Chapter 12
King's Lake in Fernland
Only four days had passed when Take received word that his submerged platform was completed. He quickly gathered his friends for a trip to King's Lake to view the finished project. They stood at the edge of a sparkling lake on a day filled with sunshine and promise.
Take proudly showed the members of his acting troupe the newly built submerged platform.
"Ain't she a beauty," Tom said as he shaded his eyes and looked out at the top of the platform, visible now at low tide. "We could wade out there an' have ourselves a picnic."
"We could have a picnic right here and wouldn't be gettin' all wet ta do it," Bear grumbled. "I don't see the use of it."
"You've got to use your imagination," Take said. "Now I'm thinking for our show we could tie up a shore boat just in front of it to hide ourselves behind. Then as we rise up it looks like we're coming up out of the lake. I thought we could dress up like sea creatures."
"Yes, yes I can see it," Peaches insisted. "And so can you—you old grumpy bear." She punched Bear in the shoulder and he grinned back at her.
"Yeah, I guess that might work," Bear agreed.
"Then we could pull a treasure box up behind us," Take continued.
"A treasure box." Angie jumped up and down. "I love it! Then we could bury it on the beach."
"And then we could dance like sea creatures all round about it," Trixie added.
"What would we be puttin' in the treasure box?" Smiles asked.
"We could paint some stones yellow ta look like gold," Bear suggested.
"We could paint a bunch of stuff yellow," Tom added.
"Or we could put a surprise in it," Take mused. "But another part of the show could be finding the buried treasure."
"Yeah, maybe pirates," Tom said.
"Pirates be ones what bury treasure—not find it." Bear looked at Tom as though his education might be lacking.
"Mayhap the audience could find it," Smiles said.
"They've been watchin', ya know—they seen us bury it. It's not like the audience is gonna just stumble on ta it or have ta look for it." Bear looked exasperated.
"Maybe fairies could find it," Trixie suggested.
Bear stared at Trixie with an incredulous look. "Fairies? Where did fairies come from all a sudden?"
"People do like fairies." Angie put her arm around Trixie.
"A course they do." Peaches glared at Bear and Bear shrugged and looked away.
Take seemed lost in thought. A movement down the beach caught his attention and he shielded his eyes from the sun to get a better look. A man was walking along the water line in their direction. He carried something in his hand. As he drew closer, Take recognized him as the fiddle-player from the Travelers' camp. He waved to beckon him forward.
The man stopped for a second, then walked toward them.
"I'm looking for Electra," he said. "Is that her cottage yonder?"
"Aye, that's her cottage but she's not there," Take said.
"I see smoke from the chimney." The man looked as though he thought Take might be lying.
"There's a sick man and his son staying there. Electra's gone to the castle."
The man didn't move. "When will she be back?"
"We don't know." Take eyed the man suspiciously. "You're one of the Travelers. How is it you're still here?"
"I'm looking for my daughter and I think Electra can help me find her."
"We ain't seen no Traveler girls round here that I know of," Tom said.
Take moved in front of Tom to draw the man's attention away from his friend. "Electra will likely be back the next day or so. You could check with the physician at her cottage. Maybe he knows when she plans to come back." Take stared at the fiddle in the man's hand. "You always carry your fiddle with you?"
"I've got no safe place to keep it. My wagon left with the caravan."
"Mayhap ya could play us a little tune," Smiles said. "We're about ta have a bite ta eat if you've a mind ta join us."
Take wasn't happy with Smile's invitation. Something about the fiddle player set his teeth on edge, even if he was an excellent musician. He decided to keep quiet. Perhaps it was his imagination.
"I wouldn't mind a bit of food. My name is Shandor."
The others introduced themselves as Shandor lifted his fiddle to his shoulder and began to play a sad but lovely, lilting melody.
The members of the acting troupe all clapped loudly as Shandor ended his piece.
"That's just about the most beautiful thing I've ever heard," Trixie murmured.
"Say, we could use a gent what plays like that, couldn't we Take?" Tom looked at Take with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
"Use me for what?" Shandor asked.
"We're actor folk. We're here ta work out our next show. That there's our platform out there in the water." Tom pointed at the lake.
Shandor looked at the platform skeptically. "That's where you put on your shows?"
"It's just the first of our tools," Take said.
"Yeah. One day soon they'll be a theatre right here where we're standin'." Bear stamped his foot to emphasize his point.
Angie pulled a basket over and opened it up. Inside was a loaf of bread, a round of cheese and a net bag full of apples. "Let's have some lunch and we'll tell ya all about it."
"Have you anything to drink?" Shandor asked.
"Lake water." Angie laughed as she said the words.
The actors spread out on the sand, enjoying the warmth of the sun. Shandor seemed a little jittery, but attempted to join in with the general conviviality.
They discussed the hidden treasure and who might find it. Shandor told them a story he had heard in his travels about a genie who could grant wishes.
"A genie!" Peaches was enthralled with the idea of wishes coming true. "Could we fit a genie in the box?" She looked at Bear, the smallest member of their troupe. Even he was too big to fit into their treasure box.
Take's eyes grew wide and a smile spread across his face. "Not in the box, but under it." He slapped Shandor on the back. "A giant genie could appear to come out of the box."
Take looked at the other members of the troupe. He saw they all were excited by Shandor's ideas as well as his fiddle playing. He decided to put his own reservations about the man aside for the good of the troupe."What say you all we offer Shandor the job of fiddle player for the show?" he asked.
The actors shouted out yes and yea, then all shook Shandor's hand and welcomed him into their troupe.
Shandor smiled and tried to keep his hand from shaking as he accepted the job.
Princess Electra Book 3 Gypsy Music Page 12