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Au: Royalty
Tags/Warnings: F! Reader, Totally not a concept I saw on tiktok and wanted to try
Word Count: 1.4k
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Your father coughs, letting out the air he had stuffed into his lung while trying to stifle his laughter. The crowd turns their head to him, captured by his reaction, before returning to the performance before them. Once the hundred sets of eyes left the vicinity of your seats, you lean toward your father, whispering up the length of his beard in hopes he'd hear your words from his towering throne.
"Father. You know you can laugh, right? You hired him for that very reason."
"I know, darling," he catches another laugh, making the hairs of his long moustache flare outward. "But as a leader, I must be able to show my kingdom that I am level-headed and worthy of my position. Any stray laugh," he huffs again, "could mean the end of my rule."
"Level-headed? If you separate yourself from the reality of being a person, the kingdom will have your head rolling on the carpet."
He glances down at you, "No need to worry, darling. I lead well and have led our kingdom to prosperity."
"Still—" As the Jester twists in the air, the spectators gasp in excitement, watching as the bells on his head begin to twist themselves into a knot. "You also need to be able to tell them you are trustworthy and kind. You've done well, but they also fear you!"
The Jester lands on his feet but quickly stumbles backwards onto his butt before rolling over his back and again into an upright position. You clap along with the audience, but keep your eyes trained on your father like one of the castle's many hunting dogs.
"You don't need to recite Bowman's words to me. That man pesters me enough as it is. I don't need you to do it too."
Huffing, you lean forward in your seat to glance over your father's looming figure and meet your mother's eyes. She shrugged, "He's not wrong, darling."
With another huff, you fall back into your chair and watch the Jester as he walks up behind a nobleman who is in the middle of a conversation and begins to mimic the man's large movements. The Jester is silent but expressive, arms swinging and mouth chewing as the man before he continues to babble on. It's Duke Cunnings that's ignoring him, a not so well loved member of the parliament, yet, despite the Jester's silly mockery of the older man, no one reacts.
Glancing at your father, you hope he'll finally crack and let out a boisterous chuckle and allow everyone else in the hall to laugh also. He doesn't.
Taking one last, deep breath, you put on as best of a grin as possible. And you laugh. Loudly.
Eyes, everywhere, all immediately shoot in your direction. Even the guards look, metal armour clanking as they move. You keep going, clutching your stomach as you bend over your knees. The grand hall fills with laughter. Excluding your father, who continues to stop his breathing in an attempt to appear like an adept king. Though, you can't seem to care about it now. Finally, the silence has been broken.
