The Goblin King's Bride

            Carrie stood over the crib staring down at the twist of empty blankets. That child was going to get such a tanning. How many times had she told that kid not to wish away her little brother? Tammy just didn’t understand the consequences of her actions. Carrie looked around the room, carefully searching the shadows and creeping darkness.

            “Show yourself,” she called. Only stillness answered at first. But then there were the quick darting disturbances that gave proof they were there.

Goblins.

Why was it always goblins?

“I demand audience with your king.”

The chorus of laughter was more than a little unsettling. She hated goblins, since their ferocity was so variable. Some species were mere pranksters and pests, some were truly terrifying. All of them were trouble, though.

“Show me Coren!”

The silence was deafening. She searched the room again, but the little twitches ceased their diversion. Goblins could not stand to hear their names. The underlings probably feared what would happen having heard their king’s name. She waited knowing he would come when summoned. It was the goblin way.

“You are cheeky aren’t you?” slithered the words right out of a stream of moonlight. His body seemed to materialize from the sound. First his shimmering spider silk hair, then two ruby red eyes, jaundice yellow skin, long lanky limbs and torso all wrapped in long purple velvet trappings. A crown of spires sat stark straight atop his head creating a level plain from which his face could pour forth. He was of course in no way malformed, and other then his obvious wrong complexion and strange slightness. It was also the way of the goblins to imitate human kind the best they could. For their royalty that meant years of cross breeding between the two races. Which was evident in Coren’s near attractiveness of face.

“How do you know my name, girl?”

“A friend told me,” she said since it was true enough, “Where is the child?”

“What concern is it of yours? You did not wish him away.”

He was stalling. It wasn’t going to work. Carrie was more powerful than he was, and she knew it.

“The girl has no part in this.”

“She was the one that wished me to take her brother away. I should be dealing with her.”

“Tammy is ten,” was all Carrie had to say about it.

He walked a circle around her, sizing her up. Apparently he wasn’t very impressed because he seemed quiet bored by the time he finished.

“I suppose you want to make some sort of bargain to get the child back.”

“Yes,” she curtly replied.

“I will only offer a deal to the girl… Tammy. It is her wish, she should have to deal with the consequences.”

There the cacophonous laughter leapt up again. He was being unreasonable. Here, Carrie was ready to play any game that he had to offer and he wasn’t going to bite. He stood next to her jutting out his chin.

“You can’t have her. Anything you want you’ll have to get from me.”

“I have what I want,” he said leaning toward her ear, “I have the baby.”

At that the laughter set to braying once more. He was serious about keeping the baby. All the rest was just cake. She was starting to run out of options. If he lost interest he would just go, and then she’d never get the kid back. Then a most revolting and ingenious thought occurred to her. It’s not like she really had anything to lose. No job, no close friends, other than Jamie who probably wouldn’t stay friends with her if she lost his baby, no close family to miss her.

“Why steal someone else’s baby when you could have one of your own?”

He looked into her eyes, which wasn’t too hard since he was just about her same height. Her seriousness must have been plain because he stepped back and gave her another look over.

“That’s not how this game is played,” he said pulling his palm over his chin.

“Well, then I’m changing the game.”

“You would really trade yourself, your very body for the child?”

“It was my responsibility to keep him safe. I would never be forgiven if I didn’t do everything possible to make that happen.”

He stepped forward and he suddenly seemed much taller, a full head even then he had been only a moment before. His fingers pulled gently though her hair. His yellowing diminished to a natural, yet pail shade and his eyes darkened to a solid black iris. He was a changeling. She looked up at him but he seemed lost in thought. As attractive as his strange goblin guise had been, he was ten times more so now. He had become lean and healthy with smooth chiseled features.

“You want to be saved from this ordinary life?” he whispered.

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“So be it.”

 

In a flash of purple fabric the pair disappeared into the moonlight leaving the room empty save for the kicking feet of Tammy’s little brother in his crib.