<div class="floatleft">(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3op8ql1VS1r7wrq1o1_r2_250.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Lawrence Hawkins<br/><strong>Place within Hierarchy:</strong>Old Timer<br/><strong>Role:</strong>Act<br/><strong>Position:</strong>Fire Handler, Elizabeths Partner<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Food Car<br/><strong>Wearing:</strong>Loose fitting bluejeans and a white wife beater.<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Olaana.<br/><br/>Lawrence had never really figured out how he was able to figure out when something was bothering Olaana.  She had the best poker face he had ever witnessed, even when she was near death in the hospital she didn’t seem to show any sort of stress or discomfort.  None the less, he always had an odd feeling when she wasn’t well.  Right now he really wasn’t sure what to make of her, something told her that everything wasn’t golden but at the same time he couldn’t be sure something was actually wrong.  His eyes remained fixed upon hers as she began to speak.  He had no doubt that she had already knew he was in the room, she had a talent for knowing her surroundings.  Of course with the way that she grew up it wasn’t much a surprise that she could pick up on such subtleties.  In Africa, picking up on a foreign sound could be the difference between life and death.<br/><br/>His lips curled into a smile as she told him that she wasn’t going to use his name to her advantage.  In the long run, it would be a good thing.  And when she said she intended to win over the circus the smile grew.  But this time it had a much different look.  Instead of amusement, he seemed pleased.  He was using her as a secret weapon in a game that few realized was being played.  He was just happy that he actually cared for her.  Because he was not using her in a selfish way, he was simply using a formed relationship to his benefit.  When she finished speaking he responded to her with quiet words that let her know they were only meant for her.  It was an old habit that wasn’t needed around Olaana.  He never needed to worry about what he said to her because he knew it’d never be uttered to another.  “I’m glad that you do not wish to use me to your advantage as it’d ruffle feathers.  But you must know those loyal to me will treat you differently anyhow.”  He paused for a moment as she looked at him in a way that was beyond friendly, and completely welcome. “And I’ve no doubt you’ll win over a great deal of the circus.”  Lawrence was not foolish enough to believe she could win over Elizabeths people, as Olaana would likely become a victim to the Ring Mistress.<br/><br/>His words ended just about as her next began.  He listened carefully to every word, but disguised his intrigue by eating the meal he had laid out before them.  Occasionally his eyes would raise to her as she spoke, but he didn’t respond right away.  In fact, until her foot raised to his leg he didn’t appear to respond to her at all.  But when it did his hand lowered and his fingers ran over the top of her foot, a hidden show of affection that no one needed to see.  As she spoke again he realized the duality in the statement.  Even he wasn’t clear now if she was talking about the animals or of herself.  In accepting her position, she was placed into a form of bondage.  It was the same bondage that everyone within the circus had to endure, Lawrence and Elizabeth included.  They were now bound to The Spirit, forced to follow it’s whims unless they wished to lose it’s grace.  Fortunately The Spirit was an incredibly kind Master who had happened to bind itself to an increasingly cruel Mistress.<br/><br/>His hand finally lowered from her foot and returned to the top of the table.  He took a drink of water before finishing what was left of the sausage he had skewered.  This left a noticeable gap in the ending of her words and his response.  He still wasn’t entirely sure how to respond, he felt as though the two were having a cryptic conversation.  “Olaana, this place is no different than any other in the world.  We’re bound to the standards of the society we’ve placed ourselves within.  There are sacrifices to be made, and pleasures to be gained.  We must simply figure out where the middle ground is, and do our best not to fall to heavily into either end.” Lawrence had been looking her in the eye when he spoke to her.  But his eyes lowered as he was expected to answer her last question.  Another pause was given as he took a few bites of eggs.  One of his least favorite parts of this Family was that gossip spread quicker than it did in high school.  There were next to no secrets, as everyone lived in such tight quarters that it was almost impossible to hide an act or a conversation. “My return home has been full of mixed emotions.”<br/><br/>Lawrence took up a napkin and ran it across his lips when he finished talking.  It wasn’t that there was a mess, but instead he had a subconscious desire to clean his lips. “You know full well of the history between myself and Elizabeth.  When I returned, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  I’ve found that she is still holding onto old feelings, and she is taking that out on me.  I’m sure she’ll make it worse upon you.  I missed the Family, and I missed the Spirit.  The shows most of all.  But these politics are absolutely beyond me, that was always Elizabeths responsibility.  Unfortunately now I find myself thrown into the middle of them as I am one of the key factors.” Lawrence looked back to Olaana.  This time he had nothing more than the most serious expression that he could conjure.  This was a conversation that he could only safely have with one person, and she was the one that he was looking at. “This isn’t going to end well, Olaana.  You need to do whatever you can to ensure you make friends as quickly as possible.  With every stop, the Spirit grows stronger.  And with every week, the tension will grow stronger too.”<br/><br/>Lawrence finally looked away from Olaana.  And as though he hadn’t just spoke of treason, he took up his fork and began to eat again.  Non-chalant all at once, a master Showman at work without meaning it.  He took a few bites and shrugged his shoulders. “At least now the Lions eat from your hand as opposed to simply eating it.”<br/>