Alexandra carefully wound her way through the crowd waiting in line to get good seats for the evening circus show. Keeping the growing crowd entertained were small side stages and booths where circus hands and performers could sell food or wares to the crowd.
However, once she rounded the corner of the main tent the only people visible were stage hands and performers getting ready for the evening. The fortune teller was thinking over her conversation with Christophe as she walked and didn’t notice where she was going until she tripped over a large tent stake that was sticking out of the ground. Frantically throwing her arms out for balance, Alexandra tried to fall as gracefully as she could until she felt herself caught by two strong hands around her waist which pulled her upright. Turning, the fortune teller expected to see one of the stage hands who would gently tease her that she should get her mind out of the stars and concentrate on walking. Instead, Alexandra found herself face to face with Asmodeus, looking charming in his waistcoat and top hat. He lifted the goggles onto his forehead and winked at her, a devilish grin playing about his lips. “You should watch where you’re going, my dear, I might not be there to catch you next time.”
Alexandra lifted her chin as she straightened the shawl around her shoulders. “I’m not made out of china, you know, a fall wouldn’t have hurt me.”
“Well aware; just don’t want you to get a black eye or split lip. It wouldn’t set the right tone for our performance.” Asmodeus said as he picked his cane up from the grass where he dropped it, plucking a bright orange daylily from seemingly nowhere.
“Our performance?” Alexandra asked, blatantly ignoring the token.
“Yes. We’re going to a show tonight.”
“Honestly, Asmodeus, if this is a ploy to get under my skirt, it isn’t a very good one.”
“On the contrary; I’ve come up with a rather ingenious plan to chase Hirondelle out of Orleans.”
“Oh really? And what, pray tell, does this plan involve?” Alexandra looked scathingly at him; while Asmodeus’ schemes usually worked out quite successfully, he had quite a few spectacular failures as well. And Alexandra did not want to be a part of a scheme that crashed and burned.
“You see,” Asmodeus began, gesticulating feverishly, “the plan’ll work like this: Marguerite will devise a hellish stink that her loyal creatures and Marie can place strategically in the tent of Hirondelle. Each will be on a timer to go off exactly at the same time, filling the tent with an unearthly stench that will drive the crowds out into the open fields for a breath of fresh air. Meanwhile, I will be in said field posing as a prosperous gentleman of some wealth talking with his lovely wife: you.” At which Asmodeus cracked a wicked smile. “As the crowds leave the tent, we will talk a little too loudly about how in light of Hirondelle’s tragic accident before the show Vapeur will be honoring the Hirondelle’s tickets as half off Vapeur’s tickets. Making it only one shilling per person instead of two.”
“Hmm…” Alexandra pondered the proposal. She knew it was tame compared to some of his other schemes but it would mean pretending to romance Asmodeus in public. However, crazy as it sounds, it might just work. “Very well,” The fortune teller finally agreed, “I’ll do it.”
Asmodeus’ face lit up in a devilish grin; he had won this round with his lovely rival. The magician made an elaborate bow and caught her hand, kissing it quickly before she could pull away. “Then I will meet you tonight, my darling wife, at 7pm sharp in front of your ship. And make sure to wear something charming.”
With a resigned sigh, Alexandra withdrew her hand from Asmodeus’ and nodded in agreement. “For once, I agree with you. Vapeur’s fortune teller is too obvious of a character to be seen at Hirondelle. I’ll see you in an hour.” She turned, and began walking briskly back to her ship.
Once Alexandra had rounded the corner and was out of sight, Asmodeus tossed his cane triumphantly in the air and caught it as he threw his head back and laughed at the success of the first stage of his genius plan.
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