In the Crown of the Circus King

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It seemed like it was going to be an usual day at the circus until Phillip's conversation with Anne got quickly interrupted by a childish voice echoing through the building walls.

"Daddy!"

Phillip wasn't quick enough to turn around when two small girls ran past him and Anne, jumping past the ring borders and dodging the rehearsing circus acts, not even giving them a second look as they sprinted towards the changing areas, their bright dresses getting engulfed in the darkness. The junior apprentice was about to chase the unwelcome guests and expel them out of the circus until Anne softly stopped him by holding on to his arm.

"Don't worry about them." She reassured the bewildered man, "It's his daughters."

"Who's?" Phillip confusingly asked as he heard the girls bickering behind the drape, his eyes not leaving the area.

He immediately got his answer when the well-known baritone voice happily answered to the childish bickering.

"My girls! C'mere, give daddy a cuddle!"

An immediate realization hit Phillip and he felt his chest tighten at the fact which he wholeheartedly did not dare to accept.

"Barnum has children?" He asked as he turned back to Anne, saying those words out loud like it was almost a statement.

"Well, yes. He hasn't told you?" She asked, visibly caught off guard by Phillip's reaction.

"No... Not really." Phillip shrugged, "I mean, it's not like I asked. But..." He dragged on, shaking his head.

"He's quite a private person, don't worry." Anne reassured him, "They're from his last marriage. Caroline and Helen. Wonderful girls, they visit him a few times a month."

"Last marriage?" Phillip stated again, fully astounded by this perplexing new Barnum information that he got in the span of a few seconds.

Anne was about to open her mouth but then the ringmaster himself walked out of the drape covered area, brightly grinning as he held both of his daughters in each of his arms.

"How are you ballet lessons, Caroline? Sorry I missed your last play, you know daddy's schedule is always so hectic." He softly kissed the bright pink cheeks of the brunette girl as his eyes met Phillip and Anne standing behind the ring.

"It was okay. Mommy said I looked like a princess." She giggled, tightly holding her small arms around her father's neck.

"Of course you did, my favorite princess." Phineas happily confirmed as he leaned down to let both of the girls go.

"Am I a princess too?" The blonde girl squeaked, clinging on to his arm when her legs finally reached the ground.

"I thought you wanted me to refer to you as my mermaid, darling." Barnum laughed, ruffling her blonde locks and giving her a quick kiss on the forehead

"But mermaids are princesses too!" She enthusiastically stated.

"Alright, you're a princess too, my love."

"That is not true, Helen! Mermaids can not be princesses!" The other girl argued as Barnum finally lifted himself up and met the curious stares of the circus duo in front of him, giving them an excited grin.