#olfie

[thewatercolours]

King's Quest Fic: Explanation (Goblin Graham, #10)

Previous Installments of "Goblin Graham" are labeled in the drop-down menu of "Rippling Consequences" at ao3.

I was very much out of steam when I wrote this, so it's an odd little mix of detail and summary.

-

Graham is jolted from his sleep by Ashdown screaming at the unexpected sight of a goblin face on his king. This is the moment Graham has been dreading since the beginning - the inevitable rejection by his people, and later his friends. It’s made worse by the fact that his inner voice could be said to be screaming at himself in horror the same way too. But he tries to communicate.

“Ashdown,” Graham said, grasping for his real voice. It was there, warm and familiar. But it hovered at the limits of his reach, a shape his straining fingertips could only brush. Still he tried to keep contact with it, even as the words came out as a squeaky gurgle, with lopsided vowels and missing consonants. “Stop. Listen. Stop!”

Ashdown stopped screaming, but to judge by his demeanor, perhaps it was only because he had spent his breath. He had tumbled over his own heels as he shied away from Graham, and began crab walking back through the curtain of wisteria. He mumbled something in terror, even more garbled than the king’s words. 

The healer disappeared through the curtain of purple blossoms. Olfie could probably stop him from fleeing altogether. Possibly he could hold him in place and explain to him. But it seemed to Graham that if he let him run, even a short way, he simply would not have what it took to face him - or anyone human - again. He had built up his heart to face this moment for weeks, maybe months. It would be impossible to do it again.

So he lunged through the wisteria and and seized Ashdown by the ankle. 

His claws tore through the trouser leg. Ashdown yelped in pain. It was all Graham could do not to scream himself. The lunge had probably done more to crumple his injured ankle even than the accident in the woods had. But he couldn’t scream. He had to speak.

“Ashdown,” he growled, no longer making an effort to sound like himself, “I’m hurt. I need a doctor. Help me.”

Ashdown is taken aback - though the words are garbled and snarled, he understood them, and of course this is the request he has built his whole life around, time and again. “Doctor, help me.” While Graham’s words don’t suddenly jolt him into calmness, it’s enough to make him pause and get a bit of a hold on himself, even if he’s flinching every time Graham moves. Olfie steps in to help make the situation clearer. Ashdown is able to shove down his incredulity to help Graham into a more comfortable position and have a look at his ankle. He has to make some assumptions and guesswork about how Goblin limbs are built compared to human, but it’s not all that different from other ankle injuries he’s seen. 

He prepares to lift Graham into Olfie’s palm (It helps that Graham is currently about half his normal height,) and asks Olfie to take them back to the castle. 

Olfie explains that he attempted to take Graham to the castle earlier, but he couldn’t get him through the shield - it caused a lot of fizzing and sparks (Olfie hurriedly apologizes to Graham again for that incident.) Graham, who’s a lot more alert by this point, says something like, “I wasn’t sure if that was real or part of my dream - what even was that? What shield?”

Ashdown seems to understand, however, smacking his forehead like, “Of course.” He asks Olfie to find Becket, who is likely still on the edge of the North Forest doing medic duty, assuming the goblin assault is still in progress. If that’s the case, Becket likely can’t come himself, but tell him to throw together the necessary supplies to treat a broken ankle - and probably supplies for treating shock too, and send them along with Olfie. If Olfie can rustle up blankets and pillows, even better. Oh, and they should probably alert Number One and get a complement of the royal guard out here too until Crispin can temporarily lower the shield so the king can be moved into the castle -

Graham hastily interrupts. No! Not Number One. That is, no guards necessary. The fewer people involved the better. In fact, don’t mention it at all to anyone. He’s not necessarily made up his mind about returning to the castle as it is. In fact, put me back down under the tree. And tell Becket to keep his mouth shut. Graham knows this is all stupid, so stupid to try to keep it a secret, and is backtracking on his resolve earlier to show himself to his friends. But now the moment is here, yet again, and he can't, he just can’t. Manny’s words echo subconsciously.

Olfie and Ashdown are confused, but what can you do? He’s the king. Olfie hurries off to get the medical supplies. In the meantime, Ashdown valiantly distracts himself from Graham’s appearance by trying to make him comfortable. Graham knows it’s awkward, knows this is when he should start to tell his story, but can’t it just wait? 

So, the job of silence filling falls on Ashdown, and he explains the situation. Graham and the townsfolk disappeared a month and a half ago (note: yes, this is longer than it typically takes to play Chapter II, but consider that in this AU Graham didn’t escape as portrayed but got imprisoned in an elevator shaft for an amount of time he couldn’t measure.) A search was made for them, but largely cut off because only a day or two after the disappearance, the goblin army attacked Daventry, with weapons and engines of war which, while crude, were far more sophisticated than anyone aboveground had suspected these creatures had - things of pulleys and levers and counter weights and tremendous force. (Graham nods. Yes, this kind of thing took him by surprise when he saw what they had in the caves as well.) Anyhow, their attack was initially devastating. Catapults threw boulders through rooves, and flames consumed the North end of town, but the goblins seemed to be making efforts to limit destruction to the edges, even though they presumably had the power to push even further into the town. Number Two has speculated that the goblin goal is ultimately to take the town rather than destroy it.

“That only makes sense,” Graham croaks. “MANNY was behind all this. He wants the power. He played into the goblins’ simplicity to make them act out scenes of his choice. It all started with kidnapping me, but of course it wouldn’t stop there. He didn’t just want revenge on me - he wanted me out of the way so he could take the Town. And the castle. Is the castle safe?”

More or less. An attack was made on the castle, but it was brief, and seemed more like a test than anything else. The castle is too defensible, and without the foothold of the town to fall back to, the odds of the goblins taking it is small. We think that’s why they focused their efforts on the Town first - the castle would come later. That being said, the defense of the town has drawn most of the guard out of the castle. A skeleton crew has been left behind to see to the castle, and they should have what it takes to keep it safe, so long as the town holds. 

All our best efforts were poured into the Town’s defenses. A fire trench had to be dug to protect the rest of the Town, which meant even the defenders had to destroy some of the town just to create that barrier. The knights and guards rallied wonderfully and prevented the goblins from overrunning the place, and were able to protect the boundary. Their position became even stronger when a rider was sent to Serenia, begging the wizard Crispin for help. He created an invisible bubble round the town which goblins could not pass through. The trolls assisted too, setting traps for the goblins and patrolling the valley. As for the townsfolk who were not kidnapped, some have fled to safety in the hills, but some have remained behind to help with the efforts to repel the attackers. Everyone has been stretched to their limit,  but things have remained stable for some time- both sides take wounds and casualties, but Daventry has lost fewer people than one might expect, and the boundary remains unbroken. Graham inquires if Manny has ever been seen among the attacking force, Ashdown isn’t sure. Certainly no one has ever mentioned sighting him.

In truth, Ashdown holds a lot of hope for Daventry. It’s intense right now, but only because Number One has ordered a massive effort to repel the goblins, once and for all. His leadership has been marvelous, and he’s inspired great confidence in the people, with the help of his fellow guards. The people haven’t experienced this kind of leadership since King Edward’s reign in his youth. It’s even possible that today might be the last day of fighting. There’s a feeling in the air that the goblin’s, in spite of the ferocity of their fighting, are close to breaking. That it’s desperation rather than strength that’s forcing them on. The shield will of course remain up for some time longer, but if Daventry can get the goblins on the run…

At last Olfie returns with medical supplies, and Ashdown triages Graham. When he’s done all he can, Ashdown asks Olfie not to leave Graham for a moment. It’s time he returned to the battlefield to switch out with Becket. No, he doesn’t need to be carried - someone needs to stay with the king. He’ll just walk. 

There’s a furtiveness in the way he speaks that worries Graham. He suspects that Ashdown means to tells someone - fetch someone - in spite of his command not to. As soon as Ashdown disappears, Graham tells Olfie to pick him up again. Olfie suggests he needs rest, and they’ll probably mess up all the good Ashdown did for Graham’s ankle if they move him right away, but Graham insists.

“Now,” he says. Make for the gorge. No one will see us if we take that way. From there we’ll take the lower mountain pass - the ridge between there and the Town should be cover enough. And then, north.”

“Why don’t you want to be seen?”

“That’s not the question right now. Don’t make me talk more. It’s hard.”

“King Goosie, Olfie’s not so sure about this. Sneaking off when we only just got you back -”

“We’ll be back. I think. But for now - north.”

[kursed-curtain]

King's Quest Fight Bracket

Match 8 | Round 2

[katherinehillierillustration]

My chara Indigo Atalanto, the trainee witch (who also got returned from the dead) with her thief bf Olfi Sputt whose house is also a cat sanctuary.

[cagesidepress]

Meet Kaan Ofli, Top Australian Featherweight MMA Prospect

Read the full story on cagesidepress.com

[wolfieolfie]

the many forms of wolfie.. wool(fie) aphid and w(olfie)raith

[10/4/22 - 10/5/22 - 10/6/22]

[444namesplus]

Aati Aeknaktà Aennastu Afan Affes Ahen Ahoer Ahordè Akni Alonol Alrè Alsar Altontan Ami Ammi Amosnem Anar Anber Andi Anen Anerteras Ani Annes Annà Ansoptà Anà Aonsà Apartò Aren Arensen Aretam Arnu Aru Asadu Aser Asi Asti Asu Ati Atrotol Bakti Behu Belatonnè Dahu Dantansel Dees Dei Delmamati Deraonander Desahalhi Detaltè Doalrò Domenterdò Donsi Donà Doten Doti Eal Edan Eder Edà Efsi Elhahofen Elmeti Elmi Elà Emeren Emesos Emru Emtoesheos Eneri Engesi Ennados Ennentas Ennosom Entar Enti Entu Epti Epè Erantahu Erhu Ernasamfon Erreri Ersà Ertatani Ertonnaosnà Ertu Esden Esesenu Esheemes Eshel Esi Esri Esrostan Estanhoes Estor Estu Esò Etesaelu Etesè Ethon Etteleran Etè Fatni Fefà Foes Fonener Gadu Garlà Gesi Goten Goti Haektos Hafetes Hagelnaden Halsanè Hani Hanonor Hasem Hasu Hatai Hatonnatu Hean Heen Heer Hefi Hehà Helenu Henes Henti Henu Herahi Hernem Heron Heseator Hetetar Heti Hodà Hoeni Hoer Hoi Honar Honetarò Hoshi Hotam Hotos Kesden Ketesi Ladeos Laral Leeestedà Lenal Lenti Lenà Letortoni Loldos Makni Maltar Meher Menannas Menar Merhi Metemerreti Moelri Naam Nafi Nalnalal Namasè Narasu Narnenu Narseselsar Narsò Nasi Natesasu Neam Nebevè Neekdar Neen Nefi Negarraneni Negatu Negu Nehanò Nehasos Nelhesà Neltas Nemos Nemu Nenan Nenanenu Nenfà Nennetu Nenornan Nensahefanem Nenteloru Nenà Neon Neonenti Neran Nerar Neron Neshu Nesi Nesoon Nester Nesu Netesaten Neti Nettassem Neè Nofà Nohes Noi Nonahu Noni Noorà Norsò Noson Nosopnas Nosos Noteren Notersò Nou Oan Oeti Ohasau Okri Olfi Olnà Oltetaleskos Omlà Omsepnotes Onar Ongi Onhò Oni Onoshi Onsel Onserò Onteltetetan Ontà Oprà Ornastu Ornos Orru Orsi Osdon Osematen Oshelen Osi Otal Oteser Ottà Patetoras Pestes Petehoatas Pohon Raan Raerentò Rai Ranenmersanhi Rarer Rarnan Ratadà Real Relenees Reltò Remè Renedoernu Renenani Renesatemni Renhonnomsi Renti Reor Rerti Resi Resnon Restu Resà Reti Roaneahà Rodes Rogedanorler Rohanenhenen Romhè Rontenò Ropoel Rorer Rotam Rotesaan Rotos Rototen Saheer Salanhom Saltel Sarar Sartedotan Sasnanni Sates Sedefdestal Sehotas Selen Selhas Seltean Selu Semeer Semrodi Senetò Senon Senu Sersi Serteasnar Sessarnesti Sessol Sestethi Sesteà Setaos Seè Sofeni Sofnesen Soham Sohari Soltotenè Solu Somassanu Sonas Sonbes Sonharani Soni Sonletà Sorsamehu Soteltenru Taaneesni Taem Taes Tahas Tahè Takden Takes Taldenlà Talehà Talen Talhosos Talnu Tami Tanarresetu Tanartan Tanen Tanesefran Tanreobu Tansehà Tansotoen Tansè Taol Tari Tarà Tatartal Tatesel Tatetai Tateter Tati Tatos Tatu Tatà Tau Teanasner Teannemsehè Teatesnos Tedu Teel Teemai Teer Tees Tefes Teganò Tehossi Temnon Temsal Tenedi Tener Teneru Tengu Tengò Tenhenau Tennasas Tenni Tenronu Tensarohu Tentan Tenò Teolhu Teparpebu Terhetolà Tersaaton Tersal Terti Terà Teserò Tesetai Teshi Testasnonnotu Testi Tesu Tesè Tetaetu Tetenei Tetepnò Teteu Tetorahafi Tetà Teè Toalom Todà Toi Tokenanral Tolaes Toli Toni Tonmà Topti Torarnu Tororatu Torò Tosam Tosar Tosas Tosersan Tostetos Toti Totrà Tottos Totà Tovopemessè

[kariachi]

Have to admit, every time I learn about some new thing that has a smell I can’t help but feel like Mr Tweedy from Chicken Run. Just, sitting there with a pair of binoculars, staring out the window, muttering about “Those olfies are up to something...”

[hesaidshelooks]

I am a dirty wink Flickering tongue A hand jester to shoot Write it see it do it To you For me Filthy finale Smack on the ass Good game And a I don’t give a fuck About you or your sensitivity I’ll give you the baby Abort with a glare Judge this you prissy sis For a shove up your ass Send off my train With my throbbing vein For the win #poetry #poetrycommunity #poetryisnotdead #poetryporn #poetrylovers #travel #travelphotography #travelling #travelgram #travelblogger #miami #miamibeach #flying #airplane #sensuality #reading #literature (at Miami, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/CogZUQ-OlFI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[444names]

turkish and tolkienesque forenames

Adan Adant Adar Adogay Adoguna Adoronwë Adownleb Adraliye Aegos Aghânbor Ahar Ahralar Aillu Aiwene Alad Alan Alda Aldantel Aldin Aldorn Alegirfiz Alfhir Ameregortz Amin Aminç Amziz Amûl Analin Aneskta Anigalas Anth Aran Arande Aranákhen Arast Ardaen Arfik Arfiniz Arinde Arine Arnamir Arratinros Artur Arwin Arímazím Arór Astormalan Astreth Athír Athôn Atin Atior Atur Avorn Ayalmë Ayda Ayhavia Aythimo Ayttindilg Azanaitan Azímacirë Bagan Bahil Baratandil Barcala Barda Baroher Barzu Baugalca Bazih Beleglóin Belfindil Beran Beredar Bereyin Bihniel Bingor Bolcayttih Boler Bolla Bollor Bomi Bomindorn Borolca Boyalif Boysh Bozka Bozkazheb Brakisa Branon Braphat Bras Brass Bríthal Bukesun Bóret Bóriën Bülka Calacthen Canárielda Caviden Celenem Celercir Celmorham Cems Cenwë Cidri Conna Cothos Curiderdir Danothen Demaih Dend Dikmeret Dirost Ditheron Dithróg Dolcaruk Dorl Dowfa Downleth Dran Durazím Dwin Déorimë Dírinya Ecir Edambar Edhel Edilis Efik Elagal Eldeór Eldi Elebne Elems Elen Eleng Elenorfas Elet Elfargor Elih Elin Ellata Elromelf Elrop Eltemdín Elveg Embar Emehtan Emirlihald Engut Eran Erdacir Eriel Erra Esir Esktahada Esktorwen Eslí Estrit Etün Ezzehmin Eärethelem Eärethôn Eärn Eärwiseng Eöndir Fahsil Faldis Fanya Ferahron Ferhan Ferrameste Fetedelfin Ficelwë Ficletiye Fimuz Fingrumo Fiyel Fiyet Folfil Folin Frend Frestin Fréalion Fróf Furnili Furçil Fírin Gahin Gang Ghâl Gilimon Gimo Girye Glas Gliz Glundilm Gold Goncan Griont Grízaffevi Gundemman Gunur Gwaitë Gülad Gülas Güldwis Güleb Gülemir Güliyan Gülsevdane Günas Günatch Günessalis Gürka Haik Haldip Haldor Halen Hallo Hangondil Hant Haran Hatin Horataróm Huol Huolor Huruccalug Hyalimir Hámor Húrion Ibrast Iduglob Ihnáronduh Ilgel Ilhardanna Ilman Ilúthert Imir Imithkura Imogalast Imrozan Ipel Iradain Ishelimë Isilim Isin Isméa Ival Kafkanyë Karen Kese Kesto Khâl Kíldë Kúvit Lada Larancar Legolcwin Legon Lenen Leskise Lezer Llanwë Lodend Luglúth Maci Madir Madorn Magar Mala Malbalim Mandefer Manon Maul Maus Mazand Mazar Mehráin Meldad Meliyne Mengoldíza Meruman Meslan Mina Mitel Miteldir Moth Muhal Muhúriel Mulfwing Murund Muth Muzan Míka Mübakine Mürk Nami Namirih Nant Nantarield Nedamir Neduile Nehen Neldor Niel Nielyë Nige Nigeret Niladûn Nilma Nimar Nish Norms Nurkun Nárin Nínithun Nükh Ogandor Olfi Orfahir Oring Orion Ormtor Oront Ozara Pekir Pelmacir Pelwine Penda Phorolca Radoron Ríthar Ríthel Sabir Sablur Sacir Saenamron Sallan Samdízan Samrahen Saramingil Saruk Saythor Scel Searaphen Seder Selbar Selen Seless Selun Semil Semir Sercal Serda Serdant Seressil Serumhur Serviengut Sevdacy Sevith Sher Shnil Shnáron Sirl Sman Sumbargue Sundomë Sunúvi Sídíz Súrin Sürentarag Tametir Tamreda Tanu Tarahahas Taral Taramra Taraths Teldwaith Telfik Terilm Tevfigele Thadis Thavorkent Thegon Thel Themin Thielion Thkut Thkuth Thor Thosto Thuor Théoder Thík Thôr Tubane Turamronth Turating Turçilma Túriend Túrind Tünelmaer Tünsu Ulanar Ulaylas Uldë Umensuz Umron Unailmaci Undir Ushelih Vach Vedim Vidrend Waegro Worin Wrif Wril Wrin Yahtargül Yalcas Yatárin Yems Yunuru Yunúme Yávider Yükrüu Zekirinur Zerant Zeynet Ziha Zilromus Zühadomi Çagun Çelegor Ömessë Özcalegün Özturin Ülkhôr Ülth

[head-post]

Denmark sacks defence chief after warship malfunctions in Red Sea battle against Houthis

The Danish government fired Defence Chief Flemming Lentfer on Wednesday after he had failed to inform the defence minister about the incident. The frigate’s defence and ammunition systems malfunctioned during a battle with Iranian-backed Houthis last month, Politico reported.

According to Danish military news website OLFI, Lentfer did not tell Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen about the incident involving the frigate Ivar Huitfeldt deployed to the Red Sea as part of a US-led operation to protect commercial ships from Houthi militants.

The frigate’s air defence systems malfunctioned when fighting the militants on 9 March, according to a document written by the ship’s commander. It also mentioned a problem with the ship’s ammunition system that caused half of the shells to detonate before reaching their target.

“Our clear understanding is that the issue has been known for years without the necessary sense of urgency to resolve the problem.”

Read more HERE

[thewatercolours]

King's Quest Fic: "The Marchlands" (Goblin Graham, part 7)

Previous installments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, interlude, 6

“Is Gwendolyn asleep?”

“I think so. Her body just couldn’t keep awake. If you ask me, she’s going to be ill from forcing herself to stay awake so long.”

“She’s going to be furious you let her sleep, Mom.”

“No, she and your uncle made a deal. They’re trading off. At least one keeps watch on the mirror while the other rests. I think… this is going to affect Alexander more than he realizes. Besides this all being kind of disturbing and, you know, out of thin air, it might be a bit close to home. Manannan. Transformations. Escapes. This is a little harder to process than the way your grandpa told it. For me too.”

“Yet you’re not in there too, glued to the mirror?”

“I – am dealing with this pretty well at the moment. I don’t believe this goblin business happened - or at least it’s not happening now. I don’t think it’s a window into some other timeline where at this moment your grandpa is alive and young and a goblin. I believe something real is going on here though. There’s a reason the mirror is showing it. I’ve got a couple of theories I’m following up on. But, um. My dad. I was close with him. I mean – look at how this is affecting Gwendolyn and Alexander. I knew him longer than they did.”

“Mom.”

“Someone needs to be functioning, looking for solutions. Gart, I may be riding out before morning. Llewdor. Your father and I have come up with a plan.”

“I see. Yes.”

“Be there for your cousin, will you? Right now she needs to keep watching but eventually she’ll need to talk. And if you could be sure those two eat.”

“I will. And Mom?”

“Yes?”

“You’re going to get to the bottom of this, I know. Godspeed.”

All night Graham trailed the townsfolk overland. Their progress down the mountainside was slow. Despite his crushed ankle in its stolen, armoured boot, he could keep up decently. Bramble and the old folks were slowing the group down, and thank the stars that goblin physiognomy was more forgiving to injuries! At first he kept near as he dared, promising himself he would call out to them. He silently practiced the syllables, navigating the tricky shapes required to shout, “It’s me, Graham!”

Don’t think. Call them out. Get it over with. Either they will accept you or they will fear you. You’ll know. Do it now, or you never will.

He drew breath to shout. But he exhaled again and slowed his steps.

No. No, that was fear dressing itself up as courage. That was fear wanting an excuse. Wanting to see the horror anyone would have on their face after escaping goblin captivity, only to find a goblin tracking them. The villagers would gasp and draw into defensive positions and demand proof. That was normal! It would even be normal for them to fight. They could do all that and it would not alter the fact they were his loyal friends. But fear didn’t want to see it that way. It wanted them to do it so he could give up immediately, despair of their friendship, and run.

We’re not doing that.

“Hey, muffin lady,” whispered Amaya up ahead. “Either you’re so shocked by our escape that you can’t stop gasping just thinking about it, or you deserve to sit down a few seconds.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, apple strudel!” added Wente with concern.

“Not on your li--!” cried Bramble, puffing but with razors in her tone. A chorus of hushes cut her off. She added, more softly, “We are not stopping till we’re in the castle. Aye, with every lock in Daventry turned behind us!”

“Think of the baby--” Wente began, but he got no further.

“Exactly. Think of the baby. A mother just knows what her child needs, doesn’t she? Well, I just know my child needs to be born outside of a cage!”

“I -” Wente turned around and scanned the area, squinting through the darkness toward Graham, who tensed up despite himself. “I don’t think any of those things are following us,” said Wente dubiously without pausing in his scan. “If you only rested for five—”

“Hey, we gave her the chance,” said Amaya firmly. “She’ll speak up later if she needs it. Pregnant ladies get what they want.” She grabbed hold of a whipping thorn branch in their path and held it aside to let the others by.

When all had passed, Graham waited two minutes and ducked under it, though to his surprise ducking was unnecessary in his case. Beyond the thorns sprawled a great patch of ground moss. Ah. It was springy and cushioned his limp, he noticed with gratitude. And though he was letting the villagers outpace him, it would be all right. In his ordinary body, he’d surely have lost them in the forested snarls of the mountainside. But to his ears, distant footfalls were as clear as his own breaths: easy to ignore, but unmistakable when he focused on them. He hadn’t specifically tried smelling the air for his friends’ scent – he wasn’t quite ready to wrap his mind around that one – but the earthy, after-rain smells of the undergrowth and damp boulders were lusher than he remembered. Maybe it was just by comparison with prison.

And as for seeing in the dark! Graham had thought the luminous mushrooms and milky lanterns of the goblin lands pretty. They were nothing next to the overworld by night. The most ordinary stump or clump of moss gleamed wherever the moonlight touched it, teal and purple and strange rich green unlike anything. In his lift shaft there had been no light for his eyes to turn into colours. It was like the colours had been saved as an escape treat.

True courage would take this slowly. Would walk behind them unseen, as many hours as it took to ready his heart, ready it to trust them through the screaming and brandishing of improvised weapons. Manny’s lies could tear his heart apart all they wanted. But that would not stop him from readying it.

His heartbeat settled for the first time since he’d freed the chain from the gear and begun his escape. He stumbled on, at least a hundred yards behind his friends now.

“Are we really making for the palace?” asked Muriel uncertainly, her whisper clear as anything to Graham’s long ears.

“Seems the best place to stay safe,” answered Bramble. “Home doesn’t seem so safe anymore.”

“But they got the boy too,” said Chester. “Palace still seem safe?”

Silence fell, though they didn’t stop walking. “Safer,” said Bramble at last.

“If every one of you weren’t basically vulnerable sector,” said Amaya, more quietly than before, “I’d march back to those tunnels now. Try to track that king of ours down.”

“Oh rabbits,” said Muriel. “Graham. He’s still down there.”

Amaya grunted. “He won’t be for long. I’m gonna round up every tin can on guard in that castle and show those bat-shearing goblins what we think of kidnapping around here.”

“Oh! Um, well, you’ve got a better head for directions than I have,” murmured Wente. “Will you, um,  remember the way back?’

Amaya didn’t answer.

Now. The moment was now.

But before Graham could speak, the villagers began cheering. He hesitated. What in the--?

Simultaneously he stumbled, as the ground flattened sharply beneath him. His foot folded into his leg at an angle it shouldn’t have been capable of. Only hugging a young apple tree to his left kept Graham from faceplanting. Pain shocked him, like his ankle was fracturing in new places. He hissed, clapped one hand over his mouth to stifle crying out. Still hanging on to the tree with the other arm, he sank to his knees. Thanks be that his friends’ shouts drowned him out.

“I never thought I’d be so glad to see that beaten up old signpost you can’t hardly read!”

“And I was so afraid we were going down the wrong side of the mountain!”

“Why, we’re not five minutes’ walk from the waterfall!”

“Let’s not let our guard down too soon, though. Those curlicue-heads could still be prowling around. I mean, they did come right into the town. But… yeah, nice to have got this far.”

“Come on, everyone! Come on!”

And they were off again, with renewed vigour. Graham still clung to the tree, kneeling, swallowing over and over as though the pain were an awful medicine he could gulp down and be done with. He shouldn’t have been able to walk on a foot as damaged as his must have been– not in his human experience, anyway. He heard them getting farther and farther away. He could have asked them for help, he supposed. But he wasn’t sure he’d be able to communicate everything he’d need to quickly in such a state.

Graham walked his hands down the trunk and backed up till he could crawl on all fours. He considered just letting himself down all the way and pulling bracken over his body. There was tomorrow. He could sleep away the pain’s freshness here in the bushes. Why not make his way into Daventry by sunlight?

Because now he still had his resolve. When he woke he’d have to start again. Maybe he’d chicken out. In the dark he could choose his moment to be seen.

But – but he couldn’t crawl all the way to town.

He raised his head. From this angle, he could make out better the signpost beyond the tangle of branches. Across the road, he could just see the mud puddle (looking oddly purple to his goblin eyes) beneath the sharp mountain drop. He’d fallen into it more than three years ago when he’d first arrived in these parts. So, that meant that just up the way… Ah. Yes. Just like that, he’d decided.

It took him even longer than he’d have guessed to scrabble, hand by hand and knee by knee, to the riverbank. When he finally reached the great summoning horn at the bridge landing, he permitted himself a grim smile of accomplishment. Showing himself was going to be hard, but somehow less hard than stepping into the moonlight and letting the townsfolk see him first. He grabbed hold of the horn’s mouthpiece, hauled himself up onto one foot, and blew with all the little might he had left.

The rumbling blast reverberated through his whole body, but it didn’t compare with the gigantic footfalls that shook through him before the sound had fully died away. His ankle shivered with new pain every thump. He clung to the mouthpiece hard as he could. He thought he was blacking out, but when he opened his eyes he found he was still standing upright.

An enormous, stoney hand dove down and scooped him up.

“Aha!” cried the familiar troll smugly, rolling Graham between his thumb and long finger like a cigar, “If this is how it’s going to be, Olfie won’t even have to set anymore traps! I told the little ramrod man that the puny goblins would be dumb enough to do this if we just left the horns for them!”

“Stop!” cried Graham resisting the horrible urge to bite his way free, as Olfie’s grip tightened. “Stop, stop! I mean – Olfie! It’s me! It’s me! Graham! Graham! It’s me!” The words sounded like a mouthful of pebbles, and screaming did nothing for the clarity, but Olfie suddenly paused.

“What’s that? Ohoho!” Olfie held him so close to his eye that Graham could have believed he was about to use him as a jeweler’s loup. “This one’s awful chatty for a goblin! ‘Stop’ – if you’re gonna learn one word, that’s a pretty good one.”

“Olfie,” cried Graham, forcing himself to be calm and think the words through. “It’s me, Graham. Graham. No, stop!” He squirmed as Olfie squeezed him harder.

Olfie frowned, and threat replaced amusement in his voice. “Stop, huh? You want us to stop, you goblins gotta stop first,” he growled. “Don’t you know people don’t like it when you shoot catapults at ‘em and take their families? Olfie doesn’t usually like chewy goblin elbows and knees, but you did trespass, and with Baker Man gone, Olfie’s gotta take what he can get.” He opened his cavernous mouth, tilted his head back, and tossed Graham into the air like a popcorn kernel.

“IT’S KING GOOSIE!” screeched Graham. He spun helplessly in space. Perhaps it was a mercy that his body ended up facing skyward as he fell, so that his last sight would be the Shining Stars, not Olfie’s gnashing teeth -

Suddenly the fingers were back, and he was spinning again, as Olfie grabbed him clumsily from the air. Graham slipped awkwardly from one hand into the other as Olfie tried to get a hold on him, like a ball in the hands of a beginner juggler.

“King Goosie?” said Olfie in disbelief, at last balancing Graham in one palm and propping him up against his thumb to sit. He held him up to the ridge of his nose and went cross-eyed looking at him. “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding. That’s the second time Olfie’s almost eaten you! Lookie here, li’l Goosie. Olfie deeply, deeply apologizes. His eyes aren’t what they used to be. He’s been picking up goblins from the traps he set around the forests, and thought you were a goblin.”

Strangely, Graham found himself not gritting his teeth courageously, nor fighting tremours in his voice. Instead, he found himself chuckling bashfully and scratching the back of his neck. “I am,” he laughed. “A goblin. Yep. Goblin. That’s me.”

He wasn’t sure how much of that had been intelligible to Olfie, but the bridge troll shut one eye, and began turning his hand about to look Graham over from all angles. And then Olfie actually blushed. Graham hadn’t thought trolls could blush, but then again, maybe with a new spectrum of colours in his eyes, Graham was going to notice all kinds of things he hadn’t picked up on before.

“Whoa. You’re right,” said Olfie. “Gosh. This is really embarrassing, King Goosie, but Olfie never noticed. All this time Olfie just kind of assumed that if you weren’t a goose, you had to be human. I mean, now that I get a closer look at you, you’re kind of a weird-looking human, no offense…”

Graham’s chuckle almost turned into a high-pitched giggle at that. No, no, don’t go there. Hysteria won’t do you any favours. Just breathe and enunciate slowly. “Well, yes, yes, I am human. Usually. You weren’t wrong. Just – I’ve been kidnapped, and –"

“You’ve been what?”

“Kid. Napped.”

“Olfie knows you’ve been kidnapped. Everyone’s been looking for you. Ramrod man’s been having – uh, what’s Matt call it? – uh, conniptions.”

“Wait, wait - I’m King Goosie, Wente’s Baker Man, Number One is Ramrod Man, but Matt’s Matt?”

“Didn’t really catch that – you’re talking real funny tonight. You got a cold or something?”

“Uh, never mind.” Graham slowed down again. “Olfie, listen to me. You’ve got to take me to the castle. The rest of the townsfolk are on their way there too. Tell the guards to – wait.” Something from a minute or two earlier clicked. “Wait, wait. Catapults? Olfie, what’s happening?”

Olfie sighed. “Oh boy. Have we got a lot to tell you.”

[kursed-curtain]

King's Quest Fight Bracket

Match 10 | Round 1

[confettibabi]

They were so cute

[biblicallyaccurateandrogynoussex]

New head cannon:

c!charlie can't smell. During the century long period of becoming more human he was never told what smelling was so he just... Never developed a sense of smell? Cause why would slimes be able to smell y'know?

So now people around him talk about smell and he's so confused but just plays along like "A h. Yes! I can definitely... Smell- this!"

[cyanid-apple]

Just learned yesterday that other people actually taste a difference between those fruit flavoured candies with their fruit drawn on their individual packing and like.... really ?

I was out here picking my favourites based on colour and aesthetic all this time and people like, actually had a favourite ??

[speedruntechnically]

Actually why do you think it’s ok to tell an anosmic person they’re lucky to have anosmia