Princess Electra Book 3 Gypsy Music

by Dory Lee Maske

  Chapter 27

  City of Taz

  Electra and Avor stepped out of the shore boat, speechless, as they beheld the splendor of Taz. Where the castle in Fernland was a massive, rough hewn fortress, this city seemed a triumph of beauty. They saw gardens with fountains, carved marble screens, graceful white buildings, trees laden with fruits and flowers. The only evidence of the city's defenses was the distant wall that protected Taz from attacks by land. The city's docks were empty of ships. Only the Spirit of Taz gave truth to the port it had once been and that ship was anchored fall off shore. Electra could not imagine the emotions Rabar must be feeling as he looked on his city once again—this time as a visitor.

  The oarsman quickly unloaded half the gifts that queen Delphinia had sent and pushed the boat back into the water to return to the ship for Muller, Tandor and Hilgard and the remainder of the gifts. Within a few minutes Electra, Avor and Rabar were met by men on horses who gestured for them to follow. They walked a short way to an outdoor sitting area next to a pond. The men on horses rode off at a gallop, leaving the three to wonder if that had been their welcome to Taz.

  Rabar looked around the beautiful garden with angry eyes. "I suppose these thieves are enjoying my city."

  Avor was ill at ease. "Who will you tell them you are? It would surely not be wise to admit that you come from Taz."

  Rabar tried to control his anger before he replied. "I doubt they will ask. I am dressed as a Fernlander and will speak only English. Electra will introduce me as the physician she is apprenticed to—no one fears a physician."

  Electra smiled at that remark. "Perhaps they might fear an incompetent physician."

  Rabar could not help but chuckle at her joke. It seemed to ease the tension.

  Bataar arrived on horseback, dressed in bright silk clothes, a blue tunic with a red sash, the traditional curved toed shoes and an elaborately embroidered hat that curved down at the pointed top. Several men similarly dressed arrived with him.

  Bataar smiled broadly at Electra and Avor. "You come games. Is good. Now come see begin."

  "We have three more coming ashore," Prince Avor said.

  "Yes, yes. Men bring. Come."

  "This is physician Rabar." Electra started to introduce him as her master, but Bataar interrupted.

  "Yes. All come now."

  Three of the men accompanying Bataar gave up their horses to Electra, Avor and Rabar.

  As soon as they were mounted, Bataar took off at a fast pace. The other three urged their horses to keep up. They rode through the city of Taz, past flowering trees, intricate marble carvings and bubbling fountains to the wall that surrounded the city. They rode through the gate in the wall to the great valley beyond.

  Thousands of people lined the valley, sitting on blankets, eating picnic lunches in front of their tents. A vast crowd of people were bunched at the end of the valley, all dressed in their best clothes with their horses groomed to perfection.

  "We go first," Bataar shouted.

  As soon as Bataar joined the mass of people at the end of the valley, the drums and trumpets sounded. The three guests realized they were to be part of a parade. They were all handed banners and flags to carry and Bataar started off toward the opposite end of the valley, directing his horse in a prancing trot.

  Electra looked anxiously at Rabar, wondering about his reaction to participating in a parade to honor Barburee. Rabar kept his face free of expression and she could not guess what he was feeling. Avor seemed delighted. He waved his banner at the crowds and tried to match Bataar's prancing step with his own horse.

  Bataar and his guests were followed by a large group of men, bare-chested but for small shoulder vests, with tight shorts and heavy boots. Rabar told her these were the wrestlers come from many different provinces to compete in the games.

  Behind the wrestlers came the archers with their bows and arrows strapped to their backs in ornate quivers. The last group were the horseback riders who would compete in the horse races. Some of these were children as young as four years old. Behind the competitors a group of soldiers completed the parade.

  As the parade circled the valley, both the participants and the audience sang traditional songs of Barburee. Small groups jumped to their feet and applauded when someone they knew rode by. It was a joyous time for the Barburee people. The start of the Nomadic Games.

  The parade went on for a long time. They went down one side of the valley and back up the other side. People had come from many provinces, bringing their round tents with them. They would camp out in the valley for the five days of competition and longer, using the gathering as an opportunity to trade goods, visit relatives and arrange marriages.

  After the parade, Bataar took his guests back through the wall to a house close to the harbor.

  "You want stay here? Stay yurt?"

  Rabar explained that a yurt was the name for their round tents, set up in the valley.

  "Here is good," Electra said quickly, though Avor looked as though he was still trying to decide.

  Bataar nodded. "I come later." He started to turn his horse and Electra said, "We have presents for you."

  Bataar smiled. "Later. We eat."

  He turned his horse and galloped back in the direction of the wall.

  Electra, Avor and Rabar looked at the ornate house Bataar had selected for them.

  "This was the Caliph's house," Rabar said as he led the way through the courtyard into the painted foyer and up the marble staircase. "Here was the Caliph's office." He pointed to a room with an arched wooden door. "The bed chambers are further along."

  Rabar took the Caliph's old bedroom and Avor and Electra took ones on either side. They all had wonderful views of the harbor. When they had unpacked and freshened up, they met again in the courtyard just as Muller, Hilgard and Tandor arrived.

  "They wanted us to bring the ship into the dock," Muller complained. "I had to tell them some of the crew had scarlet fever and the Captain had ordered us to keep them isolated. I couldn't think of another good reason fast enough."

  "Sometimes the truth works best," Rabar said.

  Muller frowned. "The truth is, if they find out we have a ship full of Taz citizens, we will probably all land in prison."

  "The Nomadic Games have just started," Electra said. "They are much too busy to worry about our ship."

  Avor looked at Muller. "I believe we have been invited to lunch today. I hope you brought the remainder of the gifts."

  Muller pointed to the stack of boxes at the entrance to the courtyard. "We have them." Muller looked around at the courtyard. "This house looks familiar."

  Hilgard darted a look at Rabar. "It is the Caliph's house."

  Muller walked toward the entrance. "It is! This is where we first met your father. Lucky for us he was willing to trade our information about the Great Khan's army for our passage home."

  Rabar nodded. "Yes, this is my father's house. And if the fates be willing, some day it may be his again."

  Prince Avor drummed his fingers nervously. "For now let's just concentrate on what we came to do. We are here to watch the Nomadic Games. And you and Electra, of course, are here to gather herbs."

  Tandor nodded. "I will stay near Electra on Dagon's orders."

  Muller seemed reluctant to commit to watching the games. "I will of course watch the games, but I may explore a little of the countryside while I'm here."

  "For what purpose?" Avor asked.

  Muller looked at Hilgard as though he might know the purpose of their explorations.

  "It is what spies do. They always gather information about the lay of the land when they are able." Hilgard spoke as though that were a self-evident truth.

  "Quite right," Muller added.