YE OLE SWITCHEROO

CHAPTER SIX

Luke

 

Little Jessie came in with her head bowed as usual. Seth spoke first.

 

      “Jessie, we need your help.”

 

She looked up at him and her eyebrows furrowed.

 

      “Forgive me, good sirs, but why does thou speaketh with that diction? It is almost like…”

 

She shook her head.

 

      “Like what?”

      “Milady will have my head.”

 

Seth pointed to me.

 

      “Do not worry about your head. My brother has a direct line to your lady.”

 

She looked back and forth between Seth and I and nodded.

 

      “Very well but not at this time. The king is expecting thou and thee brother in his chambers.”

 

She walked over to the dresser in the room and pulled out a simple gray shirt and a pair or boots that came to about my knees. I didn’t have time to look in the mirror and I didn’t really want to; every time I did, it freaked me out. I saw Seth pass the mirror and he covered his eyes while I rolled mine. I knew I wasn’t as attractive as him but I wasn’t that hideous. I had a perfect complexion, which was good because if I didn’t, I would look like crater face with my pale skin.  We followed Jessie out of the room. The hallway was dark and lined with dim torches on the side chandeliers on the ceiling. It had doorways lined all along the walls and at the end there was a long spiral staircase leading down; which we obviously had to take. At the bottom of the stairs there were wooden doors which lead to a courtyard.

 

      “The queen but thee in her secret tower for we had not then known the reaction of the king. Lord Bless that he is understanding and always looking for workers.”

 

The courtyard had a stone path leading around a fountain which was squirting out extremely blue water. There was no one in the courtyard except one person, who looked like an old hobo. We walked and walked until we reached a passageway that had a gate blocking the entrance. It looked like the entrance to a kingdom and guards were lined up all around the top of the towers. Jessie beckoned at one of the guards to open the gate and he nodded. She turned to Seth and me.

 

      “Sirs, I am sorry but I did not get thee names.”

 

I pointed to myself.

 

      “I am Luke and this is my brother, Seth.”

 

She nodded and continued.

 

      “Sirs, something thee should know is that there are numerous ladies in this kingdom, mostly because of the king’s secret affairs.”

 

I rolled my eyes and looked at Seth who was scowling at me.

 

      “Sir Luke, thou may want to cover up thy face.”

 

I suddenly realized why Seth was mad; he had always been the one that girls drool over and now I was. I looked at him and he was looking at the ground.

 

            “I’m sorry. If it makes you feel better, I hate this body. It takes up too much space.”

 

He chuckled and looked at me.

 

      “You’re an idiot. Just don’t cover up your face up because I like it when girls look at me and its kind of like they are when they look at you.”

 

I nodded my head because I kind of understood his logic. The gates were fully opened now and Jessie walked through, expecting us to follow. I looked at Seth and he returned the favor. He shrugged, took a deep breath, stood up tall, and followed Jessie. I could see all the people walking around them, not even noticing Seth. I knew that it must’ve sucked for Seth to be surrounded by girls and be unnoticed but I knew that it was going to suck even more for me. I never wanted to be the center of attention for anything and not that I was Seth, that was kind of hard. I tried to look confident and walked in the square.

 

Seth

 

I could tell when Luke walked in without even looking. I could hear all the whispers of the woman and I could feel all the envy of the men. I turned around and saw Luke walking straight towards us, ignoring all the woman “accidently” bumping into him. I could see all the women turning around when he passed and some even changing direction. He finally got to us and we both realized that Jessie was laughing.

 

      “Oh, sir Luke, the king is not to be too happy when he sees thee.”

 

I started to laugh and Luke punched me in the arm. I shrugged. What did he expect? I missed all the girls looking at me when I passed and he probably hated the attention. A woman bumped into Jessie, making her fall forward. Luke helped her up and we all turned to look at who pushed her. She had light, light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was average in height and was wearing a purple dress and mask, which she removed. She had high cheekbones and all in all wasn’t that bad looking. She curtsied to Jessie.

 

      “Oh, I am so sorry, sweet servant girl. I am a klutz.”

Jessie nodded and reassured her it was fine but the woman didn’t leave. Instead, she was staring at Luke, who could not have been more oblivious staring at the monuments plotted around the stone courtyard. Jessie cleared her throat and brought Luke’s attention.

 

      “Sir Luke, this is Lady Jannel.”

 

He looked at her but he didn’t seem impressed. I bet he was still thinking about that stupid statue. He bowed.

 

      “Nice to me thou acquaintance.”

 

She bowed to him and made a big deal of showing him her ta-ta’s, which weren’t that impressive.

     

      “Why, the pleasure is all mine, Sir Luke. Why have I never seen thee walking this kingdom?”

 

      “My brother and I have just ventured here in order to ask for services we may provide to the king.”

 

She nodded in my direction then went back to talking to Luke. She clapped her hands.

     

      “I am afraid that I must be going but I will no doubt see you again, I presume.”

 

She extended her had to Luke but he was already looking away. I grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. She looked at me, wide eyed and pulled away. She rubbed where my lips touched and walked away. I punched Luke in the arm. He turned to me.

 

      “What?”

      “You’re an idiot.”

 

I rolled my eyes and Jessie continued to take us through the courtyard, leading us through flexuous pathways filled with woman. At some point Luke leaned over to me and whispered in my ear.

 

      “Is it just me or do girls here not watch where they are going? Some chick bumps into me every five seconds?”

 

I laughed and continued walking. He really was an oblivious idiot. We finally got to where Jessie said was the throne room. The doors were huge and red with golden knobs running along the edges.

 

      “Sirs, do not speak until spoken to and do not, for the love of all that is holy, look at his daughter, especially you, Sir Luke.”

 

We nodded and the guards standing at the door let us in. The throne room was large and grand like nothing I had ever seen. The sides were lined with booths like Luke and I saw at the Broadway show one time. The room looked as if it were made of gold and there was a gigantic chandelier above our heads. There was a red carpet leading to the huge throne where the king was sitting. He looked like he was in his early 30’s but wanted to seem older. On his sides were five men who I was guessing, from what I remember from history, were his advisors. Sitting on the throne next to him was a young boy who looked about the same age as me and Luke. On the other side of him was the woman who had walked into my room the other day. I rolled my eyes. Of course Luke would attract the queen on the first day of us being here. The men started whispering something the king and he was nodding. Jessie nudged us and pointed to the ground. Luke nodded and mouthed for me to kneel. I nodded and knelt on one knee before the king.

 

      “My wife informs me that thou have been taken care of these men, servant girl.”

 

Jessie nodded and rushed to the side of the queen. The king nodded and turned his attention to us. He clapped his hands but I dare not look at him.

 

      “Oh foolish boys, arise and face thou king.”

 

Luke and I got up and turned to the king. He got up and came towards us. He looked like was examining us. He walked around me first then Luke. When he was done, he sat back on his throne.

 

      “What is it thou are good at, sir…”

 

He was looking at Luke and he bowed his head.

 

      “My king, my name is Sir Luke and I can do anything scholastically related.”

 

The king laughed and everyone joined in.

 

      “Thou thinketh me a fool? Thou look like a worker rather than a poet or scholar.”

 

The king turned to me, his gray eyes piercing mine. I realized that he had some features of our dad, like the five o’clock shadow and his hair was the same, a dark brown.

 

      “And what does thee do?”

 

      “Whatever thou will, I may do.”

 

I bowed for an extra emphasis and the king started to laugh.

 

      “Wife, thou have brought me two jesters.”

 

He turned to his wife and she laughed and looked at us. She smiled at Luke and he just kept looking at the floor, probably nervous. The king started to talk with his advisors and Luke moved closer to me

     

      “They can’t separate us.”

 

I nodded.

 

      “Don’t worry, I got it.”

 

I cleared my throat and the king turned to me.

 

      “My king, I must inform thee that my brother and I must not be separated.”

 

I wasn’t afraid, even in this body. I just wasn’t made that way. The king got up and came up to me. I could smell his breath and I almost puked. I guess there were no toothbrushes in this century. He slapped me and I fell to the ground. I heard Luke gasp and start towards me. I looked up and saw guards stopping Luke from getting to me. The king peered at me with eyes that showed his anger.

 

      “Thou a peasant and thee dare speaketh to me without me speaking to thee first?”

 

He was yelling. I got up and lowered my head. I heard laughter and looked up to see that it was the king.

     

      “Thou are the first man to ever speaketh to me like that.”

He clapped his hands and two young boys from behind his advisors came forward.

 

      “Take these two men to the one of the castle’s empty rooms and settle them down. Then, let them tour the kingdom, but not outside the walls.”

 

The boys nodded and started towards us but the king held up his hand.

 

      “I was not yet finished. Sir Luke and Sir. I am sorry I did not get thou name.”

 

      “Sir Seth.”

     

      “Right. Sir Luke and Sir Seth, you men have two more days of freedom to do what thou like. For after those two days, thou belongeth and you will be my stable boys, for that is all we have where two men may be together as thou have requested.”

 

He waved his hand and the boys came up to us and bowed. I bowed to the king.

 

      “I thank thee for thou generosity, my king.”

 

He nodded his head at me.

 

      “Sir Seth, when thou have time, I have much to discuss with thee.”

 

I nodded my head.

 

      “I shall surely make the time for my king.”

 

The boys led us out of the throne room. Two days of freedom, he said. Two days to do what we want; two days to get home.