Star of Gypsies

"They both claim the throne?"

Julien nodded. I thought he would burst into tears.

"So we have not only a Sixteenth, but a Seventeenth and an Eighteenth as well? All at the same time?"

"No, mon ami. There is only a Sixteenth."

"But we don't know which one of the three he is?" "The emperor is the former Lord Periandros, Yakoub."

"So you say. Because you've been on retainer from Periandros since the year six. But is his claim any better than Naria's or Sunteil's?" "He is in possession of the Capital."

"Nine tenths of the law, eh? Well, Shandor was in possession of our capital until you threw him out. What if Sunteil invades the Capital the same way?"

Julien was squirming now. A little muscle was flickering in his elegant Gallic cheek.

"Or both of them?" I suggested. "Striking a deal. Flipping a coin, heads I'm emperor, tails it's you, let's both throw Periandros out. What then?"

"These are terrible times, Yakoub." "Indeed they are."

"The emperor wishes to help you because he knows that you can help him, yes. We are entering a season of chaos and flame. You and the emperor, standing together, could prevent the worst of it from happening. 11

"So we could, perhaps. But it would be the same if I allied myself with Sunteil or Naria."

"They did not rescue you, Yakoub. And they are not at the Capital now. Believe me, Yakoub: the Lord Periandros is emperor. However it was accomplished, it is the reality. Sunteil and Naria are insurgents. They mean to lead insurrections against the reigning emperor. If you throw in your lot with one or the other of them, Yakoub, you are not preventing chaos, you are in fact increasing it."

"And if I prefer Sunteil? Or Naria?"

"Why should you? You dislike them both. I know that."

"I have nothing good to say about Naria, true. Sunteil is a different matter."

"You can find something good to say about that Fenixi?"

"He's tricky and dangerous, yes. But he has charm. Periandros is absolutely devoid of charm, Julien. You must know that yourself." "Charm is not the primary quality we seek in an emperor."

"But as king I'll have to deal with the emperor all the time. Do I want to deal with someone stiff and dull and humorless and heavyhanded when I could be crossing swords with the playful Sunteil?" "You are being frivolous, Yakoub."

"I am a frivolous man."

"You are the least frivolous man in this galaxy!" he cried, with an angry force and a vigor I hadn't heard from him in a long while. "And this is foolishness. Periandros has made himself emperor. All right: he is emperor, like it or not. The other two are rebels. The emperor has given you your freedom and offers to support you in the schism within the Rom. You can accept or reject as you please. But if you choose to reach your hand toward one of the rebels you will destroy what little stability the Imperium has managed to attain in these difficult days. And you may find that the emperor, in his effort to rebuild that stability, will choose to reach his hand toward someone else."

"You mean Shandor? Is that a threat, Julien?"

"It is the statement of a realistic man, nothing more." "It sounds like a threat."

"I am your friend, Yakoub. You know that. How long has it been for us, since the old days on Iriarte? When you were a discoverer of planets for your wife's kumpania and I was the company dispatcher? I was there when you married Esmeralda, was I not? When they gave you the bread and the salt, who stood beside you? And when Shandor was born, who was it you asked to be the godfather? And me not even a Rom; but you wanted me, and I would have done it if her father had allowed it. Have you forgotten all that?"

"I have forgotten nothing," I told him. "Nevertheless, you have a strange loyalty to Periandros."

"Not so strange. There's mutual respect there. You underestimate that man because you find the Akraki style not to your liking."

"He recognizes you as King of France, is that it?"

Color flared in Julien's cheeks and he seemed close to bursting into tears of rage.

"What does that have to do with anything?"'

"France, I think sometimes, is more important to you than any place in the universe that still exists."

He calmed himself. It took some effort. "You will never understand what France is to me. It is like your Romany Star, Yakoub: the great lost place, the only true mother. Why is that so hard for you to comprehend?"

So he knew of Romany Star? That startled me. I had never heard that name on Gaje lips before. Obviously Julien had been paying closer attention to the private words of his Rom friends than any of us suspected. It troubled me, his knowing. But I didn't feel like dealing with that question now.

In annoyance I said, "Romany Star still exists. Someday we'll return there. But your France-"

"Ah, so that is the distinction, Yakoub? Your fantasy is real and mine is not, you mean?"

"Fantas y "I beg you, mon ami, let us not cloud the discussion with these side issues-" "You think Romany Star is a myth? A fable?"

He made a sweeping gesture with his hands. "N'importe, mon cher. That does not matter. Let us put this debate aside, for the moment. For the moment, Yakoub. You say that my loyalty to Periandros is strange, that it is somehow linked to his recognizing my claim to my own ancient throne. In fact he cares nothing at all about my claim. He cares only for the Imperium. I am loyal to him, to use your word, because I think he is the proper one to rule. As I also think that you, you are the proper one to rule, eh, Yakoub? Bien. Enough of this talk, mon cher. Come out of this prison room of yours, now. The palace is yours, this house of power. We restore it to you. Shandor is gone. Take your seat upon your throne, and I will prepare one more meal for you, in celebration. And then I wish you to think of all we have said. And then I hope you will come with me to the Capital, and present yourself before our new emperor. D'accord? Eh? Eh, mon ami? Think on these things. Only think, Yakoub."