Key To A Goblin's Heart

I had often wondered why people would make promises that they can't keep. You give your word to someone, and then you break it without giving it any second thought. That, I think, is the biggest hypocrisy of the world. That is probably the reason that I can never trust anyone in my life, because every single person….one way or the other had always broken my trust. 

Like my father, who had adopted me and swore to be by my side always. I was a child then and I had trusted his words, little knowing that I would soon be hurt. As a child, I had trusted a lot many people and look where that got me. I tried to shove all that hurt away, trying to safely secure them all in the depths of my subconscious, but somehow today they were all let loose, coming back and forth to torment my mind. 

The little boy that I was, eventually grew up to be an handsome teenager. I was never exactly shy, only withdrawn from people because I rarely wanted to interact with anyone. They were mostly stupid teenagers anyway, and I could never relate to them. I tried a lot to fit in, but I often found their company frustrating and annoying, like their thoughts were never similar to any of mine. But if course, mine was only a single thought, to find my true father and extract revenge from the ones that had killed my mother. 

I knew that my father was the King, I never once doubted the words that my mother had carefully ingrained in my head. I knew that I was the rightful heir to Arphoelus, and I knew that I just had to wait for the correct time to arrive and make the revelations. There was no doubt in my mind regarding my noble patronage, and I just had to be a great soldier to prove my worth. So, I put my heart and soul into it. 

My adopted father was one of the most celebrated soldiers of his time, so he trained me really well. A little too well, so that his other pupils, namely his real children, often got neglected. Not once did it lead to a heated conversation between him and his wife, who started to suspect my intentions vehemently. 

"You spend so much time with that orphan boy…. don't you have any regards for your own children?" She would say fuming, "They always complain to me that papa is always busy with that boy...he doesn't even talk to us properly. And, for god's sake...they are your own children, but you treat them as the adopted ones!"

"So, how do you think I should treat Magnus? Just because he's an orphan, doesn't he deserve any respect and love?" My father argued passionately. 

I could see the teenage Magnus listening to their argument behind the doors, and I wished I had the power to transport him to anywhere, but this place…. because he really didn't deserve to hear all that was being said about him. 

"Yes...yes give him all the love you have." My adoptive mother said impatiently, "Leave nothing for your real family. What kind of Father are you anyway, to neglect your own child and spend all your time with that roadside scum?"

"Don't call him that!" Father spat, "I am a just father. And I am as much a father to Magnus as I am to our children. None of your whinings are gonna change that. And our children, they are as much of a whiner as you are! All they do is complain about how hard everything is, but did you ever see Magnus complaining? He makes the best of everything that he has, and I can proudly say that he will be a great man one day!"

"Your kids only complain because you spend way too much time with this Magnus! You should focus on training your own children for once, and then we will see who turns out to be great." She huffed, crossing her hands across her breast. 

My father's face was almost red, a sign that he is about to burst forth in anger. However, he controlled his rage and said vehemently, "Our kids are no fighters, Maggie! The sooner you realise that, the better. I have tried my best, I have given the same level of training to them and Magnus, but they never even try to improve! I can only do so much, but if they don't have the desire to learn... I can't help. Magnus, on the other hand, he's a born fighter! He has killer instincts, he is so brave and diligent, and yes I will do everything in my power to make him a great Soldier!"

Maggie wasn't too happy with her husband's comments. She pouted and said, "Yes yes...great, diligent blah blah blah! You know what else he is, a liar! Yes, you heard that right, Magnus is a huge liar. You know what he claimed the other day? That he is the King's son and the rightful heir to Arphoelus! Can you believe it? As if the King would ever associate with the likes of him! But to make such bold claims, that too with a completely straight face, I tell you that guy is a psychopath!"

"Enough!" My father fumed, "He's no liar. He is telling the truth. I believe him….that he maybe the King's son."

"You can't!" Maggie said with great shock. 

"You know our king, Maggie." My father said resigning, "he had a lot of amorous relationships throughout his life. Magnus can very well be the product of one such relationship. He has the King's golden hair, and he is so handsome, just like the King is! Tell me, how many street urchins do you see who look like him? Also, he has pure Magic, he can manipulate Earth as you have seen…. that in itself should be an evidence of his royal birth!"

Maggie looked at him disbelieving, and then with a great scoff….she left him to his devices, all the while muttering under her breath. 

The scene changed in front of my eyes, like the curtains had fallen and the next stage of my life was being dramatised in front of me. 

My Father was leaving. I saw myself standing in the drawing room, pursed lips and a grave expression on my face as he broke the news to us all. It was like a bolt from the blue, like a flash of thunder suddenly appearing on a bright sunny day. I can remember how I had felt at that moment. I had felt numb and dissociated, like the only source of power tethering me to sanity was being snapped. My father was my support system, he was my sole champion and without him…. I didn't know what I would do. 

"Do you really have to go?" Maggie said with tearful eyes, "But, you are so old. They would need younger soldiers, not the likes of you. You are already a war veteran, isn't it time that you retire? Can't they hire other younger people?"

My father sighed and said, "No, dear….they need me, my country needs me and I can't let them down. I am the senior most war veteran and I know tactics that the newer ones don't. Trust me, I will be fine but right now I have to go." He said in a reassuring tone. 

Maggie looked at him with utter contempt. 

"And what shall happen to my children?" She wailed, "How will I take care of my girls with their father gone?"

Father's face broke into a smile and he said, "I don't think that would be any problem. Magnus is there, he is as good a fighter as anyone I had ever trained. I am sure he will look after you and my girls. Won't you Magnus?"

He looked at me expectantly. 

Even years after the actual event, I still felt the pit in my stomach grow larger and my heart seemed to beat a little faster. He was going….and I couldn't have done anything about it. Instead I had blamed him. 

"You promised." My younger self whispered, "that you would never leave me. But you are going…. you didn't keep your word!" His eyes were blurred with tears as he spoke. 

My father approached him gently and said, "It'll only be for a while, I promise. And when I return, I will have new tactics to teach you, now won't that be good?"

But, he didn't return. Instead his dead body, enclosed in a casket was brought at our doors. My father, my only confidante, was dead. His death made me numb to everything, I couldn't eat for days on end and I refused to see anyone. Not that anyone cared though, because he was the only one who had cared for me. Maggie was almost insane with grief and she found me to blame, for all her misfortunes. 

Then, when the King summoned her son to the battlefield, in his father's stead, her grief knew no bounds. 

"The war will destroy my family!" She had wailed, "It's all a curse, my family is under a curse! It's all because of this street urchin Magnus...after he has come to this family, I have not known a moment of peace."

I bore her apathy for so long, that her rage didn't seem too much to bear. I only remembered the last words that my father had spoken to me.

"Take care of them when I leave."

So, I said, "Since I am so much trouble to you, don't worry... I won't stay here longer. I will volunteer for the army instead, so that your son doesn't have to go. Consider it as a payment for all the years of kindness that you have shown me."

And thus, I saw myself stepping foot into a new life, that of a Soldier.