Chapter 21

"She left for good, then?" Crooner asked the Princess. She nodded. He continued, "Let me go tell Fishface. You know what kind of a mood he's been in. It makes all those bald Fraggles irritable this time of year. I'm a respected member of Fraggledom. He'll listen to me."

"I'm not?" asked Princess Gwenalot.

"You are the leader … and Fishface doesn't like you," Crooner stated bluntly. "Let me smooth things over."

"Okay, just hurry back," she said before returning to her cave.

Crooner walked into the Great Hall with surprise. The mud was nearly all cleaned up.

And yet he wasn't cold.

"Great Hole no longer make icy wind," Fishface informed the Minstrel from behind. He stepped forward and waved his arms as bald Fraggles and hairy Fraggles alike made decorations for their bodies and for the cave. "Festival did not happen. Fishface say this bad idea. Blundig say it."

"Yeah, about Blundig," Crooner began, "she's left the Rock."

Fishface stared at the Minstrel in shock. "She … go to live in Great Cave?"

Crooner shook his head. "We don't know where she went. She only wanted to tell you that she'll be back later."

Fishface walked over to a large chair in the center of the Great Hole and sat down, staring at the floor. Several nearby Fraggles started to inch away from him. After several silent moments, the large cave was nearly devoid of Fraggles except Fishface and Crooner. Soon, Fishface remarked bitterly, "Fishface always see Minstrel as stupid for loving idle Princess. She not listen to Minstrel. She not keep order in all of Fraggle Rock. Fishface do all these things. Fishface is better leader." He paused, clenching the armrests of his chair. "Why Blundig leave?"

"Did you tell that you loved her?" he asked.

Fishface glanced up, not moving. "How it work for Minstrel when he do it?" he muttered through gritted teeth.

Crooner blushed and looked away, smirking. "Not as well as I'd hoped."

"Then save lecture for someone who care."

Crooner stood closer to the bald Fraggle leader. "The Princess actually wants you to succeed as leader, you know."

"Is that so?"

Crooner sighed. "Yes, it's so." He sat nearby. "She's been testing you to see how you stack up to her. She needs to know that if she stops being Princess, you'd be there to take over."

Fishface glared at him. "Princess can stop being Leader any time," he replied in cold disbelief. "What does Fishface have to do with it?"

"Why don't you think she's cracked the Blue Rock?" he growled. "You gave her a simple ultimatum … one that I suggested. She doesn't belong as Leader. The fact she's never accomplished such a simple task shows she doesn't think she can prove how great she is. You, on the other hand, know your way around a command. You speak and Fraggles listen. I admire that. The Princess treats leadership like some childish game."

"In this," retorted Fishface, "Princess and Minstrel are alike."

"I deserve better than that," Crooner shot back in a low tone. "I take my job seriously. I'm just a glorified song collector. It's not that hard a job, Fishface. 'Leader', though, is a job filled with nothing but trials and tribulations. She isn't facing up to her supposed responsibilities. It's time she either face her destiny or choose a new one."

"With you."

Crooner stood up. He wanted to slap Fishface hard enough to send him into tomorrow. He clenched his fists. "Save the lectures for someone who cares," he told him. "The day you get Blundig is the day you can instruct me on the ways of love."