Chapter 34
Kingdom of Fernland
Take had been four days on the road between Henge and Fernland. The trip had been tiring but uneventful. He had slept the last night in the forest, hugging his bag of gold coins to his chest and dreaming of his young life stealing scraps in Fernland's marketplace.
He arrived back at his shed in Fernland at midday, checking frequently to make sure no one followed him. He stayed just long enough to hide his purse of gold coins. He put two coins in his pocket, dug a hole in the corner of the shed, deposited his purse, filled in the hole and stamped the earth down to match the rest of the earthen floor. Then he went off to find his friends.
He stopped first at the bakery stall in the marketplace. Finding the stall empty he headed for Tom's house. There he found them all, laughing and plotting. They jumped up to greet him, slapping him on the back, forcing food and drink into his hands and demanding he tell them everything that had happened since he had left with Shandor for Henge.
Take told them about Shandor's unfortunate move to the dungeon, about living at the Traveler camp and about enlisting Juanita's and Esmeralda's help in finding the mysterious 'Finn'. He stopped short of telling them he had found his father and he said nothing about his purse of gold. He needed more time to think about how he should handle those two life-changing events.
"But what has happened here?" he asked. "Any requests for a magic show? Any progress on the building of the theatre?"
Tom spoke up. "Smiles 'ere had a thought. Maybe if we was ta take some pastries to them Taz men they would remember bout workin' on our theatre."
Angie cut in. "An it worked like a charm, it did. We took 'em sweet rolls once an' told 'em we'd bring more in a couple days cause they worked so hard an' all. An' would ya believe—the next time we come bringin' pastries, they had a floor built fer our stage. A real wood floor! Can you imagine?"
Next it was Trixie's turn. "An' the time after that, they had two sides a the stage framed in."
Now Peaches chimed in. "An' just yesterday, one side a the stage was all done up with boards."
Take looked at Bear and Peaches, standing together, smiling happily. It seemed unusual to find Bear quiet and uncomplaining.
"And did their work suit you Bear?" Take asked.
"What's that?" Bear asked with a dream-like expression.
"Did you find the work on our theatre satisfactory?" Take repeated.
"A' course. Them Taz men jus think we're the butter on their bread."
Smiles laughed. "Them two—Bear an' his Peaches—they think everything's just fine these days. They been shot with cupid's arrow."
Bear's face turned red. "So?" he said with a frown that quickly turned into a smile for Peaches. "I spose we have been."
Peaches put her arms around Bear and hugged him. "Me an' my Bear's gonna get hitched."
"The two of you are getting married?" Take asked, not all that surprised.
"We are." Bear put on a defiant face, as though he expected Take to make an argument against it.
Instead Take shook Bear's hand. "I think we need to plan a big celebration. What say we have your wedding on our new stage and invite as many as want to come? I'll even pay for it."
Peaches began to scream as she jumped up and down. "A real wedding, Bear. Think of it!"
Take stood up. "In fact let's go back down to King's Lake now. Maybe help with the building to speed things along."
The little acting troupe quickly gathered their things together and set out for the lake.
As they walked along, Tom drew Take aside. "Ya know, this 'ere wedding you've said you'd pay fer..." Tom hesitated and began again. "Ya know if a lotta people show up, lookin' ta be fed and such like they do fer weddings—things could get a bit dicey as far as how much it might get up ta cost ya."
"I've set a fair bit aside, Tom. I don't think we need to worry."
Tom shook his head. "It's jus them gals. They get going' ya know on how things got ta be an first thing ya know, it's time ta pay the piper."
"Can you keep a secret Tom?" Take whispered.
"A course I can." Tom moved in closer to Take.
Take leaned over to whisper in Tom's ear. "I came into a little extra money up in Henge."
Tom looked surprised. "How'd ya do that Take?"
Take put his finger to his lips. "That part's a secret I need to keep to myself for a bit, but it's a fact, I've plenty for a wedding. So don't worry about the money."
Tom clapped Take on the back and smiled. "Right. No worries."
They reached the lake late in the afternoon. Luckily they had brought left over sweet rolls with them. The men from Taz welcomed them with shouts and smiles and lined up for the pastries.
Take tried to communicate the actors' desire to help with the building by picking up a hammer and putting a nail into a board.
The Taz men laughed and applauded as though this were another performance. Take wondered if he should see if the Caliph felt well enough to translate for him. He was about to send Tom to check on the Caliph just as he noticed two men emerging from Electra's cottage. Haddad and the Caliph waved from the doorway. The Caliph and his son headed in Take's direction.
The Caliph stopped to catch his breath when he reached them.
"How are you feeling, Caliph?" Take asked.
"Better each day. Haddad comes by every afternoon to accompany me on a short walk along the beach." He smiled and clasped Take's upper arm. "The men were much heartened by your last play."
"They were a gracious audience," Take acknowledged with a nod. "And we of the actors troupe are much heartened by the progress on our theatre."
Haddad laughed. "I spare only a few men each day. But they argue over who will be chosen. They have become very fond of the sweet rolls."
Take pointed to Bear and Smiles. "These men are the bakers. Today we are here to plan a wedding for Bear and his fiancé Peaches. Of course you are all invited to the wedding."
Bear drew in a sharp breath and Peaches' hands flew to her mouth.
"That is most generous," the Caliph murmured. He looked at Take. "When is the wedding to take place?"
Take smiled at the alarm in Bear's eyes. "A fortnight? Does that sound about right?"
Bear nodded at Take with an uncertain expression.
The Caliph turned to his son.
"Can we have the stage finished by then?"
Haddad nodded slowly. "I believe we could have the stage and one room finished by then."
"When you say we are all invited, do you mean all of us from Taz?" the Caliph asked. "I would understand if you only meant to invite those who had worked on your theatre."
Bear leaned in close, holding his breath, anxious that Take use this gesture by the Caliph to rescind his blanket invitation.
"No." Take was very firm. "I mean all of you from Taz and many Fernlanders as well. We will have much to celebrate."
Bear seemed to be hyperventilating and Peaches was so overcome with emotion that Angie and Trixie had to hold her from falling into a faint.
As Haddad and the Caliph turned to go, Haddad took the hammer from Take's hand and spoke in a soft voice.
"Let my men take care of the construction. Just keep the sweet rolls coming."
Princess Electra Book 3 Gypsy Music Page 34
