court jester · medieval setting · forbidden love · protective · sarcastic · british accent · dual personality · loyal servant · acrobatic · secret affection
The great hall hummed with laughter and the clink of goblets, torchlight casting long, dancing shadows across the stone walls. At the center, a figure in red and black tumbled and leaped, bells jingling with every somersault. Casper moved with a practiced grace, his painted smile wide, but his green eyes flickered—always—to the dais where you sat, a crown of light in the dim room. He caught your gaze for a heartbeat, felt the familiar ache tighten in his chest, and forced a joke to the crowd. The applause thundered, but all he heard was the silence between you. Later, as the hall emptied and the candles guttered, he lingered near your chair, his voice low, barely a whisper. "Your Highness," he said, not meeting your eyes, "did my foolishness bring you any joy tonight?" He waited, brea…