By night the Travelers camp was swathed in shadow. A campfire burned in the middle of the circle circumscribed by the painted wagons. Outside the circled wagons, darkness prevailed. The campfire beckoned all to its warmth and light.
Take and Electra sat on the ground in front of a blue wagon and watched the dancers. Avor stood close to the campfire as Esmeralda danced around him, encouraging him to try a few dance steps. As soon as Esmeralda released his hand, Avor walked over to join his sister.
Take laughed at Avor. "You're already finished dancing?"
"I have no idea how to dance to this music." Avor wiped the perspiration from his brow.
Electra tapped her knee in time to the music. "Good music, isn't it? I went with Serafina once to their camp in Chase Bound. I loved the music the first time I heard it."
Juanita brought Avor a bowl of stew and a large chunk of bread. She looked at Electra and Take. "Would you two like some stew?"
Take bent toward Avor's bowl and breathed in the aroma. "I wouldn't mind some. Thank you."
Juanita jerked her chin in Electra's direction. "And how about the Princess?"
"Thank you, but no. I had something before I left."
"Leftovers from your dinner at the castle?"
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"And did the subject of our caravan come up?"
"It did." Electra lowered her eyes.
"And?"
"I told my father that I knew all of you from Chase Bound but it did no good. He is sending the Royal Guard to request that you leave, come morning."
Juanita looked at Avor but he avoided her eyes by concentrating on his stew.
Juanita shrugged. "It's too quiet here for my liking anyway." She nudged Avor's boot with her shoe. "Come over to the fire and I'll give you some mulled wine to go with your stew."
Avor looked up at Juanita. "All right. I'll be along presently."
As Juanita walked away, Avor turned to Electra. "She didn't seem all that upset about having to move on."
Electra shook her head. "It's hard to say. Travelers aren't ones to give away their true feelings."
An old woman brought Take a bowl of stew and a hunk of bread just as Avor left to join Juanita at the fire.
Take looked at the woman, judging her age. "Might you be knowing of a woman named Drina? She said she was a Traveler girl long ago."
"Who wants to know?" the old woman asked.
"She was my mother. She died when I was just a lad."
"You are Drina's boy?" The old woman put her hand on Take's shoulder and studied his face. "Aye, I see it now. I see a bit of her in you."
Take seemed visibly shaken. Electra decided to give the two some privacy. Take could tell her the story later if he wanted. She slipped away to sit near the musicians.
Electra swayed in time to the music, lulled by a mournful melody. Her eyes kept returning to the man who played the fiddle. She was almost certain he was Angelica's father. When the musicians stopped to eat, he drank from a flask of wine.
Electra looked away. She had seen enough. He had the flushed face and red veined eyes of a man who drank to excess. And he kept a flask of wine at the ready. Angelica was right. He had not changed his ways. Better that he stayed ignorant of her whereabouts.
When she looked up, he was standing in front of her. She jerked back a little in surprise.
"You are Electra, that witch's girl. I hear you're calling yourself a princess now."
"I'm sorry. I believe we have not yet met one another. I am Electra, you are correct. And your name, Sir?"
"I am Shandor. And I think you know I'm Angelica's father. I also think you know where she is, since the two of you left the same time." He took another drink from his flask.
Electra locked onto Shandor's eyes and kept her voice steady. "I left with my brother Avor. We came back here to Fernland. Angelica did not leave with us."
Shandor stared back, angry and more than a little drunk. "You know something and I mean to find out what it is."
Electra looked around for Take or Avor but didn't see either one. "You are imagining things." Electra stood up and Shandor grabbed her wrist.
"You are the one imagining things if you think you're leaving here without telling me what you know about Angelica."
The old woman suddenly appeared at Electra's side. She pointed at Electra while she spoke to Shandor. "These people are our guests, Shandor. You'd best get back to playing your fiddle."
Shandor glared at the old woman angrily but he did let go of Electra's wrist. He stalked off to retrieve his fiddle.
"Thank you," Electra whispered to the old woman.
The old woman turned Electra toward the camp fire. "If I were you, I would get that young one out of here before Esmeralda gives him any more wine."
Electra spotted Avor now, dancing and stumbling around Esmeralda as she clapped and swayed with the music. Electra nodded at the old woman gratefully, and walked toward the fire.
"It is time to go, Avor," she said, taking his arm.
"Already?" Avor smiled at Esmeralda.
"I'm afraid so." Electra led Avor gently back to where they had left their lantern. She felt around for it in the dark. It was gone. "Wait right here while I find our lantern."
Avor sank to the ground and closed his eyes. She would have to wake him up to begin the long walk back to her cottage. She looked around for Take. He probably had the lantern with him.
Electra walked along the circle of wagons, looking for the lantern or Take. She stopped when she heard voices behind one of the wagons. She was sure one of the voices belonged to Take.
"Why would I be telling anyone? I'm just grateful you've agreed to build our theater. And that reminds me—we're going to put on a show for you and your men to express our appreciation. It sure would be a help if you could see your way to building us a small submerged platform in time for our show. I'll point out tomorrow where we'd like it built."
The man Take was speaking to grunted some sort of response and quickly moved on. Take emerged from behind the wagon.
"Electra! I was just looking for you." Take swung his lantern up to light his face.
"And I was looking for you. Who were you speaking with just now?"
"No one. Just singing to myself. It turns out I'm likely the son of some rich man. How about that?"
"I'm sure your father was a gentleman, as are you. And as such I could use your help to get Avor home. I think he may have helped himself to too much wine."
They returned to where Electra had left Avor only to find him gone. She looked around anxiously but did not see him.
"Don't worry, I see him," Take said.
Take ran over to the bonfire and pulled Avor out of Esmeralda's arms. He stooped down and flung him over his shoulder and staggered back to Electra with his heavy load.
"Let's get out of here." Take lowered Avor to the ground and with each of them holding one of Avor's arms, they made their escape.
When they had cleared the circle of wagons, they walked to the lake where Take washed Avor's face with cold water to rouse him.
Avor coughed and vomited up a good amount of wine.
"What happened?" Avor looked as though he might be sick again, but sat down by the lake and splashed more water on his face.
"The gypsy wine didn't agree with you," Take said, smiling.
Electra mouthed the words 'thank you' to Take and the three started back to the other side of King's lake.