In the tavern in the evening at roughly the same time as the previous scene. Rupa is arguing with the bartender. Oberon enters and leans against the bar counter, staring at Rupa. Zelda enters and hides behind a column/pillar to watch how the scene unfolds.

RUPA

What do you mean you don’t sell anything other than marzipan beer? How hard is it to make a cup of tea?

OBERON

You’re a witch. Why don’t you just conjure some up yourself?

RUPA

I’m a divination witch. My magic doesn’t work like that.

OBERON

Oh, right. Divination witches. Those with some of the most useless magic ever.

RUPA

I’ll have you know that it’s not useless. It’s just…complex and requires some getting used to as well as knowledge in astrology and weather patterns.

OBERON

But it’s not all that useful in combat, is it?

RUPA

It can be, but it takes practice and my concentration is in tea leaves.

OBERON

So that’s why you need the tea. And you can’t practice your magic any other way because you aren’t proficient in reading tarot or the weather?

RUPA

What is your problem? You don’t know me, and I don’t know you so where do you get off telling me that I or my magic is useless?

OBERON

I’m not saying that you’re useless. It’s called projection. I’m really saying that I’m useless.

RUPA

Why do you say that? Who are you?

OBERON

Oberon, husband of Titania, queen of the faerie court.

RUPA

Ah, so I’m in the presence of visiting royalty. I’m honoured. So…why should I care about your problems?

OBERON

You don’t have to. I am a stranger after all. I was just hoping for a drink and to get away from my wife. If you’re interested, though, I might be willing to tell you more.

RUPA

Well, since it seems my classmate-slash-partner isn’t coming back any time soon and I don’t really have anything better to do, I suppose we could make small talk.

OBERON

All right. I’ll buy the drinks if you find us a place to sit.

RUPA

Deal.

(Takes a seat at a table in the corner.)

OBERON

(To Bartender.)

Two marzipan beers please.

(Bartender nods, pours the beers, and slides the mugs back across the counter. Oberon turns and takes the mugs to the table, placing one in front of Rupa.)

So…here’s the deal: we can ask one question of each other, and only one question per round, and we must answer that question honestly.

RUPA

That sounds reasonable. I’ll go first, and I’ll start with something simple. Who are you?

OBERON

Straight to the point, huh? I like it, but it’s not exactly within the rules.

RUPA

And why not?

OBERON

Because the point is to learn more about the other person piece-by-piece, brick-by-brick. It adds an element of mystery and makes the game longer.

RUPA

Fine. I guess I’ll play along.

OBERON

Excellent. So, what is your question?

RUPA

I guess I’m wondering why the king of the faerie court is here in town. Shouldn’t you be watching over your domain?

OBERON

We had spent a long time in that castle by ourselves and both of us needed a break, I’ll warrant, for different reasons, so I just gave her a gentle nudge to consider leaving the palace, and well, here we are.

RUPA

I see.

OBERON

My question for you is out of all the choices for witches, what made you choose to specialize in divination?

RUPA

I’m beginning to sense a pattern here and I’m sure that I have another question in mind.

OBERON

Just answer the question please.

RUPA

Fine. I chose to be a divination witch because my mother was a master divination witch and divination magic is in my blood. Part of me wanted to follow in her footsteps, to have a small part of her wherever I went, and the other part wanted to separate myself from my mother’s reputation.

OBERON

It seems to me like we have a lot in common.

RUPA

What are you talking about?

OBERON

We’re both trapped in our own lives. You’re trapped by your mother’s reputation and I’m trapped by my wife’s.

RUPA

Huh. I guess so.

OBERON

Sorry, what’s your next question?

RUPA

Why do you feel trapped by your wife?

OBERON

I thought I mentioned this earlier.

RUPA

Well, maybe you did but if you did, you didn’t give much details so that doesn’t really answer my question.

OBERON

I guess not.

(Sighs.)

All right. After seeing me and learning that I had power and prestige because of my family, making me the best option for king, Titania forced me into marrying her. She holds all the power in our relationship, treating me like little more than a witch’s familiar.

RUPA

I see. So, you’re not only trapped by your marriage, but also by your family’s reputation?

OBERON

Yep. Hey, speaking of witch’s familiars, what’s yours?

RUPA

A snake.

OBERON

Those are rather rare, aren’t they?

RUPA

Yeah. It shows my cunning, and it’s pretty fitting considering my mom’s was a black fox.

OBERON

I can definitely see how that would fit you.

RUPA

My turn again. While we’re on the topic of magic, I noticed that most faeries are nature witches. Can I ask why you didn’t choose to learn nature magic?

OBERON

I didn’t have the time to establish a connection with nature because my responsibilities to Titania and my family kept me busy. But if I had had the choice, I definitely would have chosen nature magic.

RUPA

You haven’t had much choice in your life at all, have you?

OBERON

No. As a noble, one doesn’t get that luxury. This is probably the most freedom I’ve in a long time.

RUPA

That’s…sad…if neither of you are happy, why don’t you just leave?

OBERON

You’re not allowed to ask more than one question.

RUPA

Admit it: you want to tell me.

OBERON

Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.

(Beat.)

All right, all right. Will you stop looking at me like that?

RUPA

And we can consider that to be your question. Answer my question and we’ll be even again.

OBERON

Sure.

(Clears his throat.)

I didn’t leave because Titania would never let me. She’s convinced herself that she’s happy, and even if she’s not, happiness doesn’t matter to a queen who has all the power she could possibly want.

RUPA

I see. So, in her eyes, you’re nothing more than a thing she uses to show off? Like a male version of the trophy wife trope?

OBERON

That’s two questions. You are blatantly disregarding the rules.

RUPA

This is called a conversation. It doesn’t have rules.

OBERON

Well, you’re not telling me anything about you, so I don’t think this is necessarily even.

RUPA

Fine. I have no idea what my role is. My mother’s mysterious death—believed to be the work of the Shady Witch Dude King—when I was a baby would have made me the perfect candidate for Baldr’s Chosen One, but apparently, two Chosen Ones can’t be chosen from the same kingdom because the Sun and Moon Kingdom are ruled by different gods and must always stay at war, so that’s obviously not my role. I could be the sidekick, except that I’ve never really been loyal to Lysander, and he’s never been loyal to me, so that’s probably not it. I’m not the love interest because Lysander’s role is the love interest…or is it Hermes? Either way, it’s not me because I’d have to be in love and right now, I’m not. And I’m not the rival or the antagonist cause there’s no way I’m getting involved in that drama.

OBERON

I understand where you’re coming from. I don’t have much of a role to play in this story either.

RUPA

Perhaps that’s because our roles are to each other.

OBERON

Yeah. Maybe.

(Long pause. They stare at each other. Lysander enters.)

LYSANDER

Rupa, are you ready to go?

RUPA

(Snapping out of it.)

I’m not sure. Perhaps it could be worth it to stay for a little while longer.

LYSANDER

Why?

RUPA

Why not? Besides, you’re getting more time to spend with your boyfriend, so why are you complaining?

LYSANDER

I’m not. I’m just curious as to why you changed your mind.

RUPA

I just want to give you as much time as possible to spend here. Don’t worry about time constraints. I’ll go and sort stuff out with Medusa at the school right now.

(Gets up and exits, fumbling a little as he walks out.)

LYSANDER

Okay…that was unusual.

OBERON

He doesn’t usually act like that?

LYSANDER

No, he’s always the type to try to control everything and have everything together. Seeing him taken aback is new, almost makes him more human.

(Shrugs.)

Oh, well, what do I care? I get to spend more time with Hermes. Have a good one, Stranger.

OBERON

You too.

(Stares at his mug as Lysander exits for a moment. Takes one more long swig from his mug, wipes his mouth, stands, and leaves.)

HELENE

(Zelda comes out from behind the column/pillar as Helene enters.)

Wait, what happened here? Where did Lysander go?

ZELDA

Well, you’ll be happy to know that Lysander and his classmate, Rupa, are staying a few extra days. Also, I may have figured out who we could pair with Oberon for his happy ending.

HELENE

Really?!? And who is that???

ZELDA

Rupa.

HELENE

You’re certain?

ZELDA

I am. The author wouldn’t put a character in this play that she didn’t plan on pairing them up with someone by the end of it. Besides, Oberon had a pretty obsessive relationship with that Indian changeling in the original play so why not change it slightly and use it to her advantage?

HELENE

Yeah, I can see that being a thing.

(Beat.)

So, what’s next on the to do list for this case? Titania?

ZELDA

Yes. If the incompetent faeries can manage watching Joan and Theseus, then I think the best thing for us to do is to go up against Titania the Ice Queen.

HELENE

Is that her official title?

ZELDA

No. It was my pet name for her for when we were kids.

HELENE

Oh. I see. So, where do you suppose we should start looking for her?

ZELDA

I’ve already started looking for her. This is the only inn in town, so we just have to wait for her to come down for a mug of marzipan beer or Sylvan Pale Ale.

HELENE

Cool…so…do you have any idea what we should do to pass the time?

ZELDA

Nope because I prefer to just sit and relish the sound of silence.

HELENE

Of course. All right, we can sit here and do nothing for an hour, but then we get out my deck and play a round or two of Trial by Combat.

ZELDA

Sounds good to me.

(Long pause.)

Are you at least going to order us some beers?

HELENE

Right. Of course.

(Gets up and crosses to the bar. Has a quiet conversation with the bartender as the lights go down and the scene fades out.)