Over My Rainbow

Chapter 16

My breathing was all gone in one instant. I was frozen, petrified. Wil brought his sword down on the giant's foot. The goblin shrieked a terrible, ear-piercing noise and began to sob with his whole body, like a giant toddler. He let go of me and I fell through the air. I didn't realize I was screaming until I was out of breath and my lungs ached. It seemed to take forever to fall through the sky, but at the same time, it only took an instant. I landed in Wil's arms and he cushioned me as we both landed on the earth.

"Hi," he smiled.

"Hello," I answered.

We realized in the same moment how awkward this all was and scrambled to our feet.

"I am sorry. Are you hurt?" Wil asked.

I was about to answer when the goblin recovered. He crouched down to peer at us. I unsheathed my sword. The goblin growled. "I want girl."

"No," Wil shouts. "You're not going anywhere near her." Wil raises his sword. He was going to bring it down on the goblin's nose when the goblin whacked it away effortlessly. I flew through the air and disappeared. Now I was the only one armed.

"Give girl or I eat two." the goblin sneers.

"No!" Wil shouts.

"I take," the goblin roars. He snatches me up. I drop my sword as my waist is squeezed more than it ever has been in a corset. I push at his hand but he holds tight around my waist. I try to slip through his fingers, but he just digs his nails into my side so tight I see stars. I was so busy wiggling and trying to free myself that I didn't realize he had brought me to a cave which I am sure is his home.

"Let go of me," I yell, hitting his hand.

He brought me up to his face. "Am I still goblin?" he asks.

"Of course you are! Let me go!"

"I sorry," the goblin says. He flips from one hand to the other, making me extremely dizzy. I rise to stand on his now flat hand and he lowers me to a goblin-sized table. I walk off his hand, eager to escape, only to realize that the table in elevated high in the air and if I jump it will be to my death. The goblin leaves and sags onto a nearby, goblin sized chair.

"I done with this! I will always be goblin!" He buries his head into his arm and begins to weep. I notice his speech changing. My eyes start playing tricks on me as the goblin appears to be getting smaller. Like the goblins in childhood stories, he has green skin and a large pointy nose, beady eyes and no hair. But as I watch, he grew smaller and starts to grow blonde hair on his head. His eyes begin to look more human. His nose was still pointed, but it began to shrink. I stomp my foot on the table to get his attention.

"Mr. goblin," I say. I politely cough to catch his attention. He finally looks up. He has to look up higher now that he has shrunk. "I believe you are changing. Were you once a man?"

He looks at me in disbelief before snatching me off the table and placing me on the floor. He looks at himself as he continues to shrink. He was becoming more human by the minute and I was soon extremely grateful that he lowered me from the table because otherwise, I may have been stuck for a while.

The goblin appeared to be a man in his mid-twenties with long blonde hair. He was well built with beautiful green eyes. He now looked nothing like a goblin except for his long and pointed, though undoubtedly human nose. The look on his face was of pure joy.

"I am a man again! Oh, thank you, thank you." He kisses me on the cheek and hugs me tightly. He releases me saying," I am forever indebted to you. What may I do for you? He bows low to me.

To say I was a little bit taken aback was nothing!

"You may stand and tell me what all this is about."

He unbent his body. "I am Marc. I was turned into a goliath goblin by a mystical creature who said I would only turn back into a man when a girl came into my home. For years I tried to get anyone and everyone into my home. But as you can see, no one really comes to this part of Dinmaple so no one came to my home. Then they were scared of my footprints and even less likely to come through here. But now you have come and I am once again myself. I am sorry I had to kidnap you to do it. It was my goblin side coming out."

"Well, you are human, all except for your nose. Maybe I can help." I reached out and slowly and carefully push his nose toward his body. It pulled back at my touch and began to turn human.He watched as his nose turned back to normal. When it was it's the correct size, my fingers accidentally brush his mouth. His hand caught mine before I could move and he lay his lips on my fingers, never breaking my eye contact. He kisses them slowly and caressed my hand. He placed my hand on his heart.

"What is your name?"

"Amantha of Jale," I answer.

"You are not the princess?"

Amazed that he knew my name, I could do nothing but nod.

"Lovely." He kisses my fingers gently again. "I am Prince Marcarabus of Dinmaple."

"Really! Of Dinmaple!" I met your sister, Sara Rose, on my travels."

"Amantha." Marc kneels, still holding my hand ever so close to his heart. "Will you let me take your hand in marriage?"

I have no idea if Marc is serious or extremely flirtatious. We just met and we know nothing about each other, but that is how many royal engagements begin. I probably look terrible (not to mention the fact that I am dressed like a boy) and he has been a goblin for years. He almost killed me not an hour before and now he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. Um, not peculiar at all...

I didn't have the time to answer, however, because Wil burst into the cave and tackled Marc to the ground. They rolled all over the ground, throwing punches, each trying to get the advantage. They only stopped when Will had the advantage enough to pull his dagger out of his boot.

"Amantha, where is the goblin?"

"Wil, don't hurt him." I rush over and pull on Wil's tunic. I manage to get him off Marc only to have him land on me. Marc stood and brushed off his breeches. I push Wil off of me and help him up. With me in between both men, I make introductions.

"Wil, this is Prince Marcarabus of Dinmaple. He is Sara Rose's brother and formerly a goblin. Marc, this is Wil. We are traveling on a quest together for some answers."

"Where are you from Wil?" Marc asks.

"I am from Bungular."

"Your quest sounds intriguing. What answers are you looking for?"

Wil gave me a look telling me that he doesn't trust the man enough to answer himself. I roll my eyes as if to tell Wil to get over his ego. "Who I am, what I am doing here and what to do next.""Would you two like to take a rest from your quest and join me tonight at my castle so we can get better acquainted and I can learn more of this quest?"

I glance at Will and he gives a nod.

"We accept."