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Old 03-16-2011, 07:20 PM   #59
Mnemosyne
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Between the past and the future
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Mnemosyne is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.Mnemosyne is battling Black Riders on Weathertop.
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Rollan moved Brinn farther away from the stage, where the Players were--slowly--beginning to pick up the shattered remains of the rehearsal. It would not do to distract them even further once Amdir returned with the healer.

"So," said Rollan, "what are we to do if you can't heal in time? Even now, with all of this hacking and hewing of the script we're like to do..."

Brinn buried her face in her hands. "Cancel the show?"

Rollan grinned. "Think we can't run this thing without you even for a week, eh? I'd love to prove you wrong and take you down a notch or three."

"You're right, we need the money too much anyhow. I should trust you more--all of you--but then I look at that lot over there, and--"

"Don't be hard on yourself, or on them. The main thing is, we all love the theater, and we all love making people happy."

"But we won't be able to make anyone happy at this rate!"

"Well, if nothing else, I can always leer and make bawdy jokes."

"Not with the King present!"

"What, he's married, isn't he? And given how gorgeous the Queen looks, even on a coin, he'd be mad not to--"

Brinn was spared her husband's further ministrations by the arrival of Amdir and the healer. Rollan waved to catch their attention.

"Are you the lass with the broken ankle?" said the healer.

"Lass, hardly. Broken ankle? I hope not, but probably. The name is Celebrindal."

"I am called Inbeth. Will you show me the injury?"

After a few minutes of fussing and poking, Inbeth informed Brinn that her ankle was not broken, but it was badly sprained, and she would have to put no weight on it for at least a week. Brinn took the news with a sort of grim resignation. "Could I at least have crutches?"

"There may be a few pair in the Houses, but they would not be to your height, and we try to reserve them for those who need them more--broken legs and amputees. Were you thinking of going far in them?"

Brinn opened her mouth to reply, but Rollan interrupted. "No, she wasn't," and he gave her a very fixed look.

"That is well. I can look, but I cannot guarantee anything."

"Would Inbeth need to trouble herself with that?" said Amdir mildly.

Brinn thought a moment. Oh, right--he was a carpenter.

"No, of course not," said Rollan, and he clapped Amdir on the back a little too heartily. "We do have a carpenter, after all. Thanks for your time, my lady." He reached into a purse to pay her.

"And you needn't trouble yourself on getting the crutches done tonight," said Brinn. "There'll be plenty of work to do sitting, at least for a few days; I'd hate for Aldarion to get so much control of the script that he makes it all dry and tasteless. We'll have to send people out to learn more of the true course of events--or at least, what people here are likely to believe. But I don't trust everyone to report things accurately. Perhaps we should have them ask about in pairs?"
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