(Archived) Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

Royal Pain - Chapter 4 (End)

"... H......ould b......ne. Go.........nt in... ock ......... let h......st..."

...wh...wha...?

The high pitched voice from before was speaking. Goth's mind struggled to process what he was hearing and feeling as the fog slowly lifted. His body felt heavy and there was a pool of warmth around his right arm. He groaned, willing his eye sockets to open.

"He... ...ing up!"

Finally winning the fight, Goth's hazy eye light took in the dimly lit room, Palette and an armored woman sitting on his left side with Meryl on the right. A small green glow surrounded the girl's hands, which were pressed against his arm... healing magic.

"Goth, you're okay!" Palette cried, throwing himself on top of the skeleton. The warm feeling on his arm vanished.

"S... space...," the small monster gasped, clenching his socket shut against the excess weight pressing down on him. The prince jumped off as if he'd been shocked, briskly apologizing as he did so.

Goth took a shuddering breath as he replied, "s'fine... what happened?"

The woman next to his friend spoke up, "The assassin was apprehended and taken into custody after being removed from the prince's bedchamber. We believe the man was part of the group that attacked the queen and the prince's carriage over three months ago. 

"After we arrived, you went into shock from your injury. The healer here arrived as you fainted,  and you were moved to the sick bay to recover after she stopped the bleeding."

Her brown eyes took on a hard edge, "I was notified by Prince Palette that you took on the assassin by yourself." Goth nodded slowly, wondering where she was going with this. 

Am I in trouble?

"That's admirable. You seem to have the kind of loyalty and grit I like to see in my soldiers," she stood, thumping her hand against the metal plate covering her chest, "My name is Helleia, Captain of the Royal Guard. I wish to proposition you for an apprenticeship to become one of our soldiers. With enough training, you might even be able to become the prince's personal bodyguard."

Goth played with the idea. 

While I'm not a physically oriented monster and I'm pretty small, letting Palette get hurt because of a threat... or worse...

What would have happened if the guards hadn't arrived when they did?

"I'll do it," the small skeleton responded, his expression set.

The woman grinned, "I like that look. We'll begin your training once that arm's fixed up. I'll warn you though, I don't pull punches. You'll be training to defend the royal family with your very life, so you better come prepared." Goth nodded, and the woman turned with a satisfied smile, leaving the room.

"Goth... are you sure you're okay?" Palette questioned, tears still lining his sockets. 

"Yeah, my arm doesn't even hurt anymore," the other reassured him, lightly raising the arm that had been placed in a crude sling while he'd been unconscious.

"Why did you stand in front of me like that?" Palette murmured, almost at a whisper, wavering eye lights cast down with his hands bunching up his marrow-stained gown.

Goth's mouth open and shut, as if he were a stranded fish trying to take in air, "Because... I... you... you're important... you're... ah..." 

The small skeleton desperately wished he had his scarf so he could hide his face, unable to evade the prince's expectant stare.