Heir to the Empire

23. To Eat With A Lion - Loldirr

"I suppose it must be quite simple from where you're from?" Nimue commented flippantly.

Knowing that getting into a verbal sparring match with this woman would be fruitless, she refused to respond to the comment.

"Well I hope you intend to stay for longer, " the Emperor commented, "then you can have any food you desire." he smiled.

Loldirr tried to distract herself from the grease that glowed up in the Emperor's beard. "I thank you, your majesty. Hopefully I can return when Lord Ethelston makes the trip." she responded.

The Emperor seemed to turn away in annoyance at the sound of Ethelston's name.

"I'm sure with our continued cooperation, we will be able to visit often, your majesty." Erdudvyl tried to smooth over with a diplomatic touch.

"Let us not talk of cooperation and diplomacy, " the Emperor sighed, a frown started to appear on his forehead. "I want to be entertained this evening."

"I am sure there is plenty we can entertain you with, your majesty." Nimue responded as a flirtatious smile flit across her face.

The smile quickly turned to a snarl as the Emperor ignored her comment and returned his gaze on Loldirr.

"I'm sure your stay here will be far more exciting than the dullness of Ravenscourt." the Emperor commented towards Loldirr.

It was then a man dressed in bright garments and an oversized hat with bells on it came sprinting out into the middle of the room. He immediately started doing backflips and somersaults before deliberately falling over and sprawling on the floor.

Loldirr watched in fascination as the peculiar man then started juggling frantically, edging around the room until someone paid him some attention. It was when he stopped in front of her that he smiled and winked before stopping and pulling out a small red rose from inside his sleeve.

As he passed it to Loldirr, the rose instantly withered to the amusement of the other patrons.

She studied the various patrons in the room. They were cursing, shouting and even occasionally threw food. Their abuse towards the fool who was entertaining them was almost barbaric, but then this fool was using it to his benefit to gain more laughs.

These were her people, the circle of nobility that she had to enter and it made her sick to the stomach to think of it.

She thought back to when she danced the night away at Greenhaven or at Gryffinfall. How dancing around like a fool made her feel alive. Thinking back to how she hated being in those places as the boredom smothered her, and now how she longed to return to those same circles of life.

Damn Edric, he warned her that she would feel like this.

"Here's a short song for all you simpletons out there." the fool shouted, instantly bringing Loldirr's attention back to reality.

The fool pulled out a lute and started plucking some random notes deliberately out of tune. It got the laughter he was looking for.

Eventually he gave a quick bow and smiled towards the patrons, the Emperor and then lastly, Loldirr.

"There was a young Orc from Uthengard,
He thought himself to be pretty little bard,
When he started to shriek,
We were all up shit creek,
Especially when he came out in his leotard!"

There was a thunderous laughter throughout the hall, the patrons banged their goblets loudly on the table before calling out for another song. When he refused initially, hurling insults at some of the patrons, the laughter and the shouts for a new song grew louder.