King's Quest

CHAPTER 5: THE MAGIC SHIELD

Pushing his insecurities aside, Graham walks on to the west back to the dragon's cave.

There he sits and puzzles a moment. "I know of no other caves around here, he muses aloud. "This must be it."

Before he can enter the cave for a second look, a giant condor swoops down and scoops him up. Graham has a feeling this is no ordinary condor and the look in its eye tells him the same. He's contemplating all this when the bird drops him.

"My doom has come," the knight thinks, this time silently to himself.

He hits the hard ground below. It isn't enough to kill him, but it does leave quite a bruise. He raises his head and finds himself staring at a strange mushroom. It's like no other fungus he'd ever seen. He plucks and pockets it.

Graham proceeds to brush himself off before carrying on his exploration. He's on a small island with nothing except a small hole, all of it enclosed by a raging river, which would surely sweep him off to his doom. So, against his better judgment, he jumps down the hole.

He lands on hard stone, but suffers little more than some small bruising, which is nothing compared to his previous fall. He finds himself in a single, small corridor, which he decides to take.

It winds its way in front of a large door guarded by a ferocious rat, that salivates at the approach of Graham. The knight knows he has to take his time and act cautiously.

Too late the rat pounces upon him and bares it's dripping fangs. It sinks its teeth deep and Graham braces against the attack, but there is no pain. He looks down and finds the rat's snout buried in his pack.

It removed said snout, in its teeth is the wedge of cheese which it than scampers off with. The knight breathes a sigh of relief and vows from then on to keep a piece of cheese on him at all times.

Once recovered from his experience Graham stands up and walks through the looming door. Perhaps not the best of ideas as on the other side he encounters two leprechauns holding spears and looking none too happy.

They close in upon the ill-fated hero, their weapons at the ready. Then they catch sight of his boots and tip their hats instead.

Confused by the queer action, Graham looks down at his boots. Sticking to them is a single four leaf clover.

"I must have carried it on me since walking with the goat," he remarks to himself.

With nothing to hinder him, Graham carries on into the next room where he finds a glorious throne room bedecked with all manner of finery. In the midst of which sits a short man wearing a crown, presumably the king.

"Ere' now who's this?" he queries.

Graham wastes no time and launches into a merry tune upon the fiddle. The leprechauns true to form, begin to dance and make merry in play with the tune. One by one the court dance off and away, till only the king is left.

He turns to Graham who has finished playing. "O lordy! Never have I heard such a tune," he exclaims. "And as is our custom I'll give ya' whatever ye ask O me."

Graham quickly spies the large shield laying near the throne. A defensive article no leprechaun could possibly wield.

"What about that shield?" he requests.

"Oh that thing?" the king observes. "Take it with me blessing. Lord knows I could never use it."

Graham takes it upon himself to take up the shield and he feels a surge of strength. Indeed, it is the magic shield, which he quested for.

The king smiles. "Now lad be sure to eat the mushroom you got on ya, or you'll never fit through the hole," with these words he departs.