And so came the day that the Jester feared, traveling unprotected from Gothex to Boones to preside over the annual Festival of War games, where proud young men tested their meddle against each other in the hopes of currying Royal favor. The Jester had spent many hours in the company of Ar' D. Jazan, the sage, in the hopes of divining the most fortuitous manor of travel. Unfortunately, Jazan could only manipulate the weather in a favorable way during the course of his travels. It took many hours and the aid of his most astute pupils, Gef'Rey the Pious and Tintar the Cloistered, but they were able to provide for the Jester's safe passage from Gothex to Boones. Upon his arrival, only the Governor was to be seen and in not top form, as a night of drinking and wenching was to attest. After a few formalities, the Jester saw himself off to bed.
Early the next morning, the Jester made his way to a fine artist's commune with performers and artisans. After several hours commiserating with the commoners, he made his way back to what was left of Edwardoland. Thousands dead, refugees by the hundreds trying to pick up what the war left them, the land was rubble and burned husks of what used to be homes. Walking these lanes, the Jester realized the fortunes that had befallen him and his choice in moving to a different court. After briefly consulting with JJ the Red about the possibility of another attack from Effingleer, the Jester made his way back to the Governor's house to prepare for the Festival.
The Festival lasted several hours and ended quietly in the early hours of the evening. The Jester received a summons to appear before Princess Thumper Head. While he waited, Lady Prim wandered the halls and the Jester chatted about the court life and heard that the Princess was not in her right mind these days. It was at this ominous warning
that signaled that the Princess was ready to see him. It took only a short time for the edict to be laid out before him. Apparently, the Princess, in her rather fragile state, had ordered the Jester exiled from Edwardoland in his absence. His ignorance, being his only defense, failed to protect him and the Jester was charged with treason. The
Jester had just enough sense to flee to Boones and seek asylum from the Governor.
Ministers Di'Rand, Brand, and Benedict issued proclamations that the Jester was under Boones' protection. While all this was comforting, the Jester still had to make his way back to Gothex to perform his duties there. He departed a day early to seek counsel with the wise seer Kindle, rumored to be a witch. He quested for many hours in the barren realm of the Western Empire seeking her out. Only when she was ready did she make herself appear to him and then only in a vision. Kindle awoke the Jester from his delirium, fed and comforted him in her elegant abode, which she keeps concealed from the mortal realm. After hours of being queried on his reasons for traveling a great distance, she rewarded him with a kernel of her knowledge.
As he departed from her protected realm, she pressed to his palm a message for the Gypsy Queen who was masquerading around as a noble woman by the name of 'deGuile. The Jester accepted his burden, thanked the witch for her insight and made for the Court of Gothex, where he had to be at sundown. Arriving safely, he secreted himself away to read the message meant for 'deGuile. Opening it was easy, reading the script was not. He summoned Gef'Rey, the monk, to decipher it. As he read it, the poor monk turned ashen and ran from the room, but not before he muttered something about having to save a Princess from murder.
No comments:
Post a Comment