Days passed as Keelia continued to practice on the high wire. Her nerves hadn't gotten the best of her yet, and she planned to keep it that way. Maeve had been a great help with encouraging Keelia to practice, and Maghnus had been on her case all most as much as Maeve had been.
Back in the shadows, a talented trapeze artist watched carefully at the woman who she hoped to love her brother and break this horrid curse. She hadn't been allowed to leave for almost three hundred years. Aibreann missed her husband and her two children. Little Darragh and Siobhan wouldn't be so little anymore. No, Darragh would probably have started a family of his own, and Siobhan would have been married for one hundred years now. And Thorfinn, her dear love, would be so alone without Aibreann to hold.
She missed his dark hair that curled to his shoulders in cascading waves of black. His eyes that were a warm caramel brown and his tanned skin that had been generously touched by the sun, they were all the best features that Aibreann could remember. It was on that fateful day that she had been caught in the curse.
She frowned, only one person had found a way out of the circus grounds, and that was the previous tightrope walker, Kyna. She knew that the woman hadn't disappeared, but went off to be with her love. Aibreann felt such envy at Kyna, she had been able to escape and Aibreann was still trapped in The Circus of the Beast. How had Kyna done such a thing?
Aibreann watched as Keelia walked along the high wire on her own, Maghnus walking behind her making sure she didn't fall. That first incident Aibreann hadn't been there for, but she smiled when hearing about her brother's actions. Perhaps this girl would be the one to save everyone. Aibreann sure hoped it was; she missed her family too much already. She didn't want to miss them for the rest of eternity.
Maghnus cheered Keelia on, exclaiming that she would be a terrific tightrope dancer for the opening show. Aibreann held the same optimism on her high wire abilities, but not so much with the breaking of the curse. She knew she would have to coach Keelia when it came down to the nitty-gritty of matchmaking. Aibreann never did have much luck with romantic things, despite her obvious beauty. It had taken her a whole two hundred years to find the one soul that sang in harmony with her own. After three hundred years apart, Aibreann didn't know if her soul knew that lovely melody anymore, or if Thorfinn had changed the notes.
Maeve was standing near the ladder, cheering Keelia on to the other platform. Aibreann smiled at the sweet girl, hoping that she would be rid of the curse soon as well. She was a young girl; only one hundred years old but a very talented fire breather, just like her father.
"I believe that will be all for today," Maghnus shouted to Keelia on the opposite platform. "We shall pick up where we left off tomorrow!"
Maeve watched as Keelia delicately tiptoed along the wire, gasping at the simple elegance of the act. Aibreann chuckled to herself, seeing that such a thing could bring so much delight to a beautiful girl like Maeve.
Keelia soon found herself on the ground and began conversing with a very enthusiastic Maeve, smiling a bright grin filled with such joy. She knew she was getting better at the walking but was nervous still for the actual dancing part of the act. However, Keelia would do her best and would try not to mess everything up for the handsome Ringmaster.
As Keelia, Maeve, and Maghnus approached, Aibreann felt a small flutter in her stomach, as though a butterfly was caged and was struggling to escape. Aibreann never thought that she would be nervous about something as trivial as a simple conversation. Well, she supposed the reason was that this talk could possibly change Keelia's perspective on everything. And it very well had everyone's fate in the balance. Aibreann hoped she wouldn't say the wrong thing.
"Keelia," Aibreann began, "may I have a word?"
Keelia glanced at her new friends, then back to Aibreann and nodded, "Of course, what is it about?"
Aibreann looked at Maghnus. He seemed to catch the hidden message in her blue eyes.
"You will find privacy in the hut," he stated. "Come now, Maeve. Let us practice for your performance."
Keelia had wanted to know what Maeve was to perform but found that following Aibreann was much more important at the time. She would watch Maeve at a later date.
Aibreann took the lead, weaving in and out of quirky people standing on their heads or lifting up benches full of young ladies giggling at the strong man's strength. It was like a family, in a weird twisted kind of way. Something that Keelia couldn't have ever experienced, but rather craved. She had craved the same type of attention every one seemed to unconditionally receive. Keelia knew that her mother was a lovely person, but the rest of her family had ignored her.
"Come along now," Aibreann called over her shoulder, "we haven't got all evening."
Keelia stumbled around and continued to follow the elegant lady. That was all that could describe the woman in Keelia's eyes. Pure and simple elegance. Her walk was swift but she didn't seem to even lift one dainty foot. It was as if she glided along the minty green moss that covered the forest floor. Keelia's own bare feet left glowing marks in her wake, but she was long used to that by now.
The two women reached the hut and entered almost as silently as a whisper. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of a warm orange and yellow fire. The smell of mint and tobacco entered Keelia's nose and she smiled. It was a familiar scent now; it reminded her of safety and home.
Aibreann took and a seat on Maghnus' cot and arranged herself to sit comfortably. Keelia found herself suddenly nervous at the thought of being alone in Maghnus' hut with an authoritative woman such as Aibreann. Keelia could feel the daunting vibe oozing right out of the elegant woman and couldn't help but want to obey whatever it was that she was planning to say.
"Please, have a seat," Aibreann said softly, gesturing to the adjacent cot.
The soft glow from the fireplace left dancing shadows along the hut's walls. The fire glinted in Aibreann's eyes and it seemed as though they wanted to share a secret, as though it was bursting at the seams, but Aibreann held it secure under mountains of invisible chains. Keelia knew that there was obviously something different with this lot of people, but she just didn't know the name of it yet.
Keelia became comfortable quickly, eager to know what was on the woman's mind. Was it something about her family? Were there survivors that would need help? Keelia's excitement seemed as though it would obnoxiously make itself know, but she held it in, just like Aibreann held in her secrets.
Keelia waited for anything to be said, something to come from Aibreann's mouth, but she remained silent for what felt like forever in Keelia's mind. Truthfully, Aibreann was trying to decide how to go about telling, or even hinting at, what Keelia would be helping with if she agreed to go along with it all.
"Have you heard of creatures called nymphs?" Aibreann settled on saying.
Keelia's brows furrowed, trying to think if she had ever heard of such unique things. "I can't say that I have, but my mother used to tell me of stories about magical beings that lived in forests. That's what I thought you were."
Aibreann grinned slightly. "We are called nymphs. We all possess certain abilities that help with everyday things, such as participating in a circus. Normally, one person in a family never has the same skills as another. However, there are odd instances when two people within the same family receive the same gift."
Keelia let her mind take in the information. Honestly, she found the whole prospect of such creatures to be amazing. Now she was only craving for more information.
"Just what gift do you have, Aibreann?"
She smiled, "Flight."
Keelia nodded, it explained the gliding above the moss ground before. "What about Maeve?"
"She is a fire-breather."
Keelia's eyes widened in shock. "I never expected something so bold to come from such a peaceful girl."
Aibreann nodded, "I always find that not everyone matches their gift right away. But once you get to know Maeve some more, you'll see that the gift suits her quite well."
Keelia chewed a little on her bottom lip, really thinking about what Aibreann was telling her. Every nymph had a gift to utilize for the rest of their existence. But, how long was that for?
"How old are you?" Keelia asked suddenly.
Aibreann answered within the next moment. "I am five hundred years old."
"How old is Lorcan?"
"He is five hundred and twenty-seven years," Aibreann replied with a grin. "And before you ask what his gift is, I will tell you that there is not a name for it. However, the best I can describe it as is knowledge."
Keelia sat on the edge of the cot, curiosity was always something that got her into difficult situations. Luckily this situation didn't include life or death decisions, she thought lamely to herself.
"The thing with Lorcan is, well, you see, it's rather difficult to explain. But what he really needs is a woman who will love him the way he is, flaws and all. It has been quite a long time and he has yet to find that special female. It would not only help him but the entire circus."
Keelia nodded, though, she didn't really understand. How could loving a woman help all these nymphs?
"Just give him a chance," Aibreann continued. "He might seem quite rude and selfish, but he really is a decent individual."
And with that, she left the hut and Keelia to her thoughts. Aibreann hoped that she did the right thing, hinting at what Lorcan needed Keelia for. As she waltzed away from the hut, she prayed to the spirits and Fate that all this would work out to a decent ending.
Later that evening, Keelia, Maghnus and Maeve were all sitting around a table within the food tent, enjoying a delicious evening meal. Keelia was laughing along with Maeve at the joke Maghnus told. The three of them were having a grand time just being around each other.
"Then what did he do after he found out about the rabbit?" Maeve asked.
Maghnus stabbed his fork into his meat and made a wild face, "He ate the poor bugger, bones and all!"
Keelia laughed loudly, her mouth wide open and her eyes tearing up at the sides. Maghnus sure knew how to make anyone laugh and she hadn't laughed so hard in all her life. Oh, if only she would have known Maghnus years before! What adventure would they have already been on!
The rest of the nymphs in the tent were conversing with one another in the warm lantern-lit room. Keelia could spot the two strong men in the corner, of which she learned were twins and the various ladies that would continually swoon over the men.
Suddenly a shorter but averaged height man sat down beside Keelia and draped his arm around her shoulders as if they had been best friends for years. His shirt was beige, like most other performers when they weren't in costume, and his baggy pants hung low on his waist. His dark brows were hidden by his black ebony hair and his skin was an olive color. He seemed quite at home beside Keelia, and usually, she would have backed away from such affection from a stranger, but this felt different, almost like he was a long-lost sibling that Keelia never had the privilege to meet.
"So this is my new partner, huh?" His accent was quite prominent and his smile was large.
Maghnus cleared his throat and swallowed his food. "Keelia, this young lad here is Tadhg. He'll be your routine partner."
Tadhg never took an eye off his new found partner, he only continued smiling and talking about his busy day full of tending to the circus animals. From Tadhg's ranting, Keelia found out that Dragún was indeed a vegetarian. Keelia inwardly cursed at herself for believing such a tale coming from Lorcan's firm pressed lips.
A draft made its way up Keelia's almost bare legs. She looked around for its origin and found that the Ringmaster had entered the food hut. He looked different to Keelia than he had the past few days. His normally smooth skin around his lips was no longer perfect, but rather a scar affected the area. Keelia chided herself for noticing something around his mouth. Why had she been looking there in the first place?
He found his way to the exact table that Keelia and her friends were sitting, passing other nymphs and their whispers as to why the Ringmaster would be arriving to eat with his performers. However, when Lorcan seated himself beside Keelia, the nymphs understood.
"How has practice been going, Keelia?" Lorcan asked, giving her a charming smile.
Keelia finished chewing and set the spoon down. "It has been advancing and I feel that I have learned quite a lot from Maghnus."
Everyone remained silent, not knowing if they should speak or not, whether it would make this instance any better or any worse. Maghnus cleared his throat and turned to Maeve. He declared that he must be getting her home to her father and Tadhg claimed that he needed to check up on a few more circus animals and then left without another word.
Keelia was left sitting next to Lorcan but soon rose from her seat. "I had better be heading back to Maghnus' hut. I'll need my strength for tomorrow."
Lorcan stood next to her, cane in hand. "Allow me to escort you."
Lorcan offered his arm and Keelia took it. It was something a true gentleman would do and she appreciated the gesture. They walked in silence, Keelia deep in thought about her next practice with Tadhg and Lorcan deep in thought about Keelia. When they arrived at the hut, Lorcan bowed and kissed Keelia's hand. Without another word, he left her standing there with red cheeks. Keelia's heart was pounding, and not from fear, but rather surprise.
A smile slowly grew on her face.