The term "Dressing the House" refers to the practice of selling reserved tickets strategically so that all sections of the tent appear filled, even when they are not.
"Paid Off in the Dark" refers to when circus or carnival performers' salary is paid off the books, in cash.

As far as pairings go...they're going to be complicated, and intentionally so. I hope you enjoy the show!

Watching the bright bands of sunlight shimmering through the live oaks on the left side of the wide street, Adeline thought she could never tire of the South. But she was certain she could tire of driving. At least, driving alone. The great trees stood sentry at even intervals on both sides of the wide main road, and soon the picturesque, well manicured avenues would give way to dirt country lanes, and she would find the show she sought, the isolated discombobulated village of tents and trailers sequestered behind a mask of attractions. There were less of them now, proper freak shows governed by hard working folks in the old style, and Adeline had promised herself she would never work for anyone who treated her like something to be caged. Adeline detested keeping even Maximus in his cage. She gazed into her rearview mirror compulsively, for perhaps the fiftieth time that day. Images from her past enjoyed accosting her at unwelcome moments, and now Uncle Kurt flashed before her eyes, her mother's laughing face, the electric lights and the bright, bold stripes of the big top. She gripped the steering wheel, twisting her hands tightly around the leather. Then she stopped, hearing now Uncle Kurt's scolding voice in her head. Her valuable hands. She turned up the radio, Helen Forrest's voice soothing her as she coasted down the side road with the window open and her stomach in knots. Adeline hated auditions. She hated approaching unfamiliar management to ask for a job. But it had to be done. There were so few places for her, now. And she had come so far. Jupiter may as well have been Mars. And, as it would turn out…. perhaps it was.

Adeline turned right onto the fair grounds, her stomach having calmed a bit on the approach. The friendly, inviting banners depicting curiosities she had never met, whose images were nevertheless familiar, had been comforting to her. She looked about, pleased to see a number of private tents and carnival attractions in addition to the main freak show tent. But the location and the size of the outfit appeared to leave much to be desired. She was careful to navigate the terrain in such a way as to ensure the least amount of jostling for Maximus who, as ever, had been patient and well behaved in his trailered enclosure. Nervous, Adeline considered the juxtaposing possibilities. Either the show was starved for new acts due to the sparse showing of current troupers, or they were in enough trouble as to be unable to afford contracting additional performers. Finding a spot off to the side, where she assumed she wouldn't be in the way, Adeline parked her truck and took a deep breath, peering at her reflection in her rear view mirror for a moment to steady herself.

Eve, Paul, and Ethel had stopped in the course of their various activities and had gathered together in mutual curiosity. They were watching with interest the enormous set of trailers pulled by the bright blue 1948 Chevy 3100. The generous animal enclosure, barred, with its occupant obscured by curtains through which air could nevertheless flow freely, was followed by an attractively painted traditional caravan with its steps folded up against its back door. The glare of the sun on the windshield obscured the driver of the pickup, but she quickly made herself visible nonetheless when she opened the door and stepped down onto the running board. At first, all they could see were her black and white saddle oxfords and plain white bobby socks, and her dark denim jeans, rolled up above her ankles, military style brass buttons gleaming. When she climbed out, standing up straight in the Florida sunshine, she looked every bit the average rural 1950s girl, in her red and white gingham button up shirt, hair pulled back in a ponytail ending in soft curls, matching mini pompadour fashioned out of her bangs bobby pinned back behind her forehead. She shut the door to the truck and placed a hand flat over her brow, shielding her eyes from the sun. The three continued to watch her with interest, until she turned to look at them and smiled.

"Hi!" She called across the several yards between them

Paul let out a soft whistle, one only Ethel and Eve could hear.

"This one's a dolly in't she?" he remarked.

"Mmmhmmm" Eve assented.

"Ohhhh Boy…." Was Ethel's only reply.

They watched her hurry her way over to them, swinging her hips in the unconscious way she generally did. Despite her performances, she wasn't as slender as many of the high wire girls, or trapeze artists. She was curvaceous, but firm, and porcelain pale, having been intentionally kept out of the sun most of her life. When she was lit up under the big top, the stark paleness of her skin fit the association that was made with her character of the swan, especially if she was wearing one of her white costumes, and performing with her white feather fans. A charming smattering of freckles dotted the round cheeks of her unblemished, angelic face, and a set of wise brown eyes and plentiful lashes complimented her straight nose and soft, symmetrically full lips, enhanced by a pronounced cupid's bow. Made up, she was theatrically stunning, but bare faced as she was now, she was naturally beautiful. Her mother had often thanked the creator, whoever they might be, that her daughter had been so pleasant to look upon, pronounced and obvious as her deformity was, once one bothered to look down at her hands.

Adeline approached the group of three, pleased to see that this troupe included a bearded lady and a giantess, as well as a marvelously tattooed man whose billing she supposed could go in many directions, but who she assumed was "The Illustrated Seal" she saw on one of the banners she'd passed on her way in.

"'Ello there, pre'ey one!" Paul said. "What can we do for ya?"

It was clear this young lady was not a customer, and even should Elsa not have space for her in the outfit, the least they could do was be pleasant while she was here.

Adeline grinned. "If one of you could point me in the direction of management?"

"Come on," Ethel began, gesturing for Adeline to follow "I'll take ya to see Miss Elsa."

"Oh, Thank You," Adeline replied. She pointed back towards her trailer.

"If you could just….wait one moment? While I get my….Maximus."

Ethel nodded curtly, and Adeline hurried back across the grounds. Ethel turned her head over her shoulder and muttered to the other two "Go'n get Jimmy…he'll want to see this."

Adeline opened the passenger's side of the truck and picked up the long, heavy length of chain sitting there, a white, rhinestone studded leather loop on one end, and a snap clip on the other. Then she took the tiny key from her pocket and went around to Maximus' enclosure, opening the lock and swinging the metal door open, brushing the curtain aside.

"Hello, handsome!" Adeline called, peering into the pair of golden eyes peering up at her at the very center of a magnificent, spectacularly fluffy, honey, coffee, and black colored mane. Maximus opened his mouth and let out a belch like grunt, his way of informing Adeline he was happy to see her. She climbed into his enclosure, crouching low so she could place her hand inside his water trough, satisfied to see that the giant block of ice she'd purchased just outside Orlando had not yet fully melted, and his water was still quite sufficiently cold.

"Okay," she said, moving over to crouch next to him and fasten the clip to his thin white collar "let's go meet some people."

She backed up and hopped down backwards onto the ground, leaving the chain slack, and Maximus yawned, rousing himself from his comfortable position on his six inch thick bed to follow his companion. He waited politely at the opening of his trailer for the command, which Adeline gave with a discreet sweep of her hand. He leapt gracefully down onto the ground, all five hundred and twenty pounds of him, standing regally in the sunlight. Adeline leaned down and fluffed his mane carefully, giving him an affectionate scratch on the top of his head. Then they began their slow procession down a well worn footpath towards where the bearded lady was waiting, looking slightly alarmed.

Adeline stopped at a respectful distance from Ethel, attempting to avoid frightening her with Maximus. The bearded lady could not have known his gentle nature, and given that she had likely been part of a great many acts in her time, Adeline did not fault her for having reservations. Often cruel trainers resulted in understandably unpredictable and violent animals, and knowing not Maximus' character, or Adeline's, she understood and respected the distance the bearded lady kept. When Adeline stopped, Maximus stood beside her, waiting.

"It's um…right this way…." Ethel said. She jerked her head in the direction of Elsa's tent, and continued along the path.

Adeline and her lion followed in majestic procession, both acutely aware of the pairs of eyes which were now falling upon them in waves from all directions of the fairgrounds. With her lion beside her, very few were likely to notice her hands. Once there had been Nero, and Titus, and Claudius, Octavian, and Maximus, all of Uncle Kurt's beautiful menagerie performing in tandem. And now, it was just the two. The Swan Girl & The King of the Jungle, as advertised across the beautiful painted banner, which hung lengthwise across her trailer.

She followed until the bearded lady reached an elaborate looking three-peaked tent with what appeared to be three separate rooms.

"Wait here," she instructed, and Adeline obeyed. She returned shortly, shaking her head. "She ain't in there….must be in the main top…c'mon." They followed again, members of the troupe stopping along the path to watch them pass. Before they entered the tent, Ethel pulled the flap back and paused to introduce herself.

"I'm Ethel, by the way. Go on…."

Adeline ducked inside, Maximus maneuvering with grace through the opening beside her. She turned back to give Ethel a big smile once the lady behind her had entered the tent herself. "I'm Adeline."

Ethel nodded to her, and Adeline noticed that the giantess and the man she had spoken with earlier were seated along several benches in front of a stage, where two girls who shared one body were practicing their act. Beside them sat a woman who seemed to be legless, though it was semi dark in the tent and Adeline could not be sure.

"Elsa?" Ethel called, hustling towards long, rectangular table where a slight blonde woman was sitting. Adeline hung back, not wishing to intrude on a rehearsal, or seem presumptuous by making herself at home. She scanned the room. A lovely, tiny Indian woman sat on a stool beside the blonde woman at the table, and had turned around to peer in wonder at the lion. Another woman Adeline could barely see due to the giant tent pole in her line of vision sat to the side playing a piano. A contortionist practiced in the corner.

Adeline waited patiently while Ethel spoke softly in Elsa's ear. As she stood there, a young man ducked into the tent through a flap beside the piano, and she watched his face in amusement when he was visibly taken aback by the lion at the back of the tent. He stared openly at Maximus, impressed by the tremendous size of the animal surprised by the mere fact of his presence. When he scanned over to the person holding the chain, his eyebrows raised, and his eyes beneath them widened. He took on a bit of a cocky, masculine stance, crossing his arms front of him with his hands in view, daring her to look. Adeline was almost certain he had winked at her, but in the light she could not be sure. It was then that the short blonde woman halted the rehearsal with a wave of her hand, and then turned in her chair to beckon to Adeline. The Swan Girl and her lion approached the woman, coming to stand beside her chair.

"Well, it seems we are busy today," Elsa said to Adeline, looking over at Ethel. She had only just agreed to take on Dell and Desiree early that afternoon. Adeline noted her accent, one quite familiar to her.

"But I am afraid we are primarily a freak show…." Elsa lamented, gesturing towards Maximus, to whom she feigned indifference, but with whom she was rather impressed. His behavior was impeccable, his coat shining, his mane lustrous, full and dramatically colored.

"Oh yes, Miss," Adeline said, concerned that should she address the lady before her as Mam, she would be offended, despite her age, and encouraged in her decision by the way Ethel had referred to her as "Miss Elsa."

She slipped her hand through the leather loop at the end of Max's chain, and smiled.

"Which is why I…should show you these…." Adeline lifted her hands and spread her fingers wide.

Visible, even in the sparse light, was the webbing, like that on a swan's feet, between Adeline's fingers, thin, delicate, ending at her second knuckles. Her eyes darted over and met those of the handsome young man still standing by the piano, when his sharp intake of breath broke the silence in the tent. He had been posing with the swagger of James Dean when she approached Elsa, but he had now dropped the façade, and was staring with intensity, open mouthed, at Adeline's hands, still raised on either side of her head. The webbing was generous; Adeline could spread her fingers as wide apart as any with typical hands, when she closed her fingers again the webbing simply folded, resting slack between her fingers. Elsa was staring, too.

Feeling uncomfortable, Adeline broke the silence.

"It's my feet, as well…. though they're not as visible from the stage." Adeline said. "I'm billed as Swan Girl. I perform, as well. Hoop, aerial silks, feather fans, swing…it's not contortion, I haven't the flexibility…and it's not dance…more a kind of gymnastics…I could show you?"

Elsa nodded, still focused on the girl's hands, reaching out to gently take them in her own.

"Yes," Elsa said, a dreamlike quality to her voice. "I think you had better."