The Tightrope Prince

The Little Princess

   Her feet hurt. Her feet her so much she always wondered if it was worth it. Of course when the next morning came she didn't think twice about it, well at least not until the day ended once again. Genevieve was a dancer, to be more specific she was a ballerina. She had loved the ballet for as long as she can remember, however it was her mothers idea that she take up the art . It was simple. The Noir family was very much upper class and they couldn't have their only daughter running around saying she wanted to be a trapeze, circus girl.
     Genevieve really did like going to the ballet, up until the age of 10 when her father took her to the circus. Then she was mesmerized by the flying, yet graceful acts of the trapeze artists. Her father on the other hand didn't see the appeal, and with circuses not being socially acceptable, he was not the only one with that opinion.
     So Genevieve was told to take up dancing, her parents hoped it would push her love for the circus and the trapeze down and make it part of a childish phase. It did for the most part, 10 years later she hadn't thought about the subject. At least not until she was walking home from her practice that evening and watched as a caravan rolled down the street. Sitting on the back of the wooden ride was a shaggy haired guy smoking a cigarette.

"Hmm" she thought "I wonder if he likes the trapeze."

Much to her luck the young man did like the trapeze, in fact he dabbled in the act himself, but his main act was the tightrope. Nikolai had joined the circus after his adoptive parents had died. He didn't mean to join the circus but Gwen, the wife of the circus leader found him 10 years ago. He had been in an alley eating scraps from the dumpster behind a restaurant. She took him in and loved Nik like her own son.
     As he grew up, Nik picked up acts. First there was juggling, then slight of hand magic. At the age of thirteen he had picked up fire spitting, then sword swallowing. By the time he was fifteen he had finally gotten to the trapeze, of course they already had that act so he turned to the tightrope. Now at the fresh age of twenty he had learned over a dozen acts, many if which he did on the tightrope. Gwen and the ring leader, Chester, were so proud that Nik had taken to the circus life.
They did have a biological son, Allen, who was now in his forties and wanted nothing to do with the circus. He left when he was twenty-two, saying he wanted more than what the circus could provide. The only contact Gwen and Chester have with there son is the occasional card saying that they are getting to old for this occupation and needed to retire. This makes them laugh. Although Chester who is well in his sixties has been thinking about who would take over. As of this moment only Nikolai comes to mind. He'll probably bring it up later to Gwen. "Maybe during tea" he thinks.