Chapter 8
Princess Gwenalot finally worked up the courage to open her eyes. Sir Blunderbrain was still on top of her back, panting. She shook him off and turned over on her back to look up. The ceiling was now only about five feet above the ground, prevented from falling further thanks to several large crystal columns.
Sir Blunderbrain sighed. "Are you injured, my Princess?" he asked wearily.
She shook her head. "I'm okay. A couple of crystals hit my head, but I'm glad I had a helmet. You should probably look into getting one yourself." She looked over at him, exhausted. "Are you okay, Sir Blunderbrain?"
He paused for a long time. Finally, he said, "Do you feel damp anywhere?"
"No …."
"Then I'm fine," he said with a shrug and a smile.
Princess Gwenalot sighed and relaxed her body. "Why would even a monster try to kill us?"
Sir Blunderbrain rubbed his head. "I don't know, Your Highness," he replied. "We're just doing our job. It's the job of a monster to be vanquished." He smirked and chuckled. "It doesn't seem too complicated a task, does it?"
"Right now, getting out of here is too complicated," she noted sadly.
Sir Blunderbrain arched his neck back a little to spot the exit. "It's only about ten feet away, and there's plenty of room to get through it. Let's get out of here."
Princess Gwenalot sniffled. "Do you think those crystals were telling the truth? Do you think Fraggles really do hate me?"
The Fraggle knight sighed. "Princess Gwenelyn, you are the fairest, most responsible Fraggle in all of Fraggle Rock. You do tend to have a one-tunnel mind, though. I mean that in the most humble and respectful way, of course, milady."
"But what good will it do to keep being the leader if it means no one likes me?" she continued, her lips trembling. "I've got some Fraggles telling me that they don't want leaders, and I've got other Fraggles telling me they're only comfortable if someone tells them what to do. I'm being pulled in two different directions. I'm running out of solutions, brave knight. It's gone from Fraggles wagging their tongues at me to monsters all over the Rock trying to kill me."
"You didn't mind vanquishing monsters before," he offered, trying to hide a bored and frustrated tone.
The Princess stared at the crystals, which seemed more scratched up now she was so close to them. In fact, life in general was starting to seem not quite so perfect upon further inspection. Such a revelation began to wear on her. Time seemed to slow down – even a bit of dust floating lazily in the still cave air seemed to stop midway. "I wish I had my cape," she grumbled at last.
Sir Blunderbrain grunted as he tried to sit up. There was a large crystal overhead that made it a tight fit for him, but at last he succeeded. He glanced all around the Crystal Cavern. Even being nearly destroyed hadn't tarnished its beauty in the slightest. In fact, now that the crystals were closer together, they illuminated the cavern with greater intensity than before. He wanted to take the Princess' mind off things, so he began to sing…
All the days,
Through the haze,
I sought to be strong.
So I picked up
My shield and strode along.
Princess Gwen,
It was 'round ten,
You wondered what went wrong.
So, later then,
You'd know if you belonged.
I tell you –
Shine your helmet brightly
And move on.
Don't fear to tread lightly
And move on. Author's Note: rewritten "Friendship Song" from "Marooned" episode.
Princess Gwenalot sat up, staring at her loyal knight.
Sir Blunderbrain smiled and pointed to the exit. "The way out's just over there."
"But the monster may still catch us," she begged.
The crystals, which had grown more dazzling with the song, spoke in a melodious voice. "Thank you for healing us, young Fraggles," the voice noted happily. "We are the heart – the light – the pathmakers of the Rock. We are happy to aid you in your quest."
The light grew so intense the two Fraggles embraced each other and clenched their eyelids shut. When they started to hear the shocked murmurs of a crowd of Fraggles, they opened their eyes and looked up. Far above them was a large hole leading to a darkening blue sky.
They were in the Great Hall.