1419. That's why Harmonique had returned to Paris. She looked at the tiny woven map, which hung around her neck disguised as a necklace, and sighed. She had tried to argue against her father but he wouldn't hear any of it from her. She didn't want to be married and especially not to a stranger, whether he was a gypsy prince or not. She thought about all of her friends, who she'd had to leave behind, unlikely to ever see them again. Her friends had rebelled against her father as well but it had not helped. She had tried to run away also but her father always found out and kept a close eye on her.
It was now early afternoon and the sun beat down on Harmonique. She stood up and walked down the steps, following the map. Soon she came to a cemetery, which she remembered all too well. She moved the stone cover off of the fake tomb and descended the stairs. She made her way along the dark and foul catacomb tunnels until suddenly the light from her torch went out. Before she could figure out what had happened, the tunnel was flooded with light and several guards, dressed as skeletons, ambushed her. One came up behind her and twisted her arm behind her back, causing her to wince with pain.
"Well look at this." One laughed "A little spy and a female one at that. Clopin will be pleased."
"Yeah, the one day his father leaves him in charge and we haven't had any intruders, well at least now he's got someone to hang." Another chuckled. Before she could speak, the guards gagged her and dragged her off in the direction of the court. Up on the stage Clopin Trouillefou sat on a crudely made throne, picking pieces of fluff off of his hat. His father had left him in charge of the court for the day whilst he went to the next town to sort out some important business. This was the only chance that Clopin would get at being king for at least 3 or 4 years, and absolutely nothing had happened. When he saw the court's doors fly open and the guards drag in a prisoner he was very excited.
"Bring them up here" he called out and the guards did as he asked. At that time of day the court was nearly deserted because everyone was up on the streets earning a living. The guards brought her before the gypsy prince and she rolled her eyes as he smirked at her.
"Well, well what have we here?" he asked, stroking his newly grown goatee.
"A spy" one of the men grunted out. Harmonique tried to say something but remembered the gag around her mouth.
"There is nothing that you can say which will save you now" he laughed and ordered two men to prepare the gallows. Seeing that she was getting nowhere she kicked her leg up backwards, hitting the guard who held her where it hurt most. Then when he let go of her she flung around and punched the other one who stumbled back and fell over.
"Well that's a lovely welcome for your fiancé." She said, removing the gag from her mouth.
"What?!" he asked fearing that he had just made a bad mistake that he was going to regret.
"I said well that's a lovely welcome for your fiancé."
"My fiancé?" He looked at the girl. If it was Harmonique then she had certainly changed over the last two years. Her skin was still tanned a golden brown and her blonde hair still fell in loose ringlets down to her mid back. She was taller than before, then again so was he, she was only a few inches shorter than him. She stood looking at him with her hands on her hips. He looked into her eyes and realised that it was her and that he had made a big mistake.
"Harmonique I'm so sorry it's just that I can't trust every-"
"No" she interrupted "I'll tell you what it is. I've been travelling here-by foot for 4 days with barely any food or drink. I've been chased by the guards 3 times, shouted at by gadjes and walked through ankle deep sewage to get here so that your guards can ambush me and then you can nearly hang me. That is what it is Monsieur Trouillefou"
Clopin sighed and told the guards to return to their duties.
"I'm sorry that you've had a bad journey but we were not expecting you today"
"Obviously, even though it is the day that our fathers agreed on."
"Well I shall speak with my father about that when he returns. Why don't you go and get cleaned whilst it's quiet?" He offered to take her bag but she kept a firm grip on it. He could see that getting her to like him was going to be harder than he thought and it was going to be even harder now, after the introduction he had just given her. He led her to the bathing tents and walked back to the stage when she had gone in.
