The Shamed Lady

"You'll never guess what happened!" Nelle removed her purple mask and guffawed a proud laugh.

West shushed her and pointed a sleeping little boy beside him. "Must you be so loud?"

The girl let out a soft giggle. "Quite sorry. It's just that Giles was a bomb at the pub. You should have seen how he put the lady in her place! Her reaction was an amazing sight!"

Nelle stared at her reflection in the mirror, smiling slightly as if remembering a distant memory. She started laughing again, like a donkey in search of its hay.

West had been used to Nelle's noisy attitude. Whatever it is that she may find amusing, she'll be quick to tell him. He had been with her since she was five and he was eight. Sixteen years had passed and they were still together, with him helping her and Sir Duncan, her father, with their theatre business.

It's only right for him to help out. He owe them his whole life, after all.

"By the way, you did a great job earlier." Nelle laid her head on a pillow beside him. "You're really good with villain-y roles, how come you're still not evil now?"

West raised an eyebrow at her. "You laugh like a donkey, how come you're still not one now?"

Next thing he knew, he was smacked on the head with a pillow. "If I should boast, I did attract a lot of attention as the lover's handmaiden!"

He laughed, shaking his head. He glanced at the sleeping boy, his head lying on West's lap.

West thought of how fond he was of the boy. Ruben was no more than eight and if they hadn't seen him sleeping on one of the street stages that they've performed on, he would probably be sold off. West didn't want the boy to feel unwanted.

That was why Ruben was the first human being in their troupe.

There were currently seven members in the troupe, including him and Nelle. They were travelers, bringing entertainment around the empire. With how big Merotus was, it took quite long time for them to reach the capital.

And at good time, at that.

"You haven't told me what exactly was it that Giles did," West asked his friend.

With the topic brought forth, Nelle giggled once more. "We are holding auditions, aren't we? But there was this lady who thought she should not prove herself worthy of theatre and just join. It even looked like she was seducing us. Well, Giles rejected her for us. With the best lines, that is."

Giles was a sassy witch. His pretty face didn't look like it but when he saw no sense in something, he would go right up and say it. No sugar-coating involved. When it comes to theatre, his face would define the face of a leading man. With reality? The witch was savage as the antagonist's lines.

Giles wasn't the only witch in the troupe. They were all of the same kind. Theatre was a way for them to readily use magic, without anyone noticing.

It had been years since humans discriminated against witches. The power meant for aid threatened the them. They thought magic will turn on them so humans betrayed the witches first.

Still, there they were, showing affection for humanity. Giving them entertainment when they had none.

But their shows were more than shows. Their masks were necessary as it symbolizes both freedom and imprisonment. With how they must hide to release their energy, to show who they truly are. What with the setting, the effects, and the mood- they improve it with their magic.

That is why they needed the moon when performing.

But they are real artists. Besides freedom was passion. They needed it to survive the cruel division if their beings.

"Well if she really wanted to join, why not let her?"

Nelle huffed. "Well, she doesn't. You know passion when you see their eyes. Hers only holds power…and something else I couldn't recognize, I guess."

West was curious about that 'something else' but he didn't get to ask because Ruben started stirring in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open revealing sea green orbs of wonder before he rubbed them with his little hand, letting out a huge yawn. "Nelly, what are you doing here?"

"I was telling my brother a story. What are you doing here sleeping on his lap when you've got a bed?"

"Well, my bed is also West's bed!" the little boy protested. "And he was also telling me a story."

"And what is it about? I bet it's not as exciting as mine." Nelle stick her tongue out, teasing Ruben.

"West met a lady! Have you met a lady, Nelly? No!"

Ah, yes. The cat's out of the bag.

Nelle turned her head towards him, her eyes wide in shock. "You did?!"

Of course, she needed to know. She was his secret keeper just as much as he was hers.

-- * --

Evelina thankfully found an inn for her to stay. There was no assurance of how long she will be there but she told the innkeeper that it would only take her a couple of days.

With how badly her journey was going, she wouldn't be getting anywhere near the blue blood in just a couple of days.

Looking at her disfigured reflection in the mirror, she was reminded of her anger earlier. How she was publicly humiliated, her shame was open to all who looked at her. Even the innkeeper noticed how mortified she was when asking her how much she got in her pockets.

"Plenty of silvers, that is." the owner's tired expression was replaced with pleasure. Evelina groaned, her head down. "What's with the mood? Did someone shame you for being rich or what?"

"What? No!"

But someone did shame her.

She threw her her corset on the bed, relief at long last in her hands. But the memory then came back to haunt her making her scream a loud scream.

"Bat's shriek, this is horrible! They are horrible!"

But what was she supposed to get when she despised conversations yet had the urge to confidently walk up to strangers, and ask them of something she found no sense of enjoyment?

What was odd was how enticing people had always been natural to her, even when she showed them nothing but disinterest.

This is different.

It was a situation not fit for her.

Did she want to just go home and give the mission to get the glory to someone else? Yes! She did want to go home. But to go home with the respect of all clans would give her much satisfaction than going home with nothing.

Especially with her mother's expectations.

Evelina sighed heavily. She had no choice but to continue with the easiest plan until she found another.

They may not be convinced but once she sees West, she would make him fall for her, that they would most possibly let her join the group.

Sure, letting him fall for her might be a little overboard.

A knock coming from outside the door interrupted her thoughts. Alert, her fangs made themselves known.

"Who is it?"

Evelina heard a murmur. She cautiously approached the door and repeated herself. "Who is it?"

"Sybil" came a hushed voice.

She withdrew her fangs and turned the knob, opening her door.

Outside was a girl. No, not just any girl. She was the short one who told her what the basket was for earlier. Her face was pink, eyes directed at the floor.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Sybil's shy eyes briefly met hers before returning her gaze to the floor. ", but my mother told me to tell you that you were being loud."

Evelina stared at the girl, fascinated. "Sybil." She said her like it was the loveliest thing she had known. "How old are you?"

"I-fifteen, miss."

"And you were watching the performance this afternoon, were you not?"

At the mention of it, Sybil's interest was picked. She finally had the courage to look up at Evelina, her face obvious with enthusiasm.

"Have you seen the play, too?"

"Yes and I-"

"They were amazing, weren't they? The way they ended it was exhausting but satisfying. It was like I wasn't a part of the audience, myself, but a character within the play!"

"Uhm, yes?"

A shy girl yet a fangirl, out of all the people she could encounter! This is getting ridiculous. She was hoping to get possible information out of her, not watch this child swoon at how attractive the protagonist was.

The same protagonist who embarrassed her back at the pub. Oh, if she could just squeeze his head and make it rain blood.

"...and the set! Have you ever seen anything like it? How could they design such small space to look as grand as a mansion's living room?"

Having enough of it, she plastered on a smile and looked at her straight in her eyes. "Yes, it was amazing, wasn't it? But, Sybil, do you know anything about the artists?"

Allured, the child tilted her head- still keeping the connection. "I don't, miss."

Then, that's done.

Evelina cut off the connection and Sybil blinked in confusion. She fixed her sight towards her bag, thinking of her drink and how she'll finish it out of frustration.

"Thank you for warning me of how loud I could be. I promise to be more careful. You may go."

"Wait."

"Yes?"

Sybil took a breath before revealing the very information she needed. "I heard voices down the basement and they seemed to be lines I heard from the play."

The basement?

"Er- you looked like you were interested in it, as well. And ah, it might be nice if you could accompany me in checking it out?"

Bingo.