Chapter Fifty-One

Missing Piece

The interior of Mr. Tall's trailer was sparse, but Juliet spied a surprisingly small bed as well as a makeshift kitchen composed of a mini fridge, hot plate sitting upon a small cabinet, and dozens of potted plants in bloom across from the large horizontal window placed high upon the trailers wall. A well-worn sofa was placed against wall at the front of the trailer, facing inwards to a small polished wood coffee table and two matching chairs. Mr. Tall motioned for her to sit, and Juliet headed for the couch. When she sat she noticed that all the furniture was bolted to the floor.

The large man moved towards the kitchen, pulling a bottle of wine out from the mini-fridge and two glasses from his cabinet. He placed the full glasses on the coffee table before Juliet. She didn't hesitate, grabbing one and sipping at the sweet red liquid.

"I must force you to promise me something before we begin." Mr. Tall said, hefting his slender body into the chair diagonal from Juliet's spot. "I am about to reveal a great deal of secrets, and you must promise me that you will not pass any of this information on without consulting me first."

Juliet frowned. "I thought this was going to be about me…" she said, fiddling with her wine glass.

"A person does not go through life without interacting with others." He stated.

"So my past is riddled with other people's secrets?" Juliet sighed.

"As well as your own. This is not simply to protect the others involved."

Juliet eyed Mr. Tall from over the rim of her glass. "I guess I should take your word for it." She sipped more wine.

"Are you ready to begin?" he asked, his glass remained untouched on the table. Juliet nodded. "Let me tell you about myself, then. I am Hibernius Tall, ringmaster of the Cirque du Freak."

Juliet wanted to roll her eyes, she wanted to tell him to get on with it, but she couldn't. This man was offering her help, he claimed he could reveal her past to her. She could sit back and listen to him talk about himself for a while.

"That is the name I chose for myself when I was born." He stated.

Juliet looked up. 'Now that's kinda interesting.'

"I suppose you think I am human." He said. Juliet gave a slight nod. "Like you, I am not. My mother… was a wolf and my father-"

"Nooo. You're shitting me." Juliet gasped. "Desmond Tiny? You're the son from the story. Noooooo!"

Mr. Tall blinked quickly. "Yes, I am."

"That's a Vampire legend. How old would that make you?" she asked.

"Irrelevant." He stated.

"So are you one of the people whose secrets I'm connected to?" Juliet asked. "Can I ask again how this will lead to me at all? I mean I don't want to be rude but your life story-"

"Will answer your questions. Please be patient." He stated, voice booming like he was calling out at the crowd of the Cirque. Juliet paled and finished her glass of wine, setting it back on the table and wringing her hands in its absence. Mr. Tall refilled her glass and continued.

"As you said, I am the son from the Vampire legend. I have not had… consistent contact with my family. I make it a point to avoid them when possible, because I do not agree with their views." Juliet looked confused at his words. "Let me ask you, Juliet. Have you met Desmond Tiny?"

"Yes." She said, shivering slightly. "He's the reason I'm here."

"Did you come from the past, or the future?"

Juliet blanched. "H-how would you-" she began.

"We do not operate on the same plane of existence as the rest of the world, Vampires, Vampaneze, humans, animals… My father, my sister and I are not like them."

"What are you?" Juliet asked.

Mr. Tall shrugged. "There is no word. We are nearly immortal beings of immense and controlled power. My father has a penchant for interfering in the lives of mortals. He can manipulate things like time, though he is not supposed to."

"So when you say 'controlled power' you mean like… regulated?" She asked, leaning back in her seat.

"Exactly. There are rules my kind must follow. Or else." His voice was dark, and his eyes clouded.

"I won't ask about the 'or else'." Juliet mumbled.

"I do not believe in interfering as my father does, so I distance myself from him. My sister constantly finds herself meddling with the Vampires, as they seek her believing she can bear their children."

"Can she?" Juliet said quickly.

"Yes." He stated simply, causing Juliet's eyes to widen. Rumors and legends… sometimes they're true. "I have lead a life without them both for many centuries now."

"But I have not been alone." Juliet sat forward now, hoping that this would be the time when he would reach her or her parents or anyone actually connected with her. "I was wed once." Juliet's imagination swirled up ideas of what a woman could see in this tall, terrifying man. "She was a high-ranking vodouist." He answered her unasked question. "Dark skin, wild hair, brave eyes." His voice was reverent, and Juliet's eyes softened. "She was a master of her craft. We met once as I travelled through Haiti with my Cirque. I was drawn to her as if by a spell, though she promised me there was no such thing. She stayed with me. Her name was Helvsmina."

'Hibernius and Helvsmina…' Juliet smiled softly.

"We had one son. Seter Jacques." Mr. Tall's face set hard. "He was a mischievous boy, and an arrogant man. But I loved him dearly, as if a piece of my heart… had broken away from my body and taken his form." Juliet's eyes grew misty at his words. "On the day that he left the Cirque, left the home I had built for him, to join the Vampires, I felt that heartbreak in a different way."

"How did he pull that off?" Juliet asked. "He's half-human, half… uh you. And even if you have a third Vampire blood like in the story, that's diluted… so like a sixth vampire?"

Mr. Tall's hands tightened on his knees, pulling at the fabric of his dark pants. "Something you should remember about my kind, Juliet." He said stonily. "Our blood is the strongest. And Seter had a unique ability... being the perfect liar." He shook his head. "He could convince anyone of anything, and proved it on multiple occasions when he was a boy. Though I was immune to his charms, there was more than one instance of Helvsmina coddling him after he'd broken an item. Her rage when I told her the truth was… amusing." He smiled, showing his black teeth.

"That's…uh… dangerous." Juliet sighed.

"Indeed, but the boy was not evil. Simply, as I said, arrogant. He wanted people to believe he was a great Vampire, so they did. He became a General, and his people loved him. I was happy for him, whenever he returned and would avail his mother and I of his exploits. Unfortunately he was not as great a warrior as he convinced the Vampires… which would eventually lead to his downfall.

"But not before he met the woman of his dreams. A Vampiress named Lucina. She was also a General. They sparred constantly, and she bested him constantly. He could have convinced her she was not as great a warrior as he, but Seter did not. I believe it was 'love at first sight'. They were wed in the Vampire fashion, and imagine Lucina's surprise when she became pregnant. Seter immediately removed the two of them from Vampire Mountain and returned to his mother and myself at the Cirque. I suppose he hoped that we could break the news of his lies to his wife gently…" Mr. Tall sighed.

"Lucina was a smart, albeit belligerent woman. She tried her best to understand and not to attack her husband once we told her everything. But Seter wore the scar she gave him on his chest proudly. Lucina tried to convince Seter and myself of how we could assist the Vampires… but I had long since declared neutrality to all affairs of the sort, and Seter had already done his part, siring a child with her. They decided it would be best not to do anything until the child was born."

Juliet was sitting forward, focused on Mr. Tall's story. The names and descriptions and actions of this family becoming more and more interesting. It was true, Mika had seemed intrigued when he told her of the possibility of the children of Mr. Tiny being able to breed with Vampires. She could only imagine what the Vampire community would think if the rumors turned out to be true, if the Princes knew there were people outside their Mountain able to give them children, something none of them believed possible.

"The child… was born on March twenty-sixth. Lucina looked down at the babe in her slender arms and cried her joy into the babe's pink flesh. I remember her words. 'Men will faun over her. Boys will die for her. She'll be as if written by the bard himself'…" Mr. Tall hunched over, leaning his elbows on his knees and placing his face in his hands. Juliet could only describe his expression as pained. "Those were Lucina's final words on this earth. The birthing had proved too much for even her body. Helvsmina tried her best to heal, calling on her spirits, using medicine, but nothing worked. My wife took the infant from her mother's cold embrace, and handed her to Seter.

"My son wanted nothing to do with the child. He mourned the loss of his wife too deeply, he could not understand the new life she had given him. He left."

"What?" Juliet whispered, eyes wide.

"My son walked away. I gave Lucina a proper burial as Helvsmina held the babe in her arms. When I finished she looked to me and asked 'What shall we do?'. She handed me the child, my granddaughter, and as I looked into her bright blue eyes I felt my heart break once more. 'We are parents again.' I said. 'What shall we name her?' Helvsmina looked to me and then to Lucina's grave. 'Her mother already named her. Men will faun for her and boys will die for her. As if written by the bard himself.'"

Mr. Tall locked eyes with the woman sitting across from him. Her bright blue eyes were wide, glassy and welling with tears. "I- I…." she stuttered, unable to speak. Her mind was reeling. She'd wondered why Mr. Tall had needed to talk about himself instead of just diving into her past. She'd never expected…

"'Juliet', Lucina had hinted at the perfect name for the bundle I held in my arms."

"I'm…"Juliet began, blinking erratically, she put her hands to her mouth and forced the tears back.

"You are. My granddaughter, Juliet." Mr. Tall watched as the woman battled her emotions in front of him. Her body was shaking. "Helvsmina and I raised you here at the Cirque. A beautiful, lively little girl willing to learn anything. Every day you spent with us you made our world… brighter.

"Helvsmina attempted to teach you voodoo when you never manifested any powers like those of my kin. Unfortunately, I believe you were a bit too young to understand the concepts she attempted with you, so it was short-lived." Mr. Tall was smiling at the memories. "She taught you how to swim in lakes and rivers… how to catch fish with your hands. I saw so much of your father in you with every smile, but also… so much of my Helvsmina. You were both wild, hearty, and loved to be in nature. Those daggers-" he pointed to Juliet's thighs where her daggers were once again strapped. "She taught you how to use them to hunt, to skin fish and deer."

Juliet was listening to Mr. Tall- her grandfather- talk, but she couldn't look at him. Thoughts still swimming at the revelation. His voice was desperate to convince her, but Juliet couldn't feel any connection. His words rang with truth, but she had no memories, nothing was unlocking like she imagined it would.

"I- I want to believe you." She said, clearing her throat. "But… I don't remember any of this."

"It was a very long time ago." Mr. Tall stated.

"No… I mean… I literally have no memory from before Lord Highland took me in." she sighed, shaking her head. "It's just like a blank space. Like a question and I have no answer at all."

Mr. Tall breathed deeply and Juliet finally looked at him. His eyes were dark and twinkling. Was he crying? "I know why you have no memories of this time, but it will pain us both for me to tell you."

Juliet frowned. "It pains me not knowing."

"I know." He stated. "But allow me to apologize in advance. I do not like this memory.

It was a cold November day… you were somewhere around the age of twelve, blossoming into a beautiful young woman. I was resting from the previous night's show, so you and Helvsmina were out alone. It was mid-afternoon… the two of you were leaving the camp, perhaps to hunt, since Helvsmina had taken her daggers with her…" he clenched his jaw. "Seter showed up. We had not seen nor heard from him since your birth. Helvsmina was elated she ran through the camp shouting her joy, some of the Cirque's attendants left their homes to greet him. I was told… she embraced him, pulling you with her. She wanted you to meet your father. But Seter… he flew into a rage when he saw you. He… took Helvsmina's daggers and slashed at you.

"The people rushed forward and pulled you away from him. Helvsmina tried to stop his slashes. There was a fracas… you and Helvsmina ran out of the camp. Seter chased you, the Cirque attendants chased him. Out in the fields beyond the camps he slaughtered them all. I awoke to find the camp in panic, and I rushed out to find my wife and my granddaughter.

"I never found you… but I did find Helvsmina. She made me promise not to look for you. 'This family may be cursed.' She said. 'No child should be hated by their own father… To be forced to know that the person that should love you the most hates you.' I asked her where Seter was. 'Dead' she told me. 'I killed my boy to save our girl.'" Mr. Tall ran his hand over his mouth. "I lost many things that night. My son, my friends, my wife and daughter. But I stayed true to my word. I didn't look for you Juliet."

"That… that doesn't explain why I don't remember anything." Juliet said, voice wavering.

"Helvsmina was… an expert at voodoo. She must have made you forget. I couldn't ask her. I'm sorry."

Juliet nodded numbly. "Is… is there a way I could remember?"

Mr. Tall considered the question. "Do you truly wish to?"

"Yes. I want to… know why you're looking at me like that." She was referring to his intense gaze as he spoke. "We're… family and I don't feel anything for you, but I know I should. If I could just force yourself to feel-"

"One moment." He stood, his slender form towering over her. He approached Juliet and looked into Juliet's eyes. "I would like to try something, if you'll allow it, please allow me to touch your face." His large hands encircled Juliet's head, but she did not flinch. "Look into my eyes."

"What are you doing?" Juliet asked as her shining eyes locked with his.

"I am attempting to surface your latent abilities. Perhaps you can see through time like I can…"

"What can your sister do?" Juliet mumbled, trying not to avert her gaze.

"Shapeshift."

"Woah shit."

"We have more abilities than those, but they are… at the forefront." He continued to stare into her eyes. "Do you feel anything?"

"Hungry?" she supplied. He smiled, his black teeth no longer frightened Juliet.

"Try concentrating on what you'd like to remember. I will try focusing my ability on you."

"You mean like… I think of what you've told me and you try to pull out the memories?"

Mr. Tall tilted his head. "You're very perceptive." He smiled again.

Juliet nodded. She began focusing on the past Mr. Tall had told her about. She thought about swimming in lakes as a small girl, but couldn't even picture herself, or Helvsmina- her grandmother. She thought about a lake or stream she may have played in. The rocks she would jump to, careful not to slip. About looking into clear water.

She gasped as a picture began forming in her mind. "I remember… catching a carp… or a trout or something…" She gasped again as she saw two hands pull a writhing fish out of the stream. "And I remember being so excited because it meant…. I would get to eat the most delicious grilled fish." Suddenly Juliet's chest began to ache and she felt her shoulders slump. "Because my manna… my grandma… she had the best marinade on the planet." The image of a woman started to form, she was tall and thin, with bright blue eyes that followed her every move. She wore a long, flowing skirt and beaded top that stopped beneath her full breasts. Tattoos lined up and down her arms, twirling circles toward down her abdomen to her navel. Her black hair was matted and wild like she rolled in the grass constantly, peppered with gray hairs that were the only indication of her age. She held her arms open. The image grew closer and closer and Juliet realized she was running towards the woman. Warmth engulfed her as the strong arms of Helvsmina wrapped around her body and she brushed her slender fingers through Juliet's hair, whispering and cooing loving words and sounds.

Juliet was crying, tears flowing down her full cheeks as she remembered her time spent at the Cirque with her manna and gramps. The people of the Cirque. They all helped bring her up. They were her family. She remembered learning to ride a bike when she was six with a few of the other children of the performers. They had one bicycle, and had to take turns pushing each other. One of the teens watched and directed apathetically until someone started crying over a bruised knee or scraped arm. Juliet remembered working with Helvsmina to sew clothes. Twirling around in colorful dresses while her manna clapped and sang.

They were wonderful childhood memories. Happy and bright and terrible for how long she had gone without them. Mr. Tall was watching her, his hands were no longer on her face. She blinked, feeling the hot tears falling down her cheeks. She wiped at them with her bare palms, sniffling and gasping from the weight of her emotions. She clenched her eyes shut tight, willing the tears to stop, but when she opened them again and saw her grandfather standing across from her, looking concerned in a way only she would know, she broke down again. Standing she ran to him and he opened his arms and accepted her embrace as she buried her face in his chest and cried.

Mr. Tall sighed his relief, wrapping his arms around the woman. "We have much to talk about…" he began, then shook his head. "But this is more important…I have waited years for you to come to me, and finally you have. My lost Juliet, the missing piece of my heart."

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review! I want to hear from you!