The Kings Personal Joker (boyxboy)

Chapter Forty

[A/N] Warm thanks for the votes guys. (•‾⌣‾•)و♡

[Ophelos' POV]

His eyes looked ready to squeeze the life and soul from every unfortunate living being within a fifty mile radius. He was livid.

I felt myself bowing my head by instinct, unwilling to make the necessary eye contact to see his anger directed at myself. The way he filled a room with his emotion at any given time was startling, but especially tonight he was angry. I'd never actually witnessed him so visibly annoyed by something in all my years working for the King.

"So I tell him," He bit out. "To stay, and be good... and it takes him no time at all to run off?"

I swallowed, my head still bowing. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Pray tell, why did he do this?" His voice was dangerous.

I peeked up at the King, upon seeing the anger in his gaze I quickly returned my eyes to the floor.

"He spotted the escapee. He pursued him..."

Silence. Deadly silence.

"Is he aware of why I told him to stay?"

I swallowed again. "I think so, Your Majesty."

"Rise!" He barked. "Do not hold such a servantile posture with me!" I rose, but still avoided eye contact. "He does not know. That or he has no sense of self preservation. I expect him to keep himself safe, not run into the line of fire when opportunity presents itself!"

I frowned, but tried to force it from my face.

"Speak!" He demanded. "You wish to, so speak."

I held my tongue and averted my gaze.

He sighed in irritation. "You have immunity to say as you please tonight. I do not wish to throw words at a wall. Speak."

I clenched my jaw. This was not worth it. I told myself. He is just a joker, replaceable, a mere annoyance. But still... it was hard to miss the changes in the King since he had found him. He was enjoying himself, anticipating the entertainment of the man when he had the chance... it was unusual and it was good to see, something I had never quite seen since he had been forced into the throne.

"He almost caught him." I told him.

The King caught my eyes. He seemed interested, at least his annoyance was quiet for the moment.

"Though he may have gone against your orders, which I agree requires some penalty, he was likely the only one with opportunity to catch the man and he tried."

Silence. He watched me impassively so I had no real way of knowing whether I was digging my own hole by possibly appearing to protect the Joker. The fact that he wasn't biting at my tail was a good sign, however.

"He came very close, and forced him out of hiding..." I trailed off.

I didn't bother to cast my eyes down again because he wasn't looking in my direction anymore, his head turned to his left. He stopped a while, seemingly in thought.

"He will be punished." He said finally, but his voice was not filled with quite so much anger as before.

"Sir... I should-" I was about to ask him how exactly he planned on punishing him when he stopped me.

"Bring him to me."

"Bring him to you?" I asked him.

He nodded.