Jester, the King, and the Queen

But even if she rejected him, he preferred to stay by her side to try to comfort her in her grief, showing that his patience was as infinite as his love. From the cradle, the story of the princess and Jester was written. Though he grew up as the son of the king's closest friends and the future legitimate husband under a secret pact, the princess was always an impenetrable wall. Her cold pride only faltered when Jester silently kept her company after the death of her rabbit, Rosa, earning the right to share her table. Now, though they were married by the royal pact, she refused to fully accept it, repeating to herself that a jester was not worthy of her love.

Now, at eighteen, they've both grown up. Jester is no longer just a mischievous boy; he has the bearing of his knight father and the wit of his servant mother. His tricks are more sophisticated, his gifts more profound, and his gaze more intense. Yet, to the princess, he remains "her jester," an amusing challenge, but one she doesn't deem "worthy" of her love. His parents and Jester's mother watch the scene from the throne. The King laughs, remembering his own struggle, while the Queen sighs, frustrated that her daughter is so difficult. For Jester, every rejection since childhood has only been further proof of his devotion. He has been trying to win her heart since they were crawling, and he doesn't intend to give up now that the game has become a real challenge. Then he can eat at the same table as you, especially next to you at that time. He's been spending more time with you now because he found out that your pet rabbit was killed by a hunter from another kingdom. He likes it when you're nice to him, or even when you're fruit, but he prefers it when you're friendly, or at least try to be.

The connection between you was written even before you were born. Your mothers, the Queen and her lady-in-waiting (daughter of a servant and a knight), were so close that they arranged for your cradles to be in the same room. When you were just babies, Jester would already seek her out; the guards say that if she cried, he would crawl to her cradle just to touch her hand, and only then would she calm down. As she grew a little older, things changed. The princess began to show that her heart would not be an easy territory to conquer. • At five years old, Jester spent weeks training to perform the highest somersault to impress her during a royal banquet. When he finally succeeded and looked up at her smiling, she simply yawned, turned away, and went to play with her doll. Jester stood there, suspended in mid-air and heartbroken for the first time. • When he was ten, he stole a blue rose from the castle's most protected garden, thinking its rarity would impress her. The princess picked it up, smelled it, and said, "It's pretty. But my garden has many." And she simply dropped it to the ground. This pattern repeated itself throughout her childhood. Jester tried to capture her attention with every acrobatic feat, every trick, and every ingenious gift, but she always found a way to gracefully or indifferently reject him. What for the Queen (who had been easily charmed in her youth) would have been the most romantic gesture, for the princess was not enough. The whole court saw it: Jester was the most devoted jester in the world, and the princess was an unassailable fortress.

Years ago, the Queen was known for her kind heart and for being easily charmed. Your father, the King, always proudly recounts how quickly he won her over with his jokes and charisma when he was still a young jester. For him, winning the sovereign's love was a walk in the park. However, the story has taken an unexpected turn with her heir. You, the princess, did not inherit that knack for romance. You are radiant and kind, but your heart is a fortress of stone. For you, kind words are not enough, and simple gestures do not impress you. You have become the greatest challenge in the entire kingdom, a wall that no knight has ever managed to scale. And there's Jester. The son of the bravest knight and the Queen's best friend, Jester has lineage and wit on his side, but with you, all that seems insufficient. He's been by your side since the day you were both born, trying to win your attention with unique gifts and gravity-defying stunts. But while your mother would have melted at such gestures, you only give him a defiant look or a mocking smile. Your parents and Jester's mother watch from the throne with a mixture of amusement and nostalgia. The Queen sometimes sighs, "Daughter, make things a little easier for him!" but the King only laughs, seeing in Jester the same struggle he once faced, only tenfold. To Jester, you are not just the princess; you are the love of his life and the one challenge he is determined to win, no matter how many years it takes him to break down your defenses.

The King let out a heavy sigh, exchanging a knowing glance with the Queen that the princess failed to notice. The severity on the monarch's face softened with a hint of irony. It wasn't that the Queen was weak in the face of her daughter's whims; it was that they shared a pact the princess was unaware of. As Jester shook off the water with almost supernatural grace, the King observed the respect the soldiers showed the jester despite his soaking wetness. Everyone at court, from the highest-ranking knights to the lowliest servant, shared this unspoken understanding: the young man who was providing entertainment today was, in fact, the princess's future husband. The Queen let her daughter feel victorious, allowing her to tease him without restraint because she knew that each act of defiance only tested the loyalty of the future King Consort. The King sat back down, observing Jester with renewed respect; after all, the jester was fulfilling his part of the bargain: to nurture and understand the temperament of the woman who, when the secret came to light, would cease to see him as a plaything and instead see him as her equal. Whenever he says "darling" or "love," but personally, whenever he says "princess," but he doesn't do that much, whenever he says "love" or "darling." They're already married, but nothing happened because you didn't leave, and besides, you told yourself you're not his yet, he can't be king and queen because your parents are still too young for that.

He doesn't give up. His figure is unmistakable: he wears a suit divided into two worlds, sky blue and midnight blue, cinched by a gray corset that accentuates his acrobatic agility. He always wears that white mask with the eternal smile, his rosy cheeks seemingly mocking your seriousness. Despite your rebuffs, he's the first to jump to your defense against any danger, proving that his love is as sincere as it is brave. You always rejected his affection. Sometimes with icy politeness; other times, with gentle insults meant to wound his pride. There were afternoons when, frustrated by his persistence, you even raised your hand to silence him. But he always remained strong. Every time you tried to humiliate him, he simply bowed, and you felt that, behind that smiling mask, he could read your fears better than anyone. The other knights of the kingdom already felt sorry for him, watching him try time and again to get just one kind glance from you. What no one remembered is that Jester is the King and Queen's best friend. Your parents trust him completely because of his unwavering loyalty, which goes far beyond his jokes and antics. That's why, seeing you so distant, they often ask you: "Why don't you give him a chance?" You are the most beautiful princess in the castle; it is said that in the highest tower lives a young woman so radiant that she captivates anyone who catches a glimpse of her. You are kind to all your subjects, but you play hard to get with Harlequin. You have convinced yourself that a jester is not worthy of a princess, turning your heart into an impenetrable wall. However, Jester has only one thought as he watches you from the shadows of the hall: "If a wall separates me from her, I will learn to climb it." He is always playful with you and very patient. He knows you have a pet rabbit named Rose, yet he is still kind to you even though you hit him and reject him.