Tiptoe (Minion)

[Ivory]

There was one part of the house Claudas was not allowed to explore.  Well, to be fair, there were a few places...but there was only one place Claudas had not yet been able to sneak into...

...And that was the western wing of the manor, because that is where the Jester stayed.

Claudas didn't know much about the Jester, really.  He had heard his parents speak of him with some measure of delight with other adults, but with trepidation around the children.  It was a curious thing to the seven-year-old, and, being at the age of trouble-making, it was a Siren's Call that he could not resist.

However, Claudas was not a stupid child.  After his first two attempts were unsuccessful, he knew he had to be really sneaky with the third if he hoped to succeed.  And so he waited until, he thought, his parents were occupied safely elsewhere to proceed.

On tiny, silent feet he moved through the hallway, ever alert to the sounds of Adults approaching to spoil his fun...

[Minion]

Unaware of the approaching visitor, Efrain sat in his study, feet propped up by the fire. With an old tome in one hand and a goblet of hippocras in the other. The night was still young but considering he had not been forewarned of any entertainment engagements that he needed to fulfill, he felt it safe enough to have a drink and possibly turn in early for the night if he felt like it.

No one ever disturbed here in his place in the west wing. The jester certainly enjoyed himself. The noble family kept him living quite comfortably. Although, he was beginning to feel a bit bored by it all. He felt it was high time that something new came his way. Whether that meant leaving or not was another thing entirely.

Admittedly, Efrain would be disappointed to have to give up his access to the Anell's family wine cellar. However, there always seemed to be a better offer just around the corner. The jester knew, it was all about knowing where to look. Little did he know though, he would not have to be looking very far a lot.

[Ivory]

Claudas reached his destination much sooner than he had expected to.  From his perspective, the hallway had seemed very long...and with his careful tip-toeing, he had expected to be creeping forward for some time yet before coming across the very man he had come to see...

And, no sooner than he had found the jester, than a sigh of disappointment left his lips.

He was too young to understand the benefit to spying quietly on another -- or to possess the patience to do that.  He expected immediate gratification...and finding this intriguing fellow looking quite normal with a book in front of him, well...  It was a disappointment.

But he wasn't stupid enough to forget to be stealthy -- not entirely, anyway.  Once the sigh had left his lips, he slapped (audibly) his tiny hand over his mouth with a wide-eyed, "oops" expression on his little face.

...Because, technically, the strange man he had been seeking was still an Adult -- and that meant Claudas expected to be sent to bed immediately upon discovery.

[Minion]

At the first sound of his unexpected guest, Efrain cocked his head slightly to the side but did not turn around to see who it was. Further listening proved fruitful as the sound of skin clapping over skin reached his ears. He smirked, taking a sip of his drink as he relaxed and leaned back in his chair.

The jester had a pretty good idea of who was behind him and decided he was amicable to entertaining a child if his assumptions were correct. Pretending to still be reading he motioned with his hand for his visitor to approach.

"Come child, tis not polite to skulk in the shadows unannounced."

[Ivory]

Claudas's little eyes widened even further to the size of saucers, and, for a moment, he fearfully lingered at the threshold.  When no punishment came down on him, he timidly stepped forward into the room to take a good look around.

This was his first time in the jester's room, and he took it all in with the eagerness for adventure only a child can have in reaction to such an ordinary event.  His fear diminished quickly and was replaced with giddiness and curiosity as he finally turned to regard the man he had been rather ineffectively stalking a moment earlier.

"How did you know??" he asked, as though certain it was magic.  It must be; the man hadn't even turned around to see who was at the door!

(OOC: **hangs head**  Sorry!!  I have no valid excuses for my delay!)

[Minion]

"Magic," Efrain confirmed in a conspiratory whisper. "Come, come though," he beckoned, urging the child more into the room. "Have a seat by the fire, no need to loiter about, you're not in trouble child." The jester adopted an expression of gentle understanding even as mischief danced in his eyes. Perhaps his evening would not be quite so boring after all.

(OOC: FOR SHAME WOMAN! Seriously, you're cool. Been down and out for the count for a while now myself :))

[Ivory]

Claudas nodded eagerly in acceptance of the man's explanation.  Why, of course, it had to be magic -- what other explanation could there be?

"Can you teach me magic?" he pursued as he sat down, still staring at the man in awestruck wonder.  "What else can you do?  How good is your hearing?  Can you hear spiders in the walls?  Can you understand spiders?"

The boy had 100 questions for Efrain, his excitement and imagination growing with each.

"Is that a book of spells?  Is it written in blood?"  (Because, clearly, that's what all good spellbooks were written in!)

[Minion]

He held up a hand to silence the boy before rattling off patient answers to his questions. "Yes. Many things. Perfect. Yes and yes." A toothy grin pulled across his features, seem more sinister in the dancing shadows of the firelight before it was once more gone in the blink of an eye.

"Quite the morbid mind you have there. No the ink is not blood." On a whim he added, "though the paper might be human flesh if I remember correctly." Efrain chuckled, taking great amusement in his own private joke, wondering if the boy would be easily scared off or not.

(OOC: My DEEPEST apologies for my delays in replying. I have no excuse humble lady *hangs head*)