Let me be clear, I don’t hate my job. Am I seen as a fool? Yes, but I get food, board, to perform, and say whatever I please about the King. I might be a fool, but I have power in the court. I never expected to get the job, let alone have it for the longest. Five years and counting, I am rather proud of that.
Since everyone sees me as an idiot, I can sit in on meetings and hear about what is going on in the world outside the castle. The King likes me there for moral support, I like being there so I can stay informed. As a commoner myself, I never knew the whole truth about the state of the country. I might share some of what I hear with the servants and my loved ones outside of the castle, but that is neither here nor there. The point is I knew more than the Prince himself, so when the King summoned his son to tell him of the plans he made, I could just sit by and watch it playout like a drama.
“Reginald, how are you doing?” The King asked his son.
The Prince stood before the King with his scowl and crossed arms, “Why am I here?”
I sprung into action as the idea of a joke struck me. Prancing before the Prince with my bells and floppy hat; I put on the stupidest smile I could, “Prince, Prince. Angry is he, but what is the reason be? A bone in his beef? The falling of a leaf? Oh what fun to find the woe, I hope my chant doesn’t make it grow!’
The Prince scoffed and rolled his eyes, “Must the Fool be here all the time?”
The King was laughing, but gestured for me to step away from his son. I did just that, but not without sticking my tongue to the ever pissed off Prince.
“My son, you know the Kingdom has been under an attack by the Northern League for sometime and we have been fighting our hardest to keep afloat?”
“Yes, everyone does.”
Not the citizens who feel it day in and day out.
The King continued, “Well, the United Empire has offered to aid us and turn the tide of the war with only one request…that you marry the Princess.”
The Prince titled his head up, “Is she pretty?”
“Well I don’t know, but they are coming tomorrow so we can see then.”
I skipped forward and shook the bells on my stick above his head, “Ring the bells! There is a wedding for the Prince of Smells!”
The Prince turned away, “I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”
As the grand doors closed behind his son, the King slouched, “Jester, I fear I will lose the war without this marriage. His pride will be our downfall,” He looked down at me from his throne built on the gold and wealth of a people he ran dry, “What am I to do?”
“Marry her to me!”
The King chuckled, “Oh Jester, your innocence never ceases to amaze me. My son might act like a fool, but no royal wants someone who is a fool.”
I smiled and put my arms out, “But you want me!”
He laughed again, “That’s different, you should at least know that.”
As the Dukes came in for their meeting, I used it as my chance to climb up on the throne so I was eye level with the King, “There is no difference to me.” I said right before I kissed him on the lips and skipped past the Dukes all laughing at what they just walked in on. I smiled knowing that I was the only person who could do that and keep their head. That, my friends, makes me the most powerful man in The Gold Rose Kingdom.
***
The idea of another foreign leader coming to the palace did not phase me anymore; someone came every few months with their own culture and ideas. It was more often than not that the guest chambers were full.
I stood in the corner of the throne room, given orders by the King to not do or say anything unless he waved his hand to me. It didn’t bother me at all, I just wanted to watch the theatrics of a wedding arrangement.
The Prince sat next to his father, bored and his cheek to his hand. As the doors began to open, the King hit his arm, urging him to shape up. The Prince did that, but not without a side eye to his father.
The Leader of the United Empire walked in followed by his soldiers. He was dressed in the finest red silks you could imagine with gold trim. The crown on his head was encrusted with ruby and emerald in the shape of a lion, their symbol.
“King Wendell Weston of The Gold Rose Kingdom and Prince Reginald Weston of The Gold Rose Kingdom, may I present to you the Emperor of The United Empire, Enu Lotesa,” The Herald cried.
The rulers bowed their heads to the other; a quiet acknowledgement of equal power.
“Welcome to my Kingdom, Emperor Enu. I hope you will find it to your liking.” The King said, his voice full and powerful.
“Thank you, King Wendell. The pleasure is mine to come to such an affluent land. It is my pleasure now to introduce to you my beautiful daughter, Grand Princess of The United Empire, Edana Lotesa.”
From the crowd of the soldiers emerged The Grand Princess. I never believed in the idea of love at first sight until that moment. Time seemed to wait for her as she came to her Fathers side. She was adorned in the shiniest jewels and gold, yet even the weight could not hold her down as she glided across the floor. I could promise you though, all of the shine and shimmer was not needed. Her skin was copper in hue and shine, like she was glowing from a fire inside of her. Her hair was the color of soil in the farms of my youth and strands curled down from her crown like a pumpkin vine. But the jewel of all of them was her eyes. They were green like jade under the sun, shining with a light that lit up the darkness of the throne room. In this world, there is no other that is as beautiful as she is.
“Edana,” I whispered to myself like a prayer, the word itself scripture.
She bowed to the royals with the grace of a snowflake, “It is a pleasure to meet you King Wendell and Prince Reginald. I hope that I am to your liking.”
The whole throne room seemed to look to the Prince as he scanned her. If he objected to her, then this whole matter would be far more difficult.
He rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, “I guess she will do.”
While the room smiled at his choice, as an anger filled me. This beautiful woman would “do for him”? Edana is a person, not just a commodity to be traded. My opinions did not matter as the Leaders started to decide on the terms of the union. It was during this time that her eyes came to mine.
Edana smiled at me with this sweet little smile. It was like she saw me as a person. I bowed dramatically to her, keeping my humorous appearance. She laughed a little, covering her mouth with her hand. When they called her name she turned back to the conversation, but I could always find her eyes catching me.
