*ding ding*
The sound of the door to the tavern opening.
A jolly Jesk is laughing at all.
Everyone is grumbling, looking away.
"You, in the doorway! Would you like to hear a tale? A tale told by a liar and a fool?" The Jesk asks.
"Ah, you want to know if it is myth or history? Why don't you listen and find out?" The Jesk replies.
Everyone grumbles, and the Jesk tells them to shush.
"Everyone, one and all, who wishes to hear a story, especially you, curious man, and listen to my tale." He begins his story, telling of another time.
"This is a tale of Kings and Thrones, a tale of an evil crown that touched many a heart.
There was a king who was slain. Slain by the one who held his crown buried in his flesh. But I digress. You dont want to hear the end of the story before it even began!
There was a king who was seen as evil by everyone, even his son.
His son was to inherit his crown and title soon, so he searched and traveled for a witch.
A witch who could make him invulnerable and so he could not be usurped by his son.
For in this kingdom, sons take the throne in a battle to the death; the winner takes the crown.
So he searched for the witch.
Bestower of curses, master of pain. This evil witch was deep in the swamp.
Now, you all know this tale. The tale of the witch that lives in the swamp. A terrifying area unlike any other on the planet. However, back in those days, there were many.
Many, many swamps throughout the world, but the king couldn't find the witch.
However, one day, he heard of a disturbance near a swamp. A carriage's horses were running away, even though there seemed to be nothing special about the swamp they were going towards.
The king hopped on his noble chariot, and sure enough, when he got there, his horses fled.
He entered the swamp."
By now, the previous doubting onlookers had gathered around the Jesk.
"Ya see, they dont like being made a fool, but love hearing a fool's story, Mr. Curious."
"KEEP ON WITH THE STORY," One of the angry onlookers shouted.
"Alright, alright.
As he traveled through the swamp, he frequently heard chilling sounds.
Eventually, he approached a large wooden structure.
He knocked on the door, and sure enough, a witch emerged.
They bartered for days, and eventually, the witch cursed his crown for him.
He left, satisfied.
However, the witch had placed a particular curse on the crown.
As long as he wore it, he would be king. He could not be killed by a mortal hand.
That part he knew.
However, the second side to the curse was not known to the king.
The crown could kill any living or unliving thing known to the earth.
And the king was fated to be killed by it.
The king returned home, seeming all joyous.
And the palace knew not what had changed.
However, the first assassination occured.
An arrow, tipped in poison, ran straight toward the king.
And it struck him in the temple.
And then
...
It bounced right off.
The court was shocked.
They finally figured out what the king had searched for.
Many had theorized, but few knew.
After that faitful day, assassination attempts ceased.
But the court was filled with unrest.
They whispered with each other, trying to figure out which item on the king was cursed.
No matter what they tried, they couldn't figure it out.
However, one day, an assassination came.
The king had become confident, and the crown hung sideways.
2 daggers were thrown, at the head, one at the throat.
One dagger missed and knocked the crown off the king's head.
The other dagger fell too low and pierced him in the shoulder.
Clutching from the pain that he had not felt in so long, he lunged for his crown.
He quickly put it on, and the dagger popped out.
However, the court and the world now knew his weakness.
He didn't even get his chance to see how this would unfold,
For on that day, he entered his chambers, his son was waiting for him.
He sprang up, knocked the crown off the king's head,
grabbed it, and stuck it through the king's heart.
Then, the son, full of hatred and fear, took the kings crown and shattered it. He gathered all the pieces, put them in a box,
and put the box far far away."
The Jesk stopped, looking at the crowd.
"And that is the tale. Any questions."
The entire tavern, transfixed, was stopped in silence.
"What was that, Mr. Curious? You still wish to know if it was Myth or History?" The Jesk laughed. "Why dont you ask the witch?"