labyfic | Drabble #187: Impressed

...we had a nice response to my last posted drabble prompt of Drabble 183, with entries by

apachefirecat, and commenting by both of them as well. Huzzah!

As always, special labyfic love to

redwolf for adding entries and comments for several previous drabble prompts. You are the very best ever!

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

Impressed

Who's impressed? Who's doing the impressing? How is this impressing occurring anyway -- visually, physically, something else? 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 my next drabble challenge out on the first Thursday of next month (Jan 2).

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.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Word count: 500

There was an enormous mound of fallen leaves at the far end of the lawn. Sarah had no idea where they’d come from, as they didn’t appear to have originated from any of the trees in this section of the gardens, or how they’d gotten there. Any questions relating to horticultural oddness, were currently being drowned out by the shrieks of Labyrinthine youngsters as they hurled themselves into the pile.

While a huge number of goblins were involved, there was also a fairly wide representation of the kingdom’s many species taking part in the game.

“I take it this is a seasonal thing.” Sarah turned to Jareth who was watching the children with a fond expression.

He hummed in reply, pulling her against his chest and lacing his fingers over her middle. “It’s a seasonal festival for the younger inhabitants of the city.” Sarah shivered in delight as Jareth’s breath ghosted against her ear. “Somebody brought the game with them from Above and rather than having piles of leaves everywhere, we have one enormous one and let them loose in it for the day.”

Sarah smiled as a pair of elves vanished into the leaves with a scream of delight. They were followed by a rowdy horde of small goblins.

“Shouldn’t they have destroyed the pile by now?”

Jareth nuzzled into Sarah’s hair. “It’s reinforced by magic to allow them to play for longer.”

“That’s a sweet gesture.” Sarah turned her head to brush a kiss against Jareth’s lips.

“I am a most benevolent monarch.”

“Of course you are, sweetie.” Sarah laughed as a human child with a retinue of goblins somersaulted into the leaves in an impressively synchronous display. “Isn’t there a concern about them crashing into the other kids?” She’d seen a large number of children disappear into the mound, but she realised that she had yet to see anyone emerge. This was a little confusing when she was sure that she had seen several familiar faces make multiple runs.

“They won’t be harmed. When they dive in, they enter a portal that deposits them at the top of that small rise.” Jareth pointed towards the slope. The rounder goblins seemed to have the advantage over the others, by tucking their limbs in tight they rolled down faster than most of the runners. “The added run lets them burn off excess energy.”

“It is safe, isn’t it? A note of concern crept into Sarah’s voice.

“Of course it is,” Jareth scoffed. “We only lose one or two a year.”

“Jareth!” Sarah gasped in shock and turned to look into his eyes. She slapped his arm lightly in exasperation when she saw his amused expression. “Cheeky devil!”

Kissing her fondly on the forehead, Jareth held her close. “When it starts to get dark, we’ll set the pile alight to usher in the new season.”

“I hope you’ll check for stray kids before you set it aflame,” Sarah deadpanned.

Jareth dramatically sighed. “The sacrifices I make for you, my love.”

LOL :) This was sweet, and so fitting! <3

Thanks. I would imagine that having a child free day with your offspring returned happy and exhausted is a tradition the city's parents are quite fond of too 🦊🧡

I'm sure it is!

Adorable! I love the fond exasperation and gentle sarcasm between them.

As someone who was presented with a giant spider in bed this morning at 1:00am for identification, knowing your other half can always look a little weird to outsiders.

It was a very nice spider. Suspected Huntsman, due to the size, but I called Wolf Spider due to the stance. It was released into the garden, but had scarpered off when I suggested checking it's eyes for confirmation. I don't know that the huge Garden Orb Weavers will appreciate the competition, but they hold a higher hunting ground.

Sarah gasped as her husband suddenly appeared behind her. She did not see him, but she nonetheless felt his presence. He could no longer even emerge into a room underneath a cloak of invisibility without her being aware of him. Their bond was simply so strong that she could no longer keep from sensing him whenever he drew near. She gasped and threw her arms out, but there was little she could do to hide the project for which she had deliberately not attempted to receive his permission.

"Again?" A weary sigh pierced the air behind her, and she felt a flicker of his power. Although she knew he would never use it against her, she knew just as equally that he did have a tendency to take his frustrations out on the poor Goblins, and a simple thought from him could forever banish that which she had labored over for hours. "What have you done to my throne room this time?!"

With her arms still stretched out, as though she could somehow bar him from being able to destroy her creation, Sarah whirled around to face him. His eyes twinkled and he bit back a grin at the way her chin jutted out slightly and determination filled her gaze. Her pose was reminiscent of her first journey in his labyrinth, and he was well tempted to thrust the bloody thing behind her into the labyrinth and let her work it out just as she had saved her brother that time. Unfortunately, he was also quite certain -- as sure as she was that he'd want to destroy the thing -- that she would have the tree back in his throne room before the traditional thirteen hours were over.

"Sarah, Sarah, dear wife," he slowly shook his head as he all but tutted at her, "have you learned nothing from our holidays together? I know you like your Christmas traditions from above, but -- "

"They won't get it!" she declared. "Not this time! They won't make a mess! I promise!"

"Here comes one now!" Wyrm called.

"Hoggle!"

"I'm on it," grumped the Dwarf.

A Goblin barreled into the room, rolling head over feet and aiming straight for the tree. A spray of water hit the Goblin, and he straightened immediately with a yelp and rushed from the room.

"That's very well," Jareth said, eyeing both the Dwarf holding a plastic, water-shooting pistol and the rather impressive tree. He had to admit that she had rather outdone herself this time, with the beads and fabrics she had collected throughout the Labyrinth and used to decorate the stately tree. He almost liked the thing, but it had been such a catastrophe every time she had attempted it before -- "However, I must point out that Hoggle does have other duties."

"I've thought of that," Sarah said quickly, "and have trained others to take his place when needed."

Jareth paused before finally admitting, "Very well."

"You mean it can stay?!" Sarah gleefully clapped. Her joy confirmed it.

The End

Treating the tree destroying goblins like misbehaving cats is amusing. As is Sarah refusing to submit to the inevitable destruction of the tree 🦊🧡

I used to write cat!Goblin moments like these quite regularly Before... It was fun being able to do so again, and I'm glad you enjoyed!

This is true goblin-parenting -- tolerance galore!

Drabble #187: Impressed

Foliage

Re: Foliage

Re: Foliage

Re: Foliage

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Re: Foliage

(Not Again) This Year

Re: (Not Again) This Year

Re: (Not Again) This Year

Re: (Not Again) This Year

Re: (Not Again) This Year