Senja sat next to her father at a low table with the writers for the newest play. Being a theatre they needed new plays and they thought that the war with Oba would be a perfect subject! You had the fall of Neued to start it off with a bang; a lot of fight scenes which were always popular, the use of a princess being captured, the freeing of Matori and return of the captured Tendajians, and ended with the triumphant win of the Tendajians. It had all the ingredients needed to be an epic… if they could write it correctly. She wanted to see it done… but at the same time was worried on how the Obans would take it. In any other city they could get away with monsterizing the Obans… but here in Neued there was a lot of the fire and water earthlings and any writer had to walk a fine line. To do this, they were trying to add enough truth in to keep it neutral but not detract from the entertainment value.
Senja, in addition to helping out with music composition, was there to give her side of the story.
“Any scenes with the captives in the pens will need careful writing.” She said with a sigh.
“It really makes them seem like monsters…though Fleade did hold their soon to be princess hostage… so it makes us look like barbarians to them.”Her father patted her shoulder comfortingly. “We were thinking of making that Captain of theirs be the main incompetent monster and leaving the rest as… guards doing their duty. Maybe show them performing some acts of kindness.”
“The nobles had come to feed me.” Senja mused out loud;
“I was pregnant and I guess she was worried I wasn’t getting enough food?”“Really?” Piped up the lead playwright, Shaperon; “We can use that. How did the guards react?”
“Well… her female attendant and most of the nearby guards didn’t want to risk her getting hurt as Fleade had managed to steal a weapon and was holding it to her throat… I’d been moved to a separate pen shortly after the food incident so I didn’t see how but Fleade’d managed to get her close to the pen fence and captured her.” Senja paused to clarify and eyed the writers as they started writing. Muses had struck perhaps?
“I heard that one of the younger male guards tried to charge in but a Shifter… Rayolun, climbed the fence and dropped down to knock him out.”“Shifter ehh? That’ll be popular with our crowd.” Shaperon mumbled. “Head strong youth trying to save a noble lady...that will go over well with the Obans…”
“He had a bad leg wound and only a wooden staff.” Senja said with a grin. “
And as much as it sounds like I’m making that up I’m not. If Fleade was here she could tell you!” Pity she’d already moved on…
“Other information; myself and a few others had been put in tents to help the healers and make simple weapons. Chlacedony--”She heard some muttered sighs and stopped to stick her tongue out at them.
“Oh hush!”“But we’ve heard this part a million times, Senja.” One of Shaperon’s apprentices complained. “You never shut up about him!”
She huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder;
“And here I was trying to help you!” From there she didn’t add too much in, other than taking notes on what scenes she was to write music for. Mostly Oban and Matori as her father felt since Senja had already gone and learned Leaf, Ice, and some Wind music she should add the others to her repertoire.
~~~
She felt happy with how the play was being written… but others did not have her knowledge or views she soon found out. Walking the markets and looking for cloth to be used for costumes for the planned play, she heard some distressing comments.
“--Make a play humiliating us!”
“Probably make us into the evil monsters.”
“Glorifying themselves and we’re all evil slaver owners.” Was a conversation from a nearby group of fire men. She looked over at them, a slight frown on her face; were they talking about the play? Only one way to find out! She sidled up to them and tapped one of the taller men on the shoulders.
“Pardon me… but are you talking about a play that the Crystal Rain Theater’s got in the making?” She asked with a charming smile on her face.
“Oh, sorry, were we too loud?” He said, slightly embarrassed. “But yeah… it’s… not something we’re too happy about.”
She cocked her head questioningly. One of his friends snorted rudely.
“They’ll make it so that our people are evil and monsters and—“
“Shush!” The last one elbowed him. “No need to rant at her.”
“Do you have any suggestions on how to…avoid that? I’m part of the Theater and I can tell you that we’re doing our best to not demonize our people… It’ll be a bit humiliating for Shifters at first simply because we lost the battle and Neued… So that’s going to be a hard scene already. If you have any suggestions it’d help enormously!” She said with a shinning smile. Seems word spread fast… normally a good thing but it seemed the Fire population was not too happy! Not good… they made up a solid third of the theater’s audiences!
They eyed her for a second before speaking slowly at first but with greater enthusiasm.
“Well... we’re not all evil cruel slave masters!”
“Not all of us… mistreated the Matori.”
“Or those captured in war.”
“They tried to defend princess Naevius! And our warriors did not suck! We won that first battle.”
Some of their points were silly, but others needed addressing. These looked like soldiers, or at least had some fighting experience. Perhaps they were in the fight itself? I’ll have to see if I can find them and ask them more questions later on, she mused as she listened. She actually took out a notebook and wrote it all down, much to their amusement. She’d been serious about her question: they were trying to make a play that followed the truth… but respected all the people. As they were winding down she smiled at them and began to ask questions about their culture, music what sort of dances did they have? Any war dances? Was it male or female dominated in the dances? All things that the play needed to get right!
She left behind her at least a trio of satisfied obans… but she was worried about the rest.
~~~
A month later the issue had gotten worse: the writers were still finishing it… music had been mostly written and was in its final composition as the musicians began to practice and see how it sounded. Choreography was, with the play manuscript mostly done and music beginning to get finished, the dancers and actors were beginning their practice. It would be another month before they would set a date for the opening performance… if they had one.
She looked down at a scene that made her heart curl up and die a little. A large group of Obans were at the doors of the Theater, where her father was standing all alone. A mob more than a group; they all looked angry and upset.
“You have no right to put up something like this!”
“How dare you dishonor our culture!”
Muskier, her father scowled and shook his head. “I have the right as owner of this theater to show what ever play or dance I desire! As for dishonoring your culture… All of you… have you seen what we’ve written? I doubt it. No you are basing your anger off of thoughts and worries that are untrue!”
The crowd growled and a few of the closer ones began to yell back. Senja racked her brain for a solution: how to get them to calm down? To understand that they weren’t insulting or dishonoring them? Her frown disappeared as she got an idea. Jumping out of the window to land on the branch below she skipped down and, with a dancer’s grace, flipped herself to land on the roof above her father’s head.
“
Hey hey! How about, instead of yelling and making fools of yourself… you actually do something?” She said loudly to the crowd with a mocking grin.
“None of you even know what we’ve got planned... and yet here you are. All upset over rumors! So... instead of not knowing… send us some actors and musicians! Obans to add to our mostly Shifter cast that can be your voice. They can return after work each day to tell you that we are being respectful as well as give us advice on your cultural dances and music.” They’d already gotten some Matori to join as musicans and dancers a while back. They were official members of the Theater… but no Obans had actually approached them so they didn’t have any members to show the play to and get advice. It was brilliant! And hopefully would shut them up... and if they’re too arrogant and demanding to change this and that well… we’ll deal with that when it happens. Or rather, father will.
“That, Senja, is a lovely idea.” He father said mildly. “But any that join must sign the same contract all our performers do. Go home, talk it over, and send us people who can perform or act. And next time;” his voice dropped into a growl. “Wait until you see the damn play before you judge!” He turned and left, leaving Senja to smile at them and make shooing motions like she was herding small children.
“You heard my father! The play will be showing in probably a bit longer than a month… judge us then by our performance and not rumors.”
~~~
Because it was her suggestion, Senja found herself saddled with the handful of fire earthlings that had been sent to observe and join in.
“So how many of you have actually performed or acted before?” She asked the group. One had the look of an old granny sent to cause trouble. All, including the granny, raised their hands.
“Good! I’ll need names and your skills, I’m Senja and I’m in charge of the music for the non shifter parts.” She said with a bright smile.
There were four musicians and two dancers…. the granny being a dancer.
“How many of you know how to choreograph or compose?” Only the granny raised her hand.
“Okay, granny you’re with me while we test these young chillens to see what they can do. I’d love to put you on stage... but sadly the Obans in the war tended to be much younger.” She said with a gleam in her eye.
“I’m probably older than you.” One of the two men muttered.
“Yes but I have a kid. That makes you a child to me.” She got a chuckle from the granny for that one.
“What about the play? We’re here to review and change it.” The woman a few years younger than her said with a glare. Senja met the glare with a smile.
“
Nope! You get to perform in it… and you only get to change it if all of you agree on the change… and if the Matori on board agree.” “What? We were not informed—“
“Too bad! You signed the paperwork... you are now a part of the company until the end of the show or we kick you out!” The older woman, Ishina, gave a gravely chuckle. “If you’d actually read the papers, you would have seen that!” She turned her bright eyes to Senja. “And what shall I be dong?”
“
Choreography.” Came the prompt response and Senja lead them down the hall way towards the sounds of music and beating feet upon the wooden floor.
“While I have notes and some examples of Oban dances…. Frankly we’re winging it! You’ll be working mostly with my mother, Kunstler and Lore our main choreographer. You, Kishna dear,” She looked at the woman glaring at her back.
“Will be in this room. You’ll be either playing a handmaiden or the noble lady who gets held hostage… I’m sure you can figure out who that is.” That had been one thing Senja had insisted on in the hasty meeting last night. An Oban had to play the Oban noble who ended up being a princess by the wars end. She knew that there were nuisances to Oban nobles… but was not sure any of their Shifter female leads would be able to channel it…. none of them had actually seen an Oban noble before.
“You four,” she looked at the men, “
Will be either acting if you impress my father or Shaperon, our main playwright, or in the group of musicians… in which case you’ll be working with me. Today they test you and tomorrow you will all have a place. You may be a bit upset… but by acting in the play you will actually see most of it. And the musicians will see almost all of it as our live practices have music. I hope you try your best… Your actions will affect the play.” She said sweetly as she shooed them into the huge practice room where her parents, Shaperon, and Lore were waiting with many of the other dancers, actors and musicians.
I hope it works, she thought fervently, I hope they don’t try to sabotage it or quit…
~~~
The opening day came… somehow they’d manage to integrate the new members into the play. Giving a leading part to a newcomer had been tough… but she was pleasantly surprised that Kishna had risen to the challenge... perhaps being able to play their princess had soothed her wrath…. And while there were mutterings still in the market; the additions of Obans to the play had quieted the mob for now…. Now all we have to do is perform it! She thought with a smile.
She was performing pieces with her ajaeng during the second half of the play, while in the first half she sat off to the side, watching the crowd instead of the play mostly. It started out a bit tense; a lot of obans were packed off to one side and she could practically feel their judging stares. The rest of the audience were far more relaxed; they weren’t the ones at risk of being offending and were here to see a performance… and maybe mock the obans a bit too. The play focused on a pair of lovers... one who had been captured and was being held in the Oban encampment while the other fought in the battles. Through this pair one saw both side of the conflict.
The beginning of the play began with the Tendajians preparing to battle the Obans… and losing. But they lost with a fight; showing off both the pride of the Obans (in an epic scene where her Mammu Shilea stood in for the Arwa) and their Generals skill. But it also showed personal heroics on the side of the Tendajians. All in all a decent scene… and one that buttered up the Obans. She could feel a slight relaxing from them. So far… so good. Then came the attack on Neued… again, personal heroics on the side of the Tendajians… many warriors sacrificing themselves to let the civilians flee while the Obans again won… but there was a twist. Instead of cruel soldiers destroying homes and taking captives; the destruction turned out to be mostly accidental and a result of fighting from house to house (which it had been… mostly). The soldiers fighting caused the destruction not deliberate acts on the Obans part (again truth though some intentional destruction and looting had occurred…).
And now came the part she worried about… The captive’s side in the Oban camp. Here was the main issue: how to portray the Obans as people not monsters… Well; give them one example of all that was bad (had to have some cruelty otherwise the other races would be upset) while showing that the ordinary soldiers were really just doing their jobs and the soon to be princess was a kind and gentle person…
The lead actress was (of course) beautiful and attracted the attention of the cruel Oban Captain… but also his more honorable lieutenant’s eye. And it was through the lieutenant’s actions that she and the other women were kept safe while a few of the captured tendajian soldiers planned their escape. The cruel captain did cause some muttering… but the actions of the other actors (showing either kindness or honor) kept it to the minimum. After all: the Captain had been a scapegoat in reality! Everyone blamed him for the loss… or at least part of it. Then came the princess turn: trying to offer food to the pregnant (ha, Senja thought in amusement) woman held captive only to be taken prisoner. The brave and foolish young guard trying desperately to save her only to be knocked unconscious by the older and wilier shifter. The selfless acts of the princess’s guard’s and handmaidens… The lieutenant actually turning traitor and helping the main lead who had been held separately to escape… and then returning to camp to try and calm the arwa (Shilea who was having way too much fun stomping on props) rampaging through camp.
It showed the best of both sides... while making sure that the obans were not all demonized. She smiled and slipped off to get ready; the obans were enjoying the show just like most of the crowd. There were few if any frowns and no booing or thrown items. That meant, as far as she was concerned, a success. That had been the worrisome part… now just for the battle, surrender, release of all captives, reunion of the lovers, and then a complete departure from truth. For the lovers were not meant to be... the woman being unable to forget the courage and kindness of the man who’d released her. The Captain, evil and despicable, had laid the blame upon the lieutenant and the poor man was to be court martialed (and worse if the Captain had his way) when the girl he’d saved came back for him. With help from obans loyal to their lieutenant they managed to rescue him… and he found a safe haven in Neued with her… while her old lover was left to sulk and find a new love.
While she was too busy playing music and performing to pay attention to the crowd after the escape from captivity, but from the cheers when the lieutenant was rescued she figured they all enjoyed a good love story and reversal of roles.
Her fingers hurt from plying for so long but it was worth it as she and the other cast and musicians stepped out to receive a standing ovation. Some truth, some fiction, and no one being disrespected!
OOC 
