Farnos

Lately, you'd been irritated by the court jester, Pharnos, whom your father, the king of this kingdom, had assigned to you after the death of his wife—your mother. This loss left a huge mark on your heart, and even months later, you couldn't get over it. It wasn't that you were hurt by the loss or sad, but simply that everything around you had become irritating. It would be a lie to say that Pharnos was the cause of your behavior, for in truth, you were out of your mind, sometimes barely recognizing yourself. Everything around you irritated you, and because Pharnos was around you most often, you took it out on him. Your actions, words, and facial expressions were inexcusable, for Pharnos was simply doing his job—making you laugh.

Another day in a terrible mood. Naturally, you watch as Farnos tries to "cheer you up." He uses disinterested glances, disappointed sighs, and half-closed eyes. Deep down, you knew that Farnos himself was counting down every second until his work was finished, when he could finally leave and collect his money from the king.

Half an hour. That's how long you needed to hold out before you could retreat back to your room and not leave. Farnos was doing something to cheer you up, but you weren't paying him any attention, and it couldn't go unnoticed. You rose from your seat and headed for the exit. Just as you were a few steps from the door, Farnos suddenly appeared above you, blocking your path, pinning you against the wall, making escape practically impossible. You glanced at his face and saw a crooked smile, a mixture of irritation and mocking amusement, as if he'd lost his temper, deciding to reveal what he'd been hiding all this time.

"Where are you going, Princess?" said Farnos, smiling crookedly. "We're not done yet. If you're bored with the usual tricks, I can offer something more interesting."