The Rossem Project

The Play

"That's incredible!" said Lirenna when Thomas told her about it later that day. They were back in the dwelling tree, the cramped confines of the tiny, living house creating a cosy intimacy between them. "And only you can sense it?"

"That's what they say," agreed Thomas, still feeling bemused by the very idea. "Only me, alone in the whole valley. Just think of it! That makes me special, and perhaps I can use that. Maybe it'll give me the leverage I need to find out what's going on around here."

"About time," said Lirenna with a grin. "I hate mysteries."

"I love them!" said Thomas, grinning wider. "And right now this whole valley's a mystery. This business with the meteorite, the Beltharans, Elmias Pastin... They all tie in together, I'm sure of it. Hey, guess what else I heard today."

"What?" asked the demi shae, settling back into the soft cushions and looking at him with her dark, slightly slanted eyes.

"They're rehearsing for a play in the great hall. You'll never guess what it's about."

"Tell me."

"They're doing the Quest for the Sceptre of Samnos. The epic tale of a small band of heroes whose daring exploits gave the world its one chance for victory against the rampaging Shadowhordes."

Lirenna's face lit up with astonishment. "You're kidding! Are we in it?"

"Not yet," said Thomas with a mischievous grin, "but we could be, in a sense. In the play it's Resalintas and his followers who recover the Sceptre, but I think we could convince her that his followers included a brilliant young wizard and a beautiful demi shae. Maybe we could even convince her to let us play the parts. What do you think?"

She gave a cry of delight and clapped her hands. "And they'll never know that two of the actors were among the actual people who did it! What wonderful fun! We won't tell them the truth, though, will we?"

"No, I'm happy to let Resalintas take the credit. Poor Derry's going to have a hard enough time as it is, after what happened to him in the testing chair. He doesn't need something to make him even more different from the other kids. Besides, we're not the kind of people who need to keep crowing over our accomplishments."

"But we can tell them how it really was and pretend we're just making it up!" said Lirenna, still beaming with delight. "It's perfect!"

"I thought we could pretend to have met the brilliant young wizard during the siege of Fort Battleaxe and he told us about it," suggested Thomas. "Gives it that little extra flavour of authenticity."

"It also has the virtue of being the truth," added Lirenna, taking his hand and twining her fingers through his. "Not only did I meet the brilliant young wizard, but I married him. So long as I'm careful what I say, I don't have to tell a single lie." Folklore had it that the shae folk were incapable of telling lies. It wasn't quite true. They could lie when they really had to, but they preferred to tell the truth whenever possible. "When are these rehearsals taking place?"

"As I understand it, they're taking place right now. This very minute."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" cried Lirenna, leaping to her feet and pulling Thomas up after her. "Come on, let's go!"

She held onto his hand and pulled him, laughing, out of the dwelling tree and down the woodland path that led to the University buildings.

☆☆☆

The Great Hall was just as they remembered it from their days as apprentices, so many years before. The high, arched ceiling with its gothic ribs and carvings. The huge stained glass windows through which the dying rays of the setting suns were slanting onto the wood paneled floor. The long stage at its far end on which the twelve magnificently carved chairs usually stood. Five chairs for the five heads of years, six for the six heads of the schools of magic and, in the centre, the Director's throne. Positioned to give the senior wizards a commanding view over the heads of the assembled apprentices during the daily assemblies.