AN: Hello fellow Portal fans. Here's a story I came up with while working on "A Collection of Short Stories."
The theme "Kings, Queens, and Jokers" came up, and suddenly this whole idea for a new story came into my head. I don't ususally write from Wheatley's POV, so this is a first for me. Here's to hoping you guys like this.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Portal or any of it's characters.
...
Being a Joker in the middle ages was hard. Being a Joker in the kingdom of Aperture in the middle ages was even harder. Something Wheatley wished someone would have told him sooner. He had left his home to move into the main town with hopes of making a better living. When he got the job as Joker to the Queen, he thought he had finally started doing just that. Little did he know, however, that although the pay was better, the job itself, was not. Day after day, he was put through humiliating and usually painful situations by the Queen, who was very beautiful, but also very cold-hearted. Wheatley often wondered why she was that way. Her sister, on the other hand, was equally as beautiful, but a much kinder person, although she never seemed to really paid much attention to what the Queen did. The Princess was so rarely seen in fact, that most towns people believed she was merely the ghost of the Queen's heart. But having the fortune (or miss-fortune) of working in the castle, Wheatley knew for himself, she was a real person.
He lived in a room in the servants quaters at the back of the castle. On the right of him lived the cook, Daniel, and on the left lived the maid Eliza, who had a little eight year old girl name Michelle (Chell). The little girl often came to Wheatley's room, eager for him to play with her. He often told her jokes, or put on puppet shows with whatever items he could find in his room. She never spoke to him and once he asked Eliza about it. She simply told him Chell couldn't speak. He thought it was tragic for a little girl to be dealt that kind of fate.
Today was the Queen's birthday, and Wheatley knew it was his job to entertain her until her party. He hoped that since it WAS her birthday, that she wouldn't put him through too much. He walked down the corridors to the Queen's chambers, dressed in his brightly colored clothes and hat, which had three points, or "limbs" as Wheatley liked to call them.
He walked up and knocked on the Queen's door.
"You may enter."
Wheatley pushed open the door. The Queen stood there in her fancy white and gold dress, which matched in hue to the long white hair on her head and the golden yellow of her eyes.
"I'm here for your entertainment, my Queen." He bowed.
"Obviously, what else would you be here for." She said it as a statement rather than a question.
"Of course." Wheatley said.
The Queen thought for a moment. "I want you to tie raw meat to your legs. Once you have done so, meet me in the back courtyard."
Wheatley was afraid of the reason as to why she wanted that. But he simply said, "As you wish."
Wheatley left her chambers and started on his way to the kitchen, wondering, and worrying, about the Queen's request. After several minutes Wheatley found the servant entrance to the kitchen. He went inside and asked Daniel for the meat. Daniel asked him what kind. Wheatley didn't honestly know. The Queen hadn't specified. He decided steak would most likey work. Daniel didn't ask why, he just gave Wheatley two large steaks. He thanked Daniel and, with steaks in hand, began heading to his room. He was almost sure there was some string there. He had used it to make a homemade puppet to entertain Chell with. As he walked down the corridors, the smell of the meat was turning his stomache. He hoped to reach his room and get back to the courtyard quickly. He wanted whatever this was to be over with. Although that was true about almost everything the Queen put him through.
Once he reached his room, he put the steaks on his table. Luckly they were wrapped in cloth, so it kept most of the blood off of everything. He started looking around for the puppet. He couldn't remember where he left it.
Oh, wait. I think I let Chell take it with her.
He left his room and walked one door down. Knocking softly, he waited for a reply. A moment later Chell opened the door. He asked her for the puppet. She didn't seem to understand why. She wanted to keep it. He promised her he'd give it back. Reluctantly, she went to her room and re-emerged, puppet in hand. He thanked her and went back to his room.
After removing the string and cutting it in half, Wheatley picked up the meat and headed to the back courtyard. Once there he sat down on a stone bench. Placeing one steak on his left leg and tied it securely with one half of the string. He did the same for his right leg as well.
"Is this to your satisfaction, my Queen?"
She glanced down at his legs. "Yes, that's fine."
Suddenley Wheatley could hear the sounds of the Queens two dogs heading their way. Wheatley froze. He knew why she had asked him to tie the meat to his legs.
Wheatley screamed as the dogs bit his legs repeatedly to remove the steaks. After several very painful minutes, they managed to remove them and ran off to eat their reward.
"That will be all for now." the Queen said, leaving him bleeding in the courtyard.
"Yes, my Queen." Wheatley said quietly.
...
It had been painful, but the castle physician had managed to bandage Wheatley's legs. Luckily, the dogs didn't bite too deeply, so the bleeding was able to be stopped. The physician had asked once how he got hurt so badly. This had been at his first visit. After she realized he was the Queen's new jester, she never asked again.
Thanking her, he left the physician's room, and headed back to his own.
...
So? What do you guys think so far?
If you read, please review.
NOTE: I'll try to update in a timely manner, but please note that I have a child and two other stories I'm currently working on. I have a hard time focusing on one story at a time. :D I have way too much fun writing sometimes.