Travelling Entertainers (Part #1)

Author’s Note: This story takes place in a fantasy world with parallels to the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance of our world. As is proper in fantasy, however, some things differ. Some technology is more advanced, as an example, but the general way of life is the same. The characters Matt and Finn are slightly based on two men who exist in real life, in this day and age.

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Mattigan Eyr, troubadour and ladies’ man extraordinaire dismounted his chestnut steed and handed the reins to the page whom had approached him upon their arrival. Behind him rode his friend and partner-in-crime Finn Verron, the famed illusionist. Together they travelled from castle to castle, entertaining and dining with the best of them by day and taking their women by night.

It is a good life, Mattigan mused to himself as he surveyed his surroundings. The two were on a ‘special mission’ of sorts. They had been invited to the royal castle personally by his majesty, King Gus, and not even a pair of free spirits such as themselves could refuse such an offer.

Matt glanced over to his companion who had just left the saddle of his black stallion. Finn was more than a head taller than him and Finn’s muscular body differentiated itself substantially from Mattigan’s wiry physique. It was not only in size they were opposites; Finn’s hair was blonde and hung in a long, shaggy braid as was customary in the country’s neighbours to the north, whereas Matt’s dark hair was neatly combed to the right, leaving but a small lock which hung down across his forehead.

Matt’s face was open and inviting, Finn’s frozen in some kind of a mocking scowl. Matt was shaved clean, Finn always seemed to have some amount of stubble. It wasn’t only their appearances that differed.

Where Finn would use his size to intimidate, Mattigan would use his inherent charm. Mattigan was like a brilliantly cut diamond to Finn’s unrefined piece of coal, which fit them perfectly.

It made their shows all that more interesting: Beautiful tales and ballads accompanied by lute interspersed with illusions and mental tricks that turned one’s reality upside-down. It was a successful combination, one which hadn’t failed them as of yet.

“Ah, Finn.