Geralt chuckled quietly, toying with the ridge of one of his cards as he looked over at Akane. She was relentless...but he could tell she was not asking for any ulterior motives and was simply curious. Despite this, he found himself slightly annoyed by her continuous questioning. Still, he smiled through this, keeping up appearances. "Fun?" he asked, at first pretending to consider the question. He had practiced these answers, given variations of them a hundred times.

But, during the pause, he actually began to think about whether or not he found his performances 'fun' any longer. Of course, being a Magician had been his dream as a child and young man, and his abilities had given him the chance to realize this dream in full. He supposed it was fun when he first began, he had elated in seeing the wonder flash in people's eyes. A part of him was still driven by this, he knew. Deep inside there was still that young man who yearned to watch his audience smile and cover their mouths in amazement...but now...did he still find it 'fun' to perform?

He forced himself to break from these thoughts as he realized his face had gone slightly slack for a moment, void of its usual controlled expression. In a moment, he regained it, and shrugged in response. "My father always said that idle hands were the devil's playthings," he said, his wicked smile returning, "I said 'so be it'." He paused for a moment as this sunk in, then added, "I'm good at it, so yes, I find it...'fun' to do what I'm good at."

Illyana had been watching Geralt's face as he considered Akane's question, and noticed a slight shift in his expression as he mulled her question over. It was short, and subtle, but to her he had suddenly looked years younger. This was the least concerning thing she had seen about Geralt so far...it was strange, but for some reason it had comforted her.

She turned to Aurel as he spoke and smiled, "Ah, I see. A worthwhile pursuit." she answered. As it came around to her turn, she pondered on who she should take from. Noting that Geralt had few cards left in his hand, she decided to take one from Cora. "Second from the right," she said, instead of forcing the mermaid to struggle to hand it over, she allowed Akane to pass it to her without looking. No pair.

As Cora handed her card to Akane to pass to Illyana, she looked over at Geralt, "You are very good with your hands," she said, thinking back to all of the tricks he had done with his cards. Although she had always been reliant on her hands, as her lack of proper working legs and feet had forced her to be even before she had come abovewater, she was never that dexterous with her fingers.

Geralt raised an eyebrow at the 'mermaid' suggestively, "Oh, dear, you haven't seen anything yet..."

Hearing this, and seeing the glint in Geralt's eye, Illy had to intervene. She coughed and said, "Akane, it's your turn." in a loud and bright voice. Her interjection had been obvious, but she didn't care if it got the job done.

It had taken a little while for Geralt to answer Akane's question, but she didn't pressure it, and gave him the time he needed, though it did make her curious as to why this might have seemed like such a hard question to answer. She had thought it was simple enough, but upon receiving it, she smiled widely at him, glad to hear it was the case.

"I'm glad." She said, before turning her attention to Illy as she said what card she wanted from Cora. She was quick to hand it over to her without looking at it, but was mostly paying attention to Geralt and Cora's exchange. It made her curious of what other cool tricks he could do with his hands.

"Hmm? Oh, right!" She said, before reaching over and taking a card from Aurel, excited to have found a pair to drop.

"You and Aurel have that in common, he's pretty quick too! Have you ever been interested in card tricks, Aurel?" She asked the other man, who hadn't been expecting to be dragged into the conversation.

"I mean.. they're cool looking. I've seen Lucien do a couple before.. I just didn't think to try it." He muttered. Aurel had never been a fast runner, and his physique had never been particularly strong, but he had always had very fast reflexes and reaction times.. maybe it was from learning to hunt for food as a kid, but that much had always seemed natural to him. It was typical of a snake so.. perhaps that was why.

-

Ivory made her way across the grounds again toward the mess area, despite the sun making it harder for her to see, she could vaguely tell that Illy actually did join the card game. That was good, though it didn't seem like they had quite finished.

"Lucien's asking for you." She told the magician blatantly before she took a seat next to the fortune teller.

Geralt let the other's converse, glad that his past was no longer the topic of conversation. The thoughts Akane's line of inquiry had produced had soured his mood. He did not like thinking about the past.

However, upon hearing the comment about Aurel's reflexes and Lucien's card tricks, Geralt was pulled reluctantly back into the fold. He raised his eyebrows as he contemplated who's hand to draw from, "Oh, is that right?" he said, settling on Akane and leaning across the table to take from her, watching her face all the while. He strategy of turning her eyes away form the cards was a good one, but also could be detrimental if she accidentally snuck a peek. He let his fingers hover over the cards for a moment, noting Ivory approaching, and added: "Ringleader, violinist, card trick enthusiast, talent groomer...I'm excited to see what else dear Lucien has up his sleeve." He paused as he chose the card he would take, and his fingers nearly touched it when Ivory returned and interjected.

He paused, looking to Akane's face to see a slight twitch of disappointment. It seemed that Ivory had appeared at exactly the right moment to release him.

He turned his attention to the white-haired maiden, and withdrew his hand from across the table. "Ah," he said as he set his hand face down on the table and stood, "Divide and conquer, I suppose. Mind taking over for me Ivory? Feel free to choose a card on my behalf." he placed a hand on his chest in mock humility as he walked around the table and toward Lucien's trailer. Before he was out of earshot, he raised a hand and called, "Try not to lose while I'm away!"

Illyana watched in silence as Geralt attempted to take a card from Akane and then departed without doing so. She knew from the way Akane was avoiding eye contact that she had the old maid, and guessed that Geralt had nearly taken it. Though the game meant nothing at all in the grand scheme of things, she was disappointed that he hadn't gotten it. It would have been...satisfying.

Aurel glanced at Geralt as he commented about Lucien's set of skills. Perhaps that was a slip up on his part, he hadn't meant to make Lucien sound more interesting, but he couldn't really deny those facts. "I wouldn't really call him an enthusiast he just likes to pick up random skills." He said simply. All the years he had known the Ringleader showed him just how many different sets of skills the Frenchman had. It had been really impressive for him as a child, but knowing how his upbringing had been, it wasn't surprising. One had to fill up all that free time somehow, but that was something Aurel and Illy had both learned to do growing up.

Akane had been doing a decent job of keeping her gaze anywhere but on the cards in front of her. She did notice however, when Geralt had grabbed hold of the Joker from her. It was very hard to hide her disappointment when he had stopped himself from taking it when Ivory arrived. Had her fox ears been exposed, they would have immediately flattened.

Ivory glanced down at Geralt, but decided not to answer his question, simply making her way around the table and taking his place. She glanced down at the cards to see which he had left. It seemed he at least did not have the joker.

"Makes me want to lose." She muttered under her breath once the man had gone, before reaching out and taking a card from Cora. No pair.

"Do you know what Lucien wants to talk to him about..?" Aurel asked curiously, watching Geralt head off to the Ringleader's trailer.

"Just show stuff. He'll be performing last on our final show day, after me." She said with a sigh.

"How exciting. I can't wait to be able to see what his show is actually like." Akane commented. "You don't seem very happy about it though."

At this Ivory glanced at Akane. "I'll have to practice with him and I'm not a huge fan of him, so yeah." She grumbled. "You and Cora don't seem to have that problem though." She said, deciding to use this chance to maybe talk to the two women about Geralt. It seemed like the man may have already won Cora over, but she wasn't sure about Akane yet, she was just usually friendly with everyone.

Illyana's shoulders visibly seemed to lower as Geralt walked away from the mess area. Now that the Magician had left them, she was finally able to relax. It was clear in her expression as she looked around the table that she was more comfortable, albeit less alert as well. She would have been worried about Lucien being alone with him, if it were anyone else but their Ringleader.

Cora watched Geralt go with a neutral expression and smiled at Ivory as she sat and took a card from her. At the mention of the show, her expression brightened as she nodded in agreement with Akane's statement, "Oh yes, it will be wonderful to see him perform! I can't wait to see what else his hands can do." She added enthusiastically. At Ivory's comment, however, her smiled drooped a little and she tilted her head inquisitively as Ivory continued to speak. It was clear that the dhampir did not appreciate the Magician's company, at least to Cora. She had noticed the way her eyes narrowed and her tone lowered when she spoke with him, as she did very little. Ivory had been nothing but kind to her and the others. Perhaps she wasn't as bright as Akane or as compassionate as Illyana, but she was always kind, though stern. Although her smiles were few, she shared them with the troupe before, but now that Geralt had joined they seemed to have left her completely. It had only been a day though...maybe she was in a bad mood?

There was no way to know for sure except to ask, so she did. "I'm sorry that you're not happy about him, Ivory. But...can I ask why? He seems so...charming to me. Not like any of the other men around here..." she paused and looked apologetically to Aurel, "Except for you and Lucien, of course." She paused a moment, contemplating her statement, then added, "He reminds me of Lucien a little, actually." And this was true, although he had none of the feminine qualities that shined through in Lucien, Geralt was smooth, kind, and witty, just like Lucien. The more she thought about it, the more alike the two men seemed.

Illyana listened to Cora speak while biting the inside of her cheek. She opened her mouth to disagree, to tell Cora that the Magician was nothing like Lucien at all, and point out how different the two of them were. But she closed it again when she realized that the mermaid was not entirely wrong. Both men were charming, handsome, intelligent, and well-spoken. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Cora was right, from the outside. She remembered what Lucien had said about not judging people based on appearances, or abilities, alone and subconsciously a hand moved to her forehead and the secret she concealed under the brim of her hat.

She dropped her hand and said, "He is a little like Lucien, Cora, you're right. But their not the same. Lucien is special, he brought us together...didn't he? Geralt doesn't seem like the type of man who would do that." She had learned in her time with the mermaid that it was easier to let her decide things on her own. Cora was strong-willed, though she appeared docile and laid-back, she could be fierce about certain things. She was intelligent, and cunning as well, though a stranger would never know it. If Illyana and the others helped her to see the differences between Lucien and Geralt, she would soon realize that sweet words and promises were not enough to make someone good.

Cora turned to Illyana and seemed to take in her words, mulling them over. She couldn't deny the truth in Illyana's words. Though Lucien and Geralt seemed very similar to her now, she did not see the kindness in Geralt that Lucien radiated. Maybe they were more different than they seemed after all...but she couldn't go judging the Magician too harshly just yet.

Akane was quiet at Cora and Illyana's exchange, simply listening for a moment. Based on what she had seen she did agree with Cora. Geralt was a very charming and flattering man, but this was something that Lucien had preemptively warned them about. So far she didn't have any specific reasons for suspecting him of being a bad person. While she agreed that Lucien and Geralt were a little similar, there was something she could see that was completely different between them. There was a.. bright energy that always radiated from Lucien that always made her feel comfortable to be around him.. That was something Geralt clearly lacked, but there was also what she had felt when she had touched him. It was like her instincts were telling her to stay away, but she could not comprehend why, and it was hard to make a straight judgement based on that.

Ivory let out a small sigh, not really surprised that Cora had inquired about this. "I can see why he would remind you of Lucien, but if I must be honest, I believe them to be on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. I get why you'd take a liking to him, he's been nothing but nice to you since you've met, but I still would like to ask you to be careful. Just because someone acts really nice and says all these flattering things doesn't mean they aren't deceiving you. Bad people don't always wear their true colors on the outside." She told her.

"I know that I'm being a little biased here, but I at least want to ask you to be careful. Be watchful, and try not to get swept away by him." Her goal here was not to get the other two women to hate him, she knew she could not force that on them, they were entitled to their own opinions, all she wanted was for them to exert caution around him.

Aurel glanced at Ivory and then at Cora, before lowering his gaze slightly. He more than anyone understood just how much a person could lie behind a smile. While this was something he hated to talk about, and something only Lucien and Illyana knew about, he felt the need to speak up, to at least make them consider the possibilities.

"I don't.. disagree with Ivory. I've met someone like that before.. someone who acted really kind but was really a terrible person.. It's.. hard to gauge what someone's really like if they're the type of person who's good at hiding it. Sometimes people are only nice because they want something.." He said quietly. "here's... also the fact that my snakes don't really like him either.. and that makes me a little wary.."

Illyana was glad to hear the the others were in line with her tactic of letting Cora decide for herself. She only needed the tools to know what to look for, which it seemed that she and Ivory were more than willing to give her.

As Aurel began speaking, Illyana locked eyes with him and gave him a small, knowing and reassuring smile. She reached across the table and laid her hand on top of Aurel's briefly. "That's good to remember about your snakes, they act very instinctively. Watching their behavior could be a good way to ward off unsavory situations." This was good news, as far as she was concerned. The more she was able to anticipate about Geralt's reactions and intentions, the better. If Aurel's snakes were having a negative reaction to him, this was certainly cause for concern. It made her feel a little better about her weariness, even after her conversation with Lucien.

After listening to everyone speak their peace, Cora sat a moment to reflect on all she had heard. She understood now why Ivory and Aurel did not trust Geralt, because they too had experienced situations that lead them to be uneasy about him. Ivory distrusted the Magician's never-ceasing charm and read it as his way of hiding something negative about himself, and Aurel was weary because of things that had happened to him in the past. He knew not to trust people at their word. Of course, Cora was not immune to this type of deception. She had witnessed her share of evil when she first came abovewater...but, to her, the man who had taken and hurt her had always been evil. He had no nice words, soft touches, or an ounce of compassion in his rough and calloused heart. He was angry and envious and proud, and he took that out on everything weaker that he came into contact with. She knew this when she had first laid eyes on him, and knew it now even after he was rotting...but Cora did not feel this way about Geralt. There was something in her that told her that there was a lot of depth to him, layers, and that not all of those layers were necessarily bad.

"I understand what you mean, Ivory, Aurel..." she began, looking to each of them, "but...if that's true, isn't the opposite true as well?" She looked at everyone at the table, unsure if she was right or not, but feeling that she was making sense, to herself at least.

Illyana was surprised to hear this from the mermaid, but it sparked her interest to hear this from Cora. "What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Cora looked to Illy and then back at the rest of the group and shrugged, "I mean...if people can hide behind their words to make you believe that they are good when they aren't, then cant people who are good do the same thing? Maybe what he's hiding isn't something bad or dangerous...maybe it is something that he just doesn't want us to know." She looked to Aurel with wide-open eyes and a half-smile, "We all have secrets, that doesn't make us bad people."

Although Illyana wanted desperately to argue with this logic, she could not find the flaw in it. While Cora was not exactly defending Geralt directly, there was no denying that her understanding of him could be true. She opened her mouth as if to respond but could not find the words. She looked to Ivory then, hoping the Dhampir would have something clever to say.

------------------------------------------

Geralt arrived at Lucien's trailer with no time to waste. He approached the door, knocked quickly and entered without waiting for a response. Part of him, of course, was hoping to catch Lucien unawares. "Did you send for me, patron?" he said, already halfway inside of Lucien's trailer.

Aurel lifted his gaze to look at Illy, comforted by her smile and actions, and it allowed him to relax a little. Honestly not having his snakes with him was difficult. Even if he was walking across the grounds, he never felt like he was alone. They helped make him feel safer, but not having them around was a little nerve-wracking. It had certainly been a while.. but having Lucien and Illy around helped with that. The others too, really. Over the years he had been able to become a bit more comfortable with people, but this situation with Geralt made him feel wary again, though it wasn't his own safety that concerned him in this instance.

Akane had continued to be silent as everyone shared their opinions on the situation. It was after Cora spoke that she had finally decided to voice her opinion. "I agree with Cora. I think I might understand where your snakes are coming from, Aurel. When I first shook Geralt's hand.. it sent a shudder up my spine. It was like.. my instinct was telling me to get away. It was a little scary, yes.. but I don't want to judge the man too harshly. It's possible to be blind to the goodness in people just as much as it is the bad, is it not? I think he deserves a chance. Isn't that why Lucien founded this circus? To give people like us second chances?" The kitsune questioned.

Ivory could not deny being a little surprised by both Cora and Akane's words. She knew the two women were intelligent, but she hadn't expected them to respond in this way. As much as she didn't want to admit it, their arguments were sound. That was Lucien's purpose behind this whole operation.. and she more than anyone appreciated being given that chance despite the thing she had done, and what she was. Who knows what would have awaited her if Lucien and Illyana had not found her? She didn't want to think about it. With that, she let out a heavy sigh. It seems they had underestimated the two women.

"I understand where you two are coming from. We.. will all be able to form appropriate opinions of him with time, one way or another. All I ask is that you be vigilant. I'm just.. worried." The dhampir trailed off as she spoke, not used to being so open about such things.

----

Lucien had been left to his thoughts once Ivory took her leave. He wondered whether their talk would change the way the dhampir treated the magician, but honestly he wasn't sure. He couldn't force her to, and he wouldn't either, but he hoped that she would take some of his advice. It would probably be easier to figure him out of she was slightly less hostile toward him. He supposed he would just have to see.

Eyes trailed toward the door as he heard a quick knock, though he wasn't really given much of a chance to respond as Geralt had quickly made his way inside.

"Ah, yes.. Please take a seat." He said, waiting for the man to do so before speaking up again.

"You've already got the gist of how things work around here, but I never really mentioned the last day to you, I figured it was a good chance to do that." He said, straightening up a little on his chair.

"On our last day here, our shows run a little differently. Instead of the usual single performances, we actually do all of them in succession, and people have a chance to see everyone's shows in a sequence, even I partake." He explained. "This of course, requires a bit of practice in making the transitions between each act go as smoothly as possible. I feel yours would be a good closer, which would mean you would be performing after Ivory. This of course.. would require you two to take some time to practice before the big day." Lucien's tone was calm, showing no reflection of his previous worry of how the dhampir would react to this decision.

"I assume this won't be a problem?" He asked. Unlike with Ivory, there wasn't really any room for argument in his tone. He knew that there was no way Geralt would not agree to this, considering the behavior he had shown so far, but he also wanted to make sure he wouldn't be causing any of the problems, having noticed his tendency to like to test Ivory's patience.

Cora turned to Akane as she spoke and smiled brightly at her friend's words. She didn't care particularly that Akane agreed with her, but was happy that her friend was looking at the situation from different angles as well. She especially liked her mention of Lucien and his purpose for putting their troupe together. She knew that Akane was right and that they had to trust Lucien. Even though Illyana felt that Geralt was dangerous, she knew that the Ringleader would never let any harm come to them. He always said that it was his job to keep them safe, and up until now he had done it well. He and Illyana could have easily left her where they found her to dry up in the sun, and they didn't...they took her in and protected her. It would be wrong to deny that protection to someone else before they had any facts.

Illyana found herself completely stumped by Akane's words, and was even a little disappointed that Ivory had not spoken up before the Kitsune. But, again she couldn't help but agree with their statements. The two of them were wise on their own, but together they were a powerhouse. Illyana couldn't help but remember the day that Lucien, Aurel, and Faolan had found her. She was all alone in the world, lost and confused, looking for a love that she was afraid she would never find again...although she still feared this, she knew that Lucien had given her the opportunity and the power to find what she so craved. Without him, she may even be dead by now.

But what Akane had revealed about the feeling Geralt's touch had given her did strike her as concerning. She wondered if it had been anything like what she had experienced upon touching the card that Geralt had left with Lucien. Though she knew that her and Akane's abilities differed greatly, there was something to be said for the girl's instincts. They were strong, maybe there was something to them like there had been with Aurel's snakes. She made a note to speak with Akane about this later.

After Ivory spoke, Illyana nodded somberly, her eyes far away. "You two are right," she began but quickly nodded to Ivory, "but so is Ivory. Lucien founded this place to give us second chances, that's true, but he wouldn't want them squandered either. All we're saying is that you should be careful, trust your instincts. He's still a stranger, and there's a lot we don't know."

Cora looked between Illyana and Ivory and nodded enthusiastically, "We know, we'll be careful! You all need someone to look out for you, too." she said, then looked to the Kitsune, "Right Akane?" She knew she would have to vigilant from here on out, and recognized that she had initially let her guard down around Geralt. She decided to try to remain nuetral until the man gave her a reason not to be. Well, she would try her best anyway.

----------------------------------------------

Geralt made his way inside, a little disappointed that the Ringleader had not been caught in the middle of anything. He'd like to see Lucien...off balance for once, and maybe soon on his back.

Of course, he did not show this in his expression at all, and stood with a smile until the Frenchman offered him a seat. He took it, crossing one leg over the other and tilted his head as he listened to Lucien's shpeal. Of course it was about performances...Geralt had almost hoped that he was in trouble already just so he could see Lucien with ruffled feathers, but this firm and decisive version of him was also acceptable. There was nothing that Geralt could imagine Lucien doing that wasn't a turn on...

He raised an eyebrow as the Ringleader finished speaking, and left a healthy silence between them. Now he saw why Lucien had called Ivory and him in separately. It was likely that Lucien had made sure the girl would be okay with this arrangement before he asked Geralt. There were very few reasons for the Magician to be upset about this, given how attractive and mysterious their little knife thrower was, he wouldn't let her sour attitude ruin his admiration of her...assets. Geralt's only question now was how Lucien got her to agree to this.

Geralt finally spread his hands and fingers wide and shook his head as he answered, "Well, I can't say I'm not just a little shocked by this particular turn of events, but there won't be any complaints from me. I'll be happy to work anywhere you'd like me," he said with a sly smile. After another short pause, her furrowed his eyebrows a bit and added, "Although, I can't say the same for Miss Ivory. It's clear that she doesn't necessarily enjoy my presence. While I don't plan on starting anything, I hope you don't expect that I won't defend myself if she becomes...difficult." Although Geralt aimed to please the Frenchman with every action, he would not prostrate himself. He was to proud for that. If there was a show-stopping argument with Ivory over their placements, he could promise that he would not start it, but he would also not let the girl trample him in public. He had his dignity, and even the promise of a night alone with Lucien wouldn't be enough to cast that aside.

"Yes, of course!" Akane replied to Cora, her usual bright smile forming at her lips again.

Aurel glanced between all the women as they spoke. He hadn't really expected the conversation to take such a turn.. but he was at least relieved to know that Akane and Cora would be a little more careful from now on. It at put his mind a little more at ease. He at least knew that if the two women became aware of danger, they would defend themselves accordingly.

"We can all look out for each other, it's what we do." He said, pausing for a moment. "And Lucien too." He added.

"I agree. He still has his eyes on him." Ivory muttered, causing Akane to glance over at her.

"I know what you said earlier about Geralt's.. intentions with Lucien, but why are you so concerned? Isn't Lucien more than capable of defending himself?" Akane asked. She had seen what the ringleader could do for herself. He was an intelligent man, and he was also very strong and quick on his feet. She wasn't sure where the worry was coming from.

At this, Aurel glanced at Illy, unsure of what to say. There were many reasons for them personally to want Geralt nowhere near Lucien, they knew that the ringleader had someone else on his mind. He was just worried that it would somehow end up with Lucien getting hurt emotionally. He was a very kind individual, but his politeness could easily get him into trouble. Over the years he had seen how much Faolan's lack of return had affected him. He was unsure of Geralt showing these kinds of intentions with him would end up stirring anything in him after all this time. It was hard to know for sure, and he didn't really want to bring it up to him if he didn't have to, especially considering the full moon was about a week away.

--

It wasn't surprising that Geralt would have expected this, Ivory clearly disliked him after all. Normally one would try to keep the problem children away from each other, but that was not the case here. He trusted Ivory would do what she had to, while also not allowing the man to get away with too much. Despite her dislike of him, he believed in her capability to maintain a balance, for the good of the show.

"That is not something you will have to worry about. Ivory would never give a half-assed show. If the end goal is the same, I'm sure you two will be able to work it out. She might be a little sharp-tongued, she does not personally have anything against you. You simply.. aggravate a general bias in her that she has a hard time keeping in check. This practice time can be used for her to get to know you a little better, this is only your first day after all. There's a long road ahead." He said.

Despite the fact Geralt didn't seem like he'd want to start anything, he knew the moment Ivory gave him that opening it would become a series of back and forths between them, he had already seen it for himself. He was hoping the conversation he had with the dhampir would help things go a little more smoothly between them. He'd just have to see.

Cora tilted her head toward Ivory at her comment about Lucien and Geralt. She wasn't quite sure what looking at the Ringleader had to do with anything. Maybe she just wasn't understanding the phrase, but it seemed a good thing that Geralt was interested in Lucien, wasn't it? Wouldn't that make it more difficult for Geralt to...misbehave? She glanced around the table, waiting for someone to clarify.

Illyana's mouth twitched into a frown as she locked eyes with Aurel. She knew the two of them were having the same thought. It was clear that Geralt was flirtatious, to say the least, with everyone, but that he had certainly shown a little more interest in pursuing Lucien. This worried her for the same reasons as Aurel; Lucien was hurting. He hid it well, and no one who hadn't met Faolan would never pick it up, but she and Aurel could see it. They had met the two men when they were both very young, and it was clear from the start that they had a special connection. These last four years, since Faolan had vanished, Lucien was extra fragile. It got better as time moved on, of course, and his parting was further and further in Lucien's past, but Illyana knew that Lucien never stopped thinking about it. It was obvious especially during the night of the Full Moon, which Lucien kept track of on the Calendar hanging in his trailer. She knew that Lucien would not want either of them sharing this information with the rest of the group.

Finally, Illyana turned to Akane and spoke up, "Lucien is...well, he can be too kind for his own good sometimes," she began, "His willingness to forgive people can sometimes...cloud his judgement. Geralt, if what Ivory and I believe is true, seems like the type of person who could easily exploit that kindness." Although this was in no way a revelation, she hoped it would be enough to satiate their curiosity. Before she could stop herself, she added, "He has weaknesses too, just like everyone else. He may seem invincible...but he's not."

Cora seemed to take this in and nodded as Illyana finished speaking. "Oh, I see now. I do hope you're wrong though, Illy. Hopefully Geralt just wants Lucien to be happy, like the rest of us!"

Illyana's mouth twisted again, and she sighed, "I hope so too, Cora."

--------------------------------------------

Geralt's smile widened a bit as Lucien continued to speak and explain Ivory's position. He was aware that her aggravation with him was misdirected from another source, after all, he had only just met her and even he did not have time to offend her on a personal level yet. Vampires, however, had strong senses and even stronger instincts. When they didn't like someone, they made it known.

"Forgive me, monsieur, but 'worry'," Geralt said in answer, standing from his chair, "is not the word I would use. I am simply..." he waved his hand for a moment as if cycling through an invisible sheaf of papers, "informing you of my intentions. Trust me, I am happy to take any opportunity to prove myself to her and the rest of your troupe, not to mention yourself. I think, given time, you all will...warm up to me. Maybe even quicker than you think." he said, giving Lucien a small wink.

"Speaking of which...I am excited to watch you perform. May I ask what you have prepared, or do you prefer to keep it behind the curtain?" He leaned on the back of the chair had been sitting in, looking at Lucien with dark, intense eyes.

Clearly Cora was going to look at this in the most positive manner she could, but it was obvious Illyana disagreed with her, and she did to. Whatever it was that Geralt wanted, that was definitely not it, Ivory was sure of it. She supposed whatever time they would be forced to spend together would be a good opportunity to get more of a read on him after all. Deciding it was best they dropped this conversation before Geralt returned, Ivory reached out and took a card from Aurel, dropping the set as she had formed a pair.

"Well, enough about that, shall we continue playing?" Ivory asked.

"Ah.. yes.. we should." Aurel spoke up, glad to change the subject. He glanced around the table, reluctant to take from Akane considering her earlier reaction to Geralt, and decided to take from Cora instead, managing a pair.

--

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm glad you are not worried, but I do appreciate you letting me know of your intentions." He was definitely not the type of man who would just sit by and let Ivory push him around, and it was the same for the dhampir as well. He'd simply have to see how it went.

"I am not surprised to hear you sound so confident. One of your many traits I'm sure." He said a little amusingly, before contemplating his question. For a moment he considered keeping his performance to himself, but then he decided there was no point. He didn't want to go out of his way to make the man any more curious about him by not answering his question. There was no need for mysteries on his end.

He chuckled. "Well it's not really a secret, so I don't mind telling you. Cora and I open the show. Last time we were here I accompanied her singing with my violin, but this time I shall be playing the piano, for a bit of variety." He said. Lucien had been careful in how he planned the order of the show. Since they had lost their acrobats a lot of their acts were more entertainment and music focused, which were fine for now. Cora's voice was beautiful, and it was a good way to put the crowd at ease. He actually quite enjoyed accompanying her singing as well. Prior to her joining the circus he hadn't really found a need to perform himself. He was fine with throwing more of the attention toward his performers, but considering their current situation he did what he could, and it ended up working out. Plus, it gave him a reason to play his instruments aside from the times he used them as... stress relief.

"Of course," the Magician said in answer to Lucien's assessment, "I try to be as...transparent as possible. I find that makes for the least amount of...friction."

Geralt glanced in the direction of the violin, excitement lighting his features. "Aha! I knew it wasn't just in here for show, you don't seem the type to talk the talk and not walk the walk." He straightened and moved toward the instrument, which was sitting on a stand in the corner. He reached for it, but paused to look over his shoulder, "May I? I never handle another man's instrument without his explicit approval," he asked. Lucien waved a hand in assent, and Geralt picked it up lightly, holding it at either end to admire its craftsmanship.

"This is just a lovely piece. I never learned to play, myself." he turned the violin over and back again, then took a closer look at the strings. "I did learn the keys when I was young, though." he glanced around the trailer, chuckling before setting the violin back down where he had found it. "But, where do you keep such a large and heavy thing? I don't suppose you hide it under the hat?" he said this in jest, leaning forward and looking expectantly at Lucien.

Lucien could not help but chuckle at the man's words. They were ironic, because he found the man to be anything but transparent, at least in certain things. Surely he was only transparent on the things he wanted to be known. He simply gestured his approval as the magician asked to see it. The Ringleader tended to practice when he had some time to spare, but it had been quite a few days since he had last played either instrument, he had been too busy handling their financial situation.

"It's a fascinating instrument." It allowed him to express so much with such little words, though he supposed music did that for him in general.

At his comment, the Ringleader let out a laugh. "No, no, of course not. My hat is not nearly as convenient as your suitcase. It's covered and very well kept at the Big Top, since it's mostly where it's played. I prefer not to move it around too much once we've settled in town, instruments can be quite fragile." Considering they were on the road all the time, he liked to leave as little room for error as possible when it came to that piano. It had been a very expensive purchase, but not one he ever regretted. Both instruments had been with him a long time, as he would often play for Illy and Aurel when they were younger, and Faolan as well. It was.. nostalgic.

Geralt nodded in agreement, "That it is. So many emotions expressed in only a few strokes of the keys..." he sighed, letting his gaze linger on a spot on the floor near Lucien's shoes for a moment as if memories were striking him. Of course, his mind was elsewhere, there was no need to dwell on what had already come to past. Best to focus on Lucien, and what was in his future.

After a beat, he rose his eyes to meet Lucien's once more, his smile a bit more vigorous. "Good to know, you had me worried there for a second that my case was 'old hat', as they say." There was another pause between them, and the Magician began moving towards the door, "Well, I suppose, if that's all? To be honest, you had me quaking in my boots a little there, I thought I might be in trouble when Ivory came to fetch me." he chuckled lightly, "Although, I welcome a good scolding if its in order." he winked at the Ringleader, showing his teeth.

Lucien tilted his head curiously at Geralt's words. It seemed like he knew the instrument well enough, as if talking from experience, but he didn't ask, and simply left the man to his thoughts, until he spoke up again.

"I assure you I've never seen such a thing before, quite curious, really, but definitely.. handy." He said, golden eyes following the magician as he made his way to the door. His next comment made the Ringleader smile a bit.

"I find it quite difficult to imagine such a man as yourself quaking in your boots. I assume you haven't done anything that would get you in trouble?" He asked a little jokingly, considering there was no need for the man to think so if he had done nothing 'wrong.' "Regardless, if you were, you'd know, so no need to worry."

Lucien wasn't one to beat around the bush, especially when it came to the circus. If he was unhappy with the way someone was doing something, he would usually tell them. He was an incredibly patient man, and therefore was very difficult to anger, but when he was, it was something everyone could notice. Of all of his emotions, anger had always one of the ones that were the hardest for him to hide.. perhaps because it didn't happen too often.

Geralt nodded in agreement with Lucien's statement about his case, "Glad to hear it. If you ever want anything kept...well, away from prying eyes, you let me know."

Geralt let out another soft chuckle as he shook his head, "No, no...at least, I don't think so. It is a little hard to tell with my new performance partner, but I promise I have been a very good boy." he paused a moment, then his smile widened a bit, "Just letting you know, I tend to respond quite well to a...firm hand." This was true, although Geralt did prefer to be the one behind that hand, he wouldn't be opposed if Lucien tried it. Getting to see the Ringleader all riled up was on his long list of goals here at Cirque D'étoiles, and it just so happened that working people up was one of his specialties.

"I appreciate the offer, but it will most likely not be needed. No one comes in here when I'm not here." If there was one understanding between everyone at the circus, it was respect for their personal space and privacy. No one ever just burst into his room without permission unless he was expecting them, but even then it was unusual to, and it was rare for him to ask for people to wait for him here. There were things in his trailer he'd prefer people not snoop around to find, though he doubted anyone ever would.

Lucien raised his eyebrows slightly at his comment. "Really? That's good to know, it gives me less reservations about bossing you around." He said amusingly, before going back on tangent.

"Speaking of your new performance partner, it's best you two get to practicing, she's already expecting it. The more time you have before the final day, the better. I look forward to seeing what you two come up with."

"Understood, I just wanted to make sure you knew I was at your disposal, patron." Geralt said, with a bow. He fought back other words, like No one comes in here that you know of...but thought it best to keep this to himself. He wouldn't want the Ringleader's suspicious aroused just yet, not when it was so easy for Geralt to slip in and out unnoticed. He was sure there was much tucked away in the drawers of Lucien's desk that he would love to see.

Geralt straightened, then shrugged, "Ah yes, our 'winter fairy'...I'm sure the two of us will create something completely dazzling together." he made the last bit of the journey to the door, then paused before exiting, "In fact, I guarantee it." he said, and let himself out.

He strode across the ground and back over to the mess area to find that the rest of the troupe had finished with their card game. He approached the table and loomed over Akane and Illyana's shoulders as they were about to stand up. "Aw...I missed the rest of it?" he looked up at Ivory, "Tell me that you didn't pull the Joker, at least?"

Illyana had not heard the Magician approach them and started as she heard his voice over her shoulder. She looked up at him briefly in annoyance, but said nothing. She was sure he knew that he had caught her by surprise, there was no need to highlight it.

Lucien simply nodded at his words. Honestly he was curiously to see what he and Ivory could come up with together if Ivory was willing to put aside her disdain for him. She had a creative mind, and obviously Geralt did too, considering the position he had. He was sure it would work out well.

-

Ivory and Aurel noticed Geralt's approach. Aurel was glad to see that his visit hadn't taken too long, and while Ivory wasn't looking forward to the practice ahead, she knew there was no way around it.

"Of course not." She said. As the game progressed, it was very, very obvious that Akane was the one who held the Joker. It was easy to avoid trying to draw from her once they knew that. Eventually they found it best to stop playing, and Ivory had made sure to point out Akane's mistakes so that she could correct them for next time.

"After you left no one wanted to take my cards anymore, except for Cora." Akane said a little sulkily as she glanced up at the man, considering he had almost taken the Joker. It would have been nice to at least get it off her hands. She would definitely make sure to try harder next time.