A Most Dangerous Mind at Court - a Blog Tour and Book Excerpt for "Fool"

BOOK EXCERPT

I expected to be an object of curiosity—what dwarf leading a costumed goat into town wouldn’t be? Plenty of townsfolk stopped in their steps to gawp. Women stared, kept a wide berth, while children laughed and pointed. Men, however…

As if my size were a challenge to their manhood. But as I thought more on it later, I believe I was a challenge to their sense of convention. Most had probably never seen a smidge of a human. I think some considered me an insult, a queeb, Satan’s fart. I led Hazel to the conduit and stood by while she drank. One child was attracted to Hazel’s colourful harness and approached to stroke her back.

“She likes to be scratched here,” I said, showing him the spot between her shoulder blades.

“I like your goat,” he said. He concentrated on rubbing Hazel, then looked at me and tilted his head. “You look strange,” he said.

“I am a dwarf,” I answered. “I’m not strange, I’m just built differently from you.”