xivyxx

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Lucien let out a small chuckle. "It's a part of her charm. She's supposed to be mysterious." He told him.

It was clear that the addition of the silks had surprised Geralt. He was sure that might have satisfied Ivory a little. Probably think something along the lines of, 'he's not the only one with skill.'

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." He told him, before glancing off to the side as he had seen Ivory approach.

Ivory had been sitting in the back area of her performance tent prior to this, a little irritated by the fact she had to delay her opening because of Geralt. Still, if Lucien had made this decision, then it was probably the correct one. There would be no point in holding a show if there was no one to see it, though if there was at least a few, she would perform as she always did. It had been almost an hour when she had decided to stand and head to the side entrance to see if it would be a good time to begin. That was when she took note of Lucien and of course, Geralt near the side entrance, causing her to immediately grimace. It would have been nice to get started with her performance without having to see that distasteful man.

"Heard he was late on his first day. Are you deducting his pay for that?" Ivory asked Lucien, crossing her arms with a very slightly amused expression. Honestly she could care less about how much the man got paid, it wasn't any of her concern, but it was most certainly not a good impression to leave on Lucien, who quite valued punctuality.

Lucien held back a sigh. These two would most certainly not get along well, at least on Ivory's end. "He made up for it a bit with his performance, but I'm still holding it against him for a few days. He did say it would never happen again, right, Geralt?" He asked, glancing over at the man.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Lucien simply let out a small chuckle as he went about to take out the ingrediences for the beignets again and began to get to work.

"As you wish." He said, figuring that if the man really wanted to rest, he probably would. He just seemed like that kind of person. When Faolan spoke up again, he glanced in his direction. In all honesty Lucien had also made that observation. He thought maybe he found the man intimidating, or simply didn't like his way of speaking. He knew people back home made a fuss about such things, which was why he always cared to be polite in speech.

"I'm not sure if it's that he doesn't.. like you.. he's just.. overprotective? and you most likely came off as a bit intimidating to him. Either way it doesn't matter. I like you, and he's not the one who will be travelling with you." He said, before pausing for a moment.

"Perhaps that was a bit rude.." He muttered, mostly in regards to the priest. It wasn't like he didn't value his opinion but, if there was one thing he had noticed back home was that sometimes the priests tended to judge too hastily. Lucien didn't like doing that, mostly because he was well aware that looks could be deceiving. That's why he hadn't thought twice about sticking to Faolan when they had first met. Despite his harsh words, he had been willing to help him, and that was enough for him. It still was.

"He has to at least have liked you a little bit to have said yes." He added.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Lucien let out a small chuckle at his words. "That is good to know." He said as they walked across the grounds.

"I figured it would be best to start with someone you had already interacted with." He glanced at Geralt at his words, raising an eyebrow. "My own? Aside from my announcing, I don't believe you've seen any of my other skills at play." He said a little amusingly. The man was observant, so he wondered how much he had really been able to pick up.

At his following question, Lucien showed hesitation, but he quickly tried to neutralize his expression. He knew Ivory would not take kindly to him sharing her story, of course that would be something he would never, ever do without her consent. He valued the privacy of all of his members, just like they valued his.

"Despite her slight accent, she's a native. If you meant to inquire further, I'm afraid that is not my story to tell. It's probably best to leave those sort of questions for when you are better acquainted with everyone." It wasn't just Ivory he was referring to. Everyone had their own.. reasons and circumstances for being here, and a lot of them most likely would not be willing to share them with someone who had just joined them. "I can tell you she's been here about three years, however." That much was safe to say, considering it was common knowledge.

The ringleader lead Geralt to the side entrance of Ivory's tent, which was a midnight-blue color, similar to that of her trailer. This one was smaller than the one he had let Geralt have, but it had all the space she needed. Considering her act was physically taxing, she had a bit less showings than Akane and Aurel, and therefore required a bigger space. Her's was probably the second largest tent, not including the large tent they used for the last night. He guided Geralt to the side view of the stage, where they wouldn't be within view of the audience. There were varying targets around the vicinity of the tent, some much too far for a regular person to be able to hit while in midair. From the center of the ceiling, two long pieces of blue silk came down all the way to the ground, ending near a circle of knives.

"As you can see, Ivory's show does not only consist of throwing knives. She considered that much too simple." He chuckled slightly, motioning toward the silk. This was something Ivory had actually come up with on her own after doing a bit of research into circus acts. She had thought mixing the two together would be a lot more impactful, and she had been correct.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

The priest simply nodded. "That is fine." He said before rising from his chair and taking his plate over to the sink to wash it. "I'll be going over to the church for a little while, but I'll be sure to come back in about an hour to see you off." He said, causing Lucien to nod. With that, the priest took his leave and Lucien rose from his chair.

"I'll make some beignets for the journey! I hope I'm not wrong in assuming you like them?" He said. From his observations, the man tended to typically eat them first if they were available. It was a little satisfying to see in all honesty. It was one of the things he was quite proud he could make. He had already packed the majority of his essentials prior to Faolan's arrival, mostly because he wasn't sure how long they'd be staying.

"Ah, you can sleep some more if you'd like? You do still look a little tired. I know I'm eager to leave but I wouldn't want to keep you from more rest." He said, wanting to be considerate of him.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Lucien raised an eyebrow. Humble? That would be the last word he would choose to describe the man next to him, but he kept that comment to himself.

"You entertained plenty. The audience looked quite happy and satisfied with your performance, and that's what's most important to me." He said before tucking away his pocket watch.

It seemed Geralt really was interested in seeing the other performances, considering the excitement he could see in him. He considered his request for a moment. Usually he tried to announce at least once for each act, but since it was their second stop here, it wasn't as necessary this time around. They also had their talkers to call the audience to them, so he supposed it would be fine to show Geralt around. It would be rude of him not to at least give him a tour. Plus, he felt better about being able to keep an eye on him before his next show instead of leaving him to his own devices.

"As you wish. As the host it is only right of me to do so." He said before moving over to the entrance of the tent, holding the cover open for the man to step through first before he followed him out. The crowd had already disperesed to go see other acts, and he could see a few other people walking through the entrance. Still not the turnout he hoped for, but it was the turnout he expected. He looked forward to the turnout of the next day a lot more, once news of Geralt people here had spread. He considered where to take him first, and decided to start with Ivory, even though he had seen some of her skill at work, it wasn't all that went into her show.

"Then, we shall start with our lancer de couteau, since you've already met her." He said, before beginning to guide him toward Ivory's tent.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

It was clear that Faolan had not been fond of the question that had been asked of him, but his response hadn't been as angry as he might have expected. That much Lucien was grateful for. Hearing Faolan say that he trusted him brought a small smile to him.

The priest was a little surprised at his response. There was a part of him that felt he had been a little rude in his answer, but at the same time, the fact he hadn't tried to please him with the response showed that he was at least being genuine. He couldn't really think of much else he could ask of him that would discourage Lucien from leaving. With a sigh, he turned back to Lucien. Honestly he was hoping the Irishman would mess up in his responses so he could use that as an excuse to keep him from leaving.

"Lucien, are you sure about this? You haven't had any second thoughts?" He asked him.

The nephilim was quick to shake his head. "I don't have any second thoughts. I really want this." He told him, his voice no longer holding any sort of hesitation.

"The world out there.. it's corrupt, and full of sin. You can't let those sort of people get to you. You'll have to be careful. You can't allow yourself to be tainted." He warned him, hoping it might have some chances of deterring him, but at this point, there was nothing that would change Lucien's mind.

"I'll be careful." He said simply. It wasn't the first time he had heard that. Growing up, he had heard how sinful the world was multiple times. The older he got however, the more he could see that some of their definitions of sin were a little.. skewed, but that was never something he had stated out loud.

It seemed there was really nothing Father Cyril could say to get the man to change his mind. Another sigh escaped him. In the long run.. saying yes to this was probably better than saying no and having him go off on his own anyway. There wasn't really any way for him to force him to stay here.

"Alright. I'll allow you to go, but on the condition that you try to write to me and Father Thomas at least once a month, to give us a peace of mind in the fact you are safe." He told him. At least this way they would know that he was okay.

Lucien smiled widely. "Thank you, Father Cyril!" He exclaimed, bowing his head to the man before looking excitedly at Faolan. "When do we leave?"

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

As soon as Geralt entered the stage, Lucien used the distraction of the flickering of the lights and the audience's focus on the man to slip off the state unnoticed as he usually did. He didn't stay in the tent however, as there were a couple things he had to take care of before he could dedicate his full attention to the magician's show. He left through the back entrance of the tent, and called out to the carnie that had been in charge of letting people in.

"James, I need you to go inform Ivory, Aurel, and Akane that their first shows will most likely be delayed. Let them know Geralt showed up to perform, and that's where a lot of our patrons are currently. I expect they will disperse after his first show is over in about an hour. Tell them I leave it up to their own judgement whether they should perform beforehand or not. Be sure everyone who shows up is aware that for today and tomorrow, kids have free entry to the magician's shows." He spoke quickly, not wanting to waste much time.

The carnie hastily nodded. "Yessir." He said before he ran off to do as he asked.

Lucien was then quick to go back inside to continue to view the man's performance. Based on his calculations and how full this tent was, he knew the other shows wouldn't be getting much audience until their next wave of patrons came. Cora and Illy were unaffected by this, as Cora's appearances were rather short, and those who came here to get their fortures told would most likely do so regardless of whether Geralt was here or not. Once the man's show was over, considering their patrons did not have to pay for their children, that opened up more opportunity for them to see more of the other acts. He would have to be sure to rearrange the schedule so it would be more fitting for everyone before tomorrow's set of shows.

He paid close attention to Geralt's performance. He seemed to take the usual tricks magicians performed, but took them five steps further, which really did made him stand out from the typical magician. The things he saw most certainly appeared real. Perhaps they were illusions of some sort? He didn't think he could just.. create things out of nothing, or perhaps he could. There were still plenty of things he didn't know about him, but he'd have time to figure it out. When Geralt had disappeared, Lucien opened his pocket-watch to check the time. The show had run within his estimation of time.

He had sensed someone behind him before he heard Geralt at his ear, and therefor was not startled when he heard him speak. Lucien gave him a glance before he took a step to the side.

"I think it's safe to say you pass, but I'm still deducting points for tardiness." He said, a very light smirk tugging at his lips as he snapped his pocket watch shut. Clearly this man loved to have his ego fed, so he wasn't about to do that so easily.

"I would assume it'll be another hour or so before your next show? I switched the schedules around to make the best of the current crowd, so feel free to take this chance to watch some of the other performers in the meantime. It'd be good for you to see what they can do." He told him, figuring that would be the best way to occupy the man's time.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Father Cyril didn't respond immediately, clearly pensive. It didn't seem like the man was lying. From what he had seen in the time he had spent here he did seem like he liked paying back his debts, considering he had helped out and even gave him money for letting him stay. He knew that was the kind of person Lucien was, considering Father Thomas had expressed his concern at the fact the man wouldn't think twice before helping injured animals when he was younger. It seemed to be an instinct for him to want to help people, and in a way that's what concerned him.

"That's how he's always been, but that's why we're so worried. If he goes with you, are you going to help him keep his secret, and himself, safe? There are plenty of people out there who would happily exploit his gifts." He asked.

There was a part of Lucien that wanted to speak up and complain that he didn't have to be babied on his journey, but he bit his tongue, not wanting the priest to end up changing his mind. He had full intention of asking Faolan to teach him how to defend himself so something like what happened at the ship wouldn't happen again. He stayed quiet, glancing toward Faolan's nearly empty plate. The man was clearly hungry. Without a word, he simply pushed the plate that held a couple more beignets in his direction, since he had made a few extras, before going back to his food.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Lucien chuckled a little amusingly. "Indeed it was." For a moment he was unsure if he should clarify that there was no ulterior intention for this, but he decided against it, figuring it was best to just leave it be for now. Mostly Lucien wanted to talk about the plan for the next two days, as to this point, everything had been decided on the spot, and that wasn't typically how he liked to do things. He also knew he needed time to introduce the man to everyone, and considering how not everyone headed to sleep directly after the shows, he figured he'd do it tonight. The sooner it was done the better.

He nodded slightly at his response, figuring as much. "It's part of the job." He needed to have a good eye in this kind of occupation, considering all the supernatural they had around. "I'm sure you won't, you do not seem like the kind of magician who would reveal his tricks so easily." While he was curious of a lot of things, he wasn't going to bother to ask. Regardless, now was not the time.

"Of course, though I'm sure your experience on stage most likely far exceeds mine, according to the rumors at least." He said before shooting a glance toward the main entrance of the tent, where a carnie had peeked his head in. Lucien motioned with his hand, telling him he could allow to let people in once they were out of sight. Simultaneously Lucien motioned Geralt toward the area behind the curtain of the stage, out of the view of the audience. He had already planned to stay and watch Geralt's show, after all he needed to see for himself what the man had to offer.

"I hope you don't mind if I do a little.. introduction? Though you handled that quite well yourself earlier." He said as he also leaped onto the stage, almost as light as a feather, slightly amused by the disappearing act. A bit of a show off this one, but that was fine.

"By all means." The man responded.

Lucien nodded, simultaneously motioning Geralt toward the area behind the curtain of the stage, out of the view of the audience. He had already planned to stay and watch Geralt's show, after all he needed to see for himself what the man had to offer, and it was his first show with them. He had to be here for it.

Peeking through the curtain he could see at least a slightly bigger crowd than they had originally seen at the entrance. It seemed news of Geralt had spread quickly, and considering he saw a good amount of children, it seemed most were quite willing to take advantage of this opportunity.

”Will you be walking out through the curtain or..?” He trailed off, knowing there was no need to finish his sentence.

”I'll walk in, of course, don't want to show my hand too early."

Lucien chuckled. ”Of course.”

At the appropriate time, Lucien stepped out from behind the curtain, flashing a charming smile to the crowd and removed his top hat, giving them a bow. The nephilim's outfit was not the typical one worn of other ringleaders, the well-known velvet red tailcoat was instead a dark blue with a golden trim. It was his way of standing out among other ringleaders, after all, this was not an ordinary circus.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages! Welcome to Cirque D'étoiles! Where every one of our performers shine as brightly as stars!" Despite Lucien's typically calm tone, his voice echoed clearly throughout the tent. His French accent was much less hidden when he did his announcements, knowing there were plenty who were more interested in the "foreign and exotic," that which made them stand out from the standard American Circus.

"Now I know some of you may have already heard of our fine establishment, but I guarantee tonight will be something your eyes have never witnessed, as we are joined by a new shining star! A mysterious magician, rumored world-wide as a man who has been practicing magic for over one-hundred years! Today, that man makes his magnificent return to the stage for the first time in years, and you, my lucky patrons, will be the first to bear witness to his grand return!" Cheers echoed through the crowd at his words, causing the man to smile.

"Welcome to our stage the one and only, Geralt the Great!" As he spoke, Lucien sidestepped and motioned in the direction of the curtain.

Cirque D'étoiles (1x1, FxM, MxM, FxF)

Faolan took his seat at the table, grunting his hello to both Lucien and the priest. He was still half awake, but the smell of the food was bringing him to full consciousness. "Thanks." he said as Lucien set a plate before him, and didn't even wait for anything to cool before he began eating. He was hungrier than he anticipated.

He had just taken a bite of beignet when Father Cyril began to speak. Although he was surprised by the priest's tactic of bombarding him with this question, especially given how early it was and how tired Faolan had been, he did not show it in his expression or posture. He simply chewed, swallowed, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before replying.

"Aye, the lad acted quick under quite dire circumstances. Saved me life." He looked at Lucien as he spoke, and then made direct eye contact with the Priest once more. "Everyone is entitled to their privacy. What matters to me is that he stepped up, helped me in spite of his secret. The least I can do is keep me mouth shut."

He took a bite of bacon as he finished, scarfing it down quicker than a blink. His plate was nearly half-clean already. He would never say it out-loud, but he'd missed Lucien's beignets.