Entertainer

Entertainer

“How ya doin’ Rabia? Ready to make history tonight?”

“Yeah, yeah, sure. My butterflies have butterflies in their stomachs, but I’m good.” Rabia ran her fingers nervously through her unruly curls. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this Fleck! What was I thinking?”

“Keep pulling at your hair like that and you’ll be as bald as me before this night is through. C’mon now, get it together, you’ve played for far bigger audiences and way more important people than the Domo and the Merchants Council. This is nothing, you need to relax.” Fleck’s voice was light and his eyes twinkled in the twilight. He popped another olive in his mouth and adjusted the angle of his cap.

“I know, but I’ve never had anything other than my livelihood on the line before.” Rabia steadied her breathing and willed her voice to sound normal. “If I mess up, if I can’t hold their attention, your life is on the line.

Fleck looked Rabia in the eyes, and placing both hands on her shoulders said, “You just need to put me out of your mind and just go do your thing. Promise me that no matter what happens you’ll keep singing and playing.”

Rabia sighed, “Let’s get this over with.” Rabia turned and realized she was talking to empty air. Fleck was off on his mission, it was time for her to do the same.

Rabia adjusted her packs, and headed towards the torchlight in the distance, running through the list of songs she’d be playing to distract herself from useless worries.

Rabia was greeted at the door of the tavern by a dour man with a greasy apron. The air was heavy with the smell of roasted goat and Zhek coffee. “Good, you’re on time. The Domo doesn’t like to be kept waiting. I don’t care who recommended you, if the Domo isn’t happy you won’t work in Zhekiza again.”

An uncomfortable feeling rumbled in Rabia’s stomach, but she did her best to mask it. No use getting herself into a tizzy now, she needed to be in control so the music could speak through her. “Of course,” she said, surprised at how even her voice sounded, “The Domo has worked hard to get where she is, I am honored to have the opportunity to play for her tonight.”

~~~

Fleck could hear Rabia tuning her lute from his perch in the almond tree. He could hear murmurs of conversation, but he knew it was to early to make his move. He needed to wait until the Domo began her meeting. Everyone would be hanging on her words, waiting to find out who would be getting control of the southside docks. Fleck knew how this meeting would work. People would mill around. Rabia would play soothing uplifting music to keep the mood light. The Domo would enter and command everyone’s attention. She’d her announcement then sit back and watch the drama unfold

That moment would be his opportunity. The Jaunty Band were counting on him to sneak over to the Domo’s carriage and get his hands on Fluffy. Fluffy was the Domo’s most prized possession, and possibly her only real friend and trusted confidant, she publically referred to her pet as her “little grape.”

The Jaunty Band had learned that she had fitted Fluffy with a special collar with a locked compartment that held sensitive documents used to blackmail some of Zhekiza’s less-reputable elected officials.The only problem was no one had ever seen Fluffy before. As the son of a rat-catcher and a fishwife, Fleck had wrangled nearly every sort of beast and bird in Zhekiza. That, coupled with his cool demeanor and ability to think on his feet, made him the obvious choice for the mission.

Fleck noticed that Rabia had stopped playing and a hush had fallen over the assembly. The Domo began speaking.

Fleck crept, low to the ground, towards the Domo’s carriage. He effortlessly picked the lock securing the door, then paused to listen. The Domo’s speech was growing in both volume and speed, surely this was the climax he was waiting for, the big announcement. He’d need to move quickly now to get the goods and disappear before anyone knew he’d even been there.

It was dark inside the carriage. At first Fleck didn’t even see the creature huddled inside. He shifted to allow a sliver of moonlight in. It glinted off something shiny. The collar, no doubt. He reached into the carriage to grab it. And that’s when everything went wrong.

~~~

Rabia was preparing a celebratory dance tune when she heard the shrieking howl. Rabia transitioned quickly to a mournful lullaby, hoping to keep her audience calm and give Fleck time to get out of whatever trouble he'd gotten himself into this time. The people in the room responded drifting to sleep in their seats, a couple even in mid-stride. Rabia relaxed and let the music flow through her; this was a difficult song, one she’d never had to use before, and she knew it would only work if she could stay calm. But then she felt the eyes on her, like a cold wind cutting through her chiton. She looked up, meeting the icy gaze of the Domo, and knew it the woman was much stronger than she was.

Rabia clutched her lute and scrambled out the doorway into the night, running quickly towards the piercing howl.