Right on time, the lights dimmed and Basilides took his usual deep breath and slow exhale, closing his eyes for a brief moment and sending a prayer to the blessed lord, Dionysus. While, yes, the crown did in fact pay them to be here and to perform for the masses - this, all of this, was for him. He reveled in the chaos and beauty of performance, of the god-given magic to make others hearts burst or ache simply through a shared experience with a performer on stage. Whether it was through song, dance, or feats of chaotic beauty, it was all for him.
As Basilides opened his eyes, though, he felt a slight tightness in his chest. Why had the lights surrounding the stage not been illuminated? Less than a breath later, he saw a pinprick of light from a torch high above the stage, and his eyes narrowed.
He did not like surprises. In fact, when it came to performances, there was nothing he detested more than changes in plans without him knowing. Just as he made a quiet step towards the curtain offstage to confront whatever ridiculous change Phineus had made to the program, one of the hoops hanging high from the top of the tent burst into flames - with no one other than Zephyrus hanging from the bottom of it for a brief moment before plummeting toward the ground. This, most definitely, was not the original rehearsed hoop performance he had been expecting. This had Phineus' name all over it and Zephyrus, like the beautiful, brash idiot he was, had agreed to it.
In that briefest of moments, he made the decision that if the fall or the fire did not kill his lover, *he* most certainly would.
The only thing stopping Basilides from storming backstage and potentially strangling the troupe leader was the ecstatic reaction from the crowd. He took a moment, his eyes flitting from face to face in the crowd, particularly to the Royal booth and his expression softened. Their eyes all glittered in the light that came from the burning ring in the air and the stage-side torches that were now illuminating Zephyrus' elegant rope routine.
He was torn, in many ways, because on the one hand he was still quite furious at the change in plans - how unprofessional! how dangerous! how could they! - but on the other, the crowd was beyond pleased with the result, having likely never seen something so daring. For that, he could not be but *so* mad. So, like a brooding child or a disappointed parent, the producer remained where he was, the only change being that his arms were now crossed sternly over his chest, half-glowering at the performance.
It took a moment for his expression to soften, but the music was fine and the acrobatics delicious to the eyes. He felt his shoulders loosen slightly as he watched his lover twist and writhe along the rope. He had seen Zephyrus perform a similar routine, and as long as he remained away from the burning hoop for the rest of the performance, he supposed it was not so far off from other performances in the past, so he could only be but so mad at this point. The longer he watched, the more his mind shifted from frustration and fury to quiet enjoyment, occasionally glancing at the crowd as each feat surpassed the last.
Fine. Perhaps, he would allow them both to live, especially if it meant future sponsorships and patronage. He supposed that would make up for it, and thinking about it, he allowed his eyes to scan the crowd and find some potential new 'acquaintances' to speak to after the show.
Finishing his act with a minor stumble was nomatter - Zephyrus has had worst before. The acrobat artist threw a quick prayer up to the Gods that he had not slipped from his hoop or fallen from the rope as he gave another flourishing bow, before flashing a smile to the crowd who had... his eyes frowned momentarily when he caught sight of a familiar figure in the crowds.
As much as he was eager to do a double take to ensure he had seen the right person in the stands, Zephyrus had to quickly jog off as his fellow performers came up next, the snake charmer with her pets the male tended to avoid. Heading back to the holding area for the performers, he exchanged high fives and grins as he discarded the leather gloves and shrugged off the black long sleeved tunic he wore in favor of a white sleeveless one, the male emerged from the other end of the holding area, and headed straight into the audience stands.
There, his eyes roamed the people... and when it fell on his quarry, it brightened up.
Back in Aetaea, Belen was perhaps one of the first, if not long standing lovers he's had. Had he not had loftier dreams and had followed a troupe to fully reside in Athenia, he would probably still be having a comfortable relationship with the archer. Yet life took unexpected turns, and with Basilides, Zephyrus found he was want of little other - unless his lover angered him.
Belen however, was still a figure Zephyrus found himself occasionally thinking of upon a free moment in his time. So the male sifted through the crowds as the snake charmer finished her performance, followed by a fire juggler and swallower. As the large, bulky male who juggled fire stepped forward to begin his show, Zephyrus sidled into a seat next to Belen, and grinned as he nudged the male with his shoulder."Long time no see." he murmured, and then his eyes widened as he finally saw the patch over one eye in the darkened tent."What happened, Belen?"
Persephone was so caught up in watching the performance by the acrobat who appeared more liquid than solid matter, it took a moment for her to realise that her sister was speaking to her. Turning to look at Emilia and then smiling as the words clicked into place in her mind, Persephone made a face that offered Emilia very little hope of ever getting up on a rope or suspended hoop.
"I find that very unlikely, little sister." She told the girl. "It is an impressive feat to be sure but also one in which a broken neck is most likely..." She told her with a shrewd eye. There was absolutely no way that the eldest princess would ever let her younger sibling do anything so dangerous and Emilia knew it by the glint in her eye.
Leaning a little forward and eager to witness the next act, Persephone immediately righted herself again, unable to breathe in her tight gown if she moved even slightly forwards. She was forced to wait a few moments before the next performers stood further central to the tent. Her expression changed from aw to curiosity as the women before them with markings all over her skin moved around the space with multiple snakes across her person. One was draped over her shoulders, another around her waist and the third was curled in a spiral up her leg as she moved. With each step she controlled them into a new shape or position, offering them out to the audience to be able to see the pretty colours and patterns across their scales.
"Perhaps we should have such performers at the wedding celebrations, Lord Iason?" Persephone asked her fiancé beside her, before quickly pointing to correct herself. "The acrobats I mean... rather than the reptiles." She smiled in humour at the man, certain that slithery and slimy creatures famous of conniving and deadly games were not exactly the image one might want at the ceremony of their marital union...
Settling down into his seat, Belen watched as Zephyrus disappeared behind the curtains. His attention running back to the performers that leapt on stage. He watched then, but his mind didn't hold attention for long as his mind began to wonder. Thinking if Zehyrus had spotted him in the crowd, after all the acrobat certainly seemed to look his way, but even if he did, would he of noticed Belen through the veil of darkness. Over the past few years, Belen had changed, he'd got taller, he'd encountered far more problems which no doubt added the heavy rings under his eyes, and far more noticeable he'd gained far more scars since that day they met. Most hidden under his clothing, but the newest and most noticeable definitely stood out.
Although here, in this tent, under the veil of darkness, with a sceptical in front of them, Belen found himself feeling free. No eyes were set upon him, no glances of shock or sympathy. Instead Belen could just sink into the background, and enjoy the sight in front of him, and the stinging reminder of that pirate was pushed to the back of his mind.
With his eye set on the performance and his mind dancing through thoughts and memories, Belen didn't even notice the nudge in his side. It was only when the voice of Zephyrus hit his ears, was he thrown out of his thoughts. His head twisted, as a smile quickly formed on his lips as his eye fell upon the acrobat. "Hey," Belen whispered as not to distract anyone else from the performance. Yet as soon as Belen saw the shock on Zephyrus' face, Belen was quickly reminded of his most debilitating scar.
"What happened, Belen?"
The question made the hunter wince. He turned his head as to attempt to cover the patch that rested over his eye. The wave of shame that ran over his face was unmistakable. "Could we talk about this somewhere else?" Belen asked. In the back of his mind a small hint of surprise popped up. Whenever most asked about the eye, he would either ignore the question or reply in a less than helpful tone, yet here he almost felt obligated to tell the acrobat.
Emilia had always been a little of an anomaly when it came to being a princess - her tutors would be the first to attest to it. They had a gala of a time trying to get Emilia to attend lessons. But the fact remained, Emilia learned better from watching then she ever did from sitting down and listen to someone natter on forever and ever. History? Art? Languages? She detested them. Words swam in front of her eyes, and she disliked it even more when she was forced to stay indoors, when so much more happened outside, all she had to miss for reading a scroll of book she could've read anywhere else.
So when her aunt leaned in and murmured on what she needed, that her behavior was unbefitting for a princess, Emilia scowled. She did not look back, and she hoped the shadows of the arena hid her look of distaste from her sister, but she did not hide the way in which she leaned back in her seat, pointedly looking away from Circenia and Keikelius as the performance went on. The only outward reaction she gave that she had lingered upon her last comment, was a cheeky smile she flashed at Persephone, but Emilia otherwise kept silent.
Instead, the young princess chose to focus on the glam and the glitz, the bright lights and amazing feats being performed in the dusty arena. The young girl gasped and clapped at the finishing of the young acrobat's performance, and her eyes shone at the way in which the snake charmer manipulated the scaly creatures wound around her hands and neck, the very creatures Emilia would likely run away from.
Her skirts ruffled as she clapped, and the crowd's applause welcomed yet another performer - a fire eater it seemed, as he juggled clubs set on fire, and continuously manipulated the dangerous flames, much to the crowd's gasps and surprise. The culmination of the fire juggler's performance had all five clubs in the air at one point - that was where Emilia gave up keeping track or trying to figure out what they were trying to do, and just gave in to the applause of the crowd.
What followed was a series of acrobatic acts - none as great as the suspended aerial acrobat that had opened the show, but amazing nonetheless. Emilia was at the edges of her seat as she watched the performers, and by the time the lights were brightened as the rest of the torches were lit to signal the end of the show, Emilia gave a flushed grin at Persephone, looking for all the world as if she had ran a marathon, when she had in all honesty just sat in her seat.
"Can't we have more of these in town, sissy?" Emilia asked in mild excitement, straightening up from her seat once her lady's maids assisted her up. Arranging her skirts so she wouldn't trip, Emilia would take her sister's arms in hers as they were led to the carriage, her body tired by now, but knowing they had one last thing to attend.
The .... exchange outside of the tent had been, for lack of a better word, exhilirating. While Zephyrus had been expecting an exciting night, for to perform for the royal family was a rare chance he had not had before his joining of the travelling troupe, he had not expect an old flame to turn up. Neither had he expected said old flame to meet his current beau - a very jealous beau, for that matter. Luckily, Basilides had been curt, if not the most polite person, but the acrobat knew better then to take more then what he can get.
Having quickly dissipated the conversation between the two as quick as he could (even if Zephyrus was curious to further have conversations with Belen, he doubted Bas would be agreeable), he had made a mental note to see if he could find an address to send a missive to if he could, but further then that, could no longer act on his chance encounter for the night.
As such, he managed to slip in just as the final act of monkeys and rings was finished to raucous applause, a standing ovation that made Zephyrus smile, for he was sure his lover would be pleased at the outcome for the night. And so was the acrobat. There was a reason why he chose his profession of choice - Zephyrus loved the spotlight, but what he loved more was the sight after, when people smiled and enjoyed his performance, when he managed to successfully make them forget their lives beyond the lights and the show for the evening, as they gasped and sighed over what they saw on stage.
Where he was able to lend them one night of wonder.
So entrance was he at it all, the applause and the smiles, the cheers and the whistles, that he almost didn't see it until the ringmaster waved him over. Starting, the acrobat recovered and quickly jogged over to join his troupe mates as everyone filed into the sandy ring for the final bow together as a troupe - as a family. Taking the hands of the ones he could call his family, his grin was wide as they raised their hands, and bowed.
As the applause died, and his eyes spied the nobles, commonfolk and royals alike file out of the tent to the following event, there was a sense of contentment that filtered over the people of Athenia - while times were rife, and things were rough... for now, everything was alright.