A Fool's Tale

Chapter 11 - A Night to Remember

Kyla pointed out the servant's dining hall and the entertainer's quarters before leaving to get changed out of her jester costume. I was kind of hoping she would have joined me, but I suppose hanging around in motley and bells wouldn't be very comfortable.

The entertainer's quarters were located within a long wing of residences built against the back wall of the castle. I was tempted to go inside, but my hunger far outweighed my curiosity, so I hurried to the dining area. It was hard to miss. A steady stream of people were both leaving and entering the busy hall.

I filed in behind a woman in a white gown, and soon entered a long rectangular room filled with a series of wooden benches and accompanying tables. Many of the seats were occupied and the room was bursting with amiable chatter and laughter. Such camaraderie was an unusual sight to me after living so long with my sour-faced uncle.

I followed the white gowned woman to the far end of the hall where there was a generous selection of bread, cheese and vegetables. I wasn't sure whether this was considered normal fare for the castle's servants, but the food looked far better than the stew I'd been eating for the past eight years. I took a plate and happily piled it high with one of everything in sight. By the time I was done, there was barely a spot left on my plate that was visible and I was fortunate to make it to an empty seat without my whole buffet toppling to the floor.

The table was full and the other occupants nodded toward me when I arrived, though they seemed somewhat guarded compared to the garrulous Fletch, who I'd met on the way into the castle. It was probably a good thing, for I wasn't used to making conversation, and it gave me a chance to fully concentrate on the feast before me.

I started with the bread. It was rare for Uncle Martin to bring bread home, and when he did it was pitted and stale, and yet I would still gobble it down, for even old, it tasted wonderful. From the buffet table, I'd taken a round brown bun and a thin white one covered with a dusting of white powder. I took a bite of the dark one. It was filled with tiny bits of dried fruit...and it was fresh and delicious. My stomach seemed to cry with happiness and I quickly stuffed the rest of it into my mouth. I moved on to the white bun, which was so fluffy and light, I imagined it must be what it feels like to bite into a cloud.

Many of the vegetables on my plate were familiar and I was a somewhat disappointed to discover they were little different from the vegetables at my uncle's cabin. I still gobbled them with enthusiasm, as I hadn't had anything to eat since the rueberries this morning and the bread hadn't fully satisfied me.

I saved three types of cheese for the end. The first I tried smelled so strong that I wondered whether the flavor would overwhelm my taste buds, but I needn't have been concerned. The flavor was delicious and I devoured it quickly. The remaining pieces were a whitish/yellow color and were bland in comparison to the first.

It was only when I swallowed my final piece of cheese that I looked up from my plate to see a man with black hair regarding me with a wide smile.

"I don't believe I've ever seen anyone enjoy a meal quite so much."

"It was good." I flushed, embarrassed to think that I must have looked like a glutton. Around me, the other tablemates regarded me with good-natured grins.

"Aye, the king and queen are kind rulers." The black haired man nodded, then stood and departed. The others around me soon followed suit and I noticed the number of people in the dining hall dwindling.

There was still plenty of food remaining, but my plate had been piled so high that it was a wonder I managed to stagger to my feet and make my way outside.

While I was eating, the sun had dipped below the castle walls and the sky was a purplish pink color. It would be dark soon. Stomach bursting, I made my way to the entertainer's quarters, more satisfied than I'd felt in years.

The entertainer's hall consisted of a large main room and a few private chambers, which I assumed were reserved for the senior minstrels and musicians who were employed at the castle full time. There was a long table at the centre of the hall and a roaring fire to the right. Most of the chairs were already occupied and I found an open spot beside the fireplace and leaned against the wall, enjoying the warmth of the blaze. Due to the job 'try outs' a great many entertainers were staying the night and the hall was packed with minstrels, musicians and jesters.

My presence wasn't acknowledged, but I didn't feel unwelcome. The boisterous crowd seemed to encourage any revelers to join in. I soon discovered that with such a large group of entertainers assembled in one place there was no shortage of music, poems, stories and jokes. I remained standing at my spot by the fire well into the small hours with mouth agape, in awe of so many talented performers. The only downside to the evening was that I realized more powerfully then ever what a cruel joke Talia had played on me, as the talent on display was so far beyond my meager skills.

It was very late when a door to one of the private rooms opened. A tall, slender woman emerged. She had dark skin and flowing silver hair. She glided with long elegant steps to the front of the hall, an emerald green dress trailing behind her. The audience grew still, looks of eager anticipation on their faces and I followed suit, wondering why this beautiful woman had stunned the raucous crowd into silence.

She stood serene for a moment, waiting for the room to quiet, and then she began to sing. How can one describe a voice that captures your attention in such a way that you forget everything else around you? I was surrounded by nearly one hundred strangers and every one of them seemed to disappear. How could such angelic music be created by a mortal being? She sang in a language I had never heard, but even without understanding the words, I was soon moved to tears...and I was not alone. When she finished there was a moment of silence. I believe we were so stunned by what we had experienced that we forgot to clap. Her voice reverberated and echoed around the room, and when the sound faded away, we finally burst into wild applause. The singer nodded and smiled, but she didn't speak. She merely strode back to her room.

That was the final performance of the night. There could never be a closing act to compare and nobody even tried. Chairs and tables were claimed as places to sleep and the room slowly settled down. I found a place on the floor close to the fireplace, and used my arm as a pillow, as I had done for most of my life, but I didn't get much rest. The silence was soon broken by a loud fart. A chorus of laughter shook the floor of the building, and that set the tone for the evening.

It may sound like a terrible experience, but sadly, it was better than anything I'd ever shared with my uncle. There was so much good humor and fellowship that I found myself often smiling as I tried to sleep through the constant eruption of burps, farts, and laughter. I suspect the unruly behavior would have continued all night had the women in the hall not started protesting.

Eventually, I drifted off, wishing there was a way I could stay forever, but it was time for me to accept that dream was dead. Talia had revealed herself to be a poor career guide thus far. It would be smarter if I had less faith in her.