The Jester and the witch

The mask was hard to see through. After countless drinks between songs, I could barely see the guests' masks as I spun and twirled amongst them, strumming my lute. All they were were fake smiles, nothing more.  

I spun to face the king and queen, all dressed in icy blue. They lifted their glasses to me as I skipped towards them, singing the tale of their kingdom’s glory. I danced around their thrones, hearing their laughter and giggles as true, triumphant smiles graced their faces.

I bowed to them when the tale came to an end, and the hall’s doors slowly dragged across the floor. Everyone turned to see who the guards were dragging in for tonight's entertainment. The air was light with excitement and whispers as they all crowded around the door, peering behind the guards.

The celebrations had been going on for a week, and every night featured a different form of entertainment. The night before, a poor captive from the kingdom, always dressed in beautiful flowers, morning dew and fresh greenery, was pitted against a large bear that had definitely seen better days. The poor guy’s spark had already left him before the bear ever laid eyes on him.

The guards, all dressed in dark armour, marched down the hall, taking their places in front of the crowd, a protective walkway for the entertainment.

Her black dress floated about her as she kept her posture straight and her head high, as black fabric covered her eyes. Her silver hair fell to her waist. In one hand, she held her staff that jingled every time it moved. She was linked arm in arm with the captain of the guards as he led her to the king and queen. 

You could hear everyone whisper her name amongst the crowd. You could hear the confusion and the excitement for the witch that stood in front of everyone. The captain, however, did not leave her side, a hand on the hilt of his sword. 

‘Your majesty, I bring you the witch, the seer.’

‘Why have you  sent the disgraced version of the wild hunt to my doorstep?’ She asked, her voice flat and soft.

The king chuckled as he slowly stood up from his throne. ‘I don’t trust anyone, my dear, especially those who live on the outskirts of my kingdom.’ He walked to the edge as the witch moved her head to follow the king’s footsteps. He opened his arms wide for the audience. ‘ I have invited you all, my friends, into my home to share in a beautiful moment before war rises from the ashes once more.’ 

The witch slipped her arm from the captain's grasp and spun to face the back of the king. ‘That’s why you dragged me here? To tell you the outcome? An outcome you will not like?’ 

The king motioned to someone by the large door. ‘Tonight's last grand entertainment is the witch herself predicting our victory!’ The hall cheered, and the guards stamped their staff against the polished floor. 

A large platform was brought into the hall and placed with a thud. She sighed. The captain gently took her by her elbow and guided her. 

She still walked as if she were in control, and with each thunk of her staff, the bells sang out, making my heart beat faster and faster. As she sat on the platform, a  large goblet of deep red was handed to her, and with two hands, she gulped it down 

A sigh escaped her lips as she lowered the goblet ‘Jester?' she called to me, so sweetly, so softly. 

I moved swiftly down the steps as if I was floating on clouds while the king went back to sit on his throne

‘Yes, all magical one?’ I grinned. As I came closer to her, I could see a small smile as she looked at the floor.

‘Do you have drums with you?’

I walked over to the corner of the hall where my other instruments and party tricks were lying. I had set my lute down and retrieved the drum. I drummed slowly as I walked back to her. Her staff is now in front of her between her legs. Her whole body had relaxed as I continued to play.

Only my drumming and her breathing could be heard.  At some point, I had lowered myself to the floor and played while the last bit of alcohol finally warmed my blood, and my drumming lulled me into a trance-like state.

After a while, the king and queen marched down from their throne hand in hand. 

‘Well?’ asked the king. 

I stopped drumming and watched her head tip back a bit and then straighten herself with a sour expression on her lips. 

‘This war will melt this kingdom's snow, will starve your people more than any harsh winter, and will rid your people of their arrogant king’

The king’s face turned sour.

I jumped up onto my feet ‘Ah, she’s blind folded, and I’m sure that even clouds the vision's future, I'm sure.’ I waved my hand in front of her face. She didn’t move a muscle. ‘The future is never set in stone, but your success is a guarantee.’

With one swift movement from the king, the captain was by the witch’s side again and guided her out while the queen turned and walked back to her throne. Everyone stood around whispering to each other. 

I rushed over to the corner of the room, gulped down as many unattended drinks as possible before I swapped my instruments over and began the tale I was singing before. 

Everyone went back to dancing while the king and queen held each other's hands and whispered harshly to one another. 

After everyone had gone home, I stumbled down the castle's halls, from one wall to the other wall, and my feet carried me. I was looking for a pair of stairs that led down to my room, where the sun wasn’t allowed to shine. 

Eventually, I had found a door and a pair of stairs that led down. I giggled to myself as I tiptoed down the spiral, my mask still blocking my view. Down the dimly lit hallway, guards sat on the floor, their eyes closed, their weapons across their laps.

With a sigh, I threw my body into the door and closed it behind me. It wasn’t until I looked up that I saw the haunting figure of the witch sitting at the desk facing the door with the cloth still over her eyes.

‘Is that you, Captain?’ her voice flat and dull.

I tried to turn around silently, but ended up knocking her staff on the floor. It clattered and jingled as it rolled back and forth.

‘Ah, Jester. ’ Her voice was softer as if calling to an old friend. 

‘Sorry, I’m in the wrong room.’ 

‘Pick up my staff, please.’ And like an obedient dog, I fetched her stick and handed it to her ‘Are you blind?’ I blurted. She smiled and laughed.’No, they’re scared that I can read and guess them by looking at them.’

‘Can You?’ I asked.

She shook her head ‘I can do that without looking. I can tell without looking at you that you’re as bored as ever and desperate to get out of this kingdom.’

I looked back at the door, then back at her. ‘I don’t live in the kingdom anyway.’  I moved forward and around her, and undid the knot in the cloth. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. I stepped back in front of her.

They were right to think that she could read the guards and the king just by staring at them. Her eyes were hooded. The candlelight flickered across the dark blue colour that seemed to know everything about the world. And when she looked at me, she looked at me with care and a slight sparkle in her eye.

I took off my mask and stared back at her. ‘Now we’re even’

‘You walk by my house in the forest playing your lute and whistling songs I’ve never heard before’ She smiled at me.

‘Good to know that I’m educating the unfortunate in good music taste.’ I smiled as she returned it with a blank stare. 

‘Sit down,’ she commanded with a sigh. With an even bigger grin, I went over and sat on the edge of the desk. The room was small and had only the essentials; even my room had more space and furniture than hers.

‘Why did you tell the king the truth?’

She looked up at me, her eyes wide. She looked at me for too long, so I smiled and looked at the door instead. 

‘I cannot tell a lie, that is not me to tell someone something they so desperately want to hear from me.’

With her free hand, she gently took mine. I whipped my head round and watched her inspect my fingertips. She moved the staff between her legs and brushed her fingers against my rough fingers.

So many endless nights plucking away at strings and piano had torn the skin to shreds till they calloused. 

‘If we make it out of this kingdom alive, would you travel with me?’ She looked up, still holding on to my hand. ‘You helped me a lot when you played,’

‘I just slapped a drum, it’s nothing special.’ 

‘Would you travel with me? Get away from this tiring jester life.’ 

I took my hand from her and grabbed her staff, lifting it and staring at it. ‘And who says I want to quit this jester life of mine?’ Only silence greeted my question. I looked back at her to still see her staring back at me with an unmused look, her lips only slightly pursed. ‘They were right to put that cloth over your eyes if that's the way you stare at people.’ I went back to twirling her staff. 

She snorted. ‘You will never know how much you have helped, and how much you will help in the future, if we make it out of this kingdom alive.’ She picked up the piece of cloth and tied it back around her eyes just as the clash of armour came from the stairs. ‘Keep the staff safe for me.’

Within a second, the room was filled with dark armour. The captain stood over the witch, placing chain links around her wrist. ‘Get up.’ He commanded.  ‘So much effort for someone who goes willingly.’ She sighed.

‘What’s going on? She’s done nothing wrong!’ I had stood up, staff ready to swing at everyone. The captain looked me up and down

‘You are needed at the battle tomorrow.’ He said and yanked the witch out of the room. 

I was left alone in the small room, standing with her staff in hand. I rattled it, the bells calming me and clearing the stuffy air.  

With a shrug, I left and found my room and fell into a deep sleep. 

I dreamt of the witch and how she could still hold a piercing stare through the cloth. The bells echoed around her as she glowed in the darkness of the dream. She turned from me and walked firmly forward without hesitation. 

The staff felt like a heavy weight in my hand. 

The air was filled with metal clashing. Both armies merged into one on the battlefield. The king looked jolly as ever as he slashed his way through to the other ruler. On the small hill a little bit away, kneeling on the grass was the witch, chains still around her wrist, her hair was a mess as it fell, covering her bowed head as she whispered to herself. 

I walked over, ducking underneath flying arrows and any stray boy who ran away from the battle. I walked with the staff, being careful not to get it stuck in the mud. 

‘What you doing?’ I asked, chucking the staff on the ground and sat beside her. She continued her whispers.

After a while, she halted her whispering and lifted her head up, staring at the battle ’You need to kill the king.’ Her voice sounded void of emotion.

I looked at her in shock. ‘What? Carrying your staff around was a big ask, but killing the king is beyond me.’ 

‘It needs to be you. Just as you stumbling into my room was no accident, you are the one who needs to kill the king.’

‘Why me? Also, how do I know what king you’re talking about?’

‘You know what, king, don’t be a fool.’ She sighed. The chains rattled as she lifted her hands slowly and took her blind fold off. And gazed upon the battle.

‘And why would I do what you say? I don’t even have a weapon.’

‘Because I asked, you know it’s something you need to do. It needs to be you, lonely jester. Go and kill the king.”

‘You’re a menace.’ I sighed. I slowly stood up, my bones starting to feel heavier than before. ‘What’s in it for me?’

‘Kill the king and find out my brave knight.’ She looked up at me and smiled. 

 It was only a dream; nothing could hurt me. Nothing could hurt me. I took a deep breath and ran forward. I was more of a fool then than I ever was at the king’s parties.

I ducked and weaved out of everyone, picking up a sword. I blocked everyone who tried to strike me, I pushed them away and continued running towards the king. The sword found its place in the king just as he turned around to attack someone else. 

Everything went still as everyone slowed down and turned to look at the dead king on the floor. Everyone’s cheers broke the silence. I threw the sword onto his body and turned to see the witch running over, pushing everyone who stood in the way. Her hair flowed behind her as her eyes sparkled.

She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me as the smell of forest berries filled my nose. ‘What now?’ I asked. ‘Do I wake up from this dream?’

She looked up at me in confusion. ‘This isn’t a dream. And for what happens now… you’re now my musical knight.’ She laughed. It was such an odd sound, I never thought such a cute sound would come from a witch who held herself high.

‘I believe I can commit to that.’ I smiled and kissed her again