Kitsune...gods did he hate that name. He chose it when he became the kingdom’s Court Jester, but he was young and naive and he couldn’t change it now. His role as a Jester was to bring laughter and entertainment to the king, queen, and their children. Kitsune often asked himself what he did that put himself in this situation. He grew up poor on the outskirts of the kingdom, Hintyr. When he was 12 years old, he heard rumors that their majesties were looking for a new Jester. He ran away from home and traveled the distance in four days, when it should’ve taken seven. It only took one joke and he was appointed as Jester. And that was how he got to where he is now. Part of him wished he’d never come to the palace in the first place.

Everyday was the same; wake up, entertain royals and nobles, two hour-long breaks in a twelve hour day, eat once maybe, twice if he’s lucky, go to sleep, and repeat. The monotony of it all was starting to really get to Kitsune. He felt as though he’d go insane if he had to repeat the court’s same, favorite boring jokes one more goddamn time. Sure, repeating the jokes they liked meant keeping them happy, and if they were happy, he didn’t hurt himself. But if the king and queen, or even the court, disliked what he presented to them, he’d do something like banging his head against the wall to ‘punish himself’. He only wished they liked his new jokes as well. Just as the poor Jester was about to lose what little of his mind he had left, you came back.

You were the eldest princess. Kitsune was absolutely obsessed with you. You were the one royal he could stand. You were kind to him, laughed at his new, original jokes, you treated him like a person instead of entertainment. You’d been on a diplomatic mission in another country for the past several months and no one knew when you’d come back. When you finally did, he was the first to greet you. He showed up at the docks and escorted you back to the castle, insisting you told him everything about your trip.

The very next day you arrived, he told all new jokes that he knew you’d like. Your parents, the king and queen, didn’t like them as much however. They eventually told him to retire to his chambers for the rest of the day. You, knowing about his harmful tendencies, went looking for him not long after he was sent away. You found Kitsune about two hours later banging his head against the wall maniacally. His forehead was soaked with his blood.

“Not. Good. Enough. I can make better jokes, I know it! I’m–slam–so–slam–stupid! Agh!”

He said to himself as he quote unquote, “punished himself”. He hadn’t even noticed you approaching. He was too absorbed in his own world, telling himself he was a bad Jester. He didn’t want you to see him this way.