Chapter Eight: The Queen In His Dreams

It was unexpected. He was treated differently, unusually well-accommodated by the well-known cruelest, and coldest person in the world ― Queen Natalia, the ice queen.

"Eat," she said monotonously. She neither smiled nor frowned.

However, he couldn't understand why she allowed him to eat with her. And based on the rumors he heard among the palace maids of Atarah, they were eating in her favorite spot. The loftiest and grandest tower in the kingdom, the Sky Tower.

Servants and commoners shouldn't eat at the same table as a queen. Although, he was neither a servant nor a commoner it was obvious his position was much lower than theirs at the moment. He was a prisoner from the enemy kingdom for over a century!

He should be in that coldest prison, rotting, and slowly dying. But he was sure his queen would come after her. Now that he thought about it, he assumed Queen Vernon was on its way yet Atarah and its queen seemed slacking. He could feel something was off.

He looked at the feast before him. They were sitting at a huge round table with varieties of food. Some are familiar and some are unfamiliar to him. They all looked so delicious and delectably expensive.

He wondered how Atarrah's economy maintained its prosperity despite the cold and barren land.

Looking at the food, he wasn't aware of the obvious sparkle in his eyes and the drool at the corner of his mouth.

He also didn't notice how the queen leaned forward, while she rested her chin on her palm, watching him with keen interest. A small smile crept on her lips.

"Dig in, or I'll be the one to..." she said but for some reason, she purposely didn't complete her sentence. Her tone became slightly gentle ― in front of the breakfast meal!

The jester looked at her. She found it brave in him because no one dared to meet her eyes than how he did.

'He must hate me so,' she concluded. 'I like it.' Under the soft tiny light of the sun peeking briefly behind the thick cloudy sky, her eyes glinted.

The jester once again felt like he was being watched like prey.

"I told you. I'm not a little rabbit so don't treat me like that." He puffed out his cheeks, expressing his annoyance. "And don't think about just because of this, I'm going to entertain you."

''Hmm, I like that,'' her interest was increasing. "Atarah has no court jester." She said implying something that he somehow understood.

She pulled her seat closer to him and started filling food on his platter.

"You...you don't have to do this," he stammered as he felt his cheeks getting warm.

"Hmm, let me,'' she said, putting down the utensils in her hands, elbows on the table, and chin resting on her palms while gazing at him.

''Diamond,'' he heard her calling him with that strange name.

"Y-Yes?" He couldn't get used to it and the fuzzy feeling whenever she said those words.

Her voice was silvery. It uplifted his mood like his favorite song.

"Say, be my jester?" It was not a command. It was a request.

"I ―" He couldn't say anything. He didn't know how to answer but he clearly knew the right answer.

Those eyes, mixed with blue and green hues made him feel uncomfortable. So he looked away and instead focus on his plate.

"I know," the queen broke the silence between them. Sighing, her eyes turned to the view laying before them over the balcony of the Sky Tower. "You can't."

Then she returned her look on his. She started scooping a spoonful of soup, offering it to him.

The jester gaped, not knowing what to do. He attempted to take the spoon from her hand but she didn't allow him.

"Here. Try this one," she said holding the spoon.

'How could I eat it when she won't hand me that spoon?' He complained in his head.

"Open your mouth," she casually said.

"Eh?" His eyes nearly went round.

Then he realized he left the ice queen's hands hanging in the air for so long. Afraid of aggravating the ice queen, he gave in and opened his mouth.

He didn't know if he was hallucinating but he saw a brief smile curving on her lips as he took the spoon of soup.

"This...this is unnecessary," he stated. And he was surprised how the soup tasted incredibly delicious and not only that, he felt his body slowly regaining strength.

"Do you put something on the soup?" he asked.

The queen nodded in response, "Healing Elixir. You need it."

The jester looked down but a flush crept across his cheeks. He muttered a single "thanks" before digging in on his full plate.

Honestly, he was anxious. Anxious of what? He was anxious because he was slowly wavering, and of all people ― to an enemy.

But no. He won't allow it.

On the other hand, the ice queen had a faint radiating glow on her face, watching him eat well.

"Your Majesty, the carriage was already prepared," a manservant entered the tower an hour after they finish eating breakfast.

The ice queen nodded in appreciation before the manservant vanished to the large doors of the tower.

"So you're going somewhere?" the jester asked, a hint of disappointment could be traced in his tone.

He is a jester. His natural environment should be lively and boisterous yet Atarah, especially its palace was as dull and silent as its queen.

At least, he wouldn't be left alone when the ice queen is around. He would occasionally tease her about how she looked like an 'old hag'. At first, she would do something about it, probably annoyed, like flipping his body in the air or shutting down his mouth using a kind of sorcery he didn't know what. But she would disperse it after a moment and then when boredom hit him again, he would start all over again.

"No. We're going somewhere," this time the ice queen literally smiled.

They traveled for about an hour. And inside the carriage, alone with the ice queen the jester couldn't help but feel nervous.

They didn't talk even once though. He fixated his eyes on the view outside the window to avoid the ice queen's gaze which was seemingly embedded in him throughout the travel.

He suddenly became conscious of how he looked. Is his hair not frizzy or unkempt? Does he have dirt on his face? And once he remembered his eyes were surrounded with reddish paint, he mentally pouted his lips.

'How could I look attractive in my attire? And why do I want to look attractive?'

"Your Majesty, we arrived," the footman said, as he opened the carriage's door. He extended his hand to help the queen get down.

"Diamond. Your hand?"

The jester thought the queen would start to walk on her own but instead, she waited at the door, extending her hand as the footman did.

"I'm not a lady so..."

The queen slightly creased her brows, giving him a quizzical look. "Why?"

"You don't have to help me get down." Then he jumped on his feet, ignoring the ice queen's hand.

The footman beside the queen frowned and attempted to rebuke him but the queen stopped him.

The queen's stoic face broke a smile. "As you wish."

“What is this place?” His eyes widened as he looked at the tall, magnificent building at the heart of Atarrah's capital. At the dull white streets of the frozen streets.

The building stands out because of its golden exterior. It was “A boutique,” Queen Natalia walked past him, opening two huge wings of oak, leading him to enter the fancy boutique.

The jester frowned. “Why are we here?” He remained standing, ignoring the invitation of the ice queen.

“For a coat,” she simply replied before stepping inside. A brunette greeted her with a jovial smile.

“Your Majesty! I am happy to see you.” The lady sweetly welcomed the queen before pronouncing a deep and graceful curtsy. The jester assumed she was of noble lady based on her poise and grace.

Queen Natalia merely nodded.

“So what is today's outfit, Your Majesty?” Her smile deepened, and her eyes openly expressed warmth.

He assumed the queen and this lady was close friends with the queen. Among the people flocking around her, she appeared the most genuine.

And despite the queen’s cold countenance, she was consistently warm as if she could see through a kind soul within her – which the jester could clearly sense as well.

“Meet my friend here,” Queen Natalia gestured to the jester, standing behind her.

The lady take a look at him and gave him a slow kind smile. “Oh, I’m happy to meet you! I’m Sera, how about you?” She offered her hands for a handshake.

He suddenly turned paralyzed. ‘How about me? My name?’

He found himself unable to utter a single word. Introduction for him was usually easy. He had to say he was a jester.

Yet at this moment, when he heard the queen address him as her friend, he had a desire to be someone important, someone, who has a name and not just a mere jester.

“I-I am…Diamond.” He lost it. He now used the name the ice queen had given to him. He should’ve hated it but…no–he didn’t hate it, he likes it…a lot.

Diamond. He felt like he was some important person. Someone who was taken seriously and not a joke.

He felt warm whenever she – the ice queen – call him by that name.

“Diamond! What a wonderful name you have,” the lady who she introduced herself as Sera exclaimed happily, then throw a meaningful glance in the queen’s direction. Queen Natalia then shifted her eyes away from them, avoiding eye contact with Sera.

“Okay! You two visiting me made my day. You look adorable together!” She giggled. The queen glared at her for some reason yet she merely stuck her tongue out at her but the queen didn’t take it seriously.

‘They must be friends,’ he thought.

Sera dragged him with her. He was stunned for being suddenly pulled to the dressing room.

“What are you doing?” he yelped.

“Mister, I’m going to take your measurements so be a good guy,” she winked.

“What?” He parted his lips, bewildered. “Why?”

“The queen wants it! So let’s go and get your complete makeover,” she clapped her hands and three more ladies showed up. They were quick to move. Two of them lifted their arms, getting his measurement. And one of the ladies measured his upper body.

“Let go of me!” He brushed them aside but they could surprisingly block him. They were stronger than him! Once he realized this, he trembled.

“Cooperate with us, sir. I wanna make my queen, happy!” Sera pleaded.

“How is she going to be happy by doing this?”

“She will,” her eyes sparkled. “‘Cause I’m gonna bring out your dashing looks under that mask.”

And as she said that, the three ladies were done and give way to her. In a brief moment, a vanity with a mirror appeared when she parted the peach curtains behind her. She once again dragged him and forced him to sit in front of the mirror.

He could see his reflection staring back at him – Face painted with different colors. His lips were red and were made fuller than their true shape. Around his eyes were black eyeliner and red paint as well, making his eyes look extra bigger. And his whole face was white, underneath the colorful paints.

He looked queer so he could look funny. This is a face of a jester.

Startled, Sera began to wipe the paint on his face without his consent. He groaned. He should not have taken the mask off because he is a jester. That is his sole identity.

Sera was stubborn. “Let me concentrate, sir.”

“I can’t do–” He was cut off by a harsh smudged of wet lukewarm cloth on her hands. The paint was gradually peeling off.

After an hour of literally rubbing his face to the point he turned like a red tomato, his bare face was uncovered.

“Oh my,” she dramatically covered her mouth with her palm, looking at him with admiration. “Is this the reason why the queen was in love?”

His ears perked up. “Who is in love?”

Sera quickly gave her mouth a light slap as if she was scolding herself for spitting out a secret, “N-No one!”

He bore his eyes on her, however, she steeled her expression. Failing to see through her, he then turned back to the mirror.

A face, which he rarely met face to face even though it always belong to him, was the one who was staring back at him.

“Sir, you are indeed a diamond in the rough. I haven’t seen a man as beautiful as you. So…why masking your face with that ridiculous amount of odd makeup?”

“This is not me,” he murmured.

“Eh?”

“I am a jester. I am not a man.”

A knock on the dressing room’s door interrupted their impending conversation.

“Lady Larshelli, the clothes for the gentleman is here. Her Majesty personally picked this,” a middle-aged man entered with a fine tunic, doublet, and a coat, obviously made from expensive fabrics, and trousers he believed only nobles are worthy to wear.

“That’s great!” Sera beamed. “Gerdon, please assist this beautiful man.”

An hour had passed, and he was fully dressed, not in his colorful attire but a formal-looking one. He looked and feel so different.

“Sir, you look dashing!” Gerdon said, in his thick accent. The ‘s’ in his words were emphasized clearly.

“T-Thank you.” He didn’t know what to say.

The boutique owner's assistant ushered him outside the dressing room.

He saw the ice queen conversing with Sera. Both of them were surrounded by gentlemen’s clothes. Indeed, the queen was the one who picked his outfit.

“Your Majesty, may I present to you…” Gerdon called their attention as the two women seemed deeply immersed in their conversation.

The jester assumed Sera almost do the talking, while the queen would only nod as a response. She would only say something if needed yet she would likely listen attentively.

As the ice queen turned her head to him, their gazes met.

It was like there was an electrifying force pulling them to each other. Her eyes sparked briefly. Yet he didn’t miss it, giving him an indescribable feeling.

He broke the eye contact, as he felt uncomfortable in his stomach.

“What do you think, Your Majesty?” Sera was smiling ear to ear, wiggling her brows as she looked at the queen.

The ice queen's eyes lingered on his body, from head to toe. He could feel his cheeks getting warmer under her gaze.

He too was curious what the ice queen think of him, now that his court’s uniform as a jester was replaced by fancy noble clothes.

“Good,” she nodded.

Sera dramatically sighed. Gerdon palmed his face.

“Thank you,” the jester simply said but why his chest felt heavy all of a sudden? Somehow, his mood dropped. Perhaps, he was expecting something…more?

‘More of what?’ He scolded himself. ‘Praises? I’m not a dog who desires more from its master. And I’m not hers either!’

“Is that all? Come on, Your Majesty!” Sera silently complained beside her. Then she mouthed some words at the queen.

The jester pursed his lips. He couldn’t hear what she was talking about. ‘Am I ugly?’ He thought. Subconsciously, his shoulders drooped.

And he was not aware that the queen couldn’t take her eyes off him. She literally could see his reactions.

All of a sudden, the queen dashed towards him.

Sera was chatting nonstop but silenced down as the queen ignored her and walked towards Diamond. She gaped but recovered for a second.

She squealed silently while she dragged Gerdon with her, outside the boutique.

“You…” The queen said, her sea-green eyes remaining on him.

She leaned forward, so close that he could feel her breath against his skin.

The queen whispered to his ears. “You look…wonderful.”

“Y-Yes?” He was flustered.

I think this is when he started thinking about her, almost every day.

That even in his dreams only her face he could see. And his cheeks would warm intensely at thought of it.

“Sir.” Diamond felt a hand gently shaking him.

“Sir, we have arrived. This is your home.” A rough voice made his tired and heavy eyes open.

His sight was blurry. He felt dizzy as if his world around was spinning. His head throbbed and was painful. His body couldn’t move no matter how much he forced himself to stand.

Diamond couldn’t even stay awake for a minute. So, he fainted unconsciously.