I do not know whether there was room for one more in the palanquin that was brought around to the house early that morning. But it was clear that Bijou meant to spend that time alone with Marius en route to the theatre.
I left a bit ahead of them while it was still dark out, and had my own time to think on things as well.
I think.. maybe Marius was right all along about not wanting any women in the house or under foot.
Though rather than walking along the cobbled rue of Jad's main thoroughfare, Asia led us down the length of the boardwalk that stretched out between her many piers. And there we became sidetracked as one of the merchant marines dragged a squallid and gaunt looking fellow in chains right across the plank. And as Asia began to haggle over his price with the sailor, I stood back and watched for awhile.
Yet on the opposite side of the pier railings, a woman with a large and colorful carpet bag crashed right into me. We were both so momentarily shocked, yet I the more appologetic. It was when she reached to touch my face, assuring me that we ought to run into one another again soon.. that I caught a little peek down into her large and colorful bag. It was filled more than halfway with money pouches.
No sooner had she left, Domitian arrived. It is best not to ponder too hard upon the inexplicable series of events that might make up a single day.
The slave Skewer had only just arrived. Yet it seemed it was I who would be leaving. With Papillion's guardian.
Outside stood a brusque looking fellow who shoved a notice at me when I opened the doors. "This is the home of Marius, theatre district Administrator, yes?"
"Yes, Sir.. it is."
"Sign here then."
Glancing past him while I signed my name to the document, six burly men lowered a palanquin from their shoulders. The man I had been signing away my name for, turned and offered out his hand as the curtained panels parted. And out came Bijou.
My heart sank rather instantly.
The letter was much longer than that and I knew he had skipped right over several parts, reading aloud only the most pertinent of details. "Damos," but it was I who fell beneath his snap decision, and I again who would be banished from his private rooms upon the third floor. "Go downstairs."
It was not until much later that I had learned the letter had been delivered a little later than had been planned. For she arrived later that very day.
~ A tisket. A tasket. A green and yellow basket. I wrote a letter to my love, and on the way I lost it. I lost it. ~
On the way downstairs to the second floor where Papillion was waiting for me to return to her, I found her still fast asleep. And I was glad, for I expected I would find her awake and so very angry at me for having broke my promise to return to her the night before. I slipped down between the sheets with her, quiet as you please.. and I waited for her to slowly rouse, hoping she would think I had been with her all along.
"We have to leave soon, Papillion," I whispered to her, reminding her it was the first day for auditions. When she came to, she insisted on cooking breakfast first.. since I do not know how to cook very well. But with Edgar on vacation so long, I think Papillion found very little to work with.
"We will have to go to the market on the way back," she said.
I did not think we would be home until well after sunset, and I knew we would be starving out of our minds. But.. for her.. I think I do not mind a few hunger pangs.
Less than halfway into the day, the very idea that filling Marius shoes was a monumental task that I was ill prepared for, had begun to sink in. I only wanted to help him; to pick up the fallen slack until he was well enough to return. But the Actors do not respect me the way they respect him. Perhaps they can see in my eyes how easily intimidated I am, if they should grumble or complain in the least. Too, I allowed Papillion to coerce me to the platform and read lines with her, for she thinks I would be perfectly cast as the role of Will.. lead man and hero of the play. Yet I could scarcely read the words on the paper in my shaking hands before I was overcome with a sudden urge to.. run and relieve myself.
It was when I had returned to merely observe from the shadows of the great rehearsal hall.. that I met him. Papillion's companion. He had set his hands to my shoulders and whispered to me, so many assurances. His breath was warm in my ear, and when I closed my eyes.. I believed him. I believed every word.
"I will take over for you, Damos. Don't worry about a thing.. my son." Domitian called off the Auditions for the day, ending them at the Tenth Ahn, rather than letting the circus drag on til after sunset.
He is my savior.
Papillion tiptoed behind me as we came upon Marius' couch. He was propped up on pillows and staring right at me as I crept closer. I could hardly believe my eyes, seeing him awake. Nor could I hold myself back from easing down to his bedside and embracing him as gently as I possibly could. I had missed him so!
But he made me leave. Not the lady. Just me.
"Damos, why are you sticky and covered head to toe in dirt? Go bathe yourself and put some clothes on."
I suppose he wanted to speak with the lady in private, and how I longed to crouch outside his door and listen. But I dared not disobey him. I had already cost him so much.. almost his very life.
Later when I had finished my bath and dressed myself in a houserobe with the sash tied, Papillion was already in her own room and I was happy to see her again. She let me watch her as she changed her clothes for bed, confiding in me that she was afraid of the dark.
"If you want to, you can sleep in my bed with me." I could not bear the thought of her feeling afraid.. for there is really nothing to fear under my Master's roof. This made her smile. Moreso when I offered to leave a candle burning all night, even after we had long fallen asleep.
"Marius asked to see you, Damos. Will you hurry back?" Already I had lit a candle as she crawled down beneath my sheets.
"Yes, Papillion. I promise." Promises are easy for her. She is free.
But Marius broke my promise, for he had intended to keep me with him all night.
We might have laid in one another's arms all night too, right out in the vineyards. I wanted to. But Papillion insisted we go inside the house once it started to sprinkle. It seems she is as fond of getting rained on, as I am of getting tickled.
Once again we raced. Though this time I let her win as we ran for shelter indoors. Yet it was I who caught up and surpassed her, taking the lead as we ran up the stairs. In my haste, I had not seen someone at the top of the landing on the second floor and I ran right into the Physician! And once he stopped turning blue for lack of air, he looked a little angry.
I appologized profusely for not having seen him, as I followed him down the stairs to the atrium where Papillion was still hiding and putting her clothes back on.
"Where are you going?" I thought for sure my Master must be dead, for why else would a Physician leave so suddenly? That was when the man assured me my Master was quite alive and well.
"Well, what should I do? Please don't leave!" The Physician turned back at me as if.. as if people should just know automatically what to do.
"How about getting him something to eat. I'm sure he's built up an appetite," he finally replied as he left. And were it not for Papillion, I might have broken down on the spot. But the lady came to my rescue and together, we went upstairs to see Marius.
I think for a moment that Kari perhaps blushed, or tried to escape without much notice.. though I am not entirely sure why that was.
I asked her to come in to the room and Papillion seemed eager as well to meet with her. Within a few ehn there was more than enough laughter to ease any troubled heart.. and that was when I decided we should play a game. Not just any game either.. but Hide & Seek.
"Good! Then you are It, Damos! Come, Kari," Papillion had already tugged her by the hand. "Let us hide while he counts to ten!"
"Oh no!" I countered before they'd even got past the door of her room. "I will hide.. for I am the great Satyr Pan. And you.. the beautiful Nymphs who try to seek and lure me out from hiding."
Halfway down the stairwell I stopped and peered back at them. I could not help but grin when I reminded them, "Pan will only be lured by the most beautiful and naked Nymphs." And then I ran. As fast as I could to the vineyards to hide myself beneath the light of three full and pregnant moons.
For despite the sadness in my master's house, a Satyr and the Nymphs must find occasion to celebrate all that matters the most in life. And that is living!
I was eager to see inside them. For a person's treasured belongings do shed secrets, and I was ever curious to know her. We had kissed all throughout the day, and now beneath the cloak of nightfall.. I longed for more.
There were several wrapped packages inside the trunk whose lid she pried first. Though she threw the parcels aside at first.. and removed several colorful undergarments of the softest silk.
"A lady wears these, Damos. And she never takes them off. Not even to bathe."
I of course, took her word for it as I reached down impulsively into her trunk and withdrew one set. I could not help myself either when I held the soft fabric to my cheek as Papillion changed from the one she wore, into a fresh undergarment.. all without showing any hint of herself beneath.
The one she removed however, she offered to me. Asking me whether I would like to keep it. It was just as soft as the first one. But still warm from where it had touched her skin. Too.. it smelled just like her.
I am not sure how it happened, for I do not recall any lingering game of flirtation.. other than that we were alone and in needful want of one another. And this time.. I did not have to ask her whether she wanted to kiss me. Papillion had made it crystal clear before I layed myself upon her undisturbed bed and surrendered myself to the lady's desire for me.
Stay with me forever, Papillion.
You promised.
Though once we had arrived home at Batavian House, a certain dark cloud fell upon me that I was helpless to escape. That of my master's hairpin demise, for still in so many days I had not heard one word from the physician who had barricaded the entrance to Marius' private rooms via locked doors, barring any from entrance or contact until he deemed it necessary.
"Papillion, I want to see him so badly. And I cannot.. unless I can find another physician who will come and give a second opinion."
This seemed to instill a smile upon her face. And for one brief moment.. mischief alit her pretty blue eyes. She turned then, giving me cue to try and stop her.. as loudly as possible.. before she gave me a head start up the stairs.
I took no care in ascending the stairwell with caution, as I raced to the top and threw my back to my master's locked door.
"No! I beg you to withdraw this madness, Lady! The man is quite ill.. near to death, even!"
"Move aside," she replied, projecting her voice so that it would carry to the ends of the house. And with that she knocked upon Marius' chamber door.. demanding entrance of the other physician.
When he opened the door at last, he sure did make a point to scowl at me, for daring to bring another of his caste. Even though this is exactly what he had told me to do. I do not understand people sometimes. And though I meant the man no harm.. it was good to lay eyes once again upon Marius while Papillion talked with the physician in medical terms.
It was not until a few moments later when he had left my master in her capable hands, that she peeled down his covering to expose the bloodied bandages that sealed his wound. And for that brief moment, I grew heartsick and faint. And overwhelmed by the sight of the blood. In all this, Marius had still failed to rouse, or even blink beneath his closed eyelids.
But I could withstand no more. I ran from his room.. and from the house entirely. Only to throw myself to the ground outside and beg the mercy of every god and Priest King who might be listening. Mercy for Marius.
I do not think I can live without him.
No sooner had Papillion tumbled right through the overhead window, the door of the great theatre was tugged right open from the inside. I had meant to represent my master in a most professional way.. but I could not keep my eyes off the woman. Nor she, me. Within moments we had embraced and kissed one another.. sinking to the theatre's dusty floor in an uncontrollable urge to succumb to passion's fruit, when a trio of Actors had shown up to collect their scripts and cajole one another as well as me, once they realized they'd stumbled upon a tryst in the making.
Papillion and I rose to our feet rather swiftly as we smoothed away the unrequited beginnings of our love, and I did introduce her to the Actors. Cronus the Ugly seemed particularly enamored of her.. to the point he'd threatened to wollup me good if I touched his woman again.
All throughout the day until sunset, I stole from her as many kisses as time would allow between the constant interruptions. More than fifty Actors had come and gone, as well as a good handful of Musicians. And though I maintained a cool front.. every single one of them wondered where Marius was. In all his many decades directing the most prestigious of theatre troupes, he has never missed a single day.
I left the house early, before sunrise and while it was still dark out. It was the day in which the theatre's back stage entrance must open, for every Actor and Musician would be showing up in the ahns between sunrise and sunset to gather the season's script and musical ensemble. Asia had suggested it be put off until Marius awakes from his comatose slumber.. but knowing my master's penchant for punctuality, I did not think that such a good idea. It is widely said among those of the Entertainers: The show must go on.
Over the winter months it seemed the lock and bolt had rusted tight, for it would not budge no matter how hard I tugged upon the great sliding door behind the theatre's rectory. When suddenly in the darkness I was startled by a sound that had crept right up behind me. And for a split second, I had expected to see Sven standing there.. I don't know why.
But it was a woman. A young woman.. a girl really. I blinked at her while I caught my breath and once more regained my nerve with a smile that I am sure had spread across my face.
"I am here to see the legendary Marius. Are you.. him?"
