A Royal Affair

[Vikenti, Heart of Calamity]

OOC: Please forgive the shortness of this post, I don't have much time on my hands.

BIC:
"Greetings, Sir Jeff!" the king called out to knight as he entered the hall, "It is good to see you safe at home!" Vikenti then settled down to eating and making small talk with his family. But, he was becoming increasingly bothered by his bard's absence.

The king was about to make a loud declaration of his annoyance with the bard when Pentus came falling from above. King Vikenti leaped to his feet in surprise, nearly falling backwards in his chair. However, when the initial shock had worn off, the king began to laugh and applaud. He was particularly amused by Pentus having landed on a fork.

"Are you alright, Pentus?" the king asked between laughs, "the bard is such a clever fellow, isn't he my dear?" Vikenti directed the last comment to his wife, as he was obviously not calling Pentus "my dear."     

[Queen Kiara]

The queen smiled as Sir Jeff walked over to them, as she sat at the table with her husband. "What wonderful news it is to hear that you are back home." She said with a nid as he excused himself.

She then turned to Vikenti, and with her hand softly grasped his hand in hers, more so to comfort and relax him. She could tell he was beginning to get annoyed and frustrated. "Relax, he'll be here. He has never disappointed us before." She said softly, reassuring her husband.

Their son had joined them just in time for that Pentus was about to do. She grasped as the bard fell from the high ceiling of the dining hall, and griped the King's hand a little harder from surprise and worry, while her other hand covered her shocked mouth.
The queen was about to get up and see if he was ok, but then smiled once again as Pentus joked about the food and how he landed on the fork. "I'm glad you're alright, Pentus" She said with a giggle.
"That was some grand entrance, wan't it, my King" She said, responding to her husband. "See, I told you" She said leaning over to kiss his cheek.

[Penblade the King's Wit]

   Quickly tying some lord's napkin around his calf to keep the small amount of blood coming out of him from being noticed, the bard took a leg and smiled broadly at the royal couple, beginning to to slowly strut around the table, "Fear not milord and lady, I've had worse stabbed at me. Knives, swords, axes, arrows, almost any weapon you can imagine, not to mention some you'd never imagine." He stopped and swept down off the table to kneel close beside a lady, pretending to be speaking only to her, though his voice carried throughout the hall thanks to a discreet sound altering spell, "Did you know that in Selward they serve food frozen, and their most popular dish is a fish with a nose four feet long and sharp as a razor? I'll have to tell you a story some time," He jumped away from the lady's chair and back onto the table, continuing his stroll, "But not right now! My my my, what a comfortable looking group of guests we have tonight. Aren't they all just lovely in their dresses and handsome in their suits." He paused and knelt down to straighten one lord's lapels who was still trying to eat, then stood again, "How shall I regale you tonight? What tale is the right one for this evening?" He seemed to consider a lady's hand for a moment, then turned in a circle, grinning eerily at all the nobles in the hall, "I know... a dark and stormy night, with everyone gathered together against the cold and black. It demands a story to chill the blood and clam the hands!" The bard's voice rose and his steps quickened until he was jumping from spot to spot on the table, sweeping low to look with crazed eyes into each patron's face before whisking away, "A tale of fear and madness, to make the shadows themselves seem to teem with unholy things and make you fear your own dreams..."

   He stopped when he reached the end of the table, letting his feverish words sink in as he loomed over the unlucky lord sitting at the table's end. Then he glanced over his shoulder again and smiled handsomely at the queen far back along the double row of diners, "Then again, a warm and humid night, everyone holding their lover close as they dine; it calls for a tale somewhat more," Pentus reached into his sleeve and produced a rose which he deftly placed behind a serving girl's ear before gently stroking her face and looking deeply into her eyes, his voice dripping with emotion, "Romantic, don't you think my sweet?" He stepped away swiftly, leaving the girl blushing like a sunset and frozen in place. He moved back up the table the way he'd come, handing out roses seemingly out of nowhere to every lady he passed, noble andrvant, "A story of love, and loss. Devotion and affair. purity and," He knelt down in front of a confused, somewhat worried lord and murmured "lust."

   He quickly stood again, and, back where he'd started, smiled down at the queen. Showing everyone his empty hands he twisted them in the air in a complex pattern and produced a trio of roses out of nothing. He knelt down and smiled sweetly, looking at the queen, "For the one with the prettiest face," Then he turned and handed the roses to the king, "My dearest love," The bard was grinning from ear to ear now as he heard several snickers along the table, gazing into the king's eyes.

   When he was finished with the king Pentus leapt back to his feet yet again, clapping his hands together, "But with my story telling skills a tale such as that would turn this into a much more... intimate, gathering, and I daresay our younger guests would become embarrassed. Can't have that now. So how about something more refined. How about a tale of heroes and villains, good and evil, righteousness and dastardliness. A story to stir the soul and awaken the, flame, in us all," The bard winked at the prince at the mention of fire, grinning like a naughty child.

   Stepping quickly to the center of the table the bard stood proud with his staff at his side, looking out over the nobles' heads, "So what shall it be? Horror? Romance? Adventure? Or perhaps I could simply entertain you with tricks, such as this." Reaching into his pockets Pentus pulled out a double fistful of spoons, revealing that during his speech he had manged to, undetected, swipe every one on the table, including the king and queen's.

[Dusk the Brony. /)]

   Platime stood, adjusting his white smock and hat. He had placed the spikes and boots back in his sack and had pulled out his disguise, that of a chefs assistant. He would be mostly ignored as a simple assistant. He reached into his sack and pulled out one last thing, a lamp. While the shadows could help him, an assistant with shadows clinging to him would draw to much attention. He began to silently run across the lawn toward a side door in the castle while lighting his lamp. He quickly slipped inside the royal home just as he got his lamp lit. He then put his sack over his shoulder and held the lamp out in front of himself, looking like he was delivering supplies. While walking down the hallways, he mentally went over the floor plan. He turned left and climbed a flight of stairs. A few more stairs and hallways later and he was at the right level. He knew right where to go. On this level there were several important rooms. There was the dining hall, the kitchens, and the treasury. The treasury was said to contain all of the kingdoms gold, as well as some very valuable baubles kept by the king. Platime nearly broke into a run as he thought about it. He was glad he didn’t, for as he rounded a corner he ran smack dap into a guard. The guard gave a soft grunt and Platime was knocked on his but. Thankfully he kept a hand on his sack.
   “Hum, what’s this then?” The guard said. Platime looked up at the man. He had a large beard and mustache, short hair, big bushy eyebrows, a crocked nose, probably broken and not set properly, and several golden knots sewed on his uniform declaring him a sergeant.
   “Uh, sorry ‘bout that.” Platime said as he hastily got up.
   “No, no, it’s my fault. Now, you look like a serving boy. I assume you’re here for the party?” The sergeant said.   
   “The… party?”
   “Well sure. Now, I don’t know much, but I’d say that you’re lost, since the feasting hall is in the other direction.” He pointed off to the other side of the hallway.
   “Yes that’s it.” Platime lied,” It’s my first day and I got turned around.” He stole a glance down past the guard and saw the locked door to the treasury. So close!
   “Well don’t worry.” The guard smiled, not noticing Platime’s glance” I know the way, I’ll show you.” He set his hand down on Platime’s shoulder and turned him around and began to walk him in the opposite direction.

“Here we are.” The guard said.
   “Thanks.” Platime said dryly. He walked into the kitchen, setting his sack in a corner. He then took a quick glance around. There was defiantly a party going on. Other boys and young men dressed as he was were bustling about. There were also a few older men preparing some fancy dishes and ordering about the rest of them. One of them, a fairly fat man, seemed to be the head chef. And of course, he turned and pointed at Platime.
   “You!” He barked,” We are about ready to start serving, take this and get ready by the door. Lord Elend.” He said, indicating the meals owner, handing it to him. Platime took the plate, unsure what else to do, and went over to a door were several others were standing. At least, as a thief, he knew exactly who Lord Elend was. He started waiting, seeing if there was any way for him to escape. Unfortunately, a bell rang, and all of the serving boys began to file out into the hall. Platime followed with head bowed. He located Elend quickly and walked over. He set the meal down in front of him and took out a serviette. He was near the head of the table, almost sitting at the kings table. Luckily for Platime, some foolish man dancing about like a, well, fool distracting all of the guests. He set the serviette down on the lord’s lap, while deftly stealing a diamond cufflink. As Platime walked back and stood beside the lord’s chair, He watched the man dancing on the tables. The man was handing out roses to the ladies. Platime snickered as the king squirmed under the gaze of the man’s eyes, while being handed three roses. Platime liked seeing powerful men squirm.

[Skipper Rorgus]

  Sir Jeff sat beside the lady he was previously talking to at the table, he enjoyed her company and was glad to have a close friend. Things were just getting settled down when all of a sudden, there was a large thump, and there on the table landed Pentus, the bard! Jeff looked a little surprised, but then, knowing Pentus that was the sort of thing he would do, just to entertain his crowd. He watched as Pentus got up and pulled the kings fork out of his calf and softly chuckled to himself. Then he start being dramatic, he strode back and forth entertaining them all, then he asked them a question. He beckoned Pentus over to him and whispered to him.
“Give us a tale of romance,” he said glancing at the lady he was sitting by, he then squeezed her hand gently and smiled at her. He looked up and winked at Pentus.  He waited to see whether they would get to eat first, or wait. He had just arrived home and was very hungry after his journey. He leaned back in his chair and watched and waited. Most of the guests were looking a little harried by the bard’s words and manner.  He looked over at the king and queen, they were looking slightly amused. Jeff wondered what sort of story the bard was going to tell. While he waited he started tell Adara, his companion, of his adventures which he had just come home from. He started to tell her of the dragons and giants he had fought, when he was interrupted by the bard beginning his story.         

[Penblade the King's Wit]

   Pentus looked expectantly up and down the table, still standing in the middle of it. He glanced down at a bowl of boiled potato slices near his foot. While waiting for a response, he slipped the spoons held in his hands back into his pockets and stomped on the handle of a fork stuck in the pile of potato slices. Both tuber slice and fork sailed into the air, with Pen catching the fork in a hand and the wedge in his open mouth.

   Chewing happily (happy that this fork had decided not to impale him) the bard glanced around again. His eye caught on a knight he'd met once or twice, sir Jeff was it, beckoning to him. Swallowing with a loud gulp, Pen danced down the table, dodging dishes of food, to kneel down with his held close to the knight's face. He cupped his ear dramatically.

    “Give us a tale of romance,” sir Jeff asked, and Pen caught him smile at the woman sitting beside him, as well as squeeze her hand.

   Pen grinned and winked back at the knight, "Right you are my lord, as you ask." He jumped back to his feet and returned to the center of the table, shouting, "The servants! The maids! Somebody move these plates and bowls away! I need room for story telling! You there!" Pen pointed over the heads of the nobles, straight at Platime, "Yes you, the one trying to hide! Give us some help clearing some space and I'll overlook that thing I saw you do! Yes, that thing!" Pen waited patiently for some space to be cleared in the middle of the table by the servants and maids, then, after thanking them with a courteous bow, which many of them received with utter surprise, he stepped into the middle of the circle created on the table. Here, he took his staff and leaned easily on it, smiling warmly at the gathered nobility. Picking up a glass of wine from nobleman's dinner, Pen sipped at it and sighed contentedly, "We live in a beautiful world, do we not milords and ladies?" He asked mildly, "Glittering green forests turn to fiery seas of fragile leaves with the turn of the seasons. Our people are content with the lives they live, governed by a fair and evenhanded king and queen." He nodded respectfully to the royal family, "And our borders are kept safe and open by courageous champions such as our good sir Jeff here." Grinning widely, he lifted his glass in toast, turning his gaze to the woman on his arm, "He is a magnificent example of true nobility, if it's not to bold to say. On the other hand, since when do I care if I'm too bold!?" Pen barked a laugh at his own joke, a few of the nobles chuckling as well, "Truly, I wouldn't be surprised if there were dozens of girls and ladies in this very hall that would swoon if his shadow touched their feet," He winked at the lady beside Sir Jeff, "The one he has his eyes on is very lucky indeed."

   Sweeping his gaze back over the nobles and ladies he raised his eyebrows and took on a serious tone, "But the land was not always as it is now. There was a time, long ago, before the dawn of the Whitedeath dynasty, when barbarians and rogues roamed a tough, unforgiving land of rocks and dirt. In this land, the strong survived, and the weak, perished. It was a time before civilization, where hatred filled the hearts of men and love was seen as the ultimate weakness." Pen shook his head and looked at the table sadly, letting his words hang in the air for several, long moments...

   "But," Pen looked up again, "There were a few, a brave, courageous few, only two really, that dared to be seen as weak for each others sake. A barbarian champion of renowned strength and intellect named Argelameck the Death, and a lovely, compassionate priestess from the temple of Moirane named Jasmine the White. This is the tale of their peoples' feud, their unexpected love, the end of a dark age, and the rise, of the Whitedeaths." Pen smiled at the king, hoping he would enjoy this story. "Now let me see. Ah yes, our story begins in the hills of the Everspring, back then called the Hard Hills, where the mighty champion Argelameck had just been challenged by a rival tribe..."