A sticky situation

Chris had dealt with the deflated troll, so that meant a scene change. The same trees hung overhead, they framed the whole stage and were too much in place to move, but a few smaller trees and the fabric backdrop were hastily slid off to the side, as a more foreboding set was moved into place.

The Evil Enchantress' dominion, every inch the cliche. The threatening looking spiky throne, the blood red carpet leading up to it, and the torches with flickering fabric symbolizing fire (after that small incident in rehearsals with real fire).

Vanessa gave her copy of the script a last quick scan to make sure she knew the part, before striding onto the stage.

"Mwahahahaha!" she gave the required evil laugh, nearly tripped up on a shred of the popped costume, then steadied herself. She stood tall, looking down imperiously. "My minions!"

Dennis, another of the actors, was pushed onto stage. He had on a cheap imp-like costume.

"Enter, stage right," he declared brightly.

Vanessa tried very hard to hide her reaction to his usual poor line-reading.

"Tell me, my minion, how does my realm fare?" Vanessa said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the stagehand Trevor carefully gluing the earlier-fallen branch back onto the set. He held the pot of glue precariously, and she took a wary step sideways just to make sure nothing came down. Thankfully it seemed to be going well.

"Long pause," Dennis said helpfully. "The Enchantress looks annoyed."

"Why won't you speak?" Vanessa said.

"Look down," Dennis said.

"Your... silence tells me much," Vanessa said. After a moment she slipped back into her flow. "So we have an enemy do we? And news that has you too afraid to tell me, how vexing. But nothing can stop me!"

She strode to her throne, sitting down firmly, and frowning a little at the strange sensation as she did. Still, she didn't let it distract her.

"I do not know who could oppose me," Vanessa said. "Tell me all you know."

"It is," Dennis began. He glanced down at his hand. "A kuh-niggit. He fought your troll, mistress."

"He what?!" Vanessa said.

She jerked upright, meaning to stand in anger, only to find that she didn't seem to be moving very far. Instead her wig was flung halfway across the stage by the curtailed motion, and she glanced up to realize what had happened. Glue had dripped down from Trevor's bucket, and seemed to be sticking her to her throne.

She shifted a little awkwardly, coughing, and shuffled to try and prise herself loose.

"He bested it," Dennis said. "And reports say he is coming," he looked at his hand again, "Here."

"We will not allow this!" Vanessa said, with as much energy as she could muster sitting down. "I will go, and see to it that no knight would dare cross our borders!"

She still sat there. She coughed, and tried to stand again, feeling her dress stuck fast to the chair. She glanced around awkwardly. There was no way she could bring the whole ornate throne and shuffle offstage with it, and she couldn't stay on it with the minion scene due to take place next, which left...

She pulled a little harder. Maybe the glue would give way...

There was a distinct, loud tearing sound as Vanessa finally managed to stand up. Unfortunately half her dress was left stuck fast to the throne, leaving the other half to slip quickly down to her feet. It took her a second to realize, to look up at the audience, then the camera, before being unable to help breaking character and yelping, kneeling hastily, picking up the torn remains of her dress and hugging it over her breasts.

"See to it that none will give him aid!" Vanessa said, her voice notably higher than usual. "That he will be alone, and have nothing but the clothes on his back." Which was more than she had just then.

Dennis stared dumbly back at her. Vanessa blushed.

"Right away mistress," she mouthed softly.

"Right away mistress!" Dennis said suddenly.

She waited for a few seconds more, getting redder every second as she stood there, squirming uncomfortably, just waiting for the scene to be over so she could get back into the intact fairy dress as opposed to hugging a scrap of fabric to her almost naked body.

"The fairies seemed to be helping him," Vanessa said quietly again.

"Then I will confront them immediately!" Dennis said.

Vanessa almost cried out in frustration. How did he know everyone else's lines? Still, close enough.

She made a grand sweeping gesture, and then sidled offstage, not daring to turn her back.