Over the course of the week, Mistress Sa-li offered up tasty morsels of information regarding the upcoming play, keeping spirits up and interest high. She revealed more about the grand story she wished to portray upon the stage, and discussed at length the cast of characters, their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. The Tale of the Dissatisfied King would be brought to life through the wonders of stagecraft, and the production would feature clever props and cunning devices which would allow the actresses to perform feats of illusion and sleight of hand, glide through the air, ride upon the back of a giant eagle, sail upon the high seas, and engage in mock battles between great armies.

All of the students in the theatre class were eager to learn more about The Tale of the Dissatisfied King, and this enthusiasm spread to the rest of the school. When at last audition day arrived on the 25th of September, the aspiring actresses were buzzing with excitement like a hive of bees. Elfhild noticed that there were a significant number of other students there as well, many of whom she barely knew. She caught a glimpse of Nurma among the crowd and went over to greet her friend. She noticed that Nurma carried her trusty sewing basket, and she found herself wondering what intriguing secrets might be hidden within its confines. "Perhaps Nurma is making another one of her magic dolls," she mused to herself.

"It is a scarf," Nurma remarked, as though she were reading Elfhild's mind. "The esteemed Master Nobo has asked that I make him a scarf for the chilly nights that winter will bring."

"I am sure that he will love it," Elfhild replied, feeling somewhat disappointed.

Elfhild knew that Nurma practiced a form of magic, but it seemed that she used these rituals to help others. She had always heard that witches employed poppets to bring harm to their enemies. However, Nurma had used a doll made in Anúrnissa's likeness to bring comfort to the expectant mother as she labored to give birth to her son. It seemed that Elfhild's assumption had been wrong, and not all poppets were used for evil purposes. Of course, she knew very little about the ways of magic, other than a terrifying encounter with the Seneschal of Minas Morgul, and a brief consultation with Laskohki the fortuneteller. The realm of the mystical and fantastic had always fascinated her, piquing her curiosity with its seductive allure. The Rohirrim tended to view the faintest whiff of dwimmercraft with superstition and fear, however, and so she tried to suppress her secret inclinations. Nurma, with her dolls and little bags of herbs, had reawakened that long-held curiosity. Elfhild often found herself wanting to learn more about her friend's forays into the arcane, but she had yet to muster up enough courage to ask.

With the addition of students from other classes, the theatre room was quite crowded, and Elfhild and Nurma had to weave their way through the throng to find a place to sit. Haya, who had risen from her seat near the wardrobes, waved them over and gestured for them to sit beside her. Thankful for the courtesy, Elfhild and Nurma lowered themselves to the cool tile floor.

The door to the classroom opened, and all present turned to watch Mistress Sa-li make her grand appearance. She was as lovely as a day in early spring, dressed in a gown of the softest green silk, with golden ribbons entwined in her dark hair.

"Good afternoon, my dears," she acknowledged the students as they bowed to her. "We have much to accomplish this afternoon." Picking up a sheaf of parchments from a nearby table, she gripped the stack tightly in both hands and gave it a dramatic shake, the sharp crack reverberating like thunder through the room. "The first audition will be for the role of Banda the Voiceless. This character is a young man with a dark and tragic past: he was the thrall of an evil sorceress; his lover perished because of a curse; and his tongue was cut out as punishment for a crime he did not commit. All who desire this role should ready themselves for the audition."

The students had been listening so intently to Mistress Sa-li that they did not at first notice the door open and Guli enter the room. As much as they liked the portly, mild-tempered eunuch, most of the students felt apprehension at his presence. Was he there to judge their performance?

"Sa-li, unfortunately I am late," he exclaimed, puffing slightly as he walked up the steps to the stage. "Yes, I know I told you that I was not going to audition for this play, but I thought you might need my help."

"Yes, of course, noble Guli." She smiled, her expression betraying no surprise or anger. "The first try out will be for the role of Banda the Voiceless."

"Ah, Banda! Such a sorrowful character," he sighed, a look of shattered sadness upon his face. "It takes ability to portray such a character who says nothing, but I feel that I am capable for the role."

"The stage is yours," Sa-li smiled as she stepped back.

Guli began to act out his interpretation of a woebegone man, sobbing loudly and wiping invisible tears from his cheeks. Though the character of Banda was meant to be a tragic one, jolly, rotund Guli seemed more like he was crying about being late for supper than he was about all the sorrows his character had known in life. It was not long before the students started giggling at his melodramatic performance. He wailed and flopped about in this fashion for a while until he brought an end to his performance with a loud crescendo of sobbing and yowling.

"I do not think he will get the part; poor old Guli is far too loud to be a character who cannot speak," Nurma remarked, shaking her head with both amusement and pity. Beside her, Elfhild and Haya could not help but laugh at the eunuch's silly antics.

And indeed Nurma was right; after acknowledging Guli's efforts, Sa-li apologetically informed him that the role of Banda the Voiceless was simply not for him. Guli looked crestfallen and heaved great sighs of regret, which caused the audience to giggle all the more, as the eunuch's misery was far too contrived to be sincere. After Guli's departure, several students ascended the stage and tried their hand at portraying Banda. Haya, who had often displayed exceptional talent at pantomime during practice sessions, delivered a stunning performance without uttering a single sound. It came as no surprise at all when Mistress Sa-li awarded Haya with the role of Banda.

The next role was the pirate captain, whom Sa-li described as being "a gruff man and a notorious scoundrel. However, though he may be a rogue, he is not an evil sort, but rather a simple sailor who likes to hear a good tale." Though several students and even Guli tried out for the part, the role was awarded to Esma, who claimed that she would be a natural at the role, given the fact that her grandfather had been one of the Corsairs of Umbar.

"I am pleased that we are moving so quickly with these auditions," Sa-li announced, smiling broadly at the assembly. "The next role will not be that simple to portray, for the character has two sides. However, the character will appear only at the beginning and end of the play. This role is Chief Advisor Dangal, the prince's most trusted ally who is later proven to be a man of great treachery."

Once again Guli was the first to walk upon the stage. He was quite enthusiastic about playing the part, but his delivery of the lines was unrestrained with much shouting and wild gesticulating. Had his portrayal not been so flamboyant, he probably would have gotten the role. Waving to the giggling crowd, he walked off the stage and waited expectantly as the other participants tried their hand at playing the part. When Sa-li gave her final decision, she announced that the role would go to Anahilli.

"I am honored, Mistress Sa-li, that you have chosen me." Anahilli bowed her head respectfully, the enormous grin upon her face belying her dignified reserve. "I will do my very best to portray the character of the Chief Advisor."

"What a sweet girl to be chosen to portray such a snake as the Grand Vizier," Elfhild thought, trying to imagine the good-natured Anahilli as a treacherous evildoer. "If she can make him a believable character, it will prove only one thing: that most of us are never what we appear to be."

"The next character is a very important one, and one perhaps somewhat difficult to portray," Sa-li announced after recording Anahilli's name in the cast of characters. "I want someone who can make this character come alive!" She raised her hands into the air and spread her arms in a wide arc to either side. "When I wrote this part in the play, I saw Princess Shahúlla as being someone who is saucy and amusing. However, although she is meant to be a humorous character at times, her life has been one touched by misfortune. Kidnapped by a djinn on her wedding night, she came by long and tortuous paths to be a scullery maid."

"I think I can do that," Guli remarked, enthusiastically nodding his head up and down as he walked onto the stage. "I have every confidence that I could portray a very fetching woman." He sashayed around, wiggling his hips and gesturing flirtatiously. "Just try to visualize me with even more kohl around my eyes and rouge upon my lips, a long black wig, jewelry, and an exquisite gown. Now," he took a deep breath, "I will deliver some of the lines from the play."

Guli's incredibly silly caricature of a woman left the students gasping for air because they were laughing so much. Had it been any other teacher in the school, they never would have dared to express themselves so freely, but he was so kindhearted and gentle that they felt comfortable enough to be themselves around him. Besides, it was common knowledge that Guli enjoyed playing the part of the jester from time to time, and his outrageous theatrics were well known throughout the school.

Haya turned to Elfhild, her eyes flashing with mischief. "Hild, you ought to audition for the part of the princess," she giggled.

Elfhild gave her friend a disapproving look. "The princess? No, never!" she remarked, shaking her head. "I was planning to audition for the part of Varda. From what I understand, that is a small role with not many lines to memorize. All I have to do is sit around and look like a goddess."

When Mistress Sa-li had discussed the cast of characters during class, Elfhild had been intrigued by the role of Varda. Unlike the audacious farce that was The Music of the Gods, the portrayal of the Valar in The Tale of the Dissatisfied King was far more neutral. Although Manwë was depicted as being wrathful and headstrong, Varda was wise and compassionate, showing mercy to the main characters when they accidentally sailed to the Blessed Realm. This less blasphemous depiction of the Valar did not chafe against Elfhild's conscience as much; perhaps if she played Varda in a respectful manner, it would be penance for the disparaging portrayal of Tulkas. Besides, as Mirsana had pointed out after the production of The Music of the Gods, the performer who was assigned the role of Varda got to wear beautiful gowns.

Haya made a face. "Sounds like a dull part to me." She fell silent for a moment and then her eyes grew large. "Hild," she gasped excitedly, grasping Elfhild's arm, "I dare you to audition for the part of Princess Shahúlla!"

"No, I simply cannot do it!" Elfhild shook her head vehemently. "That is one of the main roles in the play, and I lack the experience to play such a part!"

"Oh, come on!" Haya waved her hand dismissively. "You are just being a coward!"

"A coward!" Elfhild retorted hotly. "I am no such thing! I would prefer playing Varda, that is all."

Haya rolled her eyes. "Varda is dull, dull, dull. Play the princess instead. Besides, I have dared you to audition, and one does not get out of a dare so easily!"

"Oh, all right," Elfhild grumbled, throwing her hands up in the air. "I will audition for the role of the princess, but I will not like it!"

"I am sure that you will do wonderfully in whatever part you try," Nurma remarked, chuckling at the friendly banter between the two theatre students.

Though Elfhild had participated in many small skits during her month in theatre class, performing for this audition was different. The Tale of the Dissatisfied King would be seen by the entire school, Esarhaddon's household, and various guests of importance. The production would be far more formal than the practice skits, where it was acceptable to be silly and irreverent, and any mistakes would bring shame to both the School of Industry and the House of Huzziya. As Elfhild waited for the next student in line to finish her audition, she felt her body tense up and her stomach start quivering. Though she did not want the role of Princess Shahúlla, she decided to do her best to portray this character. At first she had considered trying to sabotage her chances by purposefully failing the audition, but she knew that Mistress Sa-li would realize what she was doing and would be disappointed in her. Besides, there was very little chance that a mere novice who had only been acting for a month would actually win the audition.

Now how was she supposed to portray Princess Shahúlla? How did a princess act? She had never met one before, but she assumed that they would behave in a regal fashion. But wait – this princess was said to be saucy. Why was she saucy? Perhaps it was her way of dealing with all the sorrows she had known, and she preferred to be brave in the face of adversity instead of knuckling under in despair. As for the amusing part, Elfhild was not sure if she knew how to convey this facet of the character. What might be humorous to one person might leave another unimpressed. Oh, well, it really did not matter; Elfhild did not want this role anyway, and if her performance was lacking, then so much the better.

When it came her turn, Elfhild ascended the stage and looked out over the small audience. The scene chosen for the audition was one in which Princess Shahúlla was trying to convince King Dalhamun that she was really a princess instead of a scullery maid. The scene involved a brief improvisational dialog with Sa-li, who would be portraying the king in the actual play. Trying to act like a saucy princess, Elfhild attempted some witty banter with Sa-li's king as she stubbornly maintained her claim to royalty. When her time on the stage was over, Elfhild felt a sense of relief wash over her as she hastily made her way back to her friends.

A few more girls auditioned for the part of Princess Shahúlla. When no one else ascended the stage, Sa-li browsed through her notes and turned to the assembled students. "You all have done wonderfully," she told the auditionees, smiling. "After much careful deliberation, I have made my choice for Princess Shahúlla. This role shall be assigned to Hild, whose outstanding portrayal most closely matched my concept of the princess."

Elfhild's jaw dropped. No, no, this could not be happening! Nurma and Haya clustered about her, hugging and congratulating her, but she was beset with so much astonishment that she was barely cognizant of their presences. She had won the audition! Yet she felt little joy inside, only a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew she should be happy, but she had her heart set on the role of Varda, a small role which seemed perfect for a new actress. Now she was forced to play one of the major roles – which would not have been such a bad thing if she had more experience. The part of Princess Shahúlla was more suited for one of the apprentices whom Sa-li had been training for several years, and Elfhild felt she did not have the skill or talent to do the role justice. Why had Mistress Sa-li chosen a novice like her to play one of the main characters in such a lengthy play? She would surely ruin the whole production!

Mistress Sa-li called out the next role, and watched as all the aspiring actresses – and Guli – took to the stage. All of the major parts had been assigned, and now came the auditions for minor roles. Sa-li explained that due to the small size of the theatre class, the performers could play multiple roles if there were no conflicts between the stage times of the different characters. "The next audition will be for the role of Varda, the Queen of Heaven and wife of Manwë, King of the Valar." She glanced down at her notes. "Now who would like to go first?"

"I would," Guli told her. "Although I have auditioned for other roles, my heart has really been set on the part of Varda. Though she is the Star Goddess of the Elves, I would like to portray her as a deity who is impressed with the courage of mortals, even to the point of pleading their case before her husband, who would cruelly dash them all to pieces. I would portray her as someone who is not quite so brutal as other playwrights have depicted her."

"Dear Guli, just so you do not portray her as being too compassionate, for everyone knows that the Valar are treacherous," Sa-li explained, a gentle tone of warning in her voice. "I know that a man as kind as you are has a tendency to think of everyone as being compassionate, but that is not the way the world goes."

Guli nodded in understanding. "Indeed, the Powers are fickle and not to be trusted." One had to be careful when portraying the Valar, for if they were depicted too sympathetically, the entire School of Industry could be accused of committing dire heresies. A theatrical production simply was not worth jeopardizing anyone's life.

After several students auditioned for the role of Varda, Sa-li announced that she was assigning the part to Mirsana, who had previously played the character in The Music of the Gods. Guli looked so woebegone that the theatre instructor feared that he might be having a relapse of his recent bladder infection. The next audition was for Manwë, mightiest of the Gods and husband of Varda. Guli gave an impressive portrayal of the Lord of Wind, stomping about the stage in a storm of rage and huffing and puffing like a bellows. When Sa-li awarded him the role, his countenance brightened considerably, and he was close to squealing with joy.

"I will do the best I can to portray the King of the Valar," he assured Sa-li, his voice trembling slightly. "I feel so honored that you chose me for this role."

"You will be perfect for the part, Guli," Sa-li told him. "I had you in mind when I wrote it."

The remaining roles – everything from minor characters to nameless advisors, astrologers, villagers, servants, guards, pirates, and elves – were assigned one by one. Koairy was given the part of the narrator, which surprised no one since she did an admirable job as the school crier. She accepted the role with quiet resignation, for she knew it was useless to protest her fate. Always the narrator of the play, and never one of the actresses in it – when one was skilled in one field, sometimes it was difficult to convince others that one could be equally as good at other things.

With auditions for The Tale of the Dissatisfied King having come to a conclusion, Sa-li dismissed the assembly for the evening meal. The students, enthusiastically chattering about the casting of the play and the performances they had just witnessed, filtered towards the door in a slow-moving stream. As Elfhild trailed along behind her classmates, she reflected upon the role she had been awarded. Although her initial panic had passed, she was still in a state of shock at being awarded one of the main parts in the play. She had considered going to Sa-li and begging her to give someone else the role of the princess, but she was afraid of what the theatre instructor's response might be.

Elfhild sighed. Although she felt uncomfortable being given such an important role, she reasoned that she would have almost six months to practice. Perhaps in that time, she would be able to become proficient in the role of Princess Shahúlla. She wanted her performance to be a good one, bringing laughter and joy to her audience. The thought of their disapproval terrified her, both because of the constant fear that captivity had instilled in her, as well as her own sense of pride in herself. She wanted to make as few mistakes as possible, but she was not certain if such a goal was even achievable, given her lack of experience.

Perhaps Nurma might know a spell or two to help her remember her lines...