.

There was a jester in a pointed hat, which had small bells on each of the ends, and an alternating pattern on his clothes, and his face was painted white with bright red lips. He was about their age - probably a year or two older. Jylan almost burst out laughing at how funny it looked, and then he thought he was hallucinating the ridiculous costume, so he blinked. Nothing. This was all real. Now Jylan was slightly worried about the type of people Sebastian knew if he had seen this particular jester before. 

The jester, meanwhile, looked extremely worried as he looked at them. "Oh my. I'm sorry, I didn't know the guests were awake. Can you cut them free, Ender, Dear?" Almost instantly, a large white wolf slunk out from behind the jester. Jylan was still for a minute when the wolf came forward, fangs bared and yellow eyes studying them. For a minute the duke thought it was Ivory, but then he remembered that Ivory had gray eyes, not yellow. No, this was a different wolf. 

One he had smashed with a brick multiple years ago. 

The wolf was now a few feet away, and both Sebastian and Jylan backed up as far as they could against the wall, their heads touching the plaster. Jylan closed his eyes. 

And then he felt the ropes on his wrist loosen up. He opened his eyes to see the wolf with twine in its jaws, turning around to stalk back behind its master. Jylan rubbed his wrists, a bit stunned. The jester smiled and patted the wolf's head. "My, my. Cutting twine by hand is so time-consuming. I apologize if I gave you gentlemen a fright." Jylan stared quizzically at the wolf, and then finally, "Who are you? Where's Ivory?"

"Oh, the other wolf? Ivory is a nice name. Matches with Ender. He's over here." the jester said, gesturing behind him, where the wolf was standing with Ivory. Jylan snapped his fingers, and the wolf instantly bounded over to them, Jylan rubbed the wolf's head. 

Now Sebastian and Jylan both stopped to stare at the Jester.

"Who..are you?"