Key To A Goblin's Heart

Maland's POV

"We had to wipe their memories off. They already knew too much about our lands, and our secrets aren't safe with the likes of them. What if they had decided to betray us, and sell us off to those Arphoelian traitors? No, we couldn't have taken that risk, as you fully understand, I hope." The Queen said. 

I watched with horror, unable to protest because my station was much beyond her. But, Jake and Mike….to be termed as traitors was simply unacceptable! I don't know why her Majesty was so bent upon proving everyone as a traitor, but I can atleast vouch for these two. 

"I assure you, Your Majesty, they are far from it. In fact, you will never find a more loyal subject than Mike and Jake. I told you how they had saved me from the Hobgoblins, they had every opportunity to run and save their own lives, but they decided to stay! That in itself, speaks of higher motives than treachery." I said reverently. 

"Oh Maland! You are but a naive fool. Can't you see, they were manipulating you? These humans are highly dangerous, and I should have checked their infiltration into my daughter's life much before! I was a fool, to put my trust on Sofosys, and now I must suffer the consequences of his folly!" The Queen declared gravely, putting complete trust on her own misplaced judgements. 

I didn't know what I could do to sway her resolve. I was but a mere servant, bound by oath to follow her words, even as I found it exceedingly difficult to do so. Never in my life before, have I faced a dilemma of this sort. I always placed the Crown over everything else, right from my childhood it was ingrained in my head that the monarch is always right. My Father often said, that the Soldier's greatest duty is obedience to his superiors. So, what do you do when your superiors turn out to be wrong?

I wish Mr Sofosys were here now, his ingenuity could save the situation very well. I had absolutely no idea where to find him, and right now I was alone with Her Majesty. So I was forced to comply to her decisions. 

"So, what is going to happen to them?" I asked fearfully. 

"They are going to have their memories erased and then I will put them back to their own homes in Earth. That is the best I can do for them, in regard to the welfare that they had brought upon my daughter. I am afraid, I can not be more lenient." She said. 

I felt relieved, at least they are not going to be put in the dungeons then. Going back to Earth is as good as it can be, and I think it's better that they have no remembarence of their prior adventures. They will be safe and happy, and this is the best that I could do for them. 

But then, another wayward thought stuck me. Mike was a Goblin, this much was sure, and his powers are no longer repressed now. In fact he is more powerful than ever, as I had witnessed in front of the Hobgoblins the other day. 

What if, he manifests those powers on Earth? Won't it create a greater problem than we anticipate to prevent? His power of fire is not an easy one to hide and it can have dreadful consequences if handled with less expertise. Mike can as well burn down an entire city! That, would not be something that I wished upon. 

"But ma'am, Mike's power of fire…." I started conveying my concerns regarding the situation but the Queen promptly shut me down. 

"I can't believe that you are siding with their non-sense." She said exasperated, "can't you see it's all just a ploy, to get the attention of yours and force you to bring them to Mafhaelore! And, you have fallen in their traps. I used to have a high regard for you, Maland, that's the reason I made you the supervisor of an entire folk of Goblin people, but now I am not sure if my judgement was a prudent one."

I stiffened at her comment, my years spent in her service hadn't made her trust me even a little bit. How could she negate everything that I have witnessed with my own eyes?

"Moreover, it's impossible for that human boy to be a Goblin. You know how our rules are regarding inter-racial marriages. Anyone who marries someone of a different race than a Goblin, needs to certify their names and be placed in the Royal records. I have checked the records this very morning, and found no evidence of a Goblin-Human union in the past hundred years!" The Queen said suffusing. 

I had no more arguments to place, because I understood that the Queen is not going to listen to any sense. The best I can do right now, is wait for Mr Sofosys to contact me somehow so that I can explain the situation to him. 

"You have served me well, Maland." The Queen said absently, "And in regard for your years of service and sacrifice, I am going to spare you this time with just a warning. But beware, don't ever dare to defy me again, or you will not find me so lenient the next time." 

With this, the Queen departed without any further words, and left me to wander about the palace and wait for further instructions as to my fate now. 

It was clear that she no longer trusted me enough, but I didn't feel like going back to the Island just now. I was wondering what my next step should be, when I ran straight into Victoria! She was accompanied by Cassie, and they stopped dead in their tracks on seeing me. 

"What happened? I heard the Queen has captured my brother and Jake? Where are they?" Victoria said frantically. 

I explained the whole situation to them, along with my concerns regarding Mike's powers and my words only increased Victoria's anxiety. 

"I... I will try to find Sofosys and inform him of all these. But, Maland you can't just leave them to their own fates! You have to go to Earth, to look after them and protect them while we come up with a better plan with Sofosys." Victoria said in agitation. 

"I will go too." Cassadrei said to our surprise. "I... I have to try and see if Mike remembers anything at all, and if possible restore his memories. You stay here Victoria, you have other work to do... and promise me that you will look after the other matter." She gave Victoria a significant glance, and Victoria nodded. 

I had absolutely no idea what was going on between them, but I had no time to prod further. 

We immediately set off for Earth. 

It was difficult being here without Jake in tow. Also, I had never been to the town of Milton before so I felt a little uncomfortable here. Cassadrei had lived here for long, and she seemed well acquinted with the streets. I followed her to an apartment which was apparently where she had lived with Mr Sofosys before they translocated to the Island. 

"For Gods sake! Someone else lives here now." Cassadrei was very much dismayed. 

"So, what do we do now?" I asked. 

"Maybe….we should find some cheap hotel to stay, I don't have a lot of human money with me but let me see if I can get a job meanwhile." She was saying, "But, you have to do something else Maland. You have to disguise yourself as a student and go to the University, see if you can track Jake. We need some normal clothes for you first."

We had to shop for clothes, find a cheap lodging and I gave my assurance to Cassadrei that I would do everything in my power to act Normal as a college student and try to find more information about Jake and Michael. 

Thus, I stood now, infront of the classroom where Jake had just entered, wearing a very strange rainbow coloured jacket. I was almost sure that he had seen me, for he frowned and after a while, started making his way towards me. This caught me off guard, for I had not expected an encounter with him. He was supposed to have forgotten me, right? Then, why is he behaving otherwise?

Jake came to me, and leaned over the wall as he said, "So new boy?"

I was not sure if I liked his tone, it was so different from the one that I am used to. Moreover, something about his manners didn't really go well with me.

"Yes." I gulped, "So who are you?"

I tried to act non chalant, but Jake shot me his characteristic smirk. 

"You would be quite a popular among the ladies, you know….and among some guys too. That body you have, people work tirelessly in the gym yet they don't get one. So, what's your secret?"

He leaned dangerously close to me, under the pretense of checking out my biceps. 

I was growing increasingly uncomfortable with Jake's behaviour, and something didn't pronounce right about it. He was never like this before, this extreme familiarity, flattering and...umm propensity to closeness was something I had never expected from Jake. 

Did the Queen's magic somehow backfire and interferw with his brain, to make him behave in such a way?