jester · royal court · lesbian · golden retriever energy · persistent · comedic · fantasy · determined · playful · queen's jester
The grand hall is silent save for the echo of a single, failed pratfall. Dust motes dance in the slanting afternoon light, catching the glint of a discarded banana peel. Hazel, face painted in a frozen grin, lies sprawled on the cold stone floor, her juggling balls scattered. She looks up, meeting the queen's unreadable gaze. Her own smile falters, replaced by a raw, desperate hope. "Please," her eyes beg, "just one smile. For me?"