Thread: Carnival: Shadows And Whispers Under The Big Top (Dane Stalling & darkangel76)

The girl wasn't like other spectators, grinning, laughing at the thrill of an unexpected horror. Callum almost pitied her. She was truly afraid, a distress that he could almost taste. Yet she stayed. She was a beautiful creature, fine featured and delicate, hair like a smoldering autumn, and standing ready to bolt like a deer in a bog. Then she gestured at the bag and murmured something. Is it yours? He said, but it came out garbled. He fished for the plate and his rag. It was a lady's bag, expensive. He could smell the leather, and it matched the girl in front of him. She was no shop girl or simple tart, but a young lady wealthy enough for the most uncomfortable of clothing. Callum had seen his share of lady thieves though, women whose hand wringing and flirting and fits of fainting had relieved countless men of both virtue and coin. He pressed the plate home with his tongue. If it's your bag, you'll have to prove it, ma'am, he said, Come close. I'm no harm except to your digestion, maybe. He reached through the bars and nudged the bag forward, watched her watch it. Come put your wrist in my hand. Describe something in that bag, something unique so that there can be no mistaking. Then open it, take out that item and show it to me. If any detail is false, I'll yell thief and hold you. If the thing is as you describe it, then I will free you and welcome to your luggage, ma'am with my apologies. Try not to leave it where little lightfingers can fly away with it again. ---- The exclamations of the crowd did little to please Albert as the act progressed. Ava's teasing had him fuming. His somersault on the wire was among the most striking and graceful he had ever performed and the audience was rapt. When he jumped and flipped over Ava and landed on the wire again safely, the startled screams from the crowd brought no pleasure. Three ladies fainted, and all he could think of were the curls bouncing away from him, the slim ankle that had peeked from the fine, long dress. He took Ava's hand as they stood on the high disc, bowed with her, and slid down the support rope. He trotted out the door, his back to the applause. Wrapped in his coat, he found Barker Clive in front of the big top. A woman with red curls left not five minutes ago. Did you see her? Clive grinned and tipped his hat like a beggar. Did a bird escape the Sparrowhawk? he said. He sniffed a tiny gold flower in his own lapel. It's hard to remember with all the flocks flying hither and yon, fainting for a wink from the wireman. But what do you have for me? I'd rather fall off a cliff than endure one of your winks. Albert scowled, but pulled a round coin from his coat pocket and tossed it into the barker's hat. Clive matched his scowl. One for a whore, three for a farmer's daughter, and seven for a lady. You can't catch a money girl with thrift. Albert raised his fist at Clive, but only shook it. He added six coins to the battered hat. I had a dream once, Clive said, looking off into the distance as if he wasn't speaking to Albert at all. A little red bird fluttered out of her nest. She spoke to the wise owl and went to watch sparrows fly. Then she went to a place songbirds should never go. An empty space on the map where cartographers cheat and explorers disappear. Damn you, man, Albert said, Speak plain. Riddles are free. Two for hints. Three for a hand pointing in a helpful direction. Albert growled and slapped three coins in Clive's palm. Clive closed his hand around the coins, pointed his finger right between Albert's eyes, then turned so it pointed at Callum's Banner. The monster, Albert said, and left, taking long strides.