Valor: a vignette

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      Sometime shortly after his plumed (and carefully tended) brush of a mustache began turning a profound and aging white, the small (but no less noble for it) knight known as Didymus began noticing changes.  Small things, at first: a sudden aching in his joints that passed quickly enough at first; occasional moments when scents did not seem as sharp, nor as interesting; a deep and peculiar anxiety, every once in a great while.

      But he was indeed a knight, the last surviving member of the order that had pledged fealty so long ago to the Goblin King.  If Didymus' joints ached, why then it only meant he was exerting himself quite nobly.  Were scents to every now and then seem dull or even nonexistent, it merely meant he had grown quite used to those smells.  He was not anxious, but alert.

      And always he was loyal to his liege, even when he was ordered from his point as guard outside the city to a tiny outpost in the Bog of Eternal Stench.

      "I can think of no man or beast," the King had said mildly, "better suited for such a job."

      His mustache had bristled with pride.  "Thou honors me, sirrah!" he had declared, pleased by the token of recognition.

      A darkly amused look had twisted the King's lips.  "Quite," he agreed with sly humor.

      That no one came by the outpost, now, was of no importance.  Noble and steadfast a knight as he was, Sir Didymus was confident that his liege indeed had the utmost faith in him; never would a king abandon his last and most devout of the old knights!

      Soon enough his joints moaned at night; and soon he could not smell even the gentlest of vile scents from the Bog; and anxiety ate him up inside until he was always restless.

      But he was a knight, and so did not stray from his lonely duty.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Sir Didymus, the Goblin King, the Labyrinth, or the BoES – that brilliance belongs to Henson, Froud, Lee, etc.

Feedback: I am always appreciative (and open to constructive criticism!).

Thanks To: EclipseKlutz (very glad I was clearer!), Lady-Misericordia (the only thing I can really suggest – and I know it's a copout, but I've been doing this for years – is just keep writing even when you feel discouraged; have you tried daily writing exercises?), and Cherryblossom (actually, none of the chapters are related: I've edited the first story to include a note about this; thanks for your feedback and encouragement!).  I am very grateful to all of you.  :]