Jester gestured for Lilah to take back the sword. Lilah walked closer to him and put her hand on the handle of the sword. Her hand skimmed his and he felt a warm sensation flow through his body. Like touching silk in winter. She paused for a moment, her hand on his, and then slowly pulled the sword from him.
"Thank you." Lilah said politely. Jester nodded in reply but stayed silent. They both stood there, heads down, for a few moments, as if having a moment of silence for a lost friend. Jester finally looked up at the girl and the spell was broken.
"Why are you here Lilah? I mean, why do you live in the forest? Is there not anyone who can help you?" Lilah looked up from the floor. She looked as though she was making a life or death decision. She waited for another few moments before speaking herself.
"No, there is no one to help me. I am alone in this world." Her voice had changed again. It now sounded upset, if even a little ashamed. "There are a lot of reasons why I live in the forest, but I am not sure I am ready to share them with you yet." She looked solemnly at him. Jester just looked at her in a way that seemed like a person trying to put together a puzzle, but they were missing all the pieces. He said nothing. They both looked at each other for a while when Lilah finally spoke up.
"You should be getting back to your home Marvolio. I can show you the way." Lilah started to walk away the turned to the boy in blue. "Are you coming or am I just going to be looking at the lovely scenery Kippernium Forest?" She questioned. Jester walked closer to her.
"Yes, I am coming. But, if I do go back, will I ever get to see you again?" He asked highly fascinated by her.
"That is up to you." She said and began to walk away.
Jester walked in through the Kippernium walls alone. Lilah had walked with him for a few minutes until something looked familiar, and then turned back. He and she had talked a little more with each other. He now knew that she had lived quite far from here and was a complete vegetarian, though he was still confused about how someone can only live off of fruit. He suddenly remembered what she had said to him when he asked if he was ever going to see her again. "That is up to you." The words echoed in his head as if it were hollow. He had determined that he would eventually finish the puzzle of Lilah Rose, which meant he would see her again! He was trying to remember the way that they had walked back so he could retrace his steps and get back to her when he heard someone calling his name.
"JESTER! Where have you been? We have all been looking around like mad trying to find you!" It was Jane. 'So she had left the sanctity of her room.' Jester thought to himself. He felt a little weird being called Jester after being called his real name by Lilah. He pushed the feeling away and walked nearer to Jane.
"I got a little lost in the woods!" He called. He had made up his mind that he would not tell anyone about Lilah. If he did they might make her leave or even try her as a witch if they had listened to rumors.
"Lost? Jester you know these woods like the back of your hand, how could you get lost!" Jane said to him suspiciously now very close.
"I don't know I guess this time I just was not paying attention to where I was going. But I found a way back, so no need to bother over it." He did not want to be tempted to tell Jane about Lilah. Even though she was his best friend, she still held her duty to the king very high, and would tell him even if he told her not to. 'It is not really her fault. That was the way she was raised' He supposed then heard Jane's voice again.
"Well, I am afraid we have already had dinner. If you are hungry you may go to the kitchen and see if Pepper has any leftovers." She said, though it sounded more like a command. Jester nodded curtly to Jane.
"Thank you, I think I shall." Jane looked satisfied and turned on her heel to her room, calling over her shoulder
"GOOD NIGHT JESTER!" Then she disappeared up the staircase to her room. Jester called a good night back to her, and then turned to walk towards the Royal Kitchen. It was then, walking away from the horizon, that he finally noticed how dark it was out. 'My, I could not have been gone that long. Have I missed both lunch and dinner? They must have been worried quite a lot about me for being gone such a long time. I wonder the king never asked for me. Maybe he did, but Jane did not mention it." Jester approached the Kitchens. He saw Pepper was already in bed, as well as Rake. He sighed deeply. He did not want to wake any of them, so he turned quietly away, even though he was very hungry. His stomach growled. "It will have to wait until morning" He said to himself opening the door to his room and then crawly into bed, to tired and hungry to change into his night clothes.
Jester woke up rather earlier than he had anticipated. 'Probably because I am hungry' He thought and walked over to the window and looked out. The sun was barley rising and it was still shadowy by his window. "Rats. It is not yet time for breakfast." He said out loud to no one but himself. He walked over to his bed and popped his head underneath it. He pushed some loose articles out of the way before finally finding what he was looking for. A small sack shaped like an acorn with a leather handle. It looked much like a basket except it was made for berries, and not anything else. Jester took the sack and walked out his door. He opened it as gently as he could, trying not to wake anyone. For one reason because he wanted to let them sleep, and another because he found this the perfect opportunity to find Lilah again.
He walked out into the wood and began on the same trail he had started on when he had taken his walk the previous day. He walked for a few minutes stopping occasionally to get some berries for his sack. Jester had become a master at detecting what berries were poisonous and which ones were not. Mostly because he had read all the interesting books in the library when he was very young and was now stuck with all the boring science, history, and nature books. Though they were not all bad, some came in very useful. Such as the book on berries he had read which now allowed him to pick berries when he wanted without having to take Jane or one of the Knights. He would not mind walking with Jane, but she was always so busy with Dragon and her Knightly duties. Jester once again found that while he was lost in thought he had become lost himself. But this area was not totally new to him. "Hey I know this place! This is where..." Another arrow shot past him, but this time he knew what to expect and had ducked. He could see a figure moving toward him and called out
"Lilah it is me, Marvolio!" It felt good to say his real name rather than Jester. He saw a girl with red and green streaks on raven-black hair step out of the shadows.
"What are you doing here?" She called walking over to him and kneeling down beside him.
"I came to pick berries because I was hungry. See I got to the caste too late to eat dinner so I had to go to bed hungry." He began to explain getting into a more normal sitting position. "Then this morning I got up to early for breakfast. I was too hungry to go back to bed so I got out my berry-sack-thingy and started walking. I was kind of lost in thought before realizing where I was and that is when you decided to shot me with the arrow!" Jester looked into her deep purple eyes. She seemed confused if not a little shocked. "What is wrong?" Jester asked not sure that he was right to come back here.
"Nothing, I am just surprised that you got back here. Most people come once and never return. You must be persistent!" Lilah smiled to him. Jester smiled back and then looked down into what he refused to as his berry-sack-thingy and reached a hand into it. He pulled out what he guessed was a gooseberry. They were common this time of year. He looked up at Lilah as he popped it into his mouth. Once he finished chewing he handed the sack to her.
"Do you want some?" He asked her, knowing she only ate fruit and that it would take a lot of time to gather only berries for a full meal. He saw Lilah smile a smile that made the stars blush. She seemed to be so full of pure joy he could almost see it pouring out her ears. He gave her a sort of confused look.
"Umm, Yes sure. Thank you." Her voice wavered a little.
"What is wrong?" He asked for the second time in his visit. He hoped he would not make a habit out of the phrase. Lilah grinned to him
"Oh nothing it is just, it has been a long time since I have had someone want to share something with me." Lilah took a berry and popped it into her mouth.
"Why have you not tried to make friends with anyone? Why stay here, alone in the forest?" He had so many questions he wanted to ask but these were a start.
"I am not good with people. I can never hold on to a friend long enough to ask for help. And besides, I am highly capable! I do not need to use someone else's mercy to help me." She said obviously not to pleased about it.
"Well, you have me now don't you?" Jester said trying to make her feel better. But the girl just seemed to look astounded.
"I have you?" She repeated the words very slowly.
"Yes, we have had a conversation, we know each other, and I have come to visit you again. In the book of life, that means you made a friend!" He jingled his hat to let her know it was a joke. The girl laughed.
"I suppose there can be no harm in having you for a friend for a while." She smiled a bit before popping another berry into her mouth. "Now I trust you that these are not poisonous!" She looked into his eyes and leaned in closer to him
"I am an expert on berries, and I say that they are not poisoned!" He retorted pulling another berry from the sack and putting it into his mouth. Then he grabbed at his throat and started to make gagging noises. "Oh no, I was wrong!" He said in a sarcastic voice "I am dieing! Dieing of berry poisoning! No, this is too tragic!" He then continued his act by falling backward onto his back and sticking his tongue out as if he were dead. Lilah Rose could not help but laugh at him. He finally stood up, took a bow and then sat back down. Lilah looked at him kindly.
"Maybe having a friend will not be so bad." She said quietly
"Of course it won't!" Jester smiled and shoved a handful of berries into his mouth.
"Is that all you do, EAT!" Lilah snapped at him, snatching up the berry sack in her arms
"No, I make time to talk as well! Now give it back!" He reached for it but she pulled away. He reached out further but she kept pulling away until he finally pushed her down and stole them back.
"Ha Ha, ours now!" Jester called triumphantly
"Ours?"
"Yes, me and my stomach!" Jester then took another handful and poured it into his mouth. Lilah looked as if she were going to grab them back when she stopped. She suddenly looked worried.
"Lilah, are you ok?" He asked not wanting to once again repeat the phrase 'What is wrong.'
"You did not tell anyone I was here did you?" She sounded startled and slightly scared if that was possible. Jester quickly answered.
"No, No, I did not tell anyone. And I do not intend to. Oh please do not worry!" He reached over and touched her arm. 'There is the sensation again.' He thought as Lilah let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank you Marvolio! You do not know how important it is to keep me a secret!" Then she hugged him
"Well," Jester said eventually breaking from her hug "Maybe you could tell me." He asked her looking deep into her eyes. 'You could get lost in those eyes' He thought to himself before she answered
"Marvolio, It is not that I don't trust you. Just give me some time. Maybe someday you will be able to know, but for now, let's just enjoy ourselves!" She took another berry and put it into her mouth. Jester did not understand her, but maybe he could someday, after they had enjoyed themselves a little.
A/N: Like the last chapter, this has been slightly edited! REVIEW! Now!
