Chapter 11
Henge
Take the Thief and his fellow actors basked in royal luxury for the first time in their lives. Take's friend Tom, Tom's wife Angie, Angie's two friends, Trixie and Peaches, and the newest members, little Bear and big Smiles, made up the Fernland Acting Troupe. Under old King Blackwell's authority they now slept in beds, had servants to wait on them, ate food they neither bought nor cooked and were treated with respect. Old Blackwell took them on a tour of the theatre still under construction and asked their advice on amendments and enhancements. It was as though he were building the theatre especially for them. They vowed to do their best to repay the old king for his kindness as they waited anxiously for their first performance to begin.
Angie flapped her fairy wings cautiously, hoping they were tied on adequately. "I sure never expected nothin' like this from old Blackwell," she exclaimed. "I only heard tell he was a one what loved war and fightin'. Who'd a thought he'd be buildin' a theatre?"
Tom nodded. He always agreed with Angie. "Seems as though he'd like us all ta' stay here abouts. He even asked me did I like bein' here in Henge. What'd you think about that, Take?"
Take pursed his lips. His father was certainly making an all out effort to charm the acting troupe into staying in Henge. Take wondered if his father really wanted his illegitimate son around that much or if there might be more to it than love for a long lost child. He still hadn't told his friends that the old king was his father. And his father had still not acknowledge that Take was his son, except in private. Until his father acknowledged Take as his son publicly, Take thought it best to stay silent as well. He did not want to make any promises about staying in Henge, at least for the time being.
Take replied in a non-committal voice. "He has treated us very well. Perhaps if he likes our performance tonight he will invite us back for a longer series of performances, once the theatre is finished."
Bear always approached a new situation with suspicion, especially when things seemed to be going along too well. "I don't trust the ole buzzard. Could be he thinks if he keeps us here long enough King Geoffrey'll pay him ta get us back. Hah! He'd get a nasty surprise there. More likely Geoffrey'd pay him ta keep us."
Smiles always saw the best in people and was prone to trust even when trust was unwarranted. "I never seen a one act nice like the ole king if'n he was up ta somethin' underhanded. He even invites us to eat with 'im in 'is own dining room."
Peaches took a few prancing steps in her fairy costume, and checked the harness that would allow her to fly across the stage. "I hate ta' say it, but this here theatre is gonna have our own theatre back in King's Lake lookin' small when ya' compare the two. They must have gold coins growin' on trees up here in Henge."
Trixie nodded excitedly at Peaches. "Ain't it just grand? Us livin' in a castle an' all. I feel just like a princess."
Take grinned at Trixie. "And you look just like a fairy princess."
Angie, Peaches and Trixie wore fairy princess costumes. Take wore a magician's robe and carried a wand. Smiles worked the pulleys while his friend, Bear, donned an animal costume and Tom took his place as King of the Elves.
Take waved his hand in a circle to signal the start of the performance. "Let's go then. It is mostly army officers in the audience and I don't know how they'll take to fairies and elves, but I suppose they'll at least pretend to like it to make the old king happy."
Take walked on to the stage carefully. Parts of the stage were still unfinished and temporary boards had been laid in place. As Take appeared, clad in his magician's costume, he tossed a bit of powder on each of the large candles lining the front of the stage. Flames shot up, burning with an eerie green glow.
Take stood in the center of the stage and raised his arms to remove his pointed hat. A puff of smoke erupted from the hat and two pigeons flew out.
The audience clapped loudly. It seemed even the generals were starved for entertainment. Take pointed his wand at the top of the black curtain. A fairy princess floated down. The audience applauded with enthusiasm. When the second and third fairy touched down, Take brought out his flute and began to play. The fairies danced around the stage to cheers from the audience.
From the shadows, a candle burst into flame with a touch of Take's wand. It lit up a large black box painted with moons and stars. Take pointed his wand at the box and it slowly slid to the center of the stage. Something inside the box growled loudly. Take lifted the lid from the box with the tip of his wand and a black bear jumped out.
The audience let out a gasp as the black bear chased one of the fairies out of view behind the curtain. While the remaining two fairies flew frantically after their friend, Take flipped the lid of the magic box down with his wand. He tapped the lid three times and the lid flipped open. The missing fairy jumped out of the box.
The King of the Elves strode on stage and the three fairies danced around him. With flapping wings, they bore him into the air. Then they released their hold and the elf hung suspended, levitating in the air, until Take pointed his magic wand and the elf slowly tipped downward and stood atop the black box.
Take touched his wand to the box. The elf jumped off and one after another, the three fairies, and finally the black bear jumped from the box that could not possibly have held them all.
The actors took their bows and the audience applauded wildly. The actors joined Smiles back stage where he had successfully manipulated a mass of black wires to make the fairies fly and the elf levitate.
"Good job," Take said, shaking Smiles' hand. He gathered all his friends close. "You all did a grand job tonight. I daresay the old king will have a few more supporters for his theatre project now."
The actors kept most of their costumes intact but left their props behind as they prepared to go out and greet the audience.
As soon as Take stepped off the stage, his father was waiting. The old king enveloped Take in a huge hug, brimming with happiness. "Well done, boy. Well done. I had no idea you were so good at your craft. You made me proud. Yes, you did." He waved him forward. " Come and meet..." The old king leaned in close and whispered in Take's ear, "your brother."
Blackwell pulled Take along to where Serafina and Prince Blackwell sat, each one's lap holding a twin girl. The old king put his hand on Take's shoulder.
"I want you to meet Take, the magician. Wasn't that some show he put on for us?"
Prince Blackwell shook Take's hand. "Happy to make your acquaintance. I enjoyed the show."
Serafina smiled a knowing smile at Take. "Actually I have met Take before. One might say we have a long history together. One might even say he is already like family."
Old Blackwell gave Serafina a sharp glance and his smile turned to a suspicious frown. Then his head gave a little shake and the smile returned. "I hope he will feel like family and return often," he joked as he tightened his grip on Take's shoulder.
Take analyzed Serafina's amused expression. She knew. He knew she knew and she knew he knew she knew. He was not sure how she knew, but perhaps it was the picture of the two of them standing together looking so much alike—looking exactly like what they were—father and son.
Take decided at that moment it was time to leave Henge. He would have to find an excuse to leave soon. He did not know what Serafina would do with her new found knowledge of this father-son relationship, but he knew it would not be good for him or his friends. He would rather take his chances back in Fernland with the son of the Great Khan, Bataar. With luck Bataar would be gone by the time the Acting Troupe reached Fernland.
Princess Electra Book 4 School of Medicine Page 11