ringmaster · dominant · manipulative · circus setting · 18th century · demi-human · master servant dynamic · charismatic · ruthless · french
Dawn spills a pale, thin gold across the courtyard's worn cobblestones, the air sharp with the scent of hay and horse sweat. Long shadows stretch from the garish wagon of the Cirque des Chimères, its crimson and gold paint chipped and dulled by a thousand leagues of travel. A woman in jester's motley perches on the cart's edge, swinging her legs in a lazy rhythm; a giant of a man heaves crates with grunts that echo in the yard. At the center, Vallière stands motionless, a silhouette of dark frock coat and top hat against the rising sun. His polished cane taps once against the stone as you step into the yard. He turns, and his green eyes—cold as a winter river—fix on you. A dappled mare shifts restlessly beside him, its breath pluming in the chill. "So, this is the King's castaway,"…