FreckersFrog

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Illyana's eyes widened once again at Aurel's mention of the tiger. She was especially fond of all animals, given their simple and elegant natures. They did not give her the same feelings or visions as humans did, so she was more comfortable interacting with them. Mostly, their emotions were positive ones, and when they were negative it was because of simple things like pain and hunger, rather than rage or jealousy. She liked how...easy they were to get along with.

Because of this fascination, she was instantly jealous herself of Aurel's proximity to such an amazing and powerful creature as a tiger. She had only ever seen them in books, and usually those were drawings. She had seen a tiger's stuffed head in an antique store once, but had tried not to look at it. It made her sad.

But now she felt only wonder. "You've seen a tiger before...like actually seen one in person?" For now, she hadn't even registered Aurel's offer, being so focused on his first statement. Though she had felt a wave of something like approval from the viper, now Bengal, as he curled and twisted his way up her arm and onto her shoulder.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

"Being a mother makes you notice things you otherwise wouldn't." The woman smiled at Ivory and glanced down at her child with affection in her eyes. She rubbed her hair gently, almost at a loss for words. "She really is a gift...and I appreciate you saying that. It's nice to have someone who you admire support you like that. We're lucky you found her." She looked back at Ivory, all traces of worry melting away from her in this moment.

Cecelia almost couldn't believe what was happening right before her eyes, her mommy was talking to The Winter Fairy! Her mouth hung open as she looked between the two women during their conversation, but she had no idea what she could say. She smiled back up at her mother, squeezing her stuffed cat tightly to her chest. "Miss Fairy says I can do anything I want, if I try! I want to be just like her when I grow up."

Geralt smiled down at the child, watching the exchange between her and her mother with vested interest. Having not experienced this kind of love and support as a child, he was envious, but not enough to make the feeling negative. He had caught a glint of this same look in Ivory's eyes as she had watched the mother and child embrace as they were reunited. Could they be experiencing the same feelings? Strange, to think that of all things that they had in common it would be this. It was almost sad, too, to watch this display...it made him think of things that he otherwise would want to avoid.

So, he spoke up to take his mind off of it. The Magician crouched down so he was on the same level as the girl, just as he had when he'd first encountered her. "Now, Cece, remember to keep a little of yourself in there as well. You have a lovely personality, I would hate to see you loose it in your quest to become like our Fairy here." When he said the word 'yourself', he reached up and tapped the girl on the nose, which elicited a loud giggle from the child.

"Yes, honey," her mother said, shaking her shoulder a little, "That's good advice." The mother fixed her eyes on Geralt after this, surprised but impressed by his willingness and openness with children. She had not sensed the same thing from Ivory, so it was curious to her, especially from a man with the sort of confident air that this one had.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

"Hmm..." Illyana had already been in the process of thinking of a suitable name by the time Aurel made the suggestion. It didn't seem right to her for him not to have one, he was sentient and intelligent and kind...he should have a name like any person would.

"I could help, if you both don't mind." She said, though her eyes were trained on the snake. She studied his coloration, the way he moved, his eyes, trying to see if anything came to her. Although he was a dull brownish-gray color, he did have lovely black stripes all the way down his body to his tail...that was probably the most striking thing a bout him.

Then, she remembered a dog in her neighborhood. She had always wanted one, but her parents wouldn't allow it. Isabella had a pet bunny they had named Hopscotch, but she had died last year and her parents had simply refused to get either of them another animal. The dog's name was Tiger, which she was thought was ill-fitting as it wasn't a very ferocious or courageous puppy, but it had belonged to a boy, so she supposed she couldn't blame him for not thinking harder about it.

Tiger wasn't right though, it wasn't...regal enough. Suddenly, her furrowed brow loosened and her eyes widened, then she looked back up at Aurel, "What about Bengal?" she said, her voice higher than usually in her excitement. "He's not really the right color, but his stripes remind me of a Bengal Tiger, and his fangs are kind of like claws."

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt clapped his hands as Ivory agreed, and simultaneously Cecelia hopped into the air in excitement. "Yay!" she said, and Geralt laughed again at this display.

"Alright, Cece, why don't you take my hand," he said, holding it out to her. She took it and Geralt turned, but he paused as he sensed Cece was not following him. He looked back to see the girl holding her free hand out to Ivory as well, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Ivory took the girl's hand, but The Magician could tell by her body language that she was unsure of herself. Had she really interacted with children so little in her life? It was curious, considering that he of all people had a good bit of experience with children. They were attracted to his shows, after all, and he did often use them as "assistants" or volunteers on stage. Rather than be concerned or annoyed by the woman's standoffish behavior, he actually found it quite charming.

Together, the three of them exited the tent and he held the curtain open for Ivory to pass through as well. Immediately, she looked about and gestured in the direction she thought they should go. Her heightened senses were definitely a windfall here, and she seemed confident of her choice.

As they walked, Geralt saw her becoming a little more comfortable, and the little girl was absolutely beaming. If he had enlisted the help of someone a bit more...personable, he might've been tempted to take little Cecelia for a swing, but decided against it.

"Cecelia!?" Just as they rounded the corner back onto the grounds, Geralt heard the frantic calling of a woman. It seemed that Ivory had pointed them in the right direction after all.

Though she was distracted by her proximity to her idol, the girl also heard the call and looked out across the grounds to search for it. A woman was standing only a few yards from them, her eyes and hair wild with worry. "Mommy!" Cece called, but she did not let go of Ivory or Geralt's hands.

The woman recognized her daughter's voice, and like a hawk pinpointing its prey, her head whipped over. "Cece!?" she screamed, and ran for them. As she drew closer, both Geralt and Ivory released the girl's hands and she ran the rest of the way to her mother. The woman fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around her child. "Oh my goodness, where were you!? I was worried sick!" she said, then held the girl at arm's length to inspect her. "Are you alright, are you hurt!?"

"No, no, mommy, I'm okay." Little Cece responded, then looked over her shoulder at her saviors. "Look who found me, mommy! This is Gerald," she said, pronouncing Geralt's name in the American way, which made him cringe inside though his face didn't show it, "And this is the Winter Fairy!" she screeched, pointing back at Ivory as if she were a Goddess descended from Olympus.

The woman looked up at the two of them and stood, clutching her child's hand tightly as she did so. Though she looked a little wary, her child's happiness was causing her to drop her guard a little as she eyed Geralt and Ivory. "I see that, baby." she said as her eyes lingered on the woman for a little longer. Then, she addressed the two of them, "I can't thank you enough, Gera-"

Geralt couldn't help but interject here, "Geralt, ma'am." He said and held out a hand for her to shake, which she did so. Her grasp was unsurprisingly firm, "And there is absolutely no need to thank us. I happened to be in the right place at the right time. Your daughter is absolutely charming, truly it was our pleasure to spend a little time with her."

The woman's face relaxed a bit more as Geralt spoke, and a small smile even touched her lips.

"Mommy, mommy!" Cecelia said and tugged on her mother's hand. When the woman looked down at her she said, "Look, isn't she so pretty up close?" She turned her eyes back to Ivory, large and sparkling once more.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Again, Illy could not hear words coming from the snakes mind, but she felt that it was tolerant...no, that it may actually like her. This made her smile inadvertently as she looked down at him, but again she was too absorbed in what she was doing now to catch herself.

At Aurel's answer, however, her face twisted into one of slight concern. How had Aurel not named him? Clearly this animal had an intelligence about it that was not common among reptiles, maybe he hadn't wanted a name? But that seemed silly...didn't everyone want a name?

"Hmm...well, usually people name their pets after what they look like, or silly things they do. I know he's not your pet, but...well, would he be okay with you naming him?" She looked back up at Aurel as the snake slithered onto her other arm and coiled its way to her bicep. This was a relief, as he had been getting heavy to hold aloft.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Geralt nodded in agreement with both of Ivory's statements. Although she was using a flatter tone and more adult language, he knew that she was trying her best to encourage the child. He smiled down at Cece once the woman had made her suggestion, "Yes, I think it is about time we do that, hm?" He asked, then glanced back up at Ivory. "Would you care to join us? We could use an extra pair of sharp eyes for this mission."

At first, Cece looked upset at the idea of leaving Ivory to find her mommy, even though she knew she was probably really worried. Her eyes brightened at the man's suggestion that the Winter Fairy come along, and she hopped a little on her heels at the mention of this idea. "Oh yes!" she said, a little louder than she intended, "Could you please?" She looked up at Ivory with big, sparkling eyes, clutching her stuffed cat to her chest.

Geralt let out a small chuckle and shook his head, "With manners like that, how could you say no?" He was glad that Cece was a well-behaved young lady, he absolutely detested spoiled and demanding children.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Illyana let herself wallow for a moment in her sadness, remembering birthdays gone by and what a happy day they had been for the two of them. Because of Illy's deformity, she had a high sensitivity to the feelings of those around her, and often it was hard to block them out even if she tried. Most of the time, she was ostracized from her family, staying away for her parent's sakes as well as her own. She could feel the disappointment and fear in the air every time her mother and father remembered her existence, and it had always been...unpleasant.

However, the twins' birthday had always been a cause for celebration in the family. To Illyana, it felt like the one day that her parents could be happy with her nearby. On top of that, birthdays always made Isabella extremely happy, and because of their connection Illyana felt her feelings as if they were her own. It was the one day a year that she felt loved, and she had missed it...

Aurel's voice brought her out of her reverie just as she began to sink deeper into despair. "Hm...?" she hummed absently as she glanced up at him with eyes full of sorrow. As her mind deciphered what he had said, this look slowly began to change back to neutrality. Her eyes widened a bit at the suggestion and she glanced at the snake and then back at Aurel. "Um..." she said, her voice a little shakey. Her trepidation did not lie with holding the creature, she could sense that it had a connection to Aurel and that he wouldn't offer this to her unless he knew it was safe. However, it was the look between the young man and his companion that solidified her decision. Although she could not hear the words, she understood the snake's intentions and knew he was giving his permission.

Eventually, she nodded slowly and an almost imperceptible smile played out across her lips. "Yes, if that's okay..." she said, and held out both hands as Aurel offered the creature over to her.

She felt the weight as the snake slithered onto her and was glad that she was strong enough to support him. She knew that she was small for her age and understood that this came with a decrease in strength as well. The creature was cool to the touch, and the snakes were softer and more smooth than she looked. He slid up her arm a bit and coiled his tail around her wrist. She almost giggled as his tongue flicked out and tickled the inside of her arm.

"Wow..." she said slowly, staring into the eyes of the animal. He exuded a protective feeling, similar to that of Faolan. She felt safe holding him, and this showed itself in her expression along with the wonder that touched her eyes. Although she hadn't noticed this change and was completely absorbed in what was happening. "What's his name?" she asked, glancing up at Aurel briefly and then looking back down at the snake.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Cecelia's smile widened even more at Ivory's words, until she was almost laughing with glee. She bounced a little bit on her heels, as if the very idea of being strong enough to perform like her idol had energized her. "I hope so! My mommy is also really strong, she works at the factory even though they told her that 'ladies can't do that kind of thing'." She took on a bit of a deeper tone at her last words, clearly imitating a man.

Geralt's raised eyebrows dropped to their normal height and he smiled over at Ivory as she gave the girl her support. Although his eyes were sparkling in a rare way, he could see that this experience was not transferring to the vampiress. He even sensed some strain when she spoke the word 'mother'...interesting. Maybe she hadn't had such a lovely time growing up with her parents either? Although imagining a pair of vampires as loving parents was a bit difficult for The Magician.

If this was the case, he didn't exactly blame Ivory for her discomfort. He of all people knew what it was like to grow up with less-than-ideal parents. Maybe this experience would be good for her, since it occurred to him that she may not often get the opportunity to interact with children, given the bulk of her fan base.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Eager couldn't even begin to describe Illyana's mood as the trio began to pack up and add everything to the bus. She'd offered to help, but had been denied this by the adults as they replaced everything on the bus. Instead, she watched nervously as they went back and forth carrying everything, wringing her hands until they gave the go ahead to board.

She also watched like a hawk as Aurel brought the large python back into the trailer where she had slept. The creature was large, about 4 feet long, and bright yellow and white. She had never seen one in person, but couldn't keep her eyes from widening as he carried it by. She wondered how many more snakes the boy had...

She took a seat on the bench and positioned herself so that she was farthest away fro the drivers but also so that she could see out of the windshield if she wanted. Faolan began driving, and Lucien smiled back at her, reassuring her that they would get her home as quickly as she could.

Nervousness played on her features for the entirety of the drive, but she tried her best to seem relaxed. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she started slightly when she heard Aurel speak to her. She had been avoiding looking at him for the drive, noting his skin, hair, and eyes, and the fact that he must be special as well. She hated it when people stared at her deformity...but really it was only her mother every time it was exposed. Her father avoided looking at her at all most of the time, but Isy was never like that. She was always respectful and kind, and made her feel wanted when her parents were neglectful. Illyana couldn't wait to see her sister again. But for now she had to settle for the company she had.

She flashed a small, nervous smile over at him before answering, focusing her line of sight on the snake around his neck. "We're ten, me and my sister. Turning eleven in...," she paused, furrowing her eyebrows, "Wait, what day is it?"

At her question, Aurel glanced over at the calendar across the room. "It's.. June 4th." He told her.

Illyana's face immediately feel upon hearing this, both because she asked about the date before noticing the calendar herself, and because it had passed her and Isabella's birthday.

"I'm..." she began after this, her eyes now fixed on her feet as they swayed back and forth with every movement of the bus, "Eleven now."

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

The little girl was starstruck, completely in awe of Ivory as the woman made her way toward the two of them. She'd almost forgotten all about the man beside her as she looked up at the beautiful vampiress.

Geralt never let his calm and comfortable smile dissipate, even as Ivory approached. Though his first instinct was to be smug and suggestive, he held back as he knew it would be inappropriate with their company.

"Why, yes Miss Fairy. This little ray of sunshine is called Cecelia, Cece for short. She was looking for you when she lost sight of her mother, so I told her I would introduce you in the meantime." Originally, The Magician's plan had been to leave the child with Ivory when he left to find her mother, but he decided that it may be better to do the opposite. Although she was trying to hide it, he could tell that the presence of the girl made her slightly uneasy. He watched her after that, intrigued by her confusion.

Cecelia smiled up at the woman as she let go of Geralt's hand and clutched her dolly with both arms. "I love your show, Miss Fairy! My mommy says that if I practice real hard, maybe one day I could be as strong as you."

At this, Geralt raised his eyebrows at the little girl. This was not what he had been expecting from someone of her age. Usually, little girls were more concerned about their appearance as they reached puberty than strength, but this seemed to be an enigma. It made him proud, in a strange way, even though he had no relation to this child at all. It was nice to remember what it was like to be young and have so many different paths laid out before you...this girl seemed like she would choose the right one for herself.