A/N: Happy Birthday, Nerdi! :)

Chapter 5: Just Jesting

Eight more years had passed in Exchancia, and there was an unspoken uneasiness to the kingdom now. No one could quite pinpoint it, but lately, strange things had been happening in the kingdom that no one could explain. Also, for some reason, there had been more deaths in the past few years than there had in the last few decades before, which was worrisome, to say the least. Medical experts had tried to check the factors that could have led to such a thing, but without a baseline, it was nearly impossible.

"Edgar passed away last night," Moses informed Roseanna early one morning as she sat up in their bed, and he caught her eye as she frowned in mild confusion (probably due to her sleepy state, he noted). "Our court jester."

"Oh, right… I don't think I'd ever heard you call him by his first name. I just knew him as 'Mr. Knight.' Oh, Moses, I'm so sorry." She reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "I remember you telling me how kind he was to you as a child. How did he die?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "My physician said it was due to a heart-related incident. He was old, so it could have just been age." He smiled a bit, chuckling softly. "I remember when I was a boy, and he would come find me every Saturday morning to introduce his latest routine for my mother. She treated him like a family member, which was a testament to how strong and graceful she was as a queen. I just wish to be half the ruler she used to be."

His wife smiled softly. "You are, Moses. I promise you."

"Thanks, Roseanna… Anyway, Edgar was a good role model for me and my sister. He taught us to be humble, ask for help when we needed it, and project the energy we would want when greeting others. He was just a good man." He shook his head, closing his eyes. "I've sent for a new court jester, who should be coming in today. I've heard he's good, and he's actually rather respected in the community, so I'm excited to get to know him."

"What an interesting life this whole 'living in a castle with jesters and servants' thing has proven to be… I'm still getting used to it, even all these years later." She leaned forward, kissing him softly on the lips. "Are you all right to handle that today?"

He nodded, tangling his fingers in her hair. "I am. Thank you for looking out for me."

She hummed thoughtfully. "Always, Moses."

"Are you ever not reading something?" Ember taunted Sariya as the younger princess looked up from her spot on her throne. Indeed, she had a book in her hands, which made the blonde girl roll her eyes. "Give me that." She snatched the book from her, frowning as she turned it over before looking at the title. "A Better Tomorrow: A Life Lesson from Magic Wielder Raize Wolf. Ugh, you actually believe things some 'magic wielder' says? And sadly, dear stepsister…"

Sariya's brows dipped lower, her jaw set. Ember would often call her 'stepsister' to either isolate her or get on her nerves. Nothing had changed between them over the years, sadly. As much as she wanted to form some kind of relationship with her, it had just never happened. Ember was impossible to get to know if she wasn't interested.

"Life is this miserable existence into which we were all born. It doesn't get better. You just get used to disappointment." She passed the book back to Sariya and turned a bit as her twin walked up to them. She easily slid her arm through his, smiling knowingly at him while giving him a meaningful stare. "Isn't that right, Jaime?"

He shrugged loosely, sighing. "Whatever you say, Ember." That was his go-to now. He'd stopped listening to her rants for the most part, since they were all the same. And he'd helped her when asked. He was, perhaps, the most important connection in her small circle. Jaime might not have been overly scholarly, brave, or powerful, but he was eager to please.

Knowing that, she threaded her fingers through his, gently brushing the sensitive skin along his first knuckle and nailbeds, smiling when she felt him shiver ever so slightly.

Sariya noticed this and lifted her book, trying to block out the image of Ember completely manipulating and molding Jaime once again. Living with Ember these last several years had been terrible, and the younger princess had a bad case of anxiety to show for it. She was constantly fretting over the little things, and she went out of her way to avoid the older girl. Just her name would sometimes make her anxious. Now, Jaime was a different story. She liked Jaime a lot. They were still secret friends, though they rarely got a chance to visit each other or even talk. It was probably because Ember practically controlled every aspect of his life—his schedule, his connections, and everything. How no one else had ever noticed was beyond her, but she was ready and willing to remove herself from this situation so as to avoid ever getting caught in the crossfires of anything again. It was just too much now…

"Jaime, I need your help with something. Let's leave our stepsister to her little book."

Sariya looked up and caught the apologetic expression on Jaime's face as he was, once again, dragged away by his sister. After a few moments, she released a deep breath she didn't know she'd been holding and returned to her novel, attempting to immerse herself in a world far different from her own: a world that enveloped magic and mystery and wasn't so dark and disparaging…

A few hours later, the blended family was joined in the throne room, each on their own thrones, when a few guards walked in, leading someone behind them.

"Your majesty, your new jester has arrived," the guard informed his king, bowing respectfully, along with the others.

"Oh, wonderful! Thank you, and you're dismissed." As the guards left, Moses stepped down from his seat to approach the other man, who was still bowing respectfully. "Are you Seamus?"

The willowy man stood upright, a smile on his tired features. "I am, Sire. It's nice to finally meet you." Seamus was somewhat pale and thin, though he wasn't as tall as Moses. He appeared to be in his thirties, though it was hard to tell. His features were also creased a bit more, evidence of weariness in his real-world livelihood, more than likely. His nose was a bit longer than average, but it looked natural for him. His dark hair just brushed the collar of his deep plum long-sleeved shirt, which billowed and practically swallowed his small frame. The shirt was tucked into some fitted black pants, and his black shoes curled ever so slightly to a point. Honest brown eyes peered at his surroundings, catching sight of several people before him—one in particular. Seamus couldn't help smiling at Sariya, who blushed a bit and quickly turned away, though it was clear that there was a tiny smile on her lips as well.

"Tell us a bit about yourself. Come, sit!" Moses guided Seamus toward the steps to the throne platform, and he even sat down with him, giving the other man his full attention.

Seamus told his story, most of the others listening attentively as he did. He was more animated than they initially believed, and he appeared to be a natural entertainer and storyteller. He was from a foreign noble family, born to father Absolom and mother Marjorie. When Ember snidely asked him why he'd become a lowly jester when he'd been born a noble, he informed her and the others that he'd had a falling out with Absolom over trivial matters, which in turn led to him being written out of his father's will and banished from his own family. His mother still wrote to him in private, but he could never respond to her, for fear of his father discovering the communication. To protect her, he kept silent on his front.

Now, he lived his life as a commoner, but he was far happier as a result. Being a jester might not have been in the cards for him when he was younger, but he'd found enjoyment in serving others and giving them happiness, even for a limited amount of time.

"That's truly noble," Moses informed the man, clapping a hand over his shoulder. "I welcome you here, Seamus. I'm told you knew Edgar, our former jester."

"I did, Your Majesty. He was a great man. I'm honored to take his position, and I assure you that I will uphold his legacy."

"What 'legacy?'" the blonde princess asked with a roll of her eyes. "You're a jester, not a king. Even bakers have a bigger legacy than you will. At least they can feed you."

"I can feed the soul, Princess Ember," Seamus responded with a warm smile. "With humor, with laughter… Or at the very least, I'll try."

Sariya's eyes sparkled at the jester's response, and her attention was fully turned to him now. To her, he was so interesting. He wasn't like the royals around her. He was now a commoner, just like she'd once been, which was intriguing. He spoke like a poet with a deep secret and sense of self-worth, and he wasn't deterred by Ember's sarcastic or harsh criticism. He was…amazing. Right then and there, she vowed to herself that she would learn more about him.

A few nights later, after everyone was turning in for the evening, Sariya managed to sneak back downstairs and catch Seamus before he could retire to his room. They hadn't spoken to each other privately, so she figured now was a good time since he'd had at least a few days to get used to the castle and the inhabitants.

"Seamus?"

Seamus turned, blinking down at the princess before him. "Oh, hi, um… Princess Sariya, right?" He smiled sheepishly, scratching his neck as she confirmed his query. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm terrible with names at first, but I get better the longer I know someone."

She smiled, nodding up at him. "Well, I hope you don't forget my name. Would you…like to go for a walk?"

"Now?" He looked up, noticing that some of the workers were dousing some of the candelabras and lit chandeliers. "It's a bit late, Princess."

"It's the only time I really have to be alone, and I'd like to spend it getting to know you." She blushed a bit as she noticed his immediate reaction, which was to turn back to her, a confused expression on his face. "You seem…really nice."

Seamus smiled, tugging his sleeves down to busy himself. "I appreciate that… You seem really nice yourself, Princess Sariya."

"Just Sariya," she suggested. "I didn't exactly ask to be a princess when my mom married the king. I don't mind it, but… It's not who I am, you know?" Seeing him nod in understanding, she held out a hand to him, waiting expectantly. "Ready?"

The jester paused for a moment before smiling and taking her hand, walking with her down the corridor as she led him out a secret exit into the night.

This would continue for several weeks, with Sariya and Seamus sneaking away for a while after his court hours were completed. They would spend hours watching the stars, talking, and getting to know each other. They discovered common traits and fostered a companionship that neither knew they'd needed. Sariya told Seamus about her experiences as a princess, especially her negative interactions with Ember, and how alone she'd felt the last several years. Seamus confided in her that he didn't care for Ember anyway, so it didn't really surprise him to hear about the other girl's personality and actions.

Early October, a few nights before Sariya's 18th birthday, Seamus and Sariya continued their routine, and now they were lying side by side under the stars, their fingers intertwined as they held hands and chatted.

"The stars are extra bright tonight," Seamus noted as he used his thumb to caress his friend's hand, which he often found himself doing. They'd gotten extremely close in such a short amount of time, but their similarities and common interests had only catapulted their relationship into a much closer one. However, he made sure to keep his connection to the princess secret. After all, he wasn't aware of the royal protocol, but Sariya was, and he knew there was a reason for their late-night rendezvous and day-time cordial passing.

"They must be dying," Sariya murmured, sighing as her friend turned slightly toward her. "When I was little, my Daddy used to tell me that stars always shined brightest when they were dying. I saw that with him too. He'd been sick for over a year, and a day before he died, he was the most upbeat and outgoing I'd ever seen him. It was like I had him back for that one day. And then the next day, he was gone…"

"I'm sorry, Sariya…" Seamus released her hand and instead beckoned her closer, holding her to his side as she curled up next to him, her head resting on his chest. Even if this wasn't 'royal protocol,' with them being this close to each other (especially since she was unescorted), this just felt right. Being with Sariya was natural, just like breathing or drinking water. It was refreshing, just as she was. "I'm sure he was a good man. And he helped raise such a lovely, kind, wonderful daughter."

She giggled, leaning up and smiling down at him, her eyelids growing a little heavier as her smile lingered just a few minutes more. She found herself running her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp, which he seemed to enjoy. When her friend sighed and closed his eyes for just a moment, she leaned down, tentatively touching her lips to his. She gasped, startled, when he jumped at the connection. "I-I'm sorry, Seamus… I just…"

"No, no, it's… It's quite all right." He brushed his fingers through her hair as he stared up at her, unreadable emotions on his face. "I'm just…confused."

"I'm not." She sat up, pulling him into a sitting position as well. She then held his hands as she sighed heavily, her expression now determined. "Seamus, I'm in love with you…"

Seamus blinked in surprise, but his hands never left hers. In fact, if anything, his hold on her small hands tightened, and he chose his words carefully. "Sariya… You know I'm a commoner, and I'm at least 20 years older than you…"

"My dad was ten years older than my mom, so age gaps run in the family." She smiled cheekily as he laughed. "And you know I have a commoner background. I don't care about that, Seamus."

"But the royal family might," he countered, frowning. "They might not allow this… I don't know all the rules, but-"

"Do you love me?" she asked, a bit afraid of his answer for some reason. If he did, they had a challenge to face. If he didn't, they had a different challenge… Her heart was doing strange things in her chest as she waited for him to respond.

He slowly smiled and nodded. "More than one can count the stars, Sariya… How can I not love you?"

Sariya blinked back a few tears as she crawled into his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist as she held his face, kissing him deeply. It was not perfect as she was inexperienced, but just feeling his lips against hers, his body warming as she leaned into him, and his fingers tangling in her wavy locks sent shivers down her spine. This position wasn't "ladylike" at all, but she didn't care. She loved this man, and he loved her, and she wanted nothing more than to be with him…

Seamus broke the kiss, lifting his hands to cradle her head. "Sariya… I want to be with you, but for now, we must keep this a secret. What expectation does the royal family have of you?"

"To marry another royal, especially a prince," she answered honestly. Seeing his disheartened expression, she whispered, "But I don't want that, Seamus. I want you." Her voice grew a bit stronger as she saw him close his eyes. "We'll run away," she insisted, her hands dropping to his arms. "Elope, live together far away from Exchancia… Just say the word."

"You're not thinking clearly," he told her kindly, smiling sadly as she frowned. "We need to be careful, my darling. Perhaps if we wait a few years, plan strategically, and allow me to make enough money, then we can start our lives anew together. But for now, you're not even 18 yet, and I'm just starting this career. Give me a few years to earn the king's trust, all right? Perhaps then, we can make a better life for ourselves."

As much as she didn't want to agree to this request, she knew he was right. She was the impulsive one here, while he was careful and considerate. Just because they were waiting to leave together didn't mean that they couldn't still see each other. After all, they'd been doing so quietly without any problem. "Okay," she agreed, nodding as she looked into his warm brown eyes. "Can I still kiss you?"

"I would hope so," he chuckled as he gathered her into his arms again, embracing her as her lips sought his once more.

Unbeknownst to them, Jaime had accidentally stumbled across them while taking a late-night walk after he couldn't sleep. At first, he was taken aback, but the more he observed them, the more he understood… He knew what it was like not to have his own life, or to make his own choices… To care so much about someone even though circumstances made that expression difficult… He cared about Sariya as a friend, and he really liked and respected Seamus, so… This one time, he decided to keep this knowledge to himself. For once, he had a secret that Ember couldn't know about. He'd never lied to her before…

But to protect Sariya and Seamus, and even himself… There was a first time for everything.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Crowning Achievement