Strong Body, Fragile Hearts

Her gardener, interesting

Ellie's or Bell's POV (OC)

"Come on Bells, tighten up those flips, no time in between!" called out Joker, the ring master, as he wandered around the big tent." I let out a peal of laughter as I scaled the ladder. "Joker that had no time between, you just can't count!" I called down to the ringmaster. Joker laughed. Smiling, I raised up my hand for Doll, my partner on the tightrope, to clasp it and pull me up. I was... unique in the circus because I was a first-stringer.

I was not one of the original first stringers, like Wendy, the trapeze artist or Doll. I joined up with the circus after it had been created. I had quickly risen to become Doll's protégé. I was almost as skilled as she was at walking and doing tricks on a tightrope. My specialty was letting myself fall, then catching myself on the wire, then doing several spins around the wire, flinging myself into the air, and landing on the wire in a split. The trick was death-defying and had drawn the attention of many of the attendees.

Doll smiled softly at me. "Ignore him, your count was perfect as normal." I smiled back at her then walked over to the edge when I felt her hand around my wrist. "You need a safety line." I frowned "Doll, I don't get one during the show, so I shouldn't practice with one." Doll just looked at me, then sighed and released my hand. I walked out onto the line and looked for Dagger, the knife thrower, and yelled, "Hey Dagger, care to practice our idea?" He looked up at me and grinned, "My dear Bells, it would be a pleasure." Alright, Bells, you can do this. I watched the first dagger fly towards me and I did a cartwheel over it, landing on the line. Doll looked surprised, Joker looked horrified, and Dagger looked ecstatic. "Ready to speed up?" I nodded, though the idea still slightly scared me. He began to throw them faster and faster, and I began to dance a deadly dance of flips, aerials and knives. Then I misjudged my landing. I fell right off the line. I heard Joker yell and Doll scream, as I plunged down the fifty foot drop.

My hands shot out of their own accord and grabbed the line. I begin to swing around the line, moving up into my flip and finally landing on my line. I looked down at Dagger, who had gone sweaty and pale and Joker who looked as if he were ready to climb up here and forbid me from tightrope walking ever again. I glanced over at Doll and saw her slumped in faint. "I'm alright!" I shouted down and very normally and very slowly made my way to Doll on the other end of the tightrope.

"Doll. Doll!" I shook her, trying to make her snap out of it. I couldn't get us both down. She began to mumbled and groan. I sighed, relieved she was alright. Visions of the past had danced behind my eyes when she didn't wake up instantly. "Oh!" She exclaimed when she saw me. "You're alright! Thank heavens!" She pulled me into a hug, one that I returned and needed. "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" She scolded me after pulling away from the hug. I laughed, it sounding just like peals of Bells, hence my name. "I won't slip again." I said, while grinning, purposely misconstruing Doll's meaning. "NOT what I meant." I laughed once more, then stood offering my hand to Doll.

"Let's go down before Joker has the whole thing sawed through like a tree." Doll laughed at my description of the ringmaster's reaction. We descended the massive structure. When we reached the bottom, I was descended upon by the crew like they were hungry wolves fighting for a piece of meat.

"I'm fine, really, I promise." I kept repeating as everyone kept talking over one another, trying to see if Doll and I were all right. Joker shoved his way to the front of the group, Dagger close behind him. Grabbing onto my shoulders, Joker looked me over, searching for injuries, while Dagger hovered anxiously in the background. I sighed, and then addressed Joker "I am FINE! Not a scratch on me, just a little startled and scared." Joker looked at me suspiciously, as if I would try to hide any injuries from them. I rolled my eyes and said once more, "I AM fine! That is the last time I will repeat myself, the next person that asks will become Dagger's new target!" Everyone fell silent then burst into laughter. Everyone knew I wasn't serious. I stormed off to my tent, with Doll and Joker close on my heels. Why couldn't everyone just relax, I wasn't some crystal statue or porcelain figurine. "Wait!" called out Joker, "Slow down!" Doll shouted. I entered Doll's and I's tent then turned waiting for Doll and Joker.

"I'm going out! I'm not leaving the circus and I will be back in time for the practice tonight but no one better follow me!" I said fiercely, leaving Doll and Joker speechless. I pointed at the door, "Now Joker, get out! I have to change into proper clothes, not my costume." Joker began to splutter, citing reasons for not letting me go wandering around by myself. I pulled out a dagger that I carried with me when I left the circus and pointed it at him. "I know how to use this Joker, you remember how you found me. I will be fine, now SHOO!" Doll giggled and escorted him out. I pulled on a plain dress and hid my dagger in my skirts. I walked out and nodded to Joker who stood outside my tent, fuming. I turned to leave when I crashed into Doll. "Wait, your makeup!" She motioned to my eyes and handed me a wet cloth. I thanked her and left the circus. I began to wander the streets of London. It was such a pretty city. I walked into a farmer's market, smelling all the goodies, like fresh bread has tantalized me. I walked over to a stand and bought a piece. I turned and then crashed into some boy.