In The Hall Of The Goblin King

Was walking the house shortly after formally going to bed, while explaining to Top Hat Spider [THS] the cultural differences between him and Horatio. Specifically, why Horatio may improve in his duties but will always back talk to me. The only way to stop Horatio from making any kind of snarky come-back is to remove his will altogether. Just like THS will always be formal, even when in an informal setting, Horatio will always have some witticism to deploy even in the most serious of confrontations.

I haven’t narrowed down where and when Horatio was living. He tries to sound like he came from the late (American) Civil War era, from somewhere south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Mississippi River. But he keeps slipping up, displaying an understanding of words & concepts he should not know if he had been confined to the Rummer’s trove since his death as he had often implied. I suspect Horatio died in the 1960’s, is more acquainted with southern Louisiana than he admits, and was once a bokor (or fancied himself as such).

Such was the conversation in progress when I felt the summons. Snake was calling me from the lair. There was a sense of urgency and severity to it that I am not used to feeling from him. I apologized to THS for not being able to settle his nom de plume again, and gave Horatio his orders for the night. Going to the lair from my house is as simple as taking a step back from from the scene at hand, and taking a step to the side.

Time warping rarely happens.

I enter the lair to find Snake in his dashing human form, dressed in full regalia with brilliant green feathers. And complete with blades that I know are quite functional. The only time I’ve seen the accompanying weapons is when he is being formal about an appearance. And even then, I’ve only seen them twice. Once at the Naga Temple. Once at a formal ritual.

A tapping sound distracts me from the strapped blades. He is tapping an envelope on the table. I look at the envelope in his hand, then up to his face. He has been judging my reactions. “Good. You’re sober. Will the ripples from other events bother you?” I’m not used to seeing him this concerned without cause. I didn’t do anything. (Yet.)

“Yea, I’m sober. And the ripples bother me less than a stubbed toe. Not a problem. What gives?” He stops tapping the envelope and hands it to me without a word. Elaborate decorations covers the exterior. Inside is a handwritten note written in a language I can not read. But I can feel the impetus it carries. Weaver is being called upon. By name. Weaver has stories to tell.

I can not refuse.

I nod in understanding, accepting the summons. “So, where am I going and when do I leave?” I smile with chipper tones to try and counter Snake’s worries. Snake only frowns further.

He places a set of regalia on the table. Gold armlets, strands of black and blue jewels, and swaths of deep blue cloth. “You have never been there. I doubt you have even heard of it. Personally, I don’t want you to go. This is a baser peoples than the Fey you know of. But I know as Weaver, you are bound.” He slides the regalia towards me. “The summons allows you to bring a companion, a role I shall fill.”

He changes to naga form. His regalia’s colors changes to shades of red and green. The weapons remain unchanged, but he is now visibly more muscular. In a deeper voice and with chilling severity he continues. “But not as your mere companion. As your guardian.”

I examine the costume he has set for me. A top that is more expanded bra than short shirt. A multitude of strung jewels meant to drape and sparkle across torso, arms, and neck. An almost sheer wrap. A netting of jewels for a headdress. No pants. Only a wide and sheer sash that hides nothing. I raise an eyebrow.

“I want you to take your nagini form. It’s been a while since you’ve done it, I know. But it will be the safest for you if you don’t appear completely human.” I had to hold him in his naga form to be reminded what my nagini form felt like. When I did shift, it felt like I was slipping into a river. Shocking and comforting at once.

Dressed in the regalia, I found the shimmering blue of the cloth went well with my deep brown scales. The sash covered the transition from human skin to serpent scales. The numerous strands of jewels distracted the eye from the glimpses of under-breast. More revealing than I’m used to, but I’m a nagini, and I look damn good.

Snake nodded in approval but with reserve. I knew he was hiding something. Coiling beside him, I nudged him gently. “Out with it, my friend. What is it you’re not telling me?”

He moved to stand behind me and gripped me in a tight hug. Laying his head on my shoulder, he sighed almost sadly. But I could feel him tensing, as if to strike. His body language was placing me on alert. “How much do you trust me?” I almost burst into tears at the question.

A deep breath. I reminded myself this is the price of my name. I reminded myself that even when Snake attacked me, it was to help me. But I also reminded myself why I am alone so often. “I don’t.” The soft words made him flinch. “But I know you’ll do what needs be done, even if I don’t understand at the moment. If you’re going as my guardian, then I willfully place myself in my guardian’s care.” I knew what was coming, and turned my head to expose my neck better.

“If all goes well, when you come back to yourself, it will be here. I will allow none to harm you.” His bite was not soft. Not gentle. Not the kiss written so often in mottled romance books. I now understood the reason for the wrap. To hide the vicious bruise he was chewing into my neck.

The venom acted quickly. I jerked in sudden instinct and lost awareness in mid-struggle. My last memory was my body sagging into his grip.

***

“This is my realm, my kingdom, and I shall do as I please!” The man’s voice was petulant, whiny, and heavy with desire. I heard Snake shouting nearby. I felt a rough hand forcing its way under my clothes.

Instinct took hold and I fledged out at once, the cloak forming a floor length wrap skirt around me, black feathers covering the rest of my body. As I fledged, I whirled in place to face the squat little man. Before Snake could tell me to stand down, I held the crowned man off the floor by his neck with a taloned hand. The other hand gripped his bared genitals, talons digging into the skin almost to the point of drawing blood.

“Don’t move, your Highness! Let her awareness rise over her instinct!” Snake’s voice was one part concern, one part humor, and many parts ‘ohshitohshit’. Wait. What did he call him?

As my awareness burned through the numbing effects of Snake’s venom, I found the ability to speak. “Your… Highness?” The potbellied man jerked his head to nod, as best he could under the circumstances. His face a swirling mix of fear and delight. His guards surrounded me and naga-bodied Snake, but all were still and motionless. All were waiting for me to play my turn in this game. I licked my lips as I considered the implications of my actions. “You triggered my self-defenses, your Highness. I am vicious by nature, gratuitously so. I was also under venomous influence. I don’t do courtesy well in such circumstances. I also don’t take well to unwanted, and unwarranted, physical advances.”

The Goblin King nodded with a smirk. He started to speak but a gentle squeeze of my hand changed his mind. It’s still my turn.

“You summoned me, Weaver, to tell stories, yes?” He nodded. “Not for sexual favors, correct?” He nodded. “I am bound to tell stories. I am not bound to be your toy. Did I tell stories?” He smiled and nodded. “The moment you reached for my flesh, the summons’ power ended releasing me from my duties and allowing me full ability to defend myself.” His face dropped in understanding.

“Now then, your Highness, we have a problem. I have assaulted you, the king. The only thing holding your guards at bay is my grip on your jewels. But you have assaulted me, Weaver. And there are those that will not take kindly to that. How about we call this done and settled? No harm. No foul. What say ye?”

I loosened my grip on his throat enough for him to speak. “Stand down!” His command was a loud squeak, like a startled toy dog. “She is defending herself as is her right! I am unharmed! I am… greatly amused.” His smirk warned me he was not as helpless as I thought.

I did not wait for his guards to react. I set the king back on his throne that I found I was standing before. I straightened out his crumpled coat. Brushed the feather dust from his arm. Evened out his large and gaudy crown. Completely ignored his lack of pants. And bowed with severe formality. Snake, with weapons drawn, slithered up behind me.

Without turning away from the king, I addressed Snake. “Put those away, Guardian. I have come to my senses. I don’t think I shall have to fear the Goblin King further.” The mentioned monarch settled on his throne happily and commanded his guards to return to their posts, and for his court to resume festivities.

I turned to see what festivities were in play. And almost threw up from triggered fears. I now understood why Snake did not want me fully aware, why he was so hesitant to allow me to answer the summons, why he feared for me. I understood why he wanted to have a show of arms, why he wanted to play the formal role of Guardian. And I understood why the Goblin King thought he could take liberties with me. I swallowed my stomach back into position and faced the king again.

It was clear the king saw my discomfort and was relishing it. Time to turn the tables.

“Your Highness.” I bowed again. “Wish you I speak any further stories?” My level voice was not what he wanted to hear. His face betrayed his disappointment.

“No. You have told many tonight. The time for words is over! It is time for play now. Will you be joining me?” His eyes were bright from greedy desire.

Normally, such a question from a monarch is interpreted as a gently worded command. Normally.

I smiled a predatory grin of my own. I watched the Goblin King blink in sudden chill and fear. Before he could call his guards in earnest, I began my utterance. With a simple cantrip of eight lines that rhymed in woven syllables, I answered the Goblin King’s question in a way that increased his potency as monarch of his realm, but crippled him should he ever make physical advances towards me again.

At once several goblins came forward to see the… increase… of their king. They ooh’d and ah’d at the king’s mighty force and the marked increase in royal worth. When he realized I had bestowed a ‘gift’ upon him as part of my refusal, he was giddy in mirth and lust. He stood on his throne so all could see Weaver’s gift to the Goblin King. If he caught the warning, he did not betray it.

“Is this permanent?” His whisper was only heard by me and Snake.

I whispered in answer. “It will slowly fade back to your normal endowments over the following days. But if you lay a hand on me again, ever, you’ll lose it all.” I smiled as he blanched. I formally bowed as I intoned, “Your Glorious Goblinish Highness.”.

His court interpreted my bow as admiration of the royal assets and called for the king to join them. The king dismissed me and with great formality bid me a good farewell and safe travels. He quickly hopped down from the throne to join the festivities as Snake and I quickly left the Goblin King’s realm.

I remained fledged and taloned until safely in the lair. I fell onto the pallet, allowing the feathers to disperse and the cloak-skirt to return to my innermost. Snake helped me out of the regalia and put away his own. Coiling around me as the giant serpent he is, we said nothing for some time.

Finally, I broke the silence. “You’re losing your touch.” He leaned his head on my still sore shoulder in askance. “Your venom should have kept me manageable and unaware of my surroundings all night. I should not have fledged out.”

“I warned him not to touch you. That you would defend yourself. That he was overstepping his bounds and you were no respecter of rank once you felt threatened.”

“Why were you out of arm’s reach, Guardian?”

Snake started laughing. “Because the Goblin King is an insufferable ass. Because I knew you would ‘fledge out’ and hand him his ego. Because you were never in physical danger. I was worried about your mental state considering what was happening around you. And in the first few seconds of clear awareness, you put those fears to rest.” He shifted a coil to embrace me. “Forgive me for treating you like a delicate child. Sometimes I forget how far you’ve come.”

My mind grabbed the unintentional pun and I started giggling. Snake hears the thought I can’t hide and hides his head behind my shoulder. “I didn’t mean…” My giggles erupt into outright laughter. “Oh, fuck it.” Laughter turns into guffaws, and even Snake quivers from barely restrained mirth.

Our laughter purges any lingering discomfort from the night’s activities. All that remained was for me to consider how to record the night, and to wait out the alarm clock.

Make of that, what you may.