Prompt Seven: Hat
So how do you want me to say it? I was just sitting atop his head, when the girl comes barging through. Except she wasn't a girl anymore – she was a woman with curves and all that and it was all I could do to keep my eyes in my head, if you know what I mean.
But we all knew who she was – she was the King's girl, or the girl who ate the peach and forgot everything, or the girl who kicked the King's butt. She was hands off, though not eyes off, y'know?
So she's searching around for a way to pick when her eyes fall on me, or rather him.Her eyes lit up – nice green ones, they are – and she said joyously, "Oh I know you! You're the Wiseman!"
"Wiseman?" I scoffed. "Who are you kidding?"
He then woke up and hesaw her. "Young woman – didn't we already speak?" Ai! He was so stupid! How come he couldn't notice? The King's girl shook her head, "I'm afraid that was many years ago." She sighed. "I made a mistake though and now I'm back running this Labyrinth again."
"Oh? And what mistake was that?" asked him. Few will believe it, but he's such gossip monger.
She blushed prettily, before muttering something. He's deaf and all, but even I couldn't hear it!
"What?" I crowed.
"Speak up!" ordered him. "We haven't got all day."
"Yes we do!" I disagreed. "It's she I'm guessing who doesn't."
"Right," she said. "Though I believe I'm making good time." She surveyed her surroundings again. "I think I know where I am!"
"And so why are you here again, young woman?" He asked again.
The girl fiddled with something in her pocket – nice pants those were. Left nothing to the imagination – before saying, "Well I guess it was my fault and I was being insipid but it was an accident!" She paused, still fiddling, before continuing. "I was visiting with my friends you see; Hoggle, Ludo, and Didymus. We were just lounging about as I didn't have work, when Hoggle mentions something about how he never understood why I had refused the King." She rolled her eyes, "I didn't understand but Didymus explained. He said that he was in lovewith me." She shook her head as if she couldn't believe it. "I can't believe I'm telling you this!"
"Why not?" I squawked. "It's in the book after all."
The King's girl seemed to realize that then but shook her pretty head again, "That was the story. It was different after all then what actually happened." She sighed, "I then made a stupid, flippant comment about how I would rather have run the Labyrinth again then marry him." She shrugged, "And that's how I got here. I don't think His Majesty is too happy with me…"
Of course he wasn't! He'd been planning his marriage for years! It had been rather frightful when the King had lost….he was even awake for that.
"Well young woman," said him importantly. "You have learned a very important lesson-"
"Don't make fun of his majesty!" I piped in.
"Be Quiet!" growled he. He then turned back towards the girl, "The lesson learned is that actions speak louder than words."
"What?" cried the girl and me. That wasn't right at all!
He settled back to fall asleep yet again, "That is the lesson learned." The snoring began immediately.
I tsked and turned to the young girl as the box came out automatically. "Please leave a contribution in the little box."
Flustered she said, "Oh well – I don't have anything with me as I was just lying around."
The glint from the edge of her pocket betrayed it though. "No's you don't!" I said. "What's in your pocket?"
Her eyes lit up and she pulled it out, "Oh I forgot about this. Here-" she reached out to drop the item in the box when he and I – he must have waken then – yelled.
"No!"
She jumped back startled – serves her right!
"That's the king's sign!" He motioned. "You can't use that as pay – as if it's some petty trifle!"
"Where'd you get that?" I squawked. "You're not telling everything."
"Well, I didn't think it mattered to much," she said, biting her lip. "The Goblin King gave this to me right before I landed outside of the Labyrinth. It's supposed to be if I forfeit my challenge against the Labyrinth, I have to put it on."
There was much more to it than that – did she not know what it meant?
He recovered from such idiocy first. "Young woman – then you can not just give it to us." Surely not! We'd end up in the Bog! "You must either keep it or dispose of it – but here is not the place for it."
"Oh, alright," she said unsure. "If you say so." She glanced at a clock that had appeared nearby. "Nice talking to you and all but I have to go – places to go, Kings to defeat, and all." She started to head out before realizing she hadn't left anything, "I'll get Hoggle to get you something later on!" She called back before disappearing round the bend.
Nice girl she was. However, she was the King's girl after all, and it wasn't just him saying it. I saw her slipping the ring back into her pocket, even if he was already asleep.
Longest response yet. First off, sorry this took longer than usual. I really appreciated all the great reviews I got on the last chapter! I've broken the 1000 hit mark, which is a record for me. Thank you all!
Please take the time to review yet again - and remember, if you'd like to see a certain thing done or have a request, let me know! (and yes, CoffeeKris - the prompt you requested will show up in two chapters!)
Posted: 4-21-08
