A/N: This is mostly a filler chapter as I really want to take things slowly with this story. I'm nervous as it's my first (pretty much) canon pairing and I want to do it justice. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that this makes you happy for a little while!
Please review if you have the time, they mean a lot to me.
Chapter Five: Safe
"So what do they call you?" I ask. I'm still in my cage, my back against the dirt wall. I know I'm going to be in a world of pain later from this rock that's sticking into my spine, but I don't really feel like moving. Just outside the bars is the little Goblin from before. My eyes have since gotten used to the dark and I've found that 'it' is actually more of a 'she'. That or he likes to wear pink.
"Me name's Gaea, miss." She replies. I tilt my head to the side, that name sounds familiar.
"Like the Greek Goddess of the earth?" I ask and the little creature nods, a big smile on her face.
"Yes. I was wondering when someone would get that! Nobody around here reads! None but me, that is." She adds on to the end, sounding very annoyed with her fellow Goblins.
"I didn't know Goblins could read." I reply honestly and she rolls her muddy brown eyes.
"Well, we can read, but not many choose to." She tells me and I lift an eyebrow. I love to read, how could someone not?
"Who doesn't love to read?" I ask and she shrugs. I don't really know why she's down here, but I am grateful for the company, I've found recently that I dislike silence.
"Well, reading is what brought us here." She replies and I shake my head. That's nonsense.
"No it didn't." I reply passively and the little Goblin is quick to disagree.
"Yeah it did. My brother used to read a book to me every night. Then, he got mad and said some words. Next thing I know someone comes through the window and I never see my brother again." My eyes drop to my lap. I find that I can't look at the poor little creature.
"He didn't try?" I ask, trying to sound bland and uninterested. Recently I'd found that the feeling of my heart breaking didn't hurt as much as realizing that it was cracking away; piece by piece.
"No." She replied flatly. I move a little bit so that I am closer to the bars.
"Do many siblings try?" I feel my heart stop when she shakes her head.
"Nah. They can't be bothered. Some don't have the time, others don't rightly care." I try to keep my mouth from falling open in shock. "If it's the little ones who wish their siblings away, they don't stop to think about what their life would be like without them." I grip the metal bars and squeeze them until my hands hurt.
"Do you miss your brother?" I asked and she shakes her head again.
"I don't miss him 'cause I can't remember him much." She replies honestly. "But there are some who can't remember nothin'." She says. She sounds so distant, like she's in another world. Maybe she is.
"Why can you remember?" I ask her and she gives me a pointed look.
"Because I asked him." Her voice is so small. "Some don't want to remember what they escaped from, I was lucky, I didn't wish myself away. 'Bout half of the others did." I cock my head to the side.
"He takes away their memories?" I ask in a curious voice. The little Goblin nods.
"Yeah, some of us were not really well off. Upstairs, there's a little boy names Perseus who's mum never gave a damn about him. The Master tried to ask her about trying to rescue her son when he wished himself away and she just looked right through him." I stifle a gasp. I told myself countless times that night that I hated Toby, but still, I ran for him, and we were only half related.
"I can't believe that." I tell her, sitting back a bit and she nods in response.
"Neither did I." She pauses for a moment. "Don't hate the Master too much. He gives us a good home and makes people better." A harsh, hysterical laugh rings through the cavernous dungeon.
"That's a lie." I say in a voice that's almost too harsh. The little Goblin winces, but shakes her head like she pities me.
"He saved you, Sarah Williams. That's what the Master does. He don't have a say in the matter and sometimes, I swear he hates me, but he still keeps me safe." She turns to go, and I find myself with a final question.
"Safe from what?" I ask and a throaty, odd noise echoes off the wet walls. It takes me a minute to realize that she's laughing.
"Safe from a brother who didn't care." With that, she leaves me alone again to stare at the door and think until I don't want to anymore.