Chapter 2 #2
From what Lilian could tell, the faire was their life.
When the fall season was over, the Carlisles, along with a few other lifetime members, didn’t stop.
They planned and recruited for the next spring season, which kicked off in March.
They sewed their own extravagant clothing, held acting and history workshops for the cast, and maintained the grounds year-round.
No one could deny that they had earned their place as king and queen. Janelle, a small portly woman with vibrant red hair, always had a smile on her face when she interacted with the actors.
Her husband, Marcus, was her opposite in almost every way. Tall, dark-haired, and almost always wearing a frown, the man wore his title as king both in the faire and outside of it.
Even tonight, he was dressed in full king regalia, a beautifully embroidered doublet of deep crimson fitted perfectly to his frame.
Unlike most of the other male actors, King Rothbury, as he was known around the grounds, wore more clothes instead of less.
His doublet and jerkin fell neatly over his hose-covered legs.
Seeing him and his queen side by side, it was easy to believe they were two people pulled straight out of the Tudor era.
He was a handsome man. Lilian could see exactly where Hawk got his strong nose, angular jawline, and prominent frown.
It came as no surprise that Hawk also inherited his father’s off-putting personality.
The royal couple never once broke character as they thanked everyone for a job well done and welcomed another successful year. “Huzzahs” echoed from the crowd as everyone lifted their mugs and took a celebratory swig before the real festivities began.
The musicians started up a jaunty tune that sounded suspiciously like Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” and the square was quickly filled with laughter and conversation. Even after a long day of work, rehearsals, and heat, there were smiles plastered on everyone’s faces.
Lilian sat at a picnic table with Margo beside her and a beautiful pirate actress across from them.
Alex Carrera had been an actress at the faire for almost as long as Lilian had been a volunteer.
She was a few years younger but had already worked her way up to being one of the main figures among the faire elite.
She’d been acting for years, but last season was when everything shifted.
Alex went off script and wove an entire story around her character, Misty Stormsail.
She recruited the wenches from the shops and bars to join her crew, pulling them straight into the performance.
After a swashbuckling pirate show, she was officially recognized as the Queen of the Pirates by the faire staff.
The legacy pirate king hadn’t been pleased about sharing the spotlight, but the Carlisles were so taken with the bit that it became a permanent addition to the faire.
Over the summer, Lilian had been required to take basic acting lessons for the faire.
Alex had been her teacher, and they’d grown close while practicing accents and doing basic improv.
Alex was a graduate student studying theater, and she had a way of making even the most insecure person feel at ease.
“So, how was setting up shop?” Alex asked, taking a swig of beer.
She looked untouched by the heat. Her dark brown locks were still perfectly curled.
Her makeup was unblemished, and there wasn’t a single drop of sweat visible on her face, even though she wore a coat of beautiful black velvet and had been walking around in leather boots all day. Some people had all the luck.
Lilian tried hard not to think too much about how she must look.
Her frizzy straw-colored hair had been pulled back into a messy bun, but she was hyperaware of the sweat that speckled her neck and face.
She hadn’t bothered with makeup, thank goodness, but she knew she smelled like a pig and her clothes probably did as well.
“It was a day full of excitement followed by deep, deep annoyance,” Lilian said, taking a swig from the ice cold can in front of her. She moaned as the liquid touched her tongue. There was nothing better than a cold beer after a long day of working outside.
Alex looked to Margo, who whispered, “Hawk Carlisle.”
The pirate queen made a face. “Ugh, so glad I don’t have to work with him. His dad is a piece of work too.”
Lilian’s eyes instinctively went back to the stage where the king, queen, and their royal staff sat.
Handsome men dressed as guards stood on either side of the king, still looking stoic despite the celebration around them.
That couldn’t have been fun. At least the ladies-in-waiting were laughing as they chatted among themselves.
Off to the side, among the elegant, patterned dresses and robes, was Hawk, sticking out like a sore thumb in his polo. He was still looking down at his clipboard while talking to someone dressed in a vintage faire T-shirt.
“He was supposed to get contractors to help raise the sign on my shop. But no one showed up, and then I had to go hunt him down to present my papers. Ugh, and the way he talks is so condescending. Like he’s some king!
” Lilian took another long gulp of beer, but the beverage did little to wash away the foul taste in her mouth.
“Technically, he’s a prince,” Margo said, popping a greasy french fry into her mouth.
“Technically, he’s not anything,” Alex added. “Except an overpaid accountant. Sorry you have to deal with him, Lilian.”
Lilian picked at the plate of French fries in front of her.
Hawk was annoying, sure, but she refused to let him bring down her entire mood.
Soon, the faire would start, and she would be clearing her book stock while hanging out at one of the most magical places on the earth.
One man wasn’t going to ruin that for her. No way.
Besides, she probably wouldn’t talk to Hawk that much.