Deviantart War: Act 1, Scene 2

Deviantart Castle, in the dining hall. A fanfare of music is played as the leader of Deviantart, Jordon, makes his entrance. Behind him come Rick, Daniel, Sara and Mez.

Jordon: My friends, today, we celebrate sweet victory! With our enemies temporarily vanquished, it is a time for merrymaking. The feast tonight is not only in honor of my being appointed ruler of Deviantart, but also for my royal subjects, which is all of you, for being so dedicated and loyal towards this great force that has been striving for so long.

Rick: Right, my liege. It is during these troublesome times that we must look towards the good parts of our alliance and forge ahead of the rough parts of our journey that are sure to come later down this forsaken road.

Jordon: Spoken like only a true Deviant could speak. Honorable Rick, I must commend you for your efforts as of late, for it was you who were the one that told us all about Derrick’s forthcoming, which allowed us to prepare in time. You are truly my right-hand man, my good friend.

Rick: My good sir, I do not deserve such praise. I do only what my heart tells me to do, and it tells me to follow you. I will now go and check on the servants who are preparing the dinner tonight. I take my leave, sir. (He leaves)

Jordon: Praise be to Rick! (A fanfare is played in his honor) Now then, it is time for the feast! Daniel, what be your duties beforehand?

Daniel: My lord, it was my feeling of obligation to tend to my good friend’s need. He has not been himself lately, and his actions have been worrying me. After returning to the castle, I found him locked in his room with only poetic sorrow coming from within. When I tried questioning him, his reproachful feline hissed fiercely and banished me from the spot.

Sara: His actions trouble me as well; this is not like him in the least. His talents are always helpful throughout our daily work, but with his sullen attitude, our work levels have declined rapidly as of late.

Jordon: You are speaking of the writer, Josh, are you not?

Daniel: Ay, my lord. He be my best friend, but with such seclusion and alienation from the outside world, I am beginning to question his sanity.

Jordon: He began acting strangely as of late, correct?

Sara: Ay, my lord. It was but a week ago when the war officially began. He had been one to refuse to participate in anything war-related.

Jordon: Normally, such laziness would be punishable by the laws of Deviantart, but we can excuse him this once. I, too, have noticed his decline, and am a bit shaken by it. However, be that as it may, he is old enough to know his place and his right state of mind, so it’s my personal opinion that we leave him be until he decides to act upon his own will once more. Has his cat spoken to you about any of his feelings?

Mez: She has to me, my lord.

Jordon: To you, dear Mez?  Why has she spoken only to you?

Mez: That, I cannot say. However, she is a dear cat with a kind heart, so she must have her reasons. She hasn’t revealed much, but of what she has said, I’ve learned that Josh is much like me right now. Both our hearts are filled with grief and stress, but unlike me, he is hiding them from the world.

Daniel: But that is not healthy! Why does he hurt himself so? Alienating yourself from the outside world never solves anything in the long run, and this war is far from over. He need not be so withdrawn and dazed. Does he not trust us, his friends, to comfort him in his times of need?

Jordon: This is truly a mystery. I will consult with Chichi later on the matter; I’m sure she will speak to me as well. For now, let us forget him and have our feast. If he should come down, we will welcome him with open arms. If not, then that is his choice. Besides, he has food in his room if he chooses to eat. ( Rick enters)

Rick: The dinner is ready, my lord.

Jordon: Excellent! Come, we’ll feast now!

(They all sit down at the long dining table and the feast is served to them by servants of the castle. As they partake, a noise is heard outside the castle)

Sara: What is this clamor that disrupts our lordship’s dinner? I shall investigate at once on the matter! (She leaves)

Mez: She is brave, as I am not.

Daniel: Do not speak of such things; your bravery is masked by your kindness. Such a trait is nothing to be ashamed of.

Jordon: Well said, Daniel! Sara’s faith in herself is what all of us should take note on.

Rick: I hope everything turns out okay; I would hate for anything to happen to that girl.

Jordon: I trust Sara.

Daniel: Do you think it’s Derrick launching another attack, but this time, on the castle directly?

Jordon: Doubtful, as he was seen hightailing it towards the mountains and it’s impossible that he had another force in hiding. ( Sara reenters, dragging behind her Efren )

Sara: The culprit has been caught and beaten. So you do not have to stop eating, would you like me to send him to the dungeons instead, my lord?

Efren: (Shrieking) This girl’s a monster; keep her away from me!

Daniel: No, release him! He is not one of the enemy!

Jordon: What do you mean, Daniel? Do you know this boy?

Daniel: Yes, my lord. He is a good friend of mine, by the name of Efren. I can personally guarantee that he is not among the enemy.

Jordon: I see truth in your eyes. Very well, release him, Sara.

Sara: As you wish, my lord. (She releases him)

Efren: (Getting to his feet) Thank you, master Jordon. I did not mean to interrupt your feast, but I had to find out if it were true that you had vanquished Derrick’s army today.

Daniel: Such stories are already escalating? Damnation! Our victory today may have been true, but rumors are not needed of the great Deviantart force!

Mez: Daniel, please be calm.

Rick: It is true that Derrick was defeated today, but it was only a small part of his force. He still remains, as was said he fled into the mountains.

Efren: I see. Still, that is good news. It brings happiness to me to hear such great news from the great Deviantart gang.

Jordon: If that is all you came to ask, please sit down and partake with us, dear Efren. There is more than enough to go around.

Efren: I would be happy to oblige, but would it really be okay?

Jordon: Yes, as a friend of Daniel’s, you are more than welcome at my table. Please, be seated. ( Efren sits down next to Daniel ) Now, let the feast continue.

(They all feast and talk late into the night, until the clock strikes midnight)

Rick: My lord, see the time? It is nearly tomorrow already, and we are still up talking our mouths off.

Jordon: I guess I was much more of a talker tonight than I first anticipated. Very well, have my servants clean up the leftovers and tidy up. ( Rick leaves) As for the rest of you, please turn in for the night and prepare for a bigger day tomorrow. We must make a move on Derrick before he makes one on us again. Efren, you are more than welcome to stay with us tonight.

Efren: You are too kind, but I do not wish to be of any trouble.

Jordon: Please, I insist. Daniel, see to it that your friend gets well accommodated and be sure to give him some of our nice fluffy pillows as well.

Daniel: As you wish, my lord. Come, Efren, off to bed now. ( Daniel and Efren leave)

Jordon: Sara, Mez? Thank you for being courteous to our guest tonight, and I appreciate your insight on Josh’s emotional problem. Tomorrow, this matter will be looked in to.

Mez: My lord, I would like to try and speak with him as well.

Jordon: So be it. As lovely a girl as you, I have no doubt Josh will listen to your words. Sara, what say you?

Sara: Josh, as a close friend, worries me much, and I think I will speak to him as well. However, we must be careful not all to speak to him at once, since he does not like talking to a lot at one time.

Jordon: Of course. For now, please return to your quarters for a good night’s rest. ( Sara and Mez leave) With such a night like this, it almost feels too perfect. Deviantart Castle will stand forever, and I will lead us into the future that we all want. Josh is a problem, and he must be dealt with. I cannot have him lollygagging around the castle all day and night and not talking to anyone about it. I must come up with something to take his mind away from his emotions, whatever they may be. For now, off I go to my quarters, in preparation for what will undoubtedly be a rough day tomorrow. Goodnight, Deviantart Castle! (He leaves)