The High Priest and his Goblin Grandchild

Part 6 of Doy of the Marshes

Doy separated from the Shepherd Kids near Shabiton. This was the small village where, many years before, Count Tedus, then serving humans, had led his flock for shearing. But Doy couldn't go there, he had his goblin masters to serve. So, a long goodbye, a few quick tears and away he went, on to Caddair, ignorant of the fears of his friends.

Two days later, Doy arrived at the walls of Caddair. The human city, with its tall buildings, made a solemn impression on him. For the first time in his life, he was proud to have a human father. He had no trouble getting in. Despite a light shade of green in his beige skin, he looked mostly human and, besides, many other hwblin kids lived inside the walls, most as slaves, and guards weren't concerned with those.

Soy Doy walked, running at times, to the largest temple in Caddair. This was a magnificent building to him. As wide as the palace back home in Elem, but much higher and profusely decorated with intricate engravings representing the human myths. For him, however, the Great Hawk in the Sky and the Fair Maiden by the Lake didn't mean anything. But the art was sublime enough to make him stop and wonder until he remembered his mission.

Then he entered the temple and asked squarely for Erek, waving his envelope. Fortunately, the altar boy at the gate was bright enough to figure out that Doy wanted to deliver a message and led him to the priests' dorm.

“Heavenly priest, your mercy,” the altar boy said at Erek's door“ "there's a hwblin with a message for you."

“Abou”?”

“I don't know, your mercy, he must be a new slave, can barely speak a word in our language."

“I see, let him in.”

The altar gestured for Doy to come in. The hwblin, being also a slave in his country, kneeled. Erek waved his hand and then, Doy, with a shiny smile, stood and delivered his letters. Finally, he had done it, he had accomplished his mission and, back home, the overseer would be pleased with him. Surely, after all his troubles, he'll be rewarded with a little bragging right, plus a new tunic.

Erek's face turned so pale and greenish that, for an instant, he could've been believed to be a hwblin himself. The message read.

“The bearer of this letter is my boy, your grandchild. My responsibilities do not allow keeping him in my company, so I am reaching out to you, Heavenly Priest, to care for and provide for him. I implore you, for the health and safety of your child in our custody and father of this child, to take your responsibilities in the most discreet manne”.”

Who was that goblin woman who could write in such a way? Erek sighed“ “Just anybody, of course, a human scribe would've done the writing for him.” Still, that required either the means to pay for the service or owning a lettered human slave. So she must be some wealthy goblin, at the very least, perhaps even nobility.

And then there was yet another letter, an even shorter one, written in a rugged script. This quite simply said.“ “If the boy is hurt, I'll hurt you. Count Ted”s”.

Tedus, count Tedus? Oh, this must be one of those little goblin chieftains. Nevertheless, goblins could be daring… but why would this goblin count care for a little slave hwblin? Erek started to figure out that this hwblin boy might be somebody".

But he couldn't be his grandchild, not that wretched, unshod thing. His child, Oldy, had gloriously died in battle against the Greenskins, receiving the glories of a martyr. How could he imagine his firstborn would yield to those puny goblins? And worse, sire a child with a goblin female, the scandal! Gods, he was glad he was a widower, so his wife wouldn't know of this infamy. But that boy, what to do with that boy?

Doy was uneasy. He had returned to a kneeling position, for that was safer at home when facing important people. All quite respectful, but tiring on the knees after a while, so he was happy when the big human man talked to him.

“Boy, name?” Then the priest repeated slowly.“ “Naaam?” “Doy.”

Doy?!, Erek shouted inside his mind, Doy, that's how he called his own Oldy when he was a toddler. There was something to be done. Something! But what? Hwouldn't go't as far as to kill hm, or sell the boy away. He called the altar boy.

“Kletós, I need your service.” The boy rushed in. He wasn't a slave but an orphan and a candidate for priestly orders as soon as he finished his studies in ten years. Meanwhile, he'd help at the temple for free instruction, a room, a board, and simple but fine priest-like clothing.

“Your mercy?” “You can speak goblin, can't you?"

“Not really.” Among the poorest in Caddair it was usual to have deals with hwblins and goblins, for slaves and kids from poor families got the same jobs. Ketós, at a younger age, had played with those while singing for a penny on the streets.

“Try. Ask this hwblin about his parents.”

“Tekoj twenj mer… merboj?” Kletos tried.

Doy answered in simplified grammar, like if talking to a toddler“ “Ek enbo.”

“He says he doesn't know them, your mercy.”

“Ah, thank you. Well, take that boy and house him with the orphans for this night. Tell Sister Era that it's on m”.”

“Yes, your mercy.”

Kletós, quite amazed, complied with the priest order“ “But Priest Erek hates goblins. They killed his son!”

“No, wait!”

Kletós now got a chill through the spine. Heavenly Priest Erek never lost his temper or shouted in such a manner. Turning back, with the hwblin at his side, he addressed his superior. “Yes, your mercy.”

"I'll have his services as a messenger. Take there's a brown penny for him and a white penny for you. Buy him some food for the way and find a dwelling in an inn. Then return both of you and I'll have my letter ready.

End of Part 6