All About Arvalyn - Acts IV & V
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2022 12:49 pm
Act IV
The Golden Peacock, 45 Frost 121
The Golden Peacock, 45 Frost 121
“I was reborn as retribution’s son
To grant Re’hyaen children recompense.
First I did cleave Caelian’s dynasty,
But they were not the first to wrong our kin.
I muster now the instruments of wrath
And gather forth my wyverns and my wyrms
To rain Sorokyn’s fires down on the North.
Let them who cast us out be hence cast down,
For they were the inventors of our woe
And did design…” Wylan paused.
“And did design…” He let out a heavy sigh, and shook his head. “I’m sorry- Line?”
“Godsdamnit, Royce, that’s the third time you’ve called for a line in the past fifteen minutes. You were supposed to be off book weeks ago!” Borys slammed his script down on the table before him.
“And I’ve been trying, I really have! It’s just a beast of a role, is all. I promise I’ll get it before-...”
“Company, take ten!” Borys clapped.
“Thank you, ten!” The company chanted back in unison.
“Royce. My office. Now.” Borys shot up and stormed out of the auditorium.
Wylan could feel the tears welling in his eyes as he turned them toward Arvalyn.
“I just… don’t understand. I always know the lines when we’re running them just you and me, but then when I get to rehearsal it’s like… I don’t know. Some kind of block.”
“It’s a lot of pressure in a big room full of people judging you…” Arry patted him on the back.
“I guess so, it’s just never been a problem before, so I don’t understand it.”
“ROYCE!” Borys’ voice boomed from the back of the house, and the startled leading man leapt down from the stage to dash toward him. Arvalyn frowned after him and sighed. He reached down to shift the cuff at his wrist and noticed that there was a warmth around the Rune there. He furrowed his brow in confusion, as he hadn’t been consciously engaging it… Perhaps it was just passively engaging because of the heated emotion that exploded in the exchange between Borys and Wylan.
The company had been rehearsing for weeks. The rehearsal process for this project was longer and more intense than most, because of the technical aspect. There were dangerous stunts and complicated combinations of practical and arcane effects to bring Ancient Solunarium with all its dragons and deities to life. Borys had been growing increasingly frustrated with Wylan’s memorisation issues, but they kept coming up rehearsal after rehearsal. Arry felt for the man, but all his efforts to help seemed to vanish in the rehearsal room. It was as if-... Arry frowned and turned his wrist up to regard the Rune there.
“Oh no…”
“ARVALYN!” Borys’ voice sent a chill down Arry’s spine. Had he done this to Wylan with his magic? Did Borys somehow know? “Arvalyn! Come on back to my office!”
He felt unsteady as he rose to his feet and hopped down from the stage. It felt like a death march down the aisle to the back of the house, where he made his way out into the lobby and off toward the administrative section of the building. In the corridor, he was nearly knocked down as Wylan stormed out- tears streaming down his cheeks. He halted abruptly when he saw Arry.
“I got fired, Arry.” His voice was breaking, and all Arvalyn could do was stare at him blankly- Terrified. “Thank you so much for trying to help me. I told Borys everything you did. Thank you. I just… I have to go.” And with that he darted off, leaving Arry stunned in silence until Borys shouted his name once more to break him out of it.
“Sit.” Borys gestured across the desk as Arry entered the office and the elf obliged. “I had to fire Wylan. He was a good actor once. Maybe he will be again if he deals with his issues, but… We’re too close to previews, now.”
Arry looked on, bemused.
“He told me you helped him with his lines and that you know the show in and out.”
“Well… I’ve probably read it cover to cover about three hundred times, now…”
“All right, kid, you’re getting what you wanted.” Borys stood up, “I’ll add Phaedryn to Kaz’ track and, if you think you can handle it, I’ll move you up to the title role.”
Arry blinked as the terror and guilt that had afflicted him were washed away like so much soot and ash. He felt cleansed of it all, as the rush swelled up in him like a volcanic eruption… Like the Apotheosis of Aværys- when he launched forth from the fires of Mount Sorokyn astride the great wyrm Zalkyrion and went from slave to god-king overnight. That was how this small time actor felt getting his big break.
"So?"
Realising he hadn't answered, Arry just nodded effusively.
“I’m going to send everyone else home and we’ll run through all your blocking to make sure you’ve got it down. Tomorrow, we’ll pick up where we left off today with you as Aværys. Congrats, kid.” Borys got up from his chair and swept around his desk to head out into the corridor, leaving Arvalyn to bask in the news.
