10 Minute Tales

Jul 9 - Aria

She was nervous again, fiddling with her dress slightly. The audience awaited her, longed to hear her voice echo through the glorious halls. She simply awaited her cue, glancing nervously at the conductor. He was enjoying the audience, bowing theatrically with increasing fervour. The sight of his enthusiasm helped calm her some; he had composed the next piece himself, especially for her vocal range. She had practised with him for months, and this was the first public performance. She cleared her throat softly as she walked onto the stage. The audience clapped politely at her arrival, enamoured by the dress she wore. It was beautiful, as was she, but neither felt like her beauty. She sighed to herself as she cleared her throat. Look to the back, she remembered. The audience's applause grew quiet, then silent. The words almost left her, but she glanced at the conductor. He smiled at her briefly, before starting the orchestra. As soon as the first note echoed out, she relaxed. She stopped being a nervous soprano in a concert hall. She felt her spirit flee her body, fly into the sky, become one with the skies. She felt herself sail above the city, soaring effortlessly to the pier. The birds glided beneath her outstretched arms as she sailed out to the ocean, filling the sails of a mighty vessel and pushing it into the grand ocean. Her song became the ocean breeze, her voice rising and falling with every ocean wave. Her voice travelled for leagues and miles, to unseen islands and fantastical creatures. She brought the song to a close, her spirit returning to her body. She blinked, almost surprised at her return. The composer was nodding, satisfied as the crowd burst into applause, the spell she had woven broken by the song's end. She looked around, smiling as she tried to control a forming blush. The composer had been right!

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An hour later, she was backstage. She had performed again that night, but none of the songs she had performed was as powerful as that first composition. She was washing her face, cleaning the night's makeup off, when there was a knock at the door. "Hello?" she asked, glancing at the door. It opened, revealing the conductor. He was beaming, bearing a bouquet of flowers for her and striding into the room.

"Ah, there she is, there is my star!" he grinned, kissing her briefly on the cheek and putting the bouquet down on the desk. "You did remarkably tonight! The song was incredible, I could feel the passion you have for the oceans!"

"I merely did what I have been practising, sir." she smiled awkwardly, flattered nonetheless. "It is you that deserves the praise, you are the one that composed it..."

"Please, it would be nothing without your voice. You are the one that gives it soul, that gives it passion!" He chuckled, kissing her other cheek. "I would stay if I could, but the owners of this establishment wish to speak to me." he turned to leave quickly, leaving the singer to her own devices. She smiled briefly, but this faded as she looked out the window, out to the pier. The ocean was beautiful tonight.