I do not own American Horror Story: Freak Show.

And for once, I honestly can't think of what to say here, ha.

Beauty and the Beast: A Freak Show Fairy Tale

'Love' for Sale

Another evening, another performance.

Another clapping of hands, another sweeping bow offstage.

Big smile, flirtatious wave.

The end.

Except it wasn't the end.

It never really was.

For outside the big top, another performance was beginning to take shape.

A parade of sorts.

A secret parade.

Not with banners and tickertape and trumpets on sunlit Main Street.

But a casual, subtle parade of flesh.

In the dim side alleys created by rows of tents and trailers.

Women flesh.

Men flesh.

Questionable flesh sold to questionable buyers.

All for a price.

Whatever price.

Dollars. Dimes. Pence.

Ethel Darling, proprietor of the Darling Carnival of Wonders, she of the bearded chin and shrewd businessmind, still was no freak show brothel Madame.

She only let the carnies take matters into their own hands, mouths, and whatever other orifices they chose.

Pocketing their own money.

And making their own peace with the remaining fractured remnants of their own souls.

It was not up to her to make their choices for them.

In whatever directions they chose to sway.

Only provide a show beforehand and a turned away eye later to let carnies make do for themselves.

So if a man or woman of the troupe chose to offer their, how to say, bodily services, that was their choice and not hers to make.

Elsa Mars, however, felt a little differently.

Having begun her own sexual explorations quite young.

Perhaps too young some might say.

And thusly, lacking the empathy others might choose to employ.

"So, my dear," she'd casually approach Angelica from time to time. "When will you start standing on your own two feet and making some money for yourself?"

Angelica tried to play dumb at first.

"Thought I was. Standing on my own two feet."

And Elsa would huff, cruel eyes sly.

"Oh excuse me, I misspoke. I mean 'lying on your back'."

Angelica's eyes would narrow.

And that mouth, that pink bow mouth Michael recently had become all too aware of, would speak coldly.

"I don't really think that's any of your business, Elsa."

Elsa's spiteful sneer a prelude to her words.

"Think your garden's too fresh and delicate to be plowed for a quick dollar?"

And, like a slinking serpent catching the scent of a mouse, would appear Maggie Esmeralda.

"Oh no, Elsa, she's just too special and clean and pure to be common like the rest of us. Princess and her knight in furry wolfhair."

Maggie, who since the 'incident' had slid further and further into the ugly muck of lower carnie life.

Sloppily drunk. Willing to spread her legs to anyone with any coin at all.

And bitingly, ruthlessly cruel with her words.

Vindictive with her hazel eyes.

Even going so far as to insinuate to Ethel that maybe, just maybe, she'd forget her underthings sometime during a show.

"Oh come on, Ethel, think of the shock we'd give the townfolk!" she'd coo. "Bring in a full house every night just to see if all the naughty bits were on display!"

Ethel's piercing blue eyes would narrow dangerously.

"What we got here is a family show, girl. Even Elsa's got to rein in those saucy hips. You pull a stunt like that and I'll pull you off the show and have you mucking out the latrine for a month!"

Maggie would pout and flounce off, muttering to herself about art and the natural state of the human body.

And Ethel Darling would sit on the steps of her tired old caravan and smoke a cig in the darkness.

And Angelica, well, Angelica would take herself away to her own spaces, wondering how long it would be before she would be forced to sell her soul.

And be just like everyone else.

Wondering why she should even care. Especially when no one else seemed to.

And Michael.

Michael would keep his dark eyes on her, only her.

Promising himself Angelica would be safe.

Always safe.

No matter what.

Something of a setup chapter here. Some stuff's about to go down.

Thanks to DinahRay, King Reeses, and anonymouscsifan for your reviews.

Thanks also whteritis2 for adding your support.

See you again soon.