dagonet-the-jester-blog

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Guinevak's hand was much smaller than his, more delicate and smooth. He became aware of how his hands must feel; years of labor, callouses, and scars told his whole history on his hands. Certainly not the hands of a knight. Guinevak did not seem to mind, though, and he felt at ease. 

Dagonet shrugged his shoulders. "A loop of the city sounds quite lovely," he told her. He wasn't exactly sure what knights were supposed to do when courting ladies; the only knight he knew well enough to ask, Kay, knew just as little as he did in matters of women, and would be no help to him at all. He led the way nevertheless, his eyes wandering from the illuminated city to Guinevak every few steps.

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

In the stories that Guinevak had read and been told by her sister the knights and ladies usually didn’t follow their declarations of love by laughing and admitting they had no idea what came next. But somehow she didn’t mind; it made it more real, somehow, to be standing laughing with Dagonet, confused but happy. It made it easier to believe. 

"I think I can tolerate that," she said, amused, reaching out to put her hand in his. His skin was rough and callused beneath hers, but his touch was gentle and set her heart speeding again. "Strolling sounds nice, we could maybe make a loop of the city … unless you have any other suggestions?" 

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet shrugged his shoulders, chuckling. "I have not either," he admitted with a bashful grin. He looked out across the city again briefly, thinking. After a moment though his gaze wandered back to Guinevak. He did not have to hide so much now, he could look and smile at her freely. He would take the heartbreak, or whatever it was the future brought, for this night with her. 

"Well," he said, and put out his hand to her. "Regardless of what might happen tomorrow, or a month from now, or so on, I say we enjoy the rest of this beautiful night with this newfound revelation. We can stroll a bit more of the wall if you like, or do whatever else you'd like. You will however have to tolerate me grinning like an idiot for the rest of the night, though." He grinned widely to prove his point, but the smile was genuine. He didn't think he could stop smiling, even if he tried.

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

For what was probably only a heartbeat’s length but felt like an age they held each other’s gaze, neither speaking. A small voice in the back of Guinevak’s mind was telling her this was a bad idea, that it was only opening the door to heartbreak for both them because surely they could be no other ending. But a louder voice was saying her heart would have been broken either way and it was better to have spoken, at least this way there might be a chance for happiness first. 

Then he laughed and it was like the sound broke through a dam inside her, and laughter bubbled up and rose to her own lips. She lifted a hand to her mouth, not entirely sure what she was laughing at, though she knew very well why she couldn’t stop smiling. “I don’t - I don’t know,” she said, once the laughter had faded and she could speak. That was the pressing question, wasn’t it: what now? Where they did go from here? Where could they go from here? “I’ve never been in this situation before,” she added, a little teasingly, “I don’t know what to do now.”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

If I could choose for myself I would want it to be with you. Dagonet felt as though he'd forgotten how to breath. Guinevak's words brought the promise of heartbreak, but above all the overwhelming feeling of joy. He was not alone in his feelings, they were returned by Guinevak. He wanted to kiss her a hundred times his heart was so full. She wanted him, wanted to be with him… There would be pain, yes, and heartbreak sooner of later; Guinevak was ultimately a pawn of her father, and when he chose she would marry someone of his choosing. Dagonet wasn't an idiot, he knew nothing could last between himself and Guinevak. But it was out in the open between them now, and even though it was impossible, it felt so much better. 

He smiled at her, a shaky laugh slipping from his lips. "I… I don't know what to say," he admitted, grinning at her like a fool. "Which is impressive for a jester, believe me." He tilted his head to one side a little, trying to read her face. "So what does this mean?" he asked slowly. "For us." He had no responsibilities to family, no allegiances to honor. But Guinevak was a princess, with a kingdom and a family she was sworn to. There was freedom up on the wall, yes, but once they went back down, as they had to eventually, the rules would fall back into place again.

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

Guinevak watched him expectantly, unable to read from his expression what he was thinking. For a moment it looked like he still might not say anything, but then the words started coming out. At first it seemed like he was thanking her for her friendship, and it left her strangely disappointed. He had given his friendship as freely as she had given hers and over the last few months it had come to mean more to her than she really knew how to explain. Then he smiled at her and started speaking again. 

It took a few moments for her to understand the full meaning of what he was saying, and another moment to believe it. She was fairly sure she must have stopped breathing; all she could feel was a tightness in her chest and the rapid beating of her heart.

"I," she started, but her mouth was dry and she had to stop and try and again. "I don’t know what my future will be, or who it will be with," she said. She didn’t think she had ever been so nervous before, and part of her was afraid of the pain saying this out loud might bring. But the feeling of complete freedom she had felt looking out over the city hadn’t faded. No rules. "But if - if I could choose for myself … I would want it to be with you."

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet took a deep breath and held it for a moment, uncertain of whether or not to continue. His words seemed to have struck something in Guinevak though, and he felt irrationally as though he could speak his mind. "I hope you will write this off as nothing more than the words of a man drunken with victory," he began, stumbling a little over his words. "Becoming a knight has made me bolder, perhaps, and boldness is not a wise trait among jesters." He let out a small sigh and continued, "You have been the best friend anyone could ever hope for. You've shown kindness to me when you did not have to, and treated me as an equal. I never imagined I would ever meet someone like you, and yet here you are." He smiled nervously at her. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest, it was a wonder Guinevak could not hear it. 

"You are at your father's disposal when it comes to many of your choices, and I understand that," he said slowly. "Eventually you'll get married to some dashing young prince or lord who will sweep you off your feet, and Camelot will lose your wisdom and brightness when you leave. I know that I am overstepping my boundaries, and if what I say is not returned I pray you shall find it in yourself to pretend it never happened so we don't lose the friendship that's come to form between us, but it would be the greatest of honors if…if I could stand beside you as more than a friend, no matter how long that ends up being."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

Liberating … the word made her think of Guinevere, who had always raged and ranted against their father’s rules and how trapped she felt. Guinevak had never felt trapped, exactly; she didn’t feel that suffocating pressure that her sister had seemed to feel. Where Guinvere had seen walls and obstacles keeping her hemmed in, Guinevak had, for the most part, seen the choices and opportunities she had that other people did not. Still, although she hadn’t minded, she had always been aware of the rules - had always tread carefully lest she break them.

The glow of the city in front of her, as if magic was infused into every part of the city, made her feel like those rules didn’t matter. Looking down on the play of lantern light on the streets it seemed impossible that there should be rules. They fell away like a weight she was so accustomed to that she had forgotten it’ heaviness. For the first time she felt she understood her sister a little, that light, carefree feeling of being able to do anything. Liberated.

She looked around when Dagonet spoke, and waited a few moments for him continue before prompting, “Yes?”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet shrugged his shoulders, unable to conceal a grin. "I suppose so," he agreed. He looked away again, pretending to examine their surroundings, so she would not notice how red his face was from blushing. 

"That's the beauty of it. You can admire the city and the castle without being trapped by its rules. It's... liberating." Dagonet looked at her, perhaps too long, before nodding his head slowly. She looked so happy, so at ease, that he knew that he'd been right bringing her to this spot. It was somewhat sacred to him; he'd spent his first night in Camelot camped out on the walls, listening to the distant sounds of the city and the wilderness behind him. Guinevak's wonder only gave the spot more meaning to him, knowing that someone else could love it just as much as he did. "Guinevak…" he began, but stopped himself, shaking his head. He wasn't brave enough. 

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

He didn’t really look at her as she stumbled over her reply, making her wonder for a brief moment if he thought she sounded like some silly child with a head full of fantasies - but then he turned a smiled at her, and instead made her feel like her dreams were worth having. His compliments made her swell with happiness and she was sure her cheeks were probably glowing pink, but a bright smile was etched on to her face. “Th-thank you. I suppose I will just have to wait and see what the future holds.”

She felt honoured that he would share his favourite place with her, and was glad beyond words that he had. She couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight that the collage of light dancing before her. “I can see why. It feels like anything could happen up here.”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet looked away quickly as Guinevak flustered through an answer, his own face turning bright red. While he felt he might have overstepped his boundaries with the question, he'd felt a twinge of satisfaction finding Guinevak was not besotted by some burly knight. "You are kind and smart and funny," he said with a somewhat bashful smile, allowing himself to glance over at Guinevak for an instant. "Whatever happens, I'm sure love will follow."

He grinned at her happiness, looking eagerly from her to the view of the city and back. "It's my favorite view in the whole world," he said with a sigh. "I could stay up here all night. I have, actually, a couple times."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

She gave a faint shake of her head, but she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth tugging upwards in amusement. When he spoke more seriously she nodded, but this time kept her silence; she had found that sometimes there was such a thing as too much encouragement, and it could send you hurtling in the other direction. Dagonet had the options open to him now, he needed the time and space to work out what he wanted to do with them by himself. Then he asked about her own plans for the future and although she smiled as his joke, it was a question that had played on her mind at times, and tended to her stomach in anxious knots.

"I’ve thought about it," she said slowly, "I try not to. I don’t want to start hoping for something to end up disappointed … but I do think about it. I mean not, not anyone in particular," she added, blushing furiously, "but if I could I would like to marry with at least some affection."

She couldn’t deny that the way her sister used to talk about her dreams of marrying for love had crept into her own fantasies, and that if it was a choice she would rather have a husband that cared for her than one that was king over the whole of Britain. But she knew her duty, and if her father ordered to her to marry she would do it, just as Guinevere had (although she would probably do with less argument).

Dagonet’s enthusiasm was infection, and Guinevak was laughing by the time they reached the top of the wall - but then her breath was stolen by the sight laid out in front of her. The city was lit up like an orange sea, glowing beneath a star-sprinkled sky. Beyond, in the darkness pressing in from outside, a hundred tiny lights pulsed in the distance, making the world seem to stretch on forever.

"Oh …" she gazed around, lost for words. "I wish there was a way to preserve this … it’s so beautiful.”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Some people are just boring. I was a bit of a jack of all trades, but mostly juggling. I did some acrobatics when I was smaller. [he grins, shaking his head] It always looks like so much fun, even with the injuries. Lancelot again? There's no beating that man. 

Competition | Lucan & Dagonet

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet smiled wryly. "The thoughts of a jester are like fish-- frequent and cheap." He chuckled softly to himself before tilting his head to one side as he listened to her talk. As she continued, he nodded his head slowly. "That is true. It's not that it's a bad thing, it's just… overwhelming. I've never had so many options in my life; I'm not used to it." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "And you?" he prompted. "I know you said decisions about your marriage are ultimately in the hands of your father, but do you ever think about it? You've got your pick; Arthur has many knights and princes in his court." He smiled jokingly, though he wasn't sure if the question overstepped his boundaries with her. 

He laughed. "As my lady commands." They walked to the base of the wall and up the stone steps, nodding at the guard standing at the foot of the steps. The guard raised his eyes, but did not stop them when he recognized Guinevak. Dagonet practically bounced up the steps with Guinevak still holding his arm, and when they reached the top of the steps he turned to look out over the city. It was a magnificent sight, with all the buildings lit up like fireflies around the castle, which seemed far away now. The stars stretched up above them, and beyond the wall the lights of distant villages flickered. "I hope this was worth the walk," he said, glancing nervously between Guinevak and the view of the city. 

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

"Then maybe you’re under-selling yourself," she suggested, smiling faintly. She kept her eyes on him as she listened, nodding every now and then in understanding. "It is a lot, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. A lot more doors are open for you … if you can figure out what you want, then I’m sure you’ll find the best way to get there." It wasn’t perhaps the wisest or deepest advice, but it was all she could really think of to say. Dagonet had started the evening bright-eyed and beaming, and now some of that enthusiasm seemed to be waning … perhaps talking about the future wasn’t such a good idea. But he seemed to want to continue the discussion, asking her about settling down. "Not to me," she shook her head. Although admittedly she had always been taught that her priority in life should be settling down, so it was a different situation. "I don’t think wanting to settle down makes you old … it might just been something you’re ready for now."

She nodded eagerly, resting her fingers in the crook of Dagonet’s elbow. “That sounds perfect,” she said, looking up at the wall, which was lit by flickering torches at intervals all along its length. “Lead on!”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet smiled. "I'm not sure my thoughts are worth a penny," he joked, clasping his hands behind his back as he walked. "I was trying to think of what I wanted to do now I'm a knight, I s'pose. I want to make my orphanage still, which Merlin found me a building for. I can probably afford to do repairs on the thing now, and get it up and running before winter if I'm lucky. I don't know, there's a lot to think about." He shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to seem nonchalant, but he found himself curiously anxious at the concept of what his life would be like from now on. "I feel old," he admitted with a small smile. "Not ancient, like Merlin or Morgan Tudd maybe, but I've been thinking more about settling down. Is that strange?"

He grinned. "It really does," he agreed, nodding his head wisely. He looped arms with her happily, feeling like a proper gentleman with Guinevak by his side. When she asked where they were off to next, he pointed towards the gate to the city, which was just down the road. "We can take the steps by the gate up onto the wall, and get a nice view of the city if that's suitable," he told her. "If you think it's beautiful from down here, seeing the whole place at once is definitely something you want to see."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

"Mmm, yes," she nodded absently, not really registering the quick addendum. "That’s true. It seems a bit odd to imagine a world without rain … but I suppose it would make sunsets and sunrises all the brighter," she added, smiling at the thought.

Their conversation seemed to have inspired Dagonet to some kind of reflection; he lapsed into silence, his eyes fixed on a point beyond what was in front of them. Having often drifted into such reveries herself, Guinevak understood how absorbing one’s thoughts could be - and how frustrating it was to be interrupted and have a half-formed thought vanish into the ether - and so kept quiet for a time as they strolled along the path. Instead she let her eyes roam over the city, so different illuminated in the darkness than during the day. In her mind she could imagine harp strings or a lute being plucked to add music to the scene, wafting through the streets and square. Smiling softly to herself, she turned back to see Dagonet looked a little less preoccupied. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Stars had begun to appear in the sky overhead, adding a silvery pale light to the path before them, pushing back the shadows in between the lanterns. Guinevak felt like it would have been unsurprising to see an elf or a sprite step out from the darkness. “I can see why,” she said, a laugh playing about her lips at Dagonet’s bow. “It really does feel like a different world.” Twirling slowly around she took in the view of the entire city stretch up above her like a giant, golden jewel decorating the land. With a content sigh she turned back to her friend and guide and held out her arm. “Where to next, Sir Dagonet?”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Well I mean plenty of places have minstrels and stuff. Some people are boring and think that's adequate entertainment. [he shakes his head] No, I mean maybe other jesters are, but I'm not. I worked with a circus before this. [he laughs] I wish you the best of luck that that does not happen, then. How is the jousting? Any idea who the champion will be?

Competition | Lucan & Dagonet

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

"I'm not sure," Dagonet said, scrunching up his face while he thought. "I think it'd be sunny all the time. Rain comes from inside the clouds, not above. At least, that's what my mother always told me," he amended quickly, in case he was wrong. 

"You do, yes," Dagonet confirmed, nodding. He hadn't put much thought into a ceremony; the more he considered it, the more he wanted one. The whole of Camelot, seeing him at last for who he wanted to be, acknowledging him as an equal in their ranks. He smiled and nodded. "That's true," he murmured, his mind drifting. What did he want? He'd been wanting things he couldn't have for years, limiting his whole life because he couldn't reach high enough in court. But he was a knight now, with the position and prestige to lift himself up. Doors were open to him, dreams more hopeful… but were they within his reach? He pushed the thought from his mind.

He grinned, looking at Guinevak for her approval. He loved this walk, and loved that she loved it as much as he did. "You are most welcome," he said, offering her a shallow bow. "I find it's most inspirational for coming up with new stories to walk around the city at night, and see things in a different light, so to speak." He looked around them, at the lanterns bathing the street in a pale golden light. The city was best at night; there were none of the troubles it held in the day when the lanterns were lit. He could imagine he was anywhere, whether it was Camelot or a faerie kingdom in a far off land. 

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

"Then maybe with practice I’ll get better," she said, smiling, then turned her mind back to the idea of a sky castle. She could picture it: stone the colour of dawn, glowing with the light of the sun. "Do you think it would still rain, if you lived in a castle in the clouds? Or would it always be sunny, and the rain would be below you?"

Although she had no real knowledge of the protocol involved in naming new Knights, she found it hard to imagine there would be no formal ceremony. In her experience, nobles seemed to like finding any excuse for a formal ceremony and celebration. Besides which, raising Knights to sit at the Round Table seemed like the sort of thing one should celebrate, that would raise spirits throughout the city. “I’m sure you’d be fine. Don’t you have to kneel to be knighted, anyway?” she said. Travel had always been something she had wanted to do, and she couldn’t deny she was a little envious Dagonet might have the opportunity. But for the rest, she couldn’t have been happer for him. “Well that’s the fun part, isn’t it? You get to figure out new dreams, decide what else you want.”

With the last lantern lit, the city was bathed in a warm, golden glow. Shadows flickered in between buildings, but that only added to the effect, making familiar shapes seem larger, alien, like something escaped from a story. The lanterns themselves seemed to float in the darkness, pulsing like distant nebulae. Guinevak looked around with wide, awed eyes. “Oh, it’s wonderful. Thank you so much for bringing me to see this.”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Do other kingdoms have jesters? I mean obviously they do, it's just I've never actually met another jester before. It would be a fun task, certainly. Easier said than done, but it's worth a try. I'll talk to him about it. Thanks, Sir Lucan. 

Competition | Lucan & Dagonet

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

"I thought it was quite poetic," Dagonet said, quite proud of himself. "Years of telling stories to demanding children, and you get pretty good at improvising details."

He shook his head. "I actually don't know," he admitted. "I don't think so. I got so excited I forgot to ask, actually." He blushed a little, but he was still smiling. "It would be amazing if there was, but I don't mind if there isn't. I'd probably trip and fall flat on my face." He chuckled at her question. "I don't know," he said again. There was a lot he didn't know about being a knight, now that he thought about it. "I spent so much time trying to get here, I'm not sure what to do now that I'm here. I'd like to travel, maybe," he continued. "See the world, fix things in the city a bit if I can, fight in battles.. maybe settle down even." He offered her a small smile, shrugging his shoulders. "I have options with what to do now, I suppose. I just don't know what to do with them."

He pointed ahead of them down the road, where the last of the lanterns had been lit. As promised, the whole city was illuminated like a scene out of a fairytale, stretching out before them as far as Dagonet could see. "Well not exactly the most beautiful view," he admitted. "But certainly better than how it looks during the day."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

She giggled at his elaborations and wondered why she hadn’t thought of such things herself - stories such as those were why she had always wanted to travel, after all. “I shall have to try and think more like you,” she laughed, “I certainly like the idea of a castle in the clouds!”

Guinevak had only briefly glimpsed the famed Round Table when she passed the King’s council chambers, but she knew it was one of the greatest marks of prestige to have a seat at it - and she couldn’t think of anyone who would appreciate it and work to do it justice more than Dagonet. “Will there be an official ceremony? To knight you, I mean?” she asked, not entirely sure of the protocol. “And what will you do with the world, Sir Dagonet?”

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

I should hope not, otherwise I would be in trouble. I think it would be quite amusing to lend out your jester. You think he'd give me such a responsibility? Jesters aren't exactly known for their abilities to complete such tasks with any sort of tact, grace, or political expertise. I could mess up and start a war with one poorly-timed joke.

Competition | Lucan & Open

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

"What? Those aren't boring at all!" Dagonet chuckled at her. "Ships sailing across the sea, off to some far unknown land of wealth and mystery! The king--who is he? What kingdom is his? Is he Arthur, or is he a mysterious faerie king ruling from his castle in the clouds? There's a story in every sentence." He waggled his eyebrows at her, grinning. 

"He must have," Dagonet agreed, nodding his head. "I went and checked, and there's even a chair for me at the Round Table now." He was excited, more so than he'd ever been before. This was what he'd worked for, and now it was finally his. "I can finally move forward in life, do anything I want… the whole world's open now."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

"That is my hope - it will take a while, but I really hope people start to see the benefits from this." Laughing, she wrinkled up her nose in a disbelieving look. "I don’t know … I’m not terribly creatively minded, you know. ‘Ships sail across the sea’ and ‘The King lives in the castle’ must get boring after a while."

She was suddenly worried that she had been awfully stupid - that she had made Dagonet uncomfortable, somehow damaged their easy friendship. She should have thought before … but then Dagonet started talking, telling her about how he had disguised himself and entered the tournament, and the momentary tension dissolved away. Guinevak listed, rapt, as they continued down the path. It wasn’t very surprising that Guinvere had encouraged it - she had never liked rules and boundaries that she felt stifled her - although Guinevak did wonder if it was really queenly behaviour. But then something good had come from it and made Dagonet so happy, so how could she really object?

His matches with the knights sounded both dangerous and thrilling. From his descriptions she thought she might have watched one or two without knowing at the time, and the excitement of just being in the stands was brought vividly back to her. It slightly sobering, though, to think he could so easily have been badly injured - she wondered if it had frightened him at the time, though the way he spoke of it now was with eagerness and exhilaration.

"That’s … that’s amazing," she smiled. There was no other word for it. "He must have been thinking of it for a while, though. He wouldn’t ask just anyone, and not on a whim, I’m sure. I’m so pleased for you, Dagonet, congratulations."    

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Yeah, that is true. But there's a shockingly large number of unemployed jesters out there. If I left Camelot, I'd be abandoning my turf, leaving it ripe for the picking. [he laughs] Like a jester loan? Where would the king send me? Not Lothian, I hope. My reputation isn't amazing there. I'd go to Cameliard maybe. 

Competition | Lucan & Open

[dagonet-the-jester-blog]

Dagonet nodded. "It's a valiant job to take on," he agreed, inclining his head. "So many new doors will be open for them now; they can move so much further up than their parents ever got the chance to." He chuckled. "I'm sure they'll appreciate reading out of books just as much as they love reading your sentences."

Then she was hugging him, and his mind went completely blank. It was over so quickly he wasn't even sure it had happened, but one look at Guinevak blushing told him it definitely had. Dagonet's face flushed a deep red, and he ran his hand across the back of his neck in an attempt to hide his blush from Guinevak. "Okay, well I should probably start with the tournament…" He told her everything; how Guinevere had given him the idea of sneaking into the tournament, how he'd fought against real knights, even how he'd lost fantastically to a visiting knight and almost broken his arm in two. "It was amazing," he finished, breathless. "But I was speaking with the king afterwards, about the Saxons and Clarence, and I guess something I said was the right thing, because he asked me to join the knights right then and there. I thought he was joking, but he wasn't, so I said yes. I didn't think I'd ever get this chance. I feel like I'm dreaming a bit."

City of Light | Dagonet & Guinevak

Soberly, she nodded. She had come to realise from talking to the children in her class how foreign the very concept of reading and writing was to them. It was a vague notion that had never applied to them before, something only nobles and rich people did. “It’s … I always took it for granted,” she admitted, knowing she could be honest with Dagonet. “I knew that they couldn’t read, that their families would never have had the opportunity … but I didn’t really know what it meant, until I saw it. I just, I really want this to work so other people have that same chance.”

His support was encouraging, making her feel more confident. “If they keep up the way they’re going, I think they should be in a few more weeks. And reading from a book will probably be more helpful to them than me coming up with single sentences for them,” she added lightly.

She could see the delight etched into his features, but imagined his face must only show a fraction of what he was feeling. This was his dream; seeing her little idea for a school become reality had filled Guinevak with a triumphant joy. She couldn’t begin to imagine the kind of happiness she might feel if her wildest dreams came to pass.

"I’m so happy for you." When he said he had wanted to tell her first, she didn’t stop to think but stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. It was only a second later that she realised that was probably inappropriate for a number of reasons, and moved away again with a faint blush. Hurriedly she continued, "You have to tell me all about it - I want to hear everything.”