Circus of Silence

Echo

~*~

Without another word

they flee

Hand in hand

Arm and arm

the Witch, the Cat, the Psychic

who always meant you harm

~*~

               Sitting in her Witch's Circus, they made a miniature coven. Five in all sat hand in hand, and for whatever reason, it made Miss Rosalind Maybrush's face heat like an oven.

"I'm staying," Ferran was saying, the French accent of his voice tearing and fraying. "This is where I belong."

"You're taking that from her god-awful song."

"I'm not!" snapped soon-to-be soldier, baring his fangs. Out of his flashing eyes, he blinked his fiery bangs. "You don't understand. I have been searching for years to find my family, and now that I have, I cannot possibly leave them-"

"Your family is dead!"

Silence. Complete and utter silence, if such a thing was truly possible without the influence of Whisper. If she could have gotten any paler, the Silent Girl did.

Harrison dragged a shaking hand down his face. "Because of her family," he said, jabbing a finger at Algernon Maybrush, at the not-so-new Circus Witch. "Because you and Whis... um..."

"Echo. Our dad was a bit of an eccentric, and so was mum."

Stars shook, singing like little bells as Harrison sighed. As he dragged a painted hand down his skin, contorting his features curiously. "And now they're gone," he said quietly, grimmer than the grave. "You've outlived them by generations longer than you should've. If you stay here, Ferran, you give up the family you've made and-"

"The family I've what?"

"Juliette, your fiancee."

"What did you say?"

Harrison heaved a heavy sigh, knocking his head against a pinstriped tent. Rosalind could have sworn that it bent. "Juliette! Good Lord, Ferran! Don't let yourself forget!"

"I haven't," he grumbled, gritted, growled. He had that look in his eyes he'd once had when he'd prowled. "I'm just starting to remember."

"Ferran, I know this life seems appealing to you, but-"

"I'm sick of circuses, sick of show. But unless Rosalind herself sings me out, I swear I won't go-"

Tight lips popped open, trying to protest, but Ferran put his head in his hands and silenced the rest.

"Because I've found my family. I have my sister," he said, glancing at Whisper with a fond smile on his face. "I have my sweet lady of ethereal grace... and I have you," he said, grinning at Harrison, "who gently lets me know when I'm coming on too strong."

"Ferran, you're coming on too strong."

"See!" cried the ex-carny, slapping his knee, "with him around, I can't go wrong!"

Harrison rolled his eyes, looked to Rosalind and deciphered her thoughts like the best of spies. "Yes, you can, you-"

"It's not fair to make you choose."

The Forever Song itself seemed to waver at those words. She wanted, wanted so badly for him to stay and live out the rest of his life with his sister, but-