Your Eyes Can Be So Cruel

“Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle, beyond the goblin city, for my will is as strong as yours. And my kingdom as great. And my-“

“Stop! Wait! Look!” The Goblin King held a crystal ball in front of him, pleading with the girl. “Look what I am offering you. Your dreams.”

The girl took a defiant step towards the King, her eyes blazing with purpose. “And my kingdom is as great.”

The King took a small step backwards, his mismatched eyes pleading. “I ask for so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have anything you want.”

“Kingdom is great….” The muttered no longer looking at the Fey. “Damn! I can never remember that line!”

He smiled in triumph, his white teeth gleaming as he took a step towards the girl again.
“Just fear me, love me, and I will be your slave.”

Her face was screwed up in concentration, hearing nothing of what he said. “For my kingdom is as great. For my kingdom is as great.” She looked slowly up at him, her eyes bright with understanding. “You have no power over me.”

The kings face contorted as if agony, the crystal flew from his had into the air as a clock chimed. With each chime the world slowly fell apart, the stairs crumbling and falling until floating. The girl fell with the stone, though slowly it disappeared into glitter and she was falling slowly into nothingness.

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“Sarah!” A little boy with light blonde curls and bright blue eyes jumped up and down on the bed in excitement. “Did she make it home? Was her brother there?”

A young woman smiled patiently, her brown hair pulled over her shoulder and tied with a ribbon. Her warm brown eyes watched as the boy made one last jump and then plopped back down on his dragon sheets.

“Yes she made it home, and yes her brother was there, sleeping in his bed as if nothing has ever happened. The girl went to her room to get the bear that the boy had before she had that terrible nightmare, and left it in his crib.” Sarah ruffled his hair as Toby snuggled the now ancient and thoroughly loved Lancelot.

“Like him!” The five year old exclaimed thrusting the bear towards her face.

She smiled again “Something like that, now hush so I can finish.” His eyes got big, but he remained silent. “The girl went back to room thinking that it all must be a dream that she had, but then there was something in her mirror. It was Hoggle, and Ludo, and Sir Didymus, and they all vowed that whenever the girl needed them, they would return, because they were her friends. So the girl knew then that it couldn’t have all been a dream and danced the rest of the night until her parents got home, with her friends from the underground.”

Toby’s eyes lit up and he gasped. “Wow….” He breathed in a way that only five year olds seem to master. “Did she ever see her friends again? What about the Goblin King? What happened to him? Aw man!” The boy hit his head and fell backwards on the bed. “It’s so cool!”

Sarah smiled a little sadly at her brother, standing up from the bed she wiggled him around until he was on his pillow. “You know all the answers already. You asked for this story every time mom and dad go out.”

Toby pouted. “Yeah I know, but it’s just so….” His eyes danced dreamily “….cool”. Sarah pulled the sheets up to his chin.

“I’m glad you think so.” She picked up Lancelot and tucked him under the boys arm.

“Sarah.” His face had lost its joy and now had a fierce concentration on it. “Do you think magic is real?”

The older girl shrugged lightly. “I think so, maybe a just a little” She tapped his nose once. “Now, it’s time for sleep.”

“But I don’t want to.” He whined.

“Yes, I know, but you have to” She ruffled his hair again. The boy looked angry and bolted from his bed.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” He screamed, running out of his bedroom door.

“Toby!” Sarah tried to not sound too annoyed, but she really was tired of this every time she watched him. She left his room, putting the tiny Labyrinth book on a small, dark table in the hallway between their rooms.

He had gotten better about going to bed once she had started telling him stories. She smiled a little sadly again as she started the game of hide and seek. It was hard telling that story over and over again, but it had seemed the only one that would get him to stay in bed, except for tonight. No wonder though since the boy had seen an owl at school today and was probably still whirling in the excitement of his imagination. She couldn’t blame him. She had loved the story as well….until it had become real.
She started her dad’s room; it still gave her shivers whenever she walked in without the light on. Goblins, she thought, could be anywhere. How she missed her friends though. I wish… She thought idly, and then stopped, shaking her head. So stupid.
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“What was that?” A small goblin with green leathery skin with purple spots, and shock of bright orange hair sat up straight in the pile of other goblins.

“What was what?” Came a cranky voice from a goblin with a mouth oddly like a bass.

“I HEARD something.” The goblin hissed. “Something familiar.”

“Something familiar” Mocked a small one with a pointy face like a rat and a few strands of grey, spaghetti like hair.
******
Not finding him in the closet or under the bed, Sarah moved her search into one of the other rooms. She went through every one until she reached the kitchen where there were small clangs. She smiled a little.

“Geeee…” She opened one cabinet quickly. “I wonder where Toby could be.” She shouted, opening another two doors. There was another clang. “Well….he doesn’t seem to be here, so I guess I’ll go to bed” She said a little louder than needed, and made a few loud, than soft footsteps before sneaking over to the noise, standing just to the side of the door. Just on cue the door opened and the little boy stuck his blonde head out, craning it around the door.

“Gotcha!” Sarah yelled, swooping down and snatching the boy up. He kicked and screamed.

“No!” He wailed. “I don’t want to go to bed.”

“I know” Sarah sighed, almost dropping him in his struggles. “But you have to.”

She plopped the boy back down in his bed, and covered him back up. She turned to leave, not really hearing his protests anymore.

“I hate you.” He mumbled. Sarah looked at him sadly, but knew it was just because he was over tired and cranky.

“Goodnight Toby.” She tried to smile, but it was not quite there. “I love you.” She said turning out the light and started walking towards her room. She picked up the book that had been left on the table.

“I hate you!” He yelled again. “The goblins should take YOU away!” He was hiccupping as he cried and screamed. Sarah shook her head. Her heart might have stopped for a second.

“You didn’t say the right words Toby.” She whispered to her door as she turned the handle.

“I WISH THE GOBLINS WOULD COME TAKE YOU AWAY!” He screamed. “RIGHT NOW!”

There was a soft thump as a small, red leather book hit the ground. Its gold letter’s glittering in the light from the room.