This has taken a lot longer than I thought it would to piece together, and for that I'm very sorry! ;A; So, to make up for it, I have written one really long chapter, which I have uncreatively decided to cut into three pieces!
I do hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading!
The Goblin King chuckled, raising the hand he had against his side, rocking his finger back and forth in a scolding manner. "Tsk, tsk, my dear, that was quite rude of you. You should know better than to hit someone."
"I don't care, s-stop that!" I spoke as sternly as I could, that twisting smirk spreading across his face, his body gliding closer in another smooth step after lowering that hand. I furrowed my brow, taking in a deep but quiet breath in attempt to recompose, yet I felt as though I couldn't raise my head from its tilted down position, even as I watched him. I must have looked like a frowning child to him, as he elicited the smooth chuckle burrowed within his chest. My eyes became distracted as I watched that chest give its little heaves, through the chilling, sturdy sound. I gazed back up at him with a false confidence even as he came closer, stopping in front of me as I began to speak once more, less distraught. "Please, why are you doing this to me?"
He just continued to smile, and I turned away slightly, not wanting to look at him, knowing it was there. "You already know the answer to that question."
"I know, but, I don't want to be here - please - just tell me what I'm supposed to learn from this - what am I doing so wrong?!" I wanted that courage to come back, that heated frustration to fill me once more and set him back those few notches, not this oncoming and inevitable loss of audacity. I knew I had to collect my thoughts; I had to think of something. Could he just be wasting my time now? How much time to I even have left? My thoughts were drawn away as something was laid against my back, but before I could respond, I found myself unknowingly releasing a soft, relaxing breath as it came, feeling so natural, as I closed my eyes. It really was strange...everything so quickly had melted away, my worries, my troubles, I felt weightless, unburdened.
I slowly began to feel cooler inside, comfortably safe. This coolness held a warmth, I felt calm. Un-tensing my body with a deep but gentle inhale, I found myself leaning against the small pooling pressure on my lower back. The world felt slower, like it was moving as a snail's pace. My eyes were still closed, and yet, I felt more support keeping me upright, enveloping me, sustaining me from behind, a familiarity, holding me close, holding me safe, I had nothing to lose, nothing left to be afraid of. I couldn't fight these feelings, so unreal, my body too tired, eyes too heavy to keep open. My support slipped forwards, my body following as I leaned towards it, rather than back against it. Was I finally waking up...? There was a small washing wave of relief, slipping closer, then further, then closer once more, moving like the shoreline of water, flowing naturally. The small sounds dwindled, slowly fuzzing out, moving alongside the relief, ripples of satiation. Am I falling asleep...?
...No...
...I'm just resting.