It’s now been just over a year since I last regaled the University community on the affairs of Good Queen Daisy and the Dastardly Count Kipper and much has transpired since then.
Last spring, Daisy’s advisors negotiated an uneasy truce over her sovereign lands. By day, Kipper would be held behind bars as Lady Daisy graced the queendom with her presence, much like how the sun god Apollo might bless the lands of the living each day from his celestial chariot on high. By night, Daisy retired to her private estate as Count Kipper stalked malevolently in the shadows of her realm. This truce continued for almost a year and was punctuated by occasional diplomatic negotiations between the count and the queen. Although the tyrant often feigned a benign — even conciliatory — demeanor, Noble Daisy refused to bow to his will.
An unsubstantiated claim last spring from an anonymous advisor suggested that Lady Daisy had, under the cover of night, beckoned the warlord to the gates of her estate and, through the iron bars, allowed him to place a kiss upon her noble brow on several occasions. Lady Daisy denied all such accusations at the time.
In October, Daisy was visited by a wicked witch claiming to be the mother of her most trusted advisor. During her residence in Daisy’s realm, the witch hypnotized and spellbound gentlewoman Daisy to bend to her sinister will. Daisy is ashamed to admit that during this time, she purportedly was compelled to “cuddle” and “snuggle” with the Evil Count Kipper. Upon the witch’s departure, Daisy regained her senses and spurned further advances from Kipper.
Everything changed on the feast day of Saint Valentine. Perhaps the spirit of the Saint — a priest who employed courtly love to protest an unjust war draft — moved the two rabbit warlords to put aside their feuds and discuss their potential commonalities. Daisy returned from the day’s diplomatic matters with a more favorable opinion of the other rabbit.
Not two weeks later, Daisy was called by her advisors to accompany Count Kipper on a retreat to the neutral agrarian estates of the “downstairs living room,” to further iron-out details for an updated treaty agreement. During this diplomatic special session, Queen Daisy and Count Kipper decided that they could amicably share Daisy’s territory so long as Count Kipper (heretofore known as Lord Kipper of House Daisy), swore total fealty and obedience to Daisy’s cause. Throughout the retreat, Lord Kipper took part in a humiliation ritual in which he cleaned Queen Daisy’s face and body, quite literally currying her favor. To seal the deal, Daisy returned the gesture by placing a gentle kiss upon the lord’s rugged brow.
In the following months, Queen Daisy and Lord Kipper have spent their time scheming together, purportedly united against the common enemy of their sycophantic human advisors. Even though these éminences grise seem to bend to the nobles’ every need, Good Queen Daisy wonders if these advisors actually hold the true power in the back parlors of her court.
Daisy has also shared that perhaps, maybe, she might have misjudged the character of the gentle Lord Kipper. She admits that he is loyal to a fault, but also not as cunning as she once took him to be. With her newfound free time, Daisy has once again taken up public works projects aimed to expand the bounds of her kingdom — particularly, she is focusing on tearing down the great metal gates that bar her path to a nearby land known as “the other second-floor bedroom,” of the continent known as “Somes’ house.” Progress has been slow as the gate was seemingly wrought from some sort of indestructible mineral. Nevertheless Lady Daisy is confident that, if she could find a siege tower or perhaps battering ram, she would eventually break through the defenses.
Lord Kipper is mostly just happy that Queen Daisy doesn’t try to bite him anymore.
Jarvis (’26 T5) is a CT writer and official media correspondent for the court of honorable Queen Daisy. Please direct all media requests regarding Queen Daisy and Lord Kipper toward Jarvis.
