Alex’s accent dropped for the first time as she explained.“Last Sunday, during one of our big fight scenes, Logan jumped off the stage and landed on his foot wrong.”
The booksellers winced.The Pirate Stage was a grand, sprawling ship, complete with a wooden deck near the audience and a second level where part of the show took place.It wasn’t a massive drop, but it was more than enough height for someone to get seriously hurt if they landed wrong.“How bad is it?”
“Snapped his ankle.”There wasn’t a hint of remorse in Alex’s voice.Her brows narrowed in clear annoyance.“He didn’t listen to me when I told him the choreography was dangerous, and now… here we are.He can’t get around the faire without a pair of crutches.”
“But he’s still working?”Margo could barely hide her surprise, and Lilian couldn’t blame her.She could only imagine the kind of hell it would be to get those tight leather pants over a foot brace.Not to mention walking around the hilly acreage on crutches.
“Yeah,” Alex said.“We’ve had to cut down our shows, and the tyrant prince is hounding me about how we are going to fill the space.”
“More pirate sing-alongs?”Margo suggested.
Logan’s band of pirates was a band called Counting Crows Nests.They were a complete ensemble with a drummer, guitarists, Logan on lead vocals, and a single triangle player.They always made their way around the faire, singing sea shanties and flirting with guests.After five o’clock, the songs took a deliciously lewd turn that was guaranteed to make even the Viking actors blush.Logan had a great voice.Now that he was on crutches, she wondered if the singing would have to be done from a single stage.
Alex shook her head.“We made that suggestion.It fills up a little time, but there is still an hour-long slot on Sunday mornings that isn’t filled.Sunday morning!”she repeated in exasperation.“Literally the worst time for a show.”
Lilian and Margo nodded in understanding.Not only was Sunday already a slow day, but people’s attention spans were at their worst when they first walked into the faire.All the sights, sounds, and merriment made it difficult to know where to look and which shows to prioritize.Seasoned faire-goers arrived with a plan, but the casual visitor usually wandered for the first hour or two to get their bearings.Which meant low attendance for morning shows.
“We’ve had to adjust the story, which Logan is pissed about because it means less stage time for him, but what does he want me to do?It’s not my fault that he broke his fucking ankle,” Alex continued.“Hawk is asking me to fill all the open time, and I can’t do that.It cuts into my interaction with the guests and my breaks.”Alex leaned over on the wooden counter in a boneless heap, her pirate hat skewed, mussing her perfect hair.For the first time since Lilian had known the pirate queen, her makeup was smudged around her eyes.
“Maybe we can help,” Margo said, jarring Lilian’s attention away from her book.
“We can?”
“Yeah, I mean, we could fill that slot.At least Lilian can.”
“What are you talking about?”Her mind raced at the implication.Wherever Margo was going with this idea, it was not something she was interested in.
But Margo was looking at her like the suggestion made perfect sense.Even worse, there was a spark of hope in Alex’s eyes.
“Come on,” Margo said.“You’ve been looking for a way to get more people to the shop.This is it.We’ll put on a show to advertise.”She gasped suddenly, loud enough that Lilian worried she’d inhaled wrong.“It could be a medieval bachelorette competition.Get all the hottest guys, and let the audience vote for a winner.It’ll be great.”
“Oh my god!”Alex snapped upright.“Yes!”
“No.”Lilian stared at her friends, mortified.“Absolutely not.I can’t.”
“What?Why not?”Margo pouted.
“Because I’m a shopkeeper,” Lilian said.“I need tokeeptheshop.It’s your idea, you do it.”
“I can’t,” Margo said.“I’m not Ms.Bodice.This is your shop.If we want people to come here, they have to see you!”
Lilian bit the inside of her cheek at that.That was a good point… but no.No.Absolutely not.She couldn’t do this.She wasn’t an actress.Not in the same way Alex was.Standing in front of a crowd?Reciting bits and jokes?Interacting with strangers and actors like she knew what she was doing?
Margo let out another delighted squeal.“Oh my god!We can call it Ms.Bodice’s search for Mr.Brawn.”
Please no.
“Yes!”Alex beamed.“There are plenty of men around the faire we can solicit for the show.Even Logan can sit on a stage and look pretty.As much as I hate to admit it, it might be good for him.It will keep him busy and stroke his ego.”
“And maybe one of the Viking boys.”
“I’m sure David wouldn’t mind.”
Margo was already grabbing her purse.“I’m going to go scout around and see if I can wrangle up some volunteers.”
“And I'll pitch the idea to management.”Alex beamed.
Lilian’s mouth went dry as the two started for the doorway.This was getting out of control fast.They were really going to do it.Unless she put an end to the crazy idea, now.
