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Apr. 20th, 2012 10:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiery_ringIt's a gorgeously warm March afternoon when the circus draws into the fields around the outskirts of West Bridgford. They set up camp with practiced efficiency, working as a team, though the team isn't entirely the same. The absence of Ethel is felt, though, as the near miss in the bombing had persuaded her to take her poodles into retirement.
Carlotta calls a meeting as soon as the camp is set up. Donning her ringmaster hat, she gathers everyone around the spot that will, later in the evening, be the campfire.
"Welcome back." she says. "Since we have a few new faces, we'll start with some introductions. Let's go around the circle, tell us your name, your act, and any animals or kids you have brought with you. I'm Carlotta Frances, ringmaster and acrobat, and I've got with me my daughter Molly, who's four months, and nephew William, who's seven months."
"I'm Dolly, this is Polly." Dolly, the woman to Carlotta's left says. Polly, the parrot on her shoulder, automatically replies with 'I'm Polly, this is Dolly'.
"Can we rename you, there's too many 'olly's?" someone calls out.
"You can handle it." Dolly winks. "And I'm here with my son Christopher, who is ten months old."
"I'm Daisy, I'm a contortionist. My daughter Joanna is also ten months."
"Victoria, tightrope walker. My daughter Ruth is also ten months. And just so you all know, Dolly, Daisy and I come as a three. Especially since... my husband was killed in action over the winter." Victoria swallows hard and Daisy reaches over to give her a hug.
"I'm really sorry to hear that." Carlotta says. Being in the same position as the three young mums, with fathers at war, there's always that knot in her stomach that it could be Will next. The rest of the team echo this.
"Jack and Jacob." the eleven-year-old twin boy clowns say, in unison. As war orphens, they have been with the members of the circus who stayed together over the winter.
"Humphrey and Fanny, and we're conjurers." Humphrey says. "And watchers of those two." He nods at the twins.
"Rita, and this is my monkey."
The mime next to Rita spells out his name in mime.
"Henry." A man with a wooden leg, the first newcomer, nods. "Acrobat. Even with one leg. I'm here with my son Charles and daughter Daphne." He gestures to the teenagers next to him.
"Joan, one woman band, with my dog Woof and chickens."
"Fred." an old man with a large beard says, nodding and eating a cheese sandwich.
"And what do you do?" Rita prompts after a moment.
"I shine boots, mainly." Fred says.
Carlotta blinks at him, with the sudden realisation that she didn't, at any point, hire him. He'd just sort of tagged along when they set off, and she'd assumed he was someone's father. He'd helped them set up and everything.
"Have you even got a caravan?" she asks.
Fred shakes his head.
"Right, okay, we'll work it out. Welcome, Fred." Carlotta says. She looks at the rest of them. "Now, as you've realised, we have a lot of kids with us this time. I will remind you that it's the responsibility of every member of the cast to watch the children, and the older ones to watch the younger ones.
You've all signed the contract but here's a brief reminder. No drunkenness on site, no unattended fires or in unauthorised locations, no smoking near the tents or the kiddies. Pick up your litter. Behave yourselves with the locals. No fighting, no thieving, no animal cruelty. In public, you address me as Ringmaster and one another by stage names.
Everyone attends campfire, meetings, and the Sunday religious service. Kids attend home schooling either with your own parents or with me, because anyone who told you you didn't need to learn to read and write was lying.
The circus council this season will be Daisy, Humphrey and Dolly. Any questions?"
Carlotta calls a meeting as soon as the camp is set up. Donning her ringmaster hat, she gathers everyone around the spot that will, later in the evening, be the campfire.
"Welcome back." she says. "Since we have a few new faces, we'll start with some introductions. Let's go around the circle, tell us your name, your act, and any animals or kids you have brought with you. I'm Carlotta Frances, ringmaster and acrobat, and I've got with me my daughter Molly, who's four months, and nephew William, who's seven months."
"I'm Dolly, this is Polly." Dolly, the woman to Carlotta's left says. Polly, the parrot on her shoulder, automatically replies with 'I'm Polly, this is Dolly'.
"Can we rename you, there's too many 'olly's?" someone calls out.
"You can handle it." Dolly winks. "And I'm here with my son Christopher, who is ten months old."
"I'm Daisy, I'm a contortionist. My daughter Joanna is also ten months."
"Victoria, tightrope walker. My daughter Ruth is also ten months. And just so you all know, Dolly, Daisy and I come as a three. Especially since... my husband was killed in action over the winter." Victoria swallows hard and Daisy reaches over to give her a hug.
"I'm really sorry to hear that." Carlotta says. Being in the same position as the three young mums, with fathers at war, there's always that knot in her stomach that it could be Will next. The rest of the team echo this.
"Jack and Jacob." the eleven-year-old twin boy clowns say, in unison. As war orphens, they have been with the members of the circus who stayed together over the winter.
"Humphrey and Fanny, and we're conjurers." Humphrey says. "And watchers of those two." He nods at the twins.
"Rita, and this is my monkey."
The mime next to Rita spells out his name in mime.
"Henry." A man with a wooden leg, the first newcomer, nods. "Acrobat. Even with one leg. I'm here with my son Charles and daughter Daphne." He gestures to the teenagers next to him.
"Joan, one woman band, with my dog Woof and chickens."
"Fred." an old man with a large beard says, nodding and eating a cheese sandwich.
"And what do you do?" Rita prompts after a moment.
"I shine boots, mainly." Fred says.
Carlotta blinks at him, with the sudden realisation that she didn't, at any point, hire him. He'd just sort of tagged along when they set off, and she'd assumed he was someone's father. He'd helped them set up and everything.
"Have you even got a caravan?" she asks.
Fred shakes his head.
"Right, okay, we'll work it out. Welcome, Fred." Carlotta says. She looks at the rest of them. "Now, as you've realised, we have a lot of kids with us this time. I will remind you that it's the responsibility of every member of the cast to watch the children, and the older ones to watch the younger ones.
You've all signed the contract but here's a brief reminder. No drunkenness on site, no unattended fires or in unauthorised locations, no smoking near the tents or the kiddies. Pick up your litter. Behave yourselves with the locals. No fighting, no thieving, no animal cruelty. In public, you address me as Ringmaster and one another by stage names.
Everyone attends campfire, meetings, and the Sunday religious service. Kids attend home schooling either with your own parents or with me, because anyone who told you you didn't need to learn to read and write was lying.
The circus council this season will be Daisy, Humphrey and Dolly. Any questions?"
