The capitol. The pride of the kingdom. A city built on the Bay of Rave, with canals that ran like roots down the terraces. A palace at its top as grand as the docks which edged the city from corner to corner, staring at the city like an eagle on a roost. A masterpiece in architecture if there ever was one.

“The only part of this kingdom that isn’t run-down.” Said the jester, his elbows on the windowsill. He stared out onto the city. “By the by, have you bested your fear of girls yet, your majesty?”

The prince laughed, “It isn’t a fear, Jester. My heart already belongs to one. She is the star which lights the sky. A distant remedy, a glimpse of the sun.”

The jester rolled his eyes, sighed, and twirled in one almost fluid motion, “Still that? I leave for two weeks, and you’re still obsessed over that. You’re a king, marry for star’s sake! Make the poor girl your mistress.”

Prince Menska’s eyes trailed to the ceiling from where he sat on his throne. “Love cannot be expressed in such a crude form.”

The jester reached in his pocket and pulled out an orange. His belled hat rung as he jumped from toe to toe, juggling the orange as he pranced around.

Prince Menska chuckled as the jester continued his act, “You have nothing to say?”

“I like apples more than oranges.”

Prince Menska rested his head against his palm. “No, I mean your take on what I said.”

“Oh that. For one, there are cruder forms. For another you’re such a flat character.”

“Flat?”

“Aye.” The jester tossed his orange and caught it with the sole of his foot. “Flat as dried parchment. This love of yours defines you. Have you ever considered what would happen if you met this girl?”

“Why we would marry.”

The jester frowned and his orange fell. “I mean, what do you have in common? What does some girl from a bankrupt family have to offer you? Not to mention it’s an insult to all the countries you denied after sending their princesses home.”

The king changed elbows, “You’re my jester. Humor me. What would you do as king?”

A smile, a twirl, and a quick bow “An interesting proposal. But first I suppose I need the proper backdrop for the act.”

The king stared at the Jester as the jester made slight movements with his head, as if he were expecting something. Again prince Menska laughed, “What?”

“Let me sit on that fancy seat of yours.”

Laughing again the prince conceded. Evidently more curious by his face alone. As he left his seat, the jester leapt back first to the vacant throne.

He cleared his throat when he had his audience, distorting his round face so it looked as long as possible. “I would be the wisest fool in all the land” he started, “If there were famines I would feed the poor with the plump children of nobles. Poor nobles, mind you, so the rich ones won’t go against me.”

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“You’re terrible!”

“If there were debt, I would tax the shop keeps, marry the richest noble I could find, chop off her head, then move on to the next!”

“Worse and worse.”

“And if the people rebelled…”

The prince fell silent.

“Then I would chop off my own head!” concluded the fool. After which he leapt off the throne and strut around the room as if he were drunk.

The prince slowly returned to his seat, shaking his head with smile on his face. “You are truly madman.”

“Perhaps.” Jested the lunatic, “but I prefer ‘fool’.”

Prince Menska’s eyes left the fool, slowly trailing the wall. For a moment he seemed lost, no longer distracted the jester’s act, “Sometimes I think of ending it all.”

The jester stood still to that. No more prancing, no more juggling. Just still. He did not contort his face to mimic sternness, nor did he attempt make joke of what the king said. For once, he let his true self show.

Even his voice was different, a little lower “Your majesty, I am the only fool here- mind you, not in terms of love, you hold that title. But heed my warning, jokes are all good and fun until they exit our fantasies.”

The prince did not meet the eyes of the Jester. “This is the fantasy jester, and to me it is nothing but a joke. If it is my status that keeps us apart, then I shall abdicate..”

“Very well, if you step down, I shall take your place. I assure you will see many stuffed noble children and pretty heads roll. Perhaps even my own.”

“Your head is pretty round.” Snickered the prince, his eyes now on the jester, “Perhaps I will stay then. For the sake of noble children, brides, and suicidal fools everywhere.”

“How caring of you. May your years be long my prince and your head no rounder than mine.”

He bowed to the prince and the prince nodded, “Will you return Jester?”

“Mayhaps after your council meeting. I could even join you for that. The old imps could use a smile or two.”

The king smiled, “They do not tolerate you as well as I do.”

“And so I’ve heard.” He bowed, twirling once to move towards the exit.

No-one including the prince, knew why that Jester was allowed so much freedom. To come and go as he pleased. Some saw him more as an advisor than a fool. In reality, he was a little of both.

…

As the jester made his way through the halls, the sound of running feet accompanied him. He stopped till that was all he heard and spun to see a well dressed man running towards him.

“Jester!” he cried in his huffing voice, “I-“ he stopped to catch his breath, “I h-have a message for the Prince, could you deliver it to him when you see him next?”

The Jester’s expression was as dull as a rock, “What is the message?”

“The idol was stolen.” The man puffed once more, this time his hands on his knees.

“What Idol?”

“The idol of Atechrities.”

The jester rolled his eyes, “What of it?”

“It was stolen by a girl who matches Ersel almost exactly. Of course this is not public knowledge, I made sure of that, but I thought the prince should know. By our reports she was spotted on her way to the capitol.”

“Interesting.” Nodded the jester.

“Oh and jester.” He interjected, “She was spotted again just outside the capitol, traveling with a man. Somewhat of a giant by the looks of it.”

The jester let the silence sink in and the noble edged away nervously, “I’ll leave that to your discretion.” He took a few more steps then turned, evidently he had more tasks to accomplish. Before he left fully, he turned once more “But if it were up to me I’d tell the prince.” he cried before departing.

The jester watched as the man left, his strange face contorted into an angry one. What he was told had implications.

Implications he could use. He began to calm.

The jester strolled down the long palace halls with hand in his pockets. He could not let that distraction return to the prince, it would spell disaster for everything the king and queen worked for. That girl represented only a fraction of the country’s issues, but a problem all the same.

“What to do. What do.” He said aloud, although he already knew the answer. He approached the council room a minute later. The sound of councilors babbling was muffled from the outside. The jester smiled as he approached the room. He had another idea.

Searching his coat pockets he pulled out a paper. There was one person the prince could marry that would settle all their problems, yet only one way to draw that person to the kingdom. Luckily for him, he was staring at that way. In his hands rested a wanted sign. A fabled bounty for a fabled prince. The prince among pirates.

He snickered once and strut away from the chambers. He had a plan, he had only to execute it.