Tales of a Darkened Heart

By Stor-E-Phool

A/N: Goodness Glaciers! I'm so happy! Must be because of all of the snappy responses I got! Wow! Thanks for the over-night reviews, guys! :) You made this author very happy! Now I'm repaying your support! XD

The throne room was uncharacteristically loud, filled with every Lord, Lady, Duke and Duchess that could be found. The walls were decorated in pine green drapes and pink roses, with the light of the moon shining in through the windows. All was excitement as Jester juggled his bottles and Sir Ivan showed the King his new inventions. In the corner, Sir Gunther could be seen posing and strutting about, cocky as a rooster, for all the gathered ladies-in-waiting winking in his direction.

However, as King Phoebis and Lady Jane entered the room, every mouth was silenced. Jester stopped his juggling, Sir Ivan ceased his boasting, and Sir Gunther turned to glare in their direction.

"Everyone, welcome my good friend King Phoebis and his Lady, Jane!" cried King Caradoc into the hushed crowd, raising his arms amicably. Suddenly, the blur of a deep green dress rushed past the King, the tables, and the clusters of people only to bowl into Phoebis' stomach.

"King Phoebis! King Phoebis! Welcome to my party! Isn't everything just lovely?" Laughed Princess Lavinia, nuzzling her forehead into Phoebis' leather belt, "You simply must sit by me! Right next to me: on that table there!" She jutted her finger toward a seat near the front of the court and jumped up and down. "But not right now. The dancing is about to start!" With that, and before King Phoebis could object, Princess Lavinia plunged into the crowd to find a partner. Jester and a few fools from other courts suddenly began to play a lovely Celtic tune on their lyres and mandolins.

"Would you care to dance, Mademoiselle?" Jane looked up at Phoebis in surprise. He was offering his hand, light eyes shimmering in the flickering torchlight. She smiled and placed her hand gingerly in his palm.

"Surely you didn't expect me to say 'no', monsieur?" She asked, twirling, then spinning back into his arms, her back to his chest. It always somehow surprised her that he was so solid. Like nothing could blow him down, not even dragon breath.

"'Surely', she says!" he mimicked teasingly, stepping back and smiling as Jane mirrored his moves effortlessly. "Last time I asked you to dance with me, you punched me in the nose!"

"Well, that was different! You were deliberately trying to rile me up! Back when we were constantly at eachother's throats, remember?" She grinned and spun back to their first position. He chuckled and spun her.

"I remember." He assured her, stepping forward as they began the motions of their dance once again. Suddenly, with her usual exuberance, Princess Lavinia burst from the crowd and grasped King Phoebis' wrist in mid-step. He looked down at her with surprise.

"I don't remember, King Phoebis! Do tell me the story!" Princess Lavinia jumped up and down as if she were still seven years old, and Phoebis glanced at Jane with a silent plea in his eyes. Jane nodded her understanding and took one of Lavinia's hands into her own.

"Your Highness! What a lovely idea!" Lavinia nodded her agreement with excitement and Jane continued. "But you know, that is simply a story for the dinner table. Let's wait until then!" Princess Lavinia's eyes widened at the idea.

"Oooh, quite right, Lady Jane! The dancing was boring, anyway!" she turned and ran toward her father's thrown. She stood as tall and regal as she could on the platform, then slammed her hands together in a single clap that resonated off of the walls and got everyone's complete--if astonished--attention.

"Hello, everyone! I have decided that we shall eat and listen to King Phoebis' story! Come along-- sit down!" She smiled sweetly at her audience, then climbed into her seat, waiting for everyone to follow her example. Slowly, the people of the court began to realize that she wasn't joking, and followed suite, King Caradoc glowing with pride at his precious daughter's show of authority.

Jane and Phoebis journeyed toward the table to find a seat.

"Alright, okay! Story time."

A/N: Okay. So I've been stuck here for an eternity, in these few paragraphs. I had to give myself some momentum, so I'm stopping it here to continue a little later! This is the most pathetic chapter I've ever written, honestly, though I had high hopes that it would make great leaps and bounds in the plot. Well, I appologize and will spit the next chappie out soon. :)