Lesson Three: Have Fun While You Can
Clopin followed Chantal as they walked through the Court, helping to prepare for the Feast of Fools. Chantal was smiling and laughing, as if she hadn't lost yet another child, often attempting to do the graceful flips and leaps of the other girls, but falling. "Come, Clopin, show you're decrepit sister how to do this!" she called and Clopin hesitated.
She laughed and grabbed him, pulling him over. She grabbed a tambourine and gave a rhythm to follow. He grinned and quickly got into the spirit of it, doing back flips as easily as those who had done them for years. They applauded and a few threw a few flowers to him. He gave over-exaggerated bows in response, smiling brightly when a hat clouded his vision.
He pulled it off and glared at Jerome, who was grinning at him before he looked around. "Ah, my lovely Chantal," he greeted.
Chantal let out a surprised laugh as Jerome grabbed her around the waist and quickly dipped her, giving her a kiss. Clopin made a face and looked away, using Jerome's hat to help cover his face. Jerome laughed and rescued his hat, placing it back on his own head. "You will not feel the same when you have a lady," Jerome answered and he made another face. Jerome laughed and ruffled up his hair before he gave Chantal a kiss on the forehead.
"Jerome, if you're finished flirting with my daughter, you're needed at Notre Dame," their father called.
"Yes, Carvell," Jerome answered and quickly took off. Chantal sighed and turned to their father.
"We need some of the banners fixed," their father stated and Chantal nodded.
"Come Clopin. And this time, you can't escape to Paris," she answered and Clopin sighed, though followed obediently after Chantal. Two of the dogs were reviewing their performance for their handlers and Clopin paused to watch until Chantal came back and carefully hauled him after her.
"Why are you so intent on teaching me how to sew?" Clopin asked.
"You'll see," she answered and they sat in a clear area. She looked thoughtful and then unfurled the banner. Clopin let out a yelp as it settled over his head and pulled out from under it, glowering at her. She merely smiled innocently and then began to teach him how to sew. Once he got the idea of pulling the thread through the eye of the needle, tying it off properly, and small stitches, it was…soothing.
He was also enjoying the time he spent with Chantal, though she had to keep reminding him to keep his stitches small, as well to make sure they didn't get tangled. It wasn't extravagant, but it was simple and soon the banner was fixed between them. As they finished off, they handed the banners off to one of their own, who was already dressed in his Feast of Fools regalia. "Ah, Father, we can barely recognize you," she answered cheerfully and Clopin gaped at the masked man.
"With all the guard problems we've been having lately, I decided it was best if I lead it off this year," he answered, his mask following his facial movements. Clopin leaned up, fascinated and Chantal smiled brightly.
"Papa…how did you do that?" Clopin asked and Carvell smiled at his son.
"Some sewing and a few tricks. I have to hurry though. Jerome, take these to Notre Dame and get them hung up. I'll be along. Where is Aurelia?" he answered before he turned, already heading off into the business that was preparation for the Feast of Fools.
Clopin turned to Chantal. "How can I learn to do that?" he asked and Chantal grinned.
She then knelt down and beckoned for him to come closer. He inched forward, eager, and she answered, "By learning how to sew."
Clopin groaned and Chantal laughed. Clopin then grinned and raised an eyebrow at her. She nodded and let him brace himself on her shoulders so he could do a backflip over her. She stood up with a twist and soon the pair were laughing again. Those that had nothing to do, for the moment, helped the pair learn more tricks, though Chantal's handstands were shaky at best, complete failures at worst.
Clopin, on the other hand, was excelling as he did various flips, hand stands, and used other people to propel him higher.
Eventually, however, everyone was gone, beyond a few left behind, in case something went wrong or someone needed aid.
The Court was never truly empty unless something horrible happened.
They had settled just in the doorway of their home. While Chantal focused on doing repairs to clothes, Clopin carefully worked on sewing something. He kept hiding it from Chantal and he, eventually, smiled as he pulled the, crudely made, puppet on his hand. He had to curve his hand slightly so it fit and the left eye was smaller than the right, but it fit, in a way.
He then turned and half threw himself on Chantal, who laughed a bit. "Hello!" he greeted in a high-pitched voice, holding the puppet up.
Before she had a chance to respond, the Court flooded rapidly. Chantal carefully sat up, gently placing Clopin to the side. He turned and stilled. Their people were injured. Chantal rushed to help and Clopin placed his, first, hand puppet on the steps before joining Chantal in helping them. Jerome stepped up to her side and she turned to him. "What happened?" she asked while Clopin helped one of their midwives sit down.
"It went badly after crowning the King of Fools. We were making our exits when…well, let's say that the guards were waiting," Jerome answered.
Soon, they were a flurry of activity. It was only after everything was said and done did Clopin manage to find their father. He was the only uninjured one and he was looking angry. "Father?" Clopin called and let out a startled sound as the large man yanked him into a hug.
Clopin didn't say anything.
He didn't think words would help.
It was Jerome who told them why their father had become practically catatonic.
He had not been there. At first, Clopin had not understood. He had always been told that he and Chantal had to escape as quickly as they could after the crowning, because that meant the Feast of Fools had, practically, come to the end. It also meant that any charitable feelings the guards had towards them at this time would end just as quickly. "He's blaming himself, isn't he?" Chantal stated as she showed Clopin how to measure his next puppet.
"Essentially," her husband answered and Chantal muttered a few choice words that Clopin knew he was never allowed to repeat.
Jerome raised an eyebrow. "This has happened before?" he asked.
Chantal hesitated, carefully correcting where Clopin was about to stitch as she turned to her own mending, though she threw one of Jerome's shirts at him. "If you're going to gossip with us, you need to do work," she retorted.
Jerome smiled before he began to mend his shirt. "This is another reason you need to learn. If your future wife is anything like your sister, she'll happily make you do your own work," he stated and Chantal kicked out at Jerome.
He smiled and Clopin made a face before he focused on his puppet. "So, this has happened before?" Jerome reminded.
Chantal sighed. "Before mother died, yes. She got him out of it," she answered.
Clopin focused entirely on this conversation, not paying attention as his stitching slowed down. Jerome was quiet and Chantal gave a sigh. "She made a fool of herself. She was an acrobat before she married father. Couldn't hold a note, or make a step without messing it up, but she could put to shame anyone here. Papa swept her off her feet in a whirlwind romance. So, she employed everything she knew for him, until he laughed. However, those days are long gone," she answered and Clopin yelped as he stabbed himself in the finger with the needle.
He pulled his hand back and waved it. "Clopin, you sewed the puppet's arm shut," she stated.
Clopin groaned and smacked his head against the wall while Chantal chuckled a little before she showed him how to, carefully, undo the stitching. It made some holes in the fabric, but it was salvageable. "Pay attention to your stitches before conversations," she scolded and Clopin's face flushed in embarrassment.
Chantal sighed and finished off a shirt. "You don't think either you or Clopin could cheer him up?" Jerome asked.
Chantal shrugged. "Nothing I've ever done has," she answered.
Clopin focused on his stitching, even as his mind turned.
Carvell looked up when he heard some movement and raised an eyebrow at his son, who was struggling to pull something onto his left hand. He watched as Clopin looked around and then hid, sort-of behind a piece of furniture within their home. He then held up the two puppets, one a green-eyed, slightly deformed, hand puppet wearing green with poorly stitched on 'hair'. The other wore a hat and was obviously based loosely of Carvell himself.
He sat back and watched as Clopin began to act out a story. It was a rather odd story, about a King who had lost his kingdom and had to go to the King of the Mountain who lived in it. Carvell smiled a bit at his son's blatant attempt to cheer him up, but the story….the story was very good.
Clopin's natural love of being in the limelight and showing off, was showing through. He was also…very good with telling a story. Carvell watched the story unfold and smiled.
He would have to talk to their carter about making Clopin a puppet show cart and, when the story was finished, he applauded. Clopin popped up with a grin and Carvell stood, patting his head. "Very good, Clopin," he praised.
He had never seen his son smile so brightly.
Chantal looked around and nodded a bit as she saw no one was around. With a smile, she began to do a series of flips, back flips, and quick handstands before she landed on her feet, surprised when she heard applause. She turned around and sighed when she saw Jerome walking over to her. "Why do you not show everyone what you can do?" Jerome asked and Chantal looked towards where Clopin was bouncing excitedly next to their father.
"I had more important things to do," she answered simply.
Jerome carefully wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She immediately relaxed against him and her arms resting over his arms, fingers tucking into his palm.
He smiled warmly at the small act of affection and carefully curled his hand around her fingers, pressing another kiss to her cheek.
She twisted her head and kissed him back, and he smiled, just absorbing being with his wife, enjoying the quiet happiness they had in this moment.
There would be time for worry later.