Okay... to clarify - I have NOT read the books (yet) I decided to write this after watching and loving the FILM. Anyone who did not like the film will probably not like this fanfic. It is not true to the books.

DC

It was in fact a few days later when Mr Tiny arrived. A thunder clap outside alerted Mr Tall to his presence. He rolled his eyes. The insufferable man, a demon by nature, was such a drama queen. He reshuffled the paperwork which had mounted in front of him and tucked it into a tray on the side of his desk. The freaks rarely appreciated the amount of paperwork which needed attending to. Between performances, it really built up. A little person, one of Mr Tiny's creations, ran into his tent and stood just inside the door.

"Good evening," boomed Mr Tall who believed it always payed to be courteous. The little person, tented in a filthy grey robe, nodded once at him before resuming its' statue like appearance. Mr Tall marveled at it. The little creatures seemed to act as though they were Mr Tiny's bodyguards but at three foot high, he reasoned that there was very little damage it could do. Besides, the rumor was that Mr Tiny was demon from the underworld. A creature like him could almost certainly protect himself.

"Evening Hibernious." The voice detached itself from it's owner and filled the tent. Mr Tall stood up to greet his guest who had appeared in the doorway with another little creature.

"Mr Tiny," smiled Mr Tall, encouraging formality, "do come in." The man strode forward and unhooked his cape from under his double chin with chubby fingers. Dumping it over the nearest little person's head, he summoned a chair and lounged on it. Mr Tall tried not to stare at the servant who was struggling under the cape like a child with a sheet over it's head, pretending to be a ghost, and offered Mr Tiny a cup of tea. He refused.

"Strictly business tonight Hibernious," he said, "not a lot of time to spend dilly dallying I'm afraid." His host nodded graciously and got up to make himself one anyway. He got out two mugs. Just in case.

"Well Hibernious, I hope you are well ex-cetera, ex-cetera...I come about the ongoing war." His back turned, Mr Tall bowed his head in recognition but said nothing. Mr Tiny continued unperturbed.

"Of course you and I are neutral when it comes to our stance," he paused but when the giant refused to comment, he carried on, "but it seems to me that without our resources, this war may go on for centuries much like the last one." Mr Tall remained silent, scooping sugar into his cup.

"But it is not our war," sighed Mr Tall. He knew the argument was feeble.

"But it will become our problem. I am merely endeavoring to indicate that if we do not grab events by the collar they will have us by the throat." Mr Tiny, suddenly curious, leaned back in his chair and craned his neck to see what he was doing.

"Oh, well, since you've gone to the trouble, I'll have a mocha latte," he added, smirking. Mr Tall nodded and added a spoonful of chocolate syrup into one of the mugs. He turned and handed it to him, placing the other on his desk.

"That was quick," he remarked, taking a sip. He smiled.

"I anticipated you might like one," he said. And then, "What resources?"

"Well, our assets of course. You have the Cirque and the Freaks and I have...well, I have my assets." He smiled secretly but Mr Tall refused to entertain his smugness.

"And so you have chosen your side," he said. It was not a question.

"That is what I come about. I know that your enterprise houses a vampire and so it is understandable that you have leaned towards the race, however..." He let the question linger in the air. Mr Tall sighed.

"As you have said, the Cirque's stance has always been neutral," he watched as Mr Tiny nodded, "however..." Mr Tiny frowned.

"But?"

"But I have never entertained the idea that I run the Cirque Mr Tiny. The Cirque exists as a family and so I poised the question to our inhabitants."

"But you are the head of the family!" cried the man using his metaphor, "You make the decisions!"

"Alas," interrupted Mr Tall, "I may be the head of the household, but the Freaks make up the neck and they can turn the head any way they want. I act in their best interests Mr Tiny and they have made their decision."

"What was their conclusion?" asked Mr Tiny but since he was frowning, Mr Tall reasoned he had probably already guessed.

"They know that the Vampaneze detest their kind. They know that the Vampaneze attacked their home and killed a member of their family and they know, Mr Tiny, that Larten Crepsley, a Vampire, has lived amongst them and performed alongside them for many years and has become their friend. They will fight to defend themselves against the attacker Mr Tiny and the Vampaneze have already attacked."

"I see," said the large man. Mr Tall suddenly wondered whether he should have offered him a wider chair. He seemed to be spilling over the sides of it. A flurry of movement by the door attracted his attention. The little people Mr Tiny had brought with him were exiting the tent. Mr Tall's stern gaze flicked back to the demon in front of his. He smiled back.

"Where are they going?" he said.

"Just making sure the perimeter is clear. I have some information for you," he said innocently. The little people returned and shrugged.

"Good," said Mr Tiny leaning forward eagerly. He lowered his voice. Behind him, one of the little people pocketed a scrap of paper.

Outside Mr Crepsley crouched low and pressed a gnarled ear to the canvas. Despite being over two hundred years old, his sense of hearing was still keen and, he thought proudly, seemed to have only increased with age. He could hear the slow, ragged breaths of the servants inside and the fast paced heartbeat of Mr Tiny, preparing to betray what he knew. Two fast heartbeats? Mr Crepsley counted the sounds. There were inexplicably five heartbeats although there were four people in the room. He brushed the thought aside as he remembered the servants. Made from bits of rotten corpses, who knew how many hearts - or livers, or lungs or spleens - they possessed. The servants had been easy to bribe. Mr Crepsley knew that Mr Tiny had created the creatures from the corpses of old enemies and had then wiped their memories. Each little person existed only to serve his master and therefore had no need for money. Mr Crepsley had handed them their identities. Scribbled on scraps of old paper, he had handed them their names and as a result the creatures were indebted to him. He listened secure in the knowledge he would not be caught. Inside Mr Tall's patience wore thin.

"What is it Mr Tiny?" he said wearily. The man grinned, displaying his horrible teeth.

"Well, since you have chosen the side of the Vampires, sir, I feel it is only fair to inform you of their part in the battle. Far from the innocent creatures which you portray them to be, the Vampires must produce an heir as it were to fight in the main battle. The Vampaneze have theirs. It will be a fair fight. Each side is equal."

"That is a Vampaneze idea," perceived Mr Tall, "It is a Vampaneze belief that a Lord of some kind will lead them in a great battle. As far as I am aware the Vampires have no natural rulers."

"Neither have natural rulers Hibernious. The leader is elected for the purpose of the battle. After that, they are no longer needed."

"And are...disposed of? I am aware that the Vampaneze in particular are adverse to any kind of rules. They prefer to exist in a permanent state of anarchy do they not?"

"It is debatable," admitted Mr Tiny who preferred rules and order and despised chaos, "it will be up to the Vampaneze to decide what to do with their leader. I, of course, do not get involved with such trivial matters." Mr Tall strongly suspected he was lying but did not say so.

"And I assume the leader they have chosen knows nothing of this," he asked. Mr Tiny pretended not to hear his.

"I see," he said, "nevertheless, I do not know anything concerning a Vampire Lord."

"Which is why I have come," said Mr Tiny, "I have heard rumours, Hibernious, whispers and snippets of conversations. I have heard tell that the Vampire Lord resides here, Hibernious, in the Cirque!" His voice trembled and rose excitedly. Mr Tall looked skeptical.

"The only vampire we have here on record is Larten Crepsley. You are aware of this Mr Tiny."

"On record..." he mused, "yes, I know this. However, off the record, so to speak...are you aware of any other vampires in the Cirque?" He held his breath in anticipation of the man's answer. He took some time before he spoke, chewing over his words.

"One big happy family," he said softly, "the Cirque exists as a sanctuary, Mr Tiny. Our Freaks are feared and persecuted in the world outside. They come here to feel accepted, even loved and make a living and as their protector, I would never, ever, betray even the smallest of them. Each individual here is a member of our family and as the head of the house, as it were, I look after their best interests."

Mr Tiny sighed and cocked his head to one side. Mr Tall hated it when he looked at his like that. It was as though he was looking through his, reading every thought that floated around in his mind.

"Very well," he said at last, "but I feel I should warn you that although you may not believe the Vampires have a Lord, others do. And they take the belief very seriously." Waving a chubby hand as though it were a great effort, he signaled his servants who brought forth his cape. Throwing it dramatically over his shoulders and buttoning it under his chin, he winked at the ringmaster who then shuddered.

"You have chosen a side," he said, "but I have yet to finally decide. After all, I tend to side with the winners. You will know when I have made my final choice. The war will be over and my side will have won." He stood up and leant on his cane which was black wood except for a silver entwined alpha and omega sign that was propped on top.

Mr Crepsley watched from the shadows as Mr Tall showed Mr Tiny out of his tent. Standing tall on his porch, he visored his eyes against the blinding flash of light that erupted when Mr Tiny vanished alongside his two servants.

"Always likes a show," Mr Tall muttered to Mr Crepsley's surprise. He paused for a while, breathing in the crisp night air before turning back in to his home. After a while, all the lights, except one lonely flickering candle, went out. As silent as the dead, which was technically correct since Mr Crepsley was theoretically deceased, he crept out of his hiding place and hurried across the campsite. From what he had learnt, he knew it was vitally important to hide his prodigy and prepare him.