The Feather Retrieved
"What's wrong, young man?" Sir Bartleby asked Jester.
"I know I'm not the one Jane loves anymore," Jester said to the former silent knight. "but, there is still a part of me that still loves Jane with all my heart."
"Don't worry," Matilda said to Jester, fluffing Jane's pillows. "you'll find another girl who loves you someday, maybe even one right before your very eyes."
Just at that moment, Jester began to have a memory.
Within his memory, Jester was still upon Dragon's back.
"Oh, why?" Jester asked, more to himself than to Dragon.
"Jane is becoming a woman now, Jingler," Dragon told Jester. "she is seeing Gunther not as a rival... but as a suitable... you might not like hearing this... but... boyfriend."
A few minutes later after freeing herself from Gunther's hug, Jane sat at the table in the yard with Jester, Pepper, Rake, and Smithy eating supper with them.
Tonight, Pepper served the new dish she had made for those who were eating in the royal dining room, beef stew, they also had their usual freshly baked bread & butter.
"Jester?" Jane asked.
Jester turned away from Jane, "HMPH!" he snorted furiously.
"What is all of this about, Jester?" Smithy asked in a curious manner.
"I SAW JANE HUGGING GUNTHER, HER BOYFRIEND, SMITHY!" Jester answered furiously.
"Gunther is not my boyfriend, Jester!" Jane said coolly.
"Dragon & I saw what we saw!" Jester protested.
Jane heard Gunther coughing while trying to call for her.
"Oh bog off, Jester," Jane said. "I have to go say good night to my fellow knight apprentice, if you would pardon me."
Jester came out of his memory.
"You're quite right, Duchess Matilda." Jester sighed hopefully as Jane began to dream.
Within her dream this time, Jester was still upon Dragon's back.
"Oh, why?" Jester asked, more to himself than to Dragon.
"Jane is becoming a woman now, Jingler," Dragon told Jester. "she is seeing Gunther not as a rival... but as a suitable... you might not like hearing this... but... boyfriend."
A few minutes later after freeing herself from Gunther's hug, Jane sat at the table in the yard with Jester, Pepper, Rake, and Smithy eating supper with them.
Tonight, Pepper served the new dish she had made for those who were eating in the royal dining room, beef stew, they also had their usual freshly baked bread & butter.
"Jester?" Jane asked.
Jester turned away from Jane, "HMPH!" he snorted furiously.
"What is all of this about, Jester?" Smithy asked in a curious manner.
"I SAW JANE HUGGING GUNTHER, HER BOYFRIEND, SMITHY!" Jester answered furiously.
"Gunther is not my boyfriend, Jester!" Jane said coolly.
"Dragon & I saw what we saw!" Jester protested.
Jane heard Gunther coughing while trying to call for her.
"Oh bog off, Jester," Jane said. "I have to go say good night to my fellow knight apprentice, if you would pardon me."
While in her tower checking up on Gunther, Jane had a flashback to that morning's sparring session with him.
Within her memory, Jester, Smithy, Pepper, and Rake passed by Jane & Gunther mwho were sparring & talking about Jane's upcoming birthday at that moment.
"What would you like for your birthday, my Lady Knight?" Gunther asked in a soothing voice, the sort of voice that made Jester want to vomit.
Jane came out of her memory and she began to sob uncontrollably.
"Now I know what I want for my birthday, Gunther, I want you! I want to see you well again... because... I love you, Gunther Breech!" Jane screamed her confession while sobbing.
Suddenly, the door to Jane's tower swung open and King Caradoc entered with a message for Jane after saying good night to his own son.
"Sir Theodore wants to see you in his bedchamber, Jane." the king said.
"Thank you, my king." Jane said kindly.
"And Jane, don't worry about looking after Gunther," King Caradoc said generously. "I shall take over for you tonight."
A few moments later, Jane was walking up the winding and creaking spiral staircase to Sir Theodore's bedchamber.
When she arrived at her mentor's bedchamber door, Jane knocked her usual four times because that was how Sir Theodore knew it was her.
"You may enter, Jane." Sir Theodore called.
Jane entered Sir Theodore's bedchamber carefully, she didn't want to stumble onto any new mysteries right now.
"You wanted to see me, Sir Theodore?" Jane asked the 67-year-old knight.
"Yes I did, Jane." Sir Theodore answered.
"Why, Sir?" Jane asked.
Sir Theodore sighed, "You and another will be flying on Dragon's back on a quest to retrive some Moonlight Lotus blossoms."
"Who, Sir?" Jane asked out of curiosity.
Princess Lavinia poked her head into Sir Theodore's bedroom, she was careful not to wake Smithy who slept in the hammock near Sir Theodore's bedchamber because he was an extremely light sleeper.
"I am all ready to go with you on Dragon's back, Jane." the princess said.
"The princess is to come with me," Jane exclaimed. "but Sir Theodore... Mother will not like me taking her along with me!"
"Take it easy, Jane, after all," Sir Theodore said calmly. "King Caradoc & Queen Gwendolyn have given Princess Lavinia their full permission to travel with you."
Jane sighed, knowing she had been defeated, "Yes, Sir Theodore."
"Can we go now, Jane?" Princess Lavinia asked excitedly.
"Not just yet, Princess," Jane answered. "first, we need to know where to find Moonlight Lotuses so that Dragon will be able to take us there."
"But don't you know where to find them?" the curious princess asked Jane.
"Even if I don't," Jane answered Princess Lavinia. "I know somebody who does."
"Rake!" Princess Lavinia exclaimed.
"That's right," Jane told the princess. "though, let us not wake Smithy."
"Right." Princess Lavinia whispered.
The princess & Jane crept quietly outside to a hammock nearest the castle kitchen.
Rake, like Jester & Gunther was a heavy sleeper but like Smithy, the only sound he made in his sleep was his light breathing.
"Rake," Jane whispered, shaking the deeply sleeping gardener. "Rake."
Rake only sighed, he didn't stir.
"Allow me to try, Jane." Princess Lavinia whispered.
"Be my guest, Princess." Jane said.
Princess Lavinia began to tickle Rake, his eyes popping open, and himself chuckling like crazy.
"Okay, okay, Princess, that's enough! That's enough!" Rake chuckled.
The princess halted tickling the gardener and skipped back to Jane's side.
"Rake," Jane said urgently. "we desperately need your help."
Rake sat up and dangled his feet to the right hand side of his hammock, "With what?" he asked Jane curiously.
"Where is it that we may find Moonlight Lotus blossoms?" Princess Lavinia asked Rake before Jane even got the chance to ask.
Rake scratched his head within deep thought.
"Moonlight Lotuses grow on the high mountaintops, upon the closest side, they love the moonlight," Rake informed Jane & the princess with an exhausted sounding yawn. "why do you ask?"
"We need them, Rake," Jane informed the gardener honestly. "to brew up a tea that can cure Gunther of his Deathly Sleep."
Rake was now in a state of pure shock, "Oh dear, must you go? Is there no other way?" he asked the girls.
Princess Lavinia gave Rake a reassuring hug, "Yes, it is the only way for Gunther to get better." she said.
Rake was even more in shock, "You want to save Gunther's life?" he asked Jane.
"It is more like we have to, Rake." Jane countered, she and the princess running off toward Dragon's cave in the dead of night.
"Go west young knight and princess." Rake yawned, finally going back to sleep.
Back in Jane's tower, King Caradoc awoke to hear the delirious Squire Gunther singing to Jane, his fever was at its peak.
Gunther: Alas my love you do me wrong;
To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you so long;
Delighting in your company;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly;
I have been ready at your hand;
To grant whatever you would crave;
I have both wagered life and land;
Your love and good-will for to have;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly;
Well I will pray to God on high;
That thou my constancy mayst see;
And that yet once before I die;
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly.
"The poor lad." King Caradoc sighed sadly.
Back with Jane and Princess Lavinia, they were running to Dragon's cave in the pouring rain.
The princess had a burning question for the female knight.
"Jane?" Princess Lavinia asked.
"Yes, Princess?" Jane answered.
"Do you promise to keep a secret?" Princess Lavinia asked Jane.
The knight thought about the question for a moment.
"Yes, Princess," Jane answered. "I do promise to keep a secret, whatever it may be."
"I like... as in like like Jester." Princess Lavinia told Jane.
"That is wonderful news, Princess Lavinia," Jane exclaimed. "now, do you promise to keep a secret?"
The princess thought about the question for a moment.
"Yes, Jane," Princess Lavinia answered. "I do promise to keep a secret, whatever it may be."
"I like... as in like like Gunther." Jane told Princess Lavinia.
"That is equally wonderful news, Jane!" Princess Lavinia exclaimed.
The twosome finally made it to Dragon's cave, fully aware that they could still trust in one another.
"Dragon," Jane called out curiously. "are you in here?"
Back in Jane's guest bedroom, King Roland, Sir Ivon, Gunther, and Sofia stopped in, Gunther had the Firetipped Phoenix feather held within his left hand.
"We have it, Aunt Tilly & Uncle Bartleby," Sofia shouted. "we have the feather for Jane!"
Gunther held the Firetipped Phoenix feather over Jane's forehead and he began to sing.
Gunther: Alas my love you do me wrong;
To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you so long;
Delighting in your company;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly;
I have been ready at your hand;
To grant whatever you would crave;
I have both wagered life and land;
Your love and good-will for to have;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly;
Well I will pray to God on high;
That thou my constancy mayst see;
And that yet once before I die;
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me;
Jane you are all my joy;
Jane you are my delight;
Jane you are my heart of gold;
And you who I love so dearly.
Jane slowly opened her eyes.
"Gunther, what," Jane asked, she was confused. "where am I?"