FreckersFrog

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Again, Faolan could not understand almost any of the conversation between Lucien and the boy. He thought he may have caught something about a trap and the next day, but he couldn't be sure. He focused his attention of driving instead, watching for the sign that would lead them to the turnoff they needed.

When Lucien joined him in the passenger seat, he glanced at him out of the corner of an eye, but otherwise kept his eyes on the road. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lip as he felt Lucien's hand on his own, but he did not respond in kind. It was best for him to watch the road.

"Yeah...we did," he said, though his voice was a little strained. Of course he trusted Lucien, but the full weight of what the two of them had done was beginning to sink in. Faolan remembered the day he had agreed to travel with the Frenchman, and the fear and trepidation that went along with that decision. At the time, he had figured that the young man would stick around for a few months, a year at best, before he decided to settle somewhere or move along on his own. Never would he have dreamed that the two of them would still be together all these years later, that they would be...lovers. He would not change that decision for anything in the world...but this was different. He didn't know the first thing about interacting with a child, and now the boy was living with them for the foreseeable future. What if he decided to stay with them? He couldn't be more than ten or eleven at best, and he looked younger than that due to his slight build. This meant another mouth to feed, someone else to clothe...and who would teach him? They couldn't exactly enroll him in school due to their lifestyle, and Faolan was no educator. He could see Lucien doing it, but when would he have time? Who would be responsible for the boy while the two of them were working? Would they ever get to be alone together again?

All of these questions and more were swirling around in Faolan's mind like a hurricane. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter and the leather creaked under the force of his grasp.

Instead of this question, he nodded back toward the child and asked, "He have a name?" It was all he could manage right now.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt had to stop his jaw from falling to the floor at Ivory's words. Was that a shred of a positive thought she had shared? He looked at her with his eyebrows raised instead. Though it was not exactly a compliment, it was still the closest to praise he had heard from the vampiress since his arrival to the troupe. Had she seen his hand, and still raised? No...not yet, it was too early for her to know enough about him to assume his little game. Still...there was something...gratifying about it.

"Please, Miss Ivory, I am but an open book. You only need to turn the page to find out what you need to know." He said, tiling his head toward her and blinking coquettishly.

Cora's eyes softened slightly at Lucien's explanation, and even more when she saw Geralt was still smiling at her. So, she hadn't necessarily broken the rules after all, and hadn't offended anyone either, that was a relief. She could be quite "crass" sometimes, as Lucien had said, because she hadn't yet mastered her manners. Humans were curious creatures about that.

Geralt tapped the side of his nose and returned his gaze to the Siren. "Exactly. Magicians are..." he struggled with the word for a moment, looking to the ceiling for guidance, "Mercurial creatures. Being too revealing pins us down, and we prefer to be...free." He spread his fingers wide, like the pinions of a bird's wing, to illustrate his point. He leaned forward again and added, "Besides, it wouldn't be as fun if you knew how it was done, would it?"

He'd decided from this conversation that Cora had to be new to the life of a performer if she didn't even know this fact about Magicians. He wondered how long she had been with the troupe and where exactly she had come from. Although she spoke with an American accent, something told him that she was not exactly a native. He couldn't ask directly, that would be prying, and after Lucien's warning, he had to be careful around the girl. Still, if he caught her alone he may be able to ask.

Cora nodded, tapping the side of her nose gently as she mimicked Geralt's gesture. "Aahh..." she said, "I see. Mercurial...that means changeable, right? Illyana taught me a couple things about the stars and planets and all that..." she said, following the Magician's eyes up as well. Learning about all of the things up in the sky had been much more entertaining to her than learning about the things of the land, and she had asked Illyana many questions during their lessons about the planets, clouds, rain, stars, wind, and all of the other things that came from "the heavens". She found it fascinating.

"Too right, my dear." Geralt said, tilting his head slightly in her direction. He was impressed...although she seemed a simple creature, she was clearly hiding some intelligence. Curious indeed...the more he spoke with Cora, the deeper he wanted to delve into her past.

Cora's smile widened in response, pleased that she had gotten it right after such a mishap.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan waited silently while Lucien and the child had their discussion. He understood almost none of it, and could only decipher certain words due to German's similar dialect to Irish. He tried not to focus on them, and instead turned his ears toward the road. He could hear the rumble of a far off engine, and knew it was approaching them. The tension increased with every second that passed that the vehicle was not ahead of them.

Eventually, relief struck him when he heard the vehicle pass, and it increased when he could no longer hear its engine. All three of them sat in silence for the next quarter-hour before their would-be pursuers passed them going the opposite direction. The time dragged on, made even slower by the fact that they were waiting, but this they could endure if it meant freedom. He was surprised at the boy's lack of alarm while they waited. He seemed nervous, eyes darting at small sounds from outside. He was gripping the wolf that Lucien had let him hold very tightly, squeezing it about the neck. The serpents were all crowded around him as if protecting him. It was curious, but Faolan decided not to dwell on it. There was nothing he could know by staring. He tried to avert his eyes as much as possible, knowing the boy would probably be more unnerved by his presence.

After a good amount of time had passed since the vehicle had driven by, Faolan turned the engine back over. It rumbled to life again, coughing and spitting. He had to let it warm a little before they began to move, but did not switch the headlights on. Instead, he backed out of the clearing they had been hiding in, nearly blind in all the darkness. He relied on his keen instincts and senses alone, and guided them safely back onto the road. He headed toward Douglas again for a ways, then made a turn onto the interstate that would take them on the long and winding path to their destination. It was best not to drive passed the circus again, especially in such a conspicuous vehicle. He did not turn the lights on until they had turned off from the path to Douglas as well, just as an extra precaution, and was grateful that they did not pass any other travelers on the way there. The less eyes on them right now, the better.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

As soon as the performance was over, and Cora had recovered from the shock of what she had just seen, she began clapping vigorously. She had seen nothing of Geralt's abilities thus far, and was more than pleasantly surprised at this display. Either he had snuck up, completely unseen, while Ivory was distracting the audience with her dance, or he had managed to instantly switch places with her. She guessed the latter was most likely, because the former did not explain Ivory's sudden disappearance.

"That was...amazing!" she said, slightly shrill in her disbelief. She clapped her hands over her mouth briefly again as the shock began to subside and slowly began to relax as he mind played the scene over again in her head. She didn't know what was more impressive, honestly, Ivory's strength and talent, or Geralt's mysterious abilities.

Geralt's smile finally reached its full width with Lucien's comment. He knew that the man could recognize talent, there was no doubt of it given his choice in his troupe. He was just glad to finally be recognized for his efforts.

He lowered his head slightly in humility and placed a hand on his chest. "Oh, Lucien, you flatter me. Truly, everything aside from my small part was Ivory's idea. She deserves all of the praise." He lied through his teeth, but either way, it made him seem that much more humble.

He stepped forward and gracefully let himself down from the stage, then approached Cora and leaned down with his hands behind his back, "If it brings a smile to your face, my dear, I consider it a success."

Cora smiled back up at Geralt, her cheeks shiny and red. "I could watch it all day! Both of you," she said, leaning around Geralt to look at Ivory. "The way you dance...it was just hypnotizing." she looked back at the Magician, "And that...how did you--"

"Ah-ah-ah," Geralt interrupted, holding up a finger as he straightened. He then looked to Lucien in mock disappointment, "Does she not know the cardinal rule of magic, patron?"

Cora's eyes went slightly wide, then she followed Geralt's gaze toward the Ringleader, blinking in astonishment. Had she done something wrong?

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan knew that Lucien would ask about this, and regretted that he had said nothing before taking off. In the moment, he had just trusted his instincts. The trailer rumbled along the road, and every three or four seconds, he would glance in the mirrors to see if they were being followed. There was no one on the road at this time of night, so he decided they had a good chance of outrunning any heat. An aspect that worked against them, however, was that they were mostly surrounded by flat, open ground. Faolan knew that their headlights would be seen for miles around with no other vehicles to mask them. They were too slow to catch up to any cars that had left the circus before them, even if it had been only by minutes. However, Faolan was counting on the fact that any pursuers would identify their headlights and head in this direction.

"Throwing them off the scent a little," he said in answer to Lucien's inquiry, "We can't out-drive them, but we can point them in the wrong direction."

Lucien did not answer, and Faolan accepted this as understanding and agreement. He left his foot on the gas for several minutes and kept glancing behind them. Luckily for him, the road was relatively straight and well-maintained, so he didn't have to worry about hitting potholes or blocks, at least for this stretch.

And then, he saw them. Two glowing eyes lighting up the road behind them. He had no doubt that this was a vehicle in chase, although it had taken them a little longer to send someone than he had anticipated. At least he did only see one vehicle after them, for now. It was good timing, because the turnoff he needed was coming up.

He let them catch up a bit, still pushing his foot practically through the floor. It took mere minutes, their car was much faster than their mobile home. Once the vehicle was close enough for Faolan to smell the hint of exhaust belching from their tailpipe, he cut the headlights on the trailer, said, "Hold on," and braked, hard.

As he slowed, he saw the turnoff coming and quickly slanted the wheel toward it. It was a sharp turn, but not enough to toss anyone around, though he knew the breaking has jostled a few things that were not exactly nailed down. He let the trailer rumble into a small grove of trees for a minute or so, slowing all the while, then braked fully and immediately cut the engine.

He sat there for a moment, still and silent, listening to the breathing of Lucien and the child, their heartbeats, the quiet ting ting ting of the hot engine and the wind in the branches. They needed to wait until they were fully in the clear, and Faolan would not turn the engine back on until he knew that they were.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora watched in awe as Ivory climbed the silks, her mouth slightly open as she followed the woman's movements all the way to the top. The way she used her legs...it was beautiful, and such a show of her amazing strength. Of course, Cora had watched her act before, but this time she saw it in a new light. She felt a small pang of jealousy as the dhampir's nimbleness, but it passed quickly. Envy was not an emotion that Cora let herself wallow in, and always seemed to subconsciously shrug it off. Of course, she was familiar with dancing, but Ivory had taken it to the next level by making it vertical. It truly was a spectacle to behold.

She let out a small gasp and clapped her hands over her mouth as she watched Ivory fall, suddenly. For a split second, she was worried that the woman would be hurt, but when she saw her stop suddenly, her head mere inches from the floor, she relaxed a bit. This had been the most impressive thing she had seen yet, and her eyes sparkled just like the first time she had seen the flames that Akane could produce from her hands. Of course, being from the ocean, she had never seen fire before. She had actually been shocked that not all walkers could do it, once Akane explained her talents. This was on a different spectrum, but just as incredible to her, especially because Ivory did not seem scared.

She was also an accomplished dancer, and Cora watched with a smile as she twirled and pirouetted through and around her silks. It was beautiful to behold, and the admiration in Cora's gaze was clear.

Geralt watched all of this unfold with a flat, almost bored expression. He knew that Lucien could not see him from where he sat, and Cora would be too entranced to care what he thought. He had seen this so many times now...it was starting to get bothersome. He began to tap his foot as Ivory reached the ground. When he cue came, he managed to change his expression just before he disappeared in the usual curl of black smoke.

He reappeared behind Ivory, tapped her on the shoulder, and stepped out from between the silks with a flourish to push them aside. He smiled down at Lucien and Cora, pleased by their expressions despite the fact that he knew that Ivory was absorbing ninety-nine percent of the credit. He bowed flamboyantly, and popped back up to a standing position.

"Really, Lucien," he said, "Your Ivory has all the talent."

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

It was just like Lucien to see the silver lining of every cloud. He almost reached over and pulled the man into a kiss, but remembered that there was another pair of eyes in the trailer and held himself back. For a split second, a wave of despair hit him as he realized that their alone time would be...vastly diminished now that they had rescued this child. But, these were thoughts for another time.

He felt the engine kick to life, and the whole hood began to rumble and cough. It was an old machine, but one he had tuned up himself. She would not break down, but she would make a lot of noise in the escape. Immediately, he flipped the headlights on and floored it. There was some squealing and grinding in protest, but eventually the lumbering vehicle began to move.

They jolted and jostled through the dirt lot for a moment, the whole of the interior shaking and rattling with every divot and bump they hit. Once the rubber met the road, the drive was a little smoother, but it wasn't exactly silk either. He and Lucien were used to it, but he wondered how the child was faring. He was brave to come along with them, but the Irishman wondered how long that bravery would last.

Faolan's eyes flashed to the rear-view mirror, and he saw no lights or movement as they reached the road. He pulled a sharp left, back toward Douglas, and kept his foot down. He had no doubt they would be followed soon, he was just waiting to see the flash of lights behind them.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cora could hardly contain her enthusiasm with Ivory's response, her smile widened to near inhuman proportions, but only for a moment. "Thank you," she said, her voice and expression totally heartfelt. This may have seemed like something trivial to anyone else, but to Cora this mattered. She was glad to be included, even for small practices like this.

At Lucien's comment, she nodded and followed him down via the ramp on the side of the stage, then took her place in the audience. She preferred the center, about three rows back, knowing this to be the "best seat in the house". She placed her hands in her lap and watched, eyes wide, as Ivory began to climb.

Geralt, feeling more than a little perturbed at the lack of attention he was receiving, graciously took his place behind the stage. All eyes would be on Ivory for this section, but his show was last, and therefore the most memorable. He knew his time would come, and was confident that the wait would be worth it. He would make sure of that.

He was even more annoyed by the fact that he had revealed this feat to Lucien already. He was sure it had surprised the Ringleader the first time, and regretted not saving it for now. Still, he thought he might be at least a little impressed by the distance and silence of it. He made sure to be as far back from the stage as space would allow, wanting to make the most of his second in the spotlight. Or rather, not in the spotlight.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan let the key hover near the ignition but saw Lucien approaching him with the map and decided to hold off. It was best if they knew where they were headed before they took of. The Irishman knew they would not be heading back to Douglas, it was the first place this Johan would look for the boy once they realized he was gone. It was best if the child was not seen by anyone in that town at all. Faolan had been on the run more times in his life than he could count on two hands, and usually relied on instincts alone to guide him through. It had never failed him, but at times like these, he was thankful for Lucien's planning. He had more to worry about than just himself, and he couldn't bare the thought if his instincts got someone else into trouble.

Faolan took a quick glance at the map and saw the dot that Lucien was pointing too. They weren't too far from the boarder, and it would be best to leave the state. Once they were out of sight of the Carnival, they would be free and clear for the most part, unless they gave chase. Faolan could deal with it if they did, but he preferred not to have to do that.

"I think it'll work. Three, maybe four hour drive in this tub. Should get us there well before daybreak." He said. There was a slight pause as he looked up to meet Lucien's eyes. "If they chase us and we have to stop, I need you to get the kid out." He knew that this was not the time to say this, and that Lucien would not have a...positive reaction to this request, but he needed it to be said. They had never been in this situation before, and though Faolan was confident in their plan, he didn't know what exactly lay ahead for them. Better to be safe than sorry.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt had taken a seat back on the chair, and was just pulling the pocket-watch out to take a look, but only caught a quick glance before Ivory arrived. Hm, a missed opportunity for him, but there were worse things. He replaced the watch, then stood and turned to greet the vampiress. "Good morning, Miss Ivory. You look well-rested, or at least, I hope you are given all that practice yesterday." He said as she walked passed him, noticing her fleeting glance. At least her expression was less sour now that Lucien was here to watch her. He quite preferred this expression to the frown she wore when the two of them were alone. He would share this with her, but he knew she would take offense, so he kept it to himself.

Cora also greeted Ivory with a smile. She was glad to be here with Lucien among the other troupe members too, it felt nice to be included in some of the other goings-on around here. Because she spent so much time alone in her trailer, she wasn't used to seeing how things worked behind the scenes. She was also glad that Lucien had suggested he watch the two's performance, she was excited to see it! The view from side-stage was never as good as in the audience. She had learned this while watching Akane's performances. Although, she supposed she should ask if she was allowed to stay as well. Lucien, at least, had good reason to stay. Cora was a bit of a hanger-on, at this point.

Realizing this, she thought maybe it was best if she just left. Her face fell a little bit, and she almost gave in to the despair of the moment. But, she thought, what would Akane do? She would ask, rather than just leave with a frown. So, Cora rose her chin once more and looked to Geralt and Ivory, "Would it be alright if I stayed too? I so love watching you perform, Ivory." she said, her eyes large and hopeful. Though she had spent six months in the company of the troupe, her interactions with some of the members was still very limited, Ivory among them. It was still hard for her to gauge her reactions to specific things, she wasn't as expressive as Akane was, or as timid as Illyana or Aurel. In fact, Cora decided then and there that she found the woman a bit intimidating, but she was determined to shake this feeling. Ivory had never been anything but kind to her, she knew she had no reason to fear.

Geralt, upon hearing Cora's request, turned his attention toward her. "Oh, Cora, don't tell me you were thinking of leaving? No, no, you simply must stay. I'm sure to work all the harder with a set of big sea-blue eyes watching me," he said, winking.

Cora's smile widened a bit, the blush refusing to fade from her cheeks, but did not respond to Geralt. Instead, she turned her eyes to Ivory. She knew they were equal partners in this, she did not want to presume that Geralt spoke for her as well.