Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

Royal Pain: Chapter 4

Chapter Warnings: Mild blood (marrow)

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"... H... ...ould b... ...ne .... Go... ...nt in... ...ock ... ...ld let h... ...st..."

That was... the high-pitched voice from before... but why was it so muddled despite sounding so close? Between the heaviness of his body and the fog trying to drag his mind back under, Goth was barely even able to register the pool of warmth around his right arm. He groaned, willing his sockets to open in hopes of figuring out what was happening.

"He... ...ing up!"

Finally winning the fight, Goth's hazy eye light scanned the dimly lit room. Palette and an armored woman sat on his left side with Meryl on the right; a small green glow surrounded the girl's hands, which were hovering over his bandaged arm... it was healing magic, he realized.

"Goth, you're okay!" Palette cried, throwing himself on top of the skeleton; the warm feeling on his arm vanished.

"S... space...," the small monster gasped, clenching his socket shut against the excess weight pressing down on him. Palette jumped off as if he had been bitten, briskly apologizing as he did so. Goth took a shuddering breath as he replied, "s'fine... are you alright? What happened to the attacker?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. You're the only one who got hurt," Palette responded, wiping at his sockets.

The woman next to him spoke up, "The assassin was apprehended and taken into custody after being removed from the prince's bed-chamber; we believe the man was part of the group that attacked the queen and the prince's carriage over three months ago. After we arrived, you went into shock from your injury. The healer arrived as you fainted, and you were moved to the sickbay to recover after she stopped the bleeding."

Her brown eyes took on a hard edge, "I was notified by Prince Palette that you took on the assassin by yourself." Goth nodded slowly, wondering where she was going with this... was he in trouble? The thought was put to rest as she proclaimed, "That's admirable. You showed the kind of loyalty and grit I like to see in my own soldiers, but you lack the strength and skill to back it up." She stood from her seat, thumping her hand against the metal plate covering her chest, "My name is Helleia, Captain of the Royal Guard and I wish to proposition you on becoming one of my students; doing so would allow you to dispatch any threats against yourself as well as the prince. What say you?"

He played with the idea; while he was small and could hardly consider himself a strong monster, Palette had only escaped unscathed because he got in the way... what would have happened if he wasn't there or if the guards had arrived later than they did...? His companion had also been upset over his injury, so if getting stronger could ease their worries... there was another thing to consider as well.

"Would I have to give up my position as Pa- the prince's servant?" He questioned the guard.

Palette looked surprised, "Goth?"

The woman mulled over his words, then stated, "Since it sounds like the idea doesn't appeal to you, no; your training would be done in a way that doesn't interfere with your regular duties. A servant being a bodyguard in disguise doesn't sound too bad, come to think of it."

Goth nodded his skull with a set expression, "Alright, then what would I need to do?"

Helleia grinned, "I like that look."

"But what if you get hurt again?" Palette clenched his fists into his marrow-stained nightgown.

Staring at his previously injured arm, Goth reasoned, "If I got hurt because I didn't know how to fight back, then learning would fix the problem, right?" The prince made a face, but didn't seem to have any rebuttals.