Freia's voice faded behind me. I had launched myself into the air, flying much higher than I had ever dared before, over the trees of the orchard, over the wall beyond, and towards the forest.
I slowed down a little as I took my bearings, it looked different from above, but soon found our glade.
I had only been to the village about three or four times in total, and that was on the ground, but I knew the rough direction to head, and so I did, whizzing over the treetops, fear and anxiety driving me onwards.
It was beginning to think I had lost my way, when an explosion ahead, and slightly to the right of me, gave the game away. I adjusted course and flew a little higher, scanning the ground.
As I approached the area of the disturbance, there was a shimmer, and suddenly the goblin village clearing came into view. Someone had dispelled the camouflaging spell that had hidden it. Probably Lissa. Oh, the irony of it.
There was shouting as well now, and I could hear the echo of metal on metal. Was I too late?
There! Between the trees I could see a group of villagers, Rath stood out in her green armour, and Lissa was clearly visible further back, dressed in her white robes, standing with a few others from the temple. There were others in chain mail and leather armour too, holding swords and bows. I couldn't see Hungerford, but no doubt he was there somewhere.
Facing them were a crowd of goblin guards, with their own weapons. To the side I saw the chief, raging and shouting and... yes! By his side stood Gisel, hand on a knife. I was sure it would be one of the poisoned ones.
There was still time, full battle hadn't been joined yet, although one goblin seemed to be nursing an injury.
I dropped down to the smouldering ground in the middle of the factions like a very tiny angel of death.
"Stop!" I screamed. "Stop the fighting!"
"Theo! By the goddess what are you thinking?!" That was Rath. She started run towards me, but I sent a strong, and wide, blast of wind her way, and knocked her back.
"Sorry mother!" I shouted. "But you need to stop. The goblins weren't the ones who attacked the village!"
"Theo!" I turned to see Gisel running up towards me.
"Are you all right?" I asked her.
"What is happening? Did you know about this?" Gisel was holding a dagger in front of her.
"No! I only just found out! Please, put your dagger down, let me talk to my mothers!"
"These are your mothers?" Gisel's father thundered up behind her.
"Theo!" screamed Rath. "Since when can you speak their language? Get away!" She struggled forward again, but I held up my hand, and she paused, possibly expecting another spell.
"Theodore Helmage!" Now Lissa was beside her. "Stop this at once!"
"Please listen to me!" I cried back. My voice was going sore, I would have to figure out some kind of amplification spell if I did this again. "The goblins are not responsible for the attacks! They were even the ones who stopped them before!"
"What are you saying?" Lissa asked, in a slightly calmer voice.
"Please," I pleaded. "Please, can we just pause and hold a parley? You and mother, and the chief and his advisor." I saw Gisel's expression. "And Gisel."
"How do you know these creatures?" Rath asked.
"If we have a parley, I can explain. Please, stop the attack. Pause it at least. Is there a rush?"
Rath looked at Lissa, and then Hungerford, who had appeared from nowhere. I could hear them have a frantic discussion. Another sister from the temple, and a man in a metal chest plate joined in. Maybe he was the mayor, I had never met him.
Behind me, the goblin chief was having a louder discussion with his advisor and the terrifying goblin general. Gisel was just glaring at me.
After a few very tense minutes, Rath shouted over. "Very well, three of us will approach your position. We will remain armed, but with weapons sheathed."
"Agreed. Same," Gisel's father shouted back.
And so I stood there as the two sides approached. Rath, Lissa, and the mayor from one side, and the chief, his advisor and the general from the other.
"What is the meaning of this attack?" the chief said, once the parties were close enough to talk without shouting.
"Your people attacked our village!" the mayor said.
"We did not!"
"You expect us to believe your lies?" the mayor responded, hand on sword hilt.
"They've been here for more than a year!" I interjected. "It wasn't them! They just want to live in peace."
"How do you know?" Rath snapped at me. I had never seen my mother so angry.
I sighed and looked at the ground.
"I've been coming here for all that time now. To meet Gisel." I pointed at the chief's daughter. "We've been teaching each other languages."
"You are going to be sent to your room for the rest of your life after this," Lissa said.
"The point is, it wasn't the goblins. They have been here all this time."
"Is this true?" Rath asked, looking at the chief.
"True."
"Then who killed those men?" the mayor snapped. "And who's been raiding the hen houses?"
"Men killed by kobolds," the chief answered. "Not sure about the hens. Many new creatures coming from the north recently."
"I don't believe you." The mayor didn't seem very open to negotiation, and I worried he may escalate things.
"Wait." Rath put a hand out. "What the go... chief says matches what we have been hearing from various sources. There's been a general exodus from the north recently."
This was interesting. So my mothers knew about this?
The air calmed slightly. The goblin chief said something in low tones to his advisor, who nodded, and spoke.
"Please, let us invite you to our village, for further talks."
"What? Are you mad?" the mayor spluttered. "Go into your stronghold?"
Rath though, looked at me thoughtfully, and then back at the chief. "Very well," she said.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I would live to see tomorrow.
~*~
Rath, Lissa and the mayor finally agreed to accompany the chief's party to his tent. I have to say, that walk was probably the most tense five minutes I had ever experienced. I could palpably feel the anger coming at me from both my mothers. I was going to be in for a hard time after this, no matter the outcome. Perhaps I would get lucky, and we'd all be slaughtered in an ambush.
The group eventually ended up sitting cross-legged in the chief's tent, on the large mat on the ground. I stood behind my mothers. Gisel stood behind her father.
The chief offered a pipe, which was passed around for everyone to take a puff on. Rath did, Lissa and the mayor refused. I was reminded of an old western movie.
Eventually the talks got underway in earnest, and frankly, I was surprised at how well they went. Not only was the whole attack situated talked out, but it seemed that the human and goblin population had more to offer each other than anyone expected. The forest held many herbs, foodstuffs and plants that were valued by the villagers, whilst the village could provide certain manufactured goods and foods from El and beyond. Both sides had something in the way of weaponry to trade too, and both sides would benefit from keeping hostile intruders at bay.
It turned out this could be the start of something more.
Still there was a trust issue, mostly driven by the mayor, but I knew he wouldn't be the only one.
"How do we know you won't renege on these agreements?" he demanded.
"We are no base animals!" the chief snarled. "Can trust!"
This went back and forth for several minutes, until I suddenly had a flash of inspiration. It could solve several issues at the same time. Two birds with one stone and all that. I had to phrase it carefully though.
"Excuse me," I said. "Hello?"
No one was listening.
"HELLO!" I shouted. That caught their attention.
"What is it Theodore?" Rath snapped. Oh, I really was in trouble if she was using my full name.
"I have an idea," I said.
"Go on." At least they were still listening.
"How about we take a..." I didn't want to say hostage. Oh! "How about we take Gisel, the chief's daughter back with us, as a... goodwill ambassador?"
Everyone looked at Gisel, who stared at me, eyes wide.
"What?" Lissa asked.
"She could come with us, back to the academy. Surely contact between humans and goblins could benefit from some familiarity? Look at the things we've talked about today."
"But she's only three," the mayor pointed out.
"I'm over six actually," Gisel said, snarling.
"Still, very young."
"But that could be a good thing," I went on. "She can join classes at the academy, she's a good fighter, and learn the way of the humans, to bring back understanding to the tribe." I was sweating, this was pushing my luck.
Still the suggestion seemed to be taking root. They talked it over, and finally, amazingly, agreed, although Lissa pointed out they couldn't guarantee the academy would accept her.
"Still, I'm sure two very well respected teachers could convince them," I said. This drew fierce glares from both my mothers. I mentally shrugged. I had dug a hole so deep by now another few shovels worth weren't going to make any difference.
And with that, it seemed the final major hurdle was cleared.
In a spirit totally opposite to the one that it had started with, the two groups parted, with promises of more talks to come very soon. Gisel would be allowed to stay until a final agreement was struck. She gave me an odd look, and a small wave as I was ushered out of the tent. I managed a quick smile in return.
The journey back, once the attacking force had been briefed, was accompanied by stone cold silence towards me from my Rath and Lissa, and my legs began to shake a little.
My mothers, Hungerford and I parted from the main group at the road, and turned towards the house, still in total silence.
Freia met us at the gate, shouting and weeping in relief when she saw us all together. Rath and Lissa both reassured her we were all fine, and she wasn't in any trouble. Hungerford simply patted her on the head, and then headed off towards his hut.
The four of us entered the house, and I stood there, visibly trembling. Freia, sensing the mood, vanished into her room.
I hadn't been this scared in two lifetimes.
There was no shouting at that point though. Rath simply turned to me and said: "Go to bed."
I fled, still shaking, went to the toilet, had a very quick wash, and buried myself in the blankets on my bunk, my head spinning.
Amazingly, I fell asleep almost immediately.