A Quiet Day on The Blue Monkey

A Quiet Day on The Blue Monkey

Quaraun lay nestled in the warmth of their shared stateroom, propped up against pillows, the soft scent of lavender oil filling the air as his handmaids flitted about, fussing over him with gentle care. 

The Blue Monkey was peaceful today, the gentle rock of the boat a rhythmic comfort that seemed to lull the world outside into a hazy blur. 

Quaraun tucked his foot gingerly under the quilt, trying to keep the sprained ankle elevated without straining his already aching leg. Pregnancy had a way of amplifying discomforts he'd learned to live with, making every ache feel like a jagged shard in his body.

The morning light filtered through the massive windows, casting a soft, golden hue across the deck. Quaraun stared out at the river, his hands resting on his swollen belly, the constant ache in his leg a reminder of just how fragile he felt. Pregnancy had never been easy for him, and with each child, it became more and more of a challenge. The constant pull of hormones made his moods swing wildly, and today, everything felt overwhelming.

His ankle throbbed, the sprain aggravating the pain in his leg, and the worry that always simmered just below the surface bubbled up, gnawing at him. The thought of another child to care for, another responsibility, felt so heavy. How would they manage? How could he bear this burden in the harsh, unforgiving world they lived in?

His children scurried in and out of the room, voices bright and laughing, oblivious to the quiet turmoil inside him. His handmaids moved about quietly, offering him tea or fluffing his cushions with care. Quaraun sighed, his fingers brushing over the fabric of his pink silk robes, and let himself sink deeper into the quiet hum of The Blue Monkey.

Through the large windows of the stateroom, Quaraun could see the chaotic scene outside. GhoulSpawn was trying (and failing) to shear a few of the sheep. They were galloping around the deck, bleating in protest, and a team of Goblins was scrambling to catch them. The chaos outside felt like a reflection of his own state: scattered, wild, and out of control.

BoomFuzzy, ever the steady rock in their lives, was in the kitchen, as always, obsessing over food like nothing else mattered. BoomFuzzy, moved with his usual precision, his hands a blur as he worked his magic in the galley. The sounds of sizzling and clattering filled the air, accompanied by the occasional chuckle from BoomFuzzy, who was clearly enjoying the moment despite the madness outside. He was cooking lobster mac and cheese today, and the scent wafting into the stateroom was enough to bring a faint smile to Quaraun's lips. It was as if, in that moment, all the hardships of the world could be forgotten, if only for the span of a meal.

The old Faerie's obsession with cooking got annoying sometimes, as he never seemed to have time for anything else, indeed never seemed to want to do anything else. But, they did have four hundred mouths to feed and BoomFuzzy obstinately refused to allow anyone else to cook, so cooking took up most all hours of his every day. And he loved it. He much preferred cooking to being a king, and so he left his servents to worry about the government while he spent his days bustling cheerfully around a kitchen. The smell of lobster mac and cheese filling the boat with its intoxicating warmth. The sound of him humming, the rhythmic chopping of ingredients, was the only thing that seemed to make sense in Quaraun's foggy mind.

Quaraun watched the world through the pained windows that lined the wall, the vast, slow-moving river stretching out like a wide ribbon. Outside, the deck was alive with motion. GhoulSpawn, dressed in his usual long green velvet coat, was wrestling with a particularly stubborn sheep, its wool a chaotic mess as it galloped wildly around the deck. GhoulSpawn's brow furrowed in that ever-distant, scientific concentration of his as he reached for the shears once more, only to have the sheep dart away before he could catch it.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Quaraun's mouth, though the expression was fleeting. The absurdity of GhoulSpawn's frustration was always amusing, but today, the sight of it seemed so far removed from his own reality. Pregnancy had made him feel so… heavy. His body felt like it was tethered to the boat, weighed down by something unseen, even as he mentally floated away on waves of hormonal haze.

BoomFuzzy, ever the anchor in their world, was in the galley, the familiar scent of lobster mac and cheese wafting through the ship. The comfort of that smell, the warmth of the kitchen, the hum of BoomFuzzy's steady, rhythmic movements - it was all so familiar, so soothing, and yet it made something inside Quaraun twist uncomfortably. It wasn't a sharp pain, more of a soft ache, like a hunger that no food could fill. The weight of his pregnancy, the creeping dread of another responsibility added to an already difficult life in this harsh, frozen world - everything felt too much.

A pang of guilt coursed through Quaraun. He wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy hormones, the pain in his leg, or the overwhelming worry about everything, but he felt stretched too thin. BoomFuzzy was always so strong, always so solid, always the one carrying the weight. And yet here Quaraun was, useless and fragile, unable to contribute in any meaningful way. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to quiet the storm of emotions swirling inside him.

The door to their stateroom creaked open, and Quaraun didn't need to look to know it was GhoulSpawn. His logical, scientific mind was always the same - practical, straightforward, and often, to Quaraun's frustration, devoid of emotional nuance.

"Quaraun," GhoulSpawn said, his voice flat. "The sheep are running wild again. I'm beginning to think they enjoy tormenting me."

"Well, you are yourself a Sheep. Perhaps they are afraid of becoming like you."

"Like me? Is something wrong with me?"

"You are more man then Sheep."

"Oh. Yeah."

"Should not a Sheep know how to shear a sheep?"

"I'm not a sheep."

"Ah. I shall remember that,"

"Why?"

"Has the irony of a Sheep shearing sheep been lost on you?"

"You're the one who asked me to do this."

"Yes. I did. And I would have thought someone with a scientific mind as logical as yours would have figured out a way to sheer the sheep without them escaping their pens and running all over the deck."

Quaraun couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled up despite himself. It felt good, in a way, to have the distraction. The thought of GhoulSpawn - normally so sure and confident of everything - baffled and frustrated by the sheep - made the weight of his emotions feel lighter for a moment.

"They're stubborn creatures, those sheep," Quaraun said softly. "Almost as stubborn as you."

"I prefer to think of it as persistence," GhoulSpawn replied dryly. "Either way, I'm going to need help. One of the Goblins is supposed to be on watch, but they're distracted by food again."

Quaraun shook his head, his lips quirking into a small smile. 

"Send them to Unicorn. I am certain he well have something to entice them."

As if on cue, BoomFuzzy, carrying a plate of perfectly golden lobster mac and cheese, appeared at the door, the scent so rich it made Quaraun's stomach growl. BoomFuzzy's hearty, comforting cooking always had a way of making him feel cared for, even when everything else felt out of control.

"What's the trouble, Goat?"

"I'm a Sheep."

"A few minutes ago, you were not a sheep," Quaraun reminded.

"You know what I mean!" the Sheep Satyr said, stamping his cloven hoof in frustration.

"Stop annoying me Elf," BoomFuzzy warned. "Or I'll toss ya off the paddlewheel."

"I need help shearing the sheep."

"Ah. What ya want me to do about it?"

"You're the King!"

"Aye. Kings are not generally in the habit of shearing sheep."

"Are kings generally in the habit of refusing to run their kingdoms and never coming out of the kitchen?"

"Good point."

"The Goblins you sent to help me with the sheep are sitting on the deck laughing at me instead of helping me."

"Ghouly, has it not occurred to ya, that me Elf here told ya to shear the sheep, to punish you for breaking his leg?"

"I didn't break his leg!"

"You are the one who grabbed my arm, and dragged me through the swamp," Quaraun reminded.

"To save you from the zombies that you didn't see coming, because you were too busy fussing over mud on your shoes, that you were refusing to put on your feet!"

"Why you did it does not change the fact that you did it."

"You'd be dead right now if I hadn't!"

"You broke my leg!"

"You're leg isn't broken! You have a sprained ankle!"

"I am eight months pregnant."

"You almost got eating by zombies!"

BoomFuzzy stood between Quaraun and GhoulSpawn, listening to the two of them argue.

"How about," BoomFuzzy interrupted. "Ya both sit ya arses down and eat some of me lobster mac and cheese? Ya'll both feel better with full bellies."

"I need help with the sheep. The Goblins - "

"SIT. YA. FUCKING. ARSE. DOWN. NOW!"

GhoulSpawn immediately sat down on the floor. He didn't dare not to. While he knew he could get away with arguing with Quaraun, he also knew BoomFuzzy's temper was too short and too violent to question.

"There now. Isn't that better?"

"I need - "

"ZIP IT!"

"I love your ability to command authority," Quaraun said.

"You're all set up for a cozy day," BoomFuzzy said, as he handed Quaraun the plate he'd been carrying. He winked at Quaraun, his grin warm and teasing. "You're getting extra cheese today, Love."

Quaraun's heart softened, and for a moment, all the worries seemed to fall away. The pain in his leg was still there, the burden of his pregnancy still heavy, but BoomFuzzy was there. And that, in itself, was enough to make the world feel a little less harsh.

He took the plate, savouring the comfort of BoomFuzzy's cooking. But even with the warmth of the food in the air, Quaraun's mind was restless. He had carried children before - he had given birth over a dozen times, often to twins - and yet, each pregnancy was like the first in its intensity. His body, so used to the rhythm of life, felt foreign and strange, and his emotions ran wild with the tidal waves of pregnancy hormones. He didn't understand why the simplest things - the soft rhythm of life, the warmth of his family - felt so overwhelming at times.

Outside, GhoulSpawn had managed to corral the sheep once more, and the sounds of their bleating mingled with the peaceful hum of life on The Blue Monkey. Quaraun, despite everything, felt for the first time in days like he could breathe.

The soft patter of footsteps approached the door, followed by a gentle knock. Quaraun straightened, startled, though he knew it was only one of his handmaids.

"Are you well, MiLord?" a soft voice asked, peeking her head around the door.

"I am fine, Maeryn," Quaraun replied, forcing a smile. "Just resting."

The woman, one of his more gentle handmaids, entered and set down a small tray with a steaming mug of herbal tea. 

"King Gwallmaiic says you should drink this," Maeryn said softly, her voice laced with care. "To help ease your aches."

Quaraun took the tea, allowing himself a moment of comfort in the warmth of it, but he could already feel his mind slipping into darker spaces, places he didn't want to go. He didn't want to be a burden. He didn't want to be weak. But sometimes, it was hard to remember why it was okay to need help.

"I'll go see what the King is making," Maeryn said, sensing his hesitation. "He's cooking that lobster mac and cheese you enjoy so much."

"Yes. He already brought some in. But I could do with more."

The mention of food - BoomFuzzy's food - was enough to shift something in Quaraun. He knew it would be perfect, just like everything BoomFuzzy made. For a moment, a flicker of warmth and peace spread through him, and he leaned back again, closing his eyes, imagining the comforting taste of the dish to come.

Outside, the sheep had finally been cornered by GhoulSpawn, who gave a sigh of relief. Quaraun chuckled quietly to himself. The sheep would always win, but at least they had their moments of success.

BoomFuzzy's laughter echoed from the galley, rich and warm, and Quaraun let himself sink further into the cushions, feeling a quiet moment of peace. He had everything he needed - his family, his love, his little ones - and the world, despite its harshness, would keep spinning just as it always had.

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