Final Curtain Call

“I would like to submit my application for Master-writer,” Aida said. Swelled with confidence she placed the paper on the ordinate desk.

Leaning back in his chair Hadwin crossed his arms, letting out a sigh. “You’re not ready Aide.”

“I am ready! And you know damn well know it. My last four plays had rave reviews, the papers called me a sensation!” deflating a little, she tried to control the quiver in her voice.

“That doesn’t grant you the title of Master-writer. That is earned, not just given to any person who is literate and has 50 bucks. This is the last I will hear of it, do you understand me, Aida?” Narrowing his black eyes, he awaited her response.

“Yes sir,” she said. Her arm fell limply to her side as she pulled the application off the table. Dropping her gaze to the old wooden floor, she rubbed the toe of her shoe into a worn spot. “I won't bring it up again.” Stepping backward she eased her way out the door. Looking to make a quick getaway, she bolted for the hallway. Slamming into the back of Elias, Aida fell into the cold floor.

“What the hell?” Twisting around to see her, Elias face blossomed into a smile. “Aida! Where are you going in such a hurry? Oh, today was application day. What did Hadwin say?” Lifting her up by the shoulders, he sat her on her feet.

Shoving her application into her pocket, she shooed his hands off her. “Of course, he took it. He knows I’m the best playwright he's got. In fact, he hasn’t written a play in years.” Pulling her shirt down Aida puffed up again. “Doesn’t need to when he has this golden goose to lean on.“

“Is that so?” Hadwin boomed, his laugh echoing off the cobblestone walls. “As I recall it, I said you’re not ready and you cried on the way out.” Slack-jawed, Elias looked from Aida to Hadwin, the color draining from her face and a look of horror frozen in there. “Dilutional and a liar I see.” Smirking, he nudged past her, whistling on his way out of the guildhall.

“Uh-“

“Don’t.” Aida said voice cracking, “I’m going to make him eat those words if it’s the last move I make.”

“What are you going to do, Aida? In short of barging into the Master Assembly, there is nothing you can do, you heard Hadwin.”

Bringing her fingers to her lip, she chewed on the flesh around her nail. “That isn’t a bad idea Elias, ya know…if I put him on the spot in front of the council he might cave.”

“Girl, you might get caught in a cave-in and that would be the end of you.”

“You’re the one that gave me the idea genius, be sure to have that on my grave if I do.”

“Murdered by playwriter apprentice?” He asked voice shrill.

“You’ll see this will work. Meet me by the candle shop at dusk!” She gave Elias a quick hug and ran out the door.

It was now or never. Her time was here. Sure, she could ruin her whole career, twenty years down the drain. However, this could also be the day she told people about when her dreams came true. Ducking behind the bushes she snuck up the hill, five men stood in a semi-circle on the grand stage. I will be on that stage one day, planning the summer banquet with these men…my peers, she thought chewing on her finger. She couldn’t make out their words. Leaning into the shrub she craned toward the stage, her boot slipping in the mud Aida toppled over the shrub and landed flat on her belly. Groaning, she rolled over to rub her stomach.

“Aida. What are you doing here?” Hadwin snapped, his eyes cutting into her.

“I remembered what you said about my Master-writer application.” She said nodding

“I see, and why would that bring you here?”

“You…uh…issued a challenge…a ummm condition to my accepting my application.” Rolling the hem of her brown shirt, her green eyes locked on each face praying for a lifeline.

“A challenge? Like a competition? What are the stakes?” Rowen asked. Aida recognized him as the leader of the acting guild.

“That if we both submitted a play, and mine was chosen as the winner he would accept my application for Master-writer.”

Flames danced in his black eyes, and a sinister smile spread across his face. “That’s right, and Aida here agreed to be knocked down to apprentice and restart her training. She would have to earn the use of ink and quill.” Hadwin smirked expecting her to cower down.

“That’s right,” Aida said walking up to the stage. “We just needed to run it by you, the masters of the theatre, puppeteers of the red curtain.”

“That would make for a very exciting summer festival.” Noah agreed “As the Master Set Maker I can build them in time.”

“I have fifteen actors at your service. This is so exciting.” Rowan said shifting side to side in anticipation.

“So, you will write a play and pit it against mine, deal?” Hadwin said holding out his hand.

“Deal,” Aida replied shaking his hand, fear settled into her heart. He had agreed to this way too easily even if she put her title of a Journeyman on the line.

He laughed and pushed her hand away, “Excellent you have three days to write a new play. I shall submit ‘Fires of Limbo’.”

“That’s not fair! I wrote that!”

“Tisk tisk little mouse. You published that under my writer’s guild. Thus, that story belongs to me. And while we’re on this topic I should probably inform you that as a journeyman you can’t negotiate work with other guilds.”

There it is, she thought, the reason he agreed so readily. It’s too late to back down now. Just because ‘Fires of Limbo’ was hailed as the greatest work of the decade doesn’t mean I can’t top it.

“Not a problem, Homer is the greatest storyteller of all time, he didn’t need sets or Master-actors.”

“My dear child, you are not Homer. You’re not even a master of your trade much less a legend,” Rowan said placing his hand on his heart in a dramatic flare.

Bowing she leapt off the stage and made her way back into town. Elias was leaning against the brick wall of the candle shop, eyes glued in the direction of the theater. As her head came into view, he shoved off the wall and jogged to meet her.

“How did it go?”

“Well-”

“For real this time,”

“He agreed to a challenge, a new play I write and one he submits.”

“But… there’s a but in there, right?” Elias said running his hands down his face.

“It’s going to be submitted for public review at the summer festival. I can’t hire any actors or set makers from the guilds”

“Okay, so that’s bad.”

“Oh, and he’s submitting ‘Fires of Limbo’”

“Now, things have gone from bad to worse. What are you going to do? Should I prepare that tombstone?”

“Not yet, I have three days to prepare a literary masterpiece and figure out a way to perform it.”

“Oh yeah, totally. You have three days, no sweat.”

Punching him in the arm she jogged up the stairs two at a time. Her small apartment was in the attic of the candle shop. The perfumes from the shop invaded her nose as she swung the door open. Rushing to her desk, she lit the lamp and unrolled a scroll of paper. She picked up her quill and dipped it in ink, resting her head on the paper. She tapped it once, then again. Leaning back in her seat she threw the quill in frustration.

“What the hell am I going to do!”

A sharp knock on the door pulled her from her despair, eyes snapping towards the door as she jumped up from her seat. Maybe Elias had another genius idea, she thought. Pulling the door wide, Aida was stunned in silence, Hadwin had never been to her apartment in her 10 years as his journeyman. “Did you change your mind?” she asked smugly.

“Oh, no, far from it. I just had a parcel for you to deliver to Port Egan.” Holding out the parcel, he smiled like a snake.

“Port Egan is a four-day round trip! How do you expect me to deliver that and show at the summer festival? I would never make it back…” anger boiling under her skin, he doesn’t mean for me to make it back. “What about Elias?”

“Oh, he has to count inventory, tomorrow is Wednesday after all.” Pushing the package into her arms he spun on his heels whistling down the staircase.

“Okay, so it’s a four-day walk if I leave now, don’t sleep, and pack no changes of clothes, I’ll make it in time. I can write and walk at the same time, right?” Tossing the parcel on her bed she ran back to her small desk she shoved paper and spare ink into a backpack, looking feverishly for her quill, her eyes wandering over to where she threw it. Picking up the quill she found the tip was broken off. This would never hold ink. “Writing and walking sounded hard…I’ll just have to remember the story until I get back.” Swallowing hard she lowered the bag to the floor. She scooped the parcel off her bed and chased the sunset out of town.

***

The days flew by in a daze, the summer festival was a chance for all the guilds to show their best work. The main stage was loaded with props and cutouts for the upcoming production of ‘Fire of Limbo’. Elias had been scanning the horizon for any sign of Aida’s return, it was curtains up at twilight. Dusk brought with it deep oranges setting the sky on fire. Candles had been lit around the stage basking it in a soft glow.

The red velvet curtain slowly drew up, the crowd erupted in applause. Even as the music started, the actors shouted and acted out scenes with sword fights and danger. Elias couldn’t take his eyes off the hill leading to the stage. Hadwin told Elias of the errand he had sent Aida to deliver, it wasn’t until that moment that he realized she was right. Hadwin was threatened by her, so he wouldn’t approve her application. Now she’s going to get knocked down and have to take stock and go on ink runs again. She may never have public work again. It was dirty and rotten, he thought.

As the intermission started, a man in a jester suit took the stage playing a stringed instrument. When he pretended to fall all the strings broke loose. Running around the stage, he held up a finger pulling out three brightly colored balls he started to juggle the balls and instrument. He juggled backward as he left the stage and the curtain closed. Act II was about to begin.

Elias leapt to his feet, weaving his way out of the crowded lawn. He bumped into Hadwin by the gate.

“She’s not back yet, eh?”

“How could she be? You sent her on a four-day trip! You’re Cox-Comb if I ever did see one,” he said. Sprinting towards the edge of town, his eyes scanned the low brush. “Aida! Aida where are you?” he yelled

“Elias? Is that you? I’m over here!” She cried out, voice hoarse and shaky.

Howling with delight Elias jogged toward her shouts. “Holy shit Aida, what happened to you?” he said screeching. Aida was limping up the hill, leaves sticking out of her hair in all directions. Blood trickled down her leg, thorns still snagged in her skin.

“I have to make it; I can’t let him win, Elias.” Leaning on a stick she pushed herself on. “I’m so close.”

“Hold on tight,” he said swinging her onto his back and charging back toward the theater with her bobbing on his back. “I hope you're ready to wow them, Aida.”

“I’m ready, I know I am,” she said determined.

Hadwin’s jaw dropped when he saw the pair barreling toward the stage. Just as the actors took their final bows, Elias sat Aida on her feet backstage. Grabbing a mug of ale from a nearby man, he shoved it at her hands. “Drink this I’ll introduce you.” Walking onto the stage he motioned for the curtains to rise again. “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce a new story written by the greatest talent of our time. Please welcome Aida Blue!” Mummers broke out amongst the crowd, and as Aida hobbled onto the stage a gasp in unison quieted them down.

“Good evening, my cohort and I discussed storytelling. He said you needed actors and props to get the crowd’s interest. I disagree I came to prove him wrong.” Sitting cross-legged on the stage Aida cleared her throat. Weaving her magic, the members of the crowd were enthralled by her story, leaning on the edge of their seating eager for the next word.

She told a marvelous tale of a wicked greedy man, who kept a golden goose hidden claiming he could turn eggs into gold himself. As she brought the tale to a close, the roar of the crowd erupted into applause. Aida stood and bowed; roses graced her feet. The red velvet curtain slowly lowered. She turned and was greeted by the bewildered eyes of Rowan and Noah. She smiled and spread her arms wide.

“What on earth happened to you girl? You look a fright!” Noah asked, eyeing her as though she were rabid.

“Does that sound like a victory to you?” She asked fear settling into her belly.

“I would call it a close second,” Hadwin said dryly as he approached the group.

“Are you deaf, Hadwin?” Elias said glaring at him.

“I concur it was fairly close indeed.”

“Would you call that the work of a Master-writer?” Aida asked leaning on Elias for support, her right ankle was swollen and throbbing in her boot.

“Very well Girl, we grant you the winner and accept your application into the Master-writer’s guild,” Noah said.

Standing tall Aida bowed. “Gentleman, it has been a long three days I shall take my leave first.” Limping passed Hadwin she leaned into his ear, whispering “Golden fuckin’ goose.”