The Blessed and the Pure┃🖋

Chapter Ε

"Alright, today we're practicing together." Charax scanned his crowd of actors. "Those of you who appear Agamemnon, stay on the stage. Those who first appear in the second or third play, sit and watch from the steps."

Hallie retreated to the steps with Nikas in tow, climbing up the steps a little way before stopping and sitting on a step. Nikas sat next to her.

Charax stood at the front of the stage with his arms folded. "Begin."

A Taktikós Hallie now knew to be Andreas stepped forward and began their speech about hearing the word of Anthropótita's downfall.

Hallie watched with curious fascination. Andreas was delivering their lines perfectly and without stuttering once. Nikas mentioned in one of their practice sessions that Charax liked to put on a showing of all three Oresteia plays over three weeks every year. It gave his subordinates plenty of times to know the play like the back of their hand.

"This is now the tenth year since the kings, Menelaus and Lord Agamemnon," the Chorus of Elders said, marking the end of Andreas the guard's speech with another even longer speech of their own.

Nikas nudged Hallie's shoulder and gestured to the right of Charax. Hero stood there, waiting to make her debut as Clytemnestra. It was obvious she was nervous, as she was doing a poor job of hiding it.

Hallie turned back to Nikas, and he shrugged, so she focused her attention back on the play unfolding before her.

Soon enough, she would be a person on that stage. No one should be able to say she messed it up.

No one.

---

"Great job, everybody. I see you excellently used your practice time." Charax had a satisfied smirk painted across his face. "We'll go over this again tomorrow and start on the second play. You may leave early today."

Niobe threw her hands in the air. Cois whooped. It was a similar reaction to those of the people around them.

"Are we not going to discuss it?"

"Discuss what?" Cois asked, shaking Charax's hand repeatedly much to the older man's annoyance.

"Don't talk to me."

Cois pouted. Niobe patted his shoulder.

Charax got out of Cois's grasp and massaged his eyes. "Discuss what?"

Hero crossed her arms. "Discuss the rumor."

Charax froze. Andreas pursed his lips. Cois stopped pouting. Niobe coughed.

"You know which one I'm talking about. I can tell by most of your reactions."

"What rumor?" Hallie whispered, watching Nikas with anxious eyes.

Nikas's eyes darted between Hallie, Charax, and Hero. "I don't know," he whispered back, rubbing his neck. "I was never one for gossip, and I don't have any friends who I consider being 'in the know'. Hoiples is the only one, and I never see him often."

"What's there to talk about?" Charax gave Hero a tight-lipped smile. "It changes nothing. Plus, it's just a rumor. It's not true."

"It could be true." Hero brought her chin up and didn't break eye contact with Charax. "And I'm not losing this job because of it. I'm not losing anything."

Hero continued to stare her unblinking stare, only moving to place her hands on her hips. Charax crossed his arms.

"Fire Niobe."

"What?!"

It was as if the entire crowd recoiled in unison, gawking at Hero with wide-eyed disbelief.