☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- He helped, but got in the way? Strange guy.

- That's just how I am!

- I'm glad to hear that.

Beata flashed a dazzling smile.

Satisfied, the creature hissed something in its snake tongue and returned to its mistress.

- Thank you, - she said, addressing either the tamer or the snake itself.

Beata gathers all participants, including Laikos, quietly confirms the musicians' names, and begins to speak.

- Good evening once again, ladies and gentlemen! As you know, we invited you because we are planning to put on a circus performance for the townspeople, and we are very grateful that you responded to our invitation! - she bowed, balancing sincerity with theatricality. - We are mercenaries from Carneol, - she nodded toward the headquarters with the proudly fluttering flag behind her. - To be specific, with the administration's blessing, I, Beata Laxey, and my fiancé, Guyon Tamaris, that handsome brunette many of you have seen, who just stepped away for a moment, are handling this. Let's start by getting to know each other!

With a broad gesture, she indicates each person present.

- Alaria Doran - our Carneol colleague and fire specialist!
- Zostmer de Gnill - an eccentric theatre actor!
- Rapi Crypt - an acrobat! Just like me!
- Laikos Standis - a rising star in weightlifting!
- Arnissa Lass, animal tamer, and her friend Soulstrangler!
- The Beautiful Queen - mistress of illusions and ruler of minds!
- And our wonderful musicians - violinist Vilma Lfor and drummer Margina Rosengold!

Catching her breath, she continued.

- Our performance is primarily intended to entertain the city's residents, boost their morale, and give them a positive charge after the recent upheavals. That's why I'm paying special attention to safety - both of the stage and equipment, and of the content of the acts themselves. Of course, the circus exists to give you thrills and excitement too, but right now we need to be a little more careful than usual. The monster attack and the destruction of the center are still too fresh in our memories; many residents are on edge and nervous, and I want to reduce the chance that our performance might upset anyone's feelings. So, this evening we will find a balance and select acts in a way that... doesn't scare the audience more than necessary, - she found the right wording and smiled contentedly. - I think many of you know your craft better than I do, so first, I'll watch what you can do and listen to your suggestions for your acts, and then we'll think together about how to perfect them so everyone is satisfied.

She changed the subject.

- A few words about safety. The most important thing is to maintain distance. As you know, the diameter of a standard circus arena is 13 meters, but I wasn't planning to use horses, so our arena is a bit smaller, but still large enough. Good job, you set the bars correctly - not strictly in the center, but close to it. That gives the acrobats room to maneuver and everyone else plenty of space. When someone's act is on, no one else should be on stage. We'll rehearse simultaneously now to speed things up, but still - watch your distance and don't interfere with each other. No flammable materials in our tent-like dressing room, Alaria, that concerns you first and foremost, and keep both exits clear. Tonight or tomorrow before the performance, we'll arrange everything there so we can move around and grab props easily. In case of an emergency, everyone in the dressing room must be able to get out in a few seconds. Let's be careful with what we do, - she shot a glance at Laikos, who should understand perfectly what she meant, - and practice everything slowly and attentively. It's cold season, so don't crowd each other or sneeze on one another.

After this lyrical digression, Beata continued.

- Besides acrobatics, I'll be the master of ceremonies and a bit of a clown if needed to fill the gaps between acts.

- Alaria, I saw your warm-up, I was very impressed! Keep up the good work.

- Zostmer, first of all, we need some light and funny pantomimes. You can add just a little... of your own vision to them, but it's very important not to overdo it with experimentation - I don't think the audience is ready for that right now; they might not understand you. Better save bolder ideas for calmer times, okay?

- Rapi, we need to make sure our routines are different. I didn't set up aerial apparatus like ropes and trapezes - they take longer to install, safety requirements are higher, and I was afraid we wouldn't make it in time given our resources, - she smiled apologetically. - What comes to my mind is that you'll focus on the bars, and it would be great if you're good with balancing acts, while I'll focus on ribbons and juggling. Do you agree, or do you have other suggestions?

- Laikos, you're doing really well. The way you handle the weights is very impressive on its own. I think once you practice a bit more, it'll be perfect. Artistry and confidence will come with time if you keep at it.

- Arnissa, Soulstrangler, you're wonderful, I'm terribly glad about our... - usually in such cases people say "four-legged", but for obvious reasons Beata couldn't say that, and "legless" sounded a bit harsh, - magnificent scaly performer! As I said, it's an excellent choice, I can't wait to see what you can do.

- Beautiful Queen, you've already demonstrated your magical talent, - Beata smiled mysteriously, - and that's exactly what we need! I think we could add a comedic duo act, where you use your charms to teach some hooligan who decided to ruin your day a lesson, - she grins, jabbing her thumb at her own chest. - We'll need to discuss and practice what we'll do and how; I think it'll be fun! It doesn't have to involve me; it could be someone else, however we agree. And, of course, solo acts! I don't know much about magic, but you could put a spin on classic tricks like pulling a rabbit out of a hat or handkerchiefs from a sleeve, card tricks, and similar things, adding your unique style and magic! I'd suggest conjuring fireworks, but I'm afraid after the attack on the city, there won't be fireworks here for a long time... That's not the right format for special effects.

- Margina, Vilma, your role is incredibly important - you'll set the mood for our performance! For most of the show, we'll need the ensemble, but for some acts we'll feature one of you, and the other can rest, have a snack, or catch their breath. I'm thinking about small musical interludes so the audience's attention can focus on you, but you already have a heavy workload, so I can't insist on that. The general tone of the music should be something fun and upbeat, like this, - she hummed a tune as best she could:



- Regarding the musical arrangement for individual acts, it's better to listen to each performer's wishes, and if there are none, I think with your experience you can pick a melody to your taste! For myself, I'll probably take something like this...



- Or like this... - she thoughtfully hums the options that come to mind.



- You know, it seems lighthearted enough, but there are some anxious motifs and notes that add a bit of an edge.

She paused.

- And costumes. Guyosh told me he ordered a costume for the fire performer, two female leotards, and two male leotards. He didn't know how many people to expect; everything came together very spontaneously and on the fly 😅 But I think his order was a good one. The fire performer costume is obviously for Alaria, the male leotards will go to Rapi and Laikos, and the female ones to me and Arnissa (trainers perform in leotards too!). The actor and the magician can perform in regular clothes, as can the musicians. It's a street performance, so super-fancy outfits aren't critical; dress according to your taste and preference. This especially applies to those who will be on stage; the main thing is that you're comfortable in what you choose.

Beata paused for a moment in thought.

- Right, regarding payment, Guyon and I calculated our finances correctly and quoted the same amount - 50 rems. If possible, we'll pay extra; our builders are witnesses - I promised 20 rems, but we managed to chip in a bit more; I hope it works out with you too, but I can't promise! - she smiled a bit awkwardly, apologizing. - Guyon will oversee safety; he's a doctor and former military man, and I hope to persuade Erefir, the head of Carneol - a tall redhead - to handle security. Guyon said the city guard is also aware of our performance. The show is free, but there will be a donation box. I'll say right away that donations will primarily go toward rebuilding the city, but I think some modest portion could be divided among the performers as a bonus for their work. Well, I'm not making predictions; maybe we'll collect three rems 😅 Just so you're aware and we're on the same page.

- And lastly! Time. I don't know when the coronation will be tomorrow, but we're aiming to start performing about an hour to an hour and a half after the coronation. Accordingly, you need to be here and ready for action by then! If you're a bit late, we won't wait; we'll just schedule your act later in the program, but I still hope we'll all gather on time and there won't be any force majeure.

She scours the corners of her memory but finds nothing else.

- Phew, I think that's everything. Well, - she clapped her hands, - let's get to work. We have a lot of work and little time.

Beata starts moving from performer to performer, carefully observing their skills, planning and discussing their acts with them. Out of the corner of her eye, she looks for the return of Guyon and Kiliki.