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"Father!~" asked a young lad. He looked to be in his early teens.

"Yes son?" replied a man looking to be in his late 30's. He ran a calloused hand through his long, black hair.

"I've made a new trick for the show, would ye like to see?" he asked, pulling on the man's hand and trying to get his attention.

"Not now son, I'm busy.." he said, his attention averting back to a table that sat in the tent. It lay full of documents, most of which had a seal from the city on them.

"But look, it really is neat." the boy replied, pulling out a few knives that had been given to him by his father. "I pick a target, and then as I go to throw, I do a flip." he said, pantomiming the movement with a fake kick and a look of surprise on his face.

"That's very interesting son. Tell you what, you and I can go spend some time practicing our tumbles...but first, I have to finish this paperwork. Otherwise, we'll have to deal with that grouch again. You know who I'm talking about, yes?" he said with a grin, imitating pulling on a long mustache and then widening his eyes a bit. The effect gave the older man a haunting look.

"That wrinkly old coot, eh Dad? Is he ever going to let us be?" he asked, kicking the dirt a bit. "All he wants is our talent, and the money for himself. He doesn't care about us..." he said as he threw one of the knives at a large log that sat neatly in the stack next to a small furnace. A TH-HINK could be heard as the knife stuck into the log as if it were a loaf of bread on a cutting board.

"I know son, but we've not had anyone come see us for some time. He's promising to take us around... and maybe even get a couple of acts together and start a circus. Wouldn't that be fun?" he implored, standing up from the chair he had been sitting in. He walked over to the log, and prying back and forth a bit, pulled out the knife from the log.

"I guess...but I don't like him. He's shifty, and I don't think doing this will come of any good..." said the boy, reaching his hand out for the knife.

"Perhaps, but we won't have any choice soon, son." he said as he handed the knife back to the boy. He hugged him briefly, then kneeled down. "Things will get better.... I promise."