"Vanessa! Wait, Darren…? Darren!" Evra shouted. He was carrying something in the middle of camp when he saw us. He dropped everything and ran to give Darren a man hug. He grinned at me and gave me a hug, too. "Where's my little squirt?" He asked, looking around for Lily. "I found her a human family, you remember Debbie, right?" I asked him. He nodded. "Yeah…that's a shame, I miss the bugger." He sniggered.
"Auntie Nessa, Auntie Nessa!" I heard little children shout. I looked over to my right and was soon tackled to the ground by little snake children. I grinned and laughed genuinely for the first time since my father's death.
"Vanessa, these are my kids. That one's Urcha, the one on your leg is Lilia, and that's Shancus." He said, looking at Darren with a grin. Darren laughed. "Damn, I've missed a lot, huh?" Darren smirked. Evra rolled his eyes and wrapped his arm around the woman who came with the children. "You sure did. Darren, this is my wife Merla. Merla, this is my best friend, Darren Shan, the one I told you about." He said. Merla smiled and shook Darren's hand. Soon the rest of our traveling party—consisted of Vancha, Eric, and Harkat—said hello to the various performers that came. I smiled weakly when I saw Mr. Tall approaching.
"So, where's Mr. C?" Evra asked. Darren, Eric, Vancha, and Harkat all fell silent and soon, so did everyone else. I started hyperventilating and my knees started shaking and gave out. Darren caught me. "Vanessa! Are you okay? What's wrong?" Evra gasped, coming to my aid. I shook my head, trying to fight the tears. "I-I can't! No!" my eyes flew open and I saw Mr. Tall staring at me sympathetically. He held out his arms slightly and I stood up and slammed into him, hugging his waist and letting it all out.
"It was my entire fault! I killed him! I killed him, Mr. Tall! I killed him!" I sobbed. Everyone gasped as the news of Mr. Crepsley's death was revealed. Mr. Tall patted my back and made shushing noises. "No you did not, Vanessa. Steve killed him." He said. I shook my head. "No, I did! I couldn't save him! If I had just told him to stay! If I had defied the Princes and took his place he wouldn't have died!" I cried, my knees giving out again.
Mr. Tall pulled me up and carried me to his trailer, just like he did when I was little. When we got into his trailer, he sat down on his black leather futon and he just held me. It was exactly what I needed, it was comforting, he had his hand in raising me and he always knew what I needed. I sniffled when I finally calmed down and spoke.
"Mr. Tall, it's been a few months. I'm tired of everyone having to tread lightly so they won't upset me; I'm tired of crying myself asleep, of hating myself. I'm sick of becoming so helpless and broken when someone even mentions his name." I whispered. "I know, Vanessa." He said quietly. "I need your help." I said. He hesitated and then sat me down next to me so he could turn and face me.
"Mr. Tall…you know what I want, and you know what my plans are. It's time someone overthrows Desmond, and that's exactly what I intend to do. Are you with me?" I asked him seriously, already feeling stronger. He stared at me, long and hard. He seemed to be concentrating.
"Yes, I am." He finally said. I nodded and stood. "Good, we need to tell the performers, right?" I asked him as he stood. He nodded. "Yes, they must know what possible danger they will be in." I nodded and wiped my eyes of the remaining tears, then took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go." I led the way out of the trailer and towards the camp fire. Darren shot up and came to me.
"Vanessa, are you okay?" he asked, holding my face gently as he searched my face. I smiled and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'm getting there." I said honestly. He nodded and smiled a little, then took my hand. I sat at the camp fire between Darren and Eric when Mr. Tall made his announcement.
"Okay, everyone, listen up. Many of you had come to the Cirque du Freak for its safety. I am here to tell you that this place will no longer be a guaranteed place of sanctuary, for I am officially entering the War of Scars." He said. Murmurs broke out among the members. Mr. Tall held up his hand and all fell silent.
"Those who wish to leave may, and I will provide for them what they need to get wherever it is that they wish to go. Those who wish to stay and continue to perform, there is the possibility of being attacked." He looked among everyone. "You have been warned, this Cirque is not for the weak hearted, and that goes for its performers as well." He said. He let it sink in for awhile. "That is all." He said before returning to his trailer.
Evra stood up. "I'm staying." He said, looking around at everyone. "You guys should, too. The Cirque and Mr. Tall has always been here for us, offering us help, guidance, and shelter when we needed it most. Now, it's our turn to do the same." He said. He turned to Merla. She glared at him. "Oh boy, don't even say it. I'm staying here and there isn't a thing you can do about it." She sniffed. He smiled. "Good."
"But we can't fight, what happens when we're attacked? We'll all die." A human member said. I shook my head. "No, not necessarily. We—Mr. Tall, Vancha, Darren and myself—can teach you to fight. With the basics, you'll be able to hold your own against a Vampaneze or whatever may come." I said. Everyone lapsed into silence and we all sat there, dismally.
"Aw, hell." Vancha muttered. I looked up at him as he stood up, chest puffed out, hands in fists on his hips. I raised a brow at my fellow Prince. "Where's the ale? We might as well make the best of this night if this family is going to split up, aye?" he said. I grinned and jumped up. "Aye!" I shouted. I ran off to the kitchen trailer, Vancha hot on my heels, and we brought out four kegs of beer and grinned. "Come on, everybody!" I shouted as I saw the Cirque members start smiling.
"Let's make this a night to remember!" I shouted. "Or a night to forget!" Darren shouted, grinning like a mad man. There were cheers and soon after that, we were all in a drunken state, partying, dancing around the camp fire, singing, kissing, and laughing until the sun rose.
Kind of lame chapter, I know, but it's important. It sets up Mr. Tall's role in the story. Also, I kind of lied. It seems like this story is not going to end where I thought it would, it'll be in about five chapters, I think.
Sorry I didn't update, I went out to visit some family all last week and there wasn't an internet connection there so I couldn't update. O: