The lights in the gym started to dim, leaving only the stage illuminated. Beneath the stage, foldable chairs were set up in neat rows and columns so that every available space was filled in order to maximize the amount of people that could watch. That was done to a great effect and every seat was still filled. Some people even stood near the back of the gym near the main entrance in order to catch the play with the majority of the audience here to see Irina perform.
The curtains slowly parted, revealing the stage and the performers to the audience. Since I was watching from backstage, my view of the play was a side view from the back. Therefore, it was sometimes impossible for me to see the faces of the performers when they're facing the audience.
The first scene for the play, Flowers of the Harem, started. The backdrop was one of a room within a castle. There, the two main actresses, Irina and Muria, were seated on chairs opposite to each others. Irina's character was Mary, and Muria's character was Verinel. Both were wives to the fictional Emperor of Vilheim Lezus that the Emperor loved and favored. The story of the play, in summary, was basically about the two's conflicts and struggles in winning the sole love of their husband.
"My dear Verinel," Irina/Mary said her line as she handed the cup of tea to the maid that stood next to her chair. "What're your plans for the night?"
"Of course it is to please my husband," Muria/Verinel responded. On her face was a mocking expression directed at Irina/Mary.
It surprised me that Muria was capable of act out Verinel in such a realistic manner due to the fact that Verinel's characteristics of being extremely scheming and seductive were completely different from how Muria was in real life. In addition, what impressed me even more was the fact that Muria is an amateur that had only been practicing for a few days for her part.
"Is that so?" Irina/Mary wasn't willing to be defeated so simply by Muria's/Verinel's taunt. "Why do I think that Emperor Lezus prefers my body over yours?"
Does the lines have to be so... so... whory?
"Everyone knows Emperor Lezus loves to rub himself against my body," Irina/Mary continued with a proud smile on her face. "Maybe if you were to try it one night, you would know as well."
What the hell are these lines? Am I really at a high school play right now?
Irina/Mary then ran her hands down the length of her body in a seductive and erotic manner. On her face was an expression of pleasure as she demonstrated where the fictional Emperor loved to rub against her.
In order to conceal a physical response from the student council president who stood next to me as well as the many theater club members, I squatted down. With my face slightly red from embarrassment, I remained silent as I continued to watch, hoping that with the dim lighting, no one would be able to notice.
"What's wrong?" Luna then asked.
"I'm just tired," I responded with a lie.
My heart raced as I worried that she might inquire further, but luckily, she didn't. Therefore, a silent sigh of relief escaped me.
The play then continued on to the next scene, which is where the two were walking about the gardens with their servants before bumping into the other faction. The atmosphere was quite tense since all the actors had done a great job at their role. The actors that played the guards of each lady faced off against the other, hand at their swords and ready to draw if anyone were to make a sudden movement. The tense situation between the followers were only halted when the two ladies stepped before the line of guards and met at the center of the stage in order to face off, thus starting a new tension between the two.
"Mind I ask why my dear Verinel roams my garden?" Irina/Mary asked.
"Your garden?!" Muria/Verinel exclaimed with a surprised expression on her face. "When did this great Garden of Vilheim become yours?" Muria/Verinel then walked towards the audience, looking off into the distance. "This garden belongs to my lord, the Great Emperor Lezus."
"Well," Irina/Mary chuckled. "The Emperor himself has gifted me this lovely garden."
"Are you sure about that?"
The scene continued on, leading into a brief skirmish between the two factions before each lady stormed off in anger. Then, the play entered its next scene, which was at night. On one side of the stage was Irina's/Mary's bedroom and on the other was Muria's/Verinel's bedroom. The truth turned out to be that none of the two were summoned by the Emperor for the night, and rather, they both sat at their dressing tables and stared into the mirror.
On Irina's/Mary's face was a look of melancholy, and it was the same for Muria/Verinel.
"My dear Verinel," Irina/Mary said to the mirror. "We used to be so close, like blood related sisters."
"My dear Mary," Muria/Verinel said to the mirror as well. "Why did it come to this?"
The scene then continued on with each actress saying something to the mirror and the other speaking the next sentence. The scene played out to tell the backstory of the two ladies through the monologues of the two characters that when heard together, sounded like a continuous story.
"We used to be so close," Irina/Mary said.
"We would bathe together," Muria/Verinel would continue.
"We would share a same bed at the orphanage," Irina/Mary said with a nostalgic smile on her face.
"Oh I can still remember the lovely taste of your lips," Muria/Verinel added.
"How I wish we can go back to the days of loving each other," Irina/Mary clasped her hands together and prayed.
"Where we can love each other for who the other is." Muria/Verinel looked out towards the audience at the roof. On her face was a melancholic expression of remorse and nostalgia.
"And allow our intimate relationship to transfer into a dance of love at night." Irina/Mary prayed.
Then, almost simultaneously, a streak of tears ran down their cheeks.
So basically the two ladies were in love with each other before they were married with the Emperor... I thought as I comprehended the story. This... this isn't a high school play anymore god damn it.
The play then progressed on until it was at the climax. The story now is that Muria/Verinel had decided to make peace with Irina/Mary, but the latter, blinded by the spell of jealousy that a witch had cast onto her, had decided that she would kill Verinel. The scene is the two of them meeting at the top of the castle walls at night.
Up to this point, Emperor Lezus still haven't showed up once. It would appear that Emperor Lezus was only a character that appeared at the ending when the two ladies were both dead. Even then, up to this point, the play was quite dramatic and sad already. Now, it was time for the final push.
"My dear Mary," Muria/Verinel smiled sadly as she greeted the woman she still had feelings for. Because of this lingering love, Verinel had decided to forfeit the struggle. "You've come."
"..." Irina's acting was top notch at this point. She remained silent and stared at the floor. From her lowered head, one could sense the mental struggle that Mary was going through. In addition, the slight tremble of the hand concealed behind her back that carried the intricate dagger made it even more apparent her attention to detail.
"Don't you miss nights like these?" Muria/Verinel opened her arms as she turned towards the audience, gazing off into the distance in a nostalgic manner. "Nights were the two of us would perform our dance of love."
"I do," Irina/Mary responded. "I truly do. Yet, those beautiful nights... they'll never return."
"Mary," Muria/Verinel frowned upon noticing Mary's intent. "Does it truly have to be this way?"
"There's no other way," Irina/Mary sighed as she started stepping towards Muria/Verinel.
"Here it is," I heard the voice of a familiar student from behind me.
I looked over my shoulders and discovered that it was the theater club president.
"This is what we've been performing for," he then said with tears sparkling in his eyes.
Then, from backstage, I could hear the sound of footsteps quickly running towards us. Everyone here was captivated by the sudden noise and all turned to see what was the source of it. I discovered that the panicking footsteps had belonged to a theater club member, more specifically the one responsible for the props.
"What's the matter?" the club president asked.
"H-have you seen the dagger?" the student gasped for air with his hands on his knees.
"The dagger?" the president said. "Shouldn't it be in Irina's hands right now?"
"No," the student finally said after recovering his breath. Then, he showed us what he had held in his hands, which is a dagger that looked exactly like the one Irina carried."This is the prop one. Where's the real dagger that I used as a model?"
"Don't tell me she has it!" the theater club president exclaimed and rapidly turned to observe the two actresses on stage.
The two were still exchanging dialogue, but later on, it was planned that Mary will stab Verinel with that dagger she carried. The prop dagger I was shown was designed so that the blade portion would collapse upon contact. However, now that the prop wasn't in Irina's hands, that meant the real one was.
"Oh no!" I heard gasps from the members on standby.
"We have to do something!" the student responsible for the prop said in a hushed whisper to the club president. "Or else they'll actually die."
"We stop play..." the club president sighed.
"That's the only way," Luna sighed.
"Whatever you choose to do," the student pleaded. "Do it quick. They're about to be done with the talking!"
I rapidly looked around the backstage area, searching for ways that I could help the situation. There has to be something. I can't let harm come Muria's way. Something deep within me forbids it. In addition, I must not let the play end abruptly or else Irina's reputation as a celebrity and performer would be in jeopardy. There has to be a way.
I frantically looked around, searching for something that I could use. As I did so, I noticed Luna observing me, but I ignored it for the most part. What's important at the moment was to find a solution. Then, my eyes stopped on the actor that was playing the part of Emperor Lezus. At that moment, an idea popped into my head.
Author's Note:
Another post in the same day. Please vote and comment and share and follow me if you haven't.