Page 16 of Songs and Spun Gold
“Evil fairies,” the queen grumbled. “Such nonsense that they fill our people’s heads with.”
Axel laughed and winked. “Are you certain there’s no such thing, Mother? After all, it must have been evil fairies who cursed you with such a reprobate for a son.”
“You’re not a reprobate,” his mother scolded, gently resting a hand on his arm. “You’re just...” She frowned slightly.
“Flighty? Irresponsible?” Axel supplied lightly when she didn’t finish the sentence.
“Not as much like your father as he might wish,” Mother sighed.
There was a world of subtext in that statement.
“And to prove your point, I must be off. The bright lights of the sparkling chandelier beckon to me from afar, their glowing radiance calling me to come and see the excellence upon which they shine as each is lit in preparation for the arrival of guests.”
“Just make sure you keep your stage talkoffthe stage,” his mother admonished. But there was a twinkle in her eye to mar the downturn of her lips.
“Naturally,” he replied smoothly, giving her his trademark flourishing bow. “I am beholden to uphold the Dracovich name. It would never do for the people to be terrified of the prince’s terrible stage presence rather than his fierceness as a dragon warrior.”
With that final absurdity, he spun on his heel and strodeaway down the hall, making for the front entrance. Going to the theater for opening night was allowed, so there was no need to slip away through a side gate.
“Rather late, aren’t you?” drawled a tenor voice.
Axel turned to see a short young man with heavy-lidded eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and incredibly pale skin sprawled out on a bench in the entry hall. Raising an eyebrow, Axel replied, “Late? Most people consider it shockingly early to arrive an hour before the doors open.”
“Not our theater-loving prince.” A lazy grin spread across the young nobleman’s face. “Trouble picking out your outfit tonight?”
Sweeping an arm out to the side, its effect increased by the cloak around his shoulders, Axel said, “I could neither appear before my adoring crowds nor display my own adoration for the cast in anything less than perfection, now could I? Just because you are jealous of my own dashing good looks, Tobias, doesn’t mean that you must persecute me for it.”
Tobias smirked. “They should let you on the stage someday, Axel; you were born for it.”
Burying the shot of pain that always came with such comments, Axel gave his friend a blinding smile. “It’s only you who thinks so. For which my parents are profoundly grateful. Can you imagine what they would say if I told them that I wished to be an actor?”
“Your father would have an apoplectic fit,” Tobias acknowledged, placing his hands on his knees and pushing himself to his feet. “His only heir, and all.”
“’Tis sad, but true,” Axel sighed dramatically. Placing a hand over his heart, he lifted his eyes to the ceiling. “Were my poor father but blessed with another living child, his grief would be less at having me.”
Tobias reached for a glass, but the side table was empty.Dropping his hand to his side, he turned to Axel. “Shall we? The doors will open without you at this rate.”
Immediately straightening, Axel widened his eyes. “That would never do! Let us be off!”
Then, with a grand gesture in the direction of the massive front door, he marched forward, Tobias strolling beside him.
CHAPTER 5
Katy
Craning her neck to better see the molding around the top of the auditorium, Katy tried not to gawk like the country bumpkin that she was. She’d never seen such attention to detail in architecture before; everything in Flussendorf was simple stone, except for a few wooden buildings. None of them had fancy features.
And the chandelier! She marveled at the sheer size of it. It couldn’t even be said to flicker; there were too many candles for that. But it was smaller than the stage below it, with tall, dark red curtains drawn across it.
“I hope you don’t mind sitting in a box,” Angelika said apologetically. “Normally, we try to sit in the orchestra section, which has a much better view and better acoustics. But opening night is always more crowded.”
“Mind?” Katy said, surprised. She grinned. “This is amazing! I don’t know how to thank you for bringing me here.” She stroked the blue taffeta on her lap. “Or for letting me borrow such a beautiful dress. Are you sure it’s all right for me to wear this?”
Angelika waved away her gratitude. “It’s an old dress. Besides,” she grinned mischievously, “you can’t come to the theater in peasant clothes. It just isn’t done! After all, you never know when the prince will be in attendance.”
Katy rolled her eyes. “The prince? Please, Angelika. If theprincewerehere, it wouldn’t matter what I was wearing. Or have you forgotten who my father is?”
Shrugging, Angelika replied, “He’s not going to be interested in me, either. Or most of the other girls here. But that doesn’t mean we want him to see us in anything less than our best!”
