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Separate Lives
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by Lendren Starfall
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An extravaganza of music and dance, of love, longing, and Fate.

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Cast, In Order of Appearance

Musical Consort:
Consort Violin
Consort Viola
Consort Lute
Consort Lyre

Scene 1: The Tybol Mansion, Climanti
Bellara Tybol: a young merian lady of high birth
Rossene Seledill: a lady-in-waiting
Gilde Allumin: a lady-in-waiting
Duke Algoell Tybol: an elderly merian lord
Rafflub: a poor mugwump craftsman

Scene 2: The Serenwilde alchemical laboratory
Eredhlen Silverleaf: an elfen alchemist of the Moondancers
Dilli Ravenstone: a faeling of the Moondancers
Bahrella Myeras: an elfen ur'Guard of Celest

Scene 3: A poultry farm in Delport
Belle Merau: a poultry farmer of Delport
Leddy Dekoven: a novice aquamancer
Fral Dekoven: an aquamancer scholar
Dunga Tralyen: a member of the Star Council
Veshren Feyranti: a Magnagoran influencer

Scene 4: On the edges of the Serenwilde forest
Arabel: an aslaran of the Shofangi
Reflen Talnara: a young loboshigaru druid of Hartstone
Shevenra: a human nekotai

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Thanks

Thanks to the Dekoven, Silverleaf, and Talnara families for permission to
include fictional members of their families in this play.

Thanks to Nejii, Xiel, Kiaris, and Rika for research, information, and
assistance.

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Produced in association with the Seeds of Change Repertory Company.

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Overture
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SCENE Overture: Most of the stage is obscured by a translucent scrim curtain of
pale gray. Behind it, dim shapes can be made out, suggesting the stage is
divided into two chambers, a larger one of the left taking up about two-thirds
of the stage, separated from the smaller one by a partition wall into which a
door is set. Only hazy silhouettes can be made out through the scrim due to the
faintness of the light behind it. A brighter wash of moonlight draws the eye to
the balcony above the stage, in which a small consort of musicians sit with
their instruments at the ready.

EFFECT O1 (8): The parting curtain reveals a translucent scrim curtain, behind
which most of the stage can be dimly glimpsed, showing only the outlines of
rooms and furniture. Above the stage, in the gallery, a small consort of
musicians sits, dimly illuminated by a play of moonlight.

EFFECT O2 (4): A violin and viola begin to play in a slow, stately weaving of
melody, expansive with an air of regality.

EFFECT O3 (4): Flowing into the midst of the interwoven strains of the violin
and viola, the plucking of a lute adds a more rhythmic counterpoint, playful and
insistent.

EFFECT O4 (4): As the lute fades out, a lyre joins the strings, adding an
uneven, plodding rhythm with a serious tone, meandering through unexpected
melodic twists only to arrive ultimately at a tonal shape surprisingly similar
to the lute's melodic journey.

EFFECT O5 (4): With the lyre fading away, the lute joins in, repeating a more
complex and quicker form of its part, and again the lyre comes in moments after
the lute has faded, wandering through the notes and arriving by seeming chance
at its conclusion.

EFFECT O6 (4): The viola and violin weave their dulcet strains as a constant
backdrop, dancing with one another and with the lute and then the lyre as they
take their turns a third time joining the melody.

EFFECT O7 (4): As the music swells to a resounding conclusion, all four
instruments join together for the first time and converge, despite the lyre's
aimlessness and the lute's dogged persistence, into a resounding succession of
final chords with a shuddering finality, the last of which holds for a long
sustain, slowly fading.

EFFECT O8 (8): As the last chords of the overture fade and the moonlight on the
gallery dims, the scrim curtain rises on a stage still only dimly lit.

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Scene 1: The Tybol Mansion, Climanti
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SCENE Mansion: The larger part of the stage, to the left, is decorated as an
unrelentingly opulent ballroom, grand and showy. Sumptuous curtains of finest
silk edge magnificent tapestries, and an ornate chandelier of crystal and
platinum casts scintillating light everywhere. A rich burgundy carpet lines the
room's edges, but the center is exposed maple and cherrywood, a dance floor
buffed to a fine polish. To the right, the room ends in a partition wall of
solid crystal with an inset door, through which can be reached the much smaller
room that takes up the right side of the stage. This sitting room would be
considered elegantly well-appointed on its own, though compared to the ballroom,
its excesses seem understated.

PROP Chandelier (Mansion): Fashioned of shining platinum and encrusted with the
finest crystal, this chandelier is not merely elaborate, it frankly cries out to
be noticed and admired. Iconic symbols of obscure meaning are carved into the
crystals with deft strokes which add to their refractive abilities, increasing
the scattering of the light produced by the scores of tallow candles set in the
beams of the chandelier.

PROP Tapestries (Mansion): Lining the walls of the ballroom are a number of
tapestries, most of them depicting the history of Climanti, the jewelled city of
the merians from which Juliana the Even-Handed would later arise during the time
of the Vernal Wars. Many of the tapestries depict the triumphs of architecture
involved in the city's construction of crystal spires and jewelled terraces. The
grandest of the tapestries shows a circle of noble merians standing before a
towering edifice of crystal which glows with a palpable aura of power.

PROP Desk (Mansion): A broad mahogany roll-top desk in the sitting room is
well-appointed with the tools of business all fashioned from the richest of
materials. A crystal quill rests next to a silver inkwell before a blotter of
the finest dashro hide, while sheaves of creamy parchment, scribed in a neat
hand with the accounts of business and industry, are tidily arrayed in the
desk's many crannies.

PROP Guests (Mansion): The ballroom is occupied by a small crowd of
high-society merians, who by their attitude and dress are all noble-born and
important people. Some chat idly in low voices, mingling in small clusters while
sipping at fine wine from fluted crystal goblets, while others engage in elegant
dances of exceeding complexity and precision. All are dressed in ostentatious
finery, silks with gold thread and jewelry worth an inestimable sum. A
disproportionate number of them are boys of marriageable age and blandly perfect
looks.

EFFECT S1Q1 (6): Light springs up from scores of tallow candles in a
chandelier, illuminating an opulent ballroom resplendent in silk curtains and a
burgundy carpet. Tapestries lining the wall show the founding of Climanti,
jeweled city of the merians, after the end of the Elder Wars, and depict the
triumphs of architecture of the young city. This ballroom is the scene of a
fancy dress ball; merian guests of wealth and standing, decorated in sumptuous
suits and gowns, mingle and chatter, some with fluted glasses of crystal in
hand, some engaging in elaborately choreographed dances.

EFFECT S1Q2 (4): Unseen, the musicians in the gallery begin to play a subtle
song, the sort of music that fills in the background of a social affair without
drowning out conversation or drawing attention to itself.

ROLE Bellara (F) Bellara Tybol

COSTUME BellaraCostume (Bellara): A sweeping and majestic figure of a merian
lass, she has an exquisitely deep blue skin with the finest of scales, and
crystalline aquamarine eyes that glimmer with lively, and sometimes haughty,
self-confidence. She is dressed in an extravagantly beautiful pink gown whose
shimmering coral silk contrasts elegantly with her skin while complementing her
shapely figure, still young and coming into the bloom of womanhood. She stands
tall and proud, moving with easy grace.

Bellara: ENTER SILENT

ROLE Rossene (F) Rossene Seledill

COSTUME RosseneCostume (Rossene): With strikingly dark scales, this young
merian has an exotic beauty about her, matching the intensity in her dark eyes.
Her gown is beautiful, though not as grand as Bellara's, in shades of red and
white with especially broad and flouncy skirts. She moves with small steps, as
if uncertain of herself.

Rossene: ENTER SILENT

ROLE Gilde (F) Gilde Allumin

COSTUME GildeCostume (Gilde): Her scales a pale, washed-out light green, this
merian is slender almost to the point of being sinuous, with a narrow face and a
waist so small it makes her look likely to fall over. Despite this, she walks
with broad, exaggerated movements. Her gown is black satin, shimmering as if
coated in mother-of-pearl, slinky and flirtatious though not as grand as
Bellara's gown.

Gilde: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT S1Q3 (6): A lantern is lit on the right side of the stage, revealing an
elegant sitting room separated from the ballroom by a partition wall and door.
Within the sitting room, three merian women of surpassing beauty stand. Of the
three, one stands out as the most elaborately dressed, while the other two fuss
around her, adjusting her gown and hair.

Bellara: (chewing absently on her hair as she fumes imperiously) I can't
believe father is forcing me to go through with this ludicrous coming-out ball.
Parading me around like merchandise, just in hopes he can marry me off and
improve the family's status in the kingdom.

Rossene, to Bellara: (with a sympathetic yet ingratiating smile) It can't be
too bad to have a party, with handsome boys to dance with! I heard Xarikk will
be here. I hope he wears purple, he looks stunning in purple.

Gilde, to Bellara: (with a slight shuffle of her feet) Of course if you really
don't want to dance with the boys... would you mind if we did?

Bellara: (striding to the door with an exasperated sigh) Some friends you are!
This is humiliating. Father! I hate you!

Rossene, to Bellara: (aghast) Shh, he might hear you.

Bellara: (tugging furiously yet ineffectually on the door handle) If he could
hear us, we wouldn't be trapped in this sitting room. Anyway, so what if he
does?

Gilde, to Bellara: You don't really mean that. Since your mother died, he's
done everything for you. You have the most beautiful jewelry and gowns, and the
best parties.

Rossene, to Bellara: (primping the younger girl's gown) It's true, this gown is
a triumph. Everyone will say you are the prettiest girl in all of Climanti.

Bellara: (looking down at her gown, her expression softening) Do you really
think so?

Rossene, to Bellara: Certainly. All the boys will swoon to see you.

Bellara: (with a laugh) Well, they'd better not swoon so much that they can't
dance!

ROLE Algoell (M): Duke Algoell Tybol

COSTUME AlgoellCostume (Algoell): An elderly merian whose scales are faded,
some of them missing, he bears himself with the poise of someone assured of his
place in life, yet touched with the first breaths of mortality. His clothes, a
sumptuous outfit of silk the colour of rich cream, are tasteful yet ornate,
showing not only his wealth and power, but that he doesn't need to advertise
either. He seems tired, burdened by an excess of responsibilities.

ROLE Rafflub (M): Rafflub

COSTUME RafflubCostume (Rafflub): It's clear this mugwump has fallen on hard
times. His clothes speak of a life of poverty, made from inferior materials, and
threadbare and patched beside. His shimmering, moist skin is lined not merely
with the dirt of one who lives in a swamp, but also a worked-in grime from hard
work in crafts, and the pads on his hands are callused. His frame is lean with
hunger, but his eyes are bright with life, even though they are kept lowered in
deference. A belt hangs around his waist, festooned with well-worn tools.

Algoell: ENTER strides into the ballroom, nodding in distracted, perfunctory
courtesy to some of the guests while pointing at the door to the sitting room.

Rafflub: ENTER comes in following behind, his eyes lowered. His threadbare
workman's clothes and tool belt make him stand out even more than being a
mugwump amongst merians.

Algoell, to Rafflub: The door is stuck, and at the worst possible time. Tonight
is my daughter's coming-out party, and she and her ladies-in-waiting are caught
in the sitting room where they were getting ready. I know it's unusual to call
you out at this time of night and I'm prepared to pay well for the
inconvenience.

Rafflub, to Algoell: Very good, your Grace, I'll see to it immediately. It
looks like it's a custom job, a bit like the one I saw in the public library on
the second floor. There's a hidden lever inside the upper hinge whose purpose is
to soften the movement of the--

Algoell, to Rafflub: (with a gracious, if condescending and impatient, smile
and nod) Right, well, best get to it. I know you could use the extra money since
your mother fell ill. Thank you. If you're quick about it, I might hire you
again in future.

Rafflub: nods once more and then sets out across the ballroom to the door,
edging nervously around the dancing guests, who stare at him as they might at
some kind of unpleasant bug found in the middle of a bowl of soup.

Algoell: (loudly) Don't worry, my darling, we'll get you out of there soon.

Bellara: (tilting her head to listen) Father? Oh, thank the stars!

Algoell: Sit tight, dear. I have to welcome the other guests.

Algoell: EXIT turns and leaves the way he came.

Rafflub: arrives at the door and sets to work with a pair of tools, causing an
annoying creaking whine for only a few minutes until something gives with an
audible pop, and the door swings open.

Bellara: (sweeping impatiently through the open doorway, not even noticing
Rafflub behind it) Finally!

Rafflub: catches sight of Bellara around the door and is captured, his gaze
following her, spellbound.

Rossene: follows behind Bellara alongside Gilde, pausing to offer Rafflub a
perfunctory nod of thanks before mingling with the guests.

Rafflub, to Bellara: (staring raptly at her) Oh, it was just the inner spring,
sometimes they get coiled up...

Bellara: takes no notice of the mugwump craftsman as she begins to chat with
the guests and dance with some of them.

Rafflub: stands behind the door, staring at Bellara for a few long moments
before remembering himself and stepping through the doorway to begin working on
the hinges from the other side.

Algoell: ENTER returns, trailed by a dozen more guests, causing the party to
become abruptly louder and busier as the conversation and dancing swell.

Bellara: flits from guest to guest, joining into elaborate courtly dances with
a succession of handsome, well-dressed, wealthy young boys, as the rhythm of the
ball expands and contracts around her, the other dancers echoing her movements
in a complex choreography in time with the music.

Rafflub: stares longingly through the doorway at Bellara as he works on the
door hinge, his tools moving in time with the music, the rattling and thumping
of the hinge adding a rhythmic counterpoint to the elegant strains of the music.

Rafflub: [singing] (in a breathy voice full of sublime desire, in time with the
dance) Hidden in the roughest boulder might be crystal most exquisite,

Rafflub: [singing] Only seen by eyes discerning, gemstones of beauty
surpassing.

Rafflub: [singing] Here amongst the lies and falseness, power-mad and
money-lustful.

Rafflub: [singing] I see crystal clear and perfect, cheapened by a tawdry
setting.

Rafflub: [singing] (slowly repairing the door while he sings, staring dreamily)
Even she can't see her own truth, lost within her shining palace.

Rafflub: [singing] How I love her heart so hidden, how I long to show it to
her!

Rafflub: [singing] But she looks and sees right through me, doesn't see me,
doesn't know me.

Rafflub: [singing] (lowering his eyes sadly) I am no crystal exquisite, I am
just the roughest boulder.

Rafflub: trails off singing with a heavy sigh.

Bellara: swirls from partner to partner in the complicated courtly dance,
looking at them in mild disdain.

Bellara: [singing] (in a quiet voice, as if to herself) Wealth and power, grace
and beauty, goodness knows these boys are handsome.

Bellara: [singing] (louder, in the direction of Rossene and Gilde) Why am I not
pleased, delighted, for to dance and thus be courted?

Bellara: [singing] All these boys so dull and lifeless, all alike, no ice or
fire,

Bellara: [singing] See me as a prize to capture, spurn me once their hunt is
thwarted!

Rossene: [singing] (gesturing to the dancers while looking at Bellara) Powerful
and well-positioned, these boys are the very finest!

Gilde: [singing] (with a wry, amused smile) Who needs love when they're so
wealthy? Think how fine would be the wedding!

Bellara: [singing] (an unaccustomed tenderness in her expression) I'd be glad
to help my family, if the boy was kind and gentle,

Bellara: [singing] (gazing into the distance) Heeded my wants, worshipped my
beauty... somehow, there is something missing.

Bellara: ends her song with a distant longing in her eyes, as the music draws
to a close, then after a few beats starts on another stately melody, more quiet
and in the background.

Rafflub: gives the door a few tentative swings, and nods, satisfied at a job
well done. He then steps through and, still stealing glances at Bellara when he
can, makes his way to Algoell.

Algoell: nods tiredly but politely to a courtier and turns to face the
craftsman with affected patience.

Rafflub, to Algoell: Pardon me, your grace, I'm sorry it took so long, but I
think it's all fixed up now. Just was a problem with the inner spring, got
caught on the smaller axle. I replaced it, cleaned everything out, put it back
together. By the way, you might think about replacing that entire latch
assembly, it's all right for now but you should consider how much better the new
ruby-based designs are, now that we know how to cut--

Algoell: clears his throat delicately.

Rafflub, to Algoell: Oh, sorry, I do ramble a bit. Anyhow, if you could see
your way clear to that payment we talked about, I'll get out of your way so you
and your... your daughter can enjoy the, umm, the ball.

Algoell, to Rafflub: (fishing some coins of diamond from a pouch and counting
them out to the craftsman) Yes, of course.

Rafflub: pays no attention to the payment, staring with unfocused eyes at
Bellara.

Bellara: happens to notice Rafflub as she pivots through an elaborate swing
around her dance partner.

Rafflub: abruptly looks down, blushing.

EFFECT S1Q4 (4): Instantly, the music stops and everyone on stage freezes in
place, as if held in time, except Bellara, who steps away from the embrace of
her frozen dance partner, looking at Rafflub curiously.

Bellara: [singing] (wandering in an elegant, aimless dance between the frozen
guests) What is this I feel? Calling to what's missing in my life?

Bellara: [singing] (at a slow tempo) Could it, could it be? Could love await,
fulfilling what I lack?

EFFECT S1Q5 (4): The violin and viola quietly resume playing, the melody an
echo of the dance's tune, simplified and transposed into something sweet and
longing.

Bellara: [singing] (her dance bringing her closer to Rafflub) Can he be so
true? Guileless, honest, gentle, kind and sweet.

Bellara: [singing] (gazing tenderly at him) How he looks at me! Love is in his
eyes, for me, not my rank.

EFFECT S1Q6 (4): The music swells to meet the merian's song, refraining the
melody of the earlier dance, now revealed with an underlying complexity and
tender melancholy.

Bellara: [singing] (twirling around Rafflub) Yet a boy so plain? Dirty, crude
and simple, with no wealth,

Bellara: [singing] (meandering back through the ballroom) From a different
world. We'd have naught in common, constant strife.

EFFECT S1Q7 (4): More instruments join in, rounding out the harmony, filling
the ballroom with the strains of the dance now suffused with regret.

Bellara: [singing] (weaving around Algoell) And what of father? He would be so
hurt, disappointed.

Bellara: [singing] (returning to her previous dance partner) I am more than
this! Greater destinies will fill my life.

EFFECT S1Q8 (0): As Bellara steps back into the embrace of her previous dance
partner, everyone instantly resumes moving as if no time had passed, the dance
resuming where it left off.

Algoell, to Rafflub: (dropping the last diamond coin into his hand) There you
go.

Rafflub, to Algoell: (glancing back at the elderly man apologetically) Thank
you, your grace, that's very generous.

Bellara: steals a few glances at Rafflub as he walks for the exit, chewing on
her hair, then shakes her head and turns her attention to her dance partner,
flashing him an ingratiating and insincere smile.

Rafflub: EXIT turns to look longingly at Bellara one last time before walking
out of the ballroom.

EFFECT S1Q9 (4): The music fades out without concluding, hanging on an
unresolved interval, as the curtain swings closed.

Algoell: EXIT SILENT

Bellara: EXIT SILENT

Rossene: EXIT SILENT

Gilde: EXIT SILENT

PAUSE

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Scene 2: The Serenwilde alchemical laboratory
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SCENE Laboratory: A profusion of leaves and branches lining the edges of the
stage, and a cloth drop depicting treetops and sky at the back, make plain that
the setting is up in the treetops of the Serenwilde commune. This location is
clean and neat, its floor strengthened with a layer of cut stone over the wooden
planks, unscuffed and looking newly installed. A large alembic fashioned of
fragile glass stands on the left side of the stage, its bulk taking up most of
it, along with the shelves and workspaces attached to it.

PROP Alembic (Laboratory): A precarious agglomeration of glass vessels bubbling
with strange liquids, connected by fragile tubes and festooned with an
inordinate number of valves, burners, and contraptions of mysterious purpose,
stands at the left side of the stage. The whole looks shiny and new, as yet
unbesmirched by soot, smoke, and the scoring of countless concoctions that
burned too long or too hot. Projecting out from parts of the assembly that look
entirely inadequate to the task of holding them up are a number of wooden
work-shelves upon which vials and ingredients may be placed, and on which
filters, mortars and pestles, and stirring rods await use.

ROLE Eredhlen (M): Eredhlen Silverleaf

COSTUME EredhlenCostume (Eredhlen): Standing tall and slender, this elfen is of
an indeterminate age, still with the gangly awkwardness of youth but a face that
suggests maturity. His eyes are bright and alert, and seem somehow focused not
on what's before him, but on something beyond it. His hair is as black as a
moonless night. He is dressed in simple robes of cerulean, and is adorned only
with a pair of silver earrings, each in the shape of a crescent moon. A silver
athame is tucked into his robe's belt.

Eredhlen: ENTER SILENT

ROLE Dilli (M): Dilli Ravenstone

COSTUME DilliCostume (Dilli): Always hovering a foot or so above the ground,
this faeling is as flamboyant and energetic as any of his kind. His spotted
wings are teal and aquamarine, shot through with dots and jagged-edged stripes
of cerise, fluttering constantly. Auburn hair is tousled and disheveled around
his youthful face. He wears gossamer robes of ice-blue and holds an athame,
which he constantly tosses and catches.

Dilli: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT S2Q1 (6): The curtain rises on a treetop laboratory, shining and new. A
massive alembic fashioned from precariously-assembled glassware dominates the
left side of the stage, fluids of various colours bubbling within its tubes and
beakers while a young elfen man adjusts valves. Nearby, a faeling hovers a few
feet off the ground, watching the amalgamation while he fiddles with his athame.

Dilli, to Eredhlen: (flitting about, his wings constantly in motion) It's about
time you did my brewing! What have we come to, that a faeling can't get a
guildmate and his best friend to brew for him?

Eredhlen, to Dilli: (busying himself at the alembic) It's been so busy, so many
orders coming in from Celest.

Dilli: Stocking up for that stupid mission they are planning?

Eredhlen: I guess. You know how secretive the cityfolk are with us, though.
Just last month I had to fill a big order for an aquamancer who for some reason
wanted twenty vials of love potion. Twenty vials! What could anyone need with
that much? So I was trying to think of a reason, and I wonder, do you think they
might be developing some kind of technique with a demesne in which they've
brought--

Dilli: (laughing) Probably just needs that much to score with the ladies, eh?

Eredhlen: (frowning in confusion) Hmm, no, I wouldn't think so. I mean, I
suppose for a merian he wasn't ugly or anything, at least as another merian
would see it, though now that you mention it the colour of the scales around his
gills was a bit odd, but then I thought that might just have been--

Dilli: (flitting up into Eredhlen's face for a moment) I was just kidding,
dummy!

Eredhlen: (after a thoughtful pause) Oh. Oh, I get it. Ha. Anyway, it made me
wonder if it had to do with this new mission that everyone's been talking about.
But I can't see how they could use love potion for--

Dilli: (shaking his head) Bloody daft fools, always rushing around causing
trouble with one thing or another. You'd think they'd've learned last time, but
no.

Eredhlen: (turning back to the alembic) Just so. And we'll end up cleaning up
after their mess again, I shouldn't wonder. At least it's giving me a lot of
shiny gold, though Mother Moon alone knows what I'll use it all for.

Dilli: (with a nudge) Gold's good for spoiling pretty girls until they're
willing to go with you to a sheltered little grove and...

Dilli: leers suggestively.

Eredhlen: (his attention focused on the alembic) And... and what?

Dilli: throws up his hands in exasperation.

Dilli, to Eredhlen: I just about give up on you and girls.

Eredhlen (turning back to Dilli and handing him a batch of filled vials) I'll
meet someone one day, don't worry.

Dilli: I know, and fall in love, but until that happens, trust me, practicing
is fun.

ROLE Bahrella (F): Bahrella Myeras

COSTUME BahrellaCostume (Bahrella): If her helmet was on instead of tucked
under one arm, you wouldn't even be able to tell that this woman, completely
encased in ceremonial ur'Guard armor of shining steel, was of elfen blood. The
armor is of the design worn by all of the Emperor's personal guard, decorated
with the family crest and various insignia of rank and honour, suggesting the
wearer is a decorated war veteran of high standing. Her flame-red hair has been
pulled up into a ponytail, but seems determined to spill free from it as it
dances in and out of the confines of her armour. Her eyes are prideful, even
haughty, as she looks around her with a hint of disdain.

Bahrella: ENTER steps crisply into the laboratory, her armor clinking loudly
with each footfall on the cut stone beneath her feet.

Bahrella, to Eredhlen: (in a demanding, authoritative tone, barely even looking
at him) You there, I require fifty vials each of mana potion, mending salve, and
antidote, ten of each purgative, and one hundred vials of healing potion, for
the quartermaster of the Emperor's personal guards. And be quick about it; our
preparations have a strict timetable.

Dilli: rolls his eyes.

Eredhlen: (not taking his eyes off the alembic) I'll be with you in a moment.
I'm just finishing up another order.

Bahrella: snorts impatiently and drops a bulging sack full of vials beside the
alembic, then strides to the far side of the laboratory, chewing on her hair
absent-mindedly.

Eredhlen: (to himself, quietly) Pompous city-folk, no sense of courtesy.

Bahrella: (to herself, quietly) Barbaric forest-folk, no sense of discipline.

Eredhlen: hands Dilli another batch of filled vials, catching a glimpse of
Bahrella as he does, then staring for a few moments before turning back to the
alembic.

Bahrella: follows Eredhlen's glance back to him and tilts her head curiously,
her eyes sparkling.

Dilli: (to himself, quietly as he watches both gazes) Oh, for the love of
Mother Moon, you've got to be kidding me.

Eredhlen, to Dilli: (over his shoulder) What?

Dilli: (rolling his eyes) I saw the way you two looked at each other. An
ur'Guard, Eredhlen, really?

Eredhlen: (protesting too quickly) I just thought I recognized her! In fact,
I'm sure of it, I must know her from somewhere.

Dilli: (in a mocking tone) From your dreams, maybe.

Eredhlen: (hands moving across the alembic by rote) Maybe so, maybe so.

Bahrella: paces slowly, chewing her hair and stealing glances at Eredhlen from
time to time.

Dilli: (with a snort) She is easy on the eyes, I'll grant you that, and the way
she's looking at you... but the way you've gone all moon-eyed, you're thinking
of something more than just a dalliance, and what more could come with
city-folk, especially from the ur'Guard?

Eredhlen: (blinking, and staring hotly at the alembic) She's looking at me?
Umm... well, that must mean we have met before, it proves it, you see? I wonder
why I can't remember when, though. She'll be expecting me to know and then I'll
make a fool of myself. Blast, I need to remember.

Dilli, to Eredhlen: Better you don't. After all the city-folk have done to us,
it's better to ignore them.

Dilli: (sweeping his eyes over Bahrella) Though she is awfully fetching, isn't
she...

Eredhlen: shoots Dilli a grimace and then hurriedly dumps a pile of vials into
his arms.

Eredhlen, to Dilli: There, that's the last of it, now get going. I, umm, I have
work to do.

Dilli: glances between Eredhlen and Bahrella, and rolls his eyes.

Dilli, to Eredhlen: Right, well, give her a pinch for me, and tell me how it
went. And whatever you do, don't fall in love!

Eredhlen: turns to Bahrella, apparently oblivious to Dilli.

Eredhlen, to Bahrella: (in a shaking voice) Sorry to have kept you waiting,
miss...

Dilli: EXIT rolls his eyes once more and flits out of the laboratory, shaking
his head in wry amusement.

Bahrella: (in a crisp, no-nonsense tone) Corporal Bahrella, of the Emperor's
Guard. The vials are there, do you require payment in advance?

Eredhlen: (crestfallen, turning to scoop up the sack of vials) No ma'am.

Bahrella: (watching Eredhlen begin to fill the vials) Do I know you? You seem
familiar.

Eredhlen, to Bahrella: (turning triumphantly towards her) I thought so too! But
I can't place where.

EFFECT S2Q2 (4): A soft, sweet melody rises from the balcony, light and
tentative, friendly yet contained.

Bahrella: [singing] (raising one hand and stepping forward in a formal dance
step) A ball, perhaps? A formal dance?

Eredhlen: [singing] (mirroring her movement in time with the music) It could be
so, it might, perchance.

EFFECT S2Q3 (4): The music swells both in tempo and volume, becoming a majestic
waltz.

Bahrella: [singing] (sweeping gracefully by tiny steps across the stage) At
such affairs I am rarely seen, though.

Eredhlen: [singing] (stepping lightly in a curve around her) Fewer still at
which I have been, though.

Bahrella: [singing] (sweeping alongside the alembic) I'd surely recall a man
handsome as you, though!

Eredhlen: [singing] (reaching the laboratory's far side as he turns) Beauty as
yours would remain with me too, though!

EFFECT S2Q4 (4): The three-part rhythm of the waltz becomes more strident,
emphasized by a thumping percussion on the body of a lute and pizzicato plucking
of the violin's strings.

Bahrella: [singing] (her dance becoming more stiff as it leads her back across
the stage) Yet what civilized ball would such bumpkins invite?

Eredhlen: [singing] (turning away from Bahrella) And what stodgy soiree would
an elfen delight?

Bahrella: [singing] (with a bit of a sneer) Surely not those who squat and
curse progress and light.

Eredhlen: [singing] (his words heated) Only those who ignore every warning of
blight!

EFFECT S2Q5 (4): The music abruptly stops on the sound of both dancers snorting
derisively.

Bahrella: turns her back pointedly on Eredhlen, facing away from the alembic.

Eredhlen: turns his back on Bahrella and swiftly works the alembic, starting
another batch brewing.

EFFECT S2Q6 (4): Refraining the song's beginning, the consort begins playing
quiet, tentative notes.

Bahrella: [singing] (turning to move slowly across the stage again) If you
speak true, my ears will hear.

Eredhlen: [singing] (turning to mirror her movements hesitantly) I would not
lie to you, my dear.

EFFECT S2Q7 (4): The other instruments join the song, picking up the urgency of
the waltz.

Bahrella: [singing] (strolling towards center stage) While duty binds, my heart
sings for you, though.

Eredhlen: [singing] (moving slowly to meet Bahrella) I know not why my heart
longs for you, though.

Bahrella: [singing] (staring deeply into Eredhlen's eyes) As if we've been to
each other called, though.

Eredhlen: [singing] (returning the gaze) Waiting all our lives to remember all,
though.

EFFECT S2Q8 (4): The music swells to a rousing crescendo, the urgency
increasing as the dancers come together and, barely not touching, circle one
another in stately rhythms.

Bahrella: [singing] (over her shoulder, towards the audience) Such a song in my
soul cannot be tossed away.

Eredhlen: [singing] (to the audience, as the lazy turns of the waltz bring him
to face it) If I had but the strength I would ask her to stay!

Bahrella: [singing] (turning back to Eredhlen as she slips an arm around his
waist with decisive possessiveness) When my duty is done, will you be mine that
day?

Eredhlen: [singing] (flustered, shyly leaning into Bahrella's embrace with a
nod of assent) Heart in throat I will wait to be with you someday.

EFFECT S2Q9 (4): As the music hangs on a final, resounding chord, Eredhlen and
Bahrella lean into a tender kiss, brief but heartfelt, then part, staying near
one another as the chord fades out.

Eredhlen: (moving to the alembic and finishing the brewing quickly) Then how
soon will your duty leave you free to spend time with me?

Bahrella: (following close behind, chewing on her hair) Very soon. This mission
won't take that long, and we ship out tomorrow.

Eredhlen: (turning to hand her the sack full of vials, now filled) I have a
terrible feeling about it, though. All my life I knew someone was there to be
found, and I've finally found you, and now you're leaving already, and what if
something goes wrong and I never see you again? What if we never get another
chance to be together?

Bahrella: (with an easy smile, as she heads to the doorway with the sack over
her shoulder) There is always another chance. Look forward to my return with
hope. After all, that's what the project is about, hope. Cosmic Hope.

Bahrella: EXIT blows a kiss cheerfully to Eredhlen as she walks out of the
laboratory.

EFFECT S2Q10 (4): A low note on the viola plays and is cut off abruptly as the
curtain falls.

Eredhlen: EXIT SILENT

PAUSE

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Scene 3: A poultry farm in Delport
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

SCENE PoultryFarm: Most of the stage is covered with straw and loose dirt,
around which a handful of chickens wander, pecking at the straw from time to
time. A large coop stands to the left side, from which the sounds of clucking
can be heard; a pile of hay next to it is covered by a loose tarp of cowhide. A
barn roof extends over part of the right side of the stage, accessible to the
rest through an open barn door. A constant, soaking rain falls from the sky,
drenching the straw.

PROP Coop (PoultryFarm): A simple structure of wood and steel wire, this
ramshackle coop looks recently built, with wood still freshly sawn and showing
splinters, and the wire fencing bright. It wasn't built very well, though, and
the doors hang on it at an angle, and do not seem to close quite right. Inside,
chickens can be heard, and dimly seen, clucking on their nests or moving about.
Next to it, a pile of hay stands at the ready.

PROP Barn (PoultryFarm): Only a small part of a larger barn is visible here,
extending slightly onto the right side of the stage. The barn is of traditional
construction, and looks pretty old and well-weathered. The paint used to be a
cheerful red but is now a dingy rust brown, except in spots where the
depredations of sun and rain have been mitigated by overhanging eaves. A broad
door is wide open, and within, all that can be seen is a straw floor. Presumably
there are stalls farther in but they're not visible from here.

PROP Chickens (PoultryFarm): About a half-dozen chickens scratch their way
around the farmyard, pecking at bugs in the straw. Their movements are aimless,
save that they scurry aside every time anyone or anything larger than them moves
nearby.

ROLE Belle (M): Belle Merau

COSTUME BelleCostume (Belle): Lissome and fetching, this young human woman is
at once shapely and nondescript, possessing a beauty that is so near a textbook
definition that one sees little that is uniquely her, only her perfect form.
From her curving hips to her pouty lips, from her waves of golden hair to her
dainty fingers, she is the very picture of blandly uniform sex appeal. Her
clothes are the rugged and simple outfit of the farmer's daughter, slate gray
overalls over a pale yellow cotton blouse that highlights her ample bosom, and
tall cowhide boots.

Belle: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT S3Q1 (6): The curtain rises on an ordinary farmyard, with a ramshackle
chicken coop to one side, and the opening of a barn to the other. Between these,
chickens scurry around pecking at bugs amongst the straw on the farmyard's dirt
floor, ignoring the slow but steady rain that falls on them. Taking shelter
under the barn's overhanging roof is a young, lissome human woman with blonde
hair, perfectly beautiful and somehow bland for all that, looking bored.

ROLE Leddy (M): Leddy Dekoven

COSTUME LeddyCostume (Leddy): A merian teenager, this boy barely looks old
enough to have travelled through the Portal of Fate. Simple robes of seawater
blue look brand new and even his shoes are barely scuffed. His scales are a
gray-blue and still somewhat speckled, while his eyes of deep green are
mischievous and energetic.

ROLE Fral (M): Fral Dekoven

COSTUME FralCostume (Fral): With aquamarine scales and deep green eyes, this
merian aquamancer has a bold appearance, which is enhanced by his robes, a pale
yellow that is almost white and that contrasts sharply with his natural colours.
Any sense that this impression has been engineered is quickly dismissed, though,
by the sloppiness of his posture, the smudges of ink all over his robes, and the
distracted way he moves. Instead, the faraway look in his eyes suggests a man
with many thoughts on his mind, and none to spare on the quotidian details of
appearance and mannerisms. His aquamancer's staff is as often left leaning
against something nearby as it is clutched in his hand, and he seems always a
moment from stopping to jot down an idea or question. Narrow-rimmed spectacles
perch on his nose at a slightly cockeyed angle.

Leddy: ENTER walks into the farmyard, his stride almost a skip, carrying a
chicken.

Leddy: [on Dekovens aether] Why do I have to do these dumb quests? I want to be
down there with you, out of the rain, doing research or whatever it is you're
doing!

Leddy: steps up to the woman and hands her the chicken.

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] Because you're far too young to survive down here.
The cave-fishers alone would eat you before I could even blink. And what you're
doing is important too; Delport will probably revolt soon, and the Principality
needs their tithes of eggs as much as their loyalty in the coming years.

Belle, to Leddy: What a pretty chicken. We could use the eggs!

Belle: gives a small bag of gold to Leddy, then brings the chicken to the coop
and sets her inside.

Leddy: [on Dekovens aether] But it's so boring finding chickens! Why can't they
keep them in the coops themselves? Anyway, what are you doing now?

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] I've been speaking with the Kephera Queen Sethetmun.
Once I brought her a banner with the aroma of King Sethototep, she remembers
past lives! She insists she has been reincarnated many times through many lives.

Leddy: [on Dekovens aether] So what?

Leddy: picks up one of the chickens in the farmyard with a deft, swift
movement.

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] Don't you see what this means? Consider how the
threads of the Tapestry of Fate represent each of us, and are woven together by
the Fates, and yet when Atropos cuts a thread, perhaps it is not lost! Perhaps
that thread is woven in again later, and we have many lives.

Leddy: [on Dekovens aether] So? If we can't remember them, what difference does
it make?

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] You're not thinking this through. If the banner of
King Sethototep makes Queen Sethetmun remember, then first of all, it means the
same threads in the Tapestry are woven near each other, life after life. So the
people close to us have probably been close to us before, in other lives.
Separate lives, but together. And second, if the Queen can be made to remember,
perhaps we could too, somehow.

Leddy: hands the chicken to Belle.

Belle, to Leddy: What a pretty chicken. We could use the eggs!

Belle: gives a small bag of gold to Leddy, then brings the chicken to the coop
and sets her inside.

Leddy: [on Dekovens aether] I'm not sure if I'd want to remember. I haven't
even figured out this life yet.

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] But maybe if you could remember, you'd know what to
do. You wouldn't have that feeling all the time of something missing, someone
you know but haven't met, the way Queen Sethetmun feels before she smells the
banner.

Leddy: brushes rain-slicked hair out of his eyes and scurries after another one
of the chickens, but can't quite catch it.

Fral: [on Dekovens aether] This will make an exceptional paper and complete my
major, I'm sure of that.

EFFECT S3Q2 (0): The Hemp Wars break out as the humans of Delport and
Stewartsville engage in a fierce trade competition against one another.

ROLE Dunga (F): Dunga Tralyen

Dunga: [on Celest aether] Revolt in Delport!

Leddy: [on Celest aether] I'm there, teleport to me!

Fral: [on Celest aether] On my way.

Leddy: jerks slightly as the air fills with sparkling motes of bright light.

Fral: ENTER SILENT

EFFECT S3Q3 (0): Among the sparkling motes of light, a translucent figure
appears in the air and then quickly solidifies as Fral comes into view.

Dunga: [on Celest aether] Mags in.

Leddy, to Fral: What can I do to help?

Fral, to Leddy: (hurriedly, grimacing up at the rain) Not much, you're not high
enough ranked to influence. I guess get more chickens, while I start
influencing. I wish I knew my way around here, I've barely ever visited before.

Leddy: All right, good luck!

Leddy: EXIT scurries off in a hurry.

Fral: turns and looks at Belle, though his gaze is barely focused and he
scarcely sees her.

EFFECT S3Q4 (4): A simplistic, highly repetitive song begins, just a regular
and insistent chord progression on the lute with a simple counterpoint on
violin.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (in time with the song's droning rhythm) You and your
people, would be kept safe in, radiance of the Light!

Belle: considers this, with a blank expression.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] New Celest, bastion of the blessed! Goodness and
glory, found in the Light!

Belle: tilts her head and stares at Fral, as if coming out of a dream, looking
at him for the first time.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (in a great, booming voice) New Celest may save your
soul, by the beauty of the Light! New Celest is your last hope, for salvation
in the Light.

Dunga: [on Celest aether] Hurry, they're debating us out and influencing all
over.

Belle, to Fral: (chewing thoughtfully on her hair) Hmm, that's all well and
good, but tell me about what it means to me.

EFFECT S3Q4 (4): The song falters, stopping suddenly in the middle of a chord
progression, leaving silence hanging in the air.

PAUSE

Fral: (flustered, speaking in a stammer) Umm, well, you see, the Light is sort
of an abstract concept. Well, no, it's not that either, there's a definite
physical manifestation, but in a sense it's like a spiritual incarnation. Not
spirits as such, certainly not in the sense that the barbarians of the forests
use the term. It's more like it's an elemental... no, that's not right either.

Belle: (smiling winningly) That's not what I meant anyway. I'm more interested
in you than in this Light. Have we met before?

Fral: (still not quite looking at Belle) I don't think so, I've barely ever
even visited this village before and the last time I did, I only...

Fral: looks up at Belle and loses his train of thought, staring raptly at her.

Fral: (slowly) Maybe we have, somehow. Only...

Belle: (with a knowing grin) Maybe we have, and if not, maybe you should have
visited sooner. So, tell me what you, personally, will do for me, personally.
Persuade me.

EFFECT S3Q5 (4): The repetitive chord progression resumes right where it left
off, only this time, it is played slower and more tenderly by the lyre and
viola, sweet and airy.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (hesitantly) New Celest, bastion of the blessed!
Goodness and glory, found in the Light!

Belle, to Fral: (rolling her eyes) You already said that.

EFFECT S3Q6 (4): The song falters abruptly again.

Dunga: [on Celest aether] Mags all over the place. Pick up the pace, people!
We're going to lose it at this rate.

Fral: (to himself) I don't have time for this.

Fral, to Belle: (stumbling over his words and looking around trying to regain
his concentration) Well, umm, I'd make sure to... well, I mean, if someone were
to come in here threatening I would do what I could to protect you against, you
know, raiders and stuff.

Belle: So the only way I'd get to see you is if someone attacked me?

Fral: (increasingly unsure of himself) Umm, no, I mean, if... if you'd be
willing to see me, I would... well, when my work allowed, I mean, I would love
to come visit you. Or you could come visit me. I mean, if you wanted to,
ummm...

Belle: (tilting her head) Would you like that, to come see me?

Fral: I would, I really would. I can't believe I'm saying this, I've never done
anything like this before. But I feel like I've known you before, like...

EFFECT S3Q7 (4): The melody begins again, but this time the urgency and
strident repetition is stripped away, and all that remains is the core melody,
ephemeral and light.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (sweeping majestically towards her) Something in my
heart already knows you.

Belle, to Fral: [singing] (emerging from the barn's shelter into the rain) All
my life was silence waiting for you.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (looking up into the rain and back down to Belle)
You're the home I now know I was missing.

Belle, to Fral: [singing] (twirling towards Fral through the rain) Before you,
my mind and heart were sleeping.

EFFECT S3Q8 (4): The music grows louder, its rhythm punctuated by the gentle
falling of the rain.

Fral, to Belle: [singing] (linking his arm with hers) You are what was missing
all this time.

Belle, to Fral: [singing] (twirling around him, eyes locked on his) You are
what was missing all this time.

ROLE Veshren (F): Veshren Feyranti

COSTUME VeshrenCostume (Veshren): This irontongue viscanti is a curious mixture
of charm and menace. Her skin is more black than red, with a bright sheen,
lending the mostly human form a strangely glossy and rigid skin tone, as if she
had been coated in lacquer. Her eyes are a piercing blue, and what little hair
she possesses has been arranged carefully. Her robes are meticulously
maintained, and her lute of blackened wood and iron hangs in her hands with
tender care. She strums on it occasionally.

Veshren: ENTER strides brusquely in, her eyes narrowing and focusing on Fral.

EFFECT S3Q9 (4): Once more the song grinds to an unexpected stop in the middle
of a melodic phrase.

Fral: turns and looks at Veshren warily, standing in front of Belle.

EFFECT S3Q10 (4): A percussive rhythm fills the air, the musicians tapping on
the bodies of their instruments, clapping, and stomping in a compelling and
complex rhythm with extensive counterpoint.

Veshren: clears her throat, approaching Fral cautiously, with careful steps in
time with the percussive rhythm.

Fral: adjusts his spectacles, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully as he mirrors
Veshren's movements towards the center of the farmyard.

Veshren, to Fral: [singing] (charging aggressively towards him) Strength to
take what you want, that is all that matters!

Fral, to Veshren: [singing] (backing down from the charge, then dancing to the
side more cautiously) You're begging the question, not once but twice. Strength
isn't the only, sometimes the worst, of means to get all of the things you need.
And taking's not always what matters most.

Veshren, to Fral: [singing] (lunging again and being easily sidestepped) No one
but weakling fools say strength doesn't matter.

Belle, to Fral: [singing] (circling the debate, then interposing herself with
hands on hips) What should I think of that?

EFFECT S3Q11 (4): The rhythm of the percussion stops for a moment and resumes a
moment later, syncopated and insistent.

Fral: stumbles back, taken by surprise by Belle's interruption.

Veshren: peers calculatingly at Fral, her eyes focusing sharply.

Veshren, to Fral: [singing] (puffing herself up impressively as she circles the
cowering Fral) History shows that Taint has the strength to triumph.

Fral, to Veshren: (matching Veshren's circling movement in a double-step that
leaves her spinning in place, as he recites in a dull monotone) Historical
instances of significant net gains...

EFFECT S3Q12 (4): The percussion tries to match the monotone but the rhythm
crumbles as the musicians, stupefied, fall silent.

Fral, to Veshren: (still droning on in a flat voice) ...by the Taint only exist
out of context as a statistical aberration. In a typical representative example,
large gains in the year 106 were cancelled by greater losses in 107 resulting
from the same events.

PAUSE

EFFECT S3Q13 (4): Everyone stares blankly at Fral for a few moments, until the
rhythmic thumping resumes, one musician tentatively tapping until the others
join in.

Veshren, to Fral: [singing] (staggering back weakly, fists clenched in impotent
fury) You will see! We will crush everyone, everything!

Belle: peers suspiciously at Veshren.

Veshren: blinks and swallows, realizing her mistake, and slumps somewhat, her
ego deflating.

EFFECT S3Q14 (4): With a coordinated drumroll, the percussive music comes to a
climax and ends.

Veshren: EXIT storms out, glowering.

Fral, to Belle: (turning back to her) That was close. I really can't spare the
time to talk about these personal matters! Will you swear on behalf of Delport
to New Celest so that we can offer you protection, and so... so I can visit you
again?

Belle: (with a sly smile) Only if you'll promise to stay with me here.

Fral: (frowning) But... But I have my work, my research, my... maybe you'd like
to come join me instead? The city is very beautiful and...

Belle: (drawing herself up to her full height) And I have my family, my home,
and my work. I suppose you don't really love me.

Fral: (shaking his head, in a panic) I do, gods help me but I do. But to give
up my entire life, my duty, my studies...

Belle: (tilting her head with a frown) So will I be your regret? The choice you
didn't make and wish you had another chance to choose?

EFFECT S3Q15 (0): Shouts rise up from Delport, as its denizens loudly pledge
themselves to Magnagora.

Veshren: [yelling] Everyone out!

Fral, to Belle: (shuffling from foot to foot) Maybe... maybe. But now I have to
go.

Veshren: ENTER stomps in, holding a chicken in one hand, and glares at Fral.

Belle, to Fral: (chewing animatedly on her hair and nodding) Maybe next time
we'll get it right.

Veshren, to Fral: You, out, now.

Fral, to Belle: (tugging on invisible strands of force in the air in front of
him) If there is a next time.

Belle: nods to Fral, her eyes dimming and her face resuming its former slack
vacancy as she heads out of the rain to the barn's eaves.

Fral: EXIT turns translucent and then vanishes, leaving behind a cloud of
sparkling motes of light.

Veshren: passes a chicken to Belle in a desultory, annoyed fashion.

Belle, to Veshren: (in a flat, mindless voice) What a pretty chicken. We could
use the eggs!

Belle: gives a small bag of gold to Veshren, then brings the chicken to the
coop and sets her inside.

EFFECT S3Q16 (4): Silence falls as the curtain drops.

Belle: EXIT SILENT

Veshren: EXIT SILENT

PAUSE

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Scene 4: On the edges of the Serenwilde forest
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

SCENE ForestUncarved: A painted cloth drop at the back of the stage depicts in
idealized form the jagged peaks of the Northern Mountains, with their foothills
nestled below. Scattered around the stage are props depicting trees of many
sorts: mostly pines, befitting the higher elevations, but with scattered
poplars, birches, and maples. The air is full of the chirping of birds, the
chattering of crickets, and the sounds of other wildlife. One tree stands out
amongst the others, a majestic moonhart of considerable age.

PROP Moonhart (ForestUncarved): The tallest of the trees in the grove is so
tall that its crown is lost in the air above the stage. Its trunk is silver,
knotted with boles and gnarled trunk, and nearly glowing with the moon's
lambency. Waxy green leaves shaped like antlers hang from its branches, glinting
with motes of emerald light.

EFFECT S4Q1 (6): The curtain rises on a bit of the northern forest below the
foothills of the Northern Mountains, which loom overhead on a cloth drop at the
back of the stage. Trees stand about the stage in a dense cluster, mostly pines
but with some poplars, birches, and maples amongst them. Crickets, birds, frogs,
and other wildlife lend their voices to fill the air. In the center of the stage
amongst a clear space, a tall moonhart stands overlooking the other trees, its
silver bark shimmering with moonlight, its antler-shaped leaves glinting with
motes of emerald light.

ROLE Arabel (F): Arabel

COSTUME ArabelCostume (Arabel): Tall for a female, this aslaran woman is
slender and lithe, with angular features. Her ears are large and pointed,
swiveling almost constantly in pursuit of the slightest sound, and her body is
always poised as if balanced on a knife's edge, ready to leap in any direction.
Her fur is a plain tawny, and there is little striking about her appearance
apart from her confidence and grace. Robes of forest green edged in indigo add
little bulk. A pair of shofa in her hands mark her as a monk of the Shofangi,
but she wears no other insignia.

Arabel: ENTER lopes in, moving swiftly out of habit, not urgency, then stops,
considering the elder moonhart standing amidst and above the other trees.

Arabel: [on Serenwilde aether] There's an elder moonhart needing carving here
at the northern edge of the forest.

ROLE Reflen (M): Reflen Talnara

COSTUME ReflenCostume (Reflen): Shaggy and unkempt as many of the loboshigaru
are, Reflen shuffles with an uncoordinated posture, as if his thoughts are
anywhere but on the moment and his surroundings. His ruffled silver-gray fur is
unkempt, not actually dirty but wild, and in a few spots, uneven as if a few
patches have fallen out, or been lost to wounds. He wears a silver torc over
goldenrod robes decorated in abstract patterns embroidered in silver thread, and
holds a mystic cudgel in one hand, a glowing powerstone in the other.

Reflen: [on Serenwilde aether] I'm just on my way there anyway, I'll get it.

Reflen: ENTER SILENT

Arabel: swivels her ears, then turns to see Reflen emerging from the
undergrowth.

Arabel: (sniffing the air) I know your smell, but we have not met, have we?

Reflen: (looking sidelong at Arabel as he climbs the moonhart) We must have,
for I have dreamed of you, but I do not recall just when or how. Perhaps it was
when we were young. My parents took me to see the celebrations when Dandelion
Sweetpease came of age; perhaps you were there?

Arabel: (watching Reflen with a predatory gleam) It's more than that. I've
always known you somehow.

Reflen: (carving mystic images with nervous intensity) That doesn't make sense;
we can't know one another unless we met somehow, at some time. Memory can be
elusive. We probably just saw each other at the Mother Tree, or in Newton
Caverns, maybe.

Arabel: (chewing absently on the tufts of her paw) It doesn't matter. We are
meant to be together.

Reflen: (shimmying slowly down the carved totem) Ummm, assuming we've only just
met, which I think we've just established, don't you think that's a shockingly
abrupt conclusion at which to arrive so quickly?

SCENE ForestCarved: A painted cloth drop at the back of the stage depicts in
idealized form the jagged peaks of the Northern Mountains, with their foothills
nestled below. Scattered around the stage are props depicting trees of many
sorts: mostly pines, befitting the higher elevations, but with scattered
poplars, birches, and maples. The air is full of the chirping of birds, the
chattering of crickets, and the sounds of other wildlife. One tree stands out
amongst the others, a living totem covered in mystic carvings.

PROP LivingTotem (ForestCarved): The tallest of the trees on the stage is so
tall that its crown is lost in the air above the stage. Its trunk is silver,
knotted with boles and nearly glowing with the lambency of moonlight. Faces and
images of the spirits of nature are depicted upon it, seeming carved in bold but
simple lines. Waxy green leaves shaped like antlers hang from its branches,
glinting with motes of emerald light.

EFFECT S4Q2 (4): A few sprightly chords introduce a mischievous melody, tender
but energetic, with a rolling rhythm reminiscent of a chase.

Arabel, to Reflen: [singing] (advancing on him in a graceful dance, aggressive
but formal with measured movements) Destiny leaves little room for doubt; you're
sure in your heart, as I in mine. There's a hunger we've both always felt,
something that we knew one day we'd find. I could tell you felt it when I did;
you've belonged to me for all of time.

Reflen, to Arabel: [singing] (dancing back with precise movements as he avoids
both her advance and her gaze) Oft we feel just what we wish to feel, trick
ourselves with wishes, hopes, and dreams. We both feel a wound we ache to heal,
but that proves nothing; every person deems, there's an empty darkness they
could fill with another person, so it seems.

EFFECT S4Q3 (4): Almost imperceptibly, the tempo of the music quickens, with a
pizzicato plunking on the viola echoing the beating of a heart, quietly but
growing more insistent.

Arabel, to Reflen: [singing] (circling around him to one side and then doubling
back to the other, holding out a paw towards him) That's a pretty speech, and
yet I note, you avoid but don't outright deny, that you felt the same thing that
I felt, that there's love between us, it's no lie. What is it that binds you up
in fear? Why would such a blessing you decry?

Reflen, to Arabel: [singing] (turning away with every move Arabel makes to turn
towards him, his paw also extended but as if in warding) How could there be two
to love this wretch? I am not deserving even half. I can scarce believe that
there is one, who puts up with me despite my gaffes. Though she laughs at me so
harsh and hard, how I love to listen to her laugh.

EFFECT S4Q4 (4): Now the music is almost frantic, desperate, with the rhythmic
thumping of an impassioned, terrified heartbeat driving on the harmonies.

Arabel, to Reflen: [singing] (gnawing at the hair on her paw as she dances, her
side-to-side movements cornering Reflen against the totem pole) No, there cannot
be another one! Fate gave you to me and me to you. Did you feel for her as
suddenly as you now love me? You know you do. Why is she a secret from your
friends? Something of this love does not ring true.

Reflen, to Arabel: [singing] (sidestepping in opposite movements to Arabel
until he ends up with his back to the totem, cornered) Incomplete and empty,
without worth, all my life I knew something was wrong. Her attentions made me
feel special, wanted, valued, sometimes almost strong. If she's cruel or keeps
her secret hid, in gratitude I still to her belong.

EFFECT S4Q5 (4): The song concludes with a resounding final chord which hangs
in the air through a long pause, during which the lovers stare silently at one
another, at an impasse.

PAUSE

ROLE Shevenra (F): Shenevra

COSTUME ShevenraDisguise (Shevenra): This human woman is somehow nondescript
despite having all the usual hallmarks of attractiveness: curves in all the
right places, delicate facial features, a bounty of tumbling red hair, and a
confident posture. Maybe it's the impression that her face spends too much time
sneering cruelly and too little time smiling. Her black robes have a revealing
cut, perhaps too revealing, as if she's trying too hard.

Shevenra: ENTER walks in, her eyes sweeping the grove, and grimaces on finding
Reflen so close to Arabel.

Shevenra, to Reflen: (putting her hands on her hips, speaking angrily) Who is
this?

Reflen, to Shevenra: (apologetically shuffling his feet) Oh, um, hello,
Shevenra. This is where you said to meet, right? Only there was a totem and...

Arabel: turns and looks appraisingly at Shevenra, her fur bristling.

Shevenra, to Reflen: (staring back at Arabel with undisguised jealousy and
hostility) What did I tell you about spending time with other women?

Reflen, to Shevenra: (squirming, his expression crestfallen like a child being
taken to task) She's not another woman...

Arabel: shoots Reflen a mildly irritated look, quirking an eyebrow.

Reflen, to Shevenra: She was just here because she saw the totem, and, umm,
well, you remember how you told me I was supposed to make extra sure to be aware
of uncarved totems...

Shevenra: glances quickly at Arabel and then shoots Reflen an urgent look,
shaking her head slightly.

Arabel: sizes up Shevenra, looking her up and down, rebalancing the shofa in
her paws.

Reflen: hangs his head, looking on the edge of tears.

Arabel, to Shevenra: (taking a defensive stance) You shouldn't be here. Not
everyone is fooled so easy as my Reflen here.

Shevenra: (turning with a hiss to Arabel) Your Reflen? Yours?

EFFECT S4Q6 (4): An ominous rattle and a screeching high note on a violin mark
the start of a grimly martial melody, sparse and strident.

Arabel, to Shevenra: (circling warily in time with the music, blades held high)
Yes, mine. How long have you been playing him, nekotai? Oh, I saw it in how you
walked, I recognize the training.

Shevenra, to Arabel: (mirroring her movements as she slips a pair of nekai into
her hands, speaking with an exaggerated affectation) Whatever do you mean? Love
grows where it will, and heeds not politics.

COSTUME ShevenraCostume (Shevenra): This human woman is somehow nondescript
despite having all the usual hallmarks of attractiveness: curves in all the
right places, delicate facial features, a bounty of tumbling red hair, and a
confident posture. Maybe it's the impression that her face spends too much time
sneering cruelly and too little time smiling. Her black robes have a revealing
cut, perhaps too revealing, as if she's trying too hard. A pair of shining nekai
in her hands mark her as a monk of the Nekotai.

Arabel: snarls and lunges, her motions a stylized dance reminiscent of, and
reflecting, a shofangi's graceful movement of limbs and shofa.

Shevenra: sidesteps and counters in a similarly stylized choreography, hissing.

Reflen: EXIT backs away, terrified and contrite, vanishing into the overgrowth
with his hands up as if to ward off the sight of the battle.

EFFECT S4Q7 (4): A syncopated rhythm forms in the music, the instruments of the
consort battling one another for primacy with wails and clatters and insistent
rumbles.

Arabel, to Shevenra: (beginning an elaborate exchange of blows with hands and
feet) Indeed, but it can also be put on like a mask, played at for gain. What
gain, though? Just information?

Shevenra, to Arabel: (retreating and advancing across the stage in a furious
exchange of blows) Perhaps, and maybe just to cultivate opportunities for future
needs.

Arabel: leaps with a spinning kick, with Shevenra dodges nimbly, then follows
with an aggressive lunge, shofas extended.

Shevenra: lets Arabel's shofa find her, absorbing the blow to seize an
opportunity to spit in her foe's eye.

EFFECT S4Q8 (4): A loud high note on the viola arcs over the strident rhythm
like a wail of agony.

Arabel: stumbles back, wiping ineffectually at her eye with a paw, her balance
broken.

Shevenra: leaps behind Arabel, arms wrapping around to bring one nekai
delicately to the shofangi's throat while the other knocks the shofa from her
hands to fall clattering to the stage.

EFFECT S4Q9 (4): While the viola continues to wail with a pregnant tension, the
rest of the music dies down to a low but urgent vibration.

Arabel, to Shevenra: (holding very still) Just tell me this much before it
ends. Did you ever feel anything for him?

Shevenra, to Arabel: (with a sneer) That sniveling worm? He was useful because
of his weakness; it made him receptive to me, so desperate for anyone that would
make him feel worth something, but it is so tedious to allay his incessant
whining! No, I feel nothing for him but contempt.

Reflen: ENTER jumps out from behind the undergrowth, sputtering, his paws
clenched into fists.

Shevenra: turns to look in surprise at Reflen, her face blanching.

Reflen, to Shevenra: (striding heedlessly towards her with a dazed bluster)
Lies, it was all lies? All the things I told you, did for you, you were using
me?

Shevenra, to Reflen: (blinking and speaking slowly, tilting her head
uncertainly) Oh, um, love, you didn't believe what I said to her, did you? It
was just a trick, I was only, umm...

Arabel: takes advantage of Shevenra's distraction to reach around and flip the
nekotai over her shoulder, dropping her heavily to the ground before her.

Reflen, to Shevenra: (railing angrily, seeming oblivious to the change in her
fortunes) You were only using me, that's what you were only! I wanted to find
what I lacked so badly I believed everything, accepted all your abuses!

Arabel: tumbles in a somersault, scooping up her shofa along the way, ending
with an axekick and heelslam, driving Shevenra's shoulder to the ground with a
crunch, her nekai falling aside with a loud skittering sound.

Shevenra: sneers feebly and tries to spit at Arabel, though the shofangi dodges
easily.

EFFECT S4Q10 (4): The wail of the viola slides down a few tones, meeting the
other instruments in a sweet harmony fashioned from the same chords as the
earlier martial song, now stripped of their urgent and syncopated rhythms.

Reflen, to Arabel: (turning to her) You were right. Right about everything. We
belong together, we always have, for a thousand lifetimes before. I'm sorry I
was deceived.

Arabel, to Reflen: (keeping an eye on Shevenra as she links her arm with Reflen
territorially) Now that we've found each other at last, we will never be parted,
not for a thousand lifetimes to come.

Shevenra: hisses as she watches the lovers walk off, arm in arm.

EFFECT S4Q11 (4): Delicate in its melodies apart, yet drawing a sense of
resolution from the harmonies of the whole, the music swells one final time and
ends on a satisfying, sustained chord.

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