Kay took Jester by the arm, the door shut behind them in a loud thud. They lead him to the throne room. I the center of the room his family was tied to each other in a circle.
"Mother!" Jester shouted. He shoved Kay's arm off of him. He ran to his mother's side.
"Jester!" his mother wept as her only son embraced her. They had not seen each other in 12 years.
"Father." Jester moved over and hugged his father.
"Son, how I have missed you." Jester moved on and hugged the rest of his family.
"Okay, yes, all very touching. Now to the negotiating. Where is your king?" James questioned.
Jester gulped. "He is not here."
Dragon and Jane landed inside the courtyard of the kingdom. Jane hopped off and took out her sword. She stood outside the door, waiting for the right moment.
"Jane. Call me if you need help." Dragon whispered. Jane nodded and held her ear to the door.
"What?" James ran at Jester with his sword, striking him in the side. Jester shouted in pain. He crumpled to the floor.
"James what do we do now? That king could have helped us and we could have had an alliance with his kingdom." Kay asked desperately.
"I know what we can do. We let him lie there and after he is not in too much pain, we finish his family off. The whole time he will watch. Then we move onto him."
Jane burst through the door. She grabbed Kay by the collar and pointed the sword to his back.
"Untie them." she ordered.
James jaw hung in midair and he dropped his sword. "Now!" He took out his dagger and cut the rope. "Can one of you tie him to the throne?" James gave up. The kingdom was done for. He let them tie him to the chair. Jane shoved Kay into the other chair.
"Can you tie him up as well…?"
"Atticus. With pleasure, my lady knight. Thank you." Jester's father bowed.
Jane put away her sword. She knelt beside Jester.
He could barely see. He saw an orb of burnt orange in front of his face. "Jane…?" he scarcely whispered. He felt like he was dying. Now, he could hardly breathe.
Kay punched Atticus. He grabbed James sword and threatened anyone who came near him. Jane jumped to her feet and was ready to fight.
That was the last thing Jester saw before everything went black.
"Dragon!" Dragon busted the door to hundreds of pieces.
"I would put down your sword if I were you short life."
Kay immediately dropped his sword. Jane grabbed some of the rope and tied together his hands behind his back. "You are now under the authority of King Caradoc of Kippernia. You sir, are now a prisoner."
"Lady knight!" Jester's mother called for her. She was on her knees beside her son. "He needs to get back to Kippernia immediately or else he is going to die."
"Are you coming with us?"
"No our life is here. His life is there. We are not apart of it." Atticus said.
"Sir, I am positive there is nothing Jester would love more than to have his family in Kippernia with him. Besides, there is nothing left here."
Atticus looked at his wife. She had her eyes narrowed to the ground. She was silent.
"We will talk about it. You both need to go, or he will never survive."
Dragon tenderly scooped Jester up in his claws. Jane tied the villains to Dragon's tail and then climbed atop his neck. Dragon lumbered out the large doorframe. He flapped his wings sending debris everywhere. His great body lifted off the ground. No one spoke as they flew back to Kippernia. Dragon did not want to stop, he did not want to have the possibility if Jester dying. They made it back the following morning. Dragon landed in the practice yard. Jane did not care if she woke the entire kingdom. Jester would be saved.
"Mother! Mother!" Adeline was the only healer in the castle. Adeline heard her daughters voice and ran out to the practice yard.
"Jane!" she rushed up and hugged her daughter.
"No time for that. You have to help him." Adeline looked down at Dragon's bloody claws, Jester lay limp inside.
"Dragon, can you take him to the sick chamber?" Her gaze fell upon Jane. "I will do all that I can." Jane solemnly nodded. If he did die, not even the wizard could bring him back.
Adeline had finally stopped the bleeding an hour after they had returned. She then sewed up the wound. He was getting colder and colder because of the freezing temperatures. His blood nearly froze. Adeline got a fire going, but his temperature did not change. His blood stopped freezing but that was it. She looked at Jester. His chest did not rise nor fall. Adeline felt for a pulse. She felt none. Laughter in the kingdom now ceased.