To See Him Smile

Smile

SkekLi hated heat.

SkekLi hated walking.

So walking in the heat was something he utterly despised. Still it was the only way to get anywhere since he was banished.

No.

Not banished.

Strongly suggested that it would be wise for him to leave. This tended to happen a lot to him. He would come up with a fantastic routine and show it off. It wasn't his fault the others didn't know what funny was. They didn't like physical comedy so he stopped doing that. They didn't like like observational comedy. So again, he stopped doing that. Honestly why didn't they appreciated him? SkekLi did so much for them and asked for so little. Last night was even his idea!

He wiped his brow as he kept walking, to nowhere actually. He'd figure out where he was going when he found it.

Last night started out good, amazing even. The satirist had suggested that they would invite the maudra's to the castle, all of them. As a show of good will. They would have a feast in their honor and have entertainment by gelfling, podlings and of course skeksis. SkekLi rarely played for a large audience so he spend forever trying to figure out his best material.

Dinner was amazing,

Gelflings songs were pleasant.

The podling choir was... okay. Li never truly cared for their music but saw their comedic potential. He would love to add them to his routine but the others wouldn't let him. Not yet anyway.

All was well. Until...

Until SkekLi tried to work in The Emperor's personal life into his jokes. He sat there, with lips pressed together, watching him like he imagined The Hunter looking at his prey. Li would lie if he didn't feel a little nervous and was ready to back off until the General, that foolish oaf.. opened his big dumb mouth.

"How does he know, sire, we were careful.."

SkekLi felt the temperature in the room drop and everyone not a skeksis looked at the emperor who stood up and spoke a single word:

"Out."

He didn't sound angry, awfully tranquil even. Which told Li enough. He went into his private chambers, grabbed some stuff he thought he needed and left.

A sharp pain in his foot disturbed his thoughts. Li grabbed it and hopped around on his good foot.

"PITIFUL SKEKSO!" Li yelled in the general direction of the castle. "LEARN WHAT FUNNY IS YOU-" What ever insult he had planned would never see the light of day as the ground beneath him gave way and he fell into a large hole in the ground.

"Ow..."

His tail broke most of his fall but it was throbbing now. With the utmost care he tried to move and while it was painful it didn't seem broken.

"Ugh this day..." SkekLi complained to no one but himself. He seemed to have walked right into a trap. Of course he did. If he wasn't making jokes the universe would be making a joke out of him. For a split second he thought SkekSo may have something to do with it but that would be quite impossible, like that boring brute would even think of leaving the castle. Seriously would a little sun kill you, SkekSo?

First he tried calling for help.

No reaction.

Climbing didn't work, the hole was too smooth to get a good grip and he kept falling. He was the funny one, not the athletic one.