The copper roof of the Castle of Jewels glinted in the distance. Giggleton's stomach gurgled. It could have been hunger, but it was more likely nerves. His throat burned, and without warning, he threw up.

"Perfect," he muttered, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his moth-eaten shirt. "Rufus," he shouted above the whistling wind. "Land in front of the drawbridge. Prince Horace won't appreciate a dragon stomping all over his flowerbeds."

Rufus snorted before swooping downward.

Giggleton held on tighter, squeezing his thighs against the dragon and clutching the scales on Rufus' shoulders until his knuckles turned white.

"Steady!" Giggleton screamed, his eyes watering and his straggly hair whipping his green cheeks.

Rufus ignored Giggleton's cries and landed with a thump a few feet from the drawbridge.

"I'll deal with you later, bad dragon," Giggleton grumbled. Climbing down from the dragon's back, he straightened his tunic and smoothed back his greasy hair. Rufus grinned at the flustered goblin and blew a smoke ring from his left nostril.

With his legs trembling and his palms sweating, Giggleton crossed the drawbridge and approached the castle, unaware of the green fog swirling behind him.

"Stop right there, goblin."

Giggleton froze, his blood turning ice cold.

"Why are you here?"

The raspy voice set Giggleton's teeth on edge and made his skin prickle. He knew who stood behind him, her rancid breath making his neck hair rise.

"I need Prince Horace's help." If he could run, he would. But a mixture of common sense and fear kept him glued to the spot.

"What makes you think my son will help a creature such as you?"

"Please," Giggleton pleaded. "I have no one else to ask."

The witch drew a deep breath and placed her gnarly hand on his shoulder. "Very well, fool." In a flash of green, Giggleton no longer stood in the castle courtyard, instead, he sat in a chair opposite the Prince of Imps.

Prince Horace wore the most fabulous three-piece suit Giggleton had ever seen. It would have cost a fortune, no doubt enough money to feed Rufus and himself for an entire year. Giggleton watched the prince twiddle a large silver coin between his clawed fingers. This was the magic coin everyone spoke of. It allowed Horace to teleport wherever he wished in the blink of an eye.

Hunched behind Horace was the vilest of crones... Agnes. The witch claimed Prince Horace was her son, although every creature except Horace questioned how such a thing was possible.

"You want my help?" Horace asked.

"Erm...yes...you see, I had no..."

"Quiet! Mummy told me you had no one else to ask." Horace stopped twiddling his coin and slipped it into his waistcoat pocket. "Tell me, why should I help you?"

This stumped Giggleton. He hadn't thought so far ahead. Desperation caused him to be here, and desperation may cause his death. He knew the prince enjoyed hurling creatures into his Maze of Monsters for no good reason, and Giggleton couldn't think of one good reason he shouldn't be next.

"I... erm... hoped..."

"Ahh, that's your first mistake." Horace grinned wickedly.

Giggleton scratched his head. "Mistake?"

"Hope," the prince said with a sneer. "You should never hope, for you are a hopeless, worthless being."

Inclined to agree, Giggleton did indeed feel hopeless... and worthless.

"However, I have a proposition. Mummy, pass me the contract."

"Yes, sweetheart," the witch croaked. She waved her hand, and a parchment appeared in front of Horace, along with a quill and ink well.

Giggleton squinted at the suspicious contract, and his stomach churned. This couldn't be anything good. He knew better than to sign a magic contract. But when the witch waved her hand for a second time, a hefty bag of coins landed on Horace's desk. And he soon reconsidered.

"What is your proposition?" Giggleton asked, his gaze fixed on the money bag.

"I want you to find a Gem Maker by the name of Rose."

The mention of a Gem Maker caused Giggleton to snap out of his trance. "I didn't think there were any more Gem Makers."

"Do you think me a fool?" Horace tapped his claws on the arm of his mahogany chair.

"No, of course not." Giggleton pushed himself into the back of his chair, trying to appear smaller.

"Rose is the last of her kind and precious to me. You will find her, trap her, and bring her to me. In return, I will make you the richest goblin in the fairy realm. This," Horace pointed to the bag of coins, "is just the start."

The greedy goblin's heart fluttered. "Where do I sign?"

Horace pointed to a line at the bottom of the contract and watched with twisted delight as Giggleton dipped the quill in the ink and without reading the small print, he signed his life away. As he lowered the quill, the contract vanished.

Prince Horace handed the bag of coins to Giggleton and with a knowing nod he said, "Very good, now find Rose."

With his head full of dreams and his pockets full of coins, Giggleton left the Castle of Jewels.

Word count 2003