The court dog stood, cowered, and ran out of the gilded doors to the entrance hall. Silvia, the head server, shivered under her robes and tried not to drop her platter. The King stood from his throne and shouted to Arni, the court jester, “What did you say in my presence?”

Silence followed. Citizens of the kingdom stopped mid-bite, scared to move again until the Arni answered. Most of them hadn’t even heard the song he had been singing.

“I was singing ‘Royal Night’, sir,” Arni replied, still smiling as he bowed. “For it is, a royal night!” He turned towards the tables, but nobody met his eyes.

“You know that’s the song they played as they murdered my mother,” the king said through gritted teeth.

“I did not know that, sir, and I apologize.” Arni was shaking.

“Guards, please escort the jester to the gallows.”

The court dog stayed in the barn for the rest of the night, and Silvia tried not to think about Arni’s broken neck as she slept.