Day Six-Hundred-Two: Don't want no steenking goblins

"Under no account will I allow that little scumbag anywhere near my husband."

That sentence pretty much sums up today. But, hell, I'll expand anyway.

For a while, now, Jeffrey and Celine have been wanting to move their 'living quarters' out with Queen Daena. We finally managed to accomodate 'em two weeks ago by installing beds and cabinets on the patch of grass surrounding her tree. Now they can sleep by their wife / mother as much as they wish, and can even stop the lift the tree is on halfway between levels if they want some privacy. 

It's on this patch of grass where Jeffrey's been resting for the past two days. Behind his wife. And unless you wanna administer some loving care to the guy, you don't get to see him without her consent. Even I have to check in before chatting with Jeffrey, and I'm arguably his best friend on this trip.

(What a weird thought. I hated him not six months ago.)

"But, Daena, c'mon. He won't explain himself otherwise." I scratched my head, knocking my puffy hat off accidentally. It fell in front of one of Daena's constantly-kicking legs and was booted across Control. "Whoops. My bad."

Daena laughed lightly, then reassumed a serious expression. "Apologies. But, er, no, that will not happen, Dragomir. Grylock stays away from Jeffrey. Poison during festivities? Unacceptable. Barbaric! I've never liked goblins, and Grylock has justified my dislike. No, I want him off of the Dauphine at once."

I shrank away from the queenly demeanour. Daena knows how to give orders. "That might be an issue. He's, er, kinda... useful... best scout we've got -"

Daena cut me off with a chop of a hand. "Anything he can do, Celine can do better. Relegate his duties to her instead."

Wow, I thought. Committing her daughter to dangerous missions in the field. She IS pissed. "Well, yes, I've thought about that, but we also have to consider that Grylock knows a lot about what we're doin', and if we just cut him loose..."

"Then perhaps you should consider corporal punishment," Daena uttered, tone icy. "Permanent corporal punishment."    

I recoiled, surprised. "Daena! What the hell!"

Daena paused a moment, eyebrows knitted, then took a breath and sagged. "... yes, that was spoken in haste. And anger. Apologies. He does deserve a sturdy whacking to his rear, nevertheless. I personally volunteer to give him a few boots."

"You do that and it probably will be permanent." I laughed, but I wasn't kidding. Daena's kicks are serious business.

I continued to bicker with Daena a while longer, but it wasn't much use. She remains adamant that Grylock be banished from the Dauphine for poisoning Jeffrey. I suspect that Jeffrey may have wanted to add a word or two, but he was too busy gurgling and occasionally vomiting over the side of his bed to add much to the conversation. (I assume, anyway. The sounds coming from behind Daena's tree... and the smells... were unpleasant.)

I've decided not to banish Grylock from the Dauphine. Not yet, anyway. Though he's got something of a poor reputation 'mongst the crew, everyone dislikes Jeffrey about as much as they dislike Grylock. One is a former dictator, the other pees on his drinking buddies. Kinda split the middle, y'know? At the very least I want Grylock and Jeffrey to clear the air, 'cause I'm quite curious as to how Logan factors into Grylock's actions.

Sigh. Travel continues. What a dainty band I lead.

Sincerely,

Dragomir the Wanderer