Kings College (Philidosia/Phildosia Fan Fiction)

Chapter 24

I'm awoken by Papa shaking my shoulders, and I'm pulled out of the warm comfort of my bed.

"Yes?" I groan, turning to shield my eyes from the light of his candle.

"Theodosia, hi dear. I'm heading out, I just wanted to make sure you were alive. Do you mind sewing up my coat later today, I ripped it."

"Sure." I say, waving him off and going back to sleep. The warm slumber doesn't last long before I awake abruptly for no reason. When I try to go to sleep, it seems my tired tendencies from earlier has vanished. Leaving me a confused and groaning mess just waiting to be forced to work. Slipping from bed, shoving the toothbrush in my mouth, I swirl it around a bit, and call it good. After changing and eating a little bit of cantaloupe for breakfast, I search Papas room for his coat.

I find the rip in the shoulder, and smile at the simplicity of the sewing. It won't be hard to fix it.

Threading the needle and string in and out I smile at the rhythm the method has. Going in and out at different trials and situations, only to find that together, it becomes a whole. By mending one small thing, you've helped fix the whole thing, even if only a bit.

As I finished sewing up the small little rip, I placed it back on the bed and cleaned everything up. Once it all decent to my liking, I hear the door ring and scuttle to it. Surprisingly, I see Madison at the door rocking on her heels.

"Madison? What are you doing here?" I inquire, before remembering my manners and letting her come in. I forget how short she is.

"Hello Theodosia. I was just off with Will to see Much Ado About Nothing, and his mother has fallen ill." She frowns and I give it a sad aww in response. "I was close to your house and here I am. Would you like to go see the play with me?"

"Oh, I'm flattered you thought of me. I would love to." I begin to stand, inviting Madison to follow me as I go to grab my coat and shoes. "Who's it written by?"

"William Shakespeare, a classic. It's delightful, really, but not nearly popular enough."

The coat slides on my shoulders as I cock an eyebrow. "The only play I've seen by Shapespeare is Hamlet."

"Another classic." Madison nods with a wide smile.

"Do you fancy Shakespeare?" I ask as we leave the house, the chilly winter air sending goosebumps to dance along all exposed skin and shivers through your spine.

Madison blushes, biting her lip in an embarrassed manner. "Yes. Many disagree because he was an English play writer. His work is so beautiful, I just can't let the place he was born affect that so easily. Shakespeare transports us to many different worlds with many different meanings it's nearly impossible to find the best. What's the best about his work is you get the see the beauty of it portrayed on a stage with wonderful actors and actresses. Sure he words things older than we are accustomed, it gives his plays dignity."

I listen to her speech about the old writer, whom I've barely through two dimes about, and grin.

"I completely agree. While Shakespeare isn't the best writer, I definitely have a passion for reading. It's amazing how easy you can be brought to the world you read of and how quickly you fall in love with it."

"I know! It's the craziest concept. I'll begin at noon and look up to find its 8 pm and I don't feel an ounce bit of tiredness." Her mouth drops to see we agree and her tangent becomes long and almost angry about how much time is robbed because of words on a page. She nearly runs into the carriage, which I'm quick to order for us, but doesn't seem hazed and continues talking.

"Which is your favorite of Shakespeare's plays?"

Madison gapes, staring at me like a madman. "I'm supposed to choose one? Well, there's Antony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra is so inspiring in that one. But Twelfth Night is amazing. Macbeth is jaw dropping. And Romeo and Juliet is clearly an amazing take. Oh! Don't forget about the Taming of the Shrew!" She becomes in almost a panic, listing various names of plays I don't entirely know of, or care, on her hand.