Good Knight

Sir Theodore's Worst Nightmare

Prince Grendelmere paced the floor of his throne room. Word had gotten back to him that Penelope Pimm came into the dream world when his Nightmares kidnapped Sir Theodore and that she had already visited Muse, Nod and Evanore. He was aware that she was convincing everyone and anyone to help her rescue her Teddy Bear from his terrible grasp. He felt cornered. Grendelmere fell back into his throne and sighed with aggravation.

"I placed a curse on this world in order for this to be easier and we have hit too many bumps in the road," he complained. His royal court of Nightmares stood before him, concerned for their prince and not to mention their own safety.

"Would you like for me to sing to you, sire?" Nemesis asked.

"No! I'm mad at you!" Grendelmere growled. Nemesis looked down at her feet. It was the harshest rejection she received from the prince.

"Should we fetch you some water?" Phobia asked.

"No! I'm allergic! Do you not know me at all!?" he snapped. "That little girl is out there in the dream world, practically raising an army! What would really make me feel better is if she would just give up already!" His rant suddenly gave him an idea.

"That's just it!" he thought out loud. "If Penelope does make it to Sir Theodore and sees him for what he's become, a useless coward, she will give up!" He turned to his court with a grin on his face. "Bring me Sir Theodore!"

Two guards followed his order and left the room to go fetch the captive knight. Grendelmere felt proud of himself for coming up with such a solution. He waited patiently for the guards to return with his most valuable prisoner.

"What do you plan to do to him, Your Highness?" Nemesis asked eagerly. Grendelmere smiled.

"Oh, I'm going to do my best work yet," he replied. The Nightmares all grinned at each other. They knew what he meant. Prince Grendelmere was going to create a Nightmare. Moments later the guards returned with Sir Theodore.

"Your Highness! The knight, as you requested," one of the guards said. They shoved him to his knees before Prince Grendelmere.

"Good evening, Sir Theodore. Finding your new home comfortable?" he asked. The knight was not interested in small talk.

"Why did you request my presence?" he insisted. Grendelmere didn't like that his prisoner was demanding answers from him, but he kept his temper.What he had planned for Sir Theodore was worth it.

"Oh, Teddy Bear, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he began. The court snickered to themselves. Sir Theodore was confused.

"What news?" he dared to ask.

"Penelope Pimm has given up on you," Grendelmere replied matter-of-factly. Sir Theodore looked at him in disbelief.

"You're lying!" he accused. Grendelmere could detect the devastation Theodore was feeling and thrived off of that.

"You don't believe me?" the prince pretended to be surprised. "I suppose you'll have to see for yourself." Prince Grendelmere leaned forward and rubbed his hands together, creating dark sleeping sand. When he was done he threw the sand to the side and a vision of Penelope's bedroom appeared.

Penelope's mother was going around the room collecting old toys for donation. Sir Theodore could tell because the word DONATION was written across the white garbage bag. Penelope entered the room and picked up Sir Theodore's Teddy Bear form off of her bed and threw him into the donation bag.

"Penelope! Why are you throwing Teddy into the donation bag? I thought you loved him," her mother insisted. Penelope shook her head.

"Not anymore. He used to protect me from nightmares, but now I have them every night," Penelope complained. Sir Theodore felt his insides twist with anxiety as he watched.

"That doesn't mean you have to throw him away," Penelope's mother told her.

"Yes it does," the little girl muttered. This broke Sir Theodore's heart.

"No Penelope!" he shouted. "I'm here! I'm trying to get back to you! Please Penelope! Don't throw me away!" the vision disappeared and Penelope never heard him. Prince Grendelmere smirked. The guards seized Sir Theodore and dragged him to his feet. He screamed in pain.

"Lock him in the tallest tower," Grendelmere informed the guards. "And set my finest beast to guard it."