The Lotus Theatre

She winced as the pots clattered against each other. Lotus stared at all her belongings, not knowing how they had increased to the ridiculous size it had. She would never be able to carry all this on horseback.

Pursing her lips, she made the decision to carry a larger load to Francesca. Though it would mean saying goodbye, something she seldom did, it would be the practical thing to do. With a twitch of her nose, she hauled the massive satchel onto the horse, securing it to the saddle before climbing behind it awkwardly, it’s bulkiness taking up much of the room.

The ride into the town was short, perhaps a mere five minutes instead of the usual fifteen that it took to walk. The horse’s stride was much larger than her own, practically chewing up the distance, a soft shuffling noise accompanying the pace of his powerful legs.

The world around Lotus was damp, heavy with the previous nights rain. The soft morning sunlight was filtered through the leaves and left everything with a dreamlike glow. Birds chirped in the distance, accompanied by birdsong, and Lotus felt the tensions from the previous night lift from her shoulders.

She tentatively recalled a time when she used to do this every morning with her older brother - go for rides in the morning sunlight. It wasn’t long before Lotus reached the busiest part of Krelayke. She glanced around at the courtyard, noting that there was many riders among those walking around with wicker baskets tucked under their arms.

The crowd of people gave Lotus’s horse a wide berth, even when she was not mounted upon it - as seemed to be customary in this small town. Lotus was currently standing near a standard brick house, standard in the sense that as every other house in the area, it was also leaning precariously to one side, with holes in its thatched roof and no windows. Windows were expensive, especially the glass. She wrapped the braided leather reins around the pole outside the building before shouldering the heavy bag that previously sat upon the saddle.

Inside was decorated with dim oil lamps, shaggy plush carpets and red walls. Upon the walls sat oil paintings of promiscuously positioned women and the occasional man, either naked or dressed in gauzy materials that left little to the imagination, come hither expressions plastered across their faces. The distinct smells of perfume, sweat and sex was in the air. Francesca may not be rich, but her business certainly was.

As Lotus waited, she sat upon a tufted red chaise in what seemed to be a waiting room. She could hear the muffled sounds of the business from the rooms above. She knew from Francesca’s ramblings that she lived in a room on the first level, and she could only hope she was currently there. A male walked out, his curling dark brown hair was tied into a small ponytail, a cream coloured wrap tied around around his waist, low enough that she could see the crisp trail of hair leading from his bellybutton, reaching lower and leading out of sight below the silk. Lotus redirected her gaze, uncomfortable.

He had obviously noticed her, and came stalking over. He reached for her hand, holding it between his smooth ones.

“Hello darling, I’m Fabio, what can I do for you today?” As he was speaking, he sent a smouldering look towards Lotus, massaging the palm of her hand before laying a kiss on the meaty flesh near her thumb. She ripped her hand out of his, noticing his Draelithian accent, despite his exotic name.

“I am looking for Francesca” she lifted her nose in the air, crinkling it as though she were disgusted by his presence, a well practiced look. He glowered slightly, standing while snaking an arm around her waist, forcing her to raise, pressed to his chest.

“Why? I am much better than her!” He nuzzled her hair, reaching his other hand to her chest. Lotus battered his hands away, stepping a few feet from Fabio.

“Fabio! Enough! Lotus, dear, come here” Fabio gave one last look at Lotus before striding away again, shooting a look at Francesca, who had just stepped through the door. Lotus walked towards her, following as she wound through hallways filled with closed doors. She didn’t want to contemplate what that meant.

They came to a small room, filled with a bed big enough for two and an ornate desk with a looking glass. Across the table was scattered with beauty powders and papers, an inkwell signifying that this was both her living quarters and office. Francesca turned and sat on the small stool in front of her desk, leaving Lotus standing.

“I’m leaving”

“And you come to say goodbye to good Ole Franny? I’m honoured” Francesca dabbled at imaginary tears.

“I didn’t come to say good bye,” Lotus steeled her gaze and dropped the bag on her shoulder to the floor, a tinkling noise echoed through the room as trinkets clinked against each other “I came to give you this bag. Take care of it. I may want it back one day.”

Lotus turned and walked out of the room, out of the brothel without a look back at Francesca. Can’t afford to let myself get attached. She returned to her horse, untying it and mounting the saddle. It wasn’t until she was at her higher vantage point that she saw a lady gesturing to her figure whilst talking to imperial guards. She stayed looking long enough to see a brown leather pouch dropped into the woman’s hand. Lotus turned her horse around, decided to start walking the long was back to where the rest of her supplies lay. Behind her, she heard a scramble.

“Stop! In the name of His Royal Highness, Prince Crispin Eason!” the racket came from what she presumed to be the guard in charge, and Lotus only glanced back to ascertain that they were in fact, talking about her.

An emotion comparing to panic seemed to fill her chest, but with a practiced notion, she squashed it till she felt nothing. Only seconds had passed, and she realised that the guards had now mounted their own own horses, and were beginning to ride towards her.

Lotus looked ahead, urging her horse from a trot to a gallop, weaving between the panicked people with ease. Riding through the market square wasn't easy, and in her rush overturned a few stalls of fruits. Behind her, Lotus could hear the nearing sound of the guards horses.

Making a snap decision, Lotus steered her horse into a small alley that connected to another street. Even though it would mean that the guards would be able to ride faster, it also meant that she wasn’t wasting time weaving. She pushed her horse faster, heading to the woods. The guards had only just reached the end of the small alley as she reached the tree line, though it didn’t take long for them to she her path.



The guards lips curled back as they say the blonde haired woman running into the trees, knowing it would be harder to track her, especially when the section she had headed for was dense. The guards pulled up their horses at the tree line, pacing back and forward. She was accomplished, and it seemed like she had preformed escapes before. The guard snapped his teeth together, relishing the pain it sent curling through his temples. The horse neighed restlessly, unwilling to admit defeat, the guard motioned to the other to return to the prince.

“Are you crazy? He’ll lash me for sure!”

“You over exaggerate. Go, I’ll keep tracking her. Bring back the hunters” the guard looked back at the other guard, who was panicking and picking at his chain mail covered wrist, in a motion as the guard recognised was to pick at the skin beneath. The smaller guard nodded, swallowing heavily.

“Okay.”

And with that one word, the pulled the horse on its reins, causing the it to rear on its hind legs before galloping off to the hunters residence.



As Lotus realised the guards stopped chasing her, she eased the horse into a slower speed, careful of the soggy ground. She was well aware how easy it was to injure a horse in bad conditions. She arched around to where her small bags sat, and quickly fastened them to her saddle before she was off again.

Lotus knew she didn’t have time to dawdle as she rode a fast but sensible pace. It wasn’t the first time she had wished for company on a ride, but today the silence seemed to be crushing her, despite the cheery bird song that was echoing throughout the trees. Filtered light rained around her, a soft gentle glow that was tinted green.

Lotus headed to the east, where Draelith was located, stopping to camp only when the sun set too low to be able to see more than a few metres ahead of her.

In her little clearing, she had a sleeping bag that was lined with fur on the inside and closed at the top, as well as a small fire. She was aware that she was still dangerously close to the land of Dralina, though hours away from Krelayke. She only hoped that she was far enough away to spend the night here.