"A peace treaty?" Bog asked as he parried Marianne's strike. The fairy huffed and glared at him, not liking that he was calm and collected while she was all sweaty and tired.
"Yeah," she withdrew the sword and instead of going for another swing she let the tip touch the floor. This was a conversation she wanted to have without distractions. "I've always wanted to rekindle ties with the Forest, even if it was only for us to stop being scared of our own shadow," Bog nodded in understanding. Goblins were aware of the stories fairy-folk told their children about them. "My father never really took me seriously and Roland always said that "I wouldn't need to worry about those things because he would protect me". What a joke!" she huffed.
Bog blinked slowly and set his staff on the nearest wall. When she arrived this afternoon for their daily class, the last thing he imagined they would be doing today was talk about their kingdoms. In fact, he thought that they would talk about Marianne's fashion statement with the new paint around her eyes, a deep purple that accented her amber eyes beautifully.
Not that he cared much about what she looked like, but she talked a lot and about everything she did when they were apart. It was like she appreciated his opinion on what she does, so that's why he thought he had to speak his mind:
"I don't think that it is such a great idea, Marianne."
The fairy stood there, frozen in her place.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked, her words coming out in an strangled shriek.
"Look, we may get along pretty good, but this is the exception to the rule," Marianne let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Fairies and goblins can't-"
"But that's exactly the mentality I want to stop!" she stomped her foot on the floor. "If everyone goes into this with a closed off mindset then they are only going to see what they want to see. Are you familiar with the concept of 'self-fulfilled prophecy'? I'd hate to see my idea wasted like that."
Bog blinked.
"I don't know what you are talking about, but I get the idea," he sighed. "I'll do what I can to help you, but keep in mind that my subjects have a will of their own. Goblins don't work like you Fairies do; I'm King as in their protector, but respect have to be earned. We don't follow blindly a ruler only because is King."
"Fairies don't-!" Marianne stopped mid sentence, realizing that the crown had an entire army willing to die for whoever sat on the throne.
They were really different.
"I see," she finally said and smiled, grateful for his input. "Then how about this? I only need to let the Council be open to the idea, it's not like we have to formalize it right now. Could we get an interview with you? As in, an informal chat?"
Bog blinked and smiled with a mouth full of pointy teeth.
"That could be a good starting point, friend"