Chapter Text
After The Jester approved his proposal to suspend Project Mistilteinn for the time being, granted him leave for several days, and told him to be careful so as not to let the Curse of Death affect the civilians, Mitya has been avoiding the Korolevskiy Theater like the plague, afraid that seeing a play would conjure another idea that would, in turn, trigger the Curse of Death.
Since the project is basically stuck until they can figure out a way to get the Ruler of Death out of the picture, he figured he could use some time to organize his thoughts, perhaps jot down the ones essential for the project and wrap them in metaphors to avoid the scrutiny of the Heavenly Principles, and spend the rest watching a play or two at the theater.
However, he abandoned the idea as soon as he picked up his pen to note things down on the very first day of his leave.
Ideas for the project's breakthrough almost always came to him when he was watching a play at the theater. As he told Vodyanitsa back at the Podvorye Restaurant, the stimulating plays had, more often than not, helped him unravel the jumbled mess that was his thoughts, which then led to breakthroughs.
If he goes to the theater now and another brilliant idea occurs to him and it triggers the Curse of Death, won't he be dragging civilians again in their struggle against the heavens?
Once is already more than enough.
Though the whole thing eventually led him to an important discovery, the experience itself was hardly pleasant.
At least, as the lead researcher for Project Mistilteinn, he managed to squeeze something out of it, but the same couldn't be said for the others.
If anything, the only thing they got was the authentic experience of dying.
It's practically a miracle that not a single one of them was traumatized even after getting out of such torture with memories fully intact.
Still, even though they came out technically unscathed, Mitya doesn't wish to subject some innocent civilians to temporary death a second time.
With that in mind, Mitya concludes that it might be best if he stays away from the theater for the time being.
He has to admit, though, without the usual stimuli that are work and the theater plays, boredom finds him sooner than he had expected.
Thanks to his ability to multitask whenever he was waiting for a play at the theater, there aren't as many thoughts and notes for him to organize as he had initially thought. Everything is pretty much already written down neatly in his notes.
In the end, it only takes him half a day to finish.
And so, with little to do and even less to think about, boredom starts to wrap around him on the afternoon of the very first day of his leave.
And he still has another four to spend.
How lovely.
Just when boredom almost drives him to his wits' end on the morning of the third day of his leave, a knock on his front door saves him.
"A letter?" Mitya asks, to himself rather than to the mailman in front of him.
The Vila mailman only gives him an indifferent look before flying off to deliver other letters.
Completely unbothered by the non-response, Mitya heads back inside. Mind completely preoccupied with the letter in his hand, he doesn't even bother closing the door behind him.
Realizing he doesn't care about the door, his scarf hurriedly closes it and admonishingly points its index finger at him.
"Yeah, sorry. Thank you," Mitya says flatly as he bats away the finger that's starting to poke his cheek.
Must be from Lord Jester, Mitya thinks as he heads to the study for his letter opener. The Tsaritsa must have been informed of the recent happenings at the Korolevskiy Theater and the Armory Palace.
Perhaps she wishes to discuss their next move as soon as possible, hence the letter.
But, considering the suspension of Project Mistilteinn and the increasing support for the Rokot as a sign of the people's wavering trust, she should be aware that the wisest move for them at the moment is to recede and focus more on the people's needs.
There should be nothing urgent enough for The Jester to call him back to work for now unless the Harbingers managed to find a way to bypass Ronova's Curse of Death with the help of the Traveler, and the Tsaritsa can hardly wait to proceed with their initial plan.
But it has only been a week since they made the discovery, and with The Doctor dead, Mitya highly doubts there is a brilliant and bold enough mind in the entire Snezhnaya that can conjure up a feasible plan to resolve their predicament.
So, what could the letter be about, he wonders?
Upon seeing the sender's name on the return address on the envelope, Mitya's brows shoot up.
"Huh."
Vodyanitsa.
Who would have thought?
No, wait.
Maybe it is not that improbable?
After all, one of the reasons the Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe is so popular is that she treats her fans well. It's said that she often personally writes heartfelt letters to her fans and even gives them free tickets to her shows.
And it's no secret that he's a regular at the theater. Many of his coworkers even think that he is a big fan of both the Prima Ballerina and the Prima Soprano due to his frequent visits, and judging from her little invitation to have a private meeting back then, she must have had the same idea as them.
It wouldn't be strange for her now to write to him, would it?
Except, as he indirectly admitted to Vodyanitsa in their private meeting, it's not the art itself that he particularly finds enjoyment in, but the overall stimulating atmosphere of the whole theater.
There is something in seeing the performers on stage playing out their characters, each with their own interpretation, forming one coherent, profound, and substantial story that makes his mind buzz with ideas. There is also the fascination he feels by seeing the audience completely captivated by the performance, and though they each have different interpretations of the story in mind, once it ends, they will erupt into passionate acclamation all the same.
Mitya sighs. Dejected.
It would be so nice if he could go watch a play and bask in that atmosphere at least once before his vacation ends.
Unfortunate that his brain is always awfully active during plays.
Better not risk it.
Mitya looks down at the letter in his hand as his scarf opens the door to his study for him.
A letter from Vodyanitsa…
What could it be about?
He loves her and Odette's performance, true. Their excellent interpretation of the play they star in helps bring the story to life, adding an extra layer of complexity to it. He loves that their performance excites his mind enough that thoughts—about the play, about what could have led the performers to that exact interpretation, even about his own project—start forming as soon as they take to the stage.
However, Vodyanitsa should have realized after their conversation at the restaurant that he hardly qualifies as a theater fan, let alone her fan.
The fae may appear simple-minded, but she is far from naive. Her trying to fish some information out of him is proof of that.
So, why would she bother sending a letter to a non-fan?
Could it be that she's still angry about his admission back then?
Vodyanitsa said she was fine—was she though?— but he has a feeling that what he said actually pierced through and took root in her heart, because why else would she ask him what song she performed when they happened to meet at a random restaurant in Rankova Zorya several days ago?
Mitya grimaces as the memory crosses his mind.
He really wounded her back then, didn't he?
He really should make up for his discourtesy later.
With thoughts about possible ways to make amends with the Prima Soprano and questions regarding her letter occupying his head, Mitya grabs an envelope opener from his desk and opens it.
Greetings, Mr. Mitya.
I hope this letter finds you well.
I'm sending you this letter because it recently came to my attention that one of our regulars has been absent for several days now.
I'm sure that he must be terribly busy after what happened back at the rehearsal of Spirit Seeker. However, he has never missed a play before, even though he had to slip out during work hours and caused trouble for his bodyguard.
Since he is a huge fan of our troupe, I wondered if something was hindering him from coming to our performances.
Surely he isn't deliberately missing them now, is he?
Since you know him very well, Mr. Mitya, I hope that you can ascertain his well-being on my behalf. If he, in fact, is well and nothing is stopping him from coming, then please tell him to come and enjoy Korolevskiy Troupe's latest production: La Bayadère.
It premieres this weekend.
Please find enclosed a ticket to the play.
I'm sure it will completely captivate him to the point he will forget everything else and focus on the play and the play only.
I especially recommend listening to the songs because it's absolutely enchanting! A must-listen!
Also, I hope you can spare some time to give us some feedback after the performances. You know, I would absolutely be delighted to hear one from you.
I hope to see you soon at the Korolevskiy Theater.
Sincerely,
Vodyanitsa
Now, what to do?
It will be unbecoming of a man to refuse an open invitation from a lady. Especially if said lady is the Prima Donna of the famous Korolevskiy Troupe.
Mitya sighs.
Though he is delighted to receive a ticket from the star herself, he doubts he will be able to stop his overactive mind from thinking about the project mid-performance.
Perhaps it is best to stick to his decision to stay away from the theater for the time being, even though it means he will show her another discourtesy by rejecting her kind invitation.
It seems he only ever shows her discourtesies so far. From rejecting her invitations to the meet-up several times, coming late to said meet-up, admitting to her face that he didn't pay a single bit of attention to her performance, to rejecting her invitation to her play…
Now that he lists all of them, he feels like he has only been a jerk to her.
Another dejected sigh leaves Mitya's lips.
When will fate allow him at least one chance to show her that he is actually a decent man?
As if sensing his decision, Mitya's scarf grabs a blank paper and places it in the middle of the desk before motioning to him to sit down.
Mitya quietly does and grabs a pen.
Dear Miss Vodyanitsa,
Thank you very much for the kind letter.
I would like to convey how delighted I am to have the very star of my favorite theater troupe personally send me a letter, but I'm afraid no words will be able to describe the exact feeling of joy I am having at the moment.
Regarding the man you mentioned in your letter, yes, he is well. He is currently away from work and, with too much time to himself, he is becoming unsure as to how he is going to spend it. In fact, he almost succumbed to boredom right before your letter arrived. For that, and for the generous invitation you are extending to him, he conveys his gratitude.
Unfortunately, due to some circumstances he is unable to disclose, he will not be able to go watch his favorite troupe's performance. That is also why, as your astute observation has revealed to you, he had been absent from the theater as of late.
Although he is well aware that he will be showing you yet another discourtesy, he asks for your understanding on the matter because, if not for said circumstances, he would never have missed a single one of your performances.
I hope you could find it in your heart to forgive the pitiful man.
Warm regards,
Mitya
Right after sealing his reply, along with the ticket from Vodyanitsa neatly in an envelope, Mitya rushes to put on his coat and heads out the door.
He should send his reply as soon as possible so she can give the ticket to a more deserving fan of hers before the premiere.
Sending the letter through the mail would take too long, so he opts to personally deliver it to the theater and ask Kulish at the entrance to pass it to her.
Though Mitya still thinks that it's a shame that he won't be able to watch the troupe's newest production, he is relieved that at least her generosity will go to someone more deserving instead of going to waste.
After saying his thanks to Kulish, Mitya turns around and goes home, sure that the matter is settled.
It comes as a complete surprise to him that another letter from the Prima Donna arrives two days later.
He quickly opens it, hoping that he won't find a ticket inside this time.
To his relief, he finds none.
Dear Mr. Mitya,
Thank you so much for the swift reply.
I didn't expect to receive one so soon.
I would also like to thank you for relaying my message to the man, Mr. Mitya. It truly is a shame that he will not be able to make it to the premiere, but I am glad that he is well.
I understand that he is not coming not because he is avoiding the theater out of his own will, so of course, I forgive him.
I sincerely hope that whatever circumstances holding him back from enjoying the shows of his favourite troupe get resolved soon. Hopefully then he will be able to fulfill his promise of giving me some true, honest feedback about our performance.
To be honest with you, I had been looking forward to it.
Truly, it is a shame that he will not be giving me feedback this time as well.
I hope I can see you back soon at the theater.
Patiently waiting,
Vodyanitsa
She really hasn't let go of their conversation that day, it appears.
Well, he did promise her that he would give her true, honest feedback next time, didn't he?
Mitya hums in thought.
Perhaps he can invite her to a nice, simple dinner at Podvorye Restaurant to make up for last time and give her honest feedback on her previous performances?
Surely that will appease her displeasure a little?
Watching a show might be a little too stimulating for his brain when he can't afford to have a brilliant idea in public spaces, but having a little private, kind-of-personal meeting with Vodyanitsa should be harmless.
Conversing with her back at the restaurant—and spotting Alyosha and the Traveler eavesdropping nearby—was fun, even though it was a little too short for his liking.
It led him to discover another side—the sympathetic yet politically aware side—of Vodyanitsa that's rarely shown to the public, and he absolutely loves the feeling of discovering something new.
Perhaps he can also use this opportunity to figure out what the deal was with her, Alyosha, and the Traveler last time?
He has a feeling that they were trying to either extract some information out of him or slip something to him naturally to get him to act. Or maybe both.
Well, considering her background, social standing, and her connections, it wouldn't be a surprise to anyone if it turns out that she is a member of, or at least has some kind of connection with, the Rokot.
Perhaps he can use this opportunity to figure her out to satisfy his own curiosity?
Oh, that would certainly make for a good pastime.
Not only will the dinner restore his image in her mind, it will also provide a nice food for his mind.
And the best part of it is, with this, his brain can have the stimuli it craves without the slightest risk of subjecting civilians to the Curse of Death.
What a brilliant idea!
Two birds with one stone!
Yes, yes, he should invite her.
Brimming with excitement, Mitya is grabbing a blank paper from the pile on top of his desk when his scarf taps his shoulder. He turns to look at it, pausing as it waves its index finger at him and making a number one gesture.
"Of course, of course. The most important thing is appeasing the lady's anger, not satisfying my own curiosity. I know, I know."
He grabs a pen from the pen holder and starts writing his reply.
Dear Miss Vodyanitsa,
Thank you for your understanding. It is very generous of you to not only forgive him, but also wish him well. Allow me to convey gratitude on his behalf.
As for the feedback you mentioned, if it is not too much to ask of you, would you like to have dinner at Podvorye Restaurant with him?
The man said he would like to compensate you for all the discourtesies he had shown you, and though it may be difficult for the man to give you feedback on your next play, he can certainly offer one on your previous performances.
Although the man has nothing but praise, if you wish to hear them still, you can kindly tell me, and I will help the man arrange everything.
As much as I hope you will grace the poor man with another instance of your generosity, I also understand that a star such as yourself must have a very tight schedule with little room for adjustment, so please feel free to turn down the invitation.
Eagerly awaiting your reply,
Mitya
Kulish shows up on his front door after the theater's closing hour with a reply for him in hand the very next day.
That was really quick of her. Is she that eager to give him a reply, he wonders?
Images of her opening his letter as soon as it reaches her, then excitedly writing a reply appear in his mind.
Mitya smiles at the thought.
Dear Mr. Mitya,
It is really kind of you to extend the invitation on his behalf. If it is not too much to ask, could you kindly convey my gratitude to him?
And please also tell him that, of course, I would be delighted to!
My schedule will ease up starting Thursday next week, so how about having the dinner on Saturday?
I am looking forward to hearing your reply.
Sincerely,
Vodyanitsa
Mitya's smile widens.
Saturday it is, then.
It is terrible manners to keep a lady waiting, so he quickly grabs his coat and prepares to head to the restaurant to book a private table, praying all the while that it's not fully booked yet.