I abruptly realized that I had arisen and was standing over Regal. He was looking up at me. Waiting. There was a glint of fear in his eyes, but also the shine of triumph. All I would have to do was strike at him, and he could call the guards. It would be treason. He would hang me for it. I felt how the fabric of my shirt was binding on my shoulders and chest, so swollen with rage was I. I tried to exhale, willed the balled fists of my hands to loosen. It took a moment. Hush, I told them. Hush, or you’ll get me killed. When I had my voice under control, I spoke.
“Many things have been made clear to me this night,” I said quietly. I turned to King Shrewd. “My lord king, I bid you good evening, and ask to be excused from your presence.”
“Eh? So you … had an anxious day, lad?”
“I did, my lord king,” I said softly. His deep eyes looked up into mine as I stood before him, waiting to be released. I looked deep into their depths. He was not there. Not as he once had been. He looked at me puzzledly, blinked a few times.
“Well. Perhaps you had best get some rest, then. As should I. Fool? Fool, is my bed prepared? Warm it with the warming pan. I grow so cold at night these days. Ha! At night these days! There’s a bit of nonsense for you, Fool. How would you say it, to get it aright?”
The Fool sprang to his feet, bowed deeply before the King. “I would say there’s the chill of death about the days these nights as well, Your Majesty. A cold fair to curl the bones, it is. A man could take his death of it. It would warm me more to hide in your shade than to stand before your sun’s heat.”