The Goblin Wood Part 20

So she was gone, his gen'ral, leaving him with a debt of impossible proportiona"how do you repay someone for the saving of all your kind? At least he'd been able to send her off heart-healed, and in good company. But that didn't begin to repay the burden she'd stuck him with this time! Tears stung his eyes, and he blinked them back. It was good she'd gone. If she'd stayed much longer, he'd never have been able to clear what he owed her. Now, in her absence, maybe he had a chance.

That thought pleased him. He knew she'd hated to abandon the war, though she was a good enough commander to know when retreat was forced on her. There were enough of them left to continue the fight. Subtly, of course. It wouldn't do to let the humans realize they were still here.

Perhaps if they waited a generation or two. He smiled down at his son. If his gift with iron and steel continued to breed true ... no one would ever suspect goblins of sabotaging metalwork. Yes. An eternity of metal foxers, sworn to continue the war, would be a fitting payment for the saving of his kindred. The humans were doing more with steel all the time.

She might even come back someday, to check on his progress. Just because no one else had returned, that didn't mean his gen'ral wouldn't.

Humans and goblins had shared the world since the beginning. It seemed a shame to let things change too much.

end.