Graham journeys on and a hideous odor overpowers his nostrils. He grimaces in disgust, but the smell gives him an idea and he walks to it's origin. He's sees a large animal pen and inside it's noxious carpet is a single goat, trotting about.
The intrepid adventurer recalls the stories told to him as a child and if they are indeed true, then he has just the weapon to deal with the troll. Placing the mirror against the side of the pen, Graham moves to the gate which he carefully opens and shut behind him
Cautiously, he creeps forward as he plucks the carrot from his knapsack and holds it aloft. The goat takes sight of the bait and walks over to nibble upon it.
Quickly, Graham pulls it out of reach, but not so much that the goat can't still see it. He entices the animal who follows the bearer of the carrot outside of the pen and directly north, but not without picking up the mirror which is not heavy, just cumbersome.
Through a patch of strange growing plants, the knight leads the goat. He returns to the very bridge he'd been denied access. This time when the troll appears it hadn't even time to speak when the goat, enraged by the sight of its mortal enemy, charges and butts the slimy miscreant off the bridge and into the rushing river below.
The savage brute is washed away and the farm animal pads off into the distance alone, completely forgetting the treat which had brought it thus far. Graham is relieved and crosses the bridge to the island in front of him.
There he finds the cave he seeks and something else. Upon a small spinning wheel is a short man spinning straw, into gold!
He looked up from his labor at Graham. "Greetings, sir knight."
"Good day to you," the adventurer returns. "Would this cave by chance be the home to a dwarf?"
The little man shakes his head. "Nay tis but mine," he informs his guest before catching sight of the mirror said guest is lugging about. "Could that be the magic mirror stolen these long years past?"
"It is indeed," Graham assures him.
"Then am I to assume you are looking for the other treasures as well?" the man pries.
"I am," Graham speaks without reluctance.
The man claps his hands. "Well then I have just the thing you need to find another," he relays. "But I'll only give it to you should you guess my name." He gives a mischievous smirk.
"Your name?" Graham asks.
The man nods.
Graham twists his chin. "A small man who sits upon a spinning wheel turning straw into gold," he surmises. "If the stories be true thou art Rumplestiltskin."
"Indeed I am good sir," the little man says as he smiles despite being bested. He reaches down in his pocket and produces a small bag of beans. "These will carry you to the heights you so desire."
With a wicked grin the man offers the bag, which Graham takes, before retiring to his hovel where he closes the door and posts a 'do not disturb' sign.
The knight thinks better than to test the sign and instead stares at the strange bag. If these are indeed magic beans like the ones in the story, than he knows what to do. Though it still makes him scratch his head some.
Graham pockets the beans and walks east. He finds himself surrounded by beautiful flowers and fertile soil. Completely on a whim, he decides to plant the beans and watches in astonishment as they immediately grow into a giant stalk that reaches the heavens. He strains his neck to see just how far it stretches but cannot.
YOU ARE READING
King's Quest
FanfictionPreview: none- This is a bit of fan-fiction from the famous Sierra game series. Though to be more accurate, it is a retelling of the first four games.
