A/N: Thanks for the reviews ShiningxXxShadowxXxThief and ShearViscosity.

Chapter 14

Helen and her brothers didn't say much on their way home.

The sun still shined. Cars still chugged by as they passed them down the road. Birds, they were now suspicious of, still sang.

Everything seemed quite normal considering the fact that they just saw two goblins gunned down before their very eyes.

"Oh, good, you're all home," Aunt Vivian said as they shakily stepped through the front door. "A letter's just arrived from your mother."

The trio stared numbly at the offered envelope. Their mother's handwriting stared back at them, familiar yet foreign in this wild new world of monsters. If this had come yesterday or even that morning, they might have torn the envelope apart to get to the message inside. But now, none of them were sure they wanted anymore surprises or bad news.

Vivian looked at them confused. "What is this? Not a day goes by when one of you isn't asking after any letters from your parents. I thought the lot of you would be jumping for joy right now."

Helen soberly stepped forward to take the message. William and Robert crowded in close to read the letter with her.

The message was brief. Mother wanted to tell them she was alright and there was no new news on their father or brother. She also cautioned them to keep themselves safe and out of trouble.

"Little late for that one," Helen murmured.

She imagined her mother back home going about life without them. She was probably going about her days as usual pretending she really was alright, even as danger and death surrounded her every night. That "we can take it" sentiment ran strong in Mrs. Kirke and only being completely bombed out of every building in the city would make her leave. She would never bow to the Germans. The only sign of her true concern over the situation had been the fact that she sent her children away again. She could take it. But they would not.

Helen found herself wishing she had stayed there with her mother. Life would have been much more simple dealing with creatures and situations she could wrap her mind around. Receiving magical powers from a masked man and watching to creatures turn from animals into something unrecognizable was much too complicated. Even more complicated than that was how she felt about Mr. Aganir and Mr. Marak. They might very well be monsters. They might have both tricked her into spending time with them. They might even have dubious plans for her. But she couldn't stand the thought of seeing either of them bloody and broken, laying at Jack's feet.

"Bad news?" Vivian asked.

"No news," Robert said, crossing his arms over his chest. "She didn't tell us anything. She might as well have not written at all."

William took the short letter and glanced it over again, absorbing the sight of something their mother wrote.

"At least we know she's alright," Helen said, even though a large, unruly part of her agreed.

"Well," Vivian said, twisting her necklace between her fingers anxiously. "The three of you had best get ready for dinner. You're all so filthy, especially your clothes. What have you been up to?"

After glancing over their dirt coated trousers and skirt, Robert and Helen locked eyes, trying to decide how much to tell her and if she would believe it unless it came from Constable Wenworth's own mouth.

William, on the other hand, rushed right into the story. "We were hunting goblins," the boy said. "Jack told us to watch Mr. Marak's house and then he and the constable shot two animals that turned into goblins."

"Oh, you boys and your games." Vivian shook her head. "Now up the stairs with you. Dinner's in a half hour."

As they climbed the stairs, a knock was heard at the door. It was Jimmy Weaver, one of the entry constables.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Benwick," he said nervously. "I need to take Miss Kirke into town for some questioning."

The girl stopped where she was on the stairs.

"Helen?" Vivian gaped. "What ever for?"

He paused and looked around shakily. "It's about them goblins they found, ma'am."

A long moment of silence followed. "Did you just say goblins?"

"Mr. Richardson says she knows all about 'em. He says they gave her magic."

Aganir Melanur had spent the night before finding out all he could about the large war raging between Helen's people. The information involved newspapers, maps, and complicated human histories that seemed too foreign to fully grasp. He had trouble understanding why they were all fighting. It wasn't as though they were of different races. They were all human. It seemed as if they would get along, just like elves usually got along with other elves and goblins usually got along with other goblins. But most of all, everything seemed so big. There didn't seem to be an easy solution or spell that could end it all.

The King's advisers suggested he stop worrying over something so unconnected to the elves and focus on winning the competition over Helen. But that was no good either. Now that he knew her and the troubles she lived with, Aganir wasn't sure he could continue competing over her like some kind of trinket. He wondered if he could take her himself or allow her to be taken by Marak at all.

"This is probably why only a few elf King's in history have courted their brides before stealing them," noted Min, the King's military commander.

Min was right, Aganir realized. Normally, he would have just taken her and made up for the trauma that caused her afterword. Now it was too late. Everything was so messy. He was tempted to push it all out of his mind and join the dancing that was starting in the meadow. The only thing that stopped him was the sight of the fluffy white cat form of his chief adviser racing into camp.

Tibir must have been relieved from his shift guarding Helen. Aganir waited as the cat came rushing up to him, turning back into an elf as he approached.

"Elf King, I have news," Tibir said, breathlessly, letting the words burst forth from him at full speed. "During my shift, Helen's goblin guard, Dibah, and the goblin woman watching over Marak's cottage were both attacked by humans. He's found out about our existence and he's shared it with town law man. I was distracted by Helen's brothers. Before I knew it, both goblins were shot. Then Helen was sent away and I thought it best I stay with her."

Aganir stared open mouthed for a moment before responding. "Is Helen safe?"

"One of the constables took her and her aunt into town so she can tell them what she knows about us," he said. "But she should be safe. The guard who relieved me is still with her."

Aganir looked around not sure what to think. This was unprecedented.

"Humans attacking goblins..." Min said, astonished. "And winning."

"Nothing like this has happened since the reign of Marak Sixfinger or back in the old country when they used us for their barbaric attempts at magic," Tibir said. "I can't fathom what they intend to do with them now. I haven't heard of any humans using magic in this day and age."

"Neither have I," the military commander said.

"Send a message round to the other camps," Aganir said, absently, still trying to think of what this jolting news might mean. "Tell them everyone needs to stay within my forest for safety. And send a message to the goblins to tell them about this."

"I already passed a goblin guard on the way here," Tibir said. "I told him to pass the message on to their King."

"Good, I'll summon him to the truce circle so we can discuss this."

And to think, just moments before Aganir thought the human war was too unpleasantly complicated. Now their war might turn into a war for the elves and goblins too.