Chapter Two: Diamond

''I won't submit to you, old hag!'' The jester struggled as the queen ruthlessly threw him into a freezing dungeon.

His body sprawled on the dungeon's floor. So, the queen bent down to level herself to him.

She harshly grabbed his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. ''I am not asking for your opinion, lil' rabbit.''

There's nothing in his eyes except for anger. ''Do not call me rabbit!'' With blazing eyes, he said and bite her hands.

''I am the court jester of Queen of Elvira, Vernon Lucere Ellyse. She's my one and only queen.''

''Your one and only queen?'' the queen said, looking at the little wound on her hands as if it was the most amusing thing her eyes had seen. But her eyes shifted to a thick layer of ice once he spouted those last words.

''Yes! And I believe she will come and save me.'' His eyes were now full of hope and determination.

The queen stood. Then the jester tried to make his body sit in a more comfortable position yet he failed. 'Ow!'

When he looked up, he met the queen's eyes. It was void of any emotion and impenetrable. Those pair of eyes are the most he wanted to avoid staring at for so long. There was a strange feeling as if he could be drowned in the deepest part of the blue-green ocean.

''Name.''

''Huh?''

''Your name. What is it?''

The jester looked puzzled. ''Why would you want to know my name?''

The queen's gaze sharpened. ''Just say it.''

''Fine,'' he humphed and crossed his arms over his chest. He was probably the only one who acted haughty in front of the so-called 'ice queen.'

Yet the queen ignored it.

''My name...my name....is...'' Then he trailed off. ''My name...''

''No name?'' The queen assumed but she did hit the target.

''Y-Yes.'' He hung his head low. The chains on his hands became the most interesting things in his eyes at this moment. ''I am just called a jester.''

The queen bent down again. The jester was surprised and became startled when the queen touched the chains on his hands. Her thumb stroked the edges of her ring. She used enough force to make it bleed.

Then the next thing he realized his hands were unchained as the queen's thumb with blood touched them.

''Diamond.''

''What?''

''Diamond,'' she said. He admitted those words sound so beautiful on her lips.

''W-What? Do you want a diamond? I'm sorry...I may be a court jester but I'm actually broke.''

With his now free hands, he reached out to his pockets, pulling something from it and instead of some coins, colorful paper flowers came out magically.

''You can,'' she said as her hands took one paper flower that fell on the floor and looked at it closely with interest.

''What do you mean?'' His eyes widened, looking at her incredulously. ''I said I'm broke!''

''I do not mean that stone.'' The queen folded the paper flower into an unidentified shape and put it under her sleeve.

''I mean 'you', yourself.''

''I would never understand old hags like you. Tch,'' he blurted, not regarding any respect to the queen.

The queen stood again but this time, she offered her hands.

The jester was stunned. ''What are you doing?'', and arched his brows at her.

''From now on, your name is Diamond.''

''Just what did yo--''

''And I am your queen.''

.....

Elvira was nowhere in good condition. The palace was in turmoil. Its queen couldn't get to calm down because of the absence of one of her precious people - her court jester.

''Elvira, heed my call. We're going to war,'' Queen Vernon declared, only to get sighs and shaking heads in disagreement from the nobles.

''My Queen, please understand. The kingdom cannot sustain another war after one.'' The prime minister stood.

''But how about me? Do you understand my feelings?.''The queen hardened her voice. Her long black nails gripped the end of her throne's arms. Thinking about what the ice queen had done, she couldn't control the rage inside her.

The throne room was unusually dark matching the intense atmosphere.

''W-We understand that the court jester is...be-beloved to you, Your Majesty.'' The prime minister firmly held himself to not break in cold sweats but he was trembling inside.

Indeed, serving a monarch is like accompanying a lion. A master that is ruthless and unpredictable.

''But Your Majesty, we don't have enough resources --''

''Y-Yes, Your Majesty we wou--'' a noble tried to support the minister but they only made the queen rose in anger.

''Enough!,'' the queen cut him off.

Crash!

The queen grabbed the bottle of wine placed beside her throne and threw it in the prime minister's direction.

He didn't dare to move unless he wanted his head to roll on the floor but a shard of glass wounded his cheek.

His companions, the pillars of the noble council of Elvira shuddered in fear.

''Forgive us, Your Majesty!'' Then everyone in the throne room got down on their knees.

''We can't win if we go to war against Atarah, Your Majesty.'' The prime minister toughened himself to speak his thoughts, he didn't become a leader of the court for nothing. He is a man of honesty and integrity yet he couldn't escape death at the hands of his cruel master.

''I'll pull everyone's tongue here. Then I'll let the crows eat your brains. You're all useless.''

''Y-Your Majesty! P-Please spare our lives!'' The nobles pleaded constantly yet the queen seemed to have no ears.

On that day, Elvira's court was wiped out. And another council was established overnight.

The whole kingdom was covered in fear. No one dared to challenge the queen yet everyone was pulled down to the painful misery. With the former prime minister gone, no one who was brave enough to knock some sense to the queen giving honest advice.

The queen was now surrounded by a bunch of yes-men.

The day after, Queen Vernon received a letter from the Queen of Atarah.

There are only a few words but the queen fell in silence after that.

''I gave the jester a name. His name is Diamond.''

''Diamond?'' The queen uttered.

Then silently traced the name written gracefully on the letter. ''How beautiful.''

When realization dawned upon her, she cried for the second time in her life.

She never shed tears except when her mother left her and to her second time when she realized she never gave the jester a proper name.

The plan to go to war was canceled but the queen locked herself in her chambers, leaving the Elvira kingdom in the hands of the council.