Author's Note: Yes. I told you I wrote three new chapters. Don't you feel lucky? Maybe I'll write another three today...who knows how long my creative flow of inspiration and non-writer's block will go on? Mygosh I need a coffee or something. My brain is fried. XP

But, hey. I just thought of something (last night- I'm not thinking much right now- ). After reading some marvellous fanfic of Protector of the Small/Beka Cooper/Jane and the Dragon last night, the thought occured to me that if you have questions, why not post them in your comments? And then I'll answer them in my author notes? It'll give me a reason to come on here practically every day. And then I'll write more. I don't know. What do you think?

Blah. I don't know when to be quiet and just let you read, do I? Do people even read my silly author notes? Ahaha. If you do, you just brightened my day. But, yeah. So this chapter is long. Including my beginning blabbing, it's probably over two thousand words now. So I shout shut up now, shouldn't I? Yeah. I'll go write more, or draw, or sleep. Sleeping sounds good...Bye!

Departure

They wanted to make their departure go as quickly and as smoothly as possible, without ceremony or talk. Jester rose at dawn, when it was still dark out, and he hastily packed his things into a leather bag. Clothes, lute, paper, ink, quills, shoes, walking stick...Jester mentally ticked off the personal things that he would be taking. He scrounged around his room for anything he felt he and Jane would find useful, taking a bit of this and that. He was glad that the rain had thinned and stopped overnight. Their journey would be made easier.

A knock on his door made him look up, and he opened it to see Jane standing in the torchlight. She was carrying a bundle of nondescript grey cloth, though there was a dull black thing and a belt as well.

"Here," she said, shoving it into his arms. "It's just a tunic and hose and such, as well as armor. Just a lightweight kind, though. More like strong padding for practice. You'll be glad of it once we start riding." Jester unfurled the bundle. The tunic and hose were plain but well sown, made of an obviously sturdy material. The armour, he noted with distaste, very much resembled the armour that Gunther wore, except with a dull black tinge to it, instead of reddish-brown.

"It's...well...Jane, I must say that..."

"Yes, yes. I know. It's plain, and the armour resembles Gunther's armour. But, it's standard light armour- all that Sir Ivon had to spare. It's quite comfortable for riding, though," Jane assured him quickly. Jester cast her a disbelieving look, eyebrows raised.

"You do remember that I am by no means a knight, don't you?"

"Oh, just put it on, you fool! Sir Ivon was generous." Jane said. Jester mock bowed in resignition.

"As you command, milady. Just...erm...wait there a moment. Please." He returned moments later, wearing the grey tunic and black hose, with the armor overtop. It was strange to see him without his hat and blue costume, which was the trademark of his profession. Instead, he simply carried the hat and the bundle of blue clothes, stuffing them into his sack. His blond hair shone in the torchlight.

"Ta-da!" He threw his hands in the air. Jane laughed, as he pretended to duel with an imaginary sword and ended up tripping himself.

"Come on, you," she said, "Let's go get our packs from Pepper. We won't get far without them, if you keep falling over your own feet like that!"

Pepper, of course, was already up and busy in the kitchens. She had risen before the moon had set, and had already packed them their rations. Hard biscuits, dried and preserved fruit, nuts and hard barley bread, oatcakes, a little pot of honey to sweeten a meal, water skeins filled to the brim, and all other manner of hardy journeyman food was packed into a large rucksack. There was also a purse of gold and silver coin given generously by the King, hidden in a secret pouch. They were to use it to pay for accommodations and fresh food whenever possible.

Everyone, it seemed, had given a parting gift of some sort. Smithy had thrown in an extra shortsword, as well as a tent in case they were stuck somewhere, and Rake had picked some healing herbs in case of illness. Sir Ivon gave advice to the two about what to do if an animal attacked and gave them flint and tinder, and Sir Theodore chose the horses for them.

The two horses were a wonderful pair. Jane's own horse, Cleaver, a large, powerfully built mount, and a sturdy mare bred by Sir Ivon would be their mounts. The mare was sweet tempered; yet she was fearless and hardy to the core. As Sir Theodore led the mare to Jester, he told him that her name was Valiant.

"She is a fighter," Sir Theodore said, "descended from the ancient mountain ponies that once thrived in this valley. Treat her courteously and she will take you far." Jester accepted the reins at a nod from the knightmaster, and gently began stroking the horse's nose.

"Well, hello there, old girl," he said softly. "Valiant, was it? I'm sure you are, both in name and spirit... though, uh... we are only just acquainted. Well, it is a pleasure. I am Jester." The mare butted her head against his chest, and Jester continued murmuring to her. Sir Theodore raised his eyebrows and smiled at Jester.

"Interesting way you have with animals, Jester, though I suppose you have not had to much experience with them?"

"In all honesty, Sir Theodore," Jester said, "I know only what I have learnt from Smithy- you know, the riding part and basic care. Not much, though, overall or anything, no." Jane laughed, and mounted up on Cleaver.

"Well, I shall teach you what you do not yet know. Are you ready to leave yet?" she asked.

"Yes, I-" He was cut off by the soft rustle of wings.

"Leave? And where, exactly, are you shortlives going, might I ask?" They looked up to see Dragon perched on the wall, regarding them imperiously. His great green head was cocked to one side.

"Dragon...erm...good morning...and...well, Jane? Would you care to explain?" Jester stammered. Dragon, over the past five years, though he had not grown much bigger, he was just as daunting to the castle staff as he had been before. With his long, whiplike tail, he could wreak havoc by simply walking.

"Explain what to me, Jane? Where are you and the jingly-boy going?" Dragon peered forwards.

"Well, Dragon, we are going on a...a journey."

"What d'you mean, a 'journey'?" Dragon asked.

"I mean, greenlips, a journey. As in, say, a quest. We are going somewhere on horseback to find something."

"What are you going to find?" Dragon asked again.

"Dragon...uh... it is a somewhat... sensitive thing," Jester said. "We are going to find...well, my family." Dragon shook his massive head.

"But that makes no sense!" He exclaimed. "Why go on horseback and spend a long amount of time looking for one of your shortlife homes to go knock on the door to? Why not go on dragonback?" Jane glanced at Jester, an exasperated expression on her face.

"Because, you overgrown newt, Jester's family are travelling players-"

"Gypsies, you know," Jester cut in. "As in, they don't have one of our "shortlife homes". They travel around. That is why we have to and search for them."

"But...I still don't get it. Why can't you go on dragonback? Why horses? They are so," he tossed a glance at Cleaver and Valiant, "so slow. With their little shortlife legs. It'll take you forever!" He tossed a clawed paw in the air in frustration.

"We have to go on horseback, Dragon, because Jester and I are too much of a burden for you to carry north and south of here. Two of us would be too heavy, now that we are older. It exerts you enough when you and I go on a long patrol." Jane said.

"So?" Dragon sounded miffed, his tone arrogant and snobbish.

"And besides," Jane said, "imagine if we come across villagers, or Jester's family, and all they see is a dragon descending upon them? They will be terrified! They will chase you out! Or, even, what if we come across a dragonslayer? We don't know if there are any left in the world, and we can't risk it. No. You need to stay here. For your own safety and ours. Besides, with my absence, we need you to stay on guard of the castle."

Dragon opened his mouth to argue, but Sir Theodore, who had been observing silently, held up a hand.

"Jane speaks the truth. Her logic has been approved by the King and myself. You are to stay here, Dragon. You are forbidden to follow them.

As well, this is, in a way, a test of Jane's ability as a knight. She will have to use every skill she has acquired- tracking, resourcefulness, management, strength, patience, and more. This is part of her training, as well as a way to help Jester. And so, Dragon, as it has been agreed, you are not to interfere with this training. Do I make myself clear?"

Dragon snorted and bared his teeth.

"You shortlives...all so centered around duty." Plumes of smoke escaped from his nostrils. He glanced from Jane to Jester to Sir Theodore and back again. "Fine!" He took to the air. "But if one thing happens to Jane- if she is scraped or bruised when she returns, first you, Sir Rustylegs, and then you, jingle-boy, will be charred to a crisp. Do I have your word, Jester, that you will keep her safe." Jester glanced at Jane, who rolled her eyes.

"Very well, Dragon," he said loudly, and then more quietly, as Dragon flew back to his cave, he muttured to Jane, "Though I think that it will be you who ends up doing most of the guarding."

She snorted, and with a final wave to Sir Theodore, the two cantered out of the gate.

"You've been awfully quiet, Jester," Jane said, as they slowed their horses to a trot. She moved up beside him, their horses' gaits matching perfectly. By late afternoon, they were half a league away from Kippernia Castle, and throughout the day Jester had remained silent. Birds had sung in trees, and they had passed a few farmers in fields, but he remained lost in thought. Jester looked up now, his eyes thoughtful and curiously intent.

"Oh..wh-? I'm sorry, Jane...I was just thinking...you know...silly things. But, tell me... why do you think that the King accepted my request? I mean, I would never have dreamt that this could actually happen, you know? I always wished that it would, but it never did. But now, here we are! We are already far away from Kippernia, riding off in search of gypsies, no less..." he shook his head. "It just seems like... a dream. Like something that would happen in a ballad." Jane smiled at him, and he felt his heart perform a cartwheel.

"Jester...I think that the only reason that you are so shocked about it is because you never let yourself think that it could actually happen. I mean, why wouldn't the King grant something for you? He always asks you to do things, but you almost never ask him of anything." Jester shrugged. There was some truth in what she said. "And, besides...did you even ask before now?" Jane asked, her green eyes making him blush as they stared at him so quizzically.

"Well...err...no...I suppose I didn't...I didn't ask, that is." Jane smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"Jester, you make me laugh. For a performer, sometimes you are so timid...maybe next time you should just speak your mind!" Jester felt his blood freeze over. Too timid?

Jane laughed at the expression on his face, and nudged Cleaver into a faster gait. "Come on, I'll race you to that mill, there!" She hollered over her shoulder. Jester half-heartedly spurred Valiant into a canter, his mind and heart elsewhere, as he let Jane win.