Legendary - Sidorov Manor Devastated!

Saturday, June 25, 1066, later in the morning

With the roles distributed for the upcoming production of Ivan's Quest, Mon will perform as Eagle, one of the three beings who help Ivan in his quest. Branna collects food from the Palace's cafeteria and brings Dhuka a late breakfast. She asks the child to stay in her room all day, which is probably the safest place. 

As Mon goes about his business, he is cornered by Pavel, who informs him that he heard some information from the grapevine and that Mon should spend a lot of time in a public place tonight so that many people can see him. Mon informs him he will attend the Marquess of Sidorov's party tonight. Pavel expresses concerns that Mon might make himself a target, considering that the Cardinal is sure to be there with several of his men. Mon demonstrates several masks he could wear that would not hide enough of his features to be unrecognizable. After seeing multiple options, Pavel agrees that Mon will probably be fine, but he suggests Mon needs to be vigilant tonight.

Meanwhile, a page boy delivers Marigold a note. From Captain Popov, the note is written in a shaky hand and requests she joins him as soon as possible. The halfling packs her pockets with food from the cafeteria lunch serving and heads to the Anchor's Luck. Captain Popov is thrilled to see her, and he tells her he can only afford to send one message, so he thought he would reach out to the most responsible individual he knows. He informs her he's heard whispers that someone is planning a deadly attack at the Marquess' Masked Ball tonight and that she, Branna, and Mon would do well to avoid being there. Marigold tells the good captain they will be very careful, but as Branna is the Marquess' guest since she was responsible for her dress, it would be poor etiquette for her not to be there.

Returning to the Legendary, Marigold finds Mon and Branna and reports her conversation with Captain Popov. Mon is immediately concerned, and he decides to notify the guard. With Dima currently under questioning for one of the attacks last night at the Legendary, Mon dispatches an anonymous note to Dima's deputy, warning him of a deadly plot against the Marquess. 

The afternoon passes in a hive of preparations as Branna readies herself. Mon, who had invited Marigold as his plus-one, puts together an outfit. Marigold is slightly panicked at the thought of having to dress up but eventually puts together an outfit that will do, with plenty of pockets for her tools and to bring back some of the Marquess' famous fudge.

As time nears and they wait in front of the Legendary to be picked up, Branna suddenly realizes the Marquess is not sending a carriage. She and Branna did not discuss the logistics of Branna traveling to Sidorov Manor, and now they must hustle if they want to arrive on time. Marigold, Mon, and Branna end up walking to Sidorov Manor. As they near the gate of Sidorov Manor, they put on their masks. Branna wears the mask of a parrot. Mon wears a transparent mask with a handlebar mustache and goatee painted on it. Marigold wears a delicate mask covering part of her face. They can hear the faint sounds of music getting louder as they near the estate.

City guards stand at the gate to the manor grounds and check the invitations of all arriving guests. Most guests ride in their carriage, but some are arriving on foot as well. Branna, Mon, and Marigold are closely scrutinized by the guards, and Mon is pleased to see heavy security. Passing through the gate, they see several dozen carriages parked on the lawn on the east side of the manor. A large white and yellow tent has been set up in the field on the west side of the manor. White tables and chairs have been placed underneath the canopy, and serving stations are in each of the tent's corners. A steady stream of servants emerges from the manor's kitchen carrying food and drinks. The tent already feels crowded, and the mood music floats from the band present in the southwest corner. As they walk towards the tent, Mon notices several additional city guards deployed out in the fields and by the manor entrances. Additionally, twenty royal guards stand on the edge of the tent, with three of them within a few steps of the King.

Branna goes off to find the Marquess. She soon discovers that the Marquess has not yet appeared. She is awaiting everyone's arrival before making her grand entrance. Mon and Marigold mingle with the guests, who are all wearing elaborate masks. The Cardinal is wearing a slim mask that barely hides his eyes, but his red robes give him away. The Archduke and the King also wear clever masks but are otherwise recognizable. Some of the other guests are harder to identify, however. Marigold suggests to Mon that they should look at the guests' footwear to find people who don't belong there. Anyone could rent a costume and a mask, but they would not generally think about changing their shoes. Taking a closer look, they soon identify that the Cardinal has two men with him in disguise. They stay close to him.

Finding Olehiv, Branna advises him she's received several reports that there might be violence at the Manor tonight. Olehiv tells Branna that the Marquess looks resplendent in the beautiful green dress the half-elf designed and created for her. She's currently with Lady Sirenko, putting the finishing touches to her hair, and she will be down in a few minutes to join the party.

While Mon watches for people acting out of place, Marigold examines the food for tampering. No one notices her. Everything she tests does not appear to have been tampered with. Taking a closer look at the guests, Mon realizes that Dr. Sadistik is not in attendance. He also identifies six other people who were wearing boots instead of shoes. 

Seeing the actor maneuvering through the crowd, Sir Sergeii approaches Mon and, after commenting on the evening and the setting, informs the actor that a concern was brought to Sir Gregory by the crew about the expense of being away for three weeks. Sir Gregory informed Sir Sergeii of this concern. As a result, the King's cousin has arranged to distribute bonuses to the second crew to cover their living expenses while in Sezja. Mon seizes the opportunity to mention to Sir Sergeii the possibility of investing in the Legendary. Sir Sergeii replies that he is very interested, considering the Legendary an institution with a disproportional impact on the culture of the kingdom. During his conversation, Mon sees the Legendary's owner and his manservant Ony walk in through the gate. Sir Gregory, who lives on the other side of town, evidently walked all the way here. Mon attracts his attention and mentions that Sir Sergeii is very interested in discussing possible investment opportunities. Sir Gregory's face immediately lights up, and he and Sir Sergeii are soon involved in a deep conversation.

Mon takes this opportunity to approach Ony. Mon reports Sir Sergeii's offer of providing bonuses to the second crew to cover living expenses while in Sezja and then inquires about the theater's financial situation. Ony mentions that the theater must pay its creditors by the end of the business day on Monday, and currently, Sir Gregory does not have the funds necessary to make this large payment. Mon suggests that tomorrow's horse races could provide a significant sum, and he reveals his plan of observing the Marquess' bets and, given her track record of winning consistently, placing similar gambles to quickly generate large sums of money. Ony expresses his concern that this is money they can ill afford to lose if one or several of the bets go south. 

The Marquess of Sidorov makes a remarkable entrance with all the guests under the tent. Her beautiful green dress, which caused so much trouble for Dhuka when she stole it, and her jewelry, crafted by Marigold, shimmer in the light as she enters the tent, to the applause of all assembled. The Marquess looks resplendent in her fineries, and she blushes slightly as she basks in the admiration. She then moves to her table, followed by the remaining guests. As a guest of the Marquess, Branna is sitting to her left. The King, the Archduke and his wife, and Lady Sirenko join them at their table. Brianna sees that Lord Nazar is sitting at the next table, and he often looks at his pocket watch. She scans the crowd for Oheliv to report this information, but she cannot find him. 

Mon, sitting with Marigold at another table on the other side of the tent, notices the same thing. He calls a server over, and he is surprised to see Josef. Recovering, he tells him that Lord Nazar has been looking at his watch constantly. Josef agrees to let the city guard know. Marigold heads to Branna's table to let her know what Mon observed. The Marquess uses this opportunity to introduce the halfling to the King, praising the jewels Marigold made for her. The King questions Marigold about her craftsmanship, and he commissions a ring for his wife with a swan set with an aquamarine gem, asking Marigold to propose him a few designs when he returns to Sezja.

As the meal wraps up, the Marquess' famous fudge is taken out and served as one of the desserts, much to the guests' delight. Following dessert, the tables in the middle of the tent are removed, and a dance floor is installed on the ground. As the young people begin to dance, Mon, who has been spending most of his time closely observing Lord Nazar notices that his left hand has a slight discoloration. He mentions it to Marigold, who heads in Lord Nazar's direction. Pretending to fumble and fall, she manages to examine his hand and determines that one of the fingers, the same that Captain Lafoy is missing, is, in fact, some magical device.

Branna soon realizes that the King is fawning over the Marquess and giggling like a pageboy with the dance floor now filled with dancers. She also notes that Lady Sirenko, who is still at their table, is not impressed and sports a look of disapproval on her face. Standing, Lady Sirenko heads to the Manor to use the facilities. Finding Marigold, Branna questions her on what might have happened to the King. Marigold recalls how the Marquess wishes for a necklace that could carry a small vial, and she assumes that some love potion or aphrodisiac has been used on the King. To the shock of all attendees, the Marquess and the King dance during a second piece of music, and murmurs about the Marquess monopolizing the King's attention can be heard. Mon thinks about cutting in, but Marigold tells him they should switch to a folk or country dance to break up the Marquess and the King dancing. Mon heads towards the orchestra.

Suddenly, the masked guests are thrown on the floor by the shockwave of a large deflagration coming from the Manor, while the sound of the explosion reaches them a moment later. Watching in horror, Mon is powerless to stop the fire that quickly spread through the Manor's third floor, where the Marquess' private apartments are located. As debris rains down on the estate grounds, Branna runs to the Marquess, who stands still, stupefied at the turn of events. Mon races to the King, but his royal guards get there first and whisk him away. Seeing that the Marquess is physically fine, if still in shock, Branna leaves her to Mon's care, and she rushes to the Manor, looking for Lady Sirenko. 

Panicked, the crowd quickly disperses as most of the guests head to the gate. The city guard is blocking the exit, preventing anyone from leaving what is an active crime scene. As Branna enters the now fully engulfed Manor, Marigold spots a suspicious servant she recognizes as the pastry chef who had attempted to poison desserts at the Archduke's ball on Thursday. She locates three city guards who promptly arrest the man.

Mon moves the Marquess back to her table and sits her down. He then turns to Lord Nazar, who is struggling to get back up from under an overturned table, and helps him up. Grabbing his hand, Mon calls him Lafoy, and feels the cool metal of his fake finger. Lord Nazar looks at him and blinks twice but does not react to the mention of Lafoy. Mon then sends a message to Pavel to bring a fire brigade. 

Entering the burning Manor, Branna is immediately affected by the smoke, which reduces visibility and causes her to cough. She finds Lady Sirenko unconscious on the tiles of the first floor bathroom, with plaster having fallen on her head. Grabbing her and dragging her out of the burning building, Lady Sirenko is shocked and coughs loudly as she regains consciousness. Branna leaves her with Mon, before finding Marigold near the kitchen on the ground floor. Many servants and kitchen staff are caught inside the burning building. They break the door and rescue everyone by working together despite the smoke and flames spreading everywhere. Olehiv is the last one out, ensuring all the staff was out of the building before leaving.

As they walk away coughing, Marigold suggests to Olehiv that the Marquess could relocate to Lady Sirenko's house for the night before making more permanent arrangements. Olehiv agrees that this is the best plan, given the circumstances. 

As Branna and Marigold rescue Olehiv, and with the royal guards gone and the city guard leaderless with Dima currently under investigation, Mon observes the Cardinal and his men take control of the scene, and they begin interrogating the guests. 

Concerned about his safety, Mon shadowsteps back to town and travels to the Anchor's Luck. Captain Popov is alone sitting in his usual corner when Mon enters the smoky tavern. Captain Popov enthusiastically greets Mon, and shortly thereafter, Ivan brings out boiled veal and vegetables. Mon inquires as to where Yevheniy, Vasyl, and Bohdan, Popov's old friends, might be on this beautiful night. Popov responds that they had an errand to run but should be returning shortly. Popov asks Mon if he knows the name of the ships that will take second crew to Sezja. Mon confesses that he does not. Popov tells him that he will appreciate the irony of sailing on the passenger ship the Cardinal's Grace and the cargo ship the Zhytomyr's Siren. 

Sure enough, Yevheniy and Bohdan return to the Anchor's Luck less than half an hour later. Popov questions them on the success of their errand, and they reply that it was successfully resolved.

While Mon was traveling to the Anchor's Luck, Branna has the misfortune of being interrogated by one of the Cardinal's men. He asks a few perfunctory questions about the explosion, but then questions her about the Marquess' relationship with Lady Sirenko. Branna evades the questions and then refuses to answer any more as they are not germane to the explosion. Eventually, both her and Marigold are released. Walking back with some of the other guests, Marigold wonders when the switch to the tent happened, as the party should have been held inside Sidorov Manor. One of the kitchen staff informs her that it was only yesterday morning that the Marquess switched to a tent party outside once she confirmed the weather would be perfect for an outdoor event.

Once alone in the all-but-silent cafeteria at the Palace, Branna and Marigold speculate about what happened. They had previously discussed Dhuka heading to Sidorov Manor to take shelter with the Marquess. If she had been there, she would have been on the third floor during the masqued ball. Perhaps she was the target. Or perhaps the Cardinal avenged himself for the Marquess' outspokenness and her desire to adopt Dhuka by destroying her home. It is also possible that Sidorov Manor was destroyed for an altogether different reason. Eventually, Mon joins them after he returns from the Anchor's Luck, and he tells them that Popov's friends acted suspiciously. Marigold remarks that the Cardinal and Captain Popov do not circulate in the same circles, so there's probably no connection between what happened at the Anchor's Luck and the destruction of Sidorov Manor. As far as they are concerned, there are three forces currently playing against each other on Katarina: the Cardinal and his men, the Oak Leaf, a shadowy organization that supports the Archduke, and Captain Lafoy and his gang of pirates who are manufacturing high-quality weapons and armor for some unknown purpose. Who had the most to gain from destroying Sidorov Manor?

Returning to her room, Branna brings Dhuka food and fills her in on the events and Sidorov Manor's destruction. Dhuka is saddened that the Marquess' home has been burned to the ground, but she is glad that everyone escaped and that there were no deaths in the fast-moving fire.

Sunday, June 26, 1066 SE

At breakfast, Pavel shares a copy of the Katarina Chronicle with Mon. The headlines grab his attention: "A Night of Festivities Turns to Ash," and "Massive Breakout at the Cathedral: Prisoners Escape." Mon and Pavel discuss the breakout, and Mon mentions that he might be able to get Pavel a job working on the Marquess rebuilding Sidorov Manor. Pavel agrees that this would be a sweet job, and he asks Mon a favor. While on the mainland, could the actor scour some of the antique shops in the capital city and look for antique saws? Pavel collects them, and he could always add another one to his wall of saws. Mon agrees.

Legendary - Loose Ends, Part 1

Saturday, June 25, 1066, really early in the morning

With the events of the previous evening fresh in his mind, Mon reflects on a series of loose ends he and his friends are facing as they prepare to leave for the mainland. There appears to have been three different assassination attempts during the play a few hours earlier. 

The Archduke was almost shot. Who was the assassin in Sir Gregory's box? Who was the real target? How did they come in, and how did they leave? 

The Cardinal was the second target. Who were the pirates in the Marquess of Sidorov's box? Given that no shot was fired, was the Cardinal the real target, or was it someone else? The Cardinal had invited folks who lost peopel in the Khoroshim explosion. Why were these people here? Branna mentioned the pirates were dressed like the city guard. Mon remembers that he saw similar armor in a cave north of Mount Kilina, where the pirate Captain Lafoy and his smiths take shelter when not involved in piracy.  How did they enter the Legendary? How did they leave?

Ulan was the third target. Who tried to kill him, and why? The first actor is not well-liked among the crew, and rumor has it he holds something over Sir Gregory, which, the gossiping goes, accounts for why he hasn't been replaced as first actor. How was a real sword substituted for the prop sword?

There are also other things to consider. What should they do about Anya rotting in a dungeon under the Cathedral? What about her younger sister Dhuka? Where would she be the safest until they depart for Sejza? How should they prepare for the trip? Will they come back from Sezja? What about Sir Gregory? Why is he in such dire financial straights that the Legendary is under threat of closure? What about the upcoming tour of Sir Anton's forest holdings, where the Sezja military is reportedly hiding?

While Mon is silently going through his mental list of loose ends, Marigold looks for Dusana, the prop master. She questions him on what happened. Dusana tells her he's already talked with all of the prop folks. Marigold suggests that the real sword was meant to kill someone live on stage. This would certainly close the Legendary down, as the scandal it would create would be difficult to recover from. She suggests that it will be critical to keep an eye on the sword. Dusana tells her he will personally handle this for the rest of the play. 

Mon joins Marigold and Dusana backstage. He asks Dusana if he thinks that Kisa is the real actress, and not some assassin who replaced her when she was kidnapped and is now masquerading as her. Could someone have infiltrated the Legendary, he wonders? Dusana replies he doesn't have enough contacts with Kisa to tell if that is the case, but her haughty and arrogant attitude is the same it has always been.

Dusana shows the sword to Mon and Marigold. The sword is finely crafted out of kat steel and closely resembles the prop sword. The plans for the prop sword were only drawn two weeks ago, making it almost impossible to craft such a finely detailed sword in time for tonight's opening night. Marigold suddenly think of something. It would be hard to create a sword that resembled the prop, but it would have been easy to create a prop that resembled the sword. Marigold asks Dusana who was in charge of designing the sword. Dusana tells her that it was Prop Maker Kyivan designed the sword prop. Marigold suggests he could have designed the prop sword on purpose, or he could have been duped by someone to design his prop based on this specific sword. Either way, they should question Kyivan in the morning.

Wondering if Sir Gregory is still here as he has some questions for him, Mon heads to the administrative quarter. Despite this late hour, Mon overhears three people talking in Sir Gregory's office. He recognizes the voices of the Legendary's owner, along those of his manservant Ony and Nadie, head of the theater's security. Sir Gregory calmly explains to Ony and Nadie that if he cannot secure a loan or find 11,000 gold pieces, the Legendary will be foreclosed on. This night was supposed to salvage the theater, but now all of the bad press that will surely come in tomorrow's newspapers about the gun falling in the crowd, the fire in the box, and the rumors that someone attempted to assassinate the King will surely negatively affect ticket sales.

Mon knocks on the door. Startled, the people in the office go quiet for a heartbeat until Nadie cracks the door open. Seeing it is Mon, she tells Sir Gregory, who invites him in. Mon tells Sir Gregory the assassin shot at the Archduke, and not the King. Mon also tells him he prevented the Cardinal 's assassination. Sir Gregory humorlessly chastises Mon for not letting the assassin take a shot at the Cardinal . Mon also notices that Sir Gregory has a burn mark on his right cheek.

Mon then tells Sir Gregory he overheard the theater is in dire financial straights. Sir Gregory tells him a consortium lent the theater money as the King's visit incurred significant costs, including additional security, elaborate decorations, and higher production values for the performance. These expenses have strained the theater's budget, and he must pay 11,000 gold by Monday 9 am or default on his loan. The consortium is led by Sir Anton of the Katarina Chronicle, but Sir Gregory believes that Lord Nazar is behind the whole operation.  

Mon casts message and walks to the window. He telepathically tells Sir Gregory about his plan to bet a high sum during the horse races tomorrow. He will be in the Marquess's box, and with her uncanny ability to pick winners, he hopes to get a few leads he can pass on to Sir Gregory. Sir Gregory thanks him for the opportunity, and for all of the money making schemes Mon has developed in the last few months, but he doesn't think they will be able to secure enough winnings to cover the cost of the loan. 

Leaving this sad party behind, Mon messages Marigold and Branna about the information he just heard. Marigold remembers that the pastry chef that tried to poison the pastries at the Archduke's ball was reportedly from Lord Nazar's household. Could Lord Nazar be behind the assassination attempt in order to default the theater and acquire it for cheap? 

Wandering back to the lobby before heading back to the Palace, Mon runs into Dima, who's still taking notes. Mon questions the captain of the guard, who agrees to answer his questions if Mon will answer his. Dima asks him if Mon smelled tuberose in the box. Mon did not. However, Marigold might have noticed it, as she spent more time in Sir Gregory's box than he did. Mon asks whether Lord Nazar has been absent recently, as Mon secretly suspects that Lord Nazar and Captain Lafoy are one and the same individual. He tells Dima that he recognized one of the pirates in the Marquess's box as Captain Lafoy. There is bad blood between him and the Cardinal. Mon further tells Dima someone on Lafoy's crew forged the city guard armor the pirates were wearing, and the sword that almost killed Ulan. Finally, Mon reveals he suspects that Lord Nazar could be leading a double life. Lord Nazar could be wearing gloves to hide his missing finger. Mon plans to keep an eye and shake his hand at the earliest opportunity to determine if he's missing a finger. If that is the case, Dima points out that Lord Nazar was in two places at once, being in Sir Gregory's box and in the Marquess's box simultaneously.

Dima tells Mon about Sir Gregory's burn mark, and mentions that because all folks were paralyzed, none of them saw the assassin enter the box or leave it. No one in the front row (Sir Gregory; Sir Sergeii, the King's cousin; Sir Matviy, Sir Gregory's solicitor; and Lord Taras Nazar, owner of the Starlight Theater) caught a glimpse of the assassin. The folks in the second row did, however. Lord Taras Nazar's wife and their three kids independently described the assassin as an old man. Ony and Yurchik, who were sitting in the third row, saw the assassin but he appeared cloaked in shadows as he set up and discharged his rifle. Dima tells Mon that artists are presently drawing images of the assassin based on the reports of those who saw him, and perhaps they'll have a better idea of who to look for when they are available.

As Mon and Dima speak, four city guardsmen arrive. Dima acknowledge their presence. They inform Dima that all four portraits were independently generated based on each person being interrogated, and all four of them resemble ... Dima, as the captain is shown the resulting drawings. One of the guards tells Dima that because he was alone for six to ten minutes in Sir Gregory's office, searching for the bomb that was reported in the bomb threat, Dima could potentially have been the assassin. Of course, the guards tell him and Mon, they don't believe he would, but things being what they are, they are to escort Dima back to the barracks for further investigation. Dima is thus accompanied by the four guards as they depart the Legendary.

Mon finds his friends back at the Palace, and tells them that Dima was taken for questioning. Marigold speculates that Lord Nazar might have wanted to eliminate the Cardinal, to ensure that theaters could continue to operate. Branna suspects that had all three assassination attempts work, this would surely have indeed sunk the Legendary. Marigold wonders what would happen if the Archduke did indeed succumb to an assassination? Mon speculates that Archduchess Verushka would succeed him, but since she is still a minor, a regent would be appointed. Normally, the nobles on the island would select a regent. As the highest ranking noble on Katarina after the Archduke, Marigold wonders if the Marquess of Sidorov would be the one making the selection, or at least influencing it. Branna points out that House Sidorov is a spent political force on Katarina, and that under the circumstances the King would have appointed a regent. Mon speculates that perhaps the King would have appointed Sir Sergeii as regent. Or perhaps the Cardinal thought he would have an opportunity to influence a young and politically naive Verushka. With this depressing thought, the three of them head to bed.

Branna smuggles Dhuka in her room since her roomate is never here, and soon enough everyone is asleep, but suffering through fitful dreams of assassination and mayhem.

In the morning, Branna, Marigold and Mon finds scripts for the play they will be staging while performing Masha and the Bear in Sezja. The Second Crew's next play is Ivan's Quest, a play billed as a captivating narrative of love, bravery, and the triumph of good over evil, enriched with magical elements and mythical creatures.

Act One presents Prince Ivan, whose three sisters married to magical beings that appeared during a storm. The Falcon, Eagle, and Raven each proposed to and wed one of the princesses, taking them to their own realms. Prince Ivan's loneliness drives him to search for his sisters, leading him on a journey filled with magical encounters, where he meets a beautiful girl, Marya Morevna, who loves him back. Unfortunately for both of them, Koshchei the Deathless, a malevolent spirit, kidnaps Marya.

Act Two begins when Prince Ivan embarks on a quest to rescue Marya. Through the aid of strange magical beings, Prince Ivan discovers the realms where his sisters now rule with their husbands, and he engages their services to fight and defeat Koshchei the Deathless.

In the final act, Prince Ivan and the unified forces of his sisters' realms defeats Koshchei and his army of the deathless. In a climatic battle, Ivan confronts Koshchei. Ivan successfully defeats Koshchei and imprisons him inside a bright crystal, which he buries deep in the ocean. Entering Koshchei's castle, he rescues Marya, and the happy couple is finally reunited

Legendary - The Enchanted Winter: A Tale of Lost Love

Friday, June 24, 1066 SE, continued ...

Having completed their tour of the Legendary, the King and his retinue depart midafternoon, around the same time Mon, Marigold and Branna discover that Dhuka's room had been looted. Now in possession of ripped pages that seem to come from the Cardinal's personal diary, they discuss how they should keep these pages safe. Mon proposes to summon his warlock blade, then tie the pages to it and vanish it again. This would keep everything safe, but Marigold expresses doubts, considering that Mon could be disabled, arrested, or even killed. This would put the pages in jeopardy of never being retrieved. Instead, Marigold proposes to build a puzzle box, where the pages can be hidden. For now, she seizes the diary pages and slides them in an inside pocket in her skirt.

Considering what to do with Dhuka, Marigold suggests Dhuka could take refuge in Mon's room for the night. Mon expresses his concern that the Cardinal's men could search there, plus can they really trust Herald, if he came upon Dhuka in Mon's bedroom. Branna offers Dhuka the Vest of the Clothier and tells the girl she should stay close to her in the costume department during the play.

Marigold tells Dhuka she needs to be dressed as someone other than a pageboy. She first transform into a steampunk outfit, followed by a forest sprite. In the end, Branna convinces her to adopt something more appropriate, and Dhuka uses the Vest of the Clothier to create an outfit that resembles Marigold's. Then lightning strikes as Marigold suddenly thinks that perhaps Dhuka could hide in the secret passage underneath the Cardinal's box, listen to his conversations and document any important information she overhears She's unlikely to be found there. Marigold also gives the child a sketchbook in case she's found, so she can pretend to be watching the play and taking notes. Finally, Marigold offers her a magic-infused light stone, so she can see. She's to remain there until the play is done. Marigold tells Dhuka her name today will be Annabelle, to avoid drawing attention to her. Dhuka pouts, saying she'd rather be Rosie. Marigold sighs and agrees to call her Annabelle-Rosie.

With their preparations complete, they head over to the Palace for their evening meal. The cafeteria is packed, and in the excitement no one comments on Annabelle-Rosie. In her disguise, Dhuka fills her plate with desserts. Marigold chastises her, telling her she should have more protein. Dhuka goes back to the serving line and returns with some chicken, but also with another plate of dessert. The ambiance is electric as everyone is feeling stressed, anxious, but also elated at the idea of opening night occurring in front of the King.

Before returning to the Legendary, Marigold places several smoke bombs and caltrops in her pockets. Mon, for his part, returns to his room to disguise himself. He makes himself appear to have a slightly broken nose, with eyes and hair of a different color, with slight mutton chops.

As six o'clock nears, the friends follow the crowd out of the Palace and to the Legendary lobby. With the entire staff aside from security assembled in the lobby, Sir Gregory descends the marble stairs from the administrative portion of the theater and welcomes everyone. He tells them he is proud of the work they did to get the Legendary ready today, especially with the twin disturbances of the Cardinal's men searching the premises and the King visiting. The Enchanted Winter is bound to become a beloved classic, and it will generate much needed income. This is the first time Branna hear Sir Gregory directly mention the theater's financial difficulties. 

Concluding his remarks, Sir Gregory turns to Yurchik. The theater director explains that all entrances to the Legendary will be guarded by both city and royal guards. Additional guards will be positioned in the lobby and on each floor's atrium. Legendary security will monitor work spaces and additional locations. The Legendary is essentially on lock down mode. Anyone departing the theater will not be allowed back in tonight. Anyone not needed to run the production has been assigned a support position in the lobby, as an attendant, or to direct traffic. Yurchik proceeds to read the list of names and assignations. Branna and Marigold are both expected to be near their workshops, in case a costume or a prop needs to be fixed or substituted. Mon is assigned to serve as an extra attendant to the north wing of the second floor of the theater, the hallway where the Archduke has his private box.

At half past six, the front doors to the Legendary open, and the guests begin their ascend of the front steps to the lobby. Branna escorts Dhuka to the secret passage leading under the Cardinal's box, before returning to the costume workshop. Soon the main lobby and the atriums on the second, third and fourth floors are buzzing with the excitement of the crowd. Nobles and lower-class citizens of Katarina alike mingle as the concession booths do brisk business. As the clock nears seven thirty, the lights in the lobby and atriums are dimmed, and the remaining stragglers make their way to the auditorium. 

On the second floor, Mon observes the Archduke, his wife, Archduchess Yeva, and his daughters, Archduchesses Verushka and Yula enter the box with the King and his son, Prince Yegor. Accompanying them are Dr. Sadistik, Dima, captain of the city guard, Sir Pavlo Demidov, personal secretary to the King, and Ruslan, captain of the Royal Guard. Despite his disguise, the Archduke, the King and Dr. Sadistik all recognize Mon.

At half past seven sharp, Sir Gregory ascends the steps from stage left and stops in the middle, greeting the crowd.

Marigold and Branna compare notes on whom they observed sitting in specific boxes. Watching the crowd from the wings, they saw that Sir Gregory, in his private box, invited his manservant Ony, Sir Sergeii, the King's cousin, Yurchik, the theater manager, Sir Matviy, Sir Gregory's solicitor, Lord Taras Nazar, owner of the Starlight Theater, his wife, and their three kids. In the Marquess of Sidorov's box they saw the Marquess, her friend Lady Sirenko, Lady Natalia Astral, her husband, Nikita Astral, Sir Dmytro Anton, owner of the Katarina Chronicle, and his wife. Finally, they saw a cast of most unpleasant characters in the Cardinal's box. The Cardinal had evidently invited his right hand Tarashenko, Lady Sofia Zhytomyr, widow of Sir Oleskiy Zhytomyr, who died in the recent explosion of Khoroshim, and her eldest daughter. They are also accompanied by Sir Kyrylo Bodashka, son of the late Lady Alina Bodashka, who also perished in the explosion.

Sir Gregory begins his speech: "Good evening, esteemed patrons! Welcome to the Legendary, where dreams take flight and magic comes alive." The crowd loudly cheers. Sir Gregory then welcomes the King and his son, and the Archduke and his family. The King stands and does the dusting under the mantle wave to polite applause, while the Archduke's brief wave receives thunderous applause. Sir Gregory continues his speech:

"Tonight, we have the distinct pleasure of presenting a truly enchanting tale: The Enchanted Winter: A Tale of Lost Love. Prepare to be transported to a realm of wonder where snow-covered landscapes shimmer under the moonlight, and fantastical creatures roam freely. This spellbinding opera weaves together a tapestry of fantasy, romance, and enchantment, delivering a poignant story of love, sacrifice, and the enduring power of hope. The Enchanted Winter' is a journey of hope, a reminder that even in the face of despair, the warmth of love can melt the coldest of hearts. So, settle in, dear friends, and prepare to be transported to a world of wonder, where magic reigns supreme and love conquers all. Let the enchantment begin!"

The first act goes off without a hitch. The actors effectively deliver their lines, the soaring music is flawlessly delivered, the props perform as expected, and the costumes experience no malfunctions. Everyone on the stage is surprised at how smooth this opening act is.  

During the first intermission, Marigold checks in with Dhuka. She then heads to the Marquess' box. The Marquess is in the lobby mingling with other nobles, but Lady Sirenko is quietly sitting in her comfortable chair, using her spyglasses to examine the crowd. Marigold tells her about the ransacking of Dhuka's room, and explains to her that they plan on taking her to the mainland when they leave in a few days. Lady Sirenko agrees this is probably for the best, though she knows Zoya will miss Dhuka and still wants to redress the error she made by pressing charges against Dhuka when the green dress Branna had designed for her went missing.

While Marigold talks with Lady Sirenko, Branna finds Joseph, who's refilling supplies in the private boxes he's helping with. She questions him about Sir Gregory's speech about generating much needed income. Joseph tells her in confidence that he overheard Sir Gregory discuss the Legendary's dire financial situation. Ever since the King's visit to Katarina was announced, the Legendary has spent more than double the income collected. And now some of Sir Gregory's creditors are calling in loans, squeezing him financially. Joseph has it on good authority that the theater owner even had to sell some of his possessions, including his beloved horse carriage. Joseph tells Branna that if she has an exit strategy, she may not want to return from the Second Crew's visit to Sezja to present Masha and the Bear. By that time, the Legendary may have been seized to cover Sir Gregory's death.

During the second act, the bell outside the Archduke's box rings. Mon knocks softly and enters. Dr. Sadistik asks Mon to bring him a seltzer. Mon notices the Archduke and the King are deep in a whispered conversation he can't overhear due to the music and singing occurring on stage. He brings the seltzer back, and smoothly places his hand out. Dr. Sadistik drops a coin in his palm while taking his drink. Once outside the box, Mon looks at the coin and notices it is a copper piece, and the portrait has been defaced. Mon drops it in the latrine at the earliest opportunity. 

The second intermission starts, and most of the theater empties into the lobby and atriums to partake of drinks and food. The crew is once again amazed that everything went as planned, and there were no issues, even minor ones, that needed to be addressed. The performances continue to be amazing.

With his duties currently at a lull, Mon ascends the stairs to the third floor and knocks on the Marquess's box door. Lady Sirenko beacons him in, and is surprised by his disguise. Mon presents a purse with 50 gold in it. Lady Sirenko's eyes briefly display a greedy appetite before her face returns to her usually composed attitude. Mon politely asks her if she thinks the Marquess could use this sum to bet on the horse races in the next few weeks while Mon and the rest of the Second Crew are on the mainland. Lady Sirenko replies she is sure Zoya will be happy to do so, given that she is rather fond of the actor. Mon recalls a conversation with Sir Gregory about the Marquess's extensive knowledge of horses and her uncanny ability to pick winners. Mon hopes that he may gain enough winnings to perhaps purchase a share of the Legendary.

Following the second intermission, the show resumes. A few minutes later, a city guard comes running down the corridor, and he requests Captain Dima. Dima steps outside the Archduke's box, and the guard whispers something to him Mon is unable to hear. Dima immediately departs in a rush, followed by the guard. Mon then notices three additional guards rushing downstairs.

Counting on the play continuing its streak of good fortune, Branna heads to the lobby, where cupcakes, snacks, and teas remain available for the staff. As she's eating a lovely cupcake decorated with a winter theme, She sees several city guards run through the lobby towards the administrative section. Taking a look around, she realizes that there are now more royal guards than city guards in the lobby. Seeking Joseph, she informs him that the guards seem to be searching the administrative offices. He tells her she should spread that info, and also let people know that there are no guards left on the second floor, so that everyone can be on alert. She lets every attendant know as she runs to Mon's station. She reports the news to her actor friend, just as the bell to the Archduke's box rings. 

Mon enters the box after knocking. Once again, Dr. Sadistik requests a seltzer. Mon hurries to the bar on the second floor atrium, and confirms that there are in fact no guards left on this level. Returning with the drink, Dr. Sadistik tips him a silver piece, but at the same moment Mon notices something odd occurring in Sir Gregory's box. The theater owner had one hand up holding a spyglass while his other hand was scratching his eyebrow when Mon first came in, but now ten seconds later he is still in the same position. As Mon observes the other guests cloaked in shadows, he realizes the other guests are also standing still, as if their motions were suddenly interrupted. Mon rushes out of the box, and, after accessing the scaffolding through the concealed door at the end of the hallway, descends to find Branna and Marigold.

He relays what he saw, then heads back the scaffolding and emerges on the third floor through the concealed door. The hallway is empty of guards or attendants. Rushing past through the Marquess's door, he hears a gruff voice threatening the box's occupants. He quickly returns to the stage, and ask his friends to follow him. Back on the third floor and now invisible, Mon shadowsteps inside the Marquess's box. Four pirates poorly disguised as city guards have infiltrated her box. The Marquess and all of her guests are tied up, and one of the pirates has a long-pole firearm aimed at ... the Cardinal. 

Despite his misgivings against the Cardinal, Mon intervenes. He places Dr. Sadistik's silver piece in the firing mechanism, preventing the weapon from firing its metal ball. The pirate is perplexed, and he cocks his gun again, hoping to fire once more. Mon seizes the weapon, throws it over the railing, and it lands in the audience below with a thud and a cry of pain which disrupts the play. 

At the same time, as Kisa acting as Elara retrieves the precious crystal on stage, the orchestra does a soaring rendition of the theme song, which comes with loud drums. Mon notices a flash coming from Sir Gregory's box, and another rifle, this time aimed at the Archduke's box one story below. He immediately shadowsteps away and rushes back to his post. 

Meanwhile, Marigold stopped at Sir Gregory's door, and immediately saw someone had broken a key inside the locking mechanism. Using her tools, she pulls the remnants of the broken key out. She carefully opens the door. Inside, Sir Gregory and his guests are paralyzed. A quick perusal around the box reveals that the intruder is no longer here. But as the chaos in the auditorium following the gun's drop and subsequent injury registers, Marigold notices that Kisa is wielding a real sword, and not the prop sword she should be using to pretend to stab Ulan in his role as Mikael. The play has stopped as the confusion spreads through the theater. Hoping to cause an even bigger distraction to save Ulan's life, Marigold sets off her smoke bomb, then pretends to put the fire out. Most of the crowd evacuates the theater, but in the delay Marigold returns to the stage and removes the sword from Kisa's hand. 

While this was happening, Branna sees four ruffian-looking city guards leave the Marquess's box. They soon vanish in the crowd of theater-goers hoping to escape the nonexistent flames on the third floor. Branna enters the Marquess's box, and soon frees her and all of her guests. The Marquess tells her that ruffians entered and quickly tied everyone. They seemed to be waiting for a particular moment in the play, suggesting they knew a lot of details most folks would not have. She didn't recognize any of them, but one of them was missing a few fingers on his left hand.

At the same time, Mon enters the Archduke's box, and he notices that a bullet passed less than a palm's length away from the Archduke's head, but the man did not even notice. He points the bullet hole to Ruslan, who quickly removes the King from the box. In the absence of Dima, Mon forcibly removes the Archduke and he escorts the small group through the concealed door down to the costume department, where Ruslan locks the door in an effort to protect the King. A much harried Dima finds Mon backstage and is briefed on the incident.

Having dealt with the sword, Marigold returns to Sir Gregory's box to help its occupants. Now that the theater is quieter, she hears the unmistakable sound of a clock. She removes a section of carpet underneath Sir Gregory's seat while the man is still sitting in it paralyzed, then breaks and pulls a piece of floorboard. Underneath she discovers an aetherburst crystal, similar to the one she had disarmed. With skill and patience, she removes the detonator, and turns over both the detonator and the bomb to Dima as he enters Sir Gregory's box.

With all of the drama concluded, the play resumes, with the King and the Archduke in attendance once again. The theater crowd, now about half full, delivers a standing ovation at the end of the play.

Dima collects Branna, Marigold and Mon's testimonies, and he tells them that without their quick thinking casualties would have been far worse than an injured theater goer, who suffered a nasty gash on his head when the rifle fell on it. Mon tells Dima he should inform the Cardinal that he saved his life, but only after he has department with Second Crew for the mainland. 

With the play done and the Cardinal gone, Marigold retrieves Dhuka from her hiding place. She tells them that the Cardinal spent most of the play talking. Most of the things he talked about seemed unimportant, but she did hear several conversations that were worth recording. Sir Kyrylo Bodashka asked the Cardinal about the absence of the Royal Navy and the soldiers that were predicted to be here. The Cardinal replied that the troops were already here in the forests around Katarina. The Cardinal then discussed the King's favor and how to best curry it. He inquired about his guests' impressions of the King, what he seemed to enjoy most, which nobles he spoke to, and any subtle indications of royal approval or disapproval. 

Later on he discussed the King's policies, the economic situation, and the social unrest and lack of morals that threatens to the kingdom. He sought the opinions of his guests, especially those who lost loved ones in the Koroshim attack. Finally, he also talked about the social events of the season, including the King's attendance at various functions. He shared gossip and observations about the nobility, their behavior, and their perceived alliances.