The Name's Oliver - Ben Oliver. Ch. 159: Duty vs Ethics, Pt. II

[Swirl-Girl]

So that's where that infernal song came from!0o0

[Schipperke]

So that's where that infernal song came from!0o0

hehe.  Now you know!   

Nice to see you again, Swirl-Girl.

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part VI

Diary Entry

I had told Princess Elaine I wanted to nap just to get her to leave me alone.  There was no way I was going to sleep.  My mind was racing.  I needed to decide what I was going to do, and quickly.  But first, to maintain the fiction that I was indeed Giacomo the Jester, I opened his trunk and changed into the first outfit I found.



It wasn't exactly my usual style of clothing, but I felt a little more secure knowing that I looked the part.  With Mordred out on his ride, it seemed this might be a good time to explore the castle a bit and get to know my surroundings.  I made my way upstairs, encountering nobody until I walked into a room lined with books*.



Princess Griselda.  Not someone I had hoped to run into.  “Excuse me, my lady,” I said, uncertain how to address a princess.  I tried to back out of the room but too late.  “Stay!” she commanded. 

She put her book aside and walked over to me.  “I would have expected a fool to know that a princess royal is addressed as 'Your Royal Highness,'” she informed me.  “But you may call me 'ma'am.'”



“Yes, ma'am.  Excuse me, ma'am.” I grovelled.



She looked me up and down, finally saying “Perhaps I was mistaken in judging you to be a witch.  Surely only a true fool could – or would - wear such garish garb.  And yet,” she said musingly, “it seems to suit you well.”  I was less than pleased at being analyzed in this manner, but thought it best to bite my tongue and not offend her.  “Come!” she commanded, “seat yourself and we shall see what the fates have in store for you.”  I stared in astonishment as she sat down in front of a large crystal ball and gestured impatiently at me to be seated.



“Now,” she said, “see how the ball grows clear.  Thus will your destiny become clear as well.  Empty your mind and the ball will speak to me.”



Ok, so she wasn't just a princess and an arrogant, hot-tempered snob, she was also a certifiable loony.  I sighed inwardly and prepared to listen to whatever nonsense she was about to spout.

She stared into the depths of the crystal ball for several long minutes.  Finally she spoke, and her voice seemed strangely altered:  “You are a traveller from afar.”  Well, that had already been established.  No surprises there.



Then she continued, “You are a lonely soul.  You have known many beautiful women, but none has captured your heart.”  I assumed she had noticed that I wore no wedding ring, then remembered that men in this time period usually didn't wear wedding rings.  Probably a lucky guess on her part.  She leaned forward, running her hands over the ball caressingly.



“I see a fork in your path,” she said.  “Fate has brought you here, to meet your destiny.”  I said nothing, but told myself that whatever Griselda might think, my destiny was back in my own place and time.  And I was determined to find my way back, somehow.



“Soon your heart will be at ease,” she said.  “Your restless wanderings will cease.  Love and wealth will soon be yours.”



Love and wealth?  I told myself that this was just the standard vague promises that fortune-tellers are always making, but something about Griselda's intensity and the way she was eyeing me was making me feel very uneasy.



Diary Entry Ends.

*Book pattern by Jancy, available here

[RaiaDraconis]

Oh my...I just had to be drinking water while reading this. Ben's outfit made me laugh out loud!

[chetanhaobijam]

Ben looks like a total joker(fool). Noone can tell that he is a spy and not a fool. And it seems like he will get his love/destiny, this time. Looking forward for more Oliverness.

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part VII

Diary Entry

Griselda's predictions and the strangely intent way she was looking at me were making me feel very uneasy.  “Thank you, ma'am, for a most intriguing experience,” I said, preparing to leave.



“Stay!” she commanded.  She put both hands on the infernal crystal ball, her eyes wide.  She shrieked loudly and slumped in her chair.  Quite a performance, I thought.



We both stood, and she came close to me, looking deep into my eyes.  “The crystal ball has spoken,” she said.  “It never lies to me.  You have come here to find your destiny.  Fate has brought you here.”



She went on, “Do you know what it is like to be a Princess Royal, far above the common people?  Men admire me from afar, but none dare court me, for fear of displeasing my brother the King.  He keeps telling me that someday he'll find me a consort worthy of my royal blood, but someday never comes!”



I was becoming more and more uncomfortable.  I desperately tried to think of some excuse to leave.  Perhaps if I told her I needed to rehearse for this evening's performance?  But she continued angrily, “It's just not fair!  Mordred and Elaine are to be wed in a few days, but when shall Griselda be wed?  Who shall wed me?  Am I not passing fair?" she demanded.



I assured her she was definitely passing fair, whatever that meant.  She gazed at me, her expression softening to a look of ... love?  “Most excellent Giacomo!” she exclaimed.  “Fool by profession but not by nature.  Of course, you are far beneath me in rank, but methinks you have the discernment to appreciate fair Griselda!”  She reached toward me.



And then -





She exclaimed, “Good now, sweet Giacomo!  Methinks Mordred and Elaine will not be the only ones to be wed soon.  But I charge you, dear fool, say nothing to Mordred.  Let me be the one to persuade the King my brother to allow this union to proceed.  Mordred will not want to see his only sister wed to someone of such low standing as a court jester, but with my feminine wiles I shall persuade him.  Fear not!”



I somehow managed to assure her I wouldn't say anything to Mordred.  Then I gabbled something about needing to prepare for this evening's performance and bolted from the room.

[RaiaDraconis]

Oh how the tables have turned. Instead of Ben going after multiple women, multiple women are going after Ben.

[melancholy_anju]

Oh my. I can't wait to see how he gets out of this one lol.

[Sherry]

Hehehe... Not only I would waiting for how dear Joker Oliver (hmm? did that rhyming?) escape later, I also wonder would he bring along the PUSHY WOMAN? Yes, pushy Because if it was me in his position, I would have never want to help that kind of person.

I also wondering how could the time travelling machine rigged? did someone sabotage it? does that mean some escargot agent already spotted Ben and commanded to eliminate his presence immediately?

Of course, so many questions and some of them are only future posting could answer, but I must tell you this, you are really great at describing the involved sims' personality. You even managed to make me hate one immediately. Great job!

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part VIII

Diary Entry

Great.  Just great.  I still didn't know where I was, what year it was, or how I was going to get back to my own time and place.  Princess Elaine wanted me to rescue her from an unwanted marriage, and if I didn't she'd tell Mordred I wasn't really Giacomo.  If Mordred found out I was an imposter, he'd have me burned at the stake.  Princess Griselda expected me to marry her, and she wasn't the sort to take no for an answer either.  Talk about a surfeit of princesses.  I remembered my train trip with Princess the dog, and wished with all my heart that I was back with my canine friend, away from these Princesses with their high-handed demands.

And the real Giacomo would be arriving any day now.  I had to figure out how I was going to escape before he arrived.  But there was no time to think of that now.  I had to give Mordred a performance that would satisfy him.  Steeling myself, I walked into the throne room where Mordred, the two princesses and Sir Percy were waiting.



“Most Royal Highness, gracious ladies, noble lords, your humble servant Giacomo hopes you will enjoy tonight's show.”  Now, if I could only remember what I had learned from a certain lady circus performer I had met in my travels.

I danced.



Elaine cheered but Mordred and his charming sister booed.  Sir Percy looked like he had wind.



Ok, so they didn't like my dancing.  Maybe a song?  I pulled out my violin.



Well, at least they weren't booing.  I decided to try a little fire juggling.



My circus friend had been an accomplished contortionist.  She had taught me some great moves.





Mordred watched intently as I juggled swords.  I wondered if he was hoping to see me drop one and decapitate myself.



“And to finish off the evening, Your Majesty, a tender ballad called “If I Had Two Hearts.”  If I had two hearts, I still wouldn't want to give one to Griselda, I thought.



“I hope you have enjoyed my show!”



I held my breath.  Finally Mordred smiled.  I think.  “Yes, very nicely done, Fool,” he said.  “You shall perform at my wedding feast in two days.”



Princess Griselda said to Mordred, “Brother, I would beg a moment of your time.  There is something of import I wish to discuss with you.”  I knew she was going to demand that he allow her to marry me, and my heart sank.  But Mordred waved her aside, saying “It is late, and I am weary.  Whatever it is, it can wait until the morrow.”  I was grateful for this short reprieve, but Griselda scowled at him.

[Magz from Oz]

Tough crowd... but our boy was up to the task.  Well done!

[RaiaDraconis]

Nice work, Ben! But ooh...Griselda gives me the shivers.

[Schipperke]

Thanks for the comments, Magz and Raia!  I'm glad you're still interested in Ben and his adventures.  I agree about Griselda - to me she seems quite creepy.  I think it must be her traits that make her so unpleasant.  And if she gives us the shivers, what must it be like for poor commitment-phobic Ben?   

[chetanhaobijam]

Awesome update. Very much like the performance of Ben. It's was good to see him succeed in impressing the royal court, especially Mordred. Good luck on his future.

[Schipperke]

Lost!, Part IX

Diary Entry

I made my way down to my tiny chamber in the servants' quarters and lay down on the bed to try to think what to do.  But exhaustion soon overcame me, and I slept.



My sleep was restless, filled with nightmares of being shackled to Griselda.



I dreamed of stealing a horse and trying to escape but where could I go?



I woke early the next morning, not very refreshed but full of resolve.  I had to find a way back home.  Since the time machine had deposited me in Mordred's kingdom, the time machine would have to take me home.  I knew nothing of repairing a time machine but I had to try.

The sun was just rising as I made my way outside to the stables where I had left the time machine.  But where was it?



I stared at the place where the time machine had been, my heart pounding.  Then I heard someone speaking in low, soothing tones, and ran over to where a servant was grooming one of the horses.



“The box!” I exclaimed urgently.  “Please, my good fellow, tell me what has become of my magic box?!”



“His Majesty gave orders that it was to be disposed of,” the servant informed me.



He continued, “The scrap metal peddler collected it this morning.”

The scrap metal peddler?  “Quickly, my good man, I must catch that peddler! Tell me which way he's gone!”

“Oh, sir, it's no use you going after him,” the servant said.  “He's been and gone hours ago.  He said he was going straight home with your box to cut it up.  There won't be anything left of it by now except pieces of scrap.”



And with that, he turned his back on me and began forking hay.