Keelia kicked at the dust around her. She might as well have burned down with it all. She had abandoned her family in a great time of need, and she would never forgive herself. She had been selfish and hid away like a small, timid child. Her mother, father and older sisters were now gone forever, along with a good half of Keelia's heart. Despair weaved into her every thought, even as she tried to maintain a mask of indifference for Lorcan who had been watching her for the past half hour. Keelia had been searching the rubble for any signs of the instigators, but had come up with nothing.
Lorcan watched as the young lady dragged her feet through the ashes. He couldn't help but fear her stepping on something sharp and cutting her foot. He should have gotten her to wear something, at least. How had he been so careless?
"Keelia?" he called to her. "How about we head back now, it's getting quite late."
Keelia looked up at him with a tear stained face. "I can't give up, Lorcan. I have to find something" – she bent over and pushed a log out of the way – "I have to."
Lorcan watched as Keelia was moving things around in a most obsessive manner. Her eyes were wide and her face was paler than usual. Her breathing was raged and she didn't care if she received a splinter from the charred wood or not. Lorcan walked over to her and snaked an arm around her waist, knowing that she'd never leave if she had her way. And her way was quite destructive for her sanity.
Keelia felt the strong grip around her middle and instantly began thrashing against Lorcan. Her arms were elbowing him in his sides while her heels kicked at his shins. But Lorcan took it, letting the poor girl vent her frustration at the scene before her. Lorcan could understand. If he ever saw is circus burned to the ground, then he'd be acting the same way, if not in a more violent manner.
"They're gone," she said as she suddenly went limp in his arms. "I'll never see them again." Her voice held such sadness and bleakness; it made Lorcan miserable standing there. "What's going to happen now?" she said in the barest of whispers.
Lorcan turned her around, his amber eyes staring down at her, forcing her to look into his irises. "You will stay with the circus until you get your feet firmly on the ground again." Lorcan didn't want her to go, at all. Time was running out and he hoped that by the end of the summer she would have fallen for him. He wanted to see her brilliant grin each morning until the day he departed from the world. He wanted to be the one she shared all her secrets with and the one he stayed up all night with to settle an argument. It pained him to say these next words. "Once you feel like you are ready to leave, I will help you into town and settle in with your uncle."
Keelia whipped away a tear trickling down her pale cheek. "Let's head back. There's nothing here anymore."
***
From deep in the bushes, crouched over and kneeling on the ground, was Thomas spying on his niece and the ugly beast standing next to her. His face was marred with marks and sores that looked to have been painful when first inflicted. Thomas wondered how Keelia could bare such a sight of the hideous man. Wasn't she the one complaining since she was just a small girl that no handsome gentleman would ever want to court her, and that she would end up an old maid married to the ugliest man alive? Thomas sneered and thought to himself, Looks like it happened after all...
The sound of shuffling feet came from behind him and he instantly told the men to hush. Thomas had been a busy man and gathered up a few of the townsmen to venture out into the forest to scout out the terrain. He wanted a huge upper hand on the group that had his niece. And now all he had to do was follow the departing figures, thanking the lord that they decided to walk back to the circus grounds rather than teleporting themselves.
He listened to Keelia whimper and sniffle with words of her mother, father and sisters, speaking about the good times they had in the past. Thomas almost wretched at the thought of Stella having enjoyable moments with his brother, but held in his emotion. His brother was now gone and he had Stella all to himself.
Eventually Thomas and his small group of men found themselves on the outskirt of the circus grounds, looking in to see freaks of all sorts and sizes. There was a woman nearby walking on her hands rather than her feet, a man chewing on glass shards and an even smaller man with rainbow coloured hair. Thomas despised them all. These freaks of nature didn't deserve their existence and needed to perish sooner rather than later. Thomas considered the amount of creatures in front of him and then decided that he'd need at least thirty more men to exterminate these vile things.
"Look at that girl!" whispered one of the men. "That flexibility would make a good tumble in the sack."
One ginger haired man placed a hand on Thomas' shoulder and whispered with alcohol scented breath, "Fancy a tumble with that fair lass?"
Thomas stared distastefully at the hand on his shoulder before he flicked it off. "I already have a woman I fancy. These are monsters, freaks of nature that should be locked away until they fall into insanity."
The ginger huffed out a breath but said nothing in return. Thomas sighed; he'd have to make sure the additional men he brought with him wouldn't have sex on the brain when they see these ladies before him. What use would a bunch of lust filled men do for Thomas' cause? He'd no doubt fail his self-imposed task. He couldn't have anyone embarrass him in any manner, but especially not in that fashion.
"Come on men," Thomas stood from behind a boulder and stared into the sky above, "let's head back before the dawn arrives. We have much to plan."
Then men grumbled some protests, but followed Thomas anyways. They knew that the payout was better than most of them could get anywhere. And the men of Abbey Way knew not to anger someone like Thomas, because he wasn't all sweetness and smiles on the inside. He was a horrid creature.
***
Tadhg held onto Keelia's wrists as she walked along the high wire, trying out a couple of the dance steps off the ground. Her palms were sweating and her brow was drenched. She had been working quite hard and even Tadhg, who never seemed to have a hair out of place on a normal day now was breathing heavier than usual. The routine would be magnificent, if only Keelia could get the maneuvers correct.
"Have faith, mo daor," Tadhg grinned. "You shall succeed if I have anything to do with it. I believe in you, not believe in yourself."
Keelia nodded and followed Tadhg's feet with her own and soon she was flying down the wire. She got so caught up in her concentration that she didn't realise that Tadhg was to flip her over his shoulder until it was too late. Keelia let out a gasp of surprise and her eyes went wide. However, she landed on the wire again without trouble and was instantly frozen as a statue.
Tadhg smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I knew you could do it."
Down below sat Maeve on the wooden stands, watching her friend practice. Maeve wasn't there for much support anymore, Keelia was advancing in her skills quite swiftly, and Maeve wouldn't be surprised if her friend perfected the act by the end of next week. And that would be just in time for the opening night's show.
Maeve spotted Lorcan's figure nearby the opening of the tent. He was watching Keelia intently and Maeve wondered why he just didn't tell her about his secret. But then again, if he were to tell Keelia, she would be too overwhelmed with the part Lorcan has selected for her. Keelia wouldn't be able to handle the pressure of the decisions she'd have to make. She had just lost all of her family; bombarding her with such information wouldn't be progressive at all.
A large dark wolf suddenly came into the tent and settled himself beside Maeve on the bench. She had recognized the wolf. It had been following the circus around for many years. The kind brown eyes looked more human than animal, like it was always deep in thought about the happenings around him. Maeve had consistent visits from the wolf, and never did she try to delve deeper into the reason behind its existence. Perhaps he was a nymph guardian?
Maeve's hands brushed along the wolf's shaggy caramel hair, twisting her finger tips into the silky coat that was matted with dirt and gravel. She had wanted to take a brush to all the matts, but she doubted a wild creature would allow such attention. Instead she always just sat there and adored his affection towards her.
"Why doesn't he just go up to her and confess his affections?" Maeve asked the wolf, indicating the Ringmaster across the tent. "Everyone can see the way her looks at her, except for Keelia herself."
The wolf tilted his head and looked expectantly at Maeve. "What? Do you expect me to drop subtle hints to my friend?"
The wolf raised his ears, as if agreeing to the suggestion. His brown eyes were bright with encouragement, but Maeve shook her head. "It is not my place to muddle in such matters of the heart when even I cannot do anything about my own feelings." The wolf nuzzled his snout against the folds of her skirt. His whines were muffled, but Maeve could hear them loud and clear. "What is it?" She took his muzzle in her hands. "Do you have a she-wolf that you care for?"
Oh, if only she knew, the wolf thought to himself. If only she knew that she was the one for him. His grá a bheith ann. But how could she ever love him once she knew who he really was? Most nymphs didn't muddle with shifters, but only shifters themselves seemed to care for one another. He just had to hope that one day he would find courage to expose his true self.
He pulled his muzzled from her hands and stepped away. Maeve was used to the wolf's unexpected and short visits, though each time he left she felt sad, as though a long lost friend had finally come back to only be taken away again. But she put on a mask of normalcy, refusing to let the sadness wash over her.
The wolf walked out of the tent, letting loose a deep sigh.
***
Stella stood up and stretched out her stiff limbs. She reached high into the sky, a place she had once been able to see with such clarity. Now, the darkness made her eyesight worsen more and more each hour. She knew she'd never regain her perfect vision again, but she hoped that she wouldn't lose any more of it.
She was also losing her will to carry on, what was the point? Her husband and two older daughters were gone, her home and everything that she ever loved, except one person. Keelia was her light at the end of the tunnel, the homing beacon that was calling her back into the world, the encouragement that kept her fighting the never ending battle against giving up.
Suddenly Stella began yanking on the chains drilled deep into the stone wall. She had been fighting with them since day one, she managed to loosen them up a bit, but she hadn't advanced much lately. But with this new surge of strength running its way through her body, she tried with all her might to pull free. The shackled around her wrists twisted and tore at her pale skin, causing it to turn red with anger. Blood fell in little drops to the dirt dusted floor and when Stella stepped into it her toes smeared the red liquid.
Then to Stella's surprise, she fell, landing on her backside. The chains were still drilled into the walls, but her wrists were free. She stood up and looked at the scene before her with wide eyes, her hands were out in front of her and she just stared in awe at the situation. She had gotten free by pulling her wrists out. The pain sizzled its way up her arm and the pain panged with each heartbeat.
But she couldn't think of that right now. She had to get out and to a place where she knew a very good friend. A friend who would help her find Keelia, and friend who had called her his star.
Translations:
Grá a bheith ann – Love of his existence
mo daor – my dear