you did warn me that you had feelings for her. It is not my place to stand between the two of you."

Much as I may wish to, he added silently.

"I'm glad of that," Thanyl said. "I mean, I'm glad that you don't seem upset. But then, you've always been rather hard to read."

Alec shook his head. "I assure you, I'm not upset. Perhaps a bit disappointed, but not upset. She chose you. I wish you joy."

He turned away before he could show how overturned he actually was. He slid his practice blade back into the sheath and tossed it to one of the servants stationed at the side of the room with a bit more force than was truly necessary. Alec could hear his friend sigh as he made his way to the door. His horse was tied to a post outside, and the Prince loosened the reins and mounted up, his jaw clenched and eyes pinched. He considered riding to the training barracks. He spent the better part of the ride back to the Residence Wing imagining the scene he would have liked to cause when he arrived on the training grounds in his current dishabille. He would find Ezra immediately, march up to her in the same irritating manner she so often adopted when she confronted him and loudly demand what in blazes she was thinking pairing off with Thanyl?

Not when they sparked so well. Not when, if she would simply forget that he was royalty and she distrusted him, they enjoyed their banter and contention.

Not when their kisses were so incendiary.

But, of course, Alec could do no such thing. He was not at liberty to make such a spectacle of himself or of a woman. Any woman. Certainly not one he liked and respected.

And there was the rub of the whole situation.

He liked Ezra very much. He liked spending time with her. His skin hummed when she was near, and not merely because he was attracted to her. It was as if every particle of his body wished to be closer to her. He enjoyed watching her thoughts and emotions ripple across her face like waves on the water—always changing in remarkable ways, but always, in essence, the same. He respected her thoughts and opinions, and one thing he hated most about their current relationship was her unwillingness to believe that he respected her. She always thought that he was mocking her. Alec had no idea how to make her see that it was not so.

By the time he arrived back at the stables and headed up to the Residence Wing, Alec was in a dismal, morose mood. He was even more reserved than usual when he passed others in the corridors. His own mother failed to get him to pause in his journey back to his room.

"Oh, there you are, Alec," she said with a warm smile and flourished a letter in her hand. "I've gotten news from your sister. Oria will meet you in Sartor to see about removing Zirellia Ianthe's trigger—whatever that proves to be."

"That's fine," Alec said as he brushed by her.

"Alec?" his mother called. "Are you all right?"

"Yes."

Before she could ask anything more, he reached his rooms, batted aside the tapestry, and entered. Alec pulled his shirt off and threw it across the room. The great wolfhound Ash that lay on the floor in front of the hearth lifted his head at his master's show of pique. The valet's eyes widened, and Alec bit back the harsh words—directed at himself—that pushed against his lips.

"Your Highness, are you well?"

"Yes," he snapped. Then he sighed and repeated himself in a calmer tone. "Yes, I'm well. Do you have my clothes for the day picked out?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

The man went to the bureau and removed the clean shirt, vest, waistcoat, trousers, and stockings that he had chosen for the Prince to wear that day while Alec knelt in front of the dog and scratched his ears.

"Your Highness?"

Alec straightened and went to retrieve his apparel. As he pulled the new shirt of crisp linen over his head, he told the valet, "Have a message sent to my father. Tell him I need to speak to him at his earliest convenience regarding Ezra Fyn's tutoring."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Ezra!"

Ezra twisted her head around to see who was calling her name as she bent over her bunk to tuck in the corners of her blanket. "Costran! What are you doing here?"

"Yeah, it's nice to see you too," grinned the young man as he spoke, breaking the rules and entering the female dorm to give her a hug and a thump on the back. "Just came in from another patrol around the country. Nice scenery this time of year. But I 'spose I came back just in time to hear your happy news. Gonna get hitched?"

"What in the blazes are you talking about?" returned Ezra, giving him a playful shove.

"Why, your hanky-panky-ing with a certain Commander Keriam, of course!" His eyes sparkled with mirth at the sight of her blooming red face.

"That's rub- wait a second, where did you hear that from?"

A few pair of eyes swiveled their way. "Out," said Ezra, literally dragging Costan by the hand to a more private area.

"I've been sworn to secrecy. Pirates' honor!" Costran thumped a fist against his chest.

Ezra moved in, grasping him by the collar of his tunic and yanking him close. In a menacing tone she said, "Pirates' honor my ass. Spill."

"Fine!" he tugged her hands off his worn uniform and dusted himself off theatrically. "Rumor's been going around the barracks ever since I got back. Seems you and the Commander have been trifling with one 'nother."

"That was fast. Even faster than…" Ezra clamped her mouth shut just in time.

"What did ya say?"

"Nothing. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. You were saying?" Ezra asked, knowing that she'd dread the answer.

"Well, seein' as yer my friend an' all, I would've thought that you'd tell me your good news yerself. But ya didn't. So here I am wanting the real dibs." He crossed his arms expectantly.

"There's nothing much to tell really. I just kissed him in front of a few toffs." She shrugged.

"Why would you do that for?" He scratched his stubbly chin.

"Coz I wanted them to shut up about me and Rider."

"Yeah, heard 'bout that too. So you didn't kiss him coz you liked him, then?"

"No!" Ezra surprised even herself with the vehement denial in her voice. "I do like him. I just didn't have the guts to kiss him for no good reason that's all."

"And a couple of 'ristos bad mouthing ya was a good reason to smooch him? You're not making any sense, Ezra. Besides, the Ezra I know has the guts to do anything. You punched Rider in front of the King, fer goodness sake! After kissing him, no less!"

Argh, I'm never gonna live that one down, thought Ezra. But truly, Costran had cut too close to the bone for comfort. "It doesn't matter why I kissed him. What matters is that they'll shut up about me and Rider. I knew people would talk, I just didn't know that the news would get around so quickly."

"Whatever. It's yer business not mine. I should warn ya about that Commander Keriam though. Word is he's a popular one with the ladies. Something about that moustache makes 'em crazy for him, I think."

"So you're thinking of growing one too?" she joked.

"Probably." He laughed. "To his credit, he seems real decent and all, no string of broken hearts as far as I can tell; but the girls don't stick around for long."

"Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful." The bells chimed in the distance signaling the start of her hectic day. "Look, I've gotta go. I'll see ya around, yeah?"

"What? No kiss? Kiss me and they'll shut up 'bout you and Keriam I'll bet!" exclaimed Costran. He squished his eyes shut, puckered his lips, and leaned in. Laughing, Ezra smacked the side of his head.

"Get on with you!" Ezra said as she turned to leave.

Costran's plaintive "No fair!" reached her ears, making her grin, but Ezra did not bother looking back, waving a hand over her shoulder instead.

Alec awaited his father's presence in the King's private study. In his youth, Alec knew, his father had preferred the alcove in the library for doing research and having private meetings. It was a trait he had passed on to his son by simply letting Alec attend many of those meetings as a boy before being sent off to the military academy at Marloven Hess. But as he grew older and the library became a more fashionable place for courtiers to haunt, the King had found that having his own private study was more conducive.

His father's valet had let Alec know upon his arrival that his wait could last quite a while more, making him late for his scheduled meeting with Ezra Fyn. His father was in an early breakfast meeting with his mother and some of the ambassadors from neighboring countries. Alec released a quiet sigh as he settled back into the cushions on the floor. He was fine with the wait. It would give him more time to control his initial fit of temper upon learning of Thanyl and Ezra's relationship.

After a few moments of the wolfhound, Ash, licking his face and generally demanding that his master return to his usual good humor, Alec had felt ridiculous for allowing himself to behave as he had to Thanyl, his mother, and finally to his own valet. It was unacceptable, and Alec felt horrid for venting his frustration on others so carelessly.

At the first click of the door catch releasing, Alec sat up, correcting his posture, and awaited his parents' entrance into the room.

His mother was the first to stride in, the end of her long braid of hair dangling from the coil around her head to hang like a silver and copper tail down her back and her skirts rustling about her legs in agitation.

"Well, I hope you're more civil now than you were earlier," she scolded.

"I am. You have my sincerest apology for my behavior." Alec stood and went to his mother. He bent and kissed her cheek. "Good morning."

"Belated, but better than nothing," Meliara smirked up at her son.

"Alec," Vidanric greeted his son. "To what do we owe this early morning summons?"

Alec allowed the three of them to seat themselves on the cushions before he began speaking.

"The sessions I've been having with Ezra Fyn are becoming redundant," he said without preamble. "She has a good grasp of basic tactics. She learns quickly—she took what she knew from her days as a pirate and transferred it effortlessly to large-scale naval situations. It was Ezra who first realized that the Brotherhood's attack pattern suggested a spy in Sles Adran. I think she is ready for her to take her ascension test and officially become a captain in the navy."

"Would this have anything to do with the rumors going around about the two of you?" his mother asked.

Alec resisted the impulse to roll his eyes.

"No. There have been rumors before. If it was not me and Ezra it would be me and some other woman."

"Besides," he continued, "this way we can leave for Sartor sooner. The first snows are already falling. If we wait too much longer to leave, we will be waiting all winter. And while attacks are limited in the cold months, I would rather strive for an advantage over them while we have the time."

The King nodded. "A sound plan. You know we will need to speak to Newbeth and Tedescun. If they agree with your assessment, I would be happy to allow Mistress Fyn the chance to prove her worth."

Alec felt the muscles in his neck relax a bit.

"Thank you, Father." He glanced at the time candle and stood. "And now I must hurry. I'm already late for what will hopefully be the last of Ezra's lessons."

"We'll see you at lunch?" Meliara asked.

"I will try to be there," Alec promised. He nodded once to his father and exited the room.

For once, Ezra turned up for her command lesson before Rider and was surprised to find their usual study room devoid of his presence. No scattered papers or unrolled scrolls. Everything was in its place. She huffed at his tardiness and settled onto a plump cushion, propping her head on her fist as she leaned against the low table. The steady sound of her own breathing lulled her thoughts into drifting and gradually led them to Thanyl.

He had surprised her with a small picnic basket during lunch. It was, she learned, completely within bounds for army personnel to carry on dalliances so long as it did not interfere with their official duties. However, it was not encouraged for fear of distracting those involved and others close to them.

Thanyl had regaled her with stories from his youth and during his seventeen year military career. His devotion to the Remalnan military was apparent, as was his strict sense of right and wrong. His moral compass, unlike hers, was always steadily pointing in one direction. In fact, he reminded her of her father, Dathan – what she could remember of him of course. She tried envisaging a life with this man, drawing upon what she could recall from her parents' marriage. She supposed it would be a life of constancy, barring the infrequent changes in appointments within the army. He was an easy-going companion who was slow to anger and quick to forgive, the perfect foil to her notorious temper.

Opposites do attract, she mused.

And it wouldn't be so bad, really. Ezra had spent her whole life in constant motion, never slowing except when the winds failed or stopping in port for more than a week or so unless the ship needed repairs. Her time at The Port Vineyard was the longest she'd ever been in one place for long stretches of time since she was a small girl and her grandfather took her with him out to sea after her parents' deaths. It would be nice to have something stable in her life.

As long as he doesn't try to tie me down too tightly.

Neither Gypsies nor pirates were known to do well in constraints, and she was both.

Her running train of thoughts was interrupted by an impatient hand batting aside the tapestry. In strode Rider with a forbidding expression on his face, his arms full of the usual assortment of maps and charts and tacks, pins, and string used for plotting battle strategies. He kneeled on his cushion in the formal manner and gave her a curt nod, "Good morning. I trust you're well?"

"I am." She decided to make an observation, "You're late."

"I apologize. I was preoccupied with other matters. For one, we'll be setting off for Sartor a month in advance. It was decided that we could do with more time for planning the advance with our allies at the Summit. Hence, today will be your last Command lesson at Remalna. Your advancement test will be at the end of next week. If you pass, you will be fully instated as a captain in the Remalnan navy. However, if need be, your lessons will continue on the road and in a few more weeks you will be retested, and so on until you pass." He paused in setting his supplies down to glance up at her, "I trust this won't affect any of your plans?"

"What plans? My entire life here has been pretty much planned by you." She tried, but could not completely hide her resentment.

If he detected the sarcasm in her tone of voice, he ignored it. "Your plans with Thanyl, of course. He will most probably travel with us to the Summit though I can't guarantee a similar posting when it comes to setting the battle plans."

"Oh, it's fine," she said off-handedly. Then she realized. "Wait, you've heard too?"

Rider looked up sharply. "It's fine?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" He looked confused, but Ezra had to know. "Wait, wait. How did you hear?"

"Thanyl told me. And you're sure it's fine?" Rider reiterated.

Alec could not, for the life of him, come to terms with Ezra's easy acceptance of her possible separation from Keriam. He had half – no, more than half—expected her to insist upon having Thanyl by her side.

"I'm positive it's fine," she replied. "Are you all right? You're acting very strange."

So much for being angry at her. Her cavalier attitude about the whole situation was unsettling, to say the least, but it certainly made it much easier for him to keep rein of his fraying nerves. He was determined to be rational about the circumstances that he found himself in. He would be civil and polite; he would ask no more questions about their dalliance than was necessary to conduct business; and he most certainly would not demand that she explain herself.

"I'm fine. I've just been preoccupied," said Alec.

"I know. You said that a moment ago." She smiled at her own wit.

Alec felt an answering, self-deprecating smile tug at the corners of his mouth, but he managed to squelch the urge.

Burn it! He should be angry with her!

"Yes. I did. Let's get down to business shall we? We shall review what you have learned thus far, and touch on a few further topics that may come up in your testing."

"Whatever you say," Ezra acquiesced as she took her seat across the table.

If only she was always so accommodating, he mused.

The large central bonfire burned high in the center of the vardo wagons parked in a ring outside the palace walls. Most of the kumpania were inside the circle sitting around their individual cook fires, banked now that the evening meal was finished. Dishes were being washed, children were playing as the last of the light faded from the horizon, and several musicians had struck up individual tunes at different places inside the circle. No one played the same song, but together they created a cheerful blend of dueling notes.

Outside the ring of families and friends, a group of men and women gathered. Faces were veiled by the darkening night, but everyone here knew each other. The word had passed throughout the week of the meeting, each man or woman being invited separately, and only those who were loyal enough not to speak about it to the others. Not until it was time.

"I don't see why we don't take this to the Lucru Ales," one of the women said.

"Because the Lucru Ales has been taken in by the ray baro," a man retorted. "They're holding us captive here, and she is allowing it."

"For our protection," another man said. "My sister-in-law in the Alura tribe was in the south when those murders started. Gruesome. Women stoned. Children chased by dogs. Men horsewhipped and hung on trees."

"And you think that it's a coincidence these gadje royals are now keeping us confined?" the first man asked.

"I don't like it," a second woman hissed, her voice rough with age. "I don't like this being watched all the time by palace guards. Protection…bah! I'll tell you what—they think we do have something to do with those pirates and they're just keeping us around to watch us."

"Typical behavior for them. Liars, all of them, and then they don't believe us who don't lie."

"I won't listen to this!" argued the man who spoke in defense of the royals. "Katja, I don't know why you brought me here."

"Iile, just listen!"

"Even if what they're saying is true, the fact is, we are being watched. What a way to endanger ourselves, eh? Plotting while inside the city gates."

"Then we had best move quickly, shouldn't we?" the first man said. "We are being treated like beasts. We are being held captive. Are we going to stand for this?"

A chorus of "No!" and one man attempting to pull away from his wife's clutches followed.

"And it's not just in her faith in the gadjes that the Lucru Ales has failed us. She is actually considering allowing a murderer to return to the natsia. A man we have voted to banish. And she wants to let him back in."

"Who?"

"Djillia, the singer."

"He killed his father!"

"Loredana would never allow such a thing to happen."

"She is."

"She wouldn't! She wouldn't let back in a man who killed his own father."

"She would if the King and Queen told her to."

"Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa. They have no business telling our people what to do, how to mete justice."

"Her granddaughter is speaking for them now."

The old woman spoke up: "I've seen her and Loredana speaking. I know that it was the girl that told Loreh to come to the palace in the first place. She said so. Said she never would have brought us here if her granddaughter had not said that it would be for the best."

"I have seen them, too," one of the men said. "It's almost always an argument they're having when I see them. The girl has some power over her grandmother to get her to do these things."

"If she has influence over the Lucru Ales to keep us here, what else might the little rakli be whispering in her ear?"

"More than that, what power might the Lucru Ales be willing or persuaded to give to the girl?"

"Do you think she would be put up for the natsia to vote on?"

"Surely not."

"She's not one of us."

"She has done nothing to prove herself."

"Far too young for such responsibility even if she was a true Rom."

"Which she is not."

"She's too close to those royals."

"I don't trust her."

"And she was the one who suggested that Djillia be given a second trial."

"She is manipulating poor Loreh's affections for her own gain. Despicable girl!"

"Now, Iile? What do you think?"

"I don't know. I will not turn against my people or my Lucru Ales."

"I am not suggesting that we rise up tonight, Iile. Simply that we keep watch. The more eyes we have watching the goings on about us, the better prepared we will be if things go badly."

"I can agree to watch. No more than that."

"Thank you, Iile. Thank you all. Go back to your fires. We will speak more about this later, when we have more to discuss. I ask that you keep my warnings in mind, though. This will not be the last I speak of them."

Translations

:

Rar baro—Great lords, the gadje judges and representatives of power; in this case, the King and Queen directly

"Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa"—"Gadje with Gadje, Rom with Rom"

rakli—non-Gypsy girl

A/N: We apologize for the extremely late update! And hope that this chapter will perk you up before your final exams – if you have them next week like I do! Please read and review!