week 3

[stagemanagers]

WEEK 3
[The past weekend has been a difficult one. With Valjean's murder and D-ne's brutal execution the monotony has been broken and it can be said the show is finally and truly underway.

When the performers emerge from their rooms on Monday morning the decor of the opera house has changed. Not drastically but someone was busy during the night with some redecorating. There are cobwebs draped over nearly everything, some of them with tiny plastic spiders stuck in the cotton webbing, and pumpkins of various sizes on the floor and on the tables. Some of the walls have been adorned with cartoon-ish paper skeletons and scarecrows and in the ballroom a poseable plastic skeleton has been posed at the piano looking ready to play. Someone's even set a bowl of candy on the counter of the merch booth.

But that's not all. There's a light coming from the now open doorway in the lobby that had been previously locked for the past two weeks. This new floor is similarly decorated but why not go have a look and explore for yourself?

Despite their losses, the show must go on after all.


[Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday]

Comments

[sunshineprincess]

[She puts her hands on her cheeks, smile dropping.]

Is it really that obvious?

[robitussin]

Yeah. I mean, not like it's surprisingly after all that, but... Yeah.

[At least she's honest.]

[sunshineprincess]

It's not proper for a princess to cry in front of people.

[She's only supposed to look happy.]

[robitussin]

...People really told you that?

[She pauses. She hadn't thought of that kind of pressure before, of what it must be like to be in the limelight all the time, but it makes sense now that Anna's mentioned it. Music starts playing in the background.]

You know, if that's the case
You're probably doing better without them
So don't buy in
Live right now
Just be yourself
It doesn't matter if it's good enough
For someone else

And hey
Don't write yourself off yet
Fuck them if they ever make you feel
Looked down on
Just tune it out
And do whatever you want
Don't pay attention to what's proper, because
It sounds like shit.

[She pauses.]

...That was more advice-y than I meant it. Take that with a grain of salt.

[sunshineprincess]

It's part of the etiquette I was taught.

[Though she does show off her bright smiles and her love for her people.

It's actually something that sounds like she really needed to hear. Even if the vulgarities are a bit off putting.]

N-No. That... thank you.

[robitussin]

...Don't worry about it, seriously.

[Sincerity, her one weakness.]

That sounds less like etiquette and more like poor coping mechanisms, though. I mean, I get needed to seem composed when you're a leader, but you have to let it out sometimes.

[sunshineprincess]

[It might just be that then. She's never truly learned to cope with things since she was so sheltered.]

That's why you wait till you're alone. I don't want my people seeing me sad. It might make them sad.

[robitussin]

Well. I can't speak for anyone else except Gabe, but I'm fairly sure we're not your people.

[sunshineprincess]

I-I know.

[There's still people here who call her Princess Anna or 'your Majesty'. She doesn't have the heart to ask them not to. It's why she tries to be proper... it's really wearing her out.]

[robitussin]

And, I mean... Can I be blunt?

[Because she hasn't been at all prior to this point, clearly.]

[sunshineprincess]

[She nods.]

Of course!

[robitussin]

Anyone who knows you beyond, like, a citizen and ruler relationship back in your place should be willing to listen to you when you're not doing so great rather than making you cry alone in your room or whatever. I mean, are your friends and family just kind of cold, or...?

[sunshineprincess]

[Natalie is making a good point until that last part. She looks down, following her hands in front of herself.]

Do you mind if I'm super honest?

[robitussin]

Go for it.

[sunshineprincess]

I only ever had my sister as a friend, and then not even her anymore. Hime was the first person to ever call me a friend in my entire life.

[As for family.] Standing in front of everyone at the ball was the first time I had talked with my sister in thirteen years without her saying 'go away, Anna'. We always had a door between us. My parents were wonderful, but they passed away three years ago. So... these past few years all I've had were a couple of servants and a door to talk to.

[It feels both relieving and embarrassing to talk about this.]

[robitussin]

[She doesn't say anything like "I know how that feels", but there's a certain measure of understanding rather than sympathy in her expression. Her parents are still alive, of course, but constantly reaching out for support and caring and having none of those needs met... It's something she knows all too well, and so she knows that it's not something anyone should have to go through. She breathes a sigh.]

Do you know why she didn't want you around?

[sunshineprincess]

[It's different not hearing "I'm so sorry for your loss" or just "I'm sorry" when she speaks of her parents death. She's gotten that from most of the people here she's told about. She shakes her head at the question.]

No... but I think that memory I woke up with has something to do with it.

[robitussin]

Yeah? What did you remember?

[She tilts her head slightly, curious.]

[sunshineprincess]

[This is going to sound insane.]

We were in a palace made of ice. She was wearing a dress that was way different than anything I thought she'd ever wear... it was beautiful. Then again, Elsa is always beautiful. [Getting off track here.] We were fighting about something... an eternal winter? I was begging her to come back with me, tell her we could fix things together. She fought me on it, and then...

[She shudders, putting her hands over her heart.] She struck my heart with ice... I think that's what she was hiding.

[robitussin]

[Natalie comes from a place with no magic, no fairy tale endings and very few princesses and princes. As hard as it is for her to swallow, though, she knows better than to say so while Anna is opening up to her. Even she isn't that tactless.]

With ice? That...

[Sounds very bad, even if she doesn't know anything about magic.]

[sunshineprincess]

[Cold. Sharp. Like daggers in her chest.]

The pain was too real. I think it happened. It must have. I know I told Astarte that magic isn't real, but maybe it is. At least where I'm from.

[It would make a lot of sense when she thinks about her childhood.]

[robitussin]

Do you remember what happened after that?

[Despite how worrying that sounds, she isn't too concerned about Anna's safety. Even the people running this place couldn't bring someone here if they've passed away, she thinks.

As far as emotional wellbeing goes, though...]

[sunshineprincess]

Yes. Kristoff helped me stand up... I can't believe I forgot about him... Elsa created a giant snowman, and we got thrown out of the palace. So I guess we got out safely otherwise.

[She doesn't really remember much about Kristoff, but she knows the name and that he was important somehow.]

[robitussin]

Isn't your sister the queen? Why is she just chilling in an ice palace alone?

[sunshineprincess]

She is... and I'd like to know that too. It wasn't like this at all when I came here. She was standing right next to me, and we were talking about chocolate and how nice it was to have a party.