The Gypsy Queen

by Samuel Solomon

  Bastion frowned, trying to understand what may have happened. He crouched next to Yana, to ask the girl.

  “You are safe now, Jaelle,” he said. “We will not hurt you. You understand?” The girl nodded.

  “Where are the other captives?” he asked her. “Where did they take the others?”

  The girl swallowed hard. “They are gone,” she said.

  “Look at me,” Yana said. “Where did they go?”

  “They beat us,” she whimpered. Yana tried to be patient, but her urgency was not allowing much. “They... they hurt us,” she said.

  Yana nodded. “I know they did. I know,” she said, trying to comfort her.

  “Jaelle, I need to know where they went. Where are the others?” Yana asked.

  “They took them. They said something about a ship,” she said.

  “Do you know where the ship is going?” Yana asked.

  The girl nodded. “They already sailed to Kaffa.”

  ________________________

  The Gypsy Queen- CHAPTER 9- “Shipped”

  “I found the staircase that goes up above ground,” said Nico.

  “There could be more captives there. Let’s go,” said Bastion.

  “Can you walk?” Yana asked Jaelle, the gypsy captive.

  “I can run,” said Jaelle. She stood up and righted herself.

  The team emerged into the upper dungeon, at ground level, and looked outside into the courtyard. It was silent.

  “The cells here are empty, sir,” Nico reported. “But all is not lost.”

  “How can you say that?” Yana said, distraught.

  Nico looked to Bastion, and to the barrel in the corner. Bastion was in agreement.

  “Yana, it is time to teach these slave traders a lesson, and shut them down. It only seems right that it should be at the hand of a gypsy,” he said.

  Yana liked the sound of that.

  “What are my orders, Captain?”

  A black shadow glided into the courtyard of Tatu Castle. Two guards slowly paced the upper edge, on a catwalk of planks that encircled the inner castle wall. Dawn had yet to break, and darkness welcomed the moving shadow. No other signs of life were evident as the shadow slunk along the wooden corridors and buildings.

  The shadow stopped at each building, greeting each one with a caustic splash. Finally the shadow stopped, at the far opposite from where it had begun. The shadow stood taller, and from a dark hood, Yana’s face emerged. She looked around at the castle, plotting her course. No more stealth would be possible. She reached up and carefully took hold of a torch that was nearly spent near the main gates. She tucked her head back under her hood, and began moving.

  No longer a shadow, she was but a spark- a small, simple flame, floating like an ember from a campfire. The spark followed the path that the shadow had traced. The spark burst forth a greater light, as Yana touched it to the first building, where she had cast the lamp oil. She ran to the next one, touching the torch to it, watching the fire grow.

  Her eyes lit up with glee at the sight of it. The whole damn place was wooden! There were no captives here, she thought, and there wouldn’t be any time soon, either. She moved as a bird in flight, to each building she had stopped at. She heard a shout from the direction of the first building she had lit. Faster still, she lit the remaining oil she had cast, and found herself back at the entrance to the dungeon.

  Without a word, Bastion took her hand and they fled the castle, back through the underground approach. The rest of the team had already left, leaving just Bastion behind to escort Yana. They emerged from the dark little house and rejoined the team at the gypsy camp they had set up.

  Tatu Castle began to light up the sky with fire. Voices of villagers could be heard from their distance. The camp moved quickly, already broken down. Bastion assigned two of his men to stay with the wagons, with Luba, Dimmie, and Jaelle, the captive they had rescued.

  He took Yana, Emilee and his four remaining men and headed for the shore of the Black Sea. Fully armed, they stole across the poor dusty streets of the Lower Reach and onto the shore. There was only one boat at the dock that was capable of sailing to Kaffa with major cargo, a big brown ship called the Panzar. Bastion led his team to board the ship with swords drawn, expecting either an all-out fight or... friends.

  Two of Bastion’s men greeted them as they came on board. Bastion had sent them to scout out the ship, and to commandeer it if possible. He was relieved to find that they had, in fact, taken over.

  “We found seven men aboard, Captain,” said one of them. “Six of them met their deaths.”

  “And the seventh?” Bastion asked.

  “We have him in a cage in the hull. He fought with us but now seems open to helping us.” Bastion was pleased. His men were well-versed in interrogation. “What did you find out?”

  “There’s another ship already on its way to Kaffa full of slaves. It’s piloted by a man we wish was among the dead.”

  “What man is this?” Bastion asked.

  “A fat, bearded man named Volga.” The rider looked over at the burning castle and the chaos of villagers scurrying around it. “Looks like he is going to be homeless. Perhaps headless would be even better.”

  Bastion looked around at the boat. He had heard of Volga before.

  “Think we can catch him?” he asked.

  “They only left hours ago, during the night. It’s possible, but there may be some stormy weather. That could help you or slow you down, depending on who hits the storm first.”

  The other rider who had captured the ship spoke up. “It might help you if we were to offload some cargo first,” he said, opening a door on the main deck. He motioned ‘come here’ with his hand, and out came a captive. Then another, and another. Bastion looked in to see that there were more than a dozen.

  “We found them down below, among some of the other goods,” the rider said.

  The whole group would have cheered their victory, but there was no time, and Volga was still at large with more slaves.

  Bastion did not hesitate. “Take all the captives to our wagons,” he told the first man. “Emilee will show you where they are hidden. Get everyone back to Jedikai as fast as you can.”

  “You,” he said to the other, “cast off the mooring lines. We sail for Kaffa.”

  “I want to go with you!” Emilee protested.

  Bastion looked at Emilee. “The captives and the caravan will need you and your bravery to get them back to Jedikai. Go,” he said.

  “Yes, Captain.” Emilee had taken the same vow as the other gypsy children. “Please bring Yana home safe,” she said, looking to Yana. Without another word, she turned and began assisting the captives getting off the ship. In only a few moments, those who would go to Jedikai were off the ship and headed for the caravan, and those who would sail to Kaffa were underway. Bastion barked out orders as they went.

  “Climb to the top of the mainmast, Yana, and release that sail,” he instructed her. Bastion ran for the long oars, where he had ordered the men. They stroked the water hard as they slipped away from the dock and towards the deeper waters of the Black Sea. The sweet, sickly smell of the burning castle drifted over them as the breeze was rolling out to sea. In a few moments, the sail came tumbling down and popped open with a great ‘WHOOM’ adding speed to their departure. Bastion took the helm, steering them to take full advantage of the wind.

  Yana swung down a rope off the mast like an acrobat, and joined Bastion at the helm. It was smart of him to send her, she realized- no one else could have done it so quickly.

  “You actually know how to sail?” she asked.

  “They don’t call me ‘Captain’ just for my good looks,” Bastion answered.

  “I have never sailed before,” she said. Yana walked over to the side. The depths of the cold sea were frightening. She looked up and saw the great expanse of water they were gliding across. The sun rose into the morning sky as they sailed northeast. Yana found it breathtaking. She
loved nature, and was seeing it in a new way. She pulled out the telescope she stole from the gatekeepers, to get a better look.

  Clouds were looming in the distance, but many miles away. She decided to explore the ship. She looked in all the doorways on deck, all storage except for the Captain’s quarters. It was a small cabin, but nicely appointed. Yana looked through the supplies. The ship seemed to be well-stocked for the journey.

  Yana took the little ladder that led below deck, endlessly curious. It was dark, except for the small streaks of light that came in through a few planks. It had a terrible feeling that made her stomach sick. The boat was rocking as it sailed, and on deck it was no problem, but being in the dark made her queasy. She smelled the spices and supplies the ship held, and it added to her nausea. Then she spotted the man held captive in what looked like an animal cage. How fitting, Yana thought. The man was sleeping, and Yana elected to leave it that way and get out of the awful cargo hold.

  Yana strolled the deck once more, feeling better. She rounded a corner, only to find Bastion’s men casting off the bodies of the men they had killed in taking over the ship. She turned away in revulsion. Ugh. She remembered the grim business they were about, wishing that she was on her way back to Jedikai, instead of heading for Kaffa. She recalled the man in the dungeon that she had killed, remembering the feel of the dagger as she had done it. She hated this business, but she hated even more the thought of a single person languishing in a dungeon the way they had found Jaelle. She longed for her happy caravan of gypsy friends, dancing and laughing.

  Yana felt afraid, thrilled, and exhausted. She did not feel restless, she was just eager to settle the matter and get back. She wanted to finish this quest. Yana felt bad as she realized that the end of the mission would mean she would have no more purpose... and it would mean that she would not see Bastion anymore. She watched him captain the ship, seeing the wind in his face and the determination in his eyes. She liked that.

  Yana had been on the run from Bastion since they had brought him back to the kingdom after she had found him. She had avoided the kingdom, and avoided the heartbreak she had felt even as they had travelled away from Jedikai that day. It was going to be even worse, this time, she realized. She had loved that dear boy, and loved him all the more, now, with every moment she spent with him. She tried to keep her love restrained, but was doing a poor job at it, since he had become part of her life once more.

  Yana jumped as Bastion put his hand on her shoulder. She had been daydreaming, trying to imagine what he would look like on the throne she had stood before in Jedikai.

  “It is beautiful,” he said, looking out with her across the Black Sea.

  “Yes,” Yana agreed. “How long will it take to get to Kaffa?” she asked.

  “It is a two-day journey, in good conditions. We may catch up with the other ship before we make port,” he said. “If not, we’ll have some tough decisions to make.”

  “What awaits us in Kaffa?” Yana asked.

  “Could be anything. Could be easy to strike down the slave traders and rescue many captives. I do have some information on the Kaffa operation, from the kingdom.”

  “Do you think it will be easy?” Yana asked.

  “No.”

  Yana felt a chill at the answer. She knew he was right.

  “Could be the end of us all,” he said.

  “Is this what you do? Charge headlong into your possible death all the time?” Yana asked.

  “I am about my father’s business, the kingdom’s business,” Bastion said. “Besides,” he added, “it is much more interesting than staring at the walls of the throne room, or going to parties I care nothing about.”

  “It’s not just that, is it?” Yana asked.

  Bastion gave it some thought. “No. It’s not just that. It’s just that... well...” he trailed off. “When we were children, and you rescued me in that storm, I never forgot it. I might have died right then, if you had not taken action.”

  “Foolish boy,” she chided him. “Out in the open like that.”

  “Yes, I was a foolish boy that day. But I have since put away childish things,” he said. Bastion put his arms around Yana, holding her close. He felt so... safe. She could feel his strength, and smell the leather armor he wore. It smelled good. She breathed in deeply. He held her longer, almost as if he was trying to say something just by his embrace.

  “You see, Yana,” Bastion said as he released her, “it was you that inspired me, for what I do in my life.”

  Yana was confused. “You don’t just do this because you want to wander around like a gypsy.”

  “I did love our travels, those few weeks when I recovered. I loved seeing the countryside. But you are right, that’s not it.”

  “Then what is it?” she asked.

  “It’s helping people. Helping people that need help. Saving people that need rescued. All the gold in the kingdom doesn’t really mean a thing. The parties, the prestige... it’s all empty.

  “The song and dance and jokes of the gypsies- those things are good, simple pleasures, and important, but... it’s hard for me to enjoy such leisure, when the people need me.”

  “That sounds like a terrible burden,” Yana said.

  “And now you know of it,” Bastion said. “Your coming to help me, from the other night in the gulley, all the way to Kaffa- it is a sacrifice for you.”

  “Aye. Somehow, I do not mind too much,” she said.

  “Yana, you are beautiful to me. From our youth, to the bellydance, to the Great Hall... charging across miles of meadows,” he said, “but I think the most beautiful I have ever seen you, was setting fire to that castle. Seeing you fight for your people, your passion...” he trailed off again.

  “In that moment, I saw you at your finest,” Bastion said.

  Yana was speechless. Could it be that he felt the same way about her, as she felt for him? She set her hand on his, on the starboard rail. She wanted to help his burden feel lighter somehow. She did not have her harp, or any other music at hand. She leaned in and set her head on Bastion’s chest. She leaned in closer, wishing she could make him feel something as powerful as the way he made her feel.

  Yana was torn between her desire to express herself to him, and her need to keep some sort of distance. She already knew the heartbreak that was coming to her when their time was over, and she would deal with that when she got to it. Most likely, she figured, she would run and travel as far away as she could. She knew she would never find anyone else like Bastion, but she hoped she would at least find something to help her forget.

  I just don’t want to hurt him, Yana thought. It would not be fair to him to get too close, knowing she would be leaving. She wanted just to live in the moment, to trust her intuition. And, she realized as she sank into him, standing on the deck of the Panzar... she wanted to rest.

  “You are tired, Yana,” Bastion said.

  “No, I’m not,” she replied.

  “You nearly fell asleep just now, standing up,” he said kindly. “I want you to rest now. You’ll need to be strong when we catch the other ship.”

  “You rest,” she said. “I’ll steer the ship.”

  “I give the orders, Yana,” he said.

  Yana knew it was pointless to argue. He was right, she was very tired. If it was a mistake for her to rest first, it would be his mistake. Yana kissed him on his cheek and headed for the Captain’s quarters with a smile. Bastion wasn’t known for making mistakes.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

  Draiman walked through the village leading up to Tatu Castle at midday. He watched the smoke gush out of the still-burning interior. The pandemonium consisted of people trying to put the massive fire out, and the spectators, whom he was much more interested in.

  “What happened here?” he asked one of the villagers.

  “We don’t know,” the man said. “We woke up to the sound of the alarm bell ringing.” Draiman expected as much. He would need better answers. He found a man that he r
ecognized as a guard in the castle, who seemed to be giving up on any efforts to save the irretrievable loss.

  “What do you know about this fire? How did it start?” he asked the guard. “We don’t know how it started exactly. We had some kind of invader.”

  “Invaders? What do you mean, gaje?” Draiman asked.

  “No one saw anyone. But one of our workers escaped through the dungeon. There were four of our men down there, dead.”

  “Dead how? Smoke?”

  The man shook his head. “Blades.”

  Draiman’s eyebrows lifted at that information. There was only one outfit that could set such a fire successfully, and not be spotted by anyone.

  The black riders of Jedikai.

  The castle was a total loss, but not too severe for Draiman, being a gypsy. He was a wealthy gypsy, because of his part in the slave trade, but he was grateful he was not the owner of the ruined castle. This event would call for him to change his plans.

  “What about the ships?” Draiman asked the dirty-faced guard.

  “They sailed to Kaffa as planned. Must have been before the fire broke out,” the guard answered.

  Draiman set his hand on the guard’s shoulder. “Thanks, friend.”

  He made his way back to his small group of gypsy men that worked with him in his caravan. He gathered them together.

  “Ursari,” he called out to his tribe. “We will take some time south of the Lower Reach, and you can meet up with your own peoples. Then, we’ll cross the Sardica River and head up to the city of Sardica itself.”

  “What’s in Sardica?” one of his men asked. “It’s not a good place to catch slaves.”

  “We won’t be catching slaves there,” Draiman answered. “I have to go meet the Administrator of Jedikai.”

  “A man named Otta.”

  ______________________

  The Gypsy Queen- CHAPTER 10- “Storm”