Of Jesters and Kings

Part 13- Penny

The royal convoy had reached the riverbanks in the morning. The sunrise set ablaze the sky with fiery orange wisps of cloud. Kevin hopped down from his horse, his armored boots sunk alittle when they hit the soft ground.

"Can we track any of this?" The King said and tilted his head toward the soggy clearing.

"I dunno my leige." Jacob scratched his head and looked down at the pink seashell he was holding. "Alice isn't picking up her calls either..."

"That's cause her shell is right her you fool." An elite guardsman tossed Jacob a battered green seashell. It had a thin crack running along the side, and several chips were adorned in the opening.

"Sonuvabitch." Kevin let out a sigh. The other guardsmen stirred in their steeds.

"Anyone got any idea's" The King turned around and heaved himself back onto his horse.

His horse brayed and shook his head. "Boss don't look at me. I'm in it for the apples."

"I think I can help..." a small voice came from the back of the group.

Kevin turned his horse around to face the speaker.

It was Julie's pet cat.

What the actual fuck.

The small gray tabby hopped onto an over turned log about as tall as the King's horse.

"W-wait... what." The King and his guardsmen stared at the feline.

"I said, I can help you." The tabby said and licked one of his paws.

There was a long silence. Someone coughed.

"Before you explain how you can help us.. would you mind telling me how you got this far from the castle?" Jacob said breaking the silence.

The cat blinked and smiled. He puffed up his chest alittle and spoke with a flamboyant grandeur. "Oh, it was a grand journey. Full of peril and self discovery. There was a horrible ogre I had to defeat. He was of great size and I encountered hi-"

"Sir, we found fish scraps in Larry's supply bag." A guardsmen interrupted as he showed a half empty satchel littered with fish bones and meat bits to the King.

"Yes, quite a dangerous journey." Kevin said with a skeptical nod.

"Alright, Alright. I decided to hitch along cause the Princess was missing, okay?" The tabby said with a shy smirk.

Kevin face palmed.

"Okay. Look. We need to find Sara and Alison. You said you help us. So tell me how you talking cat." The King replied, a sense of urgency returning to his voice.

"My name isn't talking cat." The feline said with a frown. "Its Penny."

"Okay. Penny. How are you going to help us."

"You forgot the magic word."

"Penny cut the fucking shit and tell us how we're going to find Alison and Sara."

"The Magic word is please."

"PENNY. PLEASE TELL US HOW YOU CAN HELP US."

"You're kinda cute when your angry."

"Fuck this."

Kevin grabbed the the cat by the scruff of his neck, hopped of his horse again, and walked toward the river. He held him over the flowing water.

"HEY. HEY. HEY WE"RE ALL FRIENDS HERE." Penny squealed.

"Penny I'm your fucking King, and I want to know if your not just bullshitting again. So if you cooperate, your stinking ass won't get wet."