Chapter 74: Unbroken Loneliness
The Riot of Rot came and went, and Tosha was adjusting to life in the shadows of the theatre. Thornspine was still the only one who knew of her existence, and was confident it would remain that way.
"My parents are way too self-obsessed to even pay me notice, let alone someone they think is just another stage hand." Thornspine explained. "Even if they do see you, they won't take any extra notice. They have too much else to do. And Banella rarely comes to the theatre unless it's to see a performance or check on her actors, and she hardly ever pokes around. She trusts me to run everything behind the scenes."
"What about Rose?" Tosha asked, having seen the elegant pink skydancer lounging around the theatre, talking in strange aspects.
Thorn snorted. "He's even more self-absorbed than my parents! If he sees you, he'll strike up a conversation as some character of his. I honestly have no idea what he's like when he's completely himself but he won't give you any trouble. Most of the dragons here don't care what goes on here, as long as the show goes on and I do my job. I swear, Banella doesn't let in anyone with an ounce of proper ambition, it's like she's scared someday someone will surpass her."
With time, Tosha grew more accustomed to life at the theatre. She still kept out of the way, but she found ways to observe the going-ons at the theatre between helping Thorn with his tasks. Every night after everything shut down would return to the hidden nook Thornspine had furnished for her to practice what she had learned. Thorn, having been raised to dance by his parents before he let them know he wasn't interested, gave her tips.
Tosha had never had a close friend before, and was glad to have found one in Thorn. It made the loneliness of living in a forgotten corner of a grim theatre far easier to bear. This would only be temporary, she reminded herself. As soon as she was good enough, she could live a life out in the open, and everyone would know her name.
Banella was sulking again. She wouldn't call it sulking, she never did, but even she was beginning to grow tired of the repetition of her empty days. It was always the same. Sulk, brood, maybe go check in on the theatre if she could get out of her head, wallow and repeat. The theatre had always been a temporary fix, something to occupy her while she raised the money and power to overthrow her sister and reclaim the throne that was rightfully hers.
She was enjoyed the theatre, but even that wasn't enough for her anymore. She needed something more, and for the first time in years she was beginning to see that. But what did she need? What did she want?
She wanted her sister back, but that wasn't possible.
Well, maybe it wasn't impossible but there was no way she was crawling to Kaladin for help, not after he had forsaken his work as her partner to start that circus of his. The circus that was getting far more attention than her theatre was, not that she was jealous or anything. It was a fad that was sure to fan out once the novelty had worn off.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ring of the mail bell. One of the couriers must have just dropped something off. Probably some junk mail. She supposed this was as good a thing as any to break her brooding. She moved to the mail slot.
To her surprise, on her doormat lay not a colourful pamphlet advertising some other theatre company that wanted to steal her thunder, but instead a crumpled envelope with her name scrawled across it. Had the chipper fool of a courier read her mail? No, picking it up revealed the wax seal was still intact.
She immediately recognized the seal and a jolt ran through her. It couldn't be- Hadn't he-? She gingerly cracked the seal, as if scared it would bite off her fingers, and pulled out the crumpled parchment note.
Quote:
Hey Princess,
Guess what? I survived.
Maybe I'll see you soon.
Leo
Guess what? I survived.
Maybe I'll see you soon.
Leo
Banella dropped the note as if it has burned her. His last words mirrored his final words in his previous letter, about the fall of her sister. Since she hadn't heard from him since, she had assumed he died when the clan fell, but it looked like he had slithered away like he always did.
But why contact her now, after all this time? What could be possibly want?
Banella tried to suppress the hope that began to flutter like a caged bird within her chest, to no avail. She felt like she had in her younger years, when she had first met the sly wildclaw. Maybe she wasn't alone after all, maybe she was not doomed to a fate of unbroken loneliness and despair.
@CleverDual @Alwaid @zzzhorses @Skyeset @ScrivenerRook @Kizzan @clarax @lilastar @tigressRising @Disillusionist @Aetherstorm @rainphee @RiaFire11
So on a whim today I wrote this chapter as I was on the bus to and from school. You have no idea how good it feels to write something that's not an academic paper, those have been the bane of my existence this past week or so.
Now that I've discovered a new writing app, maybe I'll use more of my bus time to write lore and I'll be able to update more often.
