The Winner's Prize

Forever

Sarah woke from her sleep, startled. She sat up, cold sweat covered her body. She looked around her, and realized that it wasn't a dream. It had been real. She sighed, and threw the covers off. She padded across the floor to the archway that lead to her balcony.

Sarah walked to the railing, and watched as the sun started to illuminate the heavens. She started to reflect on all that had happened the previous day. She had made a horrible mistake. But what else could she do? The Goblin King had tricked her, and the only other way to save her brother was to sacrifice her freedom for his. She sighed again, then folded her arms on top of the railing.

"Bad dream."

Sarah jumped, and spun to see the Goblin King leaning against the balcony door frame. She had nearly screamed, but caught herself before she did so.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be out celebrating, bragging to everyone about how you tricked a young girl into loosing?" Sarah spat.

The Goblin King made a hissing noise. "Ouch. Well, when you put it that way, I suppose anyone could look bad."

"I don't care." Sarah turned away from him to look past the balcony. "I don't care how much it hurts. You've hurt me far worse than you could imagine."

"Come now Sarah, there's no need for cross words. After all, we do have to spend forever together, so we might as well learn to deal with one another." He reasoned.

"You're right. We do have forever together." She turned, and walked up to him. "But that doesn't mean I have to get used to you." She walked past him back into her room.

It was much like the main design of the castle. Greyish green cobble stones, with tapastries, and dark drapes. Her bed was a conopy bed with dark green, nylon material tied back at all four corners.

Sarah plopped down in front of the white vanity in the corner of the large room, and buried her head in the crook of her arm. She heard the clicking of the Goblin King's boots stop right behind her, but she refused to look at him, or even acknowledge his presence.

"Sarah," He said softly. "Have you forgetten what I have done for you?"

Sarah started boiling with anger.

"I have altered time for you. I have turned the world upside down, and even spared your baby brother. I have been generous up til now Sarah. I can be cruel."

Sarah cracked, and stood up to face him. "Generous? You call this generous?"

The Goblin King smiled. "Sarah, let us not forget who wished that child away. You asked that the boy be taken - I took him. You coward before me - I was frightening. I have given you more mercy than I have cared to show anyone else."

Sarah thought about his words. As much as she hated it, he was right. None of this would have happened if she had just kept her mouth shut, and not wished Toby away.

"Rest, Sarah. I do not wish for you to be tired tomorrow. I have things I must discuss with you." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "Goodnight, Sarah." Then he closed the door behind him.

Oh how she hated that, that.....that monster! She hated how he had tricked her, she hated how he had won, and she hated how she felt about him.

Sarah stopped her train of thought. What? She hated how she felt about him? Sarah couldn't begin to comprehend what she had meant by that.

She sighed and fell back on top of her bed, and sleep washed over her.

~~~

Sarah woke completely tangled in the blankets. She sat up confused. She had to of rolled around a lot to get the blankets that twisted.

As Sarah's thought's lingered on her night of sleep, she turned and saw a pair of yellow eyes staring up at her from the side of her bed. Sarah screamed, and her hand slipped off the other side of the bed causing her to tumble to the floor in a mess of blankets.

She stayed where she was a moment, startled. What had she seen? She pulled the blankets away from her face, and leaned down to look under the bed. There was nothing on the other side.

Sarah sighed, and laid back on the floor. She closed her eyes for a moment, but when she opened them again, she saw yellow eyes staring down at her attached to a not-so-charming Goblin face.

Sarah screamed again, and moved towards the bed. She got to where she couldn't move any further with her back against the bed. Sarah frowned at the fuzzy-haired little Goblin.

"Do you have any idea how bad you scared me?" She reprimanded.

The Goblin looked shamed. "Sorry."

Sarah growled. "Next time, knock, or shout or something. Don't just creep around my room waiting for me to find you."

He rubbed his foot on the ground, averting his eyes, with his hands folded in front of him.

Sarah sighed again. "What do you want?" She asked gently.

He perked up a little. "My King would like to meet you in the garden for breakfast."

Sarah groaned. "Of course he does. Well, I bet he even wants me to come in a huge ball gown as well."

Sarah looked at the Goblin when he didn't say anything and he had the you-just-said-what-I-was-about-to-say look on his face.

Sarah made an annoyed sound. "Of course he does!" She threw up her hands, stood up, and stormed past the tiny little Goblin.