Drabble #139: Unexpected

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to my last posted drabble prompt of Drabble 134, with entries by redwolf and commenting by me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix). (Again, my real life nonsense got in the way this month of me completing my own drabble....grar. Next time...)

As always, special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for several previous drabble prompts. (More to come on that in a separate post.) Huzzah!





For this prompt, we continue with our one-word/phrase drabble roots:

Unexpected

What or who is unexpected? Who did they surprise? What happened? How? Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.




Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit for this month of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:
Word count: # of words
$your_beautiful_drabble


I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Monday of next month (Feb 5).

I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.


Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand. Authors generally write for love.)

Comments

Unexpected

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah felt the pull of a wish and headed for the throne room, the magic of the Labyrinth wrapping her Goblin Queen armour around her as she walked.

On entering the room, she could see that the usual goblins in the sunken pit were happily clambering over the newly wished away, it was that wished away who was not quite what she expected to see.

Slowly raising a hand, so as not to disturb the room’s occupants, Sarah summoned a crystal to ask Jareth if he had any insight into the matter. “Is there anything strange with this wish?”

From what she could see of his surroundings, Jareth appeared to be standing in a child’s bedroom. “I’ve just met a delightful young lady, who tells me that she’s wished her younger brother George away because her parents are planning to murder him on the morrow.”

Sarah paused, looking down from her seat on the throne with a raised eyebrow. Of all the many reasons she’d encountered so far when people called on the Labyrinth, this was a first, but it still didn’t explain what was occurring on her end of the contract. “I have no idea where George is, but I’m looking at an unfamiliar and quite confused wolf.” She wondered if this was a case of wires getting crossed in transit and if there was currently a toddler somewhere sitting in the midst of a pack of deeply baffled wolves.

Behind Jareth, Sarah could see a child who was not displaying the usual signs of shock and fear at having a mythical figure respond to a careless comment. The girl was staring at Jareth with her arms folded and a very serious expression. “Young Ada informs me that you are looking at George.”

Sarah blinked. “The wolf is a shapeshifter?”

They both ignored the disgusted snort from the child in the background. “He’s just a wolf, my love, but there has been a legal issue Above that has declared his life forfeit.”

“So is the child running the Labyrinth to get him back? Or is she abandoning him?” Sarah felt as if she was clawing her way back into familiar territory. It was not uncommon for youngsters to view pets as siblings, particularly in the case of only children.

“Neither,” Jareth chuckled. “She requested that the goblins save George. She is adamant that she will never forgive her parents for their betrayal and is asking to join her brother. She doesn’t care if they both get turned into goblins as they’ll be together. If that is not possible, she asks that her brother be saved.”

Sarah was impressed at the mature level of reasoning Ada was positing. She was embarrassed to compare her own mindset when she ran the Labyrinth in comparison to a little girl, who was apparently more of a grown up than her parents. “Can she do that?”

“Usually these requests come via someone familiar with the Underground, but it is not an unheard of occurrence.”

Re: Unexpected

[jalenstrix]

Oh, Ada! I'm impressed with Ada too, Sarah. Also the fact that Ada's completely unperturbed by Jareth appearing in front of her in full splendor.

Re: Unexpected

[redwolf]

Ada called on the Goblin King as an escape plan, so I don't think she cared who or what appeared, as long as she could save George. 🦊🧡