Drabble #208: Chrysalis

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to my last posted drabble prompt of Drabble 200, with entries by redwolf and apachefirecat, and commenting by the fabulous redwolf, apachefirecat, and me (jalenstrix), one of your intrepid drabble proposers. Huzzah!

As always, special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for several previous drabble prompts. Onward, drabblers, inspired by our redwolf!





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

Chrysalis

A protective outer shell, shielding transformation inside -- is someone in one? Did someone create one? Is someone emerging from one? Who? How? What transformation is it? 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 Friday of next month (June 6).

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

Rumour

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

There were always rumors of assassinations doing the rounds in the Underground.

While it had initially been a shock to Sarah that a stranger would want to kill her, she realised that if you were ambitious, long lived and hadn’t managed to be born or marry into an advantageous family, then bumping off someone to secure advancement may seem like sound business practice. However, as she was likely the inconvenient impediment to someone’s desire to better their circumstances, Sarah had little sympathy for the behaviour.

The problem with these kinds of rumours was that they were the Underground equivalent of celebrity gossip, with most of it having little basis in reality. However, any tales that mentioned the Goblin Kingdom were thoroughly vetted to determine if they required a response.

Sarah had spent her afternoon collating recent reports into a bullet point summary. She leaned against the table and glared at the blackboard. “We’re sure this is a credible threat?”

“We’ve received corroborating reports from our network.” Jareth gently brushed a smudge of chalk from Sarah’s cheek and kissed her softly. “We have all the evidence.”

“You’re right.” Sarah sighed and wrapped her arms around Jareth’s waist. “It’s still a bit surreal.” She looked over her notes. “Walk me through it again.”

“The major players are minor gentry, related by marriage, who are unlikely to rise beyond their current station.”

“Couldn’t they just target their own royals?”

Jareth shrugged and pulled Sarah back into his arms, nuzzling into her neck from behind. “They know that would be a death sentence and think we’re an easy target.”

Sarah snorted inelegantly. “They’ve obviously never met you and I would have thought word of my exploits would have deterred them.” She waved her hands dramatically. “I guess we’re just a rural backwater and I’m your weak human toy.”

“I’m sure they’ll rethink that misconception when they’re picking their limbs off the floor.”

“You’d think the Goblin Kingdom would put them off targeting us. Do they not realise that there are goblins here?” Sarah was dumbfounded. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the little monsters, but this morning I learned that it was possible for tinsel to work through their digestive system intact.” She shuddered at the memory. “Back to our problem, it’s both couples?”

“It seems to be just their wives.”

“They want to put one of their husband’s on the throne? If greed is at work, that doesn’t add up.”

Jareth agreed. “It appears that they plan to kill their husbands and assume the throne together as a pair of Goblin Queens.”

“What’s their relationship? Lovers? Sisters?”

“Both.” Jareth kissed Sarah’s shoulder.

“That’s just wrong.” Sarah was starting to think that goblin dietary habits were more far palatable in comparison. “Can we not just inform their husbands and leave it in their hands?”

Jareth shook his head. “They live in a bubble of self deception and believe that their wives are harmless.”

“Looks like we’ll have to break up the sister act ourselves.”

Re: Rumour

[jalenstrix]

Yeesh, definitely time to break that sister act up. They'll never see it coming, either.

Re: Rumour

[redwolf]

If they're stupid enough to want to attack the Goblin Kingdom, then they're just as likely to be oblivious to the potential for repercussions from their actions. At the very least you could just lock them in a room with goblins and take bets on how long it takes for them to reconsider their actions. Or you could publicly dismember them. I guess it all depends on how annoyed you're feeling at the time. 🦊🧡