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Knight woke up sore, but alive, which is more than she'd been expecting. She levered one eye open to scan her surroundings; clean if dingy blankets, a four-poster bed whose curtains had clearly fallen off, four stone walls, a window indicating that it was maybe an hour past sunrise, and a closed wooden door.
She let her eye shut again. Nothing that needed to be dealt with immediately, so back to sleep it was.
When she woke up again, it was to see Jester standing at the foot of her bed and a doctor in black robes pulling up data on a device he'd plugged into her neck port.
"Merry!" Cried Jester. "The knight awakes! No doubt thy ministrations are to blame."
The doctor, for his part, ignored her. Knight tried to ask Jester what the hell was going on and why she was dressed like a clown, but all she got was a coughing fit. Jester capered over to her - triggering some unpleasant flashbacks to HANGED_MAN - and poured out a glass of water for her. "Here, and wash the dust from your throat!" she proclaimed. "Since thou hast not the time to bathe since the sky did so for you. I must needs inform the Lady of the castle of your swift recovery, although I'm certain I shall see thee again anon. Prithee, although I'm certain the Baroness would love to make your acquaintance, perhaps acquaint yourself with some soap first? Engine grease and dried blood do poor war-paint make." Jester cartwheeled out of the room before Knight could respond, so she simply drank her water and waited for the doctor to be done playing technician.
Slowly, her internal cyberware came back online. The boot sequence played as the doctor disconnected from her neck port, shaking his head at Jester's behavior. "No respect, that one, but if the Baroness says she stays, she stays." He grunted as he stood. "You're here by the Lady's good graces as well, so be certain to thank her appropriately. Keep weight off of your right leg, and try not to do anything too strenuous. I recommend..."
Knight had stopped paying attention. A little animated graphic had started playing in the lower right corner of her vision, an undulating pink line in a jester hat. Text shimmered over its head: "would you still love me if I was a computer worm?" Knight carefully nodded at the doctor's recommendation, whatever it was, and eagerly opened the file as soon as the door clicked shut.
"Babe, we're officially in hiding here. I know you're gonna want to brag about whatever fight you managed to demolish this time, but our local unfriendly AI is still out there looking for us. Luckily, the name they're looking for is the fake one I gave you for the tournament, but it'd still be suspicious if two strangers who knew each other both happened to end up at Heron's End, even if I did get here a full day before you did. So, make sure to play it cool. The Baroness here is nice enough and the fiefdom is poor enough that local politics pass the place over. I don't expect the guard to come back through here, since they already tossed the place after the tourney, so we should be okay for a little while. I've got a plan to get us back on the job, but I encrypted it just in case to make sure it wouldn't get into the wrong hands. I'll try to find an opportunity to clue you in on the password.
I haven't found our princess yet, and I'm worried about her.
Love you."
Knight reread the letter, then deleted it. There was another file, but just like she'd said, it was encrypted. She let out a long, slow, breath.
Well. There were certainly worse places to hide than somewhere that had a warm bath. She gathered her crutches and made for the door.
The Baroness was nice. When Renna had been cleaned up and dressed in a plain tunic and serviceable trousers, she'd gone to see her. Knight pledged her service in gratitude for being taken in, and she accepted it gladly. She bade Renna join her for a slow afternoon walk through the gardens when she had a break from the business of the kingdom, and so Renna found herself strolling - well, limping - through a well-kept wooded area inside the castle walls with Jester and the Baroness. They chatted about this and that, frivolous things. Renna played the part of a noble but not-too-bright knight, Jester played the frivolous fool, and time passed peaceably, until:
"I must say, I find myself quite enjoying your company, but I must be a poor host. I simply cannot stop thinking about a problem of statecraft raised earlier today."
"Perchance my lady would care for a riddle, as a distraction?"
"Oh! Do you know many? I am fond of a good riddle!"
Knight perked up. Jester dramatically cleared her throat, climbed halfway up a tree, flung out her hand, and began to recite.
"Just one is my power, four
pistons have I,
My war-coat shines bright like
the stars in the sky.
Crush hazard to fiends who
would get in my way,
But children don't fear being
caught in the fray.
My drill's not for digging,
it's polished and shined,
But if you need healing I
can help wounds bind.
The woods are my home, you
won't find me in burghs,
But if maiden needs me, well,
then I am all hers"
Jester finished by flourishing a plucked flower at the Baroness, who clapped her hands and smiled, blushing. Knight mouthed at her from behind the Baroness's back, "You have girlfriends at home!" Jester just winked at her.
"Oh my, what a splendid riddle! Let me think on it."
The Baroness pondered, murmuring parts of the riddle to herself as the trio paced through the gardens. As they prepared to re-enter the castle, she stopped. "I've got it!"
"Hast thou, my lady? Prithee, tell us your answer, I'm no good with riddles," lied Knight.
"'Tis a cat! A four-legged, solitary creature, with a beautiful white coat. They crush fiendish mice," she giggled at the notion, "and play with children. Their fangs are indeed polished and shiny, and their wonderful purrs promote healing! And they are friend to many a young maiden." She smiled at Jester. "What good sport! I much needed this break. Thank you, good fool."
Jester bowed low, tumbled forward, then sprang up in front of the door and opened it with a flourish. "I'm glad it pleased you, my lady! But alas, such sport cannot last forever. Will you join us, Ser Knight?"
Renna smiled and bowed to the Baroness. "Actually, my lady, if thou dost not have need of me, I believe I shall take the air for a while longer."
The Baroness turned to her. "Of course, by all means, Ser Knight. Our fiefdom has little need for war at the moment, so please, take as much time as you require to recover. I shall send for a doctor to attend to you shortly."
"You are most gracious, my lady."
Renna watched them leave, waited a few more moments, then pulled up the message from Jester on her hardware and entered the password: unicorn.
"Okay, Jester," she muttered to herself. "What's this big plan?"