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

[xivyxx]

Illyana was probably right. It was likely Geralt already knew about her, or at least suspected a psychic was involved. Part of him thought it was a good thing he was already familiar with gifted people, mostly because it would make his adjustment to the circus much easier. Then again, he shouldn't really have been surprised, considering his reaction to seeing Ivory's ability at work.

"I agree, it's probably for the best." He preferred things that way. After all he didn't want to put Illyana at risk. There was nothing more worrisome for him to see how she got when she was overwhelmed by her visions. As she pulled out the piece of paper, he leaned over to get a better look at it, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Six, Six, Six huh.. What a dark sense of humor he has." He commented, before picking up the flyer to get a better look. Now that he thought about it.. there was that thing he had said about his name that he never got to respond to.. not that he had wanted to anyway. Still, it wasn't like he could have given him a proper answer even if he had, considering he never got to meet either of his parents. He shook off the thought, and shifted his attention back to the flyer. It was dated around fifty years ago, just that fact was more than enough to prove this man wasn't human. Not that he had needed anymore evidence at this point. Perhaps he really was a warlock then. "He hasn't aged a bit. He looks exactly the same, arrogant smirk and all." He said before setting it down.

"Well, at the very least it doesn't seem like we will have to be giving him much of an explanation in regards to the supernatural world. That saves us a bit of trouble." He said, attempting to look at the bright side of things.

[xivyxx]

Akane nodded in agreement. "I am too!" She responded, her smile widening. "Oh I know about that! Lucien told me about it when I was showing him what he could do! People consider all sorts of weird things to be magic. The foxfire I have can totally be considered magic in a way! It's a super diverse thing! So I'm kind of curious to know what kind of special stuff this Geralt can do." She said.

It had been really interesting when she had seen the kinds of things the others could do when she first got here. She had been even happier to find out that her abilities could be of use in a place like this, and especially if it was possible to make people smile with them. It was something she had never really been able to do before, considering she couldn't really interact with humans much as a normal fox.

"You know, I think your beautiful singing voice can't be described as anything else but magical. I can't help but feel at ease when I hear it!" There had been plenty of times where she had asked Cora if she could sing so she had something to dance to when music wasn't available. It was one of the times she'd have the most fun with her.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana watched Lucien's reaction to the newspaper page and nodded at his revelation. Sick sense of humor indeed, although Illyana couldn't be sure if that had happened on purpose or out of sheer coincidence. The strangest things were often "happy accidents" in her experience. She felt vindicated to hear that this man was the very same that Lucien had seen the other night, this confirmed her theory that he wasn't multiple people at the very least.

"Yes. He's most likely well-versed. The aging probably has to do with his powers, I mean, you should know more than anyone that looks don't directly correlate with age, at least for people like you." She said, slightly hurried, then pointed to the photo on the page, "But there's one more thing, look at the cards." She let her finger fall on the array of cards that were floating between the magician's hands, specifically, the King of Hearts. And, floating just three cards over from it, the Ace of Spades. Also in the array were the Jack of Diamonds, King of Clubs, Queen of Hearts, Queen of Clubs and the Jack of Spades, and floating in the middle was the Joker.

Again, this could have been another coincidence. These two cards were some of the most famous and recognizable ones in a standard deck, and at this point, Illyana had no idea what the significance of the other cards were, or if it even mattered. If there was one more 'coincidences', however, Illy would have to begin ruling them out as "happy accidents".

[xivyxx]

Lucien chuckled slightly. "Yes, I can't really deny that. The aging of the supernatural is a fickle thing." He said, golden eyes shifting to the array of cards within the advertisement. He picked up the King of Hearts again, and placed it next to the flyer.

"I wouldn't consider this that strange. I mean.. if you were going to choose cards to place on an advertisement, you wouldn't choose something like the three of spades right? One would go with the cards that hold the most value in the game, or the most notable at the very least. It would be more eye-catching to the audience." He commented. These were the kinds of things Lucien had to learn when he first created this circus, considering they also had to make advertisements of their own. Knowing what people liked and what would be more likely to catch their attention was important in this kind of business.

"Still.. I assume he gave us these cards for a reason. Symbolism perhaps. Or he's simply playing a little game. It seems like the kind of person who would do such a thing." Considering he was a ringleader of the circus, the King was a card that could fit with his position, even though Lucien himself didn't view himself that way.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora considered Akane's explanation, then nodded. "Yes, I see what you mean now. I suppose a lot of things seem like magic to 'rubes'." That was a word she had heard around the camp, and Ivory had said it a couple of times. To her understanding 'rubes' was another word for 'normal humans', which were the type of landwalker that came to see their shows.

At Akane's next comment, Cora's pinkish cheeks deepened in color. "Oh!" She said, dropping her eyes to the floor, "Well...thank you, Akane, but I'm really nothing special. There were plenty of others with even more beautiful voices among my sisters. My matron was said to have the most beautiful song in the sea." She smiled brightly at this, she was very proud of this compliment. Although her matron, Selifina, had given birth to her, she had not passed down even a drop of her natural talent. Cora was very young when she returned to foam, the last of her matron's brood, but she had heard her voice and it had carried with her through the years. She had hoped to live up to this legacy, but now that she was on land, she wasn't sure that she ever would.

"Besides," she added after a beat, "I think your dancing is just magical! And no one even taught you how to do that, it came from inside." She clutched her hands to her chest to indicate her heart.

[xivyxx]

Akane nodded in agreement. "Most likely. That's probably why this Geralt guy is so seemingly popular? That makes me more excited to see what he can do!" She exclaimed. before reaching out and gently grabbing both of Cora's hands.

"Oh don't be silly. Even if you think your sister's voices are more beautiful, it doesn't make yours any less than theirs in my eyes. There's this thing humans like to say.. 'practice makes perfect?' I'm sure you'll be able to surpass them one day if you just keep at it! I'll dance to your beautiful songs any day!" She smiled just as brightly as her friend.

Her ears perked up upon receiving Cora's compliment. "Doesn't your singing come from the inside as well? I think depending on the feelings you put behind your song, it can change. It's the same with dancing too, and when Lucien plays the violin. Hearing you two play together is always so nice! It truly inspires my dancing." She wanted her friend to know just how special she was. She thought all of her friends here were special in their own way. She was truly happy to have found them.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana nodded, "You're not wrong. I'm not saying there's anything particular about the choice of cards...only making sure that we pay attention to it," she explained. It was not often that knowledge alluded Illyana, but given that she could find no specific shred of evidence to link Geralt to any supernatural existence or power troubled her. Usually, she could feel their energy the moment she saw them in a vision or they walked by her on the street. Geralt was different, entirely, in every way, and this is what specifically troubled her. She was not used to not knowing. Since she was young, it had been a foreign concept to her.

She eyed the card on the table and leaned away from it, almost instinctively. "Marker..." she whispered. It was something the card had given her when she'd touched it that was just swimming to the surface now. "I think, maybe the card is some kind of marker or...identification..." she said, a little louder so Lucien could hear. It was hard to explain what she was feeling, it wasn't exactly like the card was attached to Lucien, but it was related to him in some ways. Physically and...less so. She would need more time to decipher what had occurred.

[FreckersFrog]

Cora's eyes widened as Akane grabbed her hands, and she brought them up to meet the other girl's. She felt her heart pounding in her chest with each of Akane's words. She had always been so sweet and supportive, even before Cora had let her guard down, she had always felt most comfortable with the Kitsune. She had a way of making everything seem so lighthearted.

"Well, Akane...I don't know what to say..." She said, her cheeks hot. "But, you're right, it does come from inside. I'll sing for you any time." She smiled, closing her eyes and tilting her head. "Would you like me to sing for you now? While you practice?" She asked excitedly. She truly did love watching Akane's dances.

[xivyxx]

At Illyana's whisper, Lucien glanced back at her. He didn't doubt her words, there was most likely a reason that had come to her. He knew her powers worked in mysterious ways. "It's possible." He said simply. Honestly he didn't see the point in it, but there was no need to questioning her words. Maybe he would ask Geralt, just to see what the man would say. Even if he wasn't expecting a proper answer, he might at the very least be given a hint that could help Illyana figure things out.

"Considering the big mystery surrounding these cards.. I can't help but be curious. Do you mind if I ask what vision it gave you?" He asked, unsure if maybe what she saw could provide a different sort of hint.

[xivyxx]

Akane's smile widened. "I'm happy to hear that! I will also be happy to dance for you whenever you wish!" It was something the Kitsune had truly come to enjoy. She had always been curious about her when she had first came here, and had hoped she could help the mermaid adjust, considering she also knew what it was like to have to adjust to a completely different life than she was used to.

At her question, Akane nodded eagerly. "Oh I would love that! Maybe it'll help me come up with a new part to this dance!" She really wanted to play her part in this show, knowing that it was their second time coming here, she didn't want to disappoint anyone. Now knowing they were in a tough situation only further encouraged her to do her best.

She stepped away from Cora toward the center of her room so she could dance more freely. She lifted her arms above her head in a starting pose, and as soon as Cora's beautiful voice began to echo through her trailer, she began her elegant dance.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana was pulled out of her thoughts by Lucien's next question. Her cheeks reddened slightly as the vision flashed before her eyes again. "It was..uhm...short." She struggled with the words, never having been in a romantic situation herself, she sometimes became flustered when asked to describe them. Reading these scenes, seeing them, and speaking of them aloud were three very different activities.

"You were in it...with Geralt. He was...close," she kept her eyes on the table as she spoke, trying not to look at Lucien for fear of completely breaking down from nervousness. "He leaned into you, and then I saw his arm behind his back. And that was it." She finished quickly, hoping this would be enough for the Ringleader and she wouldn't have to go into detail.

[xivyxx]

Lucien raised his eyebrows slightly as Illyana struggled to explain the vision. Her reaction to it made him slightly regret having asked. If it had been truly important, he knew she wouldn't have hesitated to tell him. When she finally got the words out, Lucien was caught off guard. Despite her lack of detail, it wasn't too hard to figure out what it entailed. His cheeks reddened ever so slightly and he quickly cleared his throat, looking away from her. It had certainly been unexpected.

"O-Oh.. I see.." He said, taking a moment before he spoke up again. "Well.. I know not all visions are set in stone. I'll be er.. sure to be careful." He stopped there, feeling saying anymore might be a little embarrassing. Honestly he didn't see it happening. Lucien wasn't interested in the man.. and considering his own circumstances he wasn't planning to accept any of his advances, which he was sure the man would make, considering he hadn't hesitated in previously invading his personal space already. Still, the last thing she said was the one thing he actually wanted to inquire further about.

"You said his arm was behind his back? Was he holding anything?" He asked. Considering the.. intent, he found it a little odd, but it was possible he was just overthinking. Regardless, he wasn't planning to let the man get too close. He didn't want him to get any ideas.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana kept her eyes averted for the rest of the conversation, her leg bouncing slightly in her nervousness. Lucien was right, her visions were never set in stone, they were more like...guidelines for what to expect. This one in particular felt less like it was a solid future-occurrence and more symbolic.

"It was more like a warning than anything else...it might not mean anything specific." She muttered quietly, trying to calm herself by bringing the conversation back to more logical topics and out of the realm of romance.

At Lucien's question, she glanced at him but did not make eye contact, then shook her head. "I couldn't tell, it was just odd posture. It drew my attention, if that makes sense," she said, then shrugged.

[xivyxx]

Lucien simply nodded in agreement. He didn't think it meant that much either. Considering the.. invitation he and Ivory had received, if that was the feeling Geralt had at the time then he figured it wasn't that odd that the card had given Illyana that type of vision. He shook off the thought, not wanting to think too much about that anymore.

"Yes, it does." He said. It was an odd posture to have when you were.. trying to kiss someone, at the very least, but he doubted there was much more to deconstruct from this vision, so he decided to change the subject. "Well, I'll be sure to keep it in mind. In the meantime, I suggest you go rest up a little more before we do the show, considering that vision hit you quite hard, just in case." Even if she seemed alright now, Lucien couldn't help but worry, especially because she might be having to foresee things later with her clients.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana nodded, finally feeling the fire fading from her cheeks. She took another sip of water before standing, and made her way to the door. She took the handle, but before leaving turned back to Lucien. "I know you already know this, Lucien. Just...watch yourself around him, okay?" She had no doubt that Lucien could take care of himself, but she knew he was more concerned with the safety of the troupe than his own well-being. He may not see the danger coming if he was too busy looking after everyone else. It would be up to Illyana and the others to watch out for him.

She pulled the door open, then turned back one final time, "A circus is nothing without its Ringleader." She said, smiling through the fatigue as she exited the trailer.

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

Eventually, the sun began to set, and after all of the preparations for the show had been made, the troupe was ready to begin. The carnies had finished setting up the Ferris Wheel, games, and the string lights, the Talkers had touted the show about town and were setting up in front of various attractions to call visitors to their tents and trailers, and the performers had all prepared for the nights events. There was a short line of people waiting in line to enter, having purchased their tickets from the talkers in town, but it was not nearly the turnout they needed from Graston to keep moving. There were some headlights on the road approaching the valley, but there was no telling whether or not those lights were headed towards them or not.

Illyana stood, in full garb, next to Lucien a little ways away from the front gate. The two were hidden from view by a truck, but they had a view of the road and of the gathering outside. Illyana did not look herself, as her performance demanded that certain stereotypes be upheld. She was wearing a long dress made of a thin light material, with a black shawl wrapped around her shoulders, and a purple bandanna tied around her forehead. She wore dark eye makeup that made her look older and gave her a mysterious appearance, and Ivory had helped her paint her nails and apply rogue as well. She hated wearing "stage makeup", but it always drew a bigger crowd to pretend to be a wandering gypsy. Considering they were in more need than ever, she wasn't going to complain.

She had her arms crossed over her chest and tapped her toes in suspense as she watched the road, sending up little dust clouds with every impact. They had been waiting for nearly and hour to see if Geralt would show, but he hadn't yet appeared. Illyana began to wonder if he would show at all, and had done everything in her power to stop herself from biting her nails in anticipation. The show would start soon, they couldn't wait much longer.

"He'll come." She said quietly, more as a reassurance to herself than anything else. She could tell that Lucien was holding back his annoyance at having to stand there and wait this long, but Illyana was a little surprised that he wasn't more upset. That was Lucien though, always the optimist. It was part of his charm, and not needlessly, it oftentimes helped Illy herself be less anxious. In this case, she was unsure if there was anything that could make her feel better.

[xivyxx]

Lucien appreciated and understood Illy's concern for him. He gave her a reassuring smile as she made her way over to the door. The words she left him with caused his smile to widen a little.

"And a Ringleader is nothing without his troupe." He said mostly to himself. Lucien knew that the others were also worried about him. After all, the nephilim was very well aware of the kind of person he was. He wanted to look out for all of them, and he was definitely more concerned on their behalf than his own. There was a time long ago where he was the one that needed to be protected, but things weren't like that anymore. The roles were switched, and he'd be sure to take care of them all, no matter what.

--

Ivory sat in in front of the vanity in her trailer, finishing the last touches on her stage makeup. Normally, the dhampir was not a fan of it, and hardly ever wore it. It was a personal choice, considering how much her own mother had tended to overuse it for her little 'outings'. She preferred to have a subtle amount, something that would make her natural beauty pop, over covering it all up. A little of eye-shadow here and a but of lipstick there. It was enough. Her nails had been painted a powdered blue, same as the color of certain parts of her dress. Honestly, this entire look was quite the opposite of the woman's personality. She wasn't 'girly' in the least, and wasn't even all that interested in her own appearance, yet here she was, in a tight corset, in a brightly colored dress that most certainly showed off her curves. When Lucien had first commented on it he said the style of it made her look almost like a fairy. She had thought it very amusing, considering it was a complete contrast to what she really was. The irony of it had made her decide to continue to wear it for her performances. She had a few others to use, depending on what the mood of the show was, but this one was her go to.

Once she was ready, she headed out toward her performance tent, to wait until it was her turn to go on.

--

Aurel had already gotten ready for the show. He was deciding which snakes he was going to take with him today. If he recalled correctly.. the last time he had taken Jade, Ebony, and Cinnamon, his Rosy Boa. Maybe this time he should go with something more.. out there? He usually didn't take his venomous snakes out, mostly because they weren't as big fans of the large audience, but he asked them this time if they would be okay with it, mostly because he felt that the 'risk' factor it would appear to have could attract a bigger audience.

"If.. thiss would help you.. then we will do it.." Bengal hissed. This was his European Aspis.. the snake that had been with him from the very beginning, and taught him everything he knew.

"I ssuppose it's alright.." Coral piqued in.

"I'll go too." Ginger spoke.

The man smiled at his snakes. "Thank you.. I promise I'll find you guys a good meal today after the show!" He exclaimed, before allowing he snakes to crawl up his arms. He had to admit Ginger was a bit heavy to carry around in comparison to the other two but, it was worth the effort. He wanted to do his best tonight.

--

Akane had practiced for hours with Cora before it had finally neared the time for her to get ready. The fox never really had to go out of her way to wear any makeup for her performances, because usually she wore her fox mask during her dance. It saved her the trouble, considering she wasn't nearly as good at it as Ivory was, and she felt bad asking considering she knew she already helped Illyana get ready. Cora's song had inspired some new moves for her to implement this performance, so she was excited to try it out. Once they were finished, she took Cora back to her tank so she could also be ready for tonight.

"Good luck Cora! I'll see you later!" The kitsune called out before heading over to her performance tent.

The outfit she wore was a little more revealing than her standard Japanese outfit, but the kitsune didn't really care, after all, much like Cora, the concept of clothes had been foreign to her before she had come to this circus. It gave her a larger freedom of movement, and it was bright red, just like her hair. It was what made her stand out against the blue flames that accompanied her dance. It seemed that human males liked this kind of thing, which worked out in her favor, after all she wanted people to come see her, so she could help out financially as much as she could.

"Here's to another successful performance!" Akane exclaimed to herself.

--

Lucien leaned against the truck he and Illyana were next to. Some performances were about to begin, and the nephilim was becoming impatient. Inwardly, he was quite frustrated. Sure, he had not given Geralt a specific time to show up, but at the time he didn't think he had to. If the man decided to not show, then it was because he either hadn't been ready to perform, or he simply did not care enough to make it to the first day. He wouldn't have put it past him if it was the latter. Part of him hoped he did show up today, mostly because he felt it would be more impactful to the next days that followed if word got around that Geralt the Great had come to perform. He hoped the man was simply late because he was 'brushing up' on his skills as he had put it, though part of him fully doubted that. The last thing he wanted was to go pay him another visit if he didn't show up today. Regardless, this situation would give him a little further insight on the type of man he was, and well.. the amount of responsibility he had.

Outwardly, he was trying not to show how annoyed he was, after all, he didn't want to worry Illyana further.

"He will." Lucien said, crossing his arms. "Despite how hard he was to read, I did think he was interested. He's probably just fashionably late. He seems like the kind of man who'd want to make an entrance." He said with a small sigh.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana nodded in response to Lucien's observation. From all of their descriptions of the man, plus Ivory's reaction to him, she was guessing that he was quite overconfident. Being the type of operation they were, there shows really were not the place for arrogance or "show stealing". They performed to stay alive, to keep moving, keep searching...and helping others like themselves have a place to stay and feel safe. There was no room for selfishness on this level, but, desperate times called for desperate measures.

They waited a few moments more, right up until the talkers were going to start letting people in, when a pair of headlights peeled from the main road and started heading in their direction. It could have been another car full of customers, or so Illyana hoped as the lot had started to dwindle. She was about to pass it off as such, when she realized it was not heading for where the other cars were parked, and was making a B-line straight for the two of them.

"Lucien, do you...see that?" She pointed it out. After she asked, she realized how dull that question had been, the headlamps were pointing straight at them.

He nodded in response, but his posture did not change.

The car made it's way through the crowd of patrons, jolting when it had to weave through people and cars, then came to a halt a mere twenty feet from them. There were two occupants, and the passenger door swung open to reveal their long-awaited new member.

He left the car gracefully, in one smooth motion, as he did all things. His eyes were locked on Lucien even before he exited the vehicle, and they flicked toward the girl at his side briefly, not that they could see that from this distance. He was dressed in a black suit and white shirt, unbuttoned to the hem of a dark gray vest. He carried a single briefcase in his right hand and his spotless wingtips waltzed across the dusty floor like he was walking on air. He strode toward the pair, but before he could get far, a woman's voice called out from the driver's seat.

"Geralt, wait!" She cried, and flung the door open before she ran to him, her southern-French accent carrying over the night air.

He paused, but did not turn toward the woman as she came to him. He wanted desperately to roll his eyes, but thought that may be a bad impression to make on the mousy girl that stood next to her Ringmaster. The woman flung her arms around Geralt's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Her voice was muffled, but they exchanged a few words, and he kissed her on the cheek before sending her on her way. A wedding band flashed in the beam of the headlights as she turned away from him, tears glistening on her cheeks.

Geralt continued his approach as his valet backed out and turned the car around to leave. He wanted to show just how committed he was to their new...relationship. He came to a stop in front of the two, a confident smirk plastered onto his devilishly handsome features. "My apologies for the delay, I was...unexpectedly detained."

[xivyxx]

Lucien followed Illyana's gaze to the car she had been referring to, and simply nodded. Just from the direction it was headed he had already known their member had arrived before he had gotten out of the car, but it didn't ease his frustration in any way. He had stepped away from the truck he was leaning against, and allowed his arms to fall to his side, standing slightly in front of Illyana. His eyebrow twitched in further irritation as the woman had left the car. Seeing the wedding band and hearing the woman's clear French accent only caused him to shake his head. Geralt really was a philanderer, and the fact he had most likely been late for that reason only irked the ringleader further. Lucien wasn't here to play games, and he wasn't planning to allow this man to do as he wanted.

"Seemingly so. Try not to let it become a habit, Geralt. We have a schedule to keep." He said, glancing down at his watch.

"Well, considering you didn't show up early enough for us to go over your performance. You can feel free to watch the others or I can have someone guide you to your trailer. We can go over things after the show, or tomorrow, whichever you'd prefer." He did well in hiding his irritation, but his tone was stern. Clearly he was displeased with the fact that he had been late, but he didn't want to waste too much time here either. He also had a job to do.

[FreckersFrog]

Illyana knew at once that every suspicion she had about Geralt was absolutely true. He was arrogant, if nothing else, but suave, graceful, and charismatic. If the reaction of the woman who dropped him off was any example of his sway over people, she had no doubts about his ability to draw a crowd. Illyana studied him intently as he approached them, trying to "read" him, although this was harder for her without physical contact, but she knew that was not a risk she should take right now. For the first time, she found a person to be a complete enigma. He had no aura, which was not impossible but extremely rare, especially for someone with his ability. As she studied his form, she caught movement in the corner of her eye as the car behind him pulled away and the light shifted. His shadow...it was not his own.

As she got closer, she instinctively stepped closer to Lucien, grateful that he had come between them despite his desire to be polite. She said nothing, and simply waited, seeing if there was anything else she would spot before their brief interlude was done.

Geralt blinked several times in surprise at Lucien's words, and tilted his head as he responded, "Oh, dear, Lucien, you're not cross with me are you? My deepest apologies, I can assure you, it will not happen again." He bowed low, dramatically, but somehow not comically. Everything he did was intentional, practiced, as if he had done this all before a hundred times and perfected his technique. When he looked up, he locked eyes with Illyana and could see her shudder from the impact of his gaze. Here was their little detective...and a gypsy at that.

"Oh, but how rude of me. Lucien, introduce me to this charming creature. I assume she is your resident Diseur de Bonne Aventure?" He leaned to the side, toward Illyana and reached out to take her hand.

Seeing his intention, Illyana stepped back, her hands conveniently tucked underneath her shawl. She nodded and dropped her eyes to the floor. Prolonged eye contact with Geralt was causing her some trouble, she could feel a headache coming on. "I am Illyana Brewer, Madame Illynova to my patrons. And there is no need for introductions, Mr. Wagner, I already know all about you." She glanced up at him briefly, but did not hold his gaze. The spotlight of his attention was beginning to make her dizzy. This would certainly take some getting used to.

"Mm..." Geralt raised and eyebrow and leaned away in response, it was clear she was not comfortable with contact just yet. He would have to give this one some time to warm up. "Well, hopefully not everything... Mystery is my trade, my dear, I would hate to ruin the surprise." He let the moment between them linger before looking back up at Lucien.

"But, monsieur, I hope you are playing with me. I came with the full intention of putting on a wonderful show tonight," he stepped back and raised his arms, showing off his suit and stature, "I hope the lack of top-hat doesn't alarm you, I wouldn't want to...steal your thunder." He glanced at Illyana and winked, before returning his gaze to his new master.

[xivyxx]

Lucien's expression did not change at Geralt's apology. Honestly, he couldn't even tell whether his apology was sincere or not. "I certainly hope that is the case. Punctuality is important to us here. The last thing we want is to disappoint our audience by not starting a show on time." This was true, there had not been even one occasion in which a show had not started at its appointed time, and he planned to keep things that way.

Seeing his gaze shift to Illy, he followed it briefly, but didn't have to do any of the actual introductions as Illyana handled it herself. He could clearly see being around the man made her uncomfortable, so he stayed a subtle distance between them. He knew the last thing Illyana wanted right now was to touch him. He was glad Geralt had backed off before he had to step in to direct his attention away from Illy.

The ringleader's expression shifted to that of surprise at hearing Geralt had intention to perform. He was clearly not happy about letting this happen without knowing what he had in store, but denying him the right to perform would most likely only hurt them. After all he had wanted him to perform tonight. It would have more impact if he was here from the very beginning as opposed to showing up on the second day. Strategically speaking, if he didn't perform, then they really would only be relatively repeating their past visit. As much as he didn't like it, he did not believe Geralt would put on anything less than a good show. It just wouldn't be like him. That much he was sure of.

"I would highly appreciate if you were to discuss these kinds of things with me ahead of time from now on." He let out a heavy sigh. "You can wear whatever is the most suited to you for your performances. I do not own the right to top hats." His tone had eased a little, seeing no need to allow himself to stay in a soured mood. Lucien turned his head in the direction of the performance tents. Luckily he had already prepared the man's tent ahead of time, knowing it would be needed sooner or later. He liked to be prepared for anything.

"Despite the.. rocky start, I will decide to put my faith in you, Geralt. Follow me, I shall show you to your performance tent. Illy, you should get going too, it's nearing your time as well." He told her, giving her an excuse to leave so she didn't have to stick around Geralt any longer.