Drabble #215: Swift

[redwolf]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 214, with entries by apachefirecat and redwolf, and comments by apachefirecat and redwolf

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

Swift

Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.

Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit 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 be running weekly challenges in the space around jalenstrix's monthly challenges.

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

Feathers

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah was exhausted. What had started as a full slate of her own engagements had been doubled when Jareth was called away unexpectedly and it felt like she’d spent more time shuffling meetings or delegating them to others than in managing to accomplish anything.

As she entered her rooms, all she wanted was a long bath before collapsing into bed. Massaging her temples in the hope of relieving a growing tension headache, Sarah barely registered Jareth’s presence.

It took several seconds before her higher brain function kicked in and she spun around to see that Jareth was sprawled across the bed, naked aside from a not at all strategically draped feather boa. He looked as wrung out as she felt.

Taking a seat on the bed, Sarah placed a hand on his chest. Jareth lifted her hand, pressed a kiss to her palm before replacing it and covering it with his own hand.

“It wasn’t a wish.” Sarah hadn’t felt the pull, but she had been told he’d been called away.

Jareth shook his head. “I had to investigate an unusually large gathering of goblins Above.” Sarah sighed, knowing that could mean anything from a minor inconvenience to a catastrophic occurrence.

“Did they break anything that can’t be fixed?”

“They were surprisingly well behaved.”

Sarah was confused. “Surely they would have come back on their own without your intervention.”

“Not when they’re newly obsessed with the Chicken Lady.”

“Who?” The goblins had been banned from agricultural shows because they got over excited at the vast arrays of extremely pretty poultry being displayed.

“I found them at a drag venue, enamoured with the lovely Fantasia, who was performing a burlesque dance with white ostrich feather fans.”

Sarah was surprised they hadn’t swarmed the stage, but Jareth assured her that they were a surprisingly appreciative audience. “She didn’t notice her audience were mostly goblins?”

“She did, but as they were more sober than any male patrons and better behaved than a hens group.” Jareth shrugged as he tailed off.

“What was the drama?”

“They only wanted to see the Chicken Lady and didn’t want any other acts on stage.”

Sarah could well imagine the goblins trying to intervene. Once they got obsessed by something they could be quite determined in their affections. “What did you do?”

“I transported them all Underground, but I had a few human memories to alter. Fantasia wasn’t bothered by them, but she did say I was prettier than her usual clientele and asked me to stay.”

“I do hope you let her down gently.” Sarah ran her fingers through Jareth’s hair, smiling as he purred in response.

“Of course, I told her I already had a Queen waiting for me at home.” He waved the end of the boa towards Sarah. “She gave me this as a reminder.”

“I can’t blame the girl for trying.” Sarah leaned down and kissed him. “How about you join me in the bath and I show you why I’m your Queen?”