Soldier, Jester and Queen

Zephyrine woke up coughing water on the shore of a river, the sun shined high in the sky, she was tired, in pain, and surprisingly more clean than when she lost consciousness… "Thou shall not die" was the thing Joker screamt before jumping off a goddamn bridge… JOKER! The princess started looking frantically for the jester, by fortune he was just upside down on the shore not too far of her

-Joker? Mister Joker? Are you awake? Sir? Mister?!- She started getting more and more nervous when the man wasn't moving even after she started shaking him, when she was about to turn him down the man just started coughing and lifted his hand with a thumb up without even turning around -Oh god I thought you died-

-Awwwww you care about me- Joker finally turned back looking up, surprisingly his mask and hat were still in place

- If you are good enough for jokes I guess that means we can start moving-

-Yeaaaah… about that I think I hitted something hard my back and neck hurts a shit ton, think you can give me a hand?-

-And you are really the best assassin?- Even I'm not hurt from that fall… oh fu… he shielded me from the hit to the river didn't he? Thou shall not die, what a bunch of… -Come on get here I'll help you walk- Said the princess helping someone get up for the first time in a long time -Where are we going though? Do you have anywhere where we can hide until we rest a bit?-

-Well… I do, but you are not gonna like it-

-What do you mean with that?-

-Gyahahahahahahahahahaha- And so the jester laughed almost maniacally

It was almost midnight when an unlikely couple arrived to a tabern not usually frequented for really anyone of good background at least

The bartender was cleaning a glass as always, Joker and Zephyrine entered and almost instantly Joker waved a hand at the man behind the bar

-Yooooooo I'm homeeeee-

-Aw and me that was about to raid your room in search for some gold- Said the barman without even lifting up his look -How was the job J?-

-Meh you know the usual- The man finally lifted his head and looked at the lady accompanying the best assassin the Ugly Death had to offer

-Oh no Joker you know the rules no women of company allowed inside- said pointing his finger to the woman

-Excuse me?!- Zephyrine had finally have enough

-Oh come on chillax she is no woman of company plus you never respect that rule!- Said Joker sitting at the bar while the man served him some kind of red drink

-I OWN THIS PLACE!-

-Then be a better owner!- Joker gulped down in one go the strange drink the bartender gave him

-God damnit idiot, just don't let anyone find out- The old man took the glass of joker hands and started cleaning it -Either way. What was the job about? Did it go good?-

-Oh basically the princess was jailed in secret so the count could become king and he wanted me to dispose of her but I secretly told him hell naw and now I made a deal with her to become the royal jester if I help her in his chance to earn back his true freedom- Joker smiled grabbing Zephyrine who had to wear another bag with holes on the way here and was still wearing it

- … … … You… could have just told me you didn't want to talk about it but okay-

The jester pulled the princess into a backdoor in the establishment and into some corridors, not so long after they were in front of some kind of elevator that went into the ground

-What does this do here?- The princess asked with concern -It is safe?-

-Probably. WELCOME TO THE UGLY DEATH!- Joker went into the elevator waiting for Zeph

-That doesn't help…- And yet so she followed the jester, they jumped off a bridge last night, this cant be so much worse right?

But it was, Joker grinned and pulled a lever, the elevator started going down until all they could see was darkness, it being kinda speedy didn't help either.

Then suddenly light, the elevator was suddenly illuminated, even the princess was surprised, there deep underground under a seedy tavern there was a whole other floor, there the floor and ceiling looked like a completely normal wooded one, anyone would think they were just in an interior building, if it weren't for the elevator they just came in

-W-what is this…- Whispered the princess surprised, Joker just smiled again and grabbed her like a bag of potatoes -HEY WHAT ARE YOU-

-Shhhh you are no one remember, they shouldnt do anything but is better if they don't find out about your whereabouts, just roll with me- Just as the princess was about to say anything Joker started walking into the crowd

The place was quite lively for a guild of mischievous people and pretty clean too, even with people singing and drinking left and right there wasn't any spilled drinks or anything, on the occasional time someone fought they didn't break anything (outside of each other's limbs or faces, the princess was surprisingly thankful for the reduced vision the bag gave her) Joker also seemed well acquainted with almost everyone in there

-Any good loot J?-

-Nothing I didn't sell already-

-Yo Joker the Marketer has new stuff on sale go check it out later I've heard he has the biscuits you like-

-Sounds neat lets see if this time they don't have poison GYAAHAHAHA-

-Hey~ Joker- A bunch of women called Joker from a desk in the corner

-Ladies- Answered Joker without looking, not so long after they entered a room and Joker finally dropped the princess into the floor

-You seem to be very popular-

-Well when almost everyone here has been sent to kill you once or twice you are bond to make some friends, although those women were actual mermaids they just wanted to choke me to death and not in a kinky way-

Zephyrine kept silent a minute before answering -I'm not going to ask… Is it safe to take off the bag here?-

-Should be-

-I'm taking the risk- Taking off the bag she sitted on the only couch in all of the room and analyzed the room, it was simple, wood floor, the only furniture were the bed, the couch she was sitting on and a desk near his bed -You spend much time here?-

-I live here but almost anything is stole if you are not careful enough so, yeah pretty empty- He stretched his back a bit and sitted on the bed -Soooooo got a plan?-

-... Well actually yes-

-Oooooh~ You truly are from royalty, what is it? what is it?-

-My mother was always accompanied by a special knight, she told me that this knight was someone she would trust with his life, coincidentally he is the actual commander of our kingdom forces, his name is…

–Boreas Adventi, you were the bodyguard of queen Eurosa and after she left us you were the commander of my beloved brother Notus… I ask you once again to assume this position and serve me in this situation of chaos we find ourselves in, please I ask you not as a king but as member of the people-

Boreas, while the king gave his speech, did something he rarely allowed himself to do, he wandered for a while into his memories, the day he was named commander was a day very much like this, a sunny day, with birds chirping without a care in the world, curiously enough the day the king took him away from his duties as a commander to take care of his wife and daughter was also a day like this… Hahahaha at first he thought the king didn't trust him enough to be commander, but as he made sure the queen and princess were safe the king confessed him a secret, the ultimate motive behind all his actions… greed, he wanted to protect everything dear to him, his people but also his family, to be fair he didn't regret the choice of the king, it was as having a family he never had the opportunity to have… maybe days like this with a calm wind are signs of his future good fortune… Boreas went back to reality just in the right moment

-Yes my king I will serve you as I served your brother before. LONG LIVE KING VALMOUNT!- Said raising his fist in the air

-LONG LIVE KING VALMOUNT! LONG LIVE KING VALMOUNT! LONG LIVE KING VALMOUNT!- The rest of the people present joined in to the chant

Later that night Boreas was sitting next to the fire in his house while two unexpected shadows decided to sneak in.

An arm was put around his shoulders

-Su…- Before Joker could react his head was on the ground and a foot on his neck

-Bold choice to do this so carelessly I have seen bad assassins but you are on another level hmpf…- Boreas took a little knife hidden in his boot -Don't worry unlike your people I will put you out quick- But before he could stab Joker someone grabbed his arm, swiftly he slammed the other figure to the other side of the room -Bring on as many as you want, and so I will take as many as I can you bastards!- The figure that now had the attention of Boreas, got up and took off the hood that covered his face -W… What… It… It can't be…-

Zephyrine smiled

-It's been long... Boris hehe~-