Chapter IX

Jester wasn't enjoying his evening.

He had been looking forward to the Ball for most of the month leading up to it. But now that he was actually here, he was not enjoying himself in the slightest.

Not that he allowed anyone to see this of course. He was the Court Jester, he was meant to be all smiles all of the time and it wouldn't do for him to be seen frowning at such a festive occasion.

So behind his forced smile, cheerful voice and usual bouncy jester antics, he twisted with worry and angst.

It didn't help that every time he saw Jane she was with some other boy, one of her own rank and whom had her mother's smile of approval.

His gut twisted with jealousy but when he saw how unhappy she was, being force to talk with and sometimes dance – which was awkward with her injured arm in a sling. He saw a few miserable maggots hurt her while they danced and wouldn't give her so much as an apology for doing so – causing his jealousy to cool at the sight of her unhappiness and simply made his heart ache for her all the more.

Though, he couldn't help but feel his jealousy raising its head once more when the next time he looked for her while he was juggling for the amusement of some of the younger children, he saw her sitting off to the side of the Great Hall next to Gunther.

He knew it was silly to be jealous of Gunther. He knew well enough now that while the relationship between the two squires was a complicated one, it was one that would never lead to romance.

They were friends, comrades-in-arms and all those knightly things. Gunther shared things with Jane that Jester never would. Much in the same way that Jester shared many things with Jane that Gunther never would.

He had simply learnt to accept that, but it still made him feel a little sick when he saw them together. The familiarity that they shared with each other, the way Jane was comfortable with Gunther in the way that she hadn't been with any of the other boys she had spoken with during the night.

Though in saying that, whatever the two were talking about, and it was clear to Jester even from the distance he was from them, had Jane visibly upset over whatever it was Gunther had said.

He wondered what they were talking about to get her so upset. Jane usually tried to keep her wild emotions under control during royal functions, not liking to appear weak or girlie until she was by herself.

He wondered if one of the noble girls (or boys) had insulted her. It wouldn't have been the first time, and Gunther, in his own way, was trying to comfort her… only to insult her further.

It wouldn't be first time that that had happened.

After a time he was relieved of his duty of entertaining the noble youngster by another juggler – The King, along with having Jester perform, had ordered a number of different types of entertainment to keep his guest amused, something Jester was secretly grateful for as he was already quite tired and was truthfully ready for bed – and went off to meet with his friends.

He was half tempted to go and see Jane but as he knew he was already in her mother's bad books he didn't wish to push his luck. Also he had a feeling that Jane was upset with him, if how she was acting in the Royal Nursery was anything to go by.

But even with all that in mind, his eyes still searched for her and quickly found her, still sitting with Gunther at one side of the Hall, away from most of the festivities, arguing still.

He slowed his hurried walk to a complete stop and stared.

Something was wrong with Jane.

One moment she had been arguing with Gunther, the next she was hunched forward on the wooden bench that they were both sitting on, seeming to be hugging her injured arm close to her body while Gunther dropped hurriedly to his knees beside her, his eyes filled with concern.

Without a thought regarding the possible consequences of his actions, Jester was hurrying towards them; ignoring cries of annoyance as he bumped pass courtiers standing around chatting.

"What's going on? Jane?" The words were rolling out of his mouth the moment he was beside them. Gunther looked up at him and Jester was a little startled to see relief crossing the other boy's face.

"Jester." His name came out more of a sob and without a word passing between them, Gunther moved out of the way so that Jester was now the one crouching by Jane's side, her good arm wrapping around his neck.

She was shaking and felt terribly warm as she pressed her face against his neck. He stroked her back and whispered reassuring nonsense into her ear.

"We need to get her to the Court Physician." Jester looked up at Gunther who was subtly nodding his head at the courtiers standing nearby, who were watching them with disapproving looks, "she says her arm…"

Jester simply nodded and together they carefully coaxed Jane to her feet, her swaying dangerously between them. Jester grew all the more worried about her when he heard just how ragged her breathing was becoming.

"Jane? Jane, listen to me," Jester said urgently, as he tried to calm her ragged breathing, "You need to calm your breathing down. Do you hear me? You need to calm down."

He felt her legs give out on her but before she could fall he caught her and swung her up into his arms. Gunther raised his eyebrows at this but Jester ignored him and carried Jane towards the Court Physician chambers.

He jumped when he heard Dragon roaring from above them. It was not his usual roar of laughter but rather a roar that sounded quite nasty.

"Dragon?" He heard Jane mumbled. She struggled against his arms, trying to break his hold on her, desperate he knew she was to attend to Dragon's cries.

"Dragon."

"Hush, it's alright, Jane." He whispered while looking desperately toward Dragon, trying to beg with his eyes for the over-size flying newt to shut up as his furious cries were distressing Jane.

"We're taking you to the Court Physician." He said it loud enough so that Dragon could hear his words too.

"Jester," She mumbled, "Dragon." He looked down at her, seeing her face screwing up in pain as she curled herself more closely to his side.

"Physician." He yelled once he reached the Court Physicians chambers and had kicked the door open.

"Too much to drink huh?" Jester felt his face immediately become a scowl as the Court Physician came into view, carrying tankard of ale in one hand.

"Easy boy," the Court Physician said upon seeing his face, "I was jesting… which I might add is your job to recognise." Jester scowled once more and the Court Physician threw up his hands, "Lay her on the bed here and I'll check that arm of hers." Jester followed the gesture the Court Physician made towards a bed at one side of his chambers.

He gently lowered her down upon the soft bed. She grabbed blindly at him, her small hand hot and desperate. Jester took hold of her hand searching hand and held it tightly in his own.

Outside, Jester could hear Dragon rumbling deep in his throat.

"Can someone shut him up?" The physician asked as he came to sit down on a stool by Jane's bed. "It's hard to work with all the noise he's making."

Jester fought back a small smile when he heard Dragon let out a loud indignant snort outside, but his smile quickly fell when he heard Jane give out a small cry of pain when the physician started to unwrap her arm of the bandages that Jester swore had not been so darkly stained before as they currently were now.

Jane's face was screwed up in agony and she struggled against the pain.

"Easy, girl." The physician said before he looked up at Jester, "Boy, hold her still while I check on this arm."

Jester watched her as she bit down upon her lower lip as the bandages on her arm was gently undone by the physician, watching as tears escaped from beneath her eyelids from the pain.

"Oh," Jester looked away from Jane's face and to her arm and felt immediately sick. He heard from where he was standing nearby, Gunther swearing colourfully.

"Aren't you the one who changes these?" Jester snapped angrily at the Physician. The Physician sent him a very stern look.

"Yes, every day. And this morning this arm looked nothing like that." The physician snapped as he pointed to Jane's arm.

Jester looked back at her arm and swallowed thickly.

An evil looking wound cut its way across her lower arm; dark, almost black, veins spread out from the seeping cut and up Jane's arm. Her whole lower arm and hand had taken on a grey-ish tinge in colour. What could do something like this?

"Boy," Jester was dragged out of his horror by the Physician's authoritative voice, "don't care which one of you, though I think it's going to be you," He gestured at Gunther, "go and grab the girl's parents." Jester's heart gave an uneasy thud as Gunther started moving for the door out of the chamber.

"And see if you can't shut up that great beast while you're at it!" The Physician bellowed after Gunther's running footsteps.

"What is it?" Jester whispered, his eyes transfixed on Jane's pale and sweating face.

"I don't know," The physician admitted with a sigh, "never have I seen anything like this."

Jester looked desperately up from Jane's face to the Physician's face. He was hiding something; Jester could feel it in his bones. He just knew it.

"But you do have some idea?" The Court Physician looked at him sharply.

"What are you getting at boy?" Jester gave him a look. It was obvious now that the physician knew more than he was admitting.

Staring straight into the Physician's eyes, Jester willed for him to admit all that he knew. It worked better than he expected.

The Physician looked at away from him quickly, heaving a heavy sigh as he did so.

"Sorcery maybe," The physician gave an unhappy shrug of his shoulders, "but when and where has this child been in association with sorcery?" He jabbed a finger in the direction of Jane's arm, "Sorcery of this level of evil?"

Jester's mind immediately started playing back all that he remembered Jane telling him about her life over the last couple of weeks.

"The wizard?" He muttered, before shaking his head, doubtful that the old man would do something like this to Jane. From what Jane had told him about the old wizard, he seemed to like her.

The Court Physician seemed to be of the same mind set as him.

"Doubtful. Though he might have some idea how to cure this because this is far beyond my knowledge."

"If I went and grabbed him…" Jester started but the Court Physician only laughed.

"If she lets go of your hand, that is." He chuckled and Jester looked down at the hand Jane held tightly in her own.

He smiled down at her. He had to do something, anything. He had to…

"JANE?"

Oh, no… Jester thought before immediately chiding himself for thinking that as Jane's horrified mother came rushing into the court physician's chambers, closely followed by Jane's father both looking equally fearful and worried for their child.

"What is wrong with her?" asked Jane's ever sensible father to the Court Physician while Lady Adeline moved to the other side of bed – taking absolutely no heed of his presence, but he guessed that was a good thing. The longer she took no notice of him the longer he could stay by Jane's side was his reasoning – and gently caressed her daughter's face.

"She's burning." Lady Adeline said to both her husband and the physician, her light grey eyes were wide with obvious distress.

And you haven't even seen her arm yet, Jester thought looking at Jane's wounded arm that Lady Adeline was currently leaning over to feel her daughter's forehead.

"I know," the Court Physician said, "I don't know what is wrong with her," Jester raised an eyebrow at him causing the physician to shoot him a look before adding with a small huff," but I think it is the work of sorcery."

"Sorcery?" Lady Adeline looked to be almost faint as she whispered the word.

"Yes, see her arm." Now Lady Adeline looked as if she really was going to faint, but the Court Physician continued on nonetheless, "I've seen nothing like it in all my years…"

"But you can cure it."

"I'm not…"

At this Jester knew he had to do something, anything. Jane was looking worse than ever, her grip on his hand was weakening to the point where it was him holding her hand, her grip having grown too weak to hold on to him. With ease he slipped his hand from her grasp.

"No…" her whisper was heartbreaking and he could see she was fighting to open her eyes.

He bent down next to her, close to her head, not caring if her parents and the Court Physician saw or not and whispered, "I'll be back. I promise, Jane, I'll be back."

He could see that she was fighting to stay awake, to say something only she couldn't. What fiery strength she had always possessed was all but gone. And he had to find a way to give it back to her.

If this was the cause of sorcery, then he would find someone with sorcery to make it stop!

He all but ran from the Physician chambers, sprinting in the direction of the old Wizard's tower.

He had to help. He just had to…