The Tales of Tarya, Books 1-3

Chapter 12 - Stage Fright-2

Then Pierrot appeared at the side of the stage, filling the space with his silent longing. He had no money for Harlequin, but his gentle gestures and expressive face offered unspoken promises of eternal love for the beautiful maiden. Eularia gazed back at him, overwhelmed by his love.

Harlequin wisely disappeared with his money, leaving a slew of disgruntled suitors. Scapino, the lying servant played by Roberto, decided he would try the same scam, and took bribes from the foolish men, promising to speak with the maiden’s servant, Smeraldina, on their behalf, so that she might convince Eularia to return their attentions. His interests in the serving girl were much baser, however.

‘Every piece of me longs for you,’ he declared.

‘Every piece?’ Lisette, as Smeraldina, replied, her raised eyebrow and glance at his conspicuous codpiece making the audience laugh with delight. In the midst of their banter he completely forgot to mention the interests of the waiting suitors.

Meanwhile, Ottavio, Jal’s Inamorato, appeared, and Eularia fell for him instantly, amidst great declarations of love. As the lovers gazed at each other, Mina found she wasn’t even conscious of waiting for the right moment to speak, she simply found it waiting for her. She drew the audience into the emotions of the characters laid bare before them.

‘Love, that greatest of sensations, can sweep over us all in an instant. It can take your heart and make it beat faster than you’ve ever known. It can take your soul and make you feel more alive than you dreamed possible. Yet beware the jealousy of others, for true love is what we all desire, and should we not find it …’

Her voice trailed off as all the other suitors came to claim the maiden, confident Scapino had worked on their behalf. Jal and Isabella were locked in an embrace and the rejected suitors blustered and stormed until they caught sight of Scapino. Urged on by Harlequin, they chased Scapino through the hall. As the Inamorati left the stage, absorbed in each other, Pierrot collapsed on the floor alone, his heart broken by Eularia’s abandonment.

The playing was ended.

Never had the troupe worked together so well, every scene flowing into the next, every offer of an idea or argument or piece of comedy taken up and brought to life. Harlequin was capricious and slightly dangerous. Watching him, Mina realised her presence as narrator had clipped his wings, ending his obscure communions with the audience, but her own role had seemed a lot clearer as she drew the audience into scenery conjured from Tarya.

Isabella’s beauty glowed even through her make-up. Jal was heartbreakingly handsome. The zanni, Scapino and Smeraldina, brought tears to the eyes with their antics. And Luka, as the pathetic Pierrot, was a wonder. Even the tiniest movement of his finger contained an immense longing and, when the Inamorata rejected him, he silently communicated an uncontainable grief that made the audience sigh and grieve with him.

If the audience had erupted with approval over previous acts, the sound was louder now as they watched Roberto, the too-clever Scapino, being chased through their midst by the rest of the players. Even the queen leaned over the box to watch as the players ran beneath her and out the doors of the ballroom.

Backstage, Mina helped Mama Tina bring in the curtain. Her heart was pounding and she strained to hear any other sound over the audience’s cheers. Was the herald going to bang for silence?

‘Open it again,’ Isabella hissed from onstage. The audience clamoured for another sight of the players. Mina and Mama Tina pulled on the rope and the curtain parted again. Mama Tina pushed Mina back onstage as the rest of the troupe returned through the audience. Artisans reached out to touch the players as they passed.

The troupe bowed together onstage, then Uberto beckoned for each to bow separately. One at a time they removed their masks and stepped forward to greet the applause. Mina was amazed when, at her turn, the noise of the crowd grew perceptibly louder. She couldn’t stop grinning. Finally the players bowed together again, masks in hand. Roberto broke ranks and exited stage left to help Mama Tina bring in the curtain for the last time. As the curtain touched the floor, the players turned to each other and hugged. Carried by the wave of joy, Mina even hugged Ciro, though she kept him at arm’s length.

Isabella was jubilant. ‘I was so beautiful, and they all loved me!’

Behind the curtain the noise died down, and music began. The acts were continuing. They remembered they were part of a competition and their jubilation died. Mina felt a wave of relief. Despite her conjuring of buildings from Tarya, she hadn’t been accused of Arcani.

Isabella led Mina to the dressing room, where she helped her remove her make-up with a foul-smelling cream. When they re-emerged, the other players were waiting. All the props and masks were gone. Uberto led them through a door in the far corner of the backstage area. To their right was another door, to their left a narrow passageway.

‘Leads to the guild rooms,’ Dario whispered, indicating the door. ‘We took our things back to the guild hall while you cleaned up.’

The door opened as they passed it. Players in slightly shabby costumes waited for Uberto’s troupe to pass.

‘May the world open to you,’ Uberto said to the new troupe with a slight nod of his head. The new players seemed transfixed by Mina, who looked away self-consciously.

Uberto led his troupe along the hallway to a door that opened right next to the great stairway in the main reception area. He waited for the tell-tale audience noises that indicated the next act was finished before leading them to the ballroom doors, where a steward stood. He let them in, and they quickly took their place on the rugs and cushions.

Performance after performance continued for the rest of the day. After a while it almost seemed as though they had never left these seats to perform themselves, except that occasionally another artisan leaned over and congratulated Mina on her playing. She seemed to have created a great stir, though she was still confused. What the harpist had done had brought about exile, but what Mina had done had made her a hero. Isabella gave her a look that could almost burn.

A group of young men and women in fashionable garb had just completed an elaborate and courtly dance when stewards went to the windows and opened the curtains. The head steward banged his staff and his voice filled the hall.

‘Be upstanding for their Royal Majesties.’

Quickly the artisans stood. Once all eyes were upon them and the hall was still again, the royal couple stood also.

The king addressed the room. ‘We are most impressed by the talent we’ve seen here today. Our servants have prepared a feast for you tonight in thanks for the entertainments you have given us. We will not attend, but the feast will be magnificent nonetheless.’

He gave a sideways nod of his head with a small, self-deprecating smile.

‘After the feasting, we invite you to enjoy the parade that is central to this wonderful festival. Please remember though that tomorrow will be another day like this one. Rest well and awake early.’

With a bang of his staff, the steward indicated the artisans should bow before the king and queen. Their majesties left the hall, leaving the crowd to discuss the day’s performances. Everyone held an opinion about the different acts.

Uberto’s troupe were jubilant about the success of their performance, and the feelings of elation carried them back to the guild room, where they quickly changed into ordinary clothes for the feast. Mina put on her good dress and wondered what she would wear for tomorrow’s feast, when the king and queen would attend. She would have to ask Mama Tina to let her borrow one of the costumes.

~

Even without royalty present the evening’s feast was magnificent. Stewards intervened as artisans entered the hall, separating groups to mix the tables. Noble men and women, dressed in bright costumes to emulate the artisans, sat at the tables too, eager to bask in the reflected glory of talent. Musicians played in the centre of the room. Tables seating about a dozen were arranged at random throughout the room, each with flowers scattered over brightly coloured tablecloths, many-coloured napkins, fine white porcelain and silver utensils. Alcoves around the walls held vases of perfumed, riotous bouquets on white pillars, transforming the ballroom into a garden.

As Uberto’s troupe entered the hall, they were duly directed to different tables. Dario looked for Mina over his shoulder as he was drawn away with Jal. Mina suddenly noticed the ceiling and had to be led by Lisette to a table as she gazed upward. To a child’s eyes the festival lanterns of Andon had seemed beautiful, but tonight Mina entered another world. Giant lanterns shaped into birds and butterflies hung overhead, luminous and brilliant.

Mina and Lisette found a table and introduced themselves to a lively mix of artisans. They quickly learned they sat with musicians, dancers, two noblemen in fancy parti-coloured costumes, a juggler, and another player with a handsome smile. An endless parade of platters brought to the tables revealed the true pleasure of feasting in a palace. Every platter bore new wonders. Bugs and butterflies carved of vegetables rested on broad leaves. Ornate pastry flowers hid the steaming contents of tiny pies. Even food that was simple, such as meatballs with a rosy coloured sauce, were contrasted with purple and blue flowers scattered amongst them, as though an errant breeze had brought the garden into the kitchen.

Platter after platter was brought out, the food wending its way quickly from savoury to sweet. The garden theme continued to the end of the feast, when the exquisite frosted flowers of earlier in the day were brought out, floating in what looked to be tiny ponds. A closer inspection revealed the still blue water to be a solid, transparent substance Mina had never seen before.

‘It is gelée,’ Lisette explained. ‘I do not know your word for it. From Rien. I have never seen it used this way. We make it with the liver of the goose. Perhaps oranges also. But never sweet. And I do not know how they make such a colour!’

The feast ended far too soon.

‘Are we being hurried?’ Mina asked her table companions as the jelly bowls were carried away.

Lucien, a handsome young player, smiled charmingly. ‘The parade begins soon. Perhaps I can accompany you ladies to the balconies? I want to ask you about your performance, Mina. What you did … it was indescribable. I must know your secrets!’

He offered an arm each to Lisette and Mina. All the artisans were crossing to great double doors that opened on to the wide stone balconies at the front of the palace.

‘Too crowded,’ Lucien decided, and led his companions across the banquet hall, through the main reception area, and out of the front door of the palace. Other artisans followed, spreading out on the broad circular steps leading to the huge palace doors. The courtyard was empty, but the rumbling of many voices sounded in the distance.

‘I found you!’ a familiar voice declared. Dario appeared, Jal and Isabella at his side.

Mina flushed, aware her arm was still held by the handsome player, but before she could speak Lucien had dropped her arm and fallen to his knees in front of Isabella.

‘My angel …’ he stuttered, lost for words. He grasped Isabella’s hand and kissed it tenderly. Mina and Lisette, who had been overwhelmed by his ability to speak with great eloquence during dinner, looked at each other with tiny smiles.

‘Are you a lord?’ Isabella asked hopefully.