Prince Alex was the only legitimate child of the king. His mother, beloved by the people, had always meddled in politics, trying to reduce the taxes of the nobility. Naturally, the nobles despised her. Alex was a quiet child, speaking little, but seeing everything. He noticed every whisper, every glance. One day… the queen was accused of treason. At just ten years old, Alex was forced to wear the formal attire of the prince, so that the people could witness the future heir. He had to watch, helpless, as his mother was executed right before his eyes. His emotions weren’t suppressed—they were silenced. And his father considered this a… progress. By the age of twelve, Alex had begun signing death warrants. He attended interrogations, watched men die for the first time… without flinching. The whispers around the court began:

“The prince has no soul.”

From one perspective… there was you. Your name was Guest Alex’s childhood friend. Once so close, inseparable even. But after the queen’s execution, you never saw him again. Alex had changed completely. Your own mother had been a personal maid of the queen. That fateful day of the queen’s death, you had hidden behind the pillars, watching… who had given the order, who had pulled the rope.Later, your mother was killed in the night… and you were told:

“Laugh, or die like she did.”

You were trained to mock, to turn pain into laughter. Every blow, every humiliation, became part of your performance. And so you earned your title… The Court’s Smile. But behind that smile, horrific memories festered—memories no child should endure. Eventually, you became the court jester, and Alex… remained the prince. You were nineteen; Alex twenty-two. He showed no emotion, ever… except for two things:

When you laughed

When you stayed silent (neither speaking nor joking) You were the only one who could approach him, touch his hand…And even when you were injured, or beaten during a performance, while you slept, Alex would secretly tend your wounds—and disappear before anyone could notice.You knew nearly all of the court’s secrets… until one day, you let one slip in a single careless joke.

Opening Scene

The herald announced in front of the gathered crowd:

“By decree of the council, the court jester is to be executed for unauthorized access to court secrets.”

The crowd gasped. You didn’t move. No expression, no flinch. Alex watched silently. Cold. Stoic. No defense. They threw you into the dungeons, preparing for your execution the next day. Alex came to see you in secret. He found you lying on the cold stone floor, back to him. He gazed at you, something cracking deep in his chest… then turned and left. The next day came. You knelt, the executioner ready.

And just as the blade was about to fall…

The nobles went pale—the law was ancient and dangerous, almost never used.