With a mental flourish, the dimmed lights extinguish, and a large spotlight is cast at the stage, revealing a noble’s bedroom. There is a large bed and several wardrobes opposite a closed door. The wall on the back of the stage is occupied by a dressing mirror, a couple of shelves, and tools for painting meticulously arranged in the corner. The crowd falls silent, as the play begins.
With trepidation in her steps, Juliette walks into the spotlight from behind the bed. Casting a worried glance around the audience, she startles when a knock at the door breaks the silence. Composing herself and straightening out her slightly ruffled dress, she turns towards the door.
“Enter!” she commands.
The door swings open and in comes the nurse.
“Milady, I bring tidings. It is as we feared. His lordship has approved the proposal.”
“So, this is it then? My future, my freedom, my life, handed over to some prick from afar with nary a word?”
“You know it isn’t so milady. He cares about you deeply, he does! But this is the only way to save the house from that monster.”
“And so he pawns off his daughter like some common whore. … I apologize, Nurse, it’s just… this is too much.”
Like a dam breaking, the anger on her face gives way to sadness and Juliette breaks down sobbing, falling to the floor on her knees. Immediately, the nurse rushes to comfort her, hugging her tightly.
“Don’t worry Milady. We still have time until the appointed day. The prince will come to seal the arrangement in two weeks time. Until then, we can look for alternatives. It is not too late!”
“Thank you, Nurse. For being with me all this time, and for your kind words. I could not have asked for a better wet nurse.” Juliette declares while cleaning the tears off her face and awkwardly standing up.
“It is not a problem, milady. I have an idea… What if we ask the friar for help? He is a knowledgeable man. He might know of someone capable of finding this fiend responsible for our ill fate, and bringing it to justice.”
“I don’t see how it could get any worse. All right, Nurse, I shall pen a message to the Friar. May I trouble you to deliver it for me, and hear his response?”
“Of course, milady.”
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Juliette makes her way over to the dressing mirror where she takes out a scroll and under the applause of the audience the curtain lowers as the scene is done.
I take a moment to center myself as my monsters around me cheer for their siblings and the first of the adventurers to make an appearance. The rogue is doing a good job, her lines were delivered flawlessly. Clearly, she was struggling to portray her character well when Juliette broke down crying, but I do not blame her. For a second there, I myself was not sure whether she was genuine or not, and I watched her practice this.
Looking around the hall where I am currently resting in the hands of one of my newest mannequins, scribbling away at my notes with a sprite sitting on his head maintaining a spell to hide my glamorous nature, I sense a lot of elation amongst my monsters. They have worked hard for this and I am equal parts elation and trepidation to see the rest of this play out.
My current arrangements are less than satisfactory for me, I would much rather float above the stage, but my main body's location is not really relevant for my perception within my domain and my monsters insisted I remain hidden from the adventurers, as they do not fully trust them. And so, to set my monsters' worried hearts at ease, I go along with their demands.
The preparations for the second scene are finished, there is a surge of magic as all of the sprites onstage change the appearance of the setpieces again, and the actors get ready as the curtain lifts for scene two.
The dwarf stands in the center of a dark stone building, dimly lit by candles on top of a stone edifice faintly resembling an altar.
There are wooden benches in front of the dwarf, upon which a young human man rests, his figure clad in heavy armor exposing only his handsome face.
It is Juliette, having employed her skill to imitate the leader of the previous adventuring party in order to play her second role.
The dwarf was clearly not prepared for this, as he is still staring at her incredulously when the spotlight comes back on.
It takes him several seconds to realize where he is and what is going on before he can wrest his gaze away from his fellow performer and center himself. With great effort, he begins to exude an aura of calm before speaking.
“Romeo, my boy, what brings you to my chapel so late?”
“Oh Friar, it is one of my skills again.” Juliette responds, her voice pitched slightly lower than her normal speaking voice. It is not enough to truly fool anyone, but enough to know that she is supposed to be a distinct role right now. “I sense a great evil upon this town. It’s clawing at me, making me restless. I need to do something, anything. I don’t know what is happening, but it cannot be good.”
“I understand, my boy, I do.” the Friar responds. “I sense it too. That unrest, and the aura of darkness creeping ever closer into this domain. I know not what is the cause, but know this. If I receive any information, I shall share it with you freely, my boy. You have a good heart, and a good pair of arms no less. If there is evil abound, we must vanquish it together.”
As the pair quiet down, there is the creak of an ancient door being opened, and the nurse steps into view from the sidelines.
“Friar, I have come to deliver a letter from the young Lady Juliette. We need your help.”