All characters are owned by George Macdonald except whatever OC's that I manage to come up with, purely fan made and inspired after reading all the great PatG fanfics
The Day Before
Harelip retreated from the trial room, his eyes scanning the crowds as they all left in droves, whispering and gasping about the ex-Crown Prince's terrible fate.
After they had announced that Froglip had to find a royal of surface world to be his mate, Harelip shook his head and watched as the ex-prince left the trial room in fits. Froglip was the guilty party and therefor had to leave before everyone else.
Different things were on everyone's minds. Despite Froglip's cruelty over the years Harelip felt terribly for his brother and wondered where he would spend the night. Mefeero always scheming anyway and was doubtlessly thinking of a way to see her son back on the throne.
Gazlowe was trying to contend with his councillors and the rejection of Froglip who he cared for deeply. But there was one thing on everyone's mind and that was the next heir to the throne.
Whoever that would be.
For Berzker this was a very important and very problematic question.
The Madcurse family had branching cousin families and they would all be in a race to seize the throne for their own after Froglip's defeat.
Gazlowe of course was not the old inept fool Mefeero had made him out to be in order to move Froglip onto the throne. He could easily rule for another decade but after that, then what?
It was not enough time for Mefeero and Gazlowe to have another child and by the way the waters were between them at the moment it could not be sure that a new heir would even be possible.
Berzker was satisfied with the trial and it's result but could not deny that though they ridden themselves of a truly terrible goblin, but in doing so he had also ridden themselves of a line to the next generation.
Because of this, Berzker now had to find the right candidate and right choice to put his support behind. The Goblin Council was not as powerless as they seemed and they represented the will of the people when dealing with the crown. If they picked an heir, that goblin would be supported by the people and likely become King.
All Berzker had to do was pick the most legitimate heir and make sure that they wouldn't make a worse King than Froglip. It didn't seem like a difficult task but Berzker was finding it a larger challenge than he imagined.
There was, however, one clear choice.
Harelip.
He was the first son of the king but illegitimate just as Froglip had been and even worse, rumoured to be the offspring of a sun-person.
But it wasn't as if Froglip and Harelip were the first bastards the kingdom of the goblins had ever seen. The reason Froglip had been stripped of his rights to the throne was mostly due to his cruelty and his stupidity to admit that he was a bastard in front of witnesses.
Despite Harelip possibly being a bastard he was the first son of the ruling king, this much was true. If the councillor's thought Harelip would make a worthy King they could falsify any past they wanted. Gazlowe could have been married in secret to a goblin woman but she died and only left a son. The Goblin Council could do that.
It was the most tempting thought Berzker had thought of and if it stopped a bloody feud from rising among the goblin nobility then Harelip could be the answers to their prayers.
But Berzker was suspicious of Harelip.
During the entire trial Gazlowe's first son had remained in the shadows with a cape and hood obscuring his face.
Harelip was an unknown.
No one had talked to the goblin since he was a boy and as an adult Harelip had kept mostly to himself. For the goblin people, he could be worse than Froglip, although that in itself would be a challenge.
And if Harelip's deformity was as horrible as it was rumoured to be then it would be very hard to convince the people to put their support behind him.
That's what Berzker was brooding about when he left the court of goblins and was suddenly approached by an unknown figure.
"Councillor Berzker?" The voice asked.
The councillor was a bit startled as he had been very deep in thought but was even more startled when he saw that the figure who had approached him was Harelip.
The rumours hadn't been far off. Harelip was almost monstrous seeing him this close, Berzker had to look up at him which was a novelty as Berzker was quite tall himself and rarely had to look up at other goblins.
"Yes?" Berzker replied, his gaze travelling over the terrifying goblin in front of him.
"I would like to speak with you for a moment, if you would?"
Focusing most of his attention on the mere sight of Harelip, Berzker was a bit taken aback by how well spoken the goblin was. Harelip was almost the complete opposite of his brother.
Because of this and the interesting prospect that it presented Berzker nodded. "Yes, for a moment."
Harelip nodded from under his hood and lead himself and the goblin councillor away from the crowds of goblins.
Whispers echoed around the two of them as the goblins parted to make room, some even trying to catch a glimpse of the goblin under the hood.
When they were far enough away from the crowds that they could no longer be seen or heard, Harelip slowed his pace and relaxed. They were in a small noiseless part of the mountain caves where few goblins travelled and Berzker was a bit anxious when he realized they were separated from the rest of the goblin people but all fears quickly subsided when the king's son spoke.
"Thank you, I'm afraid I don't like speaking in public all that much."
Berzker was almost if not entirely taken aback by the polite manner in which Harelip spoke and nodded his head.
"Yes of course," Berzker stopped himself, "as long as it has nothing to do with the decision of the council."
Harelip nodded. "No, of course not, but I was wondering… how is your daughter? I heard she was feeling unwell."
Berzker stared at him in surprise, he didn't even realize that Harelip knew so much about his family. "If you mean Nuna then she had returned a few days ago, we were very relieved of course. As for Fyzsal, well, I'm sure your brother could tell you how she is fairing," he answered grudgingly.
Berzker hadn't meant to unleash his frustration on the Goblin Prince. The councillor was more angered by the actions of his brother and the Queen who had tried to defend him.
"Of course," Harelip spoke with a deep sense of regret in his voice, "how is Fyzsal?"
The councillor looked up in surprise and saw that Harelip was clenching his hands together, almost looking as if he wanted to ask for forgiveness.
"Her wounds have healed up as best they could." Berzker answered, still dazed and confused by the Prince's sincerity and candidness.
Harelip nodded from under the hood as if he was thinking about what the councillor had said.
"Thank you, Berzker."
"Of course, your highness," Berzker replied with a bow as Harelip did the same before disappearing down the tunnel.
As Berzker stood there, stunned, his mind was racing with what had just occurred.
Harelip was kinder than his sibling, or at least feign courtesy, and he certainly sounded more intelligent than Froglip. His first impression of the goblin was pleasant aside from the way Harelip hid his face from the the goblin councillor but Berzker could sympathize.
Froglip had even known both Nuna and Fyzsal and had treated them badly but here was Harelip with no connection to matter at all, asking of his family. The ex-Crown Prince had never asked anything of their conditions in the years that he had known the Berzker family.
It was perplexing to say the least.
He wasn't sure, but Harelip, the very last goblin anyone ever thought about, could very well be the next heir to the throne.
Froglip regaining the throne wasn't even a question on Berzker's mind. The challenge was nearly impossible and Froglip was the most idiotic goblin Berzker had ever come across.
There was a sense of freedom offered to Berzker when he thought that. A few weeks ago he wouldn't have dared think something so improper of his future king. But there was no good feeling lost between Berzker and the ex-Crown Prince. The latter was truly incompetent.
There was no reason for them to worry that Froglip should succeed.
Alright, so this chapter is pretty short but I have the next two made up so as a christmas thing I'll upload 2 chapters on the 25th :D
A lot of goblin politics is based on rumours and shallow practices but their one saving grace is the goblin council who genuinely want a good King to rule. Irenie is up next though I'll be updating in a week so it's be very soon. :)