Chapter Thirty-seven – In which Ark remodels his cave-hole, teaches Vera some more magic, and then teaches his eldest daughter how to be kind.

Chapter Thirty-seven – In which Ark remodels his cave-hole, teaches Vera some more magic, and then teaches his eldest daughter how to be kind.

Getting to the cave-hole where Jewel lived meant I had to walk toward the cave entrance. Along with hers, Prima's and Vera’s old one were also both towards the front of the cave and that made me a little nervous, because Prima had restrictions as to how far towards the entrance of goblin-home I was allowed to move freely to.

I did find Jewel, who was busy slinging a bow and arrow set over her shoulder.

“Going hunting?” I asked.

“Husband. Come talk Jewel about magic stones? Want make new deal?”

“I guess I haven’t come to you for any other reason so far either, have I?” I said, feeling kind of ashamed.

“Not let Husband use magic today. Want go, hunt new stones.”

I nodded.

“Could... I get permission from you then for Vera to keep an eye on my magic? I want to use the topaz in my cave-hole so I can make it better.”

Jewel contemplated it for a moment.

“Only husband cave-hole?”

I nodded.

“Your ruby is still in Lily’s room. Berry is watching her now. Vera has a sharp bone, you saw it already yesterday. I’ll make sure she has the pointy end of it against my neck when I do anything.”

“What husband make better cave-hole?” It was less of an exasperated question, and more one of general curiosity.

“A big bath for cleaning and a stove for making things like fire-meat. After that, I want to make an area meant for having fun giving big seed to goblins. Vera will be helping me with a lot of things. I want to make it inviting for you, Prima, Lily, Berry, Truffle, Ivory, Pear, and maybe Doll to visit and spend time with me. Of course the strong ones too.”

“Add good things make Jewel cave-hole?”

“If you see anything you like that you want, I will also make it in here for you.”

“Not forget what Husband say give Lily cave-hole?”

“Ah, the wall relief? I’ll make sure you get it.”

“Tell Vera watch husband magic. Husband smart, keep secret Prima?”

It was my turn to grin at her, since a lazy and greedy goblin could always be trusted to remain true to their nature.

“Deal.”

So, waking Vera who was sleeping comfortably holding her bone charm doll, which was covered in drool from being gnawed on, Jewel told her in precise gob-words that she would be the one to watch me in this cave when I used magic while she went out hunting. Vera quickly agreed to take over that temporary responsibility, and then Jewel left, saying she would return later.

I asked Vera after she left if she knew where Jewel went to find her shiny stones, but all she could do was shake her head. Couldn’t really blame her, it’s not like gemstones grow on trees. Maybe there was a secret location like an abandoned mine or cave elsewhere in the area outside? Incidentally, in all of my renovations to Berry’s, Lily’s, Jewel’s and the Truffle-Ivory connected rooms, I didn’t come across anything but dirt and rock. Not metals, coal, limestone... just dirt and rock.

Vera observed what I had carved on the floor and pointed at the area of the cave I was going to begin remodeling.

“Help?”

“I’ll handle the reshaping and digging, but I’d like you to make some magic circles for water and heating when I’m done. You can help me then.”

“Goblin way. Strong at top.”

It left a sour taste in my mouth to hear her say it. But it was the truth. Whether in my previous life or in this one, there were always those who took advantage of others to establish their place, and nothing came easier to someone strong than to bully someone weak.

So, I watched as my eldest daughter pushed down both of my younger daughters and claimed their toy as her own. Lily held my hand tight, and I could see in her eyes something other than I expected. She was watching her children take their place. She wanted to see her strong ones get up and do something. Do anything other than cower and submit immediately.

Should I be happy then, that it was exactly what happened?

Both Orchid and Lilac stood up and began to swat at Diana's body. I was worried there might be some injury, but Diana wasn’t even phased by it. But they stood up still, each and every time they got pushed down by her. It happened about six times before they realized they had no chance. But it was enough. Diana lost interest in them, and the makeshift tetherball game, and moved to the side of the bed opposite me and climbed up to join her mother.

All she wanted to do was crawl in her lap and sit there. But that didn’t mean she was about to let her guard down. Diana’s eyes were on both Lily and me now.

“Husband... not tell Diana?” Lily said calmly.

“Tell her what?”

“Diana show Husband she strongest.”

“Is that how you all saw it? To me, that was the furthest thing from true strength.”

“What husband mean?”

“True strength is what good you do with all that power. Do you only use it to make the weaker submit, or do you help raise them up to be stronger? It takes ten times the strength to give freely than to take. It’s got nothing to do with whether someone is human or goblin, but everything to do with whether a person chooses to be no better than a violent beast, or to be something greater.”

Berry had put her arms around Diana, revealing that she was awake. “Are you angry with Diana Artemis, husband?”

“If she were moons older, I might be. But I understand what happened. I understand this is your goblin way, and I'm not trying to deny it. In a perfect world, Diana wouldn’t have pushed them down to think she needed to impress me. What she would have done is sit with them and become friends. She would have shown them she was the strongest by teaching them how to hit the ball better in order to prepare them to be hunters. To use her strength for the benefit of her sisters and the goblin tribe. But I also know we don’t live in a perfect world. I won’t love her any less because of this, but I am just a bit saddened by it. And it’s not because it’s the way of goblins. Humans aren’t any different. We do the same things, maybe even far worse. It’s just that there is always a better way, and I want that for all of my daughters.”

I held out my arms and told Diana to come. She moved from Berry’s lap, stepping over Lily and onto mine. I gave her a big hug and rubbed her head and back, showing her parental affection before speaking to her, hoping she would understand me.

“Diana. When you push a person down, they will always remember it. For their whole lives they will wait for the right moment they can push you down, and it will be when you need help the most that they will do it. However, if you help them instead of pushing them down, then they will always be there to help you. You can be strong by yourself, or you can be the strongest, a Guardian goblin better than Prima that your mother can be so proud of, knowing all your sisters will want to help you when you need them to. But only you can decide how strong you want to be. I’m your daddy, and I will always love you, okay?”

“Diana strong.” She said in a high pitched voice.

“I know you are, Diana.” I said, giving her a hug. “But be kind, too. Especially to your sisters.”

After giving her a hug, I got up from the bed and carried her over to Orchid and Lilac.

“Diana, why don’t you show your sisters how to hit the ball, so they can also become strong like you? You can even show daddy how strong you are like this.”

Diana climbed down from my lap, and walked over to the game. She slapped the ball hard causing it to swing around the pillar. Both Orchid and Lilac watched her do it with big eyes. Bless their little hearts, they tried to copy her, but they were only a day old and Diana was twice the size of them. But that fact didn’t stop Diana from trying to show them, and it didn’t stop the other two from trying to learn.

I didn’t see the looks on either Berry or Lily’s faces as they watched me try to upend what was common sense to them, probably at the genetic level. I also wondered what they thought of this crazy husband of theirs...

But I’m a family man now. I want to be a good dad, and I want my little goblins to be good girls.

I also want them to be strong, I really do. Because there are a lot of bad men out there, and they need to be able to protect themselves. I don’t even want to think what is going to happen in fifteen moons or so, when they... come of age.

Will this Great Protector take them to meet other goblins, or bring them here?

I felt the darkness in my heart as I watched my daughters slap a dirtball with a rag tied around it, not wanting to share what I had. Even if they were goblins, and all I was being kept alive for was to give their mothers big seed to make more siblings... I wanted to be selfish and keep my cute daughters all to myself.

But really, I didn’t want to give my daughters away to a filthy, uncivilized, brutal goblin male... only for the cycles of violence and ignorance to continue...