Chapter 1
Thunder seemed to boom and echo along the walls of the underground kingdom as rocks were moved by its subjects. A storm was raging outside as well as inside the cave of the mountain as a young goblin woman rushed through the upper tunnels of the city. She felt sick; wiping sweat off her dark green forehead, pushing her wild magenta hair back when it flew into her face, and gnashing her dull teeth together to ward off her oncoming headache while she ran.
Approaching an exit, lightning cracked, causing the goblin woman to jump as light flashed off of her glowing yellow eyes in the dark of night. A high piercing sound could be heard a few feet on the other side of the cave, in the sun people world. She quietly left the shelter of the cave's high ceilings into the storm that quickly drenched her, leaving abnormal hair to fall over the face of a peculiar beauty in the goblin world. Despite a temporary loss of vision, she followed the noise she heard before. Lightning struck above acting like a spotlight near the area where the sound was being emitted. Finally, the goblin woman pushed hair back in the exact moment that the lightning struck and she found the source of the persistent shrieking.
The light illuminated a crying goblin infant. It's shivering green form wrapped in a large, flowing black cape. When the goblin woman looked down upon it, it ceased howling and looked up at her with wide, sad yellow eyes, the cape slipping from its head to reveal sleek bat- like ears and hair a shade lighter than her own. No visible deformities had befallen the child, unlike the goblin woman who clicked her stone shoes together, which hid her ten human toes contrasting the two that normal goblins were born with. She felt something while looking at the infant; pity, sympathy, love? That was the pure emotion that many beings longed to experience, this creature before her was no exception. As she reached for the infant and the thunder roared, she remembered what this exit was used for and realized why this poor child would be out in the storm.
Unwanted goblin infants were brought to this east exit to eventually die alone during the sun rise over the course of several days, or, the quicker option, of getting eaten alive by wolves. She stood awestruck in the rain as the infant began to howl, unable to fathom why no one would desire such a lovely, little "monstrosity" and leave it to die. She kneeled down, making sure to fully envelope the infant in the cape all the while cooing to it. Saving and nurturing this child would not only bring her joy, but keep her parents from inquiring of how and when she would continue the family line.
Quickly returning to the entrance of the goblin kingdom, the woman ran to the lowest level of the city while clutching the child to her chest. Tossing the boulder that served as a door to her private chambers, she frantically laid the now sleeping infant on the makeshift canopy rock bed in the corner and lit a bedside lamp. Slowly walking towards the bed, she brought the lamp up to the infant's comfortable sleeping form, curled up and sucking on its thumb, and smiled warmly while gently ruffling its hair.
A sudden knock at the door caused the goblin woman to gasp and jump. She quickly closed the curtains on the bed, pushed back her hair, and attempted to wipe the rain off of her face before putting on a polite smile and answering the door.
"Princess Feronia, your presence is requested in the royal throne chambers," said a loyal subject of the goblin kingdom.
"Of course."
"We fear that we are nearing the end of our reign, my dear," said the Goblin King, Janus, while rubbing his hand over the queen's. "Please tell us that you are with child. Insurance is needed not only for the royal family, but for the remainder of the goblin kingdom that our line will continue before we pass on." He shifted uncomfortably in his throne, looking down at the goblin princess with hope.
Feronia thought back to the sleeping child in her chambers, and glanced up to sadden, hopeful looks of the goblin king and queen. What of her husband? How would she explain this situation to the goblin prince without him being angered by her not consulting him or even discussing what she was about to do?
Regardless, she went forward with her idea. With trembling voice she said, "Well…I- I have a child," face flushing as the eyes of the king and queen shot open and their jaws dropped.
"You do have a child? Why did you keep such good news from everyone? "the Goblin Queen, Sevina, inquired before she leaned forward and grabbed the young goblin woman's arm, pulling her closer to the royal couple. "When will you give birth? Have you thought of a name yet? What sex is the little royal? Oh, a little prince or princess- how outrageous!" During Sevina's bombardment of questions, she had jumped from the throne, and rushed to Feronia with her navy hair sprinkled gray like stars in the night sky flowing behind her. She grabbed her face, squishing it together and shrieking the last comment, which shook the cavern walls, much to the humor of Janus who coughed into his graying green hand to conceal a chuckle.
"My Queen, please allow the princess to explain herself, "Janus spoke over Sevina's hysterical giggling as she danced, or more appropriately dragged, Feronia around the throne room. In response to Janus, she halted and blushed before squeezing the goblin princess's arm and resuming her seat on the throne beside the king. "Please proceed."
Feronia nodded. "My…son… has already been birthed." The King and Queen exchanged a look. "I'm sure that you are aware, despite your good reign over this kingdom, that there are those who would not hesitate to bring harm to the royal family and seize the throne by any means. So, my son was birthed in secrecy. I deeply apologize for not revealing this information sooner, your majesties, but I wanted to protect my son and the future of this kingdom… my prince agreed to keep this from you as well. Waiting until you were near your death beds to tell you merely seemed the best…"
"I see," the King and Queen said simultaneously. They both glanced at one another before looking down at the fearful goblin princess.
"You have exhibited…" she flinched, "a love for your son and the continuation of this kingdom. We are honored that you and our son will reign once we should pass. May you further bring life and strength to this land," Janus said warmly. Feronia smiled, borderline tears as the king spoke again, "Regarding your son, we will keep his existence a secret into death. I advise that you do not reveal his identity until you assume the throne and he has grown to a less vulnerable age. Like the toadstools grown in this kingdom, our time is waning, but waxing has begun for another pair on the throne. Make us proud, Princess Feronia."
"Thank you so much, your majesties. I will." The king and queen nodded, signaling an excusal. She bowed, turned on her heel, and slowly exited the throne room, not knowing that that would be the last time she would see the king and queen alive.
Once out of the throne room, Feronia sprinted towards the goblin prince's private chambers, knowing he wouldn't be in the quarters they shared at this hour. Each lamp's light she passed reflected off of her eyes in the darkness of the underground pathways until she came across another pair of reflective, glowing orbs. The goblin before her was mid-way closing the makeshift door when he stopped and looked up at his princess.
"Feronia, I was just leaving to find you," the Goblin Prince, Turnius, called around the boulder. "Do you wish to partake in a romantic dinner tonight, the king and queen omitted, my princess?" She snorted and smiled at his use of the title; there was no need for such formality when the two were alone or in the company of his parents. At the mention of Turnius's parents, Feronia remembered their previous conversation and her "son" sleeping in her private chambers.
"We need to talk."
Turnius glanced at the sleeping goblin infant on Feronia's bed before he asked in a hushed whisper, "Where did he come from?"
"From one of the east exits; he was left there to die, Turnius," her eyes began to water, "I couldn't leave him there. He was howling during the storm, and appeared so helpless and scared," she began sobbing, "I- I- I implied that he was your s- s- son that we hid in secret to avoid him being murdered. Please don't be angry with me," she pleaded before collapsing to the floor at his feet.
He kneeled down and gathered the goblin princess in his arms, pulling her close. He tucked a piece of magenta hair behind one of her slender ears, and whispered, "Feronia, how could I ever be angry with you? I love you and intend to rule this cavern with you by my side. Also, this child," he turned them both towards the goblin boy, "is a solution to our complicated situation," he said while gently running his hand over her stomach.
"I suppose you are right. I've tried every remedy, potion, and magical incantation to assist with my infertility, and nothing has worked. Why was I cursed with this name? A goddess of fertility I am not," she quietly cried, her voice muffled by the prince's arms as she began to fall from his grasp.
"My princess," he began while pulling her up to stand, "I do not mean to interrupt you, but how will we explain his being to the kingdom?"
"Should anyone inquire of his birthparents, we will tell them that he is ours'; his features resemble my own don't they? Of his past? We will inform him that we hid him from the kingdom in order to train him to be the best ruler."
"That seems plausible. What if his real parents make themselves known?"
"Leave that to me," she said as she moved to awaken their son.
Notes: The goblin infant/ the royal son is Froglip, and his parents are Prince Turnius and Princess Feronia. Also, all characters, aside from my OCs, belong to George MacDonald.
