Detailed Roleplayers discussion
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♫Aηgєℓєηα♫ x Isis
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Isis
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Dec 26, 2014 08:52PM
Alright here we go!
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I actually had an idea for the circus one. Let me just go find it real quick...
Set in Victorian England, there is a traveling circus that comes to a small town, entitled Cirque de Fantome. The circus dazzles the towns citizens with risky acts and dazzling costumes, which are quite scandalous at the time but irresistible. The circus, however, is only there at night and never stays in one place for long. The owner of the circus was a greedy and malignant human whose goal was to make a little cash, and he used black magic to do it. He wanted performers, so he made a deal with the devil, giving over his soul so that he could gather the souls of others and force them to do his bidding, rather then let them pass on to heaven or where ever they were meant to go. The poor, vapid bloke didn't know that he'd gotten the short end of the deal however; he thought he was the master in all this, when in reality he was not. The devil wants his payment, and he isn't going to wait for it, hence why the circus only stays in one place for only a short period. The man who owns it is on the run.
While this goes on in the background, the ghosts of the circus are unable to leave, trapped by the contract of the owner. They are unable to harm him, or go against his word. They too are on the run with him, for if they are caught along with the owner, they too will be dragged into hell along with him.
Characters:
Girl A: A normal English girl who is a little too curious about the circus. Her father, however, is far from normal. He is a wealthy politician in England and an old friend of the circus’ owner…
Guy A: The circus’ arrogant magician. He’s supposedly the world’s best at what he does, that being the reason he is part of the circus. However, the magician has a dark past, like most in the circus do…
Side Characters:
Circus Owner: A greedy, complicated man/woman who somehow manages to care for his/her circus freaks and be willing to sell them out for a quick buck.
Girl’s father: A mysterious, charming man who has a very manipulative way with words. He has his own secrets about how he got his powerful position. Before he became wealthy, he was a very poor man with dreadful ambition. A female demon helped him get to his position of power, but left him with a child (Girl A) who has demon blood in her.
And then any other circus ghosts we want to add in. We don't have to make templates for the side characters, though. We can just decide who is going to play who and have them come in whenever we need them.
Oh I love it. Who would you like me to play?
Awesome!Um, would it be all right if I was Girl A for this one? And as far as the side characters go, it really doesn't matter to me. ^^
Yeah that's totally fine with me. And then I suppose I should be her father and the magician? What other characters should we add?
That works! We can just add them as we go, really. I was thinking, you know, just other performers. Acrobats, contortionists, lion tamers, etc. And I'm going to add in a suitor from the normal world for Girl A (just for drama, lol). Now, do you like to do detailed templates or simple ones?
I can do whatever templates you want, complex or simple. You just do whichever and I'll match it.
All right! I'll try to have mine up in a bit. :)
Aηηαℓσяє Mαє Fαιявαηкѕ
{~Name~} Annalore Mae Fairbanks
{~Nickname~} Lore
{~Age~} 19
{~Appearance~}
|hair| Red, curly, and usually done in some sort of fancy up-do. Of course, there are always a few stray, annoying curls that will never do as she wishes them to.
|eyes| Blue-Gray, sometimes stormy and sometimes near silver.
|skin| Fair and smooth.
|build| Stands at 5’5 with a very slender and delicate form.
|distinguishing marks| N/A
{~Personality~}
Lore is a proud, independent, and introverted young lady. She is incredibly intelligent and always striving to be looked at for her mind, though a quality such as a brain is commonly overlooked in women. She is a proper lady, no doubt, with a stubborn head on her shoulders and a compassionate heart. Lore has always loved quiet, rainy days where she can stay in the library all day without having to worry about any of her father’s political affairs. At times, it seems she has a melancholic, quiet air, and an eye that sees far too much. She is observant, yes, but also very naïve. Lore’s problem is that she knows she is clever, and she thinks she is far too clever to get herself stuck in any sort of risky situation. Overall, she is very spirited, reserved, and witty. She can converse just as brilliantly as anyone. But Lore has never been much of a risk taker. She prefers to stay safe inside her comfort zone, where she has control over everything.
{~History~}
Annalore Mae Fairbanks was left at the door of her father’s estate when she was only a few days old, a note tucked inside her infant basket that said simply; Love, CB. She never knew her mother and all her father has said on the subject is that her birth giver died in childbirth. Lore was raised in a wealthy home, with only nannies to keep her company on most days. She was always fairly lonely, since her father was so distant, and found peace in the library. As a child, she would work very hard with her studies in an attempt to win her father’s attention and affection, but she eventually grew out of that. Lore was also very adventurous as a child, always sneaking out to the gardens late at night to watch the roses in the moonlight, or finding wild birds and taming them with just her young voice. She was peculiar, all the servants would say, but she was so charming and outspoken that it her quirks didn’t matter. Lore’s childhood was very lonely, considering neither of her parents were around to raise her. And when her father did pay attention to her, it was merely so he could put her on display at his balls and dinner parties. She was always dressed up like a little doll and shown off in attempts to woe potential voters, told never to speak but to only smile and nod her head. The only person Lore was every obedient for was her father, after all.
Eventually, Lore left for finishing school. She stayed away from London for a year, only returning just recently to find that absolutely nothing had changed at all. She is beginning to fall back into the old, boring life, always longing for adventures of some sort. Also, just recently people have been introducing her to suitors in hopes of marrying her off.
{~Other~}
When Lore was a young girl, she would…cause things to happen. Like maybe she would get angry and a glass would shatter, or her sadness would cause a light rainfall. As a child, of course she believed everything was magic, but eventually she was taken to a doctor. Her father takes her to the doctor every once in awhile for injections to stop her hallucinations. Now, Lore is convinced that her “magic” was only the result of a rare glycogen disorder.
Viktore Zane Quedra
{~Name~} Viktor Zane Quedra
{~Nickname~} Vik
{~Age~} 27
{~Appearance~}
|Hair| Dark brown, almost black, hair that is always groomed to perfection.
|Eyes| Brown eyes that often have a red tint when he is close to a light source.
|Skin| Lightly tanned and scarred.
|Build| Stands at 6'2" with a muscular physique, though not obviously so.
|Distinguishing Marks| He has two scars on his left cheek and many other throughout his body.
{~Personality~}
Vik is a conceited man who has every confidence and more in his ability. He is widely known as the best magician and that does nothing to keep his ego in check. He is a man with power and he is not afraid to use it, for himself of course. He's always been on the selfish side and he only does for others if he is made to do so with no way of getting out of it. Of course, he does have his secrets and they have helped to shape his life and his personality toward others. He has people skills but he refuses to use them. He prefers to be distant and rude, because it means that he will be able to avoid real human connection. He does have feelings, somewhere deep down, but using them makes him uncomfortable at best.
{~History~}
Vik was abandoned as a young child, soon after his parents found out he had an affinity for magic. He found refuge in a sanctuary for magicians, where he was raised and tough the arts. He learned fast and he soon overtook the sanctuary when the elder died mysteriously. He was blamed for the death, but it is one that he had nothing to do with.
Soon after taking over the sanctuary things started to go bad. He was approached by a group who promised him many riches if he were to do a few things for them. He felt right into their trap and was soon being made to use his magic for evil. It started with a few petty thefts then escalated. The thefts became grand, then came the torture, then came the murder. He was a magical hit man, and while he was never caught, he was never the same. He buried bodies in the middle of the night rather than practicing his magic. He lost all of the magic that he did not use, all of the good magic. He was only able to break from the group when a man approached him and offered him escape in the form of a new contract. He took it but only to be put into a new terrible situation, a circus.
While he is the best at what he does, it was not his original plan. His greed destroyed him and now he is on the run only to avoid real hell, though it wouldn't be much worse than what he has already been through.
Love him! ^^Now, maybe we should start on the first night the circus is in her town. She could sneak away to go check it out and maybe something could happen when she goes to see the magic show?
Would you like to start or do you want me to?
Okay, but It'll be about half an hour before I can write it. Heading to my sister's house. :P
Annalore sighed, straightening out her dress for the millionth time. It seemed she had been waiting in line for eternity with the other spectators, anxiously anticipating the opening of the circus. It appeared out of nowhere, no flyers or newspaper articles announcing it's arrival. Someone had just happened to see the array of dark tents on the outskirts of town, and suddenly it was the talk of the town. Lore had actually only gotten back yesterday morning, as she had been away for school for a year now, and was immediately met with the gossiping townsfolk. They were chattering about it even now, whispering in hushed tones as nightfall slowly descended upon them. For some reason, the circus would only perform at night. Lore tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. Even though her hair was up as usual, that one piece was always out of place. She was just considering leaving when all the lights came on, an eerie music suddenly playing. In a flash, the circus came alive. The crowd began to move forward through the gates and Annelore felt somewhat dizzy. She followed, as if pulled by some invisible force. The music put her in a trance.Let's just hope her father didn't hear about this.
She found herself at the front of the line, standing right in front of a dark ticket booth. There was a man behind it collecting money, one who wore a completely black outfit. It was covered with silver buttons that were placed everywhere irregardless of how strange it looked. His hair was long and silver. But it was his eyes that got her. They were all black, even when they should have been white. Lore held back a gasp, averting her gaze as she fetched the faire out of her coin purse. But when she went to hand the money to the man, a grin spread across his thin lips and he shook his head.
"Welcome to Le Cirque de Fantome." And unlike most advertisers, he didn't sound excited. His voice was silky and monotone.
Of course, the circus spoke just fine for itself.
Confused, Lore simply nodded her gratitude before entering through the black gates, entering a world of tents and lights and Magic.
(So sorry for the delay. I'll have my reply up in a minute.)
Viktor stood back stage, behind one of may dark curtains, watching as the stand began to fill. Somehow, no matter which city they were performing in, the people all looked the same. Men, women, children, families, they all looked the same. There were always the same groups and same individuals. There were always the same looks of excitement mingled with confusion, the same big eyes, the same chatter and gossip. He hated it. Vik hated it all and yet he was there, there to view the same people over and over again for eternity. He had a feeling that even in a million years the people would still look the same, and he would be there, behind the stage, watching them all fill the seats.
He wrinkled his nose, shook his head, then turned abruptly back toward his own personal changing area. His long black cloak twirled behind him as he did so, but his top hat didn't move on his head. He stormed back to his room and looked in the mirror, so pale, he looked so pale in the light. All of the performers did. He had tried to fix it but it simply could not be done. They would always be the pale performers like the people in the stands would always be the same. He hated this too.
But, he could hear the music change and he knew that it would be time for him soon.
Lore was a lady of logic. She wasn't normally the type to sneak off to the circus late at night, nor was she the type who would be mesmerized. But this place...It seemed to be doing something to her, waking up things that were long forgotten. Lore could no longer control her feet, who carried her forward and deeper and deeper into Cirque de Fantome. It was like - "Ms. Fairbanks!" A voice snapped her out of her trance. Lore whirled around to see Bennett Preston jogging towards her, looking out of place with his perfectly tailored suit and his stiff posture. But his eyes were kind, as always.
And they seemed to be a little kinder when he looked at Lore.
"What ever are you doing here, Ms. Fairbanks? And out so late...? Surely you didn't come by yourself." He bit his lip, glancing around as if he expected to see her father.
Lore hesitated, worrying for a moment that Bennett would demand to take her home. But it seemed that since her return a few days ago, Bennett had been stealing glances in her direction, standing when she entered the room... He wouldn't do anything that could result in losing her affections. Lore gave one of her secretive little smiles. "I could ask you the same questions, Mr. Preston..."
Bennett blushed slightly. "Oh...I suppose I was just curious..."
After a few more polite exchanges between them, Lore caught sight of a sign on one of the tents, one that drew her in instantly. She found herself heading inside the tent where the magic show would be held. The seats were already full in the dark circular area. After looking around with Bennett, they finally found a few open ones only a few rows back. Bennett took off his coat and laid it across the back of his chair, rolling the sleeves of his dress shirt up. "Ms. Fairbanks... I thought about you while you were away... A lot actually."
But Lore didn't hear him. Her eyes were locked on the darkened stage and the mist that seemed to rise out of nowhere.
The usual. He created the mist to exit back stage before him. He followed behind the gray clouds, cloak skimming the floor even behind him. He heard the familiar quieting of the crowd and he almost smiled, almost. He walked to center stage and the mist started to dissipate, leaving him and only him. He was dressed entirely in black, like most of the performers, with a few silver buttons to hold his shirt closed, and one to clasp his cloak around his shoulders. "Welcome," he raised his hands and let his eyes sweep the crowd. His voice boomed much louder than it should have and seemed to seep into every crack of the room. He could see eyes widen, which almost caused a smile from him a second time. Then, his own eyes lighted on a young lady with red hair. She reminded him of someone, but, so did everyone there really.
And then he disappeared from the stage, leaving ghostly creatures in his place. Elephants and giraffes and zebras roamed the stage, trumpeting and braying as they ran about without direction, turning to mist whenever they made contact with another creature.
"So unorganized," Vik whispered right into the girl's ear. "He really should try harder." He chuckled and watched her face for reaction. His chuckle did not, however, cause a smile.
Lore watched in amazement as the magician appeared. He had her undivided attention, to say the least. There was something about his dark eyes that made it so she couldn't look away. And for a moment, she could have sworn those eyes were looking right at her. But then he was gone, replaced by wild animals that wondered around the stage.She gasped, a delicate hand flying to cover her mouth in a very delicate manner. Bennett glanced over at her, but she didn't even notice him.
Because a second later, she heard a voice whisper in her ear that made her blood freeze in her veins. She looked around frantically, glancing towards Bennett as if she expected it to be him speaking. But no, the voice was far too low and silky...
This wasn't possible. Not at all.
And Lore felt like she might faint.
Vik chuckled once more before reaching out and curling a loose strand of her hair around his finger. "I do so love your surprise," he purred before he disappeared once more, leaving her hair still in a curl for just a second before it fell back into it's usual haywire. He was back in the ring, center stage, on the back of an almost transparent elephant. He stood completely still on its back while it rampaged about the ring. All of the other animals had turned to mist by now and this one did too, after a moment. He was back on the ground, staring intensely at the crowd.
He pointed straight at Lore. "Come. I need a volunteer," he said, as if right to her despite the fact that his voice once again resonated through the entire tent. He made a come hither gesture with his finger, and then, his lips broke apart in a wide grin.
Lore turned around quickly, feeling his breath on her neck, a tug in her hair. But he was already gone. The magician appeared back on the stage, earning a soft applause from the audience, though they were too amazed to do much else. She didn't clap with them. No, Lore's eyes were locked on the man on stage. Her heart had constricted in her chest and suddenly the room was spinning. There was something about this place. It just felt...strange and familiar and terrifying and...It drew her in.
Lore blinked, seeing that the man on stage was pointing straight at her. It snapped her back to the present. She looked around, seeing that people were staring at her.
"Ms. Fairbanks, I don't think this is a good idea - " Bennett said cautiously, looking worried. She looked down suddenly, realizing he had placed his hand on her wrist in an attempt to grab her attention. Lore met his eyes for one fleeting moment before she stood up.
"What's the harm?" She muttered quietly, only halfway paying attention to him before starting towards the stage. Everyone was looking at her, making her uncomfortable. But Lore became entranced with the man on the stage once more, forgetting all about the audience. She took his hand, letting him help her up to the stage. "If you choose me yourself, you can't rightfully call me a volunteer." She said under her breath.
"Are you telling me you wouldn't have volunteered?" Vik asked her. "And for all you know, I was just pointing. You're the one who walked down here to me so willingly. Lets not kid ourselves on that count." As he spoke a stack of dark boes began to appear, one box after another. "Alright, Annalore, is it? No. You prefer Lore. I'm going to need you to climb up to the top. Don't worry, you shall not be harmed." Before he had been speaking only to her, now his voice boomed throughout the room again. "You're going to be the main spectacle tonight, my dear. Does that sound alright with you."
~
Across the audience, Mr. Fairbanks eyebrows knit together. His daughter was on stage and the magician knew her name. He would have to have a talk with the owner about this. Then, he would have to have a talk with his daughter. She was not to come back to this place under any circumstances. He himself shouldn't have been there, but, it was good for his appearance to be seen with the masses.
Annalore was about to reply, starting to come back to her world of logic and reason, when the boxes started to appear out of thing air, completely stealing her attention. This was madness.
Yet it drew her in. It was that same sort of pull she had felt as a child. When she had been out in the gardens, and a dying rose seemed to speak to her and beg her for life again. And Lore would hear them singing in her mind and every cell in her body would start to ignite as she reached a hand out...
And turned it blood red once more.
Had she taken her medication this morning? "How did you...?" Lore's face was as white as a ghost. "I prefer Ms. Fairbanks." She mumbled in a trance-like voice, only loud enough for him to hear. She was trying her best to cling to her pride. The surprise and amazement in her eyes betrayed her, though. How had he known her name, her nickname? And then there was the other thing he had been right about; Lore would have volunteered anyway.
Swallowing her fear only because she knew there was a massive crowd watching, Lore nodded once to his question. She climbed the boxes like stairs, holding up white skirts.
It was strange. With her red hair and white dress, Lore could have passed for once of the performers.
Vik's huge grin lit his face again and he nodded up at her. "Now, Lore, beautiful Lore, you're going to fly for me." She began to turn in a circle after he said this, mist encircling her and hiding her from view. When the mist dissipated she had a very large set of black wings. It looked as if she had been born with them, rather than given them by some trick of magic. In fact, she may even have looked more beautiful than before. "Jump," he breathed the word and it seemed to whisper through the tent as a gust of wind.
She didn't even have a chance to jump before the boxes beneath her were falling away and the wind was picking up. If she didn't flap her wings she would be gusted away. She had no choice now.
He laughed beneath her from center stage and lifted his arms up high above his head. "Trust!"
Lore's first reaction? To scream. She had closed her eyes to protect them from the mist, coughing up smoke as she did. And once it had cleared and she could breath normally, she had opened her eyes to find that she was in the air. Lore was blowing away in the wind like a piece of parchment. Her red hair was tousled, her neat bun threatening to tumble down and spill out red curls.Her mind had gone into panic mode but at the same time...something about it felt like a dream. She could feel something latched to her back, could see the shadow of dark wings on the tent floor. She had wings?!
Wings... She tried to remember the books she had read at finishing school, everything she knew about birds and flight. It took her a moment of flailing before the muscles in her back began to work and she felt her way around the wings. Slowly, they began to flutter. Lore stopped spiraling out of control, the dark wings that unfurled from her back beginning to carry her.
She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, a sigh of relief. She was alive. She was still in one piece. And from up high, everything looked...beautiful. In the air, she felt like nothing could touch her, not her father's rules or social protocol or her delusional mind...
"And she flies!" Vik shouted. "I dare you to find strings!" The crowd roared with approval and did try and find something to hold her up, but, of course, there were none. And then, her wings were bursting away in that familiar mist and she was plummeting to the floor. Vik caught her on the tip of one finger and held her above his head. "I'm sorry about your hair," he whispered to her with a soft chuckle. He let go of her entirely and the mist held her up. It carried her back to her seat then dissipated. He turned, cloak whirling, and walked off stage.
His part of the show was small. His real work was after the show when the people lined up to see him and beg him for magic or the truth to his secrets. He went into his little room and he sat at his desk. He would wait, as usual.
"Fine show, my boy." It was the voice of Atticus Adair, proud owner of Cirque de Fantome. His hair was gray, nearing white with something other than age, and he wore a red waistcoat which was dawned with expensive jewels and crested with beautiful designs. A red tophat sat upon his head, which would make him stand out in any crowd. Perhaps the most shocking thing about his appearance, though, was his pale, pale eyes... Mr. Adair walked to the desk, arms crossed over his chest as he appraised the magician. "I am hear to warn you, Viktor. Demon blood has been sensed tonight by Madame Damara... Someone may be here, be it a collector or a simple spy. If you spot anyone suspicious, I expect them to be...taken care of." ~-~
Lore let out another squeal as she started falling, but the magician had caught her before it had time to turn into a proper scream. Her eyes were still wide with fear as the mist carried her to the ground, making her feel like she was riding on a cloud. How fitting for one who had had wings only moment ago.
She touched her fingertips to the edge of one of her red curls, the magician's words still echoing in her ears. Mind swirling with questions, Lore turned as if she could find answers simply by looking at him...
But he was already walking away.
Lore had her back turned to the crowd, eyes focused on the man in black until he disappeared from her view. The tent was completely silent for a moment, most likely because the audience was speechless. But then the mass erupted into conversations, raving about the magician and the circus and talking about what to watch next.
"Ms. Fairbanks, are you all right?" The rushed words came from Bennett as he jogged to her and helped her off the stage. Though she had been the center of attention a moment ago, now her and Bennett were only too drops of water in the sea of people.
Lore could only nod.
Bennett had an incredulous and amazed look on his face. "How did you do that? Surely he spoke to you before..."
Lore nodded once more, though it was anything but the truth.
Bennett continued to speak, first in wonderment and then in worry as he began to scold her for doing something dangerous and being out so late. But when Bennett was interrupted by a colleague of his father's and engaged in a conversation with the man, Lore slipped away from the crowd.
She needed to see that man, needed to find out his secrets, needed to understand this pull in her chest...
Lore crept past the stage, swallowing the lump of fear in her throat as she sneaked into the backstage area and tried not to get caught. Finally, she heard voices. Lore came to a room, one that was obviously a place for a performer when shows weren't going on. She peeked through the cracked doorway, spotting someone at a desk...
The magician.
"I've already found her," Viktor laughed blatantly at the man. He found the circus own quite ridiculous in this moment, running to him to tell him to take care of a problem he had already known of. It was a common issue. Adair doubted him and his magic. He would learn eventually. "Damara isn't the only one who can sniff out such a thing. You really ought to open up your eyes. I'm your greatest asset, Adair, you fool." He stood up from his desk and crossed his arms. "The demon girl was in my show tonight, after all," Vik told the man before him. "Silly thing has no idea of it either. If she had any clue she wouldn't think my magic some trick. She's probably got a parent who had the blood, but didn't stick around to tell her she has it too. Shame really. Oh, maybe daddy needed a little help and was left with a half-breed baby. Wouldn't that be delightful?" He laughed and once again plopped into his chair.
"Now, don't bother me with your silly demon talk. If you want her taken care of you can ask your precious Damara. Oh, or I have a better idea. You can take care of her yourself. Wouldn't that be something?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "If you're going to come in here and insult me, you could refrain from asking me favors."
Atticus stared at Viktor with those pale, soulless eyes. Everyone knew he had sold his soul a long time ago, after all. And since then, he had gathered performers far and wide, Viktor being one of the first. And Viktor was the only one who ever had the gull to speak against him. Atticus was about to put him in his place when something the magician said struck him hard. "What was that you just said...?" He cocked his head to the side, narrowing his eyes and smiling slightly to himself. Obviously, something had just occurred to him. "A father left with a child..." And the man began to laugh. "I'm afraid I know such a father, if he could be called such a thing. Wicked slip of a man, fabulous politician..." Another chuckle.
Atticus gave Viktor a calm and level look, then. "Don't forget who owns your contract, Mr. Quedra. You're nothing but a walking corpse. I could be rid of you in moments..." His laugh always sounded cynical, mad even. "Keep an eye on the situation, Viktor, though I doubt she poses any real threat..." His tone was icy, as it normally was. It was obvious that he paid Viktor's request no attention.
And then, the man in the red top hat disappeared in a cloud of red smoke.
~-~
Lore couldn't hear the whole thing, for she dared not to get too close. But she heard bits and pieces that made absolutely no sense to her. Demon...girl...half-breed... Why did those words make her feel so disoriented, like she would faint any moment. She had missed her injection...
Unfortunately, when she turned to bolt the other direction, her knee hit the door, making a sound echo through the tents. She froze in fear. Surely he heard, surely he knew she was there and had been trying to eavesdrop!
Vik heard a noise like knocking, or bumping against something. It was a common sound around a dark circus tent, but this one was much too close to his own area. He stood once again, irritated that he had to do so. He swept out of the room and he caught the perpetrator in the midst of turning to leave. The red hair was a dead giveaway. "Ah, come back for more?" he asked her, crossing his arms over his chest. He glared down at her and raised an eyebrow. He wondered exactly how much she head heard, though, by the look of panic on her face it seemed not much. If she had known anything they were talking about she wouldn't look so scared or so entirely confused.
"I must say that I do no appreciate you sneaking up on me. You are to wait in line with the rest of the spectators. Just because you were chosen for the show does not mean that you are allowed in the back. Are we understood? I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Lore." He made a gesture and her body was turned around and pushed forward lightly.
He turned around himself and started back to his area, thinking about the words of his boss. He couldn't imagine hell being much worse than this. Not to mention, he assumed that the man was all talk. If he could really be rid of him so easily, he probably would have been thrown out long ago. Of course, he was the best, so maybe not.
Lore was frozen still when she heard his voice. She whirled around, ready to spout out some sort of excuse. Now words would spill out of her mouth, though. Every cell in her body was screaming at her to turn around and run...but something kept her there, staring wide-eyed at this mysterious man of mysticism. She gasped as she stumbled forward, mind fuzzy as if she had just awoken from a dream. "No." She said suddenly, turning around to face him again. "Wait a minute!" She called out, chasing after him. Annalore was turning back to her old self, proper and formal. She held her head up high and said what she felt. Lore, however, was still young and foolish. There was something innocent and childlike about her, even though she tried to always be a lady.
"You wait just a minute." She tapped on his shoulder. "I demand an explanation, sir." To more than just one question. She wanted to know what they had been talking about. She wanted to know who that man was. She wanted to know how he had performed that trick.
"How did you know my name...?"
Viktor erupted into laughter. He shook his head and had to steady himself against the tent postings. He laughed for quite a few moments then abruptly stopped. "Are you a fool, child?" he asked her. "I know your name because I'm a magician, as in, magic. It's in the word. Please, try to keep up. You're Annalore Fairbanks. You go by Lore. I plucked it right from your mind. No, I'm nothing silly like a mind reader. Those don't exist. But, I have enough power to pluck away the very obvious things, or the things at the very forefront. Your name. Your worry about your hair. Now, kindly be on your way. I'm a busy man."
He stood himself up straight then made a shooing gesture with his hand. It always did amaze him how no one believed in his ability. But, they were fools. He was a great magician and he was just too far beyond their reasoning.
"Oh, please, your not a magician." Annalore protested. "Your an illusionist, Sir. A conman, a swindler." Subconsciously, Lore reached up and tucked a stray curl back into place. Her cheeks were a little rose but she pretended that she wasn't at all flustered. "Real magic doesn't exist." She snapped. And Lore knew that better than anyone. At one time, she had believed in real magic...but she knew now that all of that was just hallucinations.Lore didn't know how to feel about this man. Yes, he amazed and astonished her and made her believe in things she knew were false... But bloody hell did he aggravate her? In a time where it wasn't even proper to introduce yourself to a stranger without a friend in common, this man had dared call her by her first name in front of hundreds. And now she was alone with him, another thing that was entirely improper...
"How did you it? Some sort of gravitational device in the floor? A magnetic pull in the top of the tent?" She raised an eyebrow, crossing her delicate arms. Lore was a woman of logic, after all. And then, she hesitated for a moment before adding, "And I'm not a child." She sounded offended and proud.
Vik let out a frustrated groan and turned back to her, rolling his eyes. "I care not if you believe me. I know I am a real magician. I'm the best magician this land has ever known and you're all fools for not believing such. I have the power to suck the soul straight from your body and you're lucky I don't do just that. Understood, little girl." He hissed the last two words. "There is no magnet. There is no gravitational anything. You can search this place high and low and you will find anything. But, you know for a fact that you had wings, sprouting straight from your very skin. I gave them to you. I can give them to anyone and I can do much more than that silly little trick." He gritted his teeth in an attempt to calm himself.
"So, please, if you would like to make a search of this place, go ahead. But, leave my chambers. This is highly inappropriate for you to be here with me. I don't need the town coming after me think I'm trying to become your favorite suitor. Shoo. I haven't time." He once again made the gesture with his hands, this time scooting her back with just the air he stirred up.
At that, Lore's face turned almost as red as her hair. "I wasn't - That's not - " She stuttered, feeling flustered. She had forgotten all about proper social conventions when she came here. Her only thought; find out what was going on with this magician. But before she could try and defend herself further, a strange gust of wind was pushing her back, just as it had on the stage. As if she were a simple feather."Maybe I will look around." She said indignantly, needing some sort of scientific explanation to prove she wasn't insane. Lore turned on her heel, chin up as she prepared to leave. But after just a few steps, she turned back slightly, just to ask, "Wait...what's your name? It's only fair, considering you know mine..." It sounded like an innocent enough request, but Lore really wanted the name to research him. Maybe she could dig up some dirt in the records at the library.
"If I wanted you to know my name, you would know it. Now, leave my presence. I think someone is looking for you and I'm quite frankly sick of seeing you. Go on." Vik made the gesture again and the wind gusted harder, pushing her along the floor like she was nothing. And soon, he could no longer see her as he had pushed her entirely out of the area and back with the masses. He went back to his table and he sat in his chair. He sighed heavily and shook his head. He knew he had been making a bit of a mistake by choosing that particular girl as his prop, but he had been helpless to resist. Now he just wanted her to be gone and stop with all her questions and accusations. It really was not his fault that she could not believe.
Lore gasped as she was pushed back by some invisible force. The magician and his chambers were no longer in front of her. Now, she stood in front of the black curtain of the stage. She turned, seeing that most of the crowd had dissipated, most likely leaving to see other spectacles that the circus had to offer. Lore didn't want to leave yet. She wanted answers...But she felt so, so dizzy. Everything was spinning and the eerie music of the circus was the only thing she could hear anymore. She didn't even hear Bennett as he rushed to her side. "Ms. Fairbanks! Are you all right? Where have you been - I've been looking everywhere!" He called out, catching her when her body went limp. "Lore!"
She had fainted under the stage lights, hearing one last thing before she fell unconscious.
Welcome to Cirque de Fantome...
((Um... Maybe her father could forbid her from returning to the circus, but she sneaks out and goes anyway. She could get attacked by some demons that are tracking the circus?))
((Why not a little of both? I was going to wait until she got home for the meeting with her father, so he could deny having been there.))
((That sounds good. Maybe Bennett could have taken her home and once she wakes up she finds her father in his study or something. He could be like "Oh, Bennett said you were at the circus" even though he saw her there himself... xD ))
((All right! I'll post first, then... One moment!))
In her dreams, Lore was flying. She had her wings once more, though they were white, and she soared over the circus, higher than any trapeze artist or aerialist. As she flew, she caught sight of a raven flying ahead of her. Lore chanced it, the wind in her hair feeling exhilarating. When she finally caught up to the raven, it turned to mist...and then a magician in a dark cloak appeared.And he was falling.
Lore dove after him, her wings beating faster and faster as she tried to stop his descent...
But the world soon slipped away from her and she was tumbling into darkness.
Annalore's eyes flew open. She was lying in her own bed in her nightgown, which must have been put on her by her handmaiden. Lore sat straight up, a wave of nausea coming to her as she did. But the dizziness was gone in a moment. With a look down at the skin of her inner elbow, she saw why.
Her father must have instructed someone to give her her injection while she was out.
Annalore got up from bed, noticing that there was muted sunlight streaming in through the window. She absently wondered what time of day it was as she got dressed. But by the time a servant came in to lace her corset, Lore's thoughts had wondered to the circus, to the magician, to that strange dream...
With a start, she remembered what had happened. She had fainted inside that tent... Had Mr. Preston taken her home?
She tied up her hair quickly before she made her way down the staircase. Lore's hand ran along the wall as she inched her way to her father's study. One glimpse inside showed that he was, in fact, home. Lore ducked her head as she entered like a good little girl. "Hello, father." She said softly, giving a tiny little curtsy.
