Ch 19 Box Seat

A musician's true power comes from within. It is the power to bend, alter, and to change someone's emotions with the sound of their music. At the sound of each crescendoing note, you will feel his pain. As you listen to the resonating voice, your very spirit will be carried upon the wings of a mighty bird. And it will either lift your spirits to new heights or descend into depths of despair.

Unfortunately, Travis neither felt joy or despair. He only felt tired and hungry. And unless this was what the musician wanted him to feel, Travis decided this musician was not a particularly good one.

The opera Travis was attending was said to be the most beautiful in this city. The star was a plump woman with enough power in her lungs to flatten the opera house, if she so pleased. But she sang in a foreign tongue that Travis had never heard before. Thus, he was lost. He turned to Adadora.

She was leaning forward in her chair, listening intently. She didn't look like she was being moved by the scene before her, but she at least understood what was going on and she didn't seem to like it.

"Why are we here?" Travis whispered but the only response he could get was her hand.

"I don't know exactly why you are here, but I'm here looking for the Mistress."

Travis gave a squeel as the voice slid nonchalantly into the seat next to Travis.

Adadora hissed, "If you wish to be here, you must keep quiet!"

Wedge shrugged, put his feet on the balcony rail, and leaned his head back.

"I love viewing an opera from a private box. You don't have to worry about the other noisy people or someone having to go to the bathroom right in the middle of the climax and stepping all over your feet on their way out. It's a nightmare down there, you know what I mean?"

Actually, Travis didn't. He had never been to the theater and he didn't have any particular desire to go to the theater again. Adadora shushed them.

"Ah, well, wake me up when it's all over." Wedge tipped his chair back and closed his eyes.

There came a sudden, welcome silence as the stage quickly changed scenes. Adadora finally turned her full attention to Wedge.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see the Mistress."

"If you were truly here to see the Mistress, you would be with her and not with us."

"Well, circumstances don't always permit me to do as I wish. Sometimes I'm stuck searching for two weary travelers and than sometimes I get stuck watching a horrific opera in a language I don't understand." Wedge sniffled and continued, "And now I'm stuck waiting for those same two weary travelers to lead me to the Mistress."

"How did you find us?" Adadora hissed again.

"I have my ways."

Another singer took the stage. His voice was deep and mellow and Travis assumed that the musician was hoping for this song to be comforting and calm.

Suddenly, Adadora lept to her feet and pulled Travis up after her.

Not even opening his eyes, Wedge reached up, and, grabbing Travis's other arm, asked in hushed tones, "Where are we going?"

"You are not going anywhere."