Fig points and gives a wordless shout as Brute leaps from the cart, sending frenzied looks in all directions as it decides what to do next.
You don't want the embarrassment of having the beast run away—nor the distress of having His Majesty's archers be the ones to stop it. So you dig your spurs into your wit and bid it break into a gallop.
"No, don't you dare, Brute…I already told you I'm going to meet His Majesty first," you whine, flinging yourself out of the cart with enough haste to get in front of the monkey. "And if you think you can climb to his chambers first you're sadly mistaken."
"Saints above—wastrel, did you let that creature loose?" the Captain calls toward you in disbelief.
"Loosed itself, the great cheater," you scoff. "Says I'm the ape and I should be in the cage while it shakes hands (and feet) with His Majesty. And I keep telling it that wild animals don't get to meet Kings—unless they're landholders, in which case we call them Mar-queez, not Mun-keez…"
Brute is hooting quietly to itself on the ground, meeting your unwavering stare. You're keeping your eyes fastened on the beast while your mouth powers away, almost of its own volition. You think that Brute understands you're talking about it, because it seems inclined to stay put to hear what's coming next. So you jabber on, while two of Ruffino's more cool-headed wagoners slowly advance on the beast and, with only a brief burst of mayhem at the end, are able to re-seal the ape in its cage.
"…which is why you never share a hairbrush with your pets," you finish, tying off your final jest.
"Lord, but you have a mouth on you," the Captain says, shaking his head. There are wry smiles on a number of faces, unable to contain their appreciation for the fountain of wit they just witnessed. [+Renown] But the Captain's disapproval is echoed on several other brows as well, since many of your barely-filtered jests tilted towards the subversive. They also probably think you let the ape go in the first place for some playful motive of your own. [+Knavery]
One saving grace is that Brute seemed truly focused on you, and sympathetic to your wish that it should stay put and not bolt across the castle grounds. Helping the ape get back into its cage with a minimum of strife and violence no doubt did your relationship some good. [+Brute]
Onward