Chapter 2:

RPOV

I woke up in the morning pressed between the wall and my lover. It wasn't a bad place to be. I loved sleeping against him. His steady breathing is a good lullaby, but I wondered if after a couple of weeks like this I would still like it. The bed was small and my giant Russian didn't leave much room for me.

But then I chuckled seeing Lissa and Christian on the sofa. I guess I couldn't really complain.

Last night had been a bit awkward. We stayed on the edge of the campfire. We greeted everybody but didn't join in many conversations. It was especially hard for Dimitri and I. We were so used to Guarding our charges that making an effort not to look like we were guarding was quite the challenge.

Dimitri and I had been trained in the art, but the last few years since Lissa had been Queen we had hardly had to put it to the test. And the odd chills that a few of the artists gave us hadn't returned. But I knew Dimitri and would be on alert.

We hadn't met the circus master yet. Sydney was to introduce us this morning. We also had to get some gear and I had to hunt for an outfit. We had only packed the necessities and somehow a skimpy knife throwers assistants outfit hadn't made the cut.

"Morning. How did you sleep?" I asked as I heard Dimitri stirr. It wasn't often I was up before he was.

He moved his neck and I heard a few unpleasant cracks. He simply grunted in reply to my question. I guess palace life had rubbed off on him.

"I'll massage your neck if you make breakfast." I said teasingly.

"Deal. but you have to massage me first. Otherwise I think you're stuck with some bread."

I giggled. He was cranky. He sat up and turned his back to me. I sat on my knees and parted his hair a bit so I could reach his neck and shoulders. His chest was bare, he was only wearing pyjama pants. He would always complain it was too hot in bed.

I started kneading his shoulders. I could feel the kinks in them and I was having a hard time getting through them.

"The bed really did a number on you. Maybe you are getting a little too old for this."

I said jokingly. But I could hear him growl. Our age difference had always bothered him. Certainly because Christian and Lissa were my age. He was always the senior one in every situation.

"No more sausage for breakfast for you." He chuckled. I humped. I loved sausage, certainly when he made it.

"Oh come on comrade, I didn't mean it." I whispered in his ear. My hands went from his neck and shoulders down the front to his abs. I leaned in a bit more, pressing certain parts of me against his back. The rumble in his chest alerted me to my success.

"You're on dangerous grounds Roza." I could see his hands gripping the bed sheet so he wouldn't grab me. But I leaned in a bit more, my face next to his. I stopped massaging his neck and moved my hands towards his leg. I was now more to the side of him than behind him. I leaned in towards his lips.

"That is enough, you two." Christian said as he was waking up and rolling off of the sofa.

I sighed, deeply disappointed. This might actually prove more difficult than the sleeping arrangement. I had no idea how long we would be here. Weeks? Months? We would have to figure something out, because there was no way I was going that long without having sex.

But at least for now, we had to cool it. I could see Dimitri take a few deep breaths.

"Right, breakfast." He put on a shirt and started to grab a few supplies. I saw Christian getting up and helping him. They were such good boys. Lissa and I were useless in the kitchen.

Lissa got out of bed too, and it was hilarious. I could tell she wanted to complain, but I wasn't having any of it. If Dimitri was already having a hard time with the actual bed, he would be miserable on the pull-out sofa.

"So Lissa. Did you ask anyone if they have a spare crystal ball? Or are you going to read people's palm?"

She thought about it while pulling on some clothes.

"I haven't really thought about it. Maybe palm reading would be easier. I don't actually need anything."

I nodded. Dimitri and I would already require stuff for our act. I was glad that Lissa wouldn't need anything.

"What about you, sparky?"

He pulled a few sticks out of the back of the wagon.

"I spoke to someone last night. They say there used to be a firebreather here, he left these." He lifted up a few sticks. "I will see if these work. I might have to learn how to juggle though."

After breakfast Dimitri and Christian were going stuff hunting. In about an hour we would meet with the ringmaster and we would have to discuss our acts. Lissa and I would stay here. We had discussed it on the ride here. One of us would always stay with Lissa. Preferably Dimitri or I, but if necessary Christian would be with Lissa. Dimitri and he had trained over the years. He wasn't as good as we were, most weren't. But I had no doubt that he would protect Lissa if need be.

Lissa and I were looking through her clothes, seeing if there was anything I could wear. But there wasn't anything I could fit into.

"It will be alright Rose. Luckily we won't have to make money off of our acts, it doesn't have to be perfect."

I hoped that was true. We had brought a good amount of money. It was expertly hidden. Leave it to Abe to have a circus wagon with secret vaults built in. But it was enough to last us a few weeks, maybe three months at monst. If the Witch hunters hadn't been taken care off by then, we would have to perform for money. And I wondered if we were good enough. I mean we were making this up as we went along.

I went through my own clothes again. I had settled on a tight shirt and tight pants. It wasn't stage worthy, but maybe with a few accessories it would do. It only had to be tight so Dimitri could easily throw knives at me.

After thirty minutes Dimitri and Christian came back. Dimitri had collected some wood he explained came from an abandoned wagon. He could easily make it into a backboard for his knives.

"Okay that is great. We can put it together and we might actually have an act."

Dimitri wanted to say something more, but he hesitated. He had a slight blush on his cheeks. I saw Christian was holding something in his hands.

"You do have an act... and an outfit." He showed me what he had in his hands, and I understood why Dimitri had blushed.

"It belonged to the magician's assistant, but she left so he had no use for it anymore. He said you looked to be the same size."

Last night a couple people had commented on why if we were circus folk we had no gear? I hadn't really thought about it. But Dimitri said we had to leave our last circus quickly because of Witch hunters and couldn't bring everything. It was quick thinking and I could tell by their reaction that nobody here had love for the Witch hunters. That would be a good thing.

Everyone had been supportive of us and had offered to help where they could.

I grabbed the tiny piece of clothing from Christian. The moment I touched the fabric I had a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Christian didn't seem to be affected so I brushed it off as simply embarrassment of having to wear it.

"Is this all of it?" I asked, holding the fabric up to inspect.

Christian shrugged. Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest. "No. There is more thank God. he said he had a pair of tights with it too. He is trying to find it now."

I guess that would be a little bit better. I had a pair of tights myself to wear underneath my dress but there were holes in it everywhere. I couldn't wear it on stage.

"And there are boots." Dimitri finished, but the way he said it made me think that it wouldn't help me cover up more. And when he pointed towards something dark I had first dismissed as a piece of wood I knew it wouldn't .

"Oh Rose. that looks amazing. Why don't you try it on." I scrunched up my nose. I wasn't looking forward to it, but I must admit I was curious.

I walked inside with the piece of fabric and the boots. They would just have to imagine me with the tights. I undressed and tried on the outfit that once belonged to the magician's assistant. It did fit me. But it felt strangely constricting. I was a bit bigger in the chest but I wasn't spilling out. It had some bones on the side giving me some structure. Good, the less body Dimitri could hit the better. It had straps to the side of my shoulders, leaving my clavicles exposed. My arms and legs were completely bare. It did make my ass look good. I put on the boots. They ended just over the knee. And I couldn't decide if it made me less or more exposed. On the one hand it covered more skin. But it only emphasized the fact I wasn't wearing anything else other than a bodice. I let my hair down for now. I would have to put it up once we had to do the act, I couldn't really risk Dimitri trimming it a bit in places I didn't want it. But for now I needed the extra cover, even when it was just psychological.

I went outside and Lissa squealed when I exited our wagon.

"Oh my god Rose, you look amazing. People will be coming from far and wide to see you."

Dimitri had a storm on his face. First it was shock and obvious lust, but it quickly became angry.

"You are NOT going on stage like that." I looked down at myself and I had to agree. I wasn't really a prude like Lissa. I liked flaunting my body. It got me places, but this was a bit much.

"I have an idea." I said as I moved back inside. I rummaged through my clothes until I found my tight pants that were my back up plan. I got rid of the boots and put the pans on, finishing it off with my own pair of small heeled boots. I kept the magician's assistants bodice. I could put the pants over it. The pants rode low on my hip, showing all the details the bodice had. But it gave me more of a warrior than a pretty girl look. I strapped on a few knives. I could hand them to Dimitri during the act if need be. I placed my hair in a side braid covering some of my exposed neck and cleavage.

I went back out.

"Well, I think this is more me, but still festive enough for an act."

Dimitri's eyes went over my body and I could see him visibly let out a breath.

"Much better. I think that will do nicely for the assistant of a knife thrower."

I changed again for a meeting with the ringmaster. I don't think he had any say in my choice of outfit anyway.

The four of us walked to the centre wagon. The ringmaster was sitting outside of his rather large wagon. Business must be going well. Sydney was beside him, but I could tell she wasn't comfortable.

"This is Ringmaster Daniel Nicolescu."

The man was in his late fifties, and had a bit of a belly. But his eyes were strong and condemning.

"Thank you Sydney. Let's see if what you have brought me is up to my standards."

I wasn't liking his tone. But we had little choice but to do what he wanted. We really couldn't afford to be on the road on our own. We needed to hide within the many people of this circus.

He was in charge of every act. He arranged the advertisements and would deal with cities to let us pass through their gates if necessary. As I understood from Sydney there were different families and people coming to the circus, some stayed, some didn't. Her family has been with this circus for three years now, but they have always been a circus family. But this man had made a few vagabond acts into an actual circus. And by the looks of it, he was making a lot of money doing it.

"Here is how it works. I don't care where you come from or what you have been through. We all have a sob story. I care about making money. I keep this place safe and I keep this place going. And in return I take a percentage of your coins. So if you can help draw people to my circus, we will be great friends. If you can't make me money, you'll be back on the streets with just the four of you in no time again. You understand?"

We nodded. He gave me heebie jeebies. The man was cold. But I suppose his motifs weren't hard to figure out. As long as we made him more money than the Witch hunters could pay, he would keep us safe I suppose.

"So what is it that you do, that is going to make me money?"

I nodded to Christian. He still had to work out the kinks, but he had a decent act. He picked up the rods and lit them. He had a match but we knew he didn't actually use it. He had the rods lit up. He twirled one in the air feeling its weight. To everyone else it looked like he was controlling the rod, but we could see he was controlling the fire. He was using the fire to make patterns with the rod. He didn't go all out, but it was enough to satisfy the ringmaster.

We had to walk a steady line here. Too little wow-factor and he would kick us out. Too much and we might actually make a name for ourselves, not just within the circus but with the audience too. That might be less than ideal since we were actually hiding.

"Next." He looked at Lissa.

"Well, I am a fortune teller. I can read palms. Do...Do you want me to read yours?"

He smiled. But waved her off.

"It has been a while since we had somebody good. People with no skill tend to become fortune tellers. Are you the same? Do you have no talent?"

Lissa was offended, nobody has spoken to her like that for some time now.

"No sir. I have talent."

"Not for palm reading, that is a joke and we both know it."

She bit her lip. She needed to convince him, but how do you say, I can see colors around people that let me know how they are feeling. Which will enable them to be fooled. And if all else fails, I can always compel them to believe what I have said.

"I am very intuitive. I can see what people are feeling based on body language. People have asked me before if I was psychic. I decided to make a living out of it."

He scoffed. But accepted her answer. He zoned in on Dimitri and I next.

"And what have the lovebirds cooked up for me?"

I wondered why we were love birds and Lissa and Christian weren't. It was clear that they were a couple too. But maybe it was because Dimitri and I would have an act together.

Dimitri didn't say anything. He looked straight up into the ring master's face. I saw he had grabbed a knife from his pocket. He was still not looking at me but at Daniel.

Without a word, without blinking and more importantly without looking he threw a knife at me. It hit the tree next to me, about two inches away from my face. I honestly didn't know if I should be afraid or turned on. He was damn good at throwing that knife.

The ringmaster raised his eyebrow. "That will do."