Double Double Toil and Trouble

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The stage was a natural place to lose myself

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The stage was a natural place to lose myself. I had most of my lines memorized by heart now, and it was all a matter of getting through each scene triple dare challenge style.

Anton sat at his little director's table, and Hugh and Samantha joined me on the stage for the scene while the rest of the cast took seats in the theater to watch.

Taking a deep breath, I moved into character. Hugh was muttering something to himself about being commanding. Rosalind wasn't too hard for me to channel. She was clever and in control of her situation.

"Scene," Anton called.

Hugh had the first line as Duke Frederick. He pointed off stage with a look of anger and recited his lines.

"Mistress, dispatch you with your safest haste

And get you from our court."

I put a hand to my heart. "Me, uncle?"

Hugh's voice rose in anger. "You, cousin

Within these ten days if that thou be'st found

So near our public court as twenty miles,

Thou diest for it."

Rosalind was supposed to be hurt by her family casting her out. I fell to my knees before Hugh.

"I do beseech your grace,

Let me the knowledge of my fault bear with me:

If with myself I hold intelligence

Or have acquaintance with mine own desires,

If that I do not dream or be not frantic,--

As I do trust I am not--then, dear uncle,

Never so much as in a thought unborn

Did I offend your highness."

Hugh's response was ruthless. "Thus do all traitors:

If their purgation did consist in words,

They are as innocent as grace itself:

Let it suffice thee that I trust thee not."

I got to my feet and moved towards Hugh, but Samantha held me back. Struggling against her, I recited the next lines.

"Yet your mistrust cannot make me a traitor:

Tell me whereon the likelihood depends."

Hugh's lip curled. "Thou art thy father's daughter; there's enough."

Anton clapped from the audience, signaling the end of the small scene. He had a pleased expression, meaning we'd done a good job.

"Well done, Shayna, Hugh," he said. "Not a bad rerun of yesterday's blocking. I'll add that to the list of contenders for the scene we perform in the first round."

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