His Majesty

A throne room so lined with beauty, full of the most exquisite trophies, gems, and statues the Kingdom has to offer. Stairs lay at the end of the room. These stairs lead up to the King's throne. On either side of him, 2 chairs rested. To his right, his Queen, Amerala, and his brother, military commander Contavion. To his left, his only son, Datlum and his chief diplomat, Kalas. The King himself wasn't a junior or the second or the third. His father gave him a name no previous king had ever had. He had long black hair, he was somewhat slender but had a fierceness to him. The gold of his crown could blind from a certain angle. He was Magito Haltburn the first, ruler of the Kingdom of Spalis.

Magito's reign was not one of love, care, and passion for his people. It was one of malice, anger, and greed. For all the good will his father had built up, Magito tore it all down. Magito's fist was iron. Most of the Kingdom had only ever seen the King's scorn. The cause of his brutality was unknown, but its effect ran deep. Magito hired a Royal Jester, 8 months ago. Amerala suggested it would help Magito loosen up from the stress of rule. Magito agreed with his wife's statement. She personally offered to search for the Jester; she picked a man by the name of Casimar to be His Majesty's Jester.

Casimar was average height, his hair was dirty blonde with a widow's peak. He was kinda muscular but not built like one of the Skypeople. Magito had been dealing with insurgents from the eastern regions of the Kingdom in Luft and Pars. He was seething as he sat on his throne awaiting Casimar's next performance. His brother spoke to him

"Magito, you must calm yourself. The East is still unlikely to secede and even if it did so, it's poor backwater, it won't survive a war with our army."

Magito didn't respond. He continued to sit in silence. His rule had gone on for 15 years and it had always just been trouble for him. The room, so used to grand parties and celebrations, was at last entirely silent. Amerala couldn't move her eyes from Magito, his anger terrified her. The mood had to be lightened.

"Send in the Royal Jester!" Amerala called out.

The large, black and gold doors to the throne room flashed open. In came Casimar, escorted by royal guards.

The Jester approached the throne, a gleaming smile on his face. His attire spattered with color. Reds, Greens, and Blues. His hat had 4 protruding arms, at the end of each a bell and tassel. Short pantaloons and pointy toed shoes accompanied his top vest and undershirt. The Jester pulled out some toys he would use to begin his routine. He got himself composed, he waited for permission to begin. It always came from the King, so when the King opened his mouth, he had no chance of predicting what would come out.

"Casimar, the Royal Jester…" Magito said.

"Yes King Magito?"

"You know what angers me so much about you?" Magito continued.

"Um, no sire, I've no idea."

Casimar knew this tone of the King's. It was a tone he often heard. It was Magito's tone of complete disregard for emotion. His irate tone. Magito continued:

"For 8 months, you've entertained me and those that sit beside me. Yet, for every single day, every hour, every second, of those 8 months I've wondered. 'When do the jokes finally start?' Could you answer that question Casimar?"

Casimar was stunned, and couldn't move nor speak. He was stuck in limbo. The guards in the room stiffened, they didn't wish to anger the King more. Those beside the King stared toward him, waiting on his word. Only one looked toward Casimar, Amerala, the Queen. Her eyes gentle and concerned; it gave Casimar comfort even if it really signified his undoing.

"That was when I realized the joke was on me the entire time." Magito said.

"For my beloved wife chose a lowly Jester over a rightful King."

Tears shed from Amerala's eyes. They couldn't be stopped, as a river flowed down her cheeks. Her affair had doomed a man to tortures dawn til dusk until a Free Executioner arrived to finish him off infront of the citizens of the Capital, Spalio. Casimar instantly fell to his knees. His lower body gave up on him. The scorn in Magito's voice changed the way the world sounded. Nothing could be the same after he spoke his Kingdom's tongue. The guards didn't need an order, they knew what to do and moved toward the fallen Casimar.

"Don't just bring him to the brig. Bring him to Bastard's Den."

"Of course, King Magito." A guard replied.

A shattered Amerala ran out from the throne room. No one chased after her. Casimar and Amerala's eyes met as she ran past. Seconds after, Casimar was dragged out of the throne room, it's door slammed shut as he exit.

"Brother, when he is ready. You shall do the torturing." King Magito said.

"Of course brother, it shall be done." Contavion responded.

"Kalas, contact the Free Executioners, we've need of their services."

"I shall at once, sire." Kalas responded to Magito.

Magito motioned to some guards in front of him.

"Take my son to his tutors."

The Guards moved the prince out of the throne room. Then Magito yelled for all to leave him. So, he sat in his royal throne room, alone, with nothing but his thoughts and quiet.

The Bastard's Den was Spalis's most horrifying prison. It housed all the worst of the Kingdom. The serial killers, the violent revolutionaries, and now the defamed Royal Jester. His cell was littered with rats and mold. Your rights were stripped the second you entered Bastard's Den. Prisoners died often, whether of hunger, disease, or fighting. Each prisoner received a piece of bread as their meal, whether moldy or stale or edible, it didn't matter. Many prisoners just lay in their cells constantly watched by the Royal Guard, which in Bastard's Den carried two full detachments, commanded by Warden Sir Bart Greensdale. Sir Bart was the replacement Warden of Bastard's Den, his predecessor Quin Ollum, served for 53 years and had built up Bastard's Den reputation as the stalwart jail of the Kingdom. Bart had much to live up to, and was always fighting for power in the Den. His only saving grace was his royal guardsmen being truly battle hardened men. But in Bastard's Den, without Quin, talks of an escape always spurred.

Casimar was imprisoned in cell 1,233. Each day, guards would come and take him to a torture chamber as by order of the King. Often, food was "lost" on its way to his cell. Life had become nothing but an endless cycle of pain for Casimar. Contavion came each month to see what had been occurring with Casimar and often to personally torture him. Prisoners never had free time, but in the lower cell blocks, guards often acted more lazily. Casimar was in the lower levels and after a year of being locked away, a fellow prisoner came knocking. Usually Casimar's cell remained guarded at all times, but this was in between shifts. The den had developed a culture of leaving the new arrivals alone for a while.

This prisoner was one of the few who counted the days.

"You've been here a year and 31 days."

Casimar was dazed and couldn't even respond.

"Not many here get tortured as much as you. Most times they just leave us to rot down here, but you, you get the special treatment."

Casimar finally looked toward the prisoner, he couldn't see anything but a silhouette. After some minutes passed, the voice became clearer, it was a woman speaking.

"The lower levels have been planning something. I wondered if you wanted in." The woman said.

"Wh- what? What are you saying?" Casimar uttered.

"Have you not been listening? I guess that's why you never responded when I asked for your name. I thought you were playing some game." The words man responded.

"I've heard nothing."

"The torture really has ruined you. Well then I won't bore you now. But just answer a question for me."

"What?"

"Wanna get outta here?"

Casimar nodded silently. The woman walked away. And 10 minutes later, his guards arrived. He thought the entire situation was some odd hallucination. A trick from his mind to soothe the pain. When his life continued as usual for a month, his mind was set on it being a made up interaction from his mind. For the woman never revisited and his suffering only grew worse. But a light appeared, when a Free Executioner came to Bastard's Den.

He was brought to Casimar's cell. Escorted by 6 guards.

"Royal Jester Casimar, the day of your death has come."

The only prisoners heard the words of the Executioner, some chuckled at the thought of a Royal Jester being imprisoned here although most didn't think it to be out of character for Magito. The guards shackled Casimar and began moving him. The Executioner followed behind them. His hands connected together in an almost prayer position. The other prisoners watched as Casimar was taken off, the woman from before watched but not with worry, with excitement.

The guards brought Casimar up to the Warden's quarters. Where the Warden and Contavion were waiting for him to ready his transport to Spalio. As was custom, the Executioner must follow Casimar through everything he does until his final breath. Casimar had been so broken that he welcomed execution. This was something Free Executioners preferred but not when it came out of pain. Casimar hadn't accepted death, he was forced to believe it was his only option of escape. Upon Casimar's arrival to the quarters, Contavion inspected him.

"I see I did good work, keeping you alive so long."

"I understand the importance of Casimar, sir, but you never told me your views on my Wardenship." Bart mentioned.

"What I think of how you run things here is something only for the King to know. All I can say is you aren't as talented as Quin." Contavion answered.

"Un-understood, sire. I shall work to improve tenfold."

Contavion began his exit of the Den, behind him followed the guard and executioners holding Casimar. But a loud scream was heard outside the Warden's. It was then his door opened and prisoners were leading a revolt. A small few had come to the Warden, for revenge against him and also his predecessor. Among them, the woman who met Casimar down below.

"How the hell are you out?!" Screamed the warden.

The prisoners charged him and his guards began a defensive fight. The woman moved toward Casimar. The Executioner sat on the ground. For by law, he could only kill for executions and for self protection if attacked first. The guards with Casimar adjusted their stances, ready to fight to keep hold of their prisoner. 1 guard charged the girl, his end met by his own sword piercing his back. The other 5 stayed back in a formation pointing like an arrow toward the woman, keeping Casimar out of reach. A guard moved his sword toward Casimar.

"This trouble isn't worth it!

Contavion tried to warn his guardsmen but it was too late. The Executioner grabbed the guard.

"You have no right to kill him, boy." The Executioner said.

The guard was knocked out by the Executioner, who once again took a seat on the ground. Now only 4 stood in the woman's way. But she gained an advantage when the other prisoners finally finished off the warden.

"I've never been happier that Quin died." A prisoner shouted.

It was 9 to 5. Contavion was most knowledgeable in strategy but if he had to, he'd fight. He knew the loss of Casimar would destroy his relationship with his brother, and he knew that his guards were well trained. Yet, one prisoner easily killed one of them. He made a bet in a split second. He knew even without leadership, the guards would eventually get the Den back under control. They would need new soldiers to enforce the lockdown the prison would hold. He decided he'd hold off the prisoners as long as he could until more guards arrived, then he'd make way with his guards and Casimar to send reinforcements to the Den and deliver the Jester to the capital. Without haste, Contavion drew his sword.

A fierce engagement began between the two sides. A prisoner fell, then a guard, then another prisoner. The fight had been going on for 30 minutes, finally another group of guards arrived much to Contavion's delight. He immediately ordered the guards on the prisoners and began to exit. An explosion went off near the Warden's door. The new detachment was blasted away. A couple seconds later, another explosion went off knocking out Contavion. His guards had no leader and were slaughtered in their last defense. The woman broke Casimar chains and spoke to him.

"Hello Mr. Jester, remember me?"

Casimar grabbed onto the woman's legs to hug her. The woman told Casimar they needed to move before more guards came. Prisoners said they wanted to kill Contavion but she told them that life would be once ten times worse if they touched a hair on Contavion's body, no guard or warden compared to a King's brother and they had no idea how close other guards were, so it was better to move now rather than waste any more time. The prisoners found a drainage system and grabbed some torches. They entered and began the final stage of their escape. The Executioner followed behind them, the group never realized he had to follow Casimar until his execution. The Executioner was neutral, he couldn't sell him out or directly help Casimar. He would offer Casimar protection as he couldn't die by anyone else's hand except his. For now, he's only accompany Casimar as was his duty.

The prisoners eventually found an exit to the drainage system and moved slowly and quietly into the woods. They'd camp in a small cave, they arrived just as the sun was rising. After arriving, Casimar asked the woman for her name, and she answered: "Rilia."

As night fell, the Executioner came into view. The group had no fear of him after what they'd seen earlier. He approached the camp and took a seat.

"Casimar, I don't know how much you know of the Free Executioners, but until you're recaptured or until the Kingdom retracts its execution order, I'm going to follow you."

"What if neither of those happen?" Casimar asked.

"You'd need to run so far away that the Kingdom has no way of retrieving you."

"I should know your name if you're going to be around me a lot."

"I'm Dathma von Crans."

"Dathma, don't worry, you won't need to kill me, the Kingdom will never take me back."

"Don't be so sure, Magito is powerful, I've worked with him before."

A cynical face came upon Casimar. It had a gleeful tinge to it.

"Then I'll just have to take his Kingdom from him."