"Goblins in the Garden" by Emma-Jane C. Smith

“There are goblins in the garden,” whispered the disembodied voice eerily.

“How do you know?” Erial asked, frightened as she stood in her bedroom in a nightie. She clutched her favourite toy to her chest.

“Because I called them there.” The voice answered, chuckling slightly.

“What do they want?” said Erial, moving to her bedroom window to peer cautiously out into the darkness.

“They want to take you to a ball, Princess. Wouldn’t you like to go and meet some new friends? Come on, come to the garden and I will take you to a place filled with wonder and beauty.”

“I’m not sure I should go.” Erial told the voice quietly, despite the yearning in her eyes. “Mummy says not to go about at dark, she says I should stay in bed.”

“I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you coming to see me just once. Think of all the wonderful things I have told you about Princess, my Princess… I would even put you in a dress of the finest silk, pink and covered in lace. I do so want to give you presents like this. Won’t you come?”

“Alright, just for a little bit, while everyone is asleep. Promise you won’t tell?”

“Of course not. It will be our secret.”

Erial made her way quietly down the stairs, careful not to let her small footsteps be heard. Her father snored upstairs, and the maid had fallen asleep in her chair by the kitchen fire, the cat sleeping contentedly on her lap.

As soon as she was out of the house, Erial made her way to the garden at the back of the house. It was dark but she found her way there quickly. She could hardly hold back her excitement about the ball, a party just for her.

There was rustling from the flowerbeds, and another from behind the trees.

“Hello?” she called out softly, her feet edging towards a light as she made her way on unshod feet. Her toes feeling the soft, dewed grass beneath them.

The rustling stopped.

“I’m here, ready for the ball.” She added, inching closer to a dark shape.

Suddenly creatures from all about her flew through the air, and Erial gave a cry of shock as they pushed and pulled her towards the silhouette of a tree.

“Stop, stop, stop!!” she cried, trying bat them away.

“STOP!” came a voice, it was deep and kindly. “Sorry, Princess, my goblins are just excited to meet you, that’s all. Are you hurt?”

A light appeared in his hand, and the figure gazed down at her.

“No, it’s alright.” Erial replied. The silhouette had turned out to be that of a young man with snow-white hair. He wore clothes of midnight black covered with glittering black sequins and silver embroidery. The embellishments only served to increase the contrast between his hair and clothes.

“Come then, Princess, let me show you where the ball is.” He held out his hand towards her and as soon as their skin touched, they travelled instantly to a sight of wonder.

Dancers twirled around as the music played, most of them wearing pretty masks to hide their faces. Erial found herself dressed in pale pink, her favourite colour and the dress was trimmed with lovely white lace.

*        *        *        *        *

Lilabeth woke with a start at the shout. She had heard it come from the garden and recognised it as being her younger sister’s. Lilabeth ran to the window and gazed out into the darkness. She couldn’t make anything out except a white rose lying on the grass. Then Lilabeth realised what had happened.

*        *        *        *        *

After a few seemingly endless dances, the man who had given her the wonderful dress pulled her aside to speak with her. He poured her a large glass of melon coloured punch and sat her down on a beautiful sofa chair just at the right height for her small form.

“Are you having fun?” the man asked, reclining languidly back on his own chair.

“Oh ever so much.”

“Do you think you would like balls like this all the time, Princess?” he asked.

“Oh indeed I would sir. Sir, could I ask you a question?”

“Certainly!” he laughed merrily, sipping his own glass of punch.

“How come you call me Princess?” Erial asked. “Only my sister Lilabeth calls me that.”

“Your sister has told me a lot about you. Is it true you can sing beautifully like her?”

“Oh no, she’s much better.”

“Would you help me bring her here to the party? I’d love to hear her sing.”

“What do you want me to do?”

*        *        *        *        *

Lilabeth’s feet thudded loudly as she ran down the stairs and out to the back garden. She did not care if she woke her parents or the maid.

“Jarred!” Lilabeth yelled, coming to a halt near the delicate, pale rose.

“You called?” came the answer as he appeared before her, his ever-changing eyes staring at her. When she first looked at them, one was brown, the other green but began to change almost immediately, one turned to blue, the other hazel trimmed in gold.

“What have you done with my sister?” Lilabeth asked, her breath making mist in the sudden chill of the night air.

“She is having fun Lilabeth, unlike you, it seems. You never did like the presents I gave you, my love.” He took a few steps towards her, until she could feel his warm breath on her face.

“Don’t call me that. You have no right.”

Jarred tsked at her, shaking his head. He bent down slowly and picked up the flower.

“I have every right. I am a king.”

“A king of goblins, not of me.”

“Don’t you want me to be your king? Shower you with jewels and soft fabrics? You would never want for anything if you would become my queen.” He held the rose out to her, his eyes gripping hers so she could not look away. She did not take the rose.

“I would always want for something you could never give me.” She told him, unintimidated.

“And what is that?” he asked, one eyebrow lifted in amusement.

“To be left alone by you and your meddling.”

“Touché.” The Goblin King staggered back, feigning a wound to his heart. He laughed.

“Bring her back. She is nothing to you.” She pleaded to Jarred over his light laughter.

“I beg to differ Lilabeth,” he told her, sobering almost immediately, “she is everything to me now. She is the hope that you will mine, mine to marry, and she is the hope that you will bow to my will.”

“What a bold plan your festering mind has come up with! What deal do you seek to make with me?” Lilabeth asked, her stomach nauseated at the very thought of it.

“I thought the deal was obvious, my darling. If you become my wife, I will return your sister here, and I will give you immortality. And for your part, you will come to live with me in my domain forever, and submit to me.” His grin broadened at the thought.

Fear gripped Lilabeth as her worst imaginings were coming true. She would not, could not bow to his wishes. She gathered up her courage and loosed her anger on him.

“I want Erial returned here now! I want no deal like that with you. I will NOT submit to you or anyone. I seek no marriage and I have never, in all my existence, sought immortality!”

“Then I may just leave your sister to my minions!” he retaliated, snarling. “You will wish you had said yes the very first time I came to you.” And then he was gone.

“Come back!” she cried out, her resolve slipping away from her. “I will make a different deal with you! Please! I want my sister back!” How could she doom her own sister to Jarred? How could she abandon her? Tears fell from her eyes before she could stop them.

But there was no answer, nor did he reappear at her weeping. She lay down on the cold wet grass and sobbed shamefully into her arms.

*        *        *        *        *

The Goblin King knew the small child, Erial, had no knowledge of time passing. She danced encased in a crystal orb which sat, clasped in the hands of a goblin statue. Tomorrow Lilabeth would be his for all eternity, his thirst for her would be quenched.

Jarred stood for a moment and watched Lilabeth’s sister dance among the crowd and smiled. Then he disappeared, leaving the child to her fun. He had appointments to keep.

The Goblin King reappeared in his somewhat drab throne room, and sat himself down.

“Come here!” he barked loudly, his voice reverberating through the stone castle. Immediately, millions of goblins raced to their master.

“I want a contract drawn up.” The sounds of scurrying feet echoed in the large room, and the Head Goblin appeared beside Jarred’s throne. He stood with a piece of parchment in one hand and an inked quill in the other.

“Yes your majesty.” The Head Goblin announced, his voice raspy and his form bent, crooked and dirty.

With a nod, the King of Goblins dictated a document to his minion, a magic contract that could never be broken.

*        *        *        *        *

The Goblin King knelt down beside Lilabeth’s sleeping form and took in her beauty. Her face, as it was now, was exactly as he wanted to remember her forever. She had such soft, red lips, hair as black as his was white. Her perfect eyelids hid away the undeniable splendour of her blue eyes.

He bent closer and whispered into her ear.

“Awake my beauty.”

Lilabeth sat up with a start. She saw Jarred and struggled against weeping once more. Her heart was heavy.

“So you have come back.” Lilabeth stated, brushing off her nightgown as she stood. She looked into his eyes, still disconcerted at their forever changing colours.

“Are you willing to alter your plan at all?” Lilabeth asked, “Will you consider drawing up a different agreement with me?”

“But I cannot Lilabeth, you know I will not settle for anything less.” His mood was sombre, but he did not let it show on his face. He was filled with a great sense of sadness that had come from nowhere. Jarred had never realised until this moment that he was using blackmail to gain her love. It would never be what she wanted.

“I know, but I had to ask.” She stood there for a moment, simply looking at him. Until finally she spoke. “Why do you want me if you know I do not love you?”

Jarred shook his apprehension away, and allowed the anticipation and yearning for her, to fill him.

“Because, my sweet, I love you, and you are all I want- whether you love me or not.” He held the white rose out to her and she reached slowly towards it.

*        *        *        *        *

Suddenly, Erial woke, as if from a dream. She lay in her own bed, surrounded by all the comforts her family provided.

“Oh what a wonderful night it was.” She told her toys as she sat up. “There was dancing and food and everything!”

Erial stood and realised she was still wearing the lovely pink dress the kind man had given her. She smoothed it down, a brilliant smile lighting her face.

“I should show Lilabeth!” she cried, eager to boast to her sister of her adventure. Erial raced from her room into Lilabeth’s. Suddenly, a strange tingle went through her body.

“What was I doing?” she wondered out loud, looking down at her plain nightdress. Her brow furrowed, as she tried desperately to remember.

A voice came from the door.

“What are you doing in the spare bedroom Erial?” her mother asked as she entered.

“I can’t remember Mama.” She replied, running to give her mother a hug.

“Well, come down for breakfast then, Princess.” Her mother told her and led her from the room.

A distant thought tingled in the back of Erial’s mind. Didn’t someone else use to call me that? She thought. But as the smells of breakfast wafted up to her nose, Erial dismissed everything else from her mind.

*        *        *        *        *

The Goblin King took his new bride to his bare and run-down castle, and showed her off to his minions.

“Now we shall change this domain into something more fitting of my bride.” He announced.

He clapped his hands and goblins zoomed around in a flurry. Black, white and silver drapes were placed at windows, tapestries of the King and new Queen appeared on the stone walls. Even the throne was dusted and dripped in gold paint.

Everything looked gaudy to Lilabeth’s eyes. She knew none of the fanciful things in the room were real, it was simply magic playing with her eyes. She knew that even her own dress, pure white and bejewelled with pearls, was tattered and shabby beneath the glimmer of the spell.

“Are you happy now, my Queen?” Jarred asked her.

“I ask only for one thing.” Lilabeth told him, soberly.

“Ask and it shall be yours, my beloved.” He replied, smiling.

“I ask that you give me the power of one wish. A wish that I alone will reveal to you in time.”

“You have it then.” He nodded his assent, too caught up in the moment to notice her odd expression. They entered the now stunningly decorated throne room of the castle, and he made his own request.

“And may I ask you one thing?” he asked, looking at her now, with a smile of triumph and happiness on his face, “Will you sing for me?”

*        *        *        *        *

<br>When Lilabeth was alone in her room she sat down at her dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror. With a sad face she sighed and prepared to make her one wish. <br><p> <br>“I wish not to be immortal…” <br><p> <br>And so as the years passed in the goblin kingdom, Lilabeth’s final revenge was won. Her beauty never faded but her body slowly died. One day, she had lived enough of her long and unhappy life. She put her head down on her pillow and did not wake. <br><p> <br>When the Goblin King awoke the next day, he found her perfect form cold and breathless. Then Jarred realised the truth, with a cry of anguish that was heard by all goblins of his kingdom, his heart spilt in two. He spent the rest of eternity …alone. <br><p> <br><center> <br>The End <br></center> <br>