Chapter Fifty-four – In which Ark shoulders some guilt, and the Bloodmaws agree to a gag order.

Chapter Fifty-four – In which Ark shoulders some guilt, and the Bloodmaws agree to a gag order.

After being worn down from pushing my daughters for what felt like half a day, I took a small break, and went back inside goblin-home and to my room. Vera was in the bath together with Stella, who had finally come out from under the large rag in her room. I decided to join them, and hopefully see how she was doing. For a while, we were all soaking quietly without saying anything, until Stella asked me an unfair question.

“Ark, did... you do this to me?”

“If I could do something like that, which would require magic of the highest level, I wouldn’t be as afraid of the Great Protector as I am.”

Stella took a deep breath and spoke again.

“I... don’t want to be a goblin. I’m a human!”

“I know. I know you are, Stella. No matter what changes happen, you are a human.”

I imagine it was overdue. As a fellow human, she was breaking down right in front of me. She held her arms out, as if to show me I was full of shit in saying that she was human, when her hands were green and her fingers had already become pointed like the other goblins.

I waded through the bath to her side, and held her close to me.

“Even if you turn a little green, you’re still a beautiful woman. A beautiful human woman to me, Stella.”

“Ark... I... can’t ever go home.”

“Then stay here. I know I’m not a rich muscular adventurer, but I swear I’ll give you as luxurious a life as I can. Who knows, maybe it’s a temporary thing?”

“Temporary?”

“We’ll ask the Great Protector when it comes back. That thing has to know some serious magic. Maybe it can undo... whatever happened? But until then, everyone here has already accepted you. Look, are you even bound with ropes anymore?”

“Hah! Where can a goblin run to? A human village? I’d be killed before I could even tell them what happened! And even if someone were willing to hear me out, they’d think this was a curse that could spread... where else can I go, Ark?”

Vera had waded over to Stella’s other side, giving her a hug together with me.

“Sister.”

“See, you aren’t alone. And I won’t treat you any differently. These girls have welcomed you into the tribe already. There’s only you who needs to accept what you can of the situation for now. But I need you, Stella. I need you more than ever.”

“Why? You’ve never needed me. I just... tagged along with you and Kairos. Now I’m even more useless having become... this!”

“I need you precisely because you are human. I want you to help me show these goblins how to live in a civilized way. I want to make this tribe strong. To be far more than the greedy murderous goblins we were told they are. I know you’ve seen it... you were not shunned by a single one of them when Truffle gave birth. And aside from what I did to you, have you been harmed in any way by any goblin here?”

“...no.”

“No. Just by me. I can’t change what has happened to your body, but for anything other than that, anything, just ask me, and I’ll do it for you, okay?”

Stella lowered her head to stare into the water.

“I can feel it, Ark. The... life inside of me, growing. Ever since... this started. My hearing is better, I can see clearly in the dark, I... don’t have the stomach for cooked meat anymore.”

“Even if that’s the case, you are still Stella. I won’t abandon you.”

“Together.” Vera said, continuing to cling tightly to my formerly human companion.

“And this one... keeps saying that I’m going to have a goblin baby. I... saw what happened with that other girl. This thing is going to eventually claw its way out of me. My body is going to be completely ruined! More than it already is!”

“Stella...”

“Stop calling me that! Stella died, Ark! All that’s left of her... is this... nameless and cursed body.”

“I can,” Truffle added. “I had a dream that I was a human once.”

“Don’t you mean a mushroom?” Doll joked.

“This is why... we need to show her the goblin way.” Berry redirected constructively. “Is there any goblin here who hates being a goblin?”

Not a single one present did. All of the goblin tribe were proud to be goblins.

“What we need to do is find a way to show her that being a goblin is better than being human.”

“How are we going to do that?” Pear asked.

“What do goblins do?” Berry asked everyone.

“Find things.” Crow said.

“Fill our cave-holes with shiny things we like.” Jewel added.

“Make many strong ones.” Lily followed up.

“Eat bloody meat.” Was the response from Doll.

“Hunt.” Prima joined in.

“Waste Seed with Husband?” Pear had said the most obvious thing, but every goblin was aware it was also the most enjoyable.

“Husband wants Stella to take Beast-talker’s cave-hole. He’s in there now changing it to be a cave-hole made for a human to live in. I... didn’t know what to say to stop him. But all the things you say goblins do, we do. Now that she looks more like a goblin than a human, we must show her what it is that Bloodmaw Goblins do. If she is a goblin, then she will understand. Prima, remember what Husband said about him not being able to eat bloody meat without getting sick? You saw her eat the bloody leg of both the black-bear and the Black-claw. She didn’t get sick.

“It’s true. Lily even tried eating bloody Black-claw meat. I felt sick eating it and had to make it into fire-meat.” the runt of the tribe mentioned.

“Does that mean Lily will become human?” Truffle asked while playing strike with Button who was also present and sitting in front of her.

“Lily is still a goblin!” she answered angrily.

“It’s Husband.” Jewel interjected.

“What do you mean?” Ivory asked.

“After getting big seed from Husband... All of us have been experiencing new changes happen to our bodies. Prima has gotten better at hunting. I have gotten smarter. Lily eats fire-meat. Doll chops trees better...” Jewel began explaining.

“Then... Do you think it is Husband’s big seed that made Stella into a goblin?” Berry rationalized.

“It might not be Husband’s big seed. It’s possible that it’s because of the strong ones inside. Berry, what changed in you?”

“I don’t feel sick or tired so much anymore. I’m always full of energy” Berry replied to Jewel.

“I smell things way better.” Pear revealed.

“And we know Vera has gained magic.” Jewel finalized.

“We can’t let Husband know that his big seed is responsible for turning her into a goblin.” Berry nervously stated. “Husband might try and escape with Stella, try to find other humans with strong magic to change her back to human.”

All goblins present then decided to keep it a secret from Husband. They decided to plan out how best to integrate Stella into the tribe. Whether it be taking turns bringing her on hunts, helping her collect things she found a liking to and putting them in her new cave-hole, and most importantly, promoting the idea of wanting to have as many strong ones with Husband as possible. Vera, who was not present, had suggested one-sidedly when the changes began, that they leave her alone... but Berry felt they had to do the opposite. To make Stella feel like part of the goblin tribe.

The plan wouldn’t go into action for another two days...