"She's …" Emilio started and let Cuervo finish his sentence.
"Stunning."
"Estas caderas," Juanito raved. (1)
Cyrena only sighed, "It looks so easy when she does it."
Lorella did not say anything at all, which meant that she neither had anything to criticize, to her most probable regret, but Caspian himself remained deliberately silent as well.
His eyes just kept following Tayana's flowing movements with more fascination than he had thought possible – perhaps because her laughter still rang in his ears.
She knew she was dancing as graceful as ever. And when she took a bow, everybody cheered and congratulated her on her debut. Yet she could only think of him. She tried to find his face in the crowd and when she finally recognized his black eyes in the distance, her mouth curved into a smile.
He had also been searching for her gaze, of that she was sure.
"Who's she looking at?" Juanito wondered, leaning forward as far as the wall they were sitting on allowed him to. He followed Tayana's gaze until he found himself looking at Caspian, and then he almost lost his balance in surprise. The others were no less amused.
"Do you know each other?" Cuervo asked, making Caspian shake his head, his eyes never leaving Tayana's face.
"Not well enough. So excuse me …"
"She's a friend, Príncipe!" Cuervo shouted after him. "Be decent, yes?"
Once again that evening they watched Caspian make his way through the crowd.
"Give me a tapa, come on," Juanito urged Emilio, and Cyrena and Cuervo also grabbed some of the bread as they were about to observe the scenario.
"Might they be a match made in heaven?" Cuervo grinned, ignoring Cyrena's upset glance at these words.
"It would certainly do him good to find a girl he could fall in love with," Emilio said, giving a shrug.
"How's that supposed to happen?" Lorella's eyebrow shot up. "He's game for anything – his reputation is already preceding him …"
Emilio smiled acidly. "You know how that feels, don't you?"
"What are you trying to say?" Lorella hissed. "We can't all be as unpopular as you."
"I'm not unpopular!" Emilio protested. "I'm just unlucky in love right now, that's all …"
"Oh dear, she keeps looking in his direction," Cyrena remarked right before Caspian reached Tayana.
The dancer could hardly believe that the Prince was approaching her. Absently she thanked the people who patted her on the back and praised her for her performance until Caspian was finally close enough. His faint smile could not hide the curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"That was exciting," the Prince admitted, just loud enough so she could hear him over the noise. He lowered his gaze as though he was about to tell her a secret. "But honestly, the flowers in your hair were completely unnecessary."
She could not help but giggle. "You don't seem to care for details, Príncipe."
"Es cierto." He smirked. "I tend to focus on bare essentials." (2)
She winked. "And what would that be? Quiero ejemplos …" (3)
He drew a little closer so only she could hear him.
"Your exemplary posture while dancing, the precision in your movements …" he said, then he tilted his head. "Y, por supuesto, que te pusiste más linda." (4)
"So many compliments?" she asked in mock-sceptisism. "I know a couple of girls who'd advise me not to believe a single word you say, and who'd tell me to run."
That seemed to amuse him. "Why, do I know friends of yours?"
"You do." She nodded, fluttering her lashes. "But I'm afraid they don't have anything nice to say about you …"
"Is that so?" he retorted with wide eyes. Tayana could not help but chuckle even though she desperately tried to pull herself together.
"Well, I mean – then there's only one question." He gave a half-shrug and Tayana examined his handsome features as he grinned. "Do you really want to listen to them?"
She bit her lower lip, slowly shaking her head – this was too exciting to be ended right away. Nevertheless she pushed the Prince away with a wink, only to grab his hand the next moment.
"Prove them wrong," she said. "At Ratón's?"
"Sería un placer," he vowed and gently pulled Tayana along, out of the hustle and bustle, right to the other end of the crowded Calle where his friends were already waiting for them. (5)
"That was perfect Flamenco, Tay," Cuervo cried from afar and hugged her to himself when they finally approached them.
"So you liked it?" She beamed with joy until a thought seemed to cross her mind. "Say, say, since when do you let Princes pay your debts? You should be ashamed of yourself!"
"You payed my debts?" Cuervo turned around to Caspian in surprise, but the Prince just waved it off. Cuervo was clearly relieved, sighing, "Gracias, tío."
"No e' nada," Caspian said, already looking for Emilio. "Tío, are you still thirsty?"
"You know me too well," his best friend muttered and got up. "Back to Ratón!"
"It's so damn late and I'll never be thirsty again." Emilio yawned while the others still felt quite lively. By now, they were almost alone in Ratón's tavern, but they did not care about that at all.
"Let's raise one last glass," Juanito suggested. "Who's joining me at the bar?"
Almost everyone rose, even Lorella got up when Cuervo took her hand and finally wrapped his arm around her.
However neither Tayana nor Caspian made an effort to join them.
"What, aren't you coming?" Juanito asked.
The Prince and Tayana exchanged brief glances, then Caspian got up saying, "We'll stay here, I'll just get us some drink as well …"
Tayana tried to act as though she could not care less in vain, and that failed attempt was nothing like her. She hated that honest euphoria spread across her face when Caspian finally got back with two glasses.
They had been surrounded by all his friends, making it impossible to continue the conversation they had begun prior to her performance. But they were both looking forward to a quiet minute now.
"Tell me, Yanita," Caspian said as he inched a little closer, placing her drink in front of her. "Are you a Gitana?"
She was lost for words for a moment, but her surprise blossomed into anger right away.
The high society usually avoided connections to Gitanos, it was bleak tyranny. Prince or not, it was outrageous to ask such a question at the very beginning of their conversation – she was sure that he only wanted to condemn her like the rest of the nobility did.
"¿Qué?" she eventually snapped. "Increíble. Does that matter to you?" (6)
To her great displeasure, her fiery temper even seemed to amuse the Prince. He smirked and she was right about to get up and walk away when Caspian held her back.
"Wait, wait, I only ask because I've learned that maybe my mother was a Gitana also."
Tayana's jaw dropped as though she had misheard these words.
One of them, the Queen of Telmar? Did he try to joke?
"You're lying," she decided, but he shook his head so firmly that she sat down again.
"Una reina gitana," she mumbled in amazement.
"I'm not quite sure yet," he admitted. "But it'd explain the songs she used to sing me to sleep with. And her subliminal aversion in regards to all nobility …"
He winked and Tayana could not help but grin.
"Would you show me the beauty of our culture?"
"For that we'd have to meet again," she remarked.
"Oh, that's the plan, actually."
Tayana took a sip from her glass to hide her joy, then a thought seemed to inspire her.
"That would make you a Prince … well, even a future King from our blood! Isn't that interesting …"
"Not as interesting as you," he said, "how come we haven't met each other yet? I'm around here all the time."
"¿Un niño de la calle, mh?" she teased. "See, unlike you, Príncipe, I have to build a reputation for myself. I'm just practicing all the time." (7)
"Qué lástima." He took a sip from his glass as well. "You probably need someone to keep you from practicing." (8)
"Maybe," she agreed. "I could definitely use a dance partner."
"No, I can't serve with that," Caspian said, shaking his head. "I don't dance."
"You don't?" Tayana touched her heart. "Not ever?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Well, we'll have to work on that, Príncipe," she claimed, drawing a bit closer. "You indeed seem to need someone to show you the beauty of our culture."
Caspian just smiled. The dim light of the candles made her pretty face look even more mysterious and by looking into his black eyes, Tayana lost herself in reveries for just a heartbeat or two.
Both were both quite startled when Cuervo suddenly slapped his hand on the table.
"Time to go, Ratón is kicking us out," he informed them and grabbed Tayana's glass to empty it in one sip.
"Cuervo!" she pouted, then she jumped up to her feet to elbow him. "You wouldn't dare doing that with any other person's drink!"
He laughed out loud, grabbed Caspian's glass and drank up as well.
"I had to," he explained, grinning at Caspian. "You didn't want that anyway, did you?"
Caspia stretched and shook his head in amusement, waiting until Tayana caught up with him.
"I don't want to go home yet," Emilio groaned behind them. "I want to live, not think about tomorrow …"
Caspian nodded. "As usual, that is."
"I should've been at home hours ago, but what the hell," Tayana said. "La vida es una, don't you think?" (9)
"Yes!" Emilio clapped his hands. "What do you suggest? Should we dance all night long?"
Emilio's euphoria was contagious.
"Yes, why not?" Tayana was just as excited at once. "We'll dance through the night!"
"We have nothing to lose!" Emilio went on. "We dance through the night, Caspian, do you hear that?"
The Prince just sighed. "Count me out, but do have fun …"
"Oh no, Príncipe!" Tayana jammed a finger into his chest. "You are coming with us! Learn from Emilio's enthusiasm for dancing!"
„Five, six, seven, eight, and turn, and – no!"
Tayana tried to gather all her patience when Emilio stepped on her foot again, and Juan even stopped playing the guitar for a moment because he had to laugh so much.
"Turn, Emilio, turn," Caspian repeated no less entertained from the other corner of the empty tavern.
They were back with Leya, whose parents were traveling. At first she had felt a little queasy about letting a group of strangers into her father's tavern in the middle of the night. But most of them had a reputation to lose, after all her guests were – among others – the son of a Lord and the Prince of Telmar.
Not that they actually behaved like that … Emilio had unbuttoned his shirt up to his hip in the meantime, he explained it contributed to the Flamenco atmosphere, and Caspian shamelessly drank from the bottle of liquor that Leya had got them.
"It's easier said than done – turn!" Emilio shouted. "Why don't you just try it yourself and turn!"
Caspian simpered and shook his head. He took a big sip from the bottle again and made himself so comfortable in the corner bench that he almost lay in it.
"Quite hard to believe you're a Prince," Leya, right next to him, found, raising a brow at him as she examined his outrageously relaxed posture.
"Qué suerte." He gave a half-smile. "I never wanted to be one." (10)
"But you were born to be one," Tayana remarked as she whirled past them with Emilio. "Don't listen to Leya, she's always grumpy when it's getting late."
"No, she's right," Caspian said and caused Leya to listen up in surprise. "The crown's not for me."
"What?" Tayana paused and let go of Emilio. "But you're the first heir to the throne in centuries who's not presumptuous and narrow-minded! You're close to the people, to us! You have to become King!"
"That's what I keep telling him as well, thank you," Emilio agreed.
"You don't know whether I'd be a better King than my predecessors," Caspian said, leaning back against the wall, right when Cuervo protested as well.
"Better than Miraz for sure! You have a conscience, tío!"
"My family has caused misery for centuries. I bet you know the stories about Narnia..." Caspian raked his fingers through his hair, thinking about everything Professor Cornelius had taught him. "It'd be best if I stayed away from the throne."
"Nonsense!" Even Leya shook her head. "You can't be blamed for that. Narnia is Telmar now. You can't change the past, but you can change the future!"
"Look at us," Caspian asked her with a dull smile. "Do you really think we're destined for greatness?"
Tayana waggled a finger at him. "Not with this attitude, Príncipe. But never say never."
"Sure," Caspian sighed, raising the bottle. "I'll drink to that."
"How depressing," Leya mumbled, reaching for the bottle as well.
"Dancing helps," Emilio promised and Tayana did not hesitate to grab her willing partner again.
"All right, five, six, seven, eight, and –"
"Turn!" Emilio jumped and got it right for the very first time. "Did you see that? I got the hang of it!"
Caspian kept watching the two for a while, then he took yet another sip, stood up and reached out his hand to Leya. She looked up at him and wondered whether he really asked her to dance with him.
"Come on, fellow pessimist!" He smirked. "If we don't get moving as well we'll fall asleep."
She could not help but laugh and got up with him.
"Juan, give it your best!" Cuervo told their guitarist and joined the others with Lorella.
And before they knew it, what had started as Flamenco turned into a wild mess – without steps, without rules, but providing for lots of laughter and moments they would never forget.
And when the first rays of sunlight illuminated the tavern in the morning, Caspian soon became aware of the consequences. His head was pounding in pain and his neck was entirely stiff.
It was clear to him that the alcohol as well as the corner bench on which he had fallen asleep was to blame, and he needed to avoid rapid movements at all cost to not lose his balance.
He felt as if there was an inexplicable burden on him, but as he narrowed his eyes to look down, he immediately saw Tayana's black curls on his chest. Caspian let his head drop onto the bench again to avoid waking her up. She must have fallen asleep in his arms last night and he had not even noticed.
He had enjoyed her company from the start, she was not unlike him – focused, a bit too cheeky and probably more honest than it did her good. She was beautiful, moved as gracefully as the shadows in the night, laughed with joy for life and euphoria. He liked her already, yet his heart did not beat faster.
Was that possible?
He inevitably feared that he was already too broken for love and he hated the everlasting lethargy that secretly accompanied him as a matter of course. But if anyone could teach him to feel, was it not the fun-loving Tayana?
He also put his other arm around her, as though she was an anchor. She could not just be the company for one fun evening. If he could not fall for her, who would he ever fall in love with?
In his embrace she soon took a deep breath with closed eyes, until a smile spread across her face. She opened her eyelids and looked up at him so giggly that he had to laugh himself, as hungover as he was. She drew much closer to his face. Close enough for the next step, but she did not dare take it. She just glanced at him, seemingly searching for the answer to all her questions in his eyes. But when he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and would not let go of her anymore because her soft curves pressed so seductively against him, neither of them could wait any longer.
She kissed him, agitated and wild and ill-considered, and he was more passionate, more demanding than both of them had thought possible.
"I think I'm about to be sick," Leya whispered as she watched the scenario – laying in Emilio's arms. But the two lovebirds across the room were so busy with each other that they did not notice anything.
"Don't rant, dear," Emilio said quietly, lifting her chin so he could smile at her and give her a little kiss himself. Caspian and Tayana were not the only ones that had made new friends …
"He needs someone to make his heart beat faster, you know?" Emilio said.
"He'll hurt her," Leya pouted. "Even if you wrap it in poetic words, he will."
"I wouldn't be so sure. I've rarely ever seen him like that. He really seems to like her."
"Well, if you say so," Leya sighed. "At least I warned her."
Emilio winked. "Good friends can't do more than that."
"Sí," Leya agreed and chuckled. "Maybe we should just be as childish as the two of them."
"Do you think so?" Emilio beamed and went on to kiss her again right away.
And from then on, their relationships seemed completely logical, even when sober.
Translations
1. Estas caderas / Those hips
2. Es cierto / For sure
3. Quiero ejemplos / I want examples
4. Y, por supuesto, que te pusiste más linda / like: And, of course, how beautiful you look
5. Sería un placer / It would be a pleasure / Calle / Street
6. ¿Qué? Increíble / What? Incredible...
7. ¿Un niño de la calle, mh? / A kid of the street, mh?
8. Qué lástima / What a pity
9. La vida es una / like: There's only one life to live
10. Qué suerte / How fortunate