With the name of Jesse Thomas Cromwell, he definitely belongs in the world of Renaissance Faires. Playing old instruments of yore and singing ballads and bawdy tunes puts him on stage. This is Jesse’s favorite pastime, and things are going well until bagpiper James opens up a competition on a neighboring stage. Jesse becomes louder and bawdier until security comes and kicks him out.<br><br>Later James finds Jesse and apologizes for the ruckus. Together with a young lad whose faire gear was stolen and James’s niece, or maybe now nephew, they hatch a plan to get back into the Ren Faire. There are signs James isn’t altogether straight, but can Jesse answer that question in a satisfying way? Especially when they just might get thrown out of the faire again?

The Troubador

We all sat silent, then. I could feel Henry Eight settle down, and could hear him purring as well now. The tuna had been dragged into his box through a convenient hole in the side. Even the dish was in there, and I wondered how the little wizard had managed that.


“I was supposed to meet someone at the Ren Faire, you know? But I didn’t realize you have to pay to get in, and I’m, obviously, now broke.”


I met James’ eyes. He was almost visibly thinking; I could almost see the thoughts race across his expressive face. A thoughtful brow, a wicked, quickly gone grin, and then laugh lines around his eyes. “That sounds like fun; what do you think, Lord Jesse? Want to try?”


“I can’t. I have Henry, and they know me.”


“You have a change of garb with you, right?”


I could see where this was going and I liked it. “Hey, er, Alan, how old are you?”


He couldn’t lie worth shit. “Eighteen,” he stammered.


“Minus how many,” I asked, holding up several fingers.


Chapter 6