Snippet #1799450

Aryanna stood at a ticket counter collecting people's money and exchanging tickets. Happy and excited murmurs filled the tent as the people filed in. When the audience had finally settled, she closed the ticket counter and headed to her caravan to quickly change into her costume. It had white leather britches, a black ruffled top, a red overcoat trimmed with gold, and to top it off a top hat. Smoke filled the stage and as it dispersed, Aryanna appeared on stage. Clapping started immediately.

"Bonjour and Bienvenue, Ladies and Gentleman. I am Lady De Lioncourt and this is Cirque Du Freak. Before we begin our magnificent show this evening, I would like to tell you a little bit about the history of 'Freak' shows, and explain a few of my rules. Since Antiquity, visually unusual beings have been exhibited in public spaces. In parts of southern Europe there was formerly plied a nefarious trade in maiming and mutilating young children for the purpose of producing distressing deformities to excite pity and thus induce alms. An instance of such mutilation is made romantic use of by Victor Hugo in his story L'Homme qui rit. Later freak shows featuring a number of ‘monsters’ contributed to the success of travelling shows. For more than a hundred years, the sideshow was to become an indispensable appendage of American circus culture. The first one of its kind systematically organized was contained in P.T. Barnum's Great Travelling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan and Hippodrome and the countless imitations which followed in its wake habitually featured the same classic attractions, including the giant, the fat lady, the midget, the three-legged boy, the armless wonder and the thin man. Now, My "freaks" are not just visually unusual beings, but they are also performers with supernatural abilities. Now here are my rules. One, No cat-calling. Two, no booing. Three, I suggest you follow my rules or you will be public humiliated for the rest of your life. Don't under-estimate me," Aryanna said, "But don't worry, follow my rules and we'll get along just fine."

The audience is deadly silent before cheering began again.
"So I implore you, Ladies and gentlemen, Sit back, relax, and enjoy," Aryanna said before another puff of smoke appeared and she disappeared. She reappeared in the crow's nest like spot in the center pole.
"Our first act is the ever so wonderful Brody," She announced.