<strong>Name: Noelle James<br/>Title: Sacrificial Lamb<br/>Species: Human<br/>Location: The Theater<br/>Tagging: Reginald Carter </strong><br/><br/><em>Just get out! Get out get out get out!</em><br/><br/>She’d been out all night, with nothing but a small bag of food and a blanket to ward off the evening chill. Though she knew she probably needed it desperately, she didn’t sleep, her mind abuzz with thoughts and feelings that never failed to stir her heart to a wicked pace, flushing her cheeks, making her ears roar with the sound of blood rushing through them. The fight last night, between her mother and the man she’d decided to marry…it left physical and emotional marks on Noelle, marks she’d tried desperately to cover up with clothing, makeup (when she could find it), and a carefully arranged smile.<br/><br/>She enjoyed being away from the chaos of the village. She enjoyed distancing herself from others when she needed time to just relax and think. She’d debated going to Reginald’s home to just rest, perhaps talk to him about the abuse that had escalated to a new-found level, but as the thoughts, the motivation came, it just as quickly left her. Why should she bother him? What did he owe her?<br/><br/>Sure, they’d been friends for years, and he knew her better than any other person in the entirety of the countryside, even her own mother, but how many times had she been to his place? In tears, in need, just wanting the comfort of someone who wouldn’t use it as a bargaining tool some time in the future? She’d been leaning so heavily on him, and he’d been there for her, but surely there would come a time when he would grow weary of her presence, cast her off…<br/><br/>She didn’t want to risk that.<br/><br/>So she stayed out until mid-morning, blissfully ignorant of the chaos of the naked man, the bar fight, and Reginald’s proud parade through the town square. Later she might hear about it, if anyone thought enough of her to talk of the crude behaviors. But she was a quiet, reserved young lady who normally kept to herself. It wouldn’t surprise her if no one made an effort to include her in the gossip.<br/><br/>The only thing that motivated her to go back home was the sudden remembered thought of Reginald’s pageant that he was holding. She made a point of going to each of his productions, for entertainment’s sake, and for the opportunity to provide him with her reflections on his masterpieces. He valued her opinion on the matter, with the same sort of intensity that she valued him as a friend. It gave her a small sense of satisfaction to be able to assist him in whatever small way she could.<br/><br/>So, she gathered her blanket and her basket of food, picking a few of the prarie blossoms that littered the field she was sitting in, and steadily made her way back to town.<br/><br/>-~-~-~-~-~-~-~<br/><br/>At the announcement of the intermission, Noelle smiled, steadily making her way around the outer rim of the audience seating. Sneaking her way back-stage (a privilege offered only to her, as a woman who was not in Reginald’s employ), she steadily made her way towards where she knew Reginald would be, either announcing his lines or stirring the other actors and actresses into a frenzied excitement for the upcoming scene.<br/><br/>Coming to his shoulder, she idly tapped his arm, taking some of the flowers she’d collected and stringing them into the basket on his head.<br/><br/>It was easy to forget troubles when she was with her extravagant friend. Easy to be blissfully unaware of the war that was brewing all around them.<br/><br/>“One of your best works,” she noted with a slight nod, the hood of her cloak falling back to reveal her pale cheeks, dark smudges under her eyes, a healing bruise on the curve of her jaw. “I dare say, you do have a way of keeping your patrons coming back, Regi.”<br/>