Chapter 7: Fight the Fight

Sparring was one of the few things the Bog King did for fun. The new guard, Marsha, was an unexpected challenge. Few goblins used swords. That was probably why Portia had suggested her.

Her blade clanged against his sceptre and created sparks. She angled it to reflect moonlight into his eyes. She was fast and agile. Bog was faster, but Marsha was more limber.

Bog had a height advantage, but in the end he had to use his wings to retain it, because when he backed Marsha up to the fence, she'd climbed it backwards while still fending him off.

When he was in the air, she jumped down, punching sideways into his kidney, just below where his lower wings joined his back, and forcing him to the ground as well.


Marianne hadn't expected the king to take defeat well, when she managed – barely – to win their first sparring match, but he didn't seem at all upset when he challenged her to a rematch. He seemed like he was having as much fun as she was.

He won the second round when he kicked her in the stomach powerfully enough that she landed on her back, and he pressed the fancy head of his sceptre to her neck, but after she yielded he helped her up just like any other goblin had, and accepted when she challenged him to round three.

That one was a tie, when their weapons got tangled and they disarmed each other simultaneously.

After that, they sparred with other people for the rest of the night, but Bog kept coming by during sparring drills and she always seemed to get at least one round against him.


Portia had hoped that pushing Marsha into sparring with the Bog King would trick her into exposing her intentions towards the Dark Forest and its ruler, but she still didn't have any evidence to bring His Majesty about her suspicions.


Griselda was delighted when 'Marsha' and Bog started conversing over meals, and spending time together socially when she wasn't on duty with the Guard and Bog wasn't occupied with his Royal Duties.