Fear or Dread?
It was a stormy, winter night. Sir Theodore stood on the highest tower. His hair flew in the wind, along with the red flag next to him. The snow flew gently about, and into Sir Theodore's long, greasy hair. He gazed with pride at the scene below him: everything was havoc, but he didn't have to do anything. No one knew he was up here. Sir Theodore was pleased with himself, he was really faring off well. He had not one but 80 trophies granted to him by 3 different kings, the honor of being the king's trusted guardian, and being the oldest in the castle with the most impressive lies to tell.
Sir Theodore chuckled happily. When suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a booming voice:
"Hey, Rusty Legs! Scoot over, will you? This is the tower above Jane's room you know! Or do you come for some dragon intestines?" Dragon shouted angrily. "Ahahahaahaaa!" He then laughed.
"Surely my dear dragon," He replied in a calm voice. "Indeed I know that this is the tower above Jane's room. But in the Knight's code of conduct…."
"Blah! Yeah, yeah we all understand that you are a knight, Sir Rusty Legs, so do quit bragging like it's something really honorable. Do I look like a knight?"
"Dragon," Sir Theodore shouted, and lightening struck right behind him, "I will hear no more of this. I shall see that you get evicted if you stretch this matter any further! No one will hear of this Dragon!"
Sir Theodore turned sharply towards the stone steps and thundered down. Then there came a sound much like thunder, followed by a strage clinking-bumping sound.
"Dragon!" shouted Sir Theodore, as he slowly got up, 10 steps from where he had started, "No one shall hear of this! If word gets out, my dear dragon, I am sorry to say that you shall be evicted. And if not, I shall have to take matters into my own two hands. I shall get rid of your kind once and for all."
Jane ran clumsily down the stone steps of her room and into the court yard. She yawned loudly, then quickly covered her mouth when she saw a light bug buzzing nearby, accompanied by a fly. Dragon slumped towards her and flopped his long neck down onto the stone floor.
"Ah…the life," He sighed sleepily, "The birds, the snow, the bugs….what could make today any boring?"
"Mmmmm" Came a muffled sound from somewhere below him.
"Oh right! Thank you good stomach! Thank you for reminding me-breakfast, time!" he shouted.
"MMMMM!" Came the voice again, a bit louder this time.
"Oh Jane!" and he raised his neck quickly.
Jane got up quickly and brushed snow off her gray coat trimmed with dragon scales.
"Jane…" Dragon said, dropping his head sadly, "What have I just done? This is the second time Jane…I nearly killed you! However pained I do feel to say this Jane, but I am far too dangerous for you and you shouldn't be anywhere near me."
Sad music played in Jane's head as she looked up at the giant. Her best friend, dragon!
"Oh Dragon…" She moaned. "I do know that it is indeed very important for me to be healthy and…and fit and…and healthy…but I will miss you ever so much. Dragon, I know that you do care…but don't go!"
Dragon nodded his head slowly, sadly. "Yes Jane. Anything to keep you safe and happy…I am a threat to you Jane. I ought to leave you alone for once, the first and last time Jane. I shall say goodbye…" And he flapped his wings and set off for his cave. He turned back and called, "I shall work out those runes, and maybe I'll find some long lives!" And when he was 5 miles away….
"Dragon, wait!" Jane cried helplessly. "Oh…" She moaned, dropping her head below extremely low, "What have I done? How could I be so rude, dragon? No," She then said confidently, "You are a knight, Jane. You shall do what is right…oh Dragon!"
***
Pepper hummed a high-pitched tune as she jumped about, working busily in the kitchen. Pepper danced about, collecting pepper, salt, and butter for the very special gala that was taking place the day after tomorrow. It was the King's birthday, and he wanted a savory cake, one like no other."
"Oh…the gala shall be the best ever! Now, lunch." She spun towards the porridge resting on the stove. She carried the huge cauldron outside onto the bench where the staff was seated.
"Hello Smithy, Rake, Jester." Pepper stood and thought for a moment. "Something is not right. Jester, is it your hat?"
"Hat in place ma'am," Jester said, shaking his bells.
"Yes, yes…Smithy did you wash your hands?"
"Of course, Pepper."
"Hmm…Then I suppose that you forgot to clean your ears this morning Rake."
"Certainly not, Pepper!"
"Oh…then I guess that I am just nervous about the gala tonight."
"Don't push yourself Pepper," Said Rake reassuringly, "Everything will be fine, and I shall be in the garden if you need me."
"Yes, I'll be in the stables if you need me," Jester said, helping himself to some more porridge. "In fact, I will be coming with you right after lunch!"
"You are all too sweet!" She said smiling down at them all, "But really Jester, I am much better off without half the food gone." She laughed hysterically, spun around and punched Jester playfully on the shoulder. Jester scowled and rubbed his shoulder.
Just then, Jane came rushing towards them.
"Petal!" exclaimed Pepper, looking quite relieved. "That is what was missing all this time! Let me get you some porridge, hungry girl!" And she spun around towards the entrance of the kitchen.
"Sorry I am late," Jane said, hurriedly pushing an empty bowl in front of her. "Oh I could eat a dragon!"
To everyone's surprise, her head dropped sadly.
"Is everything alright Jane?" Jester asked.
"No!" she shouted. "No! Nothing is alright! Everything is wrong!" She shouted, waving her arms in fury.
"Give me a beating Jane," said Jester. Everyone looked at him angrily, "er…only if I am the guilty one." He looked around. "What?"
"What happened Jane? Is it something about Dragon?" Smithy asked.
"Well…no umm, yes maybe." Was the unsure answer
"Oh come on Petal," Pepper said swaying, "You can tell us! We are your friends Jane." She turned to give Rake a reproving glance.
"Right!" Rake said quickly, "Tell us Jane!"
"Oh, well…alright," She said reluctantly, "It is indeed about Dragon. I sent him off!" She wailed, burying her head into her arms.
"Now, now Jane," Pepper said, putting her arms around her neck from behind. "Everything will be alright. Dragon will be alright."
"Yes Jane," Jester said cheerfully, "This has happened quite sometimes before as well. What could go wrong? Use your sword, Jane."
"No, I cannot. I told him that he should go, he himself suggested it, that green lipped newt."
Jane got up suddenly and walked away without another word. The staff was left to look into each other's worried faces, not knowing what to do.
Jane ran briskly towards Sir Theodore's private room. Her bushy hair flied behind her, white with snow. She looked left and right, worriedly.
"Oh, everything is wrong…" she whispered to herself, "Poor Dragon! He is only just 300 years old, he cannot take care of himself. It feels like half the world is missing. I have to talk to Sir Theodore…"
"Good afternoon, old lady." Gunther walked up from behind, wearing his usual smirk.
Jane rudely ignored him and ran away.
"Wait! Where are you going? Where is Dragon? I have not heard poor Smithy's barrels crashing around lately."
Jane ran up the stone steps and into Sir Theodore's room. Gunther had stopped at the door.
"Sir Theodore!" Jane called. She looked left and right, it seemed as if Sir Theodore had gone somewhere in a hurry. There were books fallen on the floor, his bed wasn't made and his teddy bear was sitting on the mantle, he would obviously have hidden it before he went anywhere.
"Sir Theodore!" She called again. She went to his spying place and looked down. There was Sir Theodore, his face red and fire-like, thundering away on Augustus.
"Hmm…." thought Jane. "Where is he going in such a hurry?"
She slumped down onto Sir Theodore's bed, grabbed his teddy bear from the mantle and hugged it tight. She looked around the room; she had never been here for so long. She always got sent out after she angered Sir Theodore. She picked up one of the books that had fallen on the floor and opened it. This is what the front page said:
If anyone dares to go on any further, I shall see that they are evicted from the castle. It is also my right, according to the Code of Knightly Conduct, to behead you if I wish. And that is indeed my desire towards anyone who reads this diary of mine, even though I have given them a strict warning.
Curious, Jane flipped the page. She didn't feel like running after Sir Theodore, she felt awfully depressed and lazy. She read the first few pages in interest then ran back to her room. The depressed mind does not think properly. On her way, she met none other than Gunther, who was waiting outside the door.
"Have you stolen anything, Jane? Or did Sir Theodore tell you to write lines? What have you been doing?"
"None of your business Gunther," Jane said hurriedly, trying to hide the book.
Gunther's eyes widened in shock and his mouth dropped open. "Is that? Have you stolen Sir Theodore's diary?"
"It is a book beef brain, a book on the adventures of Augustus Perennial." Jane said, holding the book an inch to Gunther's eyes.
"Jane!" Gunther shouted, snatching the book.
Jane wrestled it back; she couldn't let Gunther see the front cover. She ran out of the hall before Gunther could snatch it back.
***
Safe in her room, Jane opened the book and began to read:
It has been a hard day today. Sadly, I have not come any closer to my goal. I do not know what to do. Jane is not helping at all. That red headed menace is always in my way. But I see that she is alone, that is why I am going immediately. As a reminder, I write to thee, Augustus, to search for the book of records. That is indeed important. I have lost it and need to find it right away, before that nosey Jane gets her hands on it. I do wish ever so much that Gunther was my squire. How much longer do I have to pretend that I have full faith in clever, resourceful, and truly stubborn Jane? : )
Narificus.
Jane looked up from the diary, startled. She heard footsteps approaching. She got up quickly and opened the small hole in her stuffed dragon and stuffed the book inside. She lifted the toy in both arms, and looked at it sorrowfully.
"Oh Dragon…" She whispered. The tears were now streaming down her cheeks.
There was another knock and then Jester's head peeked through the door. Jane dropped the dragon and turned sharply towards him.
"Jane?" He asked uncertainly. His over-sized fur coat was trailing behind him, bringing snow into the room.
"What? What is it Jester? Does the king want me?" Jane said, trying to look like she had just woken up. She rubbed her eyes and made a very strange squishing sound. "Ah!" She screamed, "What-what is that!" She gasped, jumped onto her bed and pointed to something that was holding onto the end of Jester's coat.
Jester helped himself to a laughing fit that lasted for quite a few minutes. "Jane oh your face! That," he said pointing behind him, "Is a stuffed hedgehog! Poor little fellow, I had to do something for him, so I named him Augustus!"
Jane's eyes went wide for just a second. "Haha Jester. That is the most you can do for anything, name it…"
Jester turned around and picked up the hedgehog. "Gunther gave it to me. Some merchant tossed it into his father's trade. He had it for seven years Jane, seven years. No one wanted the coat, so he just gave him-er-it to me." Jester shrugged. "And I took it with great dignity and honor, what a lovely coat! I needed one anyway. Surprisingly, it has never been so cold here and I have not seen snow for 7 years."
"I see…" Jane said without the slightest bit of interest.
"Oh, and the king does not need you…erm…right now I mean. I thought I would just come in to say hello. Hello Jane!" He said waving one hand, his sleeve flapping.
Jane let out a sigh as big as Sir Ivon.
"You know, Jane," Jester said, stepping closer. "Dragon will be alright. He can take care of himself, he is 300 years old!"
"Only just 300 years old! An inexperienced, helpless poor baby dragon!!!" Jane wailed and buried her head in her arms. She ran towards her bed and sat down, crying.
"Oh Jane," Jester shook his head. He took the stuffed dragon from the floor and held it up high. "Do not fear Jane! It is I, DRAGON! I shall take care of myself! You need not worry about me! I am Dragooooooooooon! Come on Jane, Dragon is a genius, which is what he keeps trying to tell everyone-" Jester winked," Trust me Jane, and Dragon."
Jester took his eyes off the dragon and turned to look at Jane. She was wearing an expression of pure guilt and worry.
"Have I done something Jane?" asked the jester.
"Oh…no…" She whispered faintly.
"Oh, I see! This is your dragon, you had it since you were a wee little baby with two incy wincy teeth, and you don't want me to steal it! Very well then, I shall put it back, right where I found it." Jester let go of the dragon and it fell to the ground with a soft 'bump'. "So you keep a diary?" Jester asked as a book came rolling out of the dragon's huge belly.
There was a short pause.
"Oh yes, yes I do!" Jane said quickly, "But please Jester, you must not read it. You must tell no one!"
"Of course, I will tell no one." Jester winked.
Jane's eyes darted around the room. She got up quickly and nervously looked out the window. The snow was falling heavily now; there was about two feet of snow on the ground. Jane let out a whimper and fell onto her bed after looking out for a short time.
"Oh Jane!" said Jester, "You are going too far. Think how Dragon will feel when he finds out that you have underestimated him." Jester stepped towards the window. He dangled his arms out and gazed out searchingly. "Now what exactly was it out there Jane? A ferocious beast, a mighty maggot, a rampaging mouse! Nothing you and I cannot handle. Why don't you go out and give it your usual sound thrashing?" he punched the air with his fist.
"Hmm…No one out there but Sir Theodore…er, did you get shouted at this morning?" He turned around just in time to see the edge of Jane's gray coat disappear out the door.
Jester sighed deeply and flopped down onto the bed. He stared at the diary on the pillow with unseeing eyes. He shook his head and peered at the cover closely, his gray eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
"No…!! It can't be…but it is his handwriting!"
Thy, Augustus, are the diary belonging to me, Narificus.
Jester dropped his head low much like Jane did twice every hour of the day. He walked slowly out of the room, his arms dangling. He fell down the entire flight of stone steps and slipped into a pile of Dragon's business. Luckily, only his hat got dirty. Jester took it off quickly and threw it into the mushrooms.
"Oh hello Jester," said Rake from behind the strawberry bush. He looked awfully worried. "Ah." Rake got up and dusted snow off his extremely thin and ragged coat. Jester had lent him some proper pants; the cold would kill his legs if he stayed out for more than 15 minutes. And poor Rake was almost never inside.
"Hello Rake!" Jester said, trying to look normal.
"My poor vegetables, I fear they are not feeling too well. Oh, hello," he grinned sadly. "The king has requested some vegetable soup. This cold," Rake said gesturing to all the snow covering his beloved garden, then to the snow which was falling still. He gently wiped snow off his carrots with his hands.
"Need any help, Rake?" Jester asked, bouncing again.
"Oh no, thank you very much. But I only just have to take in all these crops before the frost can damage them any further." Rake finally took his eyes off his turnips and looked down at Jester. "Are you alright Jester? You look awful. Perhaps you would like to come in for some hot apple cider? How about a nice, warm cup of tea? Some soup would do you good."
"Alright, if you insist Rake!" Jester winked and let Rake drag him into the kitchen.
The kitchen looked very different. There were several pots full of wood and soup on every stove. A warm orange glow filled the cozy, warm room. Pepper had covered up the window next to her bed. The sheet was not doing so well though, it was weeping. Pepper was sitting on the table behind a large, steaming pot of creamy soup. She filled her large bowl up to the brim and began to slurp away.
"Pepper?" Rake called.
"Oh Rake! Jester, do come and have some warm soup! Look at your faces! So red and…and…come sit by the fire. I shall get you some nice, yummy soup, hungry boys!" Pepper jumped up from her seat and ran towards them. She dragged them towards two stools placed next to the stove.
"How are the vegetables coming along, Rake?" Pepper asked as she spooned soup into two very large bowls.
"I fear they are not going to last very long, Pepper." Rake said, turning around. "I got more than half of them inside."
"I shall help you get the rest." said Jester.
"Thank you so much Jester." Rake said gratefully.
"And really," Jester said laughing, "you must come sleep inside. Why, your dear hammock must be covered in three feet of snow!"
"Right…" Rake said thoughtfully. "You should come too, Pepper. I think it is going to be way too cold here, with the windows and all. Maybe we should speak to the king?"
"Yes, I suppose so." Pepper said thoughtfully, nodding. Pepper turned to look at Jester. "Is Jane alright now Jester?"
"Umm…yes, I think so." Jester looked uncomfortably at the fire and then hurriedly busied himself with his soup. Pepper stood behind him, her hands on her hips. He could just feel her eyes piercing his back. He slowly turned around. Pepper nodded and tapped her foot.
"What is going on, boy?"
"Umm…I am not sure. I think she is scared of Sir Theodore too. That is all I know on this matter, seriously." He turned back to his soup again.
Pepper sighed and poured more soup into Rake's full bowl.
"Poor Petal, I do hope that Dragon comes back. Rake, is everything alright? You have not touched your soup!"
"Of course he has not," said Jester. "Now there is a smart lad, he would not want to burn himself, would he?"
Pepper punched him on the shoulder, then turned back to Rake.
"Well, it is my garden…my poor vegetables! What can I do for them? It has been so nice and warm since I first came-umm…was here. What can I do for them?"
"You can bring all that is left inside Rake," said Pepper, turning back towards the soup. "Then we will just have to wait until the warmer season comes again. Do not worry Rake, they will come back again."
Pepper snatched their bowls and began washing them.
"It is almost dark," She said, peeking through the crack in the shutters.
A muffled voice came from somewhere in the castle, "We are awaiting the night's meal."
"Coming m'lady!" Pepper squeaked. She grabbed the steaming pot from the stove and walked towards the door. "Are you not coming? We shall talk to the king about your place to stay and the garden." She thrust the pot into Jester's hands and pulled on a long, worn mauve coat which was once a plain dress. It was now stuffed with chicken feathers.
She nodded to Jester then took the pot back. "Come on!"
The three stumbled through the thick snow towards the castle. By the time they got there, they were all red, wet, and out of breath. They entered through the big wooden doors and found the entire castle residents seated at the table. The king had decided that everyone should dine inside today, including the castle staff.
"Ah…" Said the king. "Vegetable soup! What could be better on such a miserable day?"
"Daddy! Daddy!" Princess Lavinia piped up, "Daddy the snow is not miserable! I do love it, so, so much!" The princess twirled around in her new gray wool coat. She rubbed her cheek against the pink fur and said, "If only Jane were here." She looked at the ground bitterly. "I would have someone nice to play with. Where are you Jane?" She screamed.
The lady in waiting looked around uncomfortably. She left the room and ran down the steps into the courtyard.
"My biscuit," said the king, "I shall make sure that you can play with Jane tomorrow. Surely, there will be snow…" He too looked at the ground bitterly. "Ah! Now to warm our bodies and brighten out spirits-"Lavinia scowled-"Some tasty soup!"
Pepper spooned out bowls of steaming vegetable soup. Prince Cutthbert scowled.
"Next time," He said to his mother, who was sitting next to him, "tell her to make chicken soup instead. All these vegetables…"
"Yes my darling," Queen Gwendolyn said absently.
While Pepper served the soup, Jester and Rake ran towards a table where Smithy sat waving.
"Where have you been?" he asked
"Oh…inside the belly of a ferocious monster of course!" Jester fell silent and turned around as Sir Theodore walked past their table. He looked scared and umm………….what do you call it.
Rake and Smithy looked at each other.
"What is going on Jester?" Smithy asked.
"Nothing, nothing at all." Jester said, he squinted his eyes and whispered, "It is just that, he was the monster who ate me."
Jane came hurrying into the room, accompanied by her mother. The lady in waiting led her towards the table on which her friends were seated, and then she walked off. Jane stood there for a moment, but before anyone could say anything, she turned and ran after her mother.
Jester sighed. Rake looked at her retreating back. Smithy stared ahead uncertainly and Pepper said, "Poor thing."