Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

reluctantly.
    'It's not fair,' he said bitterly, glaring up at Rupert. 'I've spent weeks turning that bunch of knock-kneed idiots into a crack fighting unit. I've taken farmers and herders and leechmen and turned them into warriors. Two days ago we fought off a demon pack. Morale's never been higher. And then what happens? You come along and demoralise the whole damn bunch without even using your sword! It's not fair!'
    'Calm down,' said Rupert.
    'Calm down? It's not enough that you've become a legend among us, as the only human ever to have defeated a whole pack of goblins. It's not enough that some of that pack are still having nightmares about
    you. It's not enough that goblin mothers now frighten their children with tales of the nasty human who'll come for them if they're naughty. Oh no, not content with all that, you decide to hunt us down with a whole troop of guards! What are you going to do for an encore — set fire to the Forest?'
    Rupert grinned. It was obvious that the goblins he'd scared off had built him up into a mighty hero, to justify their running away. Maybe legends had their uses after all.
    'What are you doing so far from your home?' he asked, and the goblin leader scowled.
    'The Tanglewood's gone,' he said gruffly. 'The dark came, and demons overran the narrow paths. They wrecked our homes and butchered our families. We ran before them, carrying what we could. Goblins aren't brave; we've never needed to be. It's not in our nature. But after what we've seen, some of us have learned to hate.
    'We're an old race, sir hero, remnants of an earlier age. It was a simpler time, then. No humans to make us afraid, no Darkwood to blight our Forest. An age when magic was strong in the world, and cold iron lay safely in the ground, no danger to the small folk. Then man came, using steel against our bronze, forcing us from our ancient homes. We created the Tanglewood with the last of our magic, and made it our new home. Few of us survived the move; we live long and breed slow, and we don't like change.
    'We're not fighters, sir hero, it's not our way. We don't even make good footpads, as you no doubt remember. We farm, and tend our herds, and leave the world be. All we've ever asked is to be left alone. But now the night is spreading, and our day is finally over. Once, our numbers were beyond counting. Then there were thousands of us, living in the Tanglewood. Now there are hundreds, and we have no home. So we're going to the Forest Castle. We may not be strong and brave and carry cold steel, sir hero, but we can fight, and if the Castle will shelter our families, we'll defend it with our lives.'
    The goblin leader glared defiantly up at Rupert, as if expecting an insult or a blow for his presumption in claiming his people to be warriors. Rupert looked past him and saw that the listening goblins had drawn strength from their leader, and were standing calmly in the middle of the trail, awaiting Rupert's answer.
    They were not proud or brave, but there was something about them that might have been dignity.
    'Go the the Castle,' said Rupert, his voice breaking a little. 'Ask admission in my name; Prince Rupert of the Forest Kingdom. Your families will be safe there, and the King can always use warriors like you.'
    The goblin leader stared at him, and then nodded briefly. 'And where might you be off to, sir hero?'
    'We're going to the Dark Tower,' said Rupert. To summon the High Warlock.'
    The goblin leader's mouth twitched. 'I don't know who I feel more sorry for — you, or him.'
    He turned on his heel and marched back to his waiting people. More goblins emerged from the Forest shadows: women and children, carrying what few possessions they had left. The goblin leader coaxed and bullied his people into a single ragged line, and then led them past the silently watching, somewhat bemused troop of guards. Slowly, wearily, the goblins headed down the dirt trail that led to Forest Castle.
    'I take it you've encountered these . . . persons . . . before,' said the Champion.
    'Several of them tried to kill me in the Tanglewood,' said Rupert. 'I showed them the error of their ways.'
    He realised he was still holding his sword, and sheathed it.
    'I see,' said the Champion. His tone of voice made it clear that he didn't.
    Rupert grinned, and then looked down as somebody tugged impatiently at his stirrup. The smallest goblin smiled cheerily up at him.
    'Good day, sir hero, remember me? Thought I'd just say thanks. Our