"Good Lady Jasiri, it is an honor to help you prepare for your royal wedding." The old bird tilted in a way that was probably a bow.

Lady Jasiri looked down at the shaky old man. The kingdom was still too hectic for King Leo to stay still. Presumably, he would show up to the wedding. But this old bird was a poor substitute.

"Pardon me, I don't think I've met you."

"Apologies, good lady. I am the king's Chamberlain, in charge of managing his majesty's household."

Was Jasiri now part of the household to manage, she wondered.

"A recent promotion for me," the hornbill continued. "Before his majesty reunited Dunia, when his not-yet-majesty recruited me, I was but an archivist. A mere scroll-keeper and scribe. I have different responsibilities now yet my expertise with paperwork shall still serve me well!"

He pulled a rolled up scroll from a desk. "I have taken the liberty of collecting a list of all the preparations that must be done to crown a queen."

He then unrolled the scroll. And unrolled it. And unrolllllllled it.

"Ah," said Lady Jasiri. She didn't say her first thought because she wanted to be a proper queen. "So it looks like the wedding will be in ten years, judging by all that needs to be done first."

"Very humorous, good lady." The old chamberlain squinted at the top of the list. "Have you already been anointed in sacred oils and taken down a mighty beast with but a spear?"

"I have... not," said Lady Jasiri.

"Alas, we'll have to put a pin in that. We've no sacred oil at hand." He shifted his gaze down very slightly. "Ah, we can get you started on memorizing the 1000 line Poem of Devotion."

Lady Jasiri fought the urge to throw this blathering bag of bones out a window. She suspected that it would not be the only time she had to exercise that self-control.

---

Day 11 of the 30 art challenge.

When I started the art challenge, I knew I wanted to throw a curve-ball to myself. Like a jerk. By using at least one of the prompts for a character that's been mentioned in my various stories but didn't have a ref.

So for Scroll, I thought of the Old Chamberlain. A carry-over from King Leo's court and Jasiri's oldest advisor. In length of service and in life span.

He's a fixture of Jasiri's court and strikes a comical figure. With the feathers on his head thinning from age, the neck ruff he wears, and his stooped posture from too many days hunched over a desk, he's beginning to resemble a vulture despite being a hornbill. He's short compared to most and looks tiny standing besides Jasiri. Some days, he has to lean on a cane to get around. He's practically just skin and bones. When the weather gets cold, he piles coats on because he has no natural insulation. Even on temperate days, he practically looks like he's swimming in the formal robes he wears.

He's the kind of old where there cannot be much sand left in the top of his hourglass. And yet, everyday he dutifully springs out of bed and helps Jasiri run the kingdom.

As a character, he's inspired by Zazu, of course. Lion Monarchs need advice from little hornbillls for a start. His title and habit of dressing in outdated formal robes comes from Dark Crystal's Chamberlain.

He's much nicer and a lot more loyal than that guy though.

Fun fact: Jasiri doesn't know his name.

Leo always called him either by title, Chamberlain, or the affectionate nickname "Old Bird." So years later, Jasiri doesn't know his name. And has no way of finding his name without asking him because he manages the castle's records. And she'd be way too embarrassed to ask at this point. So she calls him Old Bird, Chamberlain, or, if she's angry, Blathering Bag of Bones!

I messed up the feet. They're just in the wrong position for how I've positioned him. Ah well, learning process.

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The Old Chamberlain owned by me
Art by me, for a change
Done as part of Jyinxx's 30-Day Art Challenge.