My favorite song [Vienna/Public]

Fränze would not ever associate herself with any of them, that is to say, even the most refined of performers there she could not stand to be around. So, she had worked out her little arrangement after the management had passed away.

She was taking customers through her own quarters, which were much more comfortable than being in such a crowded place where her focus was thrown off-- at least, thrown off when she decided to not lie. No one had complained so far-- in fact, she knew no one would. She was practically running things around there.

So she could attend to her matters in peace, which, she currently was. And this man proved to be quite the prospect.

"Death, Mr. smith. You know what that means?" she pressed two delicate fingers to the card, blowing a puff of smoke through her lips into the incensed air of the car.

"Oh god-- Am I going to die?!" Oh yes, this one was easy pickings. The death card only meant change... But he didn't know that.

She shuffled the cards back into her palms. "Most likely. But don't worry, I know something that will calm you down. So fluidly she reached into a shelf and pulled out a box, carved and gilded, and opened it, a single blank wooden figure in the inside. Strange for sun a fancy box to have a plain dancer, but the reason would become apparent soon enough. Twinkling chimes floated out of it in a lazy rhythm as the man's eyes became fixated on it.

"You know this is my favorite song, Mr. smith?"

No answer.

His eyes lost their glow, his body lost it's stiffness, but he still could breathe. The box rattled and rattled-- a his soul desperately trying to escape-- but she only had to close and latch the two intricate doors for the shaking and groaning to cease. Then she set it back on the shelf, and would, in time, pull the little dancer out to see if she really wanted to keep it.

Standing, Fränze opened the door for him. "Go home." He stood automatically but sloppily and oozed out of the doorway, following orders. Without a soul one hasn't any will. His will was at her command. But he wasn't of any use to her other than a compulsive need to collect.

She stared out, leaning on her door frame, smoking, and watching the organized chaos from the greater carnival. People go in to watch, compelled by the loud advertisers. Willpower was relative in this world, but she had a way to take it. But if it was all relative, did what she do have any worth at all?

"Philistines."

Auguste had only seen this circus a few times before. His Uncle was the one who invested into it, so the circus was invited to France on occasion to amaze. Now, going to visit them, this was the first time Auguste had been out of France. It was his second time changing homes. He was only supposed to be here for a few months, though. Once they were actually earning money, or once Auguste had decided they weren't worth it, he was to leave. He didn't like being here, it was unsettling. There were freaks here, they were disgusting people. Auguste didn't know how to treat them. He used to only laugh at them. The depression hit France hard, Auguste worried for his Uncle. He didn't feel comfortable away from home.

But this was the least he could do for the man who gave Auguste everything in the world.

He was uncomfortable settling into the place. He was highly education, he learned all the grammars of English, but he wasn't at all rehearsed in it. He had been lost in translation more than once, here. He was supposed to come earlier- but he didn't understand the directions the railroad company gave him, he got stuck behind.

Now, he stood outside the car that belonged to that one girl... Auguste remembered her, his experience seeing her- and experiencing her was something he couldn't forget. She told him his fortune, and did something else, something weird, Auguste remembered the feeling, and just the feeling. That was before Auguste's Uncle was his Father. That was before the war. He was a child then, and she was even younger.

A near lifeless man tumbled outside. Auguste took the opportunity to go in, he was nervous, but nobody could tell. He was perfect at seeming completely composed.

"Mademoiselle-" he smiled. If she was French, he would have remembered. There was clearly a translator there, when she read the boy Auguste's fortune. He did not remember what language came out of her mouth, but it was not French. She would know English. He gave a bow, and took a seat. The setting was so lovely, the girl too, was lovely.

"Please... learn me my future-" Would a fortune teller know who he was? Possibly. He would test that.

Fränze could say she was proficient in English, but it was still heavy with one of the most unique accents in the world. Of course, she expected a new client quickly, but they were usually desperate men looking for light in their lives, or just a pretty face to understand them (though she rarely ever told them the truth)... Never this type of person.

He was vaguely familiar, in fact, very familiar, she realized as he got closer and finally went inside. French, she remembered. France, years ago. His name, what was his name... She remembered making a joke about the season and his name... And he didn't much look like a Julius. Auguste? That was it, she smiled as she heard him take a seat.

Finally turning, the bottom of her dress flowing across the wood floor as she sat down across from him on her multitude of pillows (if she was going to be sitting all day, she might as well be sitting in pillows) and eyed him curiously. "Tell me, Auguste...Come back for a sense of nostalgia or is this just a random happenstance?"

While waiting for an answer, she reshuffled her cards and deliberated Bringing out the music box. She didn't have a replacement figure... So if she wanted his, the other one could escape. It wasn't needed yet, she decided. And she wasn't sure she wanted to ruin this man's life... More like add to it.

"I would think you would know why I'm here. You see the future, no? You must have expected me back." He smiled, straightening any wrinkles from his vest. She had a thick accent as well. He couldn't remember where she was from. Her accent was slightly Germanic. That did not necessarily mean she was German, though. He had a negative connotation with anything German. Her voice tarnished her beauty, but she was somewhere very close to being beautiful- it didn't matter.

"I'm afraid I did not recall your name-" Was her name even given to him, back then? He was impressed that she remembered him. He was not very impressive, nor was he very rich when she told him his future. That Auguste was completly different from the Auguste that was around today. It was amazing that she would recognize him. "Forgive me on that, if you will? You were even such a beauty then, but it was so very long ago... " Actually, for some reason, he seemed to forget everything she said to him that day.

"I'm not sure my sight goes that far." She wasn't sure if she even had it in the first place.

Sometimes she couldnt tell if she was lying or really having a second sight. It did trouble her... But not much. She didn't really need that sixth sense, anyways.

She smiled at his question and spread the cards out over the table, telling him to pick 7. "We'll see if you really need to know my name... You're just passing through, right?"

"You can say that..." he smiled. He did not plan to stay as the overseer of this carnival forever. Only a few months really- so he was in a way, only passing through. Then he paused.

He didn't say anything for a while. He had to concentrate, on which cards to choose. His charismatic smile dropped away, and his lips pursed together. He didn't want to mess up and end up getting the card for death, or misfortunes. He wasn't sure if he was a complete believer in this sort of stuff. The girl had mystified him before, he did not doubt her talent. In this depression, his family needed all the luck they could get. They were already worth only half of what they used to be. He really had to choose the right ones.

"These...."

She took them from his hands and placed them in the seven card spread-- the most accurate, to her knowledge.

((I skipped two because they weren't important :I))

Flipping one over, she wasn't surprised with the outcome. "This is your present, three months before and three months ahead." Maybe she really had a knack for this, after all. "The Emperor, upside down." Which explained why he was even in here. "You've lost your stability."

Another card was flipped. "This is what's happening right at this... moment..." The devil, good. Backwards... not a good sign. Not for her. She looked down at it, and deftly slid it to right side up. "The Devil... addiction... sexuality..." Franze explained smoothly, not even looking up from her cards. It was obvious she had fixed it. (But The Devil also means bondage and materialism... she may not have known it, but it was possibly her own future she was reading)

The following were normal, trivial, things she was not interested in. She was doubting her ability, though she really had no idea if she had it at all.

Placing her fingers lightly over the last one, hesitating for a moment, she said, "This is the outcome. What will be accomplished, what was meant to be." Flipping it, it seemed serendipity had intervened. "The lovers..." Yet this one was backwards, as well. Backwards it meant a love triangle, inner struggles and doubt, feelings that are not mutual. However, she didn't consider that. She switched it back to upright position as well. "Sorry-- flipping two... ah... at random... is a part of the spread." A lie if she ever told one. Reversed cards were ones to pay special attention to.

"Anything surprising...?"

Auguste frowned, he thought hard about the outcome. He did not like the sound of the first one. He enjoyed the image, the emperor- but the upside down was not favourable to him. Nothing promised a definite return to wealth. He wasn't born with wealth, but he had it now. It was hard to lose it. Auguste wanted the Emperor to be turned the other way.

Then there was the devil- but that was a good thing for some reason? Addiction may not have been, but there was nothing wrong with sexuality. He cracked a smirk, it wasn't even fake this time. He would not mind sharing this sexuality card with the tarot reader.

Then the lovers? That seemed to work well with the devil.

"Lovers- is that meaning I will meet a woman here...?" He looked at her, his smile widened. "She must be beautiful, yes? I've only seen one beautiful woman here. More beautiful than any other in this country. The French women could not even hold a candle to her-" Did women actually believe this ridiculous flirting? Whenever he used it they fell for it. Of course, most women he flirted with didn't have...the abilities that this woman had.

"I've only just discovered her- well, after so many years of her absence, but oh, how I would love to have her." He was so suave, just hamming it up, even in this choppy, ugly language. This was maybe some sort of test for himself, and some sort of effort to ensure her loyalty. "Do you know what my future with her will be?"

A red blush spread over her face as her smile grew as well.

"Only one beautiful woman? Well, how disappointing..." She knew very well it was her... or it better have been her. She wasn't going to sit around and wonder.

Picking up the lovers card, she kissed it, a bloom of red lipstick appearing over the figures. She stood and leaned over the table, tucking the card in his vest pocket.

"Well..." She said breathily, grinning impishly, "When you find her, you'll be carrying this card on you..."

"There can only be one woman of beauty- and that is her."

He didn't act very concerned about the lipstick smearing on his vest, but that was his first thought. Not the relics of the romantic gesture- but no, about his vest getting dirty. He was tight on money. He did force out a smile at the gesture. His forced smiles seemed more sincere than the smile of any lottery winner.

"You think she will appreciate it? You do not think she will get jealous about the lipstick- do you...?" the smile curled onto his lips grew even more impish. He pat the card down in his pocket. "I will carry this always with me. Always, and I will think of her. Always she will see me with it, and always she will know that I can think only of her." His eyes gazed into hers. He was never a true romantic, but he was the world's best fake romantic.

((Sobbb, why do i take so long to write so little.)

Franze was a walking contradiction. She was excellent at controlling others, but when it came to others manipulating her-- well, it didn't take much. She was desperate for a co-dependency, she had never been without one for this long...

... And he promised to think of her always.

She hardly felt the table's surface as she put one knee over it to lean as close as she could to him. "Tell her... The lipstick was from someone special..." Then she closed the gap with a passionate, needy kiss.

Love didn't come often here for her. She refused the freaks, and anyone below her. But he seemed rich, and cultured, and... There was more but they had completely melted away in her mind by then.

That was... really quick. He was certainly not a virgin, but never had he gotten a woman this quick. It normally took a date or two and some glasses of wine. This was after one conversation. Only in America, he just guessed. That was the only explanation he could think of. He smirked, taking in the kiss she gave him, and returning it with one of equal passion. He was not as needy, not at all, he could get any woman he wanted- but his desire was always strong.

He wondered briefly how his uncle would feel about this relationship. Was it unprofessional? Maybe, it was, but that was okay. This was a carnival. Auguste's Uncle would probably have done the same thing. Auguste was supposed to go find his room, someone was waiting with his luggage- but that thought completely left his mind.

He only had one thought now.

"Should we lock the door?" he whispered, between kisses.

((HOW DID THIS HAPPEN SO QUICK. :l ))

Cabin fever did strange things to anyone. Stuck in a train car for god knows how many days and then not seeing anyone around fit to socialize with except for a very handsome man certainly did it.

It took her a moment to process the question then to finally answer. She looked confused at first, but then realized an open door could be a problem. "Ja..." She replied, catching her breath, and reluctantly got up to lock the door. The table wasn't so comfortable anyways. Realizing after she had lightly pulled him over to her side that she had been more than a little hasty, she cast an embarrassed glance at his feet and mumbled an apology. She had more class than that, surely.

Unfortuantly, that question seemed to end the thing. Even though Auguste did not even know the girl's name, he would have no reservation to their sex. She looked ashamed at her actions. Auguste would have been ashamed if he was a woman- but he was a man, he felt there was no need for shame.

The taller man lifted a small curl from her head, his lips pressed down on it, his lips than moved to her forhead, before he kissed her head.

"Shh-" he responded to her apology. "It is only an honour to me, to have the red of your lipstick on my face." he smiled. "I would not mind your lips anywhere else on my body." he smirked, he obviously wanted to continue from where they started. He would be up for wine at his place, but that would involve settling in.

All of her reluctancy melted away. This guy was truly a master at his craft. Pulling away from him, she locked the door with a devilish smile. Usually this wouldn't happen with someone who was basically a stranger. But... She had met him before, so it was okay, right?

She sat back down on her pillows and raised an eyebrow to him. "Well...?"

Auguste was already in her bed. Already, his vest was off. She may have thought she was too forward, but this was fine for Auguste. In a way, this would lead him ahead. If he could grab some relationship with her, then he could grab control of the de facto ruler of the carnival. He wouldn't have any problems, then. Not to mention, sex whenere you wanted with an attractive young woman was always nice.

Leaning over, he kissed her through the lips. That faint taste of her lipstick was great. Lipstick was not meant for consumption- but Auguste always new something good was coming, when the taste was in his mouth. He reached for the back of her dress, feeling for some zipper, and pulling it down. He wanted it off, that was obvious enough. Now the door was locked, he could get it off.

"Well...?" he copied, into her ear.

((VERSAILLES SEX SCENES ALWAYS MAKE ME SO UNCOMFORTABLE. :l ))

((TIMESKIP OHOHOHO--))

Outside the car, the world was still spinning like it should, but that luxurious car was a world of it's own.

Finally getting up after a while laying next to him, she shrugged her dress back on and got up to get a cigarette. She didn't need to ask him how it was.

"I think you can learn my name now...." She grinned, facing him and leaning against her shelves of figurines.

Auguste smiled, pulling his pants back on. That was a nice gift. He deserved it really. He spent that week or more on that boat, crossing the Atlantic. He spent a few days between hotels, bad service, communication errors and trains, and now he got this. He really did deserve it. She had no idea yet that he was her boss. He'd have to tell her sometime- he didn't know when. Wouldn't she have known, if she could read people's futures?

Well, she got two of his future's rights. That devil card and that lover card, they expressed that this would come.

"Oh, I can?" he grinned. Funny, he didn't even know her name yet. "And what is the name of the mysterious mademoiselle?"

"Du kannst..." She replied, pulling the music box into her hands and pulling the delicate figurine from the inside. Odd, to have the dancer in a music box a man in a suit. She turned to place it onto the shelf with the rest of the collection of wood carved and painted people with horror all over their little oak faces.

"But... Only if you promise to come back." She turned back to face him. "My name is Franziska. Fränze Schuetzeneur. Our family name is famous in Austria." /TROLLFACE

And then, his smile unprecedentaly dropped. He buttoned up his shirt, spending no time to delay it. His vest too, was quickly pulled up and put on.

"Our family name is famous in Austria."

She could just have had her face ripped off by badgers. She suddenly looked so much more ugly than she had before. He regretted having to have sex with her. Unfortunatly, this didn't mean that he would stop having sex with her. He needed to have control of her. He should have assumed that she was Austrian, her hideous voice should have proved that.

He got up, forcing another, maybe less enthusiastic smile on. She should have known what her country did to Auguste's. She should have known how he only naturally felt. That was probably why she hid her name. The last time they met was before the war. Auguste had his father and mother then.

"Well- Merci, Fränze. This was a grand welcome to my new job." A pause, as he moved to the door. He fixed his hair, and with another smile he glanced back at her, before leaving.

"And of course I will be back."