Circus of the Beast

2

Keelia had discovered a circus. And what a splendid circus it was.

Fire Breathers were practicing closer to the big top, but Keelia was standing awestruck in the very same spot she had emerged from the bushes. She didn't even notice when two large men with huge muscles came at her sides and secured her arms in their strong grips.

When Keelia came back to reality, she screamed out. "Let go of me!"

They didn't seem to hear her slight voice among all the other circus performers that she was dragged through. Keelia gawked at the various circus performers, some of which were wearing quite revealing things that she could never find herself ever wearing.

The people who had been walking on their hands had now stopped to watch Keelia be escorted pass them in the grasps of two strong men. One woman had sparkling pixie dust on her brow, accenting her glamorous suit. Her eyes were different from what Keelia was accustomed to. Instead of a round pupil, it was slit, like a felines eye would be. The woman then hissed at her and flicked her tail about, causing Keelia to jump back as much as the strong arms would allow her.

The bronze lanterns around Keelia lit up the path to the big top, where Keelia assumed she was being taken to. A small man that had a colourful beard watched as she passed, scratching his head and muttering to himself. He had kind eyes, like a loyal dog. He smiled up at Keelia, making a goofy face to have the young woman smile, but only a little. The bearded man only came up to Keelia's waist, and she herself wasn't that tall.

The fire breathers all seemed to be staring along with everyone else. It was as if they hadn't seen a young girl in years. Everyone's eyes were on Keelia, gawking at her ruin gown, staring at her messy auburn hair, gaping at her bare feet, judging her. Every inch of Keelia's slender body was being scrutinized by these circus people. Keelia didn't even think they were people. They had an ethereal sense about them, as though they were from a mythical land only written about in storybooks that her mother read to her as a child.

Keelia turned her eyes away from the creatures around her. She couldn't stand them picking at her appearance. She knew that she wasn't beautiful. She knew that the women around her would always be better looking than Keelia ever hoped to be. They might have been more magnificent than her mother even.

The strong men eventually had Keelia enter the grand big top, batting the tent flap open with a simple flick of the wrist. Keelia was ushered inside to where a tall man in a top hat was shouting out commands to the performers practicing their routine on trampolines and balance beams. The men threw up ladies into the air and Keelia gasped at how high they went. Surely they would plunge to their early demise. But Keelia couldn't take her eyes away from the show in front of her. The performers were so elegant and brave; their costumes sparkled in the yellow glow of nearby fire torches.

One of the strong men cleared his throat, announcing their presence and interrupting the practice before them. The back of the tall man went rigid as he rolled his shoulders. His black coat had red tails and his top hat matched his dark trousers. He held a cane with a vibrant red rose on the top end. It seemed to shimmer in the dull light from the torches, but Keelia thought it was quite mesmerizing.

The man turned around to reveal a smooth tanned face. His eyes were a light hazel mixed with a rusty yellow color. Keelia observed his bronze hair falling into his face. He had a smooth jawline that aligned with a well-chiseled chin. Anyone could see that he was very handsome. Keelia didn't stand a chance of becoming an object of admiration in his eyes. Especially because the expression he gave Keelia was a stern one with no emotion at all.

"Who is this?" he announced in a deep voice. His eyes raked along Keelia's attire and she found herself wanting to cover her torn gown.

A strong man released one of Keelia's arms while the other retained his firm grip. The strong man straightened and faced the tall man with respect in his brown eyes.