The last place anyone would have expected to see a Leventi was at a carnival like this. The blonde should have been at a summer camp, where she would be preparing for meets and shows. No one expected her to spend her summers as part of a traveling rodeo. But the appeal of travel, of trick riding and stadiums full of people, was too much for her to ignore.

Her parents thought she was too good for it. As the Heir to the finest breeding stables in all of North America, the Leventi were a family of wealth and luxury. And Selene was the perfect example of how an heir to luxury horses should act. Selene was one of the best riders in the country. The full ride scholarship to Auburn she had earned 2 years prior was proof enough of her abilities. She was set to be a qualifying equestrian for the Olympic team in the upcoming games. But with the stress of the school year, of constantly trying to prove herself, the blonde preferred to spend her summers as a traveling carney under the big top.

And the blond rodeo queen was the shining star.

Traveling in a show like that meant living out of an RV. Her parents had tried to talk her into using a far more expensive trailer, so Ophelia didn’t have to bunk with other horses of ‘lesser caliber’. But Selene didn’t want to have to drive like a semi across 15 states, so her smaller trailer (albeit new), was pulled by her old truck. And Ophelia spent her time in the horse trailer with 3 other beasts.

The rodeo had closed the week prior, making way for the carnival in its place. The blonde had loaded up her trailer and attempted to join the usual caravan. But her old truck wouldn’t start. Most of the shops were closed, and the one she’d found open said they wouldn’t be able to fix it for another week as they waited for the part. Her trailer had been moved to allow for the new attractions, though they did let her stay on the grounds. She could have called her father-- he would have ‘taken care of it’ at the cost of her return to school. Instead, a tow truck had moved it into a new space and Selene simply waited for the repairs to be completed.

The blonde hadn’t planned on attending at all. She was going to miss the first few days of the next stop, Ophelia being cared for by someone else. The rest was nice, but the noise and smells were hard to ignore. As the music picked up, the crowds piling in, Selene couldn’t deny that the appeal of it all was too much. So she dug through her closet and pulled out a pale lavender sundress. Hair down around her shoulders, the rider slipped on a quintessential pair of cowboy boots. They were a well worn pair, not nearly as fancy as the rhinestone covered ones she wore in the show. The only jewelry she wore was the cuff on her wrist, the Leventi crest embossed into the leather the only indication of her status.

And there was a good chance no one here would recognize it anyway.

She found herself alone for the first time in weeks, unable to deny that she wished someone from the rodeo had stayed behind with her so she could have had some company. She was surprised at the lack of children, but didn’t think much more of it. Smells assaulted her nose, noting that she would have to find the source later. Her eyes drifted towards the games, surprised to find the shooting range all but empty. It was usually full of men who wanted to prove themselves to some girl. But with it being one of the only empty attractions, Selene felt pulled to play.

Her mother hated guns. And even though her Daddy loved them, they were never allowed to touch them. Women, her mother would say, don’t need to know that. It’s men’s work (which usually causes her and Theo to roll their eyes). So while she’d seen how to hold one, she wouldn't exactly say she knew how to actually do it. But her money was handed over to the man, and his wink and ‘little lady’ comment all but ignore. Stepping up, she picked up the toy rifle. It wasn’t heavy in her hands, but she was relatively petite, so she was certain it looked silly in her arms. With the first shot, there was little surprise when she missed. Nor was it surprising when the second and third missed as well. Pulling out another set of tickets, she handed it to the man, certain this stupid game couldn’t be that hard to win.

She felt a set of eyes on her, which caused her to look casually over her shoulder at the mountain of a man who seemed to be judging her. He was handsome, almost breathtakingly so, but there was still a bit of distance between them. Her blonde curls tossed back over her shoulder, she repositioned the weapon, low like she’d seen in the old westerns her grandfather enjoyed when she was a kid.

Her first shot bounced off the backdrop. The second shot rang out, but again she hit nothing. The attendant called her ‘little lady’ again, and it took all her power not to punch him right there. Her frustration was building, but she didn’t dare show it outwardly. And she could still feel the man’s eyes on her back. Trying to think of any other movies she could reference, or memories of her father with his own hunting rifle, Selene wished she’d just ignored the desire to try this game for a prize.

Selene excelled at everything she did. So she refused to believe that this wasn’t something she could be good at, as well. But after the distinct tune of losing went off after her third shot, she refused to admit defeat. Handing over more tickets, she pulled up her gun to her side and tried again.