Haunted by childhood abuse and a dying father, Adrian drifts through corporate jobs and broken relationships, always running when life demands vulnerability.  Diane, an intelligent and independent café worker finishing an advanced degree, has grown disillusioned with relationships that prioritize appearance over genuine affection.  When they meet by chance at the cafe, they connect through witty discussion about Shakespeare and a view on romance, through different lenses.  When the topic of a Renaissance Faire comes up, Adrian explains he is going, while Diane shares a desire she’s always had to go.  Their promising encounter ends when Adrian, frightened by authenticity and intimacy, does what he has been conditioned to do – he runs.

 

Seeking escape at the Renaissance Faire, in place of merriment, Adrian encounters the domineering Sheriff of Nottingham, who mirrors the abusive father Adrian has never fully confronted.  Supported by a fallen champion equally broken, and a compassionate Friar who feels like the father he never had, Adrian journeys through a series of trials, losses, and revelations.  He comes to realize that his greatest fear is not his father, but his own fear of moving forward.

 

Diane receives a desirable job offer out west, excited by the prospect of beginning a new life.  She clears out possessions, discards keepsakes, and chooses a new path on her own terms.  Even as she packs, her thoughts return to Adrian, someone who piqued her intelligent interest.  Whatever spark they had is snuffed, Adrian scared off, as she prepares a departure for good.

 

Set against the colorful backdrop of the Renaissance Faire, this story explores themes of self-forgiveness, courage, and emotional growth.  As Adrian’s journey unfolds, he must decide whether he will continue running from his past or finally embrace the possibility of a different future.  Diane must decide whether her buffer against intimacy will propel her into a cycle of disillusionment, or whether taking chances is worth the risk.

As fantasy and reality collide, and time running out, futures pulling them apart – can they confront the fears that have defined them before the chance to rewrite their stories disappears forever.