The Tales of Tarya, Books 1-3

Chapter 7 - Initiation-4

Mama instructed Mina in cleaning the masks, using a golden oil that smelled enticing. Lisette sat next to her at a tavern table, sewing together a torn canvas backdrop with swift, skilful fingers. Dario was sent to purchase leather and other supplies. By early afternoon the entire troupe was busy with tasks, within the tavern or at the wagons. Late in the afternoon they packed the wagons and gathered at the tavern table. Uberto joined them then, two strangers straggling behind.

‘Welcome Luka and Vincenzo to our troupe,’ he demanded, and took a seat.

Isabella quickly made space for the older stranger to sit, but he remained standing, eyeing the players. Luka too stood back, smiling sheepishly. He was young, little more than a boy and slight in stature, with muddy blond hair and a fragile body. All the other players ignored him until Mina caught his eye, smiled, and made a space for him. With a grateful, lopsided smile, he came and sat beside her.

Uberto spoke again. ‘Vincenzo has been playing these many years, and will take on the role of Il Dottore.’

Vincenzo gave a graceful bow. He was very tall and broad, but without the corpulence of Aldo. He laughed and spoke in a voice deep beyond imagining, causing vibrations in the room. Mina guessed such a voice would command the stage and hold any audience in thrall.

‘Thank you for your introduction, my dear Uberto. Yes, it’s true, I’ve been playing longer than memory serves. Mostly Il Dottore, although I did briefly play Il Capitano when younger and less … substantial than now. Not a role I played well. I prefer a role with substance, eh?’

Vincenzo laughed at his own pun. Drawn by his charismatic manner, the others joined in.

‘Until this very week I’ve been with the Archiari troupe. However, your dear leader Uberto here,’ Vincenzo gave him a wink, ‘made me a better offer, so I’m all yours!’

Vincenzo spread his arms expansively. Mama Tina raised her eyebrow to Uberto, who smiled a faint smile and gave the smallest movement of his head. Mama Tina gave him an almost invisible smile in return. There had been no hard bargaining.

‘The Archiari troupe are here?’ Isabella asked eagerly. ‘They’re one of the greatest troupes in Litonya. They’ve been the royal troupe more than any other players! Have you met the king and queen? What are they like?’

Vincenzo smiled, and few caught the brief shift in his glance as he spoke smoothly. ‘It’s a while since we were at the royal court, but that was a great pleasure, eh? No doubt you’ll please the court, lass, with your pretty face. But I parted company with the Archiaris a week ago. I was … ill. They were late returning, so their loss is your gain.’

His words were like honey, suggesting he could talk his way into anything, or convince an audience the moon rose during the day, and that they must part with their last coins, though it would leave them hungry. His explanation of his presence in Irsha was weak, but the players trusted Uberto’s judgment, and Aldo’s death had left a gap for a skilled player. However, Mina wasn’t alone in wondering if Vincenzo could truly disappear into the bumbling, bloated fool Il Dottore, ready to be cuckolded or tricked or worse. He seemed too big a personality.

‘Uberto, a word,’ Vincenzo said then, ‘about the Archiari troupe. I have concerns …’

‘The day is wearing away,’ Uberto said, interrupting.

Vincenzo looked affronted. Clearly he wasn’t used to being interrupted.

‘We must give a wondrous performance before sunset,’ Uberto continued, ‘so we profit well and need not perform on our journey to Aurea. Afterwards, we will travel through the night.’

Mina coughed. ‘Haven’t you forgotten someone?’

Uberto looked around at the other players, who shrugged, confused.

‘No, Mina, I don’t think …’

Mina shook her head, exasperated, then indicated the boy who sat next to her, blushing. Uberto’s face broke into realisation. He stood and bowed to Luka. The boy blushed an even deeper red.

‘This morning as I sought out Vincenzo, whom I had heard was in this fair city, I strolled the fragrant streets,’ Uberto made a small gesture that indicated much about the sanitary conditions in Irsha, ‘and noticed this boy mutely asking passers-by for coin. His stillness caught my eye, although the great pile of coins drew my attention a little too.’

Uberto winked at Mama Tina, a more overt wink this time, intended for all to see. He continued. ‘I instantly offered him a job. Luka will be a Pierrot such as the stars sing about! I know we have not had a Pierrot these many years, but you are all skilled enough to deal with this change, particularly as his part is silent. The Forlorn One will make your foolery funnier for his pathos. Welcome Luka!’

Luka stood up, his face a deep red. He gave the slightest of bows, embarrassed to acknowledge the enthusiastic clapping and hoots from the players, then opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Uberto commanded the players to prepare for performance.

Only Mina noted the defeated slump of the fair-haired boy’s shoulders. She offered him a reassuring smile and took him to the wagons, on the way telling him what she had learned about player life. After they parted ways, he watched her as she hurried to the costume wagon, though he said not a word.

While the players drove the stage wagon to the town square to set up, Uberto took Mina aside to teach her a new tale, of a man so wise he was foolish to the ways of the world. Her mind absorbed the details as though she’d always known them and she knew she would tell the story well. If only she could work out how to use the power of Tarya in the telling, she might even be able to capture the audience without a stage, or music, or other performers.

Chapter 8