Brooklyn Meets the Skeksis

Mealtime and Conversations

Brooklyn followed the Skeksis to their dining hall. He stayed close to Chamberlain, as he didn't trust the others. Of everything he had seen so far once they had arrived at the castle made him more than wary now.

Once in the chamber, he saw all the tapestries on the walls, the table, the chairs. Chairs like he had never seen before.

Since the Skeksis had thought that the Chamberlain was going to be gone after the Trial by Stone, his seat had been taken from the table. But now that he was back, he got his seat back. Brooklyn also grabbed a chair. He sat next to his friend. They both sat at the end of the table.

Brooklyn began to notice some strange little round headed people walking around the table, handing bowls of food to their masters. "Um, who are these little guys?" Brooklyn asked.

"Our Podling slaves." the Slave Master snarled at the other end of the table. He was already eating.

"They do anything you say." Chamberlain said.

"Surely, you understand the need for servants?" the General stated.

"Usually when they are voluntary. But yes, I have seen it before. Back when I was younger than I am now, a long time ago." Brooklyn declared. "Back before my one-thousand-year sleep."

"Year?" Ayuk asked.

"What do you call years here?"

"I believe he means trine." Sil corrected.

"Oh." Ayuk said.

"Alright." Brooklyn said.

"You make this up! That could never happen! Sleep for 1,000 trine? Never!" the Historian scoffed.

"I was encased in stone sleep for 1,000 years, not that I could control what happened. It was a forced spell. A human sorcerer cast it on my clan and me."

"There is more of your kind?" General asked.

"Back home. But I will say that I am the only one that looks like this." Brooklyn stated.

"Like what?" Chamberlain asked.

"With a face like mine. All the others have more human-like faces."

"Just what are these humans you talk of?" the Scientist asked. He always wanted to know more things.

"Uh, their bodies are built kind of like mine, but they have five fingers and toes, no wings or tail, they have hair only on their heads, and their faces are kind of flat." Brooklyn tried to describe as best he could.

"That kind of points out Gelfling to us." SkekZok replied.

"Just how tall do these Gelflings get?" Brooklyn asked.

"Smaller than us. Not very tall." Chamberlain said.

"If they're smaller than you, how could they be a threat to you?" Brooklyn asked.

"Prophecy said they could return shard to Crystal, and we will be destroyed." Chamberlain replied.

"In a way, I know how it feels for worry of it happening, but in a different way. For me, it wasn't due to prophecy, but humans did kill most of my clan, and many other gargoyle clans too. All because they were just afraid." Brooklyn said sadly.

"You seem able to take care of yourself. How could they do that to you?" the Scientist asked.

"I am a warrior, yes. But my stone sleep makes me vulnerable during the day. It's something that affects all of my kind."

"Can sleep in my room." Sil offered.

"Thanks, but I might be more comfortable sleeping close to a parapet. Like out in the hall."