The Goblin Princess

Chapter 20

Glitter was everywhere. The forest was filled with glitter. It covered every single surface in sight. Little Veena was beginning to hate glitter. She was covered in it of course. All because she had chased after her ball. It had felt like hours since she had entered the forest behind her ball.

Little Veena was not happy. She stood glaring at one of the many trees, "stupid ball."

"Precious, what are you doing out here? Where are your brothers?"

Frowning, the little princess turned to face her father, "I've been chasing after my ball, Daddy."

He tilted his head slightly to one side as he walked over to her, "how did your ball get all the way out here?"

She hung her head, "they wouldn't play with me."

Little Veena watched as her father's boots stopped in front of her.

"Veena."

Slowly she raised her head.

Sighing, her father knelt down in front of her, "Veena, you know you aren't supposed to be out here alone."

She frowned, "but.."

"No buts, young lady. Once we get your ball, we're going back to the Castle."

The little princess pouted, " it's not my fault the Labyrinth just let me walk through."

her father stood up, "no, but you know you are not allowed within it without your mother or me."

She continued to pout. It wasn't fair.

Her father flicked his wrist, and her ball came flying out of the trees to his hand. After placing it under one of his arms, he held out his other hand, "come along, young lady."

Frowning, the little princess took hold of his hand, before the two of them disappeared in a shower of glitter.

Chapter 20

Happy to be away from that horrible bog and back under the trees, Veena sighed softly. The Bog had been beyond what she had been expecting, and she had expected it to be bad.. Thank goodness, they hadn't stayed long within its borders. As they traveled onward, they were searching for Hoggle and Sir Didymus's friend. Of course, she had no idea what he looked like.

"Hoggle, what does Ludo look like?"

He glanced over his shoulder, "don't worry we won't miss him. He's huge."

Veena glanced over at Adam, whom seemed lost in thought, but it didn't go unnoticed by her that suddenly Didymus and Hoggle had started whispering among themselves.

"Adam?"

He shook his head slight, "huh?"

Veena smiled slightly, "you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just happy to be out of there."

Veena smiled fully at him, "I don't think you're alone."

Adam smiled back at her.

Veena turned her head forward just as a large orange furry creature came onto the path, causing the group to stop.

Sir Didymus turned from Hoggle, "ah, my brother."

The creature turned towards them. It had goofy smile on its face as it walked up to them, "Sarwah?"

Hoggle shook his head, "no, Ludo. It's the princess."

The creature tilted his head, frowning slightly, "princess?"

Sir Didymus nodded, "yes, Brother. The princess has returned."

Having had enough, Veena frowned, "okay, who's Sarah? Why is almost everyone thinking I'm her?"

Hoggle glanced at Sir Didymus, sighing, "cause you look so much like her. She was a girl who actually had to run the Labyrinth."

"What made her so special? I vaguely remember the women who took care me saying if you knew the words the goblins would take something or someone away. Did she do that?"

Hoggle nodded, "she did, but Sarah was the first, well only, person to actually get what she wished away back."

Veena tilted her head, "that's not all of it isn't?" That couldn't be the only thing special about this girl.

"His Majesty, seemed to take a great interest in Milady during her run."

Veena looked over at Sir Didymus, "now I have even more questions than before. Is there anything else?"

Hoggle shook his head, "not that I can think of."

Taking a deep breath, Veena closed her eyes. Things were getting more complicated by the second.

"Gentlemen, I think we better get a move on, and I highly suggest not mentioning anything else. I think Veena's got enough to deal with at the moment."

Veena opened her eyes and glanced at Adam, "thanks."

He smiled at her, "I only learned that I had a twin sister, but even that little thing was a big shock to me. I have no doubt that all of this is so much bigger than that."

Veena frowned at him, "you didn't know you had a sister?"

Adam nodded, "yeah. Skeletor kidnapped her, when we were babies. I only found out about her after I had to go rescue my father."

"Okay, I want to hear the story, later."

Adam nodded, "deal."

Veena glanced at Hoggle, Sir Didymus, and Ludo, "he's right we better get going. I have a bad feeling all of a sudden."

The dwarf and fox looked at each before Hoggle turned to face her, "as you wish, Princess."

Soon the group was moving along again, with its newest member.

XOXOXOX

This wasn't good. That damned Minotaur was still in the Labyrinth. It hadn't left at dawn as it had every other time. Did it know? Or did that witch know? He had been so careful. There was nothing he could. If he went out to protect her, then the witch would most definitely know something was up.

Taking a deep breath, the Goblin King leaned back against the alcove's wall. What could he do? He could only hope Veena and that boy could hold the thing off.

He turned as he heard feet on the floor behind him.

"Your Majesty, there's a rumor going around that the Lady's in the Labyrinth. Is it true?"

Sighing, he turned to face one of the few goblins who hadn't been touched by that damned curse, "it's not Lady Sarah." Did none of them remember what their queen looked like anymore?

The goblin held his hands in front of him,"then who should I tell the others it is?"

The Goblin King moved around and stood up, "tell them nothing at the moment. Allow them their rumor."

The goblin nodded, "of course, Your Majesty." He then left his monarch alone in the empty Throne Room.

He didn't know if that witch would gain word. Most of the goblins were now nothing more than fools. Who could understand their babble?

Sighing, he conjured a crystal and called up the image of his daughter. At least now she had her mother's friends with her. They could at least slow the thing down a bit, but she and that boy would have to fight the creature if it found them, and there was nothing he could do to help them.