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The halls were dim and quiet within the castle. Void of any life except for the hanged king himself. Confined to his throne he sits in silence as the impish fiends tug and caress his chains. The ambassador had departed some time ago within the day, leaving the king to his own thoughts.
The distant sound of foot steps could be heard echoing in the castle. Along with a low tone of whispering following along as it gets closer. The king did not move his head upward to see the figure as it approached.
"My king, forgive my intrusion as I was not summoned. Nor do I come with anything useful." The figure says as they kneel before the king in chains. "But I would hope that you would be humbled by the offer for conversation and amusement."
The king mutters a few words and raises a hand, gesturing the figure to rise. The figure does as such and approaches the king. And in better lighting reveals the figure to be the black lord, one of four advisor's of the king himself.
"I am grateful you accept my offer, my king." The black lord says with a small bow. Approaching the king up the small steps. He then drops to floor beside the king at the edge of this throne chair. Bringing a arm up over his head as if distressed. "After all. With the ambassador gone and all the lords busy. Who would 'ever' keep your majesty company?" Says the black lord in a sarcastic voice. "Oh, if only his majesty's favorite jester was still here!"
A wheezing could be heard from the king in his attempt to laugh. The black lord continued.
"But where could have such a loyal servant have gone? Surely, such a devoted individual couldn't have left the king's side." He stops with a gasp and quickly looks to the king. "Could they?"
The king slowly shakes his head.
"Then your loyal servant has gone missing! I shall find them!" The black lord snaps up, doing a wacky form of a salute he hops down the small steps from the throne and looked to the king. "Where was the last time you saw this jester of yours, my king? I shall not rest until he is found!"
The king points directly at his advisor.
"Where I am?" The black lord put a hand to his hip and the other over their brow, turning left and right he looks around and back to the king. "I must have missed this mischievous fool! Perhaps I should look here!" The black lord points to the other side and runs over in a goofy way. Pretending to almost trip and fall to the ground. Turning around and back he jumps each time. "Not here either!"
The hanged king would laugh as best as he could being as weak as he was, as his advisor waddles and prances around the throne room in search. Sometimes doing small dance's around the pillars and hiding behind tattered curtains. Poking his head out to make a hush gesture to the king. The black lord finally gave up falling to his knees acting as if frustrated and dying from weeks of exhaustion. The black lord then crawls back to the king faking sniffles as they pretend to cry.
"Oh, my king, I have failed to find this 'fool' of yours. Forgive me..." The black lord says as he looks up to the king and continues. "I have become unworthy of the title of lord and must be revoked of my position! Perhaps even beheaded!" He finishes with his head to the side exposing his neck. Looking downward to the dusty hall floor the black lord jolts his head up in surprise. "Wait, I know why I cannot find this fool of yours! Because I am the fool! Hah! How incredibly 'foolish' of me!"
Seeing the king laughing with amusement. The black lord laughs along as he rises up on their knees and and dust's himself off.
"I still got it." The black lord says with confidence.
The king slowly nods and mumbles words.
"Oh, of course I can still do that!" Replies the black lord happily pulling out three daggers. "I still practice when no one is looking. And if I remember correctly, you enjoyed it when I juggled sharp objects yes?"
The king sighs and relaxes as his advisor swings the blades from one hand to another. Occasionally doing some small tricks with them in-between juggling them.
As the black lord finishes, he does a quick spin before catching all three daggers and takes a bow. The king lays back in his throne. The black lord feeling invited, walks up to the king and kneels down by him placing his hands on the king's robe where his knee would be. The fiendish imps hiss but are quickly swatted away by the king.
The black lord sighs in content. It was good to be the king's favorite even if serving as an advisor now. Because it meant no one could ever be as close to the king as the black lord himself.