Chapter Six

Levi blinked his eyes under the bright stage lighting and squinted out into the empty stalls and boxes of the auditorium.

All was silent but for the quiet creaking of the weathered boards, worn smooth by decades of theater plays and their players, under his shifting weight.

The set was familiar; brightly coloured tapestries hung in the background while a raised wooden throne with a red velvet seat dominated the center. The sparest accouterments of a royal court were scattered here and there, enough to set the scene but not hinder the performers in their operatic choreography.

A single horn sounded, high and lilting before the rest an unseen orchestra joined it in the modest beginnings of an opening overture.

The rising symphony lapped at Levi’s heart like ocean waves. Buoying up his spirit and revealing new horizons of possibility to his fractured heart. An invisible chorus of harmonious voices soon joined it, praising and urging Levi towards a hither unforetold destiny.

Despite it all, the young man was uncertain. Unsure of what part he had to play in this celestial dance of the spheres.

Then Alina stepped out of the wings with a dramatic flourish of her upraised hands.

She was exquisite to behold in a backless mesh gown covered in jade sequins which glittered like gemstones under the spotlight. Her high, ripe breasts taxed the limits of a low cut sweetheart neckline and glowing jewelry dripped from her slender neck and wrists making the fetching Prima Donna look like a princess straight out of a fairy-tale.

She shone brighter than any of the glaring overhead lights, then Alina tossed back her glossy cascade of golden tresses, leveled her mesmerizing gaze at Levi and began to sing.

Her voice was flawless and pure as the rarest diamond. Ringing loud and clear enough to shake the crystals in the hanging chandeliers. Most of all, Alina’s song brimmed with passion as she glided towards Levi, smiling tearfully and pressing a dainty hand to his large, muscular chest.

Wait… was that right?

Looking down Levi realized he was wearing a costume. An intricately embroidered silver doublet with ruffles sprouting out the end of his sleeves and reaching almost to his knees. That was probably for the best because under that were only a pair of sheer azure tights (or were they called ‘Pantaloons?’) and silk slippers on his feet.

Alina hugged herself to him and in the dream she was shorter, smaller than Levi as he towered almost half a foot above her. She looked so beautiful and frail in his bearlike arms, a priceless porcelain figurine to be possessed and protected from rough, uncaring souls. Then in an upswell of the melody, she spun from his embrace and pointed theatrically towards the throne.

“Tsarina! Tsarina!” The hidden choir bayed like an angry mob of classically trained contraltos.

Alina’s expression was set with resolve as her peerless pitch soared and dipped in operatic agitation. The crash of symbols heralded the oncoming conflict and Levi glanced up to see a feminine figure clad in a flowing gold robe seated upon the throne with a noble handmaiden flanking each side of her wearing similar robes of a bronze hue.

All three wore obscuring veils over their faces, their hair tied up and hidden beneath tall conical headdresses but an aura of enmity roiled off the haughty trio as they presided proudly upon the raised dais.

Alina spat bile and accusations at them in a furious song and the orchestra swelled to match her vehemence. The strings screeched and the brass section blared, incensing Levi with a burning surge of anger towards the three aloof pretenders staring down their noses at Alina as she raged.

“Tsarina! Tsarina!” The chorus wailed beatifically.

Levi stalked forwards with a snarl, the boards thundering under each mighty step. Alina sang out one last impassioned cry and spun to reach for him. She was weak and trembling as though the musical solo had drained all the vigor from her body. Tears ran down her rosy cheeks and she collapsed against Levi’s hulking frame as he slung a thick arm around her lissome waist to support her.

“The throne is not yours!” He roared, his voice so deep and commanding that it rattled the fixtures. “That seat will bear no tyrants!”

Levi wasn’t sure where the words came from but the sentiment felt incontrovertible. It felt right.

He carried Alina along with him as the music built to a final crescendo. The percussion rumbled like a storm as Alina whimpered and mewled helplessly in his shielding embrace. She was so light in his grasp. Tiny and delicate as her slippered feet slid smoothly across the polished stage behind them and her adoring fingers roamed over Levi’s broad chest and back.

The taller of the two handmaidens stepped up to bar his path. As if the wrongheaded harlot thought she could stop him from claiming what was His. Then the cowardly harridan, hiding behind a mask and keeping Levi from his birthright, dared reach out to grapple him…

“Tsarina! Tsarina!”

With a powerful sweep of his arm, Levi knocked her hands away and tore off the reeling woman’s hat and veil in a single lightning movement.

She fell back with a scream as dark shoulder length hair spilled free and her tanned olive complexion was revealed. Smoky eyes that had gleamed with excitement whenever she was hurting someone stared back at Levi, wide with abject terror.

Carmen?!

Then the orchestra crashed in one final sweeping chord and all the lights went out, plunging the world into darkness.

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