Safi's life in Zhanderiheim

Short Story: Say My Name

Throughout his babysitting experience, Thordrak always had one lingering question on his mind. How have none of the kobold babies said his name correctly?

"I'm telling you, it's weird. My name isn't that hard to say...right?" He asked. It was lunch time and he and his wife - Fensha, were left to feed the baby kobolds while they ate their own meals.

Fensha spoon fed Moe in her arms as she replied to her husband. "Well...your name has a lot of syllables. You can't blame the babies if they can't say your name right. Besides...they're babies."

Thordrak thought about it as he watched the babies that did finish eating begin to playfight. "Hmmm...you think I could teach them to say it right?" He asked.

"Doubtful...these little fellas can barely say the first half of my name right." She said as Moe pawed at her chin, asking her to feed him.

"Mmmm Fen-Feeeen." Moe whined pouting as he was still hungry.

Fensha looked back at the hungry Moe as she hovered the spoon just out of his reach. "Oops. Heehee 🤭 sorry Moe~. Now say aaaaaaaaaaah."

"Aaaaaaaaaaah nam nam nam. 😋" Satisfied, Moe relaxed in Fensha's arms as he happily chewed on his food.

After much deliberation, Thordrak finally made up his mind. He was going to try and teach them to say his name correctly. "I'll give it a try later. Who knows? Maybe I could teach them."

Later...

Fensha watched with intrigue as Thordrak had gathered a group of at least a dozen kobolds, among them were Hekka, Leah, Mocha and the quadruplets. There was also a blue kobold she hadn't been able to interact with yet.

The blue kobold in question was Misha. She wasn't the oldest nor the youngest, somewhere in the middle, her most and only unique feature that set her apart being her contrasting scale colours amongst the group.

"Ok. I'm going to teach you all how to say my name. Does that sound good?" Thordrak asked.

"Okeh!/Ok!" Hekka, Leah and a few other of the kobolds who could talk gave their approval. Their English was as fluent as a toddler, so Fensha was curiously watching what they'll call her husband.

"Ok...my name is Thordrak. Thooor-draaaak. Say it."

Fensha could already see some of the kobolds hesitantly trying to say his name before Leah and Hekka shamelessly yelled out his name. "Mmmmm! Thordraaaaaa!"

"Ok that's close! Now say that with a 'K'. Thordraa - ak. Go on. You can do it." Thordrak said with enthusiasm as they got close.

Then Mocha and Misha tried at the same time and... "Mmmm! Thodaaaaa!"

This made Fensha laugh as Thordrak was at a loss. "Looks like you're missing a few 'Rrrrrr's."

Thordrak gave a sigh as he calmed down from the embarrassment. "Ok, let's try that again. Thordrak. Thor-drak." He said, trying to get them to say it right.

Even More Later...

As time went on Fensha was getting increasingly more amused with each attempt a baby kobold tried to say her husband's name.

At this point, a few of the kobolds have stopped playing to watch the scene play out as they rested on top of her like a pillow.

Things had been going downhill for Thordrak. Each attempt, his name seemed to have fewer and fewer syllables, with setback after setback.

"No it's Thordrak. Thor-drak." He tried one last time but it ended practically the same.

Three of the kobold quadruplets - Eenie, Minie and Maini tried to say it.

"Todaaaa!"

"Doodaaa!"

"Dooodooo!"

Fensha just couldn't hold it anymore seeing Thordrak slump in defeat. "Pfffffftttt Hahahahaaaa! Doodooo - Hahahaa!~"

"Heeheeaaaaaheehee!" A few of the kobolds laying on top of her laughed with her, watching their kin trying to say Thordrak's name.

Then it came Moe's turn and the next thing he said could not be anymore further from his name. "Mmmmm! Dadaaaaa!"

That made Thordrak freeze up as he heard Moe's answer. "W-wha!?"

Fensha and the kobolds on her began to eye him with excitement. "Ooooooooooo."

"Wai-wai-wai-wait! Not dada, I am not dada!" Thordrak tried to calm the kobolds before they got too excited but once one kobold started, the others followed suit.

"Dada?"

"Dadaaaaa!"

"Da!"

"Da!"

"Dada!"

"Wai-wait-wai-aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Before Thordrak could even give a word of protest, he was immediately tackled by the sheer weight of cuteness and kobolds bearing down on him as they all clambered on top of him for his affection.

"Dada!"

"Da!"

"Dadaaa!"

"Aaaaahaaaheeee I'm no - ehahaaa! I'm not dad-haaaaaaa!" The baby kobolds' constantly moving feet kept tickling him as they piled up on top of him.

"Eeeeeeaaaaahahaaaa! Fe-heeeeen! He-help meeeheeeeheeee!" Thordrak yelled from under the pile as only his head was exposed, which Moe found a comfortable spot to cuddle right on top.

"Ahahahaaaaa!" Hekka laughed while Leah could only sigh and smile as they both stayed out of the pile to watch the chaos unfold.

Fensha and the other baby kobolds could only sit back and laugh at how silly the situation was. "Heehee 🤭. Better luck next time dear."

In the end, Thordrak stayed under the kobold pile for nearly the rest of the day. Even if the kobolds didn't get his name right, at least he knew they loved him as much as he loved them back, and that was all that mattered to him.

The End

I know this one was relatively shorter than the last 2 but I think I'll save my energy for Christmas. To make sure this story doesn't die outright within the month, I plan on publishing a few Facts of Zhanderihiem to explain a few things about our world or things that some of you may not fully understand about Dungeons and Dragons, like I did with my first story. I might make other short stories as well but don't expect consistency. Anyways that's all for now, see you later.