The massive grass field was buzzing with upbeat music and the sounds, shouts and cheers of hundreds of people. Tents and rings occupied the land as far as the eye could see, varying in shapes and sizes. None of them was unattended, aside from the performers and entertainers there was a notable audience at each, sometimes watching in silent awe, sometimes bursting out in loud applause. Whoever wandered this way on this glorious midsummer day could see and know immediately: this was a place of extraordinary joy and wonder. This was the circus.

Not just any circus, either. One of England's biggest and greatest travelling shows, known from Newcastle to Portsmouth. It was a prominent topic of gossip in many a pub and beerhouse when the illustrious Baronet Sir Frederick Wellington hired the circus to give an astounding performance on his newest acquired lands of Staunton Country Park. The man already had fame and influence reaching through the south coast and even beyond, everyone knew this move was yet another attempt to further it. No one minded though—the circus was everyone's.

Truly everyone's, for anyone from the poorest factory worker to the richest lord could find something pleasing on the field. Those seeking a nice atmosphere could visit one of the bandstands to listen to the fine music of the brass bands there. Those looking for unadulterated fun instead could watch as Dropsy the Clown tricked and pranked the oblivious volunteers in dozens of hilarious ways.
Another very popular section was that of the artists, with acrobats, tightrope walkers and trapeze acts enrapturing the audience with seemingly impossible and death-defying stunts. Rowdy spectators made bets on when an artist would fail or fall, but they seldom won anything—this circus only housed talented performers.

If one was still not satisfied with the action, they needed to look no further: scattered around were those who dealt with only the most stunning displays. Jugglers challenged passer-bys to keep five or six balls in motion for a reward or amazed them by juggling things like lit torches. Others spun numerous plates atop tall poles, keeping them from falling with what seemed like sorcery.
One more different spectacle were the knife throwers who once again relied on bold volunteers to display their skill and accuracy with the deadly tools. Some were crazy enough to go much further and swallow the knives before following up with eating and then breathing out fire.

A break from the intensity was much needed for many after all these, and they quickly found their way to the tents of the mediums, mesmerists and fortune tellers. The Gypsy community was most prevalent in this section, many venerable women had practice in such arts.
For just a small fee, curious watchers were shown a variety of mystical and occult acts, ranging from crowd pleasers to those very personal in nature. Many asked for various spells and blessings to be applied to them, each wishing for what they lacked the most: health, wealth or even love. Some ached to hear about their lost loved ones once more through a medium who claimed to be able to summon the spirit of the dead.

However, many would argue that these numerous aforementioned acts all pale in comparison to the one that could be seen—and was being seen by a huge crowd—in the middle of the field at the largest ring: the performance of famous animal tamer Tobias Hicks.
The young man arrived to the scene an hour ago, standing atop not one, but two large horses prancing in complete sync. He presented himself to the growing audience and began his show, which has been going on without a break ever since. First were a number of tricks with the two horses which demonstrated complete trust in both each other and their trainer. Many gentlemen noted that if their own stallions were this calm and well-groomed, they would have been just as successful in the military as the organiser Sir Wellington.

The equestrian show was just the beginning however, as soon there were new animals led into the ring by Tobias' assistants. A collective gasp escaped the audience when the majestic lion let out a mighty roar or when the fierce tiger pounced to the edge of the ring as if it wanted to feast on the onlookers today. Though this of course did not happen, Tobias made sure to keep up the excitement as he laid his head into the lion's mouth for several seconds and rode the tiger as if it was a mere horse. When the excessive noise of the people started bothering the animals, he calmed them down and continued.

Suddenly, he stepped out of the ring and took the hand of one lucky lady from the front rows. He brought her inside and guided her to do a few simple stunts with the two animals who seemingly accepted her just as they did Tobias. The trainer took a bow together with his ‘accomplice’ after the successful performance and led her out of the ring.
Nothing else was needed for the rest. The front rows filled with girls screaming and reaching over into the ring, dying for a chance for a couple minutes spent together with the exotic animals...and their even more exotic tamer.

The extensive grounds of their new home still confused her, despite the time already spent in residence the young socialite could easily find herself lost. Still not quite accustomed to the more luscious surroundings and with a daily pang of longing for London, Catherine could not have been more delighted with the news her father broke one morning. Having felt the withdrawals of events and spectaculars by their relocation down south, she could barely contain the excitement that came with the arrival of a travelling circus. Unlike before where she would have to venture to Hyde Park or further, now the vast grounds owned by her dad would play host. It served to steer her mind away from her recent engagement.

A lover of anything that connected her to her youth, she’d always been fascinated by the magic of the circus. From the aerobatic dancers, to the exotic animals and the breath-taking stunts and displays, all of it caused such wonder to the young blonde.

On the day of the opener, and under almost constant rain, Rose and her older cousin Angela were all a giggle as they readied themselves. The older of the girls had the Wellington’s dark hair and handsome features, taller of structure with a fuller figure. Her wedding was little more than a few weeks away, and there was a noticeable change in the brunettes personality and demeanour as she prepared herself for married life. Catherine, though a woman by society was still in possession of softness to her. Her blue eye, though of shape were wide and always so full of life. But surrounded by a mass of lengthy, curled lashes gave them quite the alluring capabilities over those she held in company. A smile that could charm and an infectious tinker of a laugh, Catherine was often described as the walking copy of her mother.

Taming her long golden hair into position and securing with grips and ribbons, Angela whittled on about her new life down in Plymouth, and all Catherine could think of was what was going to happen to her once she had left. Her mother had passed two years after arriving to their new home, and as a way to cope her father put all his efforts into expanding and maintaining the Leigh Park estate, building vast walls around Staunton to secure the lands. It had been his late wife’s dream and he was sure to see it done in her memory. Though he kept a hand in society and his politics, kept in public life and was even Inspector-General of Aldershot, within the privacy of his home he was a deeply depressed and saddened man. Was Catherine to be left alone with only the company of such a melancholy man? Was it selfish for her to think in such a way? Her face fell a little as she looked back into the mirror and to her reflection, feeling guilty for thinking of her own plight and not that of her father.

But distraction quickly came as a knock at the door sounded, and the news of arriving company was told. Rose and Angela quickly dressed, knowing her brothers had come. A boned bodice pulled in her frame; flattening the front of her body, save for her breasts that curved up, pressed uncomfortably tight against her. Fashion had changed so much since she had arrived, though she was ever thankful that the uncomfortable bustle was now completely out of style. Though dresses remained gathered and accentuated at the back. It left the front of her attire looking narrow and smooth, but from behind multiple layers and ruffles fell. By the time she was announced ready, Catherine looked to the light blue gown with such delight she couldn’t help but squeal as she was aided downstairs and where she saw Frederick waiting.

Reunions were made and pleasantries exchanged, with her brother helping her into her coat as she asked all about his officer training and what life was like now in the army. His wife stood to the side, a little sour of expression and nursing a noticeable swell in her belly, she had declined to attend the circus, fearing the excitement may compromise her unborn child. No one really persuaded her or made the effort for the woman to join them; Catherine hadn’t seen her beloved brother since the burial of their mother. With her gloved hand tucked into the crook of his elbow as he told her about his meeting with her betrothed, and how the man was to make it down in a few days. Rose was still a little uncertain on the matter, having heard nothing but unpleasant things about the serving man. Apparently he was of a cruel and impatient disposition, and had little time for frivolities such as a circus.

Once again conversation served as a perfect time killer, and before they knew it they were grouped amongst the benches all smiles and excited whispers and lights dimmed down and the show began. Along with Frederick, Catherine cheered loud and applauded with enthusiasm. Gasping at the test of strength by the ‘Strong man’ and gasping in awe at the displays by the dancers and performers, any trouble of her future and nuptials were quickly forced from her mind. Even the comic tramps had tears rolling down her side from laughing so much. And then they moved to the last show, what she so looked forward to, leaning forwards a little as she clutched her gloves in her lap, watching as the animals were shown. But unlike the others around her, her interest was not just of amusement, but wonder. Catherine had always loved animals, though her own interactions were limited to horses and dogs. But the majestic natures of these creatures had her in awe, caused her heart to skip and face to crease in genuine contentment.

Catherine watched as another was plucked from the crowd, a mild pout creasing her painted lips as the girl was made part of the routine. A little flash of envy was felt, wishing she could be so fortunate as to get so close to the beautiful animals. But it was when the fearless and graceful animal trainer leaned in, and her attention moved over the dark haired man that she felt a flicker of something else, something almost as compelling as the show itself. It caused Catherine to falter and her eyes to stare, jostled only by her cheering brother and with it knocked back into sense.

And then far too quickly it was over, the performance was called an end and the noise from the audience rose quickly, talks and laughter bouncing off of the tent as her own party made their way to the exit. But as she walked, Catherine looked to the side as someone bumped into her, and caught sight of some others looking at the animal stars of the show. “Oh Frederick, we have to go over” Catherine said, pointing over to where she intended. However her brother was momentarily distracted by her father’s introduction of someone, and Catherine decided to use their temporary lapse in concentration to her advantage. Nibbling down on her bottom lip in a mischievous way, Catherine tucked her gloves into her pocket before weaving her way through the crowd and heading round to where the animals were. But she didn’t stop to just watch as they were walked back to stable or cage, instead slipping to the side to look to the horses.

Her father was an expert on horses, and through him she’d established a love for the equine. These, though perhaps not the perfect breeds her father handled, were beautiful in their own right. And it was one of the whitest coat she’d ever seen that caught her attention. Almost bright enough to blind, this had been the very horse that had caused her breath to hitch when she had been in the audience. Slowly she extended a hand, stopping only when the horse lowered its head to her open fingers and she smiled, her delicate fingers stroking gently through the creatures mane, a smile as wide as ever illuminating the young girls face.

The show was an unanimous success. After the finale, all of the animals were brought into the ring and took a ‘bow’ together—the horses raised a front leg and lowered their heads, the tiger crouched down, while the lion kept its head high and roared, signing everyone that this magnificent beast would not bow to any being. Except for Tobias, that is, who did manage to get a short crouch out of the king of animals, a feat regarded with a healthy share of laughs from the audience. Only at the very end did the tamer himself take a long, well-deserved bow to show his love for the people. And they indeed made sure to reciprocate the love—the standing ovation did not stop until Tobias showed one last little trick by jumping on the back of one of the horses and made it do a tall prance for several seconds. The stallion's almost victorious neigh was the true sign of the end of the performance.

In the next second, the big top tent became more cacophonous than ever as the hundreds sprung to their feet and started heading for the exits. Several assistants hurried into the ring, some tasked with keeping each of the animals calm and still while the rest leashed them and prepared to take them back into their enclosures. Tobias stuck with his seal brown coat, almost pitch black stallion, caressing its head and mane. Sullivan was his name, and he was the tamer's favourite horse. On some days, Tobias thought of riding out with him into the endless rural England and never returning. Not to say he was not happy with the circus—it provided him a livelihood and the priceless chance to cause people joy—, he simply wished for excitement. For adventure.

Although the show was over, some people remained in the tent and near the ring, seeking a chance to take one last look at the beautiful creatures before they were taken back to their places. Tobias encouraged them to come closer and interact with the animals, trusting in his own training abilities that they would not harm anyone.
The lion, Charles, garnered the most attention and it was where Tobias went to as well, making sure no one did something that could have angered the beast and having a few kind and even informative words to everyone. For the vast majority of people—himself included—, such circuses and carnivals were the only chances to see exotic animals from up close, it was no wonder they did not want to let the opportunity go to waste.

However, it did not mean the rest did not receive any recognition and Tobias made sure to see to the people at the others as well. This was how he eventually arrived to a young woman in an exquisite, faintly blue gown. She stood at the other notable horse in his performance, a mare who was almost a perfect opposite to Sullivan with her shining whiteness. The way the girl held herself even in the grass and mud gave away her noble parentage immediately.
“She's beautiful, isn't she?” Tobias spoke, stepping up next to the girl and stroking through the horse's pure white mane himself. “She's an English thoroughbred. Her name is Stargazer. She likes to stay awake at nights when we keep her outside.” He laughed. “But I'm sure you know plenty about her kind already.”

Unaware of the display happening not far from the horses, Catherine was completely enamoured by the creature. Her lithe fingers traced patterns down the side of the horse, the course hair folding beneath her touch. She smiled as she looked to the horse, which seemed to hold herself without the haughtiness of her father’s stock. Quite often the horses were so heavily regimented that their spirits were broken, and Catherine would feel deep pity at the broken look in their eyes. Animals weren’t held in affectionate thoughts to the people of her class; they were merely there to serve. Catherine often believed herself so out of place quite often, from her love of literature to her dislike for dinner parties, she was most different to others of her standing. She was expected to be a fine young lady in society, but her mind was filled with thoughts of adventure and more, a mind that would be heavily disciplined if any were to discover.

Catherine smiled still as she reached for the little bag beside the stable door, pulling out a sugar cube. “I am sure we would both be in trouble for this” Catherine mused as she extended her flattened hand, and just as the horses lips snatched up the treat, a voice sounded from the side which startled her a little.

“Oh” Catherine said somewhat dumbfounded as she tried to gather herself, smoothing out the rustle in her skirt. “Yes…” she quickly added, looking from the man back to the horse. “Yes she is lovely”. Catherine turned back to the man and once her eyes were steady she quickly learned was the animal tamer. Whilst she’d found him majestic before there was something extraordinary about him up close. Almost like one of the characters from one of the many books she had read, there was almost a magical element to him. Perhaps it was the fearless way he had interacted with the animals, the way he had danced with beasts so fierce. But standing this close to him now, she was almost overpowered by a mystical power that he carried, one that made no sense to the blonde.

“She is most different to the horses I know” Catherine confessed, returning her attention to the mare. Catherine had expected a swift escort back to the crowds, a colourful insult of some kind. She had heard nothing but unpleasant things about the Gypsy fold and those who worked at the circus. But the man spoke with an unexpected kindness, and even if she was somewhat knocked off balance by the exoticness of his looks, she did not miss the fondness in his eyes when he looked to the horse. At least this horse would never know the burden or agony of bearing reigns and forced into prancing at the lead of fancy carriage.

Returning her hand to the horse once she was nuzzled by her, she once again took the man into sight. “Your show was incredible… but do they not scare you?” Catherine asked, unable to hold back the excitement of talking about such a subject.

It took some time for the young woman to shift her attention away from Stargazer. Tobias was not surprised as many considered the mare's graceful charm to be of another kind. And indeed, as the tamer thought back, she was always unique, starting from her origins. Most of his animals were either purchases as in the case of Charles, or bred and raised by the circus itself like Sullivan. Stargazer however, was a gift.
The elderly owner of the circus was a well-travelled and well-connected man. One of his many friends from the northern parts of England one day gifted him and his establishment with a little foal only a couple months old. The filly garnered great attention and curiosity from the start thanks to her bright white coat, which has not been often observed in the Thoroughbred kind.
Though the sender assured the circus that Stargazer was already in human care and no longer relied on her mother when she was sent away, she still required extensive care and would sometimes exhibit loneliness even in the circus' small herd and stray away farther from them when out grazing. One of such occasions in the late evening ended up getting her the name Stargazer.

When Tobias joined the circus, she was already through that period and was growing into a strong and healthy horse. The tamer made sure this continued and also spent a lot of time with the Thoroughbred, establishing a very close connection. He knew how much she loved getting attention and care and had no objections to the lady staying with her as long as she wished.
“Believe me. Many say that and they are all correct,” he said with a smile. “She truly is special and I'm very glad I get to work with her so often.”

There was someone else who also seemed quite special to Tobias: the woman herself. A fine young lady she was, no doubt from the highest circles. Her fine features struck the tamer as vaguely familiar, she was most probably alike to someone he had seen before, though he could not recall who.
Her position, though elevated and dignified, was not what made her different as the circus was a favoured show for all circles of people and gladly provided entertainment for any who sought it. However, the fact that she was here all by herself without neither the company of fellow nobles—perhaps even a spouse—, nor the entourage of servants did stand out somewhat. She surely did not come alone—at least it was very unlikely for someone like her to do so. But if so, surely the others would have been on the lookout for her by now...

“Ah, thank you very much. I live to amaze and make people happy, and it fills me with joy as well to hear I've succeeded,” Tobias acknowledged the praise. “The animals feel it too. They...they understand more than we think they do. Once you figure that out and treat them not like subjects, but partners...they'll make sure to play along and give back the appreciation. In a much greater degree, too.”
He tried to explain to his best ability. He had received several curious questions about his performance before, even though most of it came all but naturally to him. Some went as far as to claim he had some sort of secret ability, something magical—like all other Gypsies, they said.

Suddenly, a shout from behind interrupted the discussion.
“Tobias! The lion doesn't want to go back to the cage. Can you come and handle it?” It was one of the circus staff.
“Of course, I'll be there soon!” The tamer turned back to the woman. The tent was almost empty by now, he was needed at other places and he was sure she was, too. “You know... If you're interested, you can come back later today. In the evening, maybe. I should be able to show you around then. Perhaps even more!” It was a sudden offer, one that just sprung into his mind. It felt like a good idea. “If you can, of course.” he quickly added, remembering that not everyone had as much freedom to do as they pleased.