11 The Incoming Skirmish
I found myself in an empty meadow, staring vacuously at the crimson spider lilies. My eyes, swollen as ever, cannot keep track of the number of plants swaying with the breeze. Suddenly, two images of beclouded people come into view and slowly approach me. Wondering what to do, I lurched backwards and ended up running away from the scene.
Even my voice box could not produce any sounds during the escape, which led me no choice but to continue running. However, the grassy land extends beyond my imagination, akin to the world where the deity introduced me.
Looking from pillar to post, I see no end to my journey. But I refuse to give up and come near to the mysterious beings following me.
Unfortunately, by the time that I swivel my legs behind, the pair of silhouettes vanish from sight. I return my gaze in my fore and notice that they are already there, waiting for my attention.
Their hand bolted and gripped me from the nape of my neck and lifted my body above ground. I can feel my legs flapping for the touch of the solid platform. But my efforts were futile. Pain, which should not exist in this realm, gushes through my nerves; down to my spine, and later on my chest.
It was becoming harder for me to breathe, similar to what I had experienced from the dying situation of my past life.
"Am I going to die again?" The phrase echoes inside my head, haunting me like a dreadful reaper. But as soon as I brush those thoughts aside and peek through the faces of those who are gagging me, my eyes go astray.
"Mama? Papa?" Of all the people that will greet me, my two deceased parents unravel themselves and grip me, intending to kill.
"Was it because I could not save you?" I asked my thoughts but heard nothing but the searing screeches of agony.
"Was it because I was not there to die with you?"
"Was it because of my powerless body?"
"Was it because I am your son?"
"Is everything my fault?"
After sprouting these series of questions, the image transforms and vividly disappears. The darkened room soon welcomes my eyes, and the soft texture of the bed embraces my hand.
I slowly force my eyes open, not wanting to undergo the same situation again. At long last, my globes peer through my new surroundings and study everything.
The environment has its primaeval setting related to those past generations of the earth that I know. Luxurious, but antique vases and paintings dangle across the walls, reminding me of something soothing and majestic.
"The meadow field," I murmur to myself while gazing upwards and observing the identical plain without the scarlet water lilies; without the metaphor of death.
I shift my view over to my side and spot a door, and a window tightly shut tight. Small holes from here and there shine the ground and illuminate the room, showing that it was a sunny day outside.
Feigning ignorance to the cracks, I readied myself and stood upright and headed towards the wooden ingress. My hand nudges the knob and opens the door with ease, but only to find out the two idiots sitting puerile at the broad couch.
Grer and Izz each have a stick with variations of blushing and smoky meats. One belongs to a horse, while the other to a goose, judging by its succulent scent and features. I had tasted one from before when my family and I once climbed at the tallest peak of a mountain, with nothing else to eat but the exotic meals offered by the villagers.
"Brother, Lake!" The pair simultaneously calls out my name while childishly waving their hands with the stick.
I embarrassingly marched forward and met their gaze, pondering where the others; the Royal family.
Before arriving at this temple, the three of us, goblins, suddenly fell ill and knocked out at the gates. Markus and his wife, Claire, immediately call a doctor-specialised in demi-humans physiology and hurriedly places us at ease. Much to their surprise, the physician diagnosed us with extreme fatigue for continuously moving and battling for three days straight with no time to rest.
According to my sprite friends, it had been two days since we fell asleep inside Windsor's kingdom, which explains the opulent panels and architecture of the building.
Those two goblins also said that a sudden nightmare that they have already forgotten awoke them. However, that dream was so intense it made them quiver out of fear and needed tranquillisation.
"We woke up minutes ago, brother!" Izz, happy as ever, utters while gnawing down what had left on the impaled stick.
I timidly stare at the concrete floor and noticed pieces of crumbs clustered unsightly. I follow the trail and see a shadow figure munching over a pile of crackers at the corner of the room.
Long and ginger braided hair, a dress befitting for a fine lady, and the lace that I had seen before answered my queer questions.
"Therese?" I doubtedly said while raising a brow over to the astonishing sight.
As she heard my voice, Therese hurriedly spins back and greets me with her mouth filled with cucumbers and crushed tomatoes.
She blinks multiple times, unsure of what to express the moment she sees my face. Therese then glances over to the two goblins and yells hysterically at them.
"Why did you not tell me that Lake is already awake!" She exclaims while feeling the rest of the food descending from her lips and eventually crashes on the floor.
Her hands swiftly catch the rest of the fragments and turn her head at me for a second and shift away. Saving the ounce of dignity left inside her heart, she waves both arms and spouts magical words. After completing her arcane, the food touching her tongue dissipates in the air, as if the occurrence had never happened.
"You are awake," She said, restarting the once awful image of her crunching at the edge.
I could not help but glue my eyes on the space filled with a stupendous and priceless memory.
Flustered, Therese's cheeks flush with beating rosy red and desperately buries her head on the nearby pillow.
"Don't tell father,"
"I won't."
My hands once again reach out for her nearly crying face and benevolently brush her hair.
In the back of my mind, I realise my genes were not of a human being. I am but a worthless creature-a pest, even to the village that knows goblins. And I doubt that the outside world would invite us, viridescent sprites, to be a part of the entire community.
Unanticipatedly, a fist pounds through the enormous door and shouts the name of the princess.
"Therese, are you in there?" The voice reverberates inside the room, which made the alarmed Therese shuffles in her post.
"Yes, I am coming." She replied in a soft but charming voice that could almost attract anyone that could hear. With a quick gesture of her hands, the crumbs on the floor gradually disappear in thin air, alongside the pile of supplements on the table.
Not minding the cries of Grer and Izz, Therese buckles up her confidence, irons her clothes with her palms, and opens the door.
Three of the familiar elite men salute Therese Windsor. Their eyes soon wander around the room and discern us goblins standing at the centre, staring back at them with boggling eyes.
"Hello, sir Lake." One guard in the middle orders his servicemen to address me as a noble while performing the same gesture. They are the few people that acknowledge both of our strengths and weaknesses. As much as they concern them, they will leave their opinions to King Markus, himself.
"Would you mind joining us, sir Lake?" The princess twirls around in excitement and asks us to come to her aid, clear from her eyes glowing with glitters.
"Will that be alright for you?"
"Of course!" The three servicemen gave me an abrupt reply and made way to the aisle of the hall.
I call forth my trusty friends and ask them to behave properly while inside the noble court.
They reluctantly agreed, but I can never expect them to obey as I wish.
With high spirits, the princess takes my hand and zooms straight away towards the empty halls while taking abrupt turns at each corner. The maids we passed by greeted us in a hurry while tidying the floors.
The two goblins fell short from behind, except for pumped up Grer and deemed our actions as a contest.
Using his unique skill, Grer effortlessly catches up from our behind, carrying with him is Izz grabbing his hind. With the lack of focus and balance, Grer crashes forward and passes by and overwhelms us with their velocity. However, their haste brought more detention that one could see, as they burst through the corridor and trampled an antique canvass to the ground.
Coincidentally, Markus Windsor and Claire Windsor had just arrived at their throne and witnessed the whole barbaric scene. Markus, who had enough documents in his hands, just rests his face on his distressed palm, unsure of what expression he should make.
"Must I-," One soldier politely asked.
"Don't even bother," Markus waves his hand and motions the present maids to clean up the mess that the goblins made; his head still embedded in his hand.
I, who feel troubled, dart my way through the walkway and hurriedly lower my head to apologise. But Claire, who also observed the scene, hastily orders me to raise my head and permits me to sit on the chair.
"You need not worry," She said in a very calming manner.
Markus wanted to retort but ended up gritting his teeth from the image of his wife glancing-glaring at his sides. Admitting his defeat, Markus too lowers his head to his flank and averts his gaze back to me.
"Therese," He calls forth his daughter hiding behind me.
"It's my fault." She insisted while gradually revealing her body parts and face the eyes of her staring parents. "Please don't punish them, father, mother."
With her eyes pleading below, the two of them accepted her requests and assured their daughter that there was no harm done during the process. But I wanted to beg to differ because of Markus, us slightly keeking over my direction.
"Now, for the more important news." Markus clears his throat and asks a knight to bring the scrolls to his side. Once the soldier offers the parchment to his hands, Markus immediately tosses and opens the paper in mid-air.
"In the next two months, the kingdom will prepare for war."
