Accidental Activist
an excerpt

Accidental Activist
By: Nicholas McRae

** an Excerpt from Chapter 23: All Hells **

Byron could not stand to watch Syrce as he turned and curtsied to a rotation of partners. Wives, sisters and mistresses giggled and blushed as the men in their lives took the graceful sow's hand and turned with her on the floor. After an hour of music and singing, Corbin invited Byron to take a break. Byron was eager to comply.

He left the stage and closed himself in the dressing room. She was killing him- that sow. He couldn't bear to see the envious and calous eyes that other females had for her. He could not stomach the curiosity that danced behind the eyes of the males in the room. He should be in her arms, and she in his.

There came a gentle scratch at the door.

“Sir,” came a timid voice from without, “are you decent?”

“Aye, come in,” Byron said.

A boy with hair like chocolate and caramel entered carrying a flute of sparkling wine, and a single rose. One of the would be butlers. He panted a bit. “The lady, Sir,” he said between breaths, “she requests a dance.”

“Oh, she is somethin' isn't she?” the boar groaned, downing the wine in one gulp. “Where's the flower from?”

“The garden, Sir,” said the boy with a hint of subdued pride, “as a favor.”

“You did this?” Byron asked, accepting the rose.

The child nodded.

Byron grinned and patted the human kid's head. “You'll do very very well, boy,” he said. Byron crossed to his own mirror and opened his belt pouch to withdraw two silver coins. He handed these to the boy.

“Two, sir?” the kid asked.

Byron grinned and winked. “It's against Guild regulations that you keep gratuity for yourself. So there's one for you to turn in to your masters, and one to turn in to your sock, savy?”

The boy beamed.

“Now scurry,” Byron said. “I have a lady waitin' for me.”

Byron straightened his wig and resecured it to his head. He examined his suit and brushed off any lint and fluff, touched up his own powder, rouge and lipstick, gave himself a squirt of perfume, and set out to meet Syrce.