The Crying Pennant

Part 25

  “Good work lads,” said Arthur, “you can be the lookout.”

  Lee opened the door into the hallway and the others walked in. There were many doors and at the bottom was a desk surrounded by guards.

  Arthur looked at Sid and Biggs, “Okay ‘hobgoblin’, you try to order those other goblins away.”

  The ‘hobgoblin’ loped towards the table. “I’m glad you washed and changed,” said Biggs, “I’ve never had a dwarf on my shoulders before.”

  They got to the table, “Right you loy.”

  “What’s a loy?” said a goblin.

  “Sorry, spelling mistake, right you lot follow me, there’s a fracas down stairs with a horse. They need more men.” Sid ordered and bullied.

  “Well we need at least two guards here at all times, standing orders,” said the goblin with a saucepan on his head.

  “No need for standing, just follow me,” about five goblins went with Sid and Biggs but Pan Head and another goblin would not budge.

  Arthur walked ahead of the ‘elven’ princess marched up to the desk, “Got a spare room for this elven beauty?”

  “Another pretty one eh?” said Pan Head, “How are you my preciousssss?”

  “Alright Pan Head, knock it off, no need to go over the top, they’re not tourists you know,” rebuked the other goblin.

  “These two are full,” Pan Head pointed behind and in front of him, “but you can use this one.” He walked over to one of the other adjacent doors and unlocked it.

  “Just fit for a princesssss, ha ha ha,” Pan Head hissed and ha ha’d.

  “I’ll just go in to see if the accommodation is fine,” said Arthur.

  “Don’t be too long, you know we’re supposed to treat princesses with respect,” Pan Head grinned.

  Arthur closed the door behind them. “Look, there’s an adjoining door to the other suite.” He skipped over to it, got a set of locksmith’s picks out and began to pick the lock.

  “I thought it was illegal to go prepared with picks unless you were a locksmith?” judged Alf.

  “I am the king and what I say goes,” said Arthur as they heard a click. He peeped through into the other room.

  Clannnggg!

  A bedpan hit him over the head and sent Arthur sprawling.

  “I’ve told you ugly little goblins before, to stop peeping through into my room.”

  Alf pushed the door wider, “What have you done?”

  “And who are you?” asked the human princess stepping into view armed with her bedpan.

  “I am Alf the elf, come to rescue you and my own sweet love from the Dark Lord.”

  “Walking around with goblins, how can I believe you, you might be a spy. GUARDS!”

  “No, please, quiet,” urged Alf, but too late.

  The two guards who were at the table unlocked the princesses door and entered.

  “Trouble, Princess?” asked Pan Head.

  “Yes, this goblin and this elf were spying on me, remove them.”

  They dragged Arthur out and then took Alf to another room and locked him in.