A Fool's Tale

Chapter 13 - Meeting Princess Talia

"Hey Gael, who was that?" I immediately recognized Talia's sweet voice.

A rush of emotions buffeted me. Firstly, I was thrilled to hear her greeting. Talia had been my only friend for months and I felt a thrill of happiness at her arrival, but the confusion and anger I'd harbored over the past day immediately overrode my joy.

I spun around. "How could you do that to me?"

"What did I do?" she asked, confused.

"You set me up to be a fool, a clown. Is that what you think of me? Is that the only job you could find?" I demanded.

Her confusion gave way to anger. "How dare you! Oh, I'm sorry. Did I take you away from your amazing life in the woods with your abusive uncle? That was so wrong of me to stick up for you in front of my parents and their friends, even though you were one of the worst performers of the day. That was terrible of me to get you one of the best jobs in the castle. I didn't realize you were such an expert on my life and experience. Next time I'll just leave you on your own and see where that gets you."

Her eyes blazed with fury. I'd never seen this side of Talia before, and the fact I brought it out filled me with shame. All spring and summer she'd spent her personal time teaching me how to read, and never once asked for anything in return. All she wanted was friendship, and I had come into her home and treated her like an enemy.

My anger dissipated and my eyes teared up. "I'm so sorry. I was just surprised to find out you were a princess, and that I was applying to be a jester. I got scared. I didn't understand what was going on. Can you forget I said anything?"

Talia's expression softened. "I think that would be best, though I will apologize for one thing. I'm sorry I never told you who I was. I just wanted a friend who didn't treat me like a princess; someone who didn't look at me and think about how they could use me to meet my parents."

She put a hand out and smiled. "Hello Gael, my name is Talia Brimstone. My ancestors have ruled Castle Brimstone for the past six generations, and I think we should be friends."

I took her hand. "Thank you, Talia, for giving me a chance at a better life. Your friendship would mean the world to me."

The tension melted away and it felt like we were together in the clearing again, just the two of us.

"So, how's the life of a jester going so far?" Talia asked with quirky smile.

"Honestly, I think I need to improve quickly, or I won't last."

"That's kind of why I'm here. I think you have the skills. You just need experience and direction. I can help"

I nodded. I wasn't going to doubt her anymore.

"Let's go to my antechamber. I have some stuff to show you." Talia turned toward the residences.

"What's an antechamber?"

"It's a room in front of my bedroom." She blushed.

"Oh." I kept my expression flat. I didn't want to make Talia self-conscious about her family's wealth, no different than I would want her to judge me based on my lack thereof.

"So, who was that I saw you talking to earlier?"

"That was Pickles. Her real name is Kyla Singer. She seems okay, but kind of erratic."

Talia nodded. "Jesters can be an odd bunch. Some of them even stay in character all the time, even when they're out of costume."

We approached a white stone building with a grand archway. Intricate carvings of angels had been wrought into the arch. Two guards were positioned to either side. They straightened as we drew near.

"Princess." They lowered their heads.

Talia nodded at them distractedly, then looked at me after we passed by. Her gaze turned thoughtful. "I think one thing you're going to need is a stage name."

"Yeah, Kyla mentioned it was odd to use my real name, and I also need an outfit."

"I'm way ahead of you with that. I've got tons of costumes from my childhood, and I already have a seamstress creating some outfits for you with the material. We just need your final measurements."

"Really?"

Talia grinned. "See, it's good to know a princess."

I was so grateful I didn't even know what to say. All this time, Talia had kept me in her thoughts. I still questioned my ability to actually become a half decent jester, but at least having her at my side gave me a chance to succeed.

We walked up a grand marble staircase. The walls were adorned with stunning portraits of the Brimstone family ancestors and the ceilings were decorated with intricate paintings of enormous battles and feasts. I was entranced. It was hard to believe that just two days ago I was living in a one room shack, and now it felt like I'd entered a fantasy story come to life.

"Um, Talia I was wondering why you thought a jester role was perfect for me. I was kind of expecting to get something working outside, or maybe a squire..."

She gave me a sharp look.

"...not that I'm complaining." I quickly held up my hands in mock surrender.

Her expression eased. "Well, I supposed it was because you always made me laugh, and you were so good at doing flips and cartwheels that I thought you were a natural. You know, being a jester is a bit different than you might think. You're only a jester part time. It's not like there's feasts every night, and you're constantly at the king's side. You'll get your chance at other tasks soon enough, but be careful what you wish for. You may find your days as a fool are the best ones. As for becoming a squire, that's tough. Most of them are sons of nobles and have been schooled at the castle since they were children."

"Okay, I understand." And I did. It had finally sunk in. I was in Talia's world now. I needed to trust her.

We entered a room with a tall standing mirror and an arrangement of ornate chairs. A long set of drapes hung beside a narrow crescent shaped window with a view of the courtyard. Two women in simple white dresses curtsied to Talia.

"Gael, I'd like to introduce you to Phoebe and Sabrina. Phoebe is my lady in waiting and Sabrina is a junior seamstress in the household."

"Pleased to meet you, Gael." They nodded.

"Hi," I replied, feeling a bit awkward. I was unsure how I should address them.

Talia seemed unconcerned. She regarded her assistants and chuckled. "Phoebe, Sabrina I believe I already told you about our project for the day."

"Yes princess, we're to transform Gael into the best looking fool you've ever seen." The two of them flashed wicked smiles.

Upon seeing those impish grins, I am certain my fears about becoming a jester tripled in an instant. It's a wonder I didn't flee from the castle.