Chapter 185 The Star of the Theater (Part 1)
‘The Swan’ followed the Redwater River on its course westwards. May was standing on its bow, her eyes looking straight ahead. She wasn’t standing here to enjoy the scenery, she just wanted to finally be able to see Border Town’s pier.
“How much longer will it take us to reach our destination?” She asked impatiently.
“We will be there soon, Miss May, the sun is shining on you again, it might still be better if you went back to the cabin to rest,” Ghent, who was standing directly behind her said. She didn’t have to look back to know, that at this moment he would have a pleasant smile across his entire face.
And as she then turned around, she discovered that she had been right, “That is exactly what you’ve told me before, how can it is still be soon? In the end, have you really ever been to Border Town before?”
“Uh …” for a long time he only mumbled something unknown, then he scratched his head and embarrassingly said, “The last time I was there, was already ten years ago.”
“One year is already long enough to change the Lord of Longsong Stronghold, so what do you think could have happened in a decade?” May asked annoyed, “But there are always exceptions. I only have to look at you, no matter if it was ten years ago or yesterday, from the beginning to the end you’ve never stood on stage even once.”
Seeing that she had finally swept the smile from her counterpart’s face, she was finally able to find some comfort in her heart. If it hadn’t been for Irene’s message, she really would never have ever wanted to go with this group of fellow performers to perform at Border Town.
As the female star of the theater in Longsong Stronghold, she was quite famous throughout the Western Territory. She had even received an invitation from the owner of the Tower Theater, to come to King’s City and perform in “Prince seeking for Love”. The show had been a great success, and even the master of drama, Mister Kadin Faso, admired how she had played her role in the Prince seeking for Love. Although she hadn’t played the heroine, she had still left an impression that wasn’t any less impressive than that of the female lead.
But when she had excitedly come back to the Longsong Stronghold, she had discovered that the stronghold had undergone enormous changes. Duke Ryan had been defeated, and the territory had fallen into the hands of the 4th Prince, Roland Wimbledon, who had handed over the task of governance to Petrov Hill of the Honeysuckle Family… she had left the West for less than a year, but within that short period of time it had become entirely unfamiliar to her.
Fortunately, the turmoil in the political upper ranks only had a small effect over the theater. If only this had been all, but when May had spoken with her sisters about the war during a meal, she had received the news that the First Knight of the Western Territory, Morning Light had also been captured. Hearing this her heart immediately squeezed together.
Afterward, May directly rushed to the theater, looking for Irene to ask her about the situation only to discover that Irene had followed him two weeks ago and went to Border Town, probably to reunite with her husband. Hearing this news May felt a little depressed, but at the same time, there was also a little envy mixed in with it.
They both worked in the same theater, and she really deserved to play the leading figure, while Irene was the yet-to-rise newcomers, the flower of tomorrow, but the title only came from that group of inferiors actors who were flattering each other all the time. In regards to her appearance, May was confident that she would never lose to anyone. On the side of Family background, although she was only from civilian’s origin, Irene, however, was only an orphan adopted by the theater, so when comparing themselves, she had a lot stronger standing than Irene did.
However, this hardly gave May any relief. Ferlin Eltek the Morning Light still developed feelings for Irene with her naïve looking face. Later he even married her, even giving up his family inheritance for this.
“Look, there is farmland in front of us,” someone shouted, “We can’t be too far from Border Town now.”
May looked to the left side of the ship, there she saw rows of knee-high wheat swaying in the wind and farmers wearing straw hats were busying themselves in the fields as if they were standing within a green sea. The in the clear river water reflected wheatfields extended westwards, with no end in sight.
“Such a beautiful scenery, Miss May,” Rosia walked over, nodding her head in greeting.
“In such a remote place, I never expected that I would see such a vast farmland not inferior to the farmland around Longsong Stronghold.
“That’s nothing compared with the farmland around King’s City,” May disagreed. “There, the wheat fields are so large that they even connect between two cities, along the roads the only thing you can see are wheat fields, so the people soon become bored of it.”
“Is that so?” She smiled awkwardly, “I’ve never been that far away.”
Well, this is the response ordinary people should show, May thought, in case it was Irene who had heard these words, I am afraid she will just show an expression of envy and ask myself to tell her more. “Rest assured, you will have the opportunity to get there one day.”
“I hope so,” Rosia patted her chest, “Thank you for your encouragement.”
I mean you only have to spend some silver royals, with that you can take the caravan to King’s City, I never meant that you would ever have the chance to go to King’s City to perform, May rolled her eyes within her mind. But the other was still only one of Irene’s friends, so May didn’t want to bother herself to speak those words.
Rosia had joined the theater before herself, and her age also followed closely with her own, but because of her plain appearance and poor memory, she had never gotten the opportunity to officially perform on stage. In addition to Irene, there were only a few people who were willing to deal with her.
“Irene knows that we are coming today?” May asked.
“In my reply to her I informed her of the date, so I’m sure that she will be meeting us at the docks.
“Then it should be all right,” she nodded. “I do not want to be alone in a strange town, and have to look for lodging in an inn.”
“Can I ask you something, Miss May?” Rosia asked hesitantly, “Why was it important for you to leave together with us for the town, moreover, why did you also want to conceal this from the theater? Irene’s said that this was a small opportunity for those who won’t be started elsewhere, but you are not someone who lacks such opportunities.”
“In case I had told them the truth, do you think the theater would ever let me come to this place?” May curled her lips in disdain, “As to why I want to come here… I merely want to see if my theater comrade is having a good life.”
After all, I do not know why I have made this impulse decision myself! the Longsong Stronghold’s theater is performing a drama in the next two days. And now that I’m gone, I am afraid that the theater owner really have a headache. Although there are several backups who can play my part, without my name, the aristocracy may not be willing to accept it, they might even send a grave protest to the theater.
Honestly, this wasn’t a wise choice, May also knew this, her own reputation relied heavily on the theater in Longsong Stronghold. And if she annoyed the theater owner, he could simply turn it into a cold environment for her and start promoting another actress, if it came to that she would have no way of ever fighting back. It was important that she uncompromising acknowledged her mistake. Otherwise, she would have no choice than to leave right away and go to another theater and try to compete with their stars.
Or…I could also take the next ship back to the stronghold, the moment after I have met up with Ferlin, right? May thought.
“So that’s how it was,” Rosia nodded in understanding, “Irene will certainly be very surprised to see you.”
The scenery along the river bank gradually become richer, the closer they came to the Impassable Mountain Ridge the more tents and wooden houses that appeared. It was close to noon at this time, and the peasant women were all busy cooking porridge stew, covering the residential area with its smell, letting May also occasionally smell the floating over aromatic fragrance of wheat. Children had come together to the river to play, and those who were able to swim shed of their clothes and surrounded by the cheers of their companions jumped headlong into the river, only to triumphantly climb back ashore afterward.
Then May finally saw the pier.
After the Swan had landed, Ghent and Sam volunteered to handle all of the ladies baggage. And after a pedestrian had just left the ship, Rosia excitedly shouted: “Irene!”
May following the direction of her shout, on the pier she detected a woman wearing a white dress and weaving in their direction. And directly by her side stood a tall man. Even across the great distance, she could still make out his straight and vigorous body that was out of the ordinary.
Ferlin Eltek, the Morning Light.
The figure in May’s memory became clear once more.