[IC] Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt's face tightened ever so slightly when Aurel answered. The young man was obviously nervous, it seemed The Magician had struck a chord with him. He couldn't tell if this unease was due to the question or the answer, and whether or not the redheaded man in the picture was dead or alive. He guessed the latter, just based on how both Lucien and Aurel had responded to his question, but at this point there was no way to know.

He would have pressed harder if he had not seen Illyana coming at them as fast as her slender legs could carry her tiny frame toward them. He leaned forward and opened his mouth, as if he were about to reach out to comfort Aurel and say something, despite the serpent, but stopped when he "noticed" the girl on the horizon.

Illyana reached the two quickly, and she seemed to have caught them at an awkward moment. Geralt was reaching toward Aurel's shoulder, but still a ways off, when he paused and looked over at her. It seemed she had cut him off. His expression lightened and she opened her mouth before he could, "Aurel, good morning!" she spoke a little too loudly, but lowered the volume as she reached them and came to a stop. She nodded sagely towards The Magician, "Geralt." was all she said in the way of greeting. Then, she turned back to the Snake Charmer and her chipper voice returned, "Lucien wants to see us all for a morning meeting."

Geralt nodded back toward the Diviner and smiled. "Good morning to you, Madame Illynova," he said, though he noticed she was not wearing all of her typical garb this morning and had replaced her scarf with a cloche hat. He'd noticed movement in the direction of Lucien's trailer, it appeared their leader was heading in their direction. "Where should we meet him?"

Illyana noted Geralt's exhaustion in his expression, posture, and the bags under his dark eyes. She had her ideas about how he'd spent the evening, but it was none of her business. If it got him to leave the circus grounds, it was worth it in her opinion, even if it was just overnight. "Oh, uhm..." she paused and glanced over her shoulder, realizing Geralt's meaning, "Here, I suppose. He's on his way."

Geralt's eyes slid over to Lucien as he strode toward them and back to Illyana. He said nothing, but his smile widened and he tilted his head slightly.

"Well..." she said, feeling her cheeks grow hot as she realized how foolish she looked. "I have to...go get the others." And before either man could respond, she had turned and run off toward Cora's trailer.

[xivyxx]

Aurel could feel Bengal tense as Geralt reached toward him, and that made him lean slightly away, worried about what could happen. It was Illy's approach that had disrupted their conversation, much to his relief.

"Good morning, Illy." It was obvious from the way she spoke that she was trying to disrupt whatever conversation had been happening. He'd have to make sure to tell her later that it was fine, but probably let her know that Geralt was trying to find out who Faolan was.. that wasn't really something either of them would want him to know. He wasn't given much time to say anything else, as Illyana then went off on her way. Thankfully, Lucien was approaching, meaning their previous conversation would now be over.

"Good morning Aurel, Geralt." He greeted the two of them, eyes following Illyana briefly. She had left quite fast. Looking back at the two men, he took note of Geralt's exhaustion. It was definitely stronger than his own, for a moment it worried him, but he didn't ask about it, considering he knew that the man wanted to go out last night. Stil.. he had noticed that the man never particularly looked well rested.. he'd definitely bring it up if he began to see it happen more often.

"Good morning." Aurel greeted with a small smile.

Lucien did not sit down immediately, but reached into the bag he held and pulled out two pouches of coin, a light green one and a black one.

"Here you are, your pay for this circuit." He told them both, handing them their respective pouches. "I foresee that our next town visit will go much better than this one, considering this was our second visit to this town." He knew that Geralt was probably used to seeing much larger profit, but this time around he hoped he'd made due with what he had received. They had to work their way up, and he really did have higher hopes for their next visit. Lucien was at least satisfied that what they had made had been enough to get them out of the danger zone.

[FreckersFrog]

"Ah, our fearless leader shows himself at last," Geralt said in English as Lucien greeted them. He noticed that the Ringleader looked quite tired. Though he was, of course, well-dressed and groomed to hide it, the dullness in his golden eyes was a clear indicator for The Magician. It appeared that his night out had been a bit longer than anyone actually knew. He wondered absently what pressing matter that elderly couple had to offer...but pushed the thought from his mind. There was time yet to find out all he wanted to know. Desperation had never been his color.

He accepted the pouch graciously, weighing it in his hand for a moment before setting it on the table next to him. "I'm sure this is more than sufficient, thank you. I have no doubt that our success will only increase the longer we travel together." He could see the man sizing him up, and let a pause hang in the air for a moment before adding, "I heated up the coffee, would you like me to make you a cup? You look a bit...worn out." No need to dance around it, after all. He knew Lucien would have noticed his own state of exhaustion but was too polite to point it out. Geralt was not bound by the same conventions when it came to the Ringleader, and he was feeling particularly...relieved after his excursions last night.

Illyana left quickly and went about gathering everyone to send to the mess area. Akane was in Cora's trailer, making sure everything was buttoned up tight for the road. She informed the both of them and left, searching the grounds for Ivory next and last. She found her in her trailer, saving up her energy for their party at the lake.

"Ivory," she said as she knocked on the door, "Lucien is holding morning meeting in the mess area. Whenever you're ready." she said, and left before the dhampir could answer. She knew the woman was awake, she could sense her dwindling aura, but knew she was conscious and waiting.

[xivyxx]

Lucien was relieved to receive no complaint from Geralt, though part of him hadn't expected one so openly. That was good at least. He found the man's actions a bit hard to predict when it came to this, considering their first meeting. Of course the man had noticed his tiredness, he was quite observant, he didn't really find the need to get defensive about it. Everyone knew he went out on the last night, and while no one knew for how long or what he was doing, they never questioned it. It was just how much they trusted him. It made him feel a little bad.. considering but.. this wasn't something he wanted to share with them. Putting aside the fact that he knew Aurel and Illy would want him to stop, he didn't want everyone else to feel pressured to try harder because of it.

"I would be happy to have some, thank you." He said, pausing for a moment. "Though I must say you look a little weary yourself, today is going to be a bit of a busy day, I do hope you'll feel up for it." He told them, considering the current plans.

It was then he saw Cora and Akane's approach, and he smiled in their direction as he greeted them good morning. They were both in a very bright mood, most likely looking forward to their next destination.

"Good morning!" Akane greeted everyone, she had been busy going around helping the carnies prior to going to see Cora, so she hadn't ran into Geralt yet. He seemed tired, but it seemed at least his mood had improved from yesterday, that was good.

---

Ivory had been at her desk when Illyana knocked, looking through some of the materials she had available for her crafts. Since they would be stopping by the lake, she was looking forward to seeing what else she might find to work with.

"Alright." She called out in response, before rising from her chair and grabbing her cloak before exiting her trailer and heading to the mess area.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt smiled wider as he stood and grabbed a mug for Lucien. He poured, then looked over the fixings on the table and found that they still had a little bit of cream left. He'd noticed that Lucien took cream the other day, so he lifted the carafe and poured a small amount into the mug. He paused a moment and glanced over his shoulder at Lucien's comment on his appearance, and a small mischievous grin lit his features. "If I could trade mistakes for sheep..." He said flippantly, with a shrug, then added, "I'm sure I'll be just fine, I'm well suited to travel." He stirred the liquid until it was a dark umber color, just shy of black. He turned and offered the mug to the Ringleader as Akane and Cora approached. "For you, patron."

Cora and Akane had been organizing her clothes when Illyana had come for them. She'd wasted not time in hoisting herself into her chair and leaving with Akane, happy to see the others before setting off. Today, she had chosen a long-sleeved and high-neck dark green dress and Akane had offered her a beige jacket to wear over it, due to the chill air today. She smiled as they made their way across the grounds and the warm sun touched her cheeks. She was beginning to like being outside during the day, it was a stark contrast to the cold ocean water she had lived in all her life.

She smiled with her usual brightness as she greeted Lucien and the others, "Good morning everyone!" She noticed Geralt had his back to the group and turned to hand Lucien a mug of something steaming. She immediately noticed the bags under his eyes and the sallow look of his skin. Though he seemed clean and well-groomed, his hair was hanging over his forehead a bit and his posture seemed a bit drained. She tilted her head at this, but said nothing. Humans were strange creatures, she was more interested in observing their behavior than anything else.

"To the two of you as well, damen. Would you like some coffee?"

Cora, who never usually drank coffee but was just beginning to like it, responded with a loud "Yes please!" and Akane nodded as well.

Geralt smiled at both of them, but paused before turning back to the pot. "Don't tell me...lots of dressing for the both of you?"

Cora nodded vigorously. She did prefer a lot of sugar and cream, though Lucien had told her that eventually she would grow out of that. She wanted to enjoy it while she had the chance. "Medium for Akane though," she said, looking over her shoulder at her friend.

Geralt nodded his understanding, then set about making coffee.

A fine maid they'll make out of you yet, Geralt...The gravelly voice said snidely, but The Magician ignored it. While he was happy to do this every once in a while, of course he didn't want them to get used to him waiting on them, there was no use of letting this good mood go to waste.

[xivyxx]

Lucien glanced down at the mug of coffee with raised brows. It was exactly how he took it, and it brought a small smile to his lips.

"Thank you." He said, though set it down momentarily to hand Akane her pay, which was held in a red pouch.

"Thanks!" She said, before glancing over to Geralt again. It wasn't incredibly often she had coffee, but it was a certainly new taste that she had experienced while among humans. She found her taste buds weren't too picky when it came to it, but she had come to like just the right amount of cream, not to sweet not to bitter. It certainly left her.. energized, not that she really needed it, but considering what they'd be doing today, perhaps it wouldn't hurt.

It was around then that Ivory arrived, followed by Illy and the carnies. He took a moment to distribute the remaining pay among everyone before he went back to the table and picked up his coffee, taking a sip before speaking.

"Good work everyone, we have made very good time today. In terms of our next destination, we are headed toward the lake that is somewhat close in proximity before we head off toward our next town." He said, before taking a small glance in Geralt's direction.

"Everyone had worked hard, even in these troubled times, and I think you all deserve a small break, and time to relax. After the refills are finished, I think it would be nice to have.. a bit of a celebration, both to welcome our newest member, Geralt--" He said, pausing to lift his mug slightly in Geralt's direction. "And for everyone's good work, so I hope you all look forward to it." He said with a smile.

Akane's eyes brightened at this. She absolutely loved when they had parties. They were so fun, and they hadn't really gotten to hold one in a while. From her experience, this was somewhat normal when welcoming new members, she had received one, as had Cora when she had opened up a little more, in an attempt to make the mermaid feel more at ease around them. She hoped this would also help them get to know Geralt a little better, so she was quite excited. Plus, she loved seeing how happy Cora would get when they made their lake visits.

This was also something Aurel was looking forward to, not only for his snakes but for himself. Nature was something they didn't get to enjoy as much as they used to, before the circus, so the man appreciated these chances. A welcoming for Geralt was quite normal as well, considering the precedents. He hoped this would allow them a chance to get to know a bit more about him.

Ivory was not as pleased as everyone else, but she didn't show it in her expression. She had been looking forward to their stop, but it was unfortunate that now they had to dedicate a bit of that celebration to Geralt. She was quite sure he'd love the attention. Maybe this would make him slip? With the atmosphere of a party.. maybe they'd be able to figure something out. She'd have to see. Regardless she wouldn't let it ruin her day. She'd be sure to enjoy the celebration as much as everyone else. While not super big on parties, she knew everyone could use this chance to unwind.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana had returned to the mess area just before Ivory and the carnies started filtering in. She accepted her pay and tucked it into the pocket of her dress, then stood near Lucien with her hands folded in front of her. She kept her expression neutral throughout Lucien's statement, making sure to glance at Geralt when he rose his mug toward The Magician.

Geralt handed out the beverages and took a sip of his own as he remained standing while listening to Lucien's announcement. He looked over the crowd around them, sizing up the true number of hands at Lucien's disposal. It appeared that he had a total of eleven rubes in addition to himself and the performers. It made sense now why the man seemed so desperate for money, he had many mouths to feed and pay for. The carnies themselves didn't seem to take as large of a chunk from the coffer, but each of them still had to be fed and cared for while in the circus' employ. It was a shame, considering that Geralt knew he could do the jobs of at least half of them, and if the troupe had a strong man...well, they would be entirely devoid of use. Maybe, as time wore on, Geralt could convince Lucien to cut a few of them loose. It may be difficult, but Geralt had no doubt that he could convince him given the right opportunity. He'd wait, of course, until the two of them were closer and his opinion had more sway.

The Ringleaders words sparked him from his reverie, and he looked over at him with a bit of genuine surprise. He swallowed the gulp of coffee in his mouth, then laid a hand on his chest as he spoke, "I am humbled by your kindness, sir. And to the rest of Cirque D'étoiles for offering me a proper welcome." He rose his mug to the crowd before continuing, "If I'd known, I may have brought something special from town to contribute. Oh well, maybe there will be time yet." he added a wink to the end of this speech. Though he was a bit taken aback by this detour, he thought it would be a welcome distraction for everyone and a chance to worm his way a little deeper into their ranks. A welcome party certainly meant alcohol, which meant lowered inhibitions, which gave The Magician perfect opportunities to press for a bit more information about the members of the troupe.

Still, he did have one more question with regards to this little get-together...but he would wait until the crowd dispersed before he asked.

Cora's eyes sparkled with happiness as Lucien concluded his speech. Of course, she had been looking forward to the lake ever since it was mentioned in the trailer right before recruiting Geralt. Having a party on top of that was so exciting! She had heard about them before, but had never really attended one. She was excited to see what it all entailed, and maybe she would have a chance to speak with Akane about it before they started moving. Some members of the troupe had had small celebrations for what they referred to as "birthdays", but at the time, Cora had not been interested in attending due to her...nervousness around people. A couple of months ago, they had officially welcomed Cora with a small "party" when she'd begun performing with the troupe, but it had been quiet and small. If everyone, including the workers were invited, she had no doubt this would be the true party she had heard about.

"Oh, this sounds wonderful!" she shouted, unable to contain herself. "I can't wait!" she looked over her shoulder and smiled at Akane once more, placing her thin pale hand over her friend's and giving it a squeeze to show her excitement.

Illyana could not help but smile a little as she saw Cora's reaction to this. It had taken a good amount of time for her to be comfortable interacting with them, and now she was really coming out of her shell. Illyana could sense her heightened excitement in her aura, and was thankful that she was far enough away that it would not effect her mentally. Cora's psychic abilities were quite powerful, but they were just starting to show themselves. Illyana was excited to see where they would take her once she was truly comfortable with them.

[xivyxx]

Lucien smiled as he saw how excited some of the members were to be having this party, even the carnies seemed to have brightened in mood. He was glad for it, as this was what he hoped to achieve from this little get together. This would be the first time Cora would be able to enjoy a full blown get together, considering the previous one hadn't been nearly as large, so he hoped that the mermaid would also get to enjoy herself this time around.

"It's a bit of a tradition of ours, I do hope that you'll be able to enjoy yourself." He told Geralt, before looking back at the others.

"Once everything is packed up, I'll show the drivers the map so we all know how to get there, just in case. We've got only a little bit to go, so let's get this packed up." He said, clapping his hands. The carnies were quick to go off to put their pay away, and then they would begin to take things down as usual.

"We're going to make sure everything in Cora's trailer is secured!" She had been drinking the coffee as Lucien spoke. The heat of it didn't really bother her too much, considering. "Thank you for the coffee, Geralt." She told him with a smile, before extending her hand for Cora to take and then pulling her along toward her trailer. Since they didn't want to get in the way of the carnies, they decided to just drink it over there.

"I suppose I'll go get ready as well." Ivory said, holding the dark blue pouch Lucien had given her. There were a lot more things among her trailer that she had to make sure wouldn't be falling off the walls during their drive. Aurel took his leave as well, leaving only him, Illy, and Geralt.

It was then the ringleader turned his attention back to the magician. "Geralt, can you drive? If not, I can have a carnie drive your trailer for you. Some people prefer to drive themselves, others prefer to stay inside their trailers during the drive, so it's really up to you." He told the man. Most of the trailers were driven in pairs. His trailer, along with Ivory and Cora's, had trucks attached to them. Cora's trailer held a lot, so her's was usually pulled on its own. Akane's trailer was attached to Ivory's, even though the kitsune typically road with Cora during their journeys. Illyana's was attached to his, and Aurel's trailer was attached to the old R.V. that was used as Faolan's trailer, which was now completely covered up in a black tarp. Since Geralt now held the trailer that used to belong to their acrobats, his stood with it's own respective truck.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt and the others stepped out of the way as Lucien directed the carnies to taking down the mess area. Before doing so, the magician snatched up two pieces of toast and disappeared them in his grasp. He smiled over at Aurel, standing next to him and said, "For the road."

As the troupe members began to disperse, Illyana stepped away from Lucien as well, saying, "I've got some things to wrap up as well, see you at the lake." She flashed a small smile, making sure to avoid lingering on Geralt.

The Magician had just pulled a flask out of nowhere and was just unscrewing the lid, his long dexterous fingers working at it while he held it in the same hand. He paused in this when Lucien turned toward him, and after a beat, slowly began twisting the cap back the other way. "Just in the nick of time..." he chuckled and closed his fist, the flask disappearing inside of it. "I wouldn't mind driving at all, if you point me in the right direction." He smiled, though it was somewhat strained.

You best hope no one else notices the shake in your hand...the sweat on your brow...Magician. The voice spat.

It was true that Geralt's addictive personality often lead him to overindulge in vices. His dark passenger was capable of diminishing the symptoms of this abuse, but his whims were his own, and they were hardly ever happy with each other. This was his form of revenge for Geralt's passivity with the troupe at the moment. It was no matter, he had learned to ignore it over the years.

[xivyxx]

Lucien nodded to Illyana, before turning back to Geralt. He raised an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing as Geralt put away his flask. He wasn't about to condemn the man for drinking, as long as he wasn't doing it on the road.

"Of course, I will gather everyone before we go to show them the direction. Normally following each other is no issue, but one never knows." He said, quickly finishing the last of his coffee before he walked over and took the two remaining croissants. He needed at least some form of nourishment for the morning after his long night.

With that settled, everyone remaining dispersed to get out of the carnies' way as they began to take apart the mess area. Lucien bid his adieu and went back to his trailer to secure some last minute things, before heading back out and doing some final overseeing before everything had eventually been put properly away. He gathered the drivers to give them instruction to their next location, before everyone scattered once more to head to their respective trucks. The Ringleader wasn't nearly as busy as last time, so he actually had time to drive his own trailer. He waited for Illy to join him before he gave the signal, and they finally hit the road.

The travel was not incredibly long, but for Lucien it was silent. Illyana was buried in her book throughout the entire drive, and while Lucien might have been willing to make small talk with her, he knew exactly what it was she was doing, and he figured she wouldn't want to talk about it further. It was.. unfortunate really. He felt the atmosphere between them used to be much more relaxed. He really hoped that Illyana would end up letting this go, or at least easing up a little about it.

The lake was only about fifty minutes out from town. They were lucky this had been a fairly isolated area, as it was much easier to do what they had to do without worry of regular people spotting them. Regardless, Lucien was never too careful. They stopped about five minutes from their destination, as some of the other carnies motioned the line of cars to stop. Lucien called Alex and James forward, who were in charge of their smaller truck.

"Could you two drive ahead and scout the area?" He asked them. They were quick to nod.

"Aye boss, we'll be back in a jiffy." Alex said before they drove off ahead. This was normal for them. He always wanted to make sure the coast was clear before they went, considering Cora always loved to make the most of her time at the lake or rivers they would stop at. Upon their return, he was reassured that there was no one around.

"Alright. Alex, when we get a good distance from the lake, come take over for me will you?" He asked, smiling slightly in the direction of Cora's trailer before getting back into his trailer to continue on their way. At this Alex nodded, before running off back to the truck he was in charge of.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt lingered while Lucien remained near the mess area, making sure his assistance wasn't required before moving off to his trailer. He'd have to make sure everything was secure as well if he would be in the separated truck/cockpit of the vehicle.

Lucien's directions were easy enough for everyone to follow, and once all were ready, they moved along. The train of vehicles left a huge cloud of dust in their wake, but not much else. Just like that, Cirque D'étoiles had vanished.

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

Illyana busied herself by reading beside Lucien as they drove. At first, the tension in the car was distracting to her, but she ignored it for long enough that it faded from her mind. She knew that the Ringleader was aware of her activities and that her apparent concern over Geralt's presence seemed unnecessary, but she wasn't willing to speak with him about it until she had something solid to present. It was clear to her that he was not seeing him in the same way, and would need more than words and suspicions to convince him. She knew this was Lucien's way, he never wanted to think badly about anyone until they had proven their malicious intent to him firsthand. The situation with Ivory's mother was enough to show her that this aspect of his personality ran very deep. Either way, Illyana was sure that eventually Geralt would show his true colors. She just had to make sure someone was there to see it.

She almost didn't notice when they arrived, she had been so absorbed in her book. She was halfway through a tome about the occult when the truck came to a halt. She watched Lucien give direction to the carnies. She continued to read while they did so, but snapped out of it again when she heard Lucien's words outside.

When he climbed back in to the truck, she closed her book in her lap and looked over as the truck roared to life once more. She knew what Lucien was planning to do, as he had done it a couple times in the past when they'd decided to take Cora to rivers and lakes. This time would be more risky, with their new member to watch all of the Ringleader's movements, and Illyana thought it prudent to remind him of this. "Are you sure about...you know." She said, nodding towards his shoulders. She knew he would pick up her meaning.

[xivyxx]

Lucien glanced down at Illyana as she spoke, knowing exactly what Illyana was referring to. Honestly for a moment he had forgotten about the fact Geralt was now with them.. but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hold back just because of that. He was about to find out Cora was a mermaid anyway, did it really matter if he found out what he was? Everyone knew already, and honestly this had become a little tradition for him.

Flying Cora over to the lake had come to be something the mermaid really enjoyed. It wasn't everyday that one got to fly, and the opportunity with reason was rare.

"I don't see why not. He'll find out one way or another, and Cora really enjoys this. I see no reason to hide just because he is here. This circus is supposed to be a place where we can all be ourselves, you know that." His tone wasn't reproachful in anyway, he just wanted Illyana to understand.

"Plus.. I hardly get the chance to do it nowadays." He said with a small sigh as they continued on the road, a hint of nostalgia in his tone. Since they had started this circus, the reasons or circumstances for Lucien to be able to fly had become rare. He was always so busy, and the night of break he took he technically spent healing. Unless he decided to go out for a 'walk' into a nearby forest to fly around, there wasn't really a reason to do so. It was unfortunate really. While he regretted nothing of their current situation, he missed the days where they had mostly spent their days in nature and he was able to fly as he pleased. While Illy had never really been a fan of doing it, as a kid Aurel had always enjoyed the experience.

[FreckersFrog]

Illy could sense Lucien's aura becoming distressed as he explained, and slowly her face began to fall. She knew that he wasn't scolding her, but part of her felt like he needed to impress his reasoning for the both of them. She felt bad for asking, but she needed to be sure that he knew what he was doing before he did it. She trusted Lucien with her life, but he often sacrificed his own best interests for others. Part of her was glad to hear he would be doing this for himself, though. Herself, Aurel, and Lucien had all spent too many days being sad these past four years...

"I'm sorry..." she said, casting her eyes to the floor. "I think it's a good idea...this day is supposed to be bright for all of us." She forced a smile over at him, but felt that it was at least partially genuine. Though she was worried, she knew they all needed a little break from the negative that had been weighing them all down lately.

[xivyxx]

Lucien shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for, Illy. Lift your gaze. I know you have my best interest at heart." He told her with a small smile, before reaching out and placing a hand on top of her head.

"I'm sure it will be. Try to enjoy yourself as well. We all need a break, including you." He told her, before placing his hand back on the wheel.

Finally they neared the lake, and Lucien signaled for the train of trucks to stop. They always had to make sure to stop a decent distance from the lake, because when they emptied out the water for Cora's tank, Lucien didn't want the water flowing into it, and instead put it out into the forest where the trees could make use of it. He left the trailer, and Alex was already running over to take his place. He got out of the car, and gave Alex a smile as he replaced him at the wheel.

With that, Lucien turned around and sprouted his wings and flew up into the air as he made his way over to Cora's trailer. The skylight had already been opened, and Lucien gracefully landed at the edge of the opening, wings fluttering behind him. It really did feel good to have them out again. It seemed that Akane and Cora had taken this time to try to clean as much as the tank as they could for the emptying of this. Akane had already handed Cora a robe to wear. Lucien smiled down at them, and extended a hand toward Cora as he bowed slightly in her direction.

"Shall I take you for a flight, my lady?" He said with a small wink.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana couldn't help but return Lucien's smile as he comforted her. Despite everything that was going on with Geralt, she knew that the pain in him had not faded even a bit since that morning four years ago...She needed to remind herself that he was burying it, even now, and that he needed to smile more than anyone.

Her smile remained as she left the book closed in her lap, then turned her face out of the open window to gaze at the surroundings. While she did prefer the pursuits of the mind over all else, she did appreciate nature as well. Aurel and Faolan had taught her about its power and its beauty, and she was always reminded of the old days when they went camping like this.

Once they had found their stopping point, Illyana waited until Alex had taken the wheel, then turned out the window again as the train paused. She breathed in the fresh air, excited to see the light sparkling on the water.

Geralt had succumbed to vice on the road, taking sips from his flask as they drove to steady the shake in his hands. He felt better, now that the hair of the dog was in him, and was pleased to roll the window down and let the wind tousle his hair. As long as Lucien wasn't around to see him disheveled, he didn't mind.

They only stopped twice during the drive, both scheduled. Lucien had informed him that they would scout around the lake to be sure they were alone before setting up camp, as places like that could be popular with tourists during busier seasons. He assumed they were in the clear when the train started moving again. They stopped again to allow Cora's trailer to pull off of the side of the road, and this was when Geralt began to get somewhat antsy.

He was sitting behind the wheel, tapping his fingers against it and looking ahead to see what was going on. Lucien hadn't offered an explanation for this, and Geralt hadn't asked at the time. He wasn't too concerned with why Cora's trailer needed to be pulled off of the road before they arrived. With all of the supernaturals in this troupe, he was sure that all of them had their own unique needs anyway.

He was just starting to get annoyed when something caught his eye. The flash of white against the blue sky, a man with black hair...Lucien? Was he...flying?

The Magician's eyes went wide and he leaned forward over the wheel as Lucien left his eyeline. His hands began to shake once more as his heart rate increased, but this time not from withdrawal. No, there was no mistaking that beautiful, graceful form as it was carried through the air by two large, powerful, alabaster wings that sprouted from his back. His mouth dropped open in disbelief and a low grumbling growl of laughter permeated his brain.

A Nephilim...oh yes, the son of an Angel. This creature will tremble before our power. It's white wings will burn and shrivel until they are blackened with ash. Our master will rejoice with us, his envoys of shadow, and we will rewarded handsomely.

Geralt tried his best to ignore the voice, but its elation made it difficult. Still, both man and beast were enraptured by the sight they beheld. So much so, that Geralt opened the door and stepped out of the truck to get a better look. He watched Lucien land on the roof of Cora's trailer, kneel and reach inside what had to be a hatch of some kind.

Illyana, at the front of the line, caught movement in the side mirror and glanced up to see that Geralt had exited the truck, his eyes locked on the sky. She frowned and shook her head, watching him closely to see if he would give anything away. He didn't that she could see from here, and his lack of aura made it impossible for her to tell exactly what he was feeling, though she could see his mouth was at least slightly ajar. Part of her was pleased at his wonder, knowing how arrogant he was. It was nice to see him off balance for once.

Cora had been waiting the whole drive for this, and was patiently leaning on the edge of the tank, looking up at the sky through the open skylight in the roof of her mobile home. When Lucien arrived, her smile practically split her face as her heart exploded with glee. She flashed it to Akane before reaching up for the Ringleader's hand ans giggling with delight, "I thought you'd never ask, good sir."

Geralt watched everything unfold in complete awe as the voice cackled within him. He had finally tuned it out as it began to quiet, and he swallowed the lump in his throat as he watching Lucien pull Cora, soaking wet and dressed in only a robe, from the trailer. He cradled her in his arms and took flight once more, heading for the shimmer of water that was the lake.

After a beat, he jumped back into the driver's seat and turned the key as quickly as he could. He shoved the vehicle into gear and laid on the gas, breaking from the train and making a beeline for the lake. He had to see the rest of this unfold, he was unsure that he would get an opportunity to again.

[xivyxx]

Lucien's smile widened as he gently took hold of Cora's hand and pulled her up slightly, enough to place his other arm under her and quickly lift her out of her trailer.

"I'll see you at the lake Cora!" Akane called out with a wave. Lucien took to the air again, though this time went much higher as he securely held Cora in his arms. He flew over the tree's, letting the mermaid enjoy every minute of it until they finally reached the lake. Golden eyes scanned it, looking for the darker areas of the lake to make sure that Cora wasn't put anywhere shallow. Her chances to have fun with this were rare, so they always tried to make the most of it. He flew over the deepest area he could find, before glancing down at the woman in his arms.

"Are you ready?" He asked. The mermaid eagerly nodded, and then Lucien did as he always did. He tossed Cora into the air, and she elegantly flipped into the water below. He flew down toward the water and let out a small laugh, grabbing the robe she had discarded before he rose to the air once more.

"I hope you enjoy your swim, Cora!" He called out, before flying back toward the shore and gracefully landing on the ground. He folded the robe he held and set it near the shore for when it was time for Cora to return to them.

--

Ivory waited behind the wheel of the truck she drove as they made their stop. She had decided to drive her own trailer this time, since it was a nice change of pace. Lucien had been the one who taught her how to drive, it had.. certainly been an experience, but it had allowed Ivory more options in the future, now that she knew how to do it.

Her eyes trailed up into the sky as she saw Lucien come into view, wings in sight. She couldn't help but lean out a bit from the window, mostly because she wanted to try to see if she could spot Geralt. She knew that this was.. his and Cora's thing, but this time around she really hoped he might have held back. Geralt surely would show more interest in him after seeing such a thing. She'd just.. have to keep a better look out. Spotting the magician get out of the truck, while she could not see his face, she could tell the man was probably surprised. She let out a chuckle, mostly because she wished she could see what he actually looked like at the moment. Seeing him get back into his truck and speed off, Ivory let out an annoyed sigh. It was around then that the truck door opened and Akane came inside.

"I'm sorry about the seat!" She said, considering she was wet. Since Cora's trailer would remain behind for the emptying of the water, Akane didn't have to be back there anymore. Ivory stuck her hand out the window and motioned the other trucks forward, and followed suit, before shaking her head.

"It's fine, it'll dry." She responded.

The kitsune currently wore a dress more suited to the beach over her swimsuit she had already put on before she started helping Cora clean her tank. Ivory on the other hand wore a black, flower print dress that Akane had once convinced her to buy. It would be easier to move around in with the work they had in store, but the dhampir still had her cloak secured on her shoulders. She'd need it.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora took in the sights and sounds around her as Lucien flew over the field and towards the clear fresh water of the lake. Being a sea-dweller for the majority of her life, she had only gazed up at the sky with wonder and amazement. Some of her sisters back home had wings, but they were not strong enough to carry them over vast distances like Lucien's could, and served as better gliders than anything else. She had seen creatures she later learned were called "birds" sailing over the sea, and Lucien reminded her of them with his huge soft white wings.

Cold wind bathed her face and shoulders as she gripped the robe tightly about herself, breathing deeply of the fresh air. She could smell the sky and the trees and grass below, but mostly the water. As it drifted closer and closer, her smile grew larger and she felt her heart skipping beats in anticipation of swimming in the open again. Though she was more than happy to be with the troupe on land, she always found true happiness when she was she was held aloft in the embrace of open water. Though it was not like the sea, it was a good enough substitute for her, and served as a pleasant getaway from the cramped quarters of her tank and trailer.

She nodded to Lucien sagely when he reached the point where he would drop her, and felt herself go weightless as he let go. She twirled through the air, removing the robe she wore and letting it drift behind her. She wouldn't need clothing once she was underwater, where she truly belonged. There were a few seconds of deep cold, nothing she couldn't handle, and cracking dryness, before she broke the surface of the lake and was plunged into its depths.

She floated for a moment, her eyes closed, and listened to the sound of the water as it pushed into her ears, rushed into her gills, lapped against the shore. She felt its current flow through her, and she became one with it. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw the floor beneath her, the light shining down from above. She saw rocks and weeds, underwater plants, flowers, and even fish drifting by in the distance. After she had fully absorbed the environment around her, she dashed into the depths of the lake, twirling and spinning, rising and sinking, splashing...she felt so at peace and so elated at the same time. It was bliss.

Meanwhile, Geralt had gunned the accelerator on the trailer, trying to keep Lucien in sight as he rumbled over the grass field towards the edge of the water. He knew where he had been indicated to park earlier, and headed in that general direction, but had to veer off a bit to keep up with Lucien. Seeing him fly like that...it filled him with so many emotions that he did not have time to sort through them. The creature that shared his body was thrilled, buzzing with dark energy, and it threatened to overtake him.

Once he arrived, as close as he could get to his designated spot without loosing the Frenchman and his charge, he slammed on the breaks. The heavy vehicle slid a bit through the wet earth before coming to a stop. He threw it into park, killed the ignition and leaped from the seat to land in the mud. Normally, he would have been furious at the state of his wingtips, but he was too in awe of what he was seeing. He'd gotten out just in time to see the splash as Cora entered the lake. He stood there like a fool for a moment, pushing the hair away from his eyes as it swayed in the breeze, looking between the Ringleader and the surface of the lake. Lucien swooped down to grab the robe that the woman had discarded in her fall, then made his way toward the shore. Cora did not resurface.

The Magician heard the other vehicles approaching behind him, which snapped him out of his dumbfounded stare. He closed his mouth and straightened up, trying to flatten his hair and sharpen his clothes. He thought once about cleaning off his shoes, but knew it was futile. He'd have to do it once they were off.

He looked back up at Lucien and spared himself one final moment before the rest of the circus arrived. He really did look so much like her...so elegant and beautiful, untouchable. His hair, his lips, the shape of his eyes, his hands, his pale and perfect skin...

He shook his head as he saw the man land, then boldly strode toward him, noting once more that Cora had not surfaced. He approached him as he was straightening from setting the robe down on the shore. "Lucien!" he called, quickening his pace to a light run as he reached the final few steps, "That was..." He struggled to find the right word, "Spectacular." He paused for a moment as he looked into the Frenchman's face, a little of the awe still slipping off of him. He shook his head again, got a hold of himself, and his expression returned to the one Lucien would recognize. "A little warning would have been...welcomed." he said, chuckled to keep his tone lighthearted. He was sure Lucien was expecting him to be at least a little shaken by what he had seen. Even knowing that the circus was full of supernatural creatures...to see a man with the wings of an angel was still an awesome thing to behold.

[xivyxx]

Lucien heard the loud ignition of a truck. That was certainly sooner than he had expected. He turned around as he heard Geralt call out to him, and pulled his wings in slightly against his back, but didn't put them away. He wanted to at least make the most of this chance to have them out freely. Golden eyes trailed across the man's expression, noting his awe, and he couldn't help but smile amusingly. It wasn't a look he was used to seeing on the man. It seemed he realized that, however, and pulled himself together.

"Thank you." He said, before letting out a lighthearted laugh. "Now what would be the fun in that? You seem like the kind of man who does a lot more surprising, forgive me for wanting to.. steal the limelight for a moment?" He said jokingly, eyes trailing back to the lake for a moment. It was likely that Cora was very much enjoying herself right now, and he was glad for it. He retained his smile as his gaze shifted past Geralt to the approaching trucks, aside from Cora's at least. Right now the carnies were in the process of emptying the tank.

"I'm sure today will be filled with few more number of surprises." He added, considering he had not yet seen Cora. It would be interesting to see how Geralt would react to that.

[FreckersFrog]

Geralt's smile widened effortlessly at Lucien's response. He was overjoyed to see the change in mood that the Ringleader's flight had offered. Was that a bit of flirtation he sensed in the Frenchman's tone...? This was welcomed more than anything.

He raised a hand, palm forward and shook his head, "Guilty as charged. I see even you can't deny the pleasure in a little role-reversal, hm?" he said coyly, raising an eyebrow. "I could never deny you the limelight, it's yours by right." he said, allowing himself to step a little closer to the Frenchman.

This motion caused him to catch sight of the water again, and a bit of curiosity distracted him from his current course. Cora had not surfaced. He heard Lucien's words and had a feeling that they were directed at this. "I have no doubt of that..." he said absently as he searched the water's placid surface. Not even the slight breeze was breaking the plasticine appearance of the water.

As he gazed over Lucien's shoulder, he caught sight of the beautiful white feathers of the wings on his back. He stared down at them and a surge of hunger rocked him. He fought the urge to lick his lips, his fingers twitching with anticipation. He wanted so badly to touch them, to feel his fingers sink deep into them and squeeze...

The remainder of the trucks, including Lucien and Illyana's arrived just as this conversation was coming to a close. Alex and his passenger exited the car, and headed in different directions. The diviner saw Geralt and Lucien speaking, noted their proximity, and headed for them. Before she reached them, she called ahead, forcing herself to smile to not seem so conspicuous, "Cora looked so happy, Lucien!"

[xivyxx]

Lucien held back a chuckle at Geralt's response. "Who knows." He responded, amusement clear in his tone.

"Outside of work hours I'm quite willing to share it." The Frenchman did not particularly put too much thought into his responses. He was in a good mood, and sometimes when that happened it was hard to think twice before speaking. Illyana's very much intentional interruption made him aware of that, and caused him to subtly step away from Geralt to face her. It was easy to get carried away sometimes.

"She did, didn't she? This why I enjoy doing this." He said with a bright smile as he looked back out into the water.

It had taken the other trucks a little longer to arrive, considering how fast Geralt had bolted, but Ivory parked the truck in the designated area and got out, Akane quickly following suit.

Akane ran toward the shore of the lake, but could not spot Cora. It seemed she was still underwater.

"Lucien can I join her until the truck gets here?" Akane asked.

The Ringleader nodded. "Of course. It will probably be a little bit before it's been completely cleaned." He said.

The kitsune wasted no time, quickly removing the beach dress she wore and tossing it aside, before running toward the water. The coldness of it didn't bother her in the least, as it was easy for her to adjust to it. Once she was deep enough she dove in, amber eyes beginning to scan for her friend.

As Aurel's truck arrived, the man stepped out of his trucks, and ushered all his snakes out. They were quick to disperse, eager to enjoy the nature of the forest. He smiled slightly before he moved over to the others. His eyes ventured to Lucien's wings for a moment, almost forgetting that this was something Lucien enjoyed doing on these days. How had Geralt reacted? Snake like eyes glanced over at the magician for a moment. He'd have to ask Illyana later.

Unlike the others, Ivory was in no hurry to head anywhere near the water, as she had no plans of going into it. Instead she walked over to a nearby tree and leaned against it, shielded from the sun, but also where she could be watchful of everyone.