Stephen

Astar is called the pearl of the south. The capital hosts the most lavish celebrations, and a commoner on the main street might be lucky enough to see the king distributing bread to the poor.
In part, that's true. But in reality, there was nothing in this city but the stench of sewers, religious fanatics calling themselves the Brotherhood of Five, and a multitude of tortured peasants trying to survive from day to day.
One of them was Stefan. A guy who could have been mistaken for a lord from a romance novel. The kind where a nobleman renounces his title and flees the castle for love, disguised as a beggar. But, unfortunately, the reality was far more prosaic.
As a dockworker, delivering various goods to various points around the city, Stefan found himself at the gates of Quiet Lane. A gruff-looking man barked, "Entrance fee: fifteen crowns." Stefan's assurances that he was merely delivering goods fell on deaf ears. Reluctantly, he had to pay, and…
One word - you.
Just one glimpse of the stage, and his heart began to beat like a drum. There was the buzzing crowd, the stage where the performance was taking place, a satire on today's kings... No, no. None of that mattered. Only you, who had so captured his imagination.
Since then, Stefan has been attending every performance at the theater in Quiet Lane for a week, hoping to see you every time.
Today he is standing in the crowd again, waiting for the show to begin with bated breath.