The Fairest Stars

Chapter Twenty Nine: 'Deny thy father.'

The Prince moved towards the front of the stage, speaking the words not translated from Shakespeare, something they’d decided to do with only that and the prologue.

‘A glooming peace this morning with it brings;

The sun for sorrow will not show his head.

Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;

Some shall be pardoned, and some punished:

For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.’

The curtain fell, the audience bursting into rapturous applause.

Kael helped Isis up, stealing a kiss before the curtain rose. ‘You were magnificent,’ he told her.

‘So were you!’ she replied, running off stage so that she was in position for when they came in to do their bows. ‘Your parents just have to be proud. I won’t understand if they’re not.’

As they came on to do their bows, Isis dropping a very pretty, modest little curtsy, earning her rapturous applause, Kael tried to look out into the crowd to find his parents, but the bright lights obscured their faces from view. He wondered if they were proud of him, or if they were shaking their heads and wishing that he wasn’t their son.

 He seriously hoped it was the former. To be honest, he’d never really been bothered by what his parents thought about him. Or so he’d told himself. Deep down, he realised that, secretly, he’d yearned for his father to appreciate him for who he was, and to look at him with eyes filled with pride. He’d wanted to be accepted by his father, but he’d just never had the chance. To be fair, he had rebelled, rather than face up to the fact that his father wouldn’t want to accept him. Probably not the best approach.

Back stage, the atmosphere was jubilant, despite several people crying because it was all over. Lydia was one of them, tears making mascara pour down her face in dramatic black streaks.

‘We should have an after show dinner out,’ Kael suggested, as a large group of them mourned the death of the show.

Everyone seemed enthusiastic, so Kael made arrangements. ‘Tomorrow night? Spread the word, we’ll meet in town tomorrow at half six, alright?’

Lydia began spreading it round, telling Mrs Robson, who looked even more excited than usual, and seemed to wander off muttering about which clothes she was going to wear.

With a smile, Kael went off to get out of his outfit.

After he’d changed back into his clothes, he found Isis, who had got rid of the majority of her face make up, and was back in normal clothes too. ‘Come with me?’ he asked, taking her hand. ‘I’m going to go to see my parents.’

Isis nodded, putting down the make up wipe she’d been using to get the last of the powder off of her face. ‘Sure.’

Weaving their way through the crowds, Kael and Isis made their way to where his parents stood, still looking out of place, his mother hanging onto his father’s arm, as they surveyed those around them with a look of condescension.

‘Mum!’ Kael went over, his hand still in Isis’s, and grinned at his parents.

‘Darling!’ His mother hugged him, kissing both of his cheeks. ‘You were splendid, you truly were! I didn’t realise what a wonderful actor you were!’

Kael laughed. ‘Thanks, Mum.’

Isis noticed his gaze had travelled to his father, a little expectantly.