Raecel Gladen - Beyond the heavy curtain shuffling feet and murmuring voices began to fill the chamber. Sitting in her dressing room, Racael Gladen gazed into the mirror. Looking back at her was a fair skinned ginger haired woman of twenty-three years. She rubbed at a bruise on her knee earned the night before in service of The Goblin, or more correctly Winterhouse.
Raecel stood leaning closer to the mirror. She pinched her cheeks and they responded flushing red.
“We’ll be starting soon.” A voice came from outside her door.
Raecel tugged at the torn sleeve of her dress, an attribute of the character’s condition in the first act; glancing one last time at the wrinkled pages of her script before leaving the dressing room.
“Did you hear that an inspector is investigating a suspected murder that took place behind the theater today?” The voice was that of a woman that looked as though she could be Raecel’s sister or even twin.
“No, Dala. Anyone we might know?” Raecel said, still in her own head and focused on the event to come in the theater.
“Too early to say.” The woman countered.
Raecel had worked as an understudy for years and knew the jealousy and respect that that position would often direct at the lead. Raecel knew the young woman before her was not a friend and likely the story she was spinning now was meant to unbalance her before her big debut.
An older gentleman approached her as she made he way to the side of the stage. The spirit gum that held his beard in place added a shine to his angular face. He towered over her in stature and bearing. Cambian had been a full fledged member of the actor’s guild for years. His influence over who was cast in which roles was well known. Raecel held her chin up high and threw back her shoulders bracing to meet the man head on, but just before he stopped in front of her, she demurred. He could break her career even now, and showing him disrespect would influence her fortunes this evening.
“Master Cambian.” She spoke, dipping in her stance slightly as a show of respect.
“You look lovely this evening Ms. Gladen.” His words were soft, but penetrating. He placed his hand on her bare shoulder in a too familiar way that suggested that he had been intimate with her previously. She did not shrink from his advance, instead pinwheeling out of his grip and continuing on her path. “Break a leg!” she said trying to infect her voice with playfulness instead of distain.
“I’ll see you after the performance.” He called after her. Her face pulled into a shape that suggested that she has smelled something unsavory.
“Something wrong?” A high timber voiced called to her from the wings of the stage. She looked up to see The Goblin’s henchman leaning against the stucco wall of the theater. A smug look on his face reminded her that he would be taking liberties this evening with the cast. At least she wasn’t in his sights.
“No, just anxious to get started.” she replied with a little more fire in her voice than she felt was safe to use with the enforcer.
“Save it for the stage.” He said evenly. “Nice work last night, did you enjoy yourself?”
Raecel huffed and marched past him.
“He's here you know. Your admirer.” He called after her. She stiffened and turned.
“Give this to your master.” She said, tossing a heavy pouch his way.
“When you are free of your debit it will no longer be my business. Until then…”
She turned and walked away, not stopping until she had cleared his line of sight. Standing now in the wings nearest the front of the stage she folded herself into the velvet curtains wanting to disappear until her turn on stage.
*****
Before she knew it, the final curtain had fallen. She rose up from her bowed position to the embraces of her fellow cast members. She cradled the bundles of flowers she had gathered from the stage. With her sleeve, she wiped away tears from her face. The evening had been a success, she had been a success. A succession of people greeted and embraced her. She felt as if she were floating. The well-wishers were encircled around her. At the edge of the stage she could see Cambian watching her and waiting for an opportunity. Like a wolf he was content to wait at a distance for his prey to weaken. Raecel heard a loud clapping sound from off stage. She glanced over to see Tagaern Uncer. He looked stately in his formal wear. She reflected back to the preceding night. He and his companions had played host to her. All the while she had been deceiving them. Perhaps even serving them up to the blackmarket boss known as The Goblin. She had felt guilty even as she was doing it. Now, seeing him here, she was all the more shamed. In his arms he held a bouquet of flowers. His face lit up as their eyes met. Earlier in the day, during rehearsal, he had provided her with enough coins to significantly pay down her debit to The Goblin. Thanks in part to him, she may yet see her way out of this debtor’s prison.
Breaking from the circle, she made her way over to Tagaern. She enfolded him with an eager and honest embrace. The night before he had dismissed her from his room, her honor intact. He had been a gentleman and she had repaid him with betrayal. She was not accustomed to this caliber of man. Perhaps reparations were in order.
“There is an after party with several members of the cast, will you join us!” She blurted out with more zeal than she expected.
“Of course M’lady.” He said offering his arm. She took it, and they slipped away to the side stairs and out to a well worn coach that waited there. Several cast members began squeezing into the crowded cabin until Tagaern barred the way and closed the door. She could feel the coach rock as the barred actors climbed into the footman’s post at the rear of the coach.
“Where are we going?” Asked Tagaern.
“A little place called Rudder’s Alibi. It’ll be fun. We don’t have to stay that late.” She smiled and folded herself into him, hugging his arm as they clattered across the cobbled streets of Dwarf Town.
