The City of Goblins looked like a strange heap of houses, huts and slums. It was as if they had built in a hurry. Passing along the narrow streets, Elsa turned into a small lane and stopped in front of the low house. They put the basket down out of the saddle and Elsa said:
"Help me to take it to the house!"
The girl helped the woman with the basket then the goblin woman invited her to come in and get some rest.
Angelica had to bend down a little because the ceiling of the house was low. She sat down in the old but comfortable armchair and waited for Elsa. After a few minutes the woman came in holding awkwardly a metal tray.
"I have made some herbal tea," she said. "If you want to - drink!"
Lica thanked Elsa but refused to; referring to the fact that she was not hungry or thirsty.
"It's up to you!" the goblin woman shrugged. "You're going to the witch, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am!"
"To find out about the Prince?"
"Yes."
"And I serve the witch!"
"Do you?"
"Yes, I do! I pick up some roots and stones for her... then I take them to her. And she makes potions from them."
"How long have you been working?"
"For ages! Since our young King died."
"Did he?" Lica repeated.
"Hey, you do not know anything at all?" the goblin woman surprised. "I think you are not from our kingdom."
The girl nodded.
"Ok, listen... Before the goblins were not as ugly as they are now. We were exactly the same as other people. We used to live and work together until the evil Wizard and his army captured our kingdom. He vowed that he would destroy all our people including the old and children. That's why all of the people went into the caves by secret passages. We had been living there for years. The men had been mining ore and precious stones, the women had been farming and bringing up their children. We have changed over time. Our bodies have adapted to the living underground. We had become stunted and our hands and feet had been thickened. Our eyes stopped seeing during the day. But in fact the life in the caves was awful. Therefore, when the Prince Night had allowed our King to build the city in his kingdom, we were very happy! No matter that it was night all the time but we could live in the open air and not underground! Here, our King's son was born. His mother died during childbirth. The boy looked like the man - not the goblin. Our King was afraid and went with that child to the witch that you were looking for. The witch told him that there were some magic books where was an old legend about the goblin with the appearance of a man who would be able to return his people to life in the daylight. However, the fate of this goblin was sad... he would die young.
The King listened to the witch and came back to his palace. He named his son Swein. Since then the King never took his eyes off the boy. The child grew up handsome but very spoilt. All his whims were immediately performed. But despite the arduous nature of Swein, our King was able to bring up a smart, brave and responsible goblin. When the boy was eighteen, the King took him to the witch.
'You must fulfill your destiny and return the nation of goblins to real life,' the witch said. 'To do this you have to go back to the land of your ancestors. It is the kingdom which was captured by the evil Wizard and you have to find the magic crystal there. And finally, you have to find the Book of Destiny. Then you must bring them to me and I'll tell you what to do...'
When they came back to the castle on the same day the King crowned his son. So Swein had become the King of Goblins.
Soon the young King assembled a squad and set off to the Land of his Ancestors. We had no news for a long time. Finally, after eight months, some men from the squad returned back to our city. They brought the wounded King with them. Swein was hanging between life and death. The soldiers said that Swein had been fighting heroically but the vile wizard used a magic and was able to wound the young King mortally in the main battle.
Our King took his son and immediately went to the witch. For some days we had heard nothing and then the King came back and told us sad news - Swein had died. He has been buried in the Valley of Oblivion, which is just next to our city.
The witch also was at the funeral ceremony. She had held some mysterious rituals before we placed Swein's body into the tomb.
After the ceremony the witch came up to me and suddenly offered me to assist her and I agreed. Since then I have been helping the witch. And I was there when the Prince Night had come. But my master had sent me home early; so I do not know what had happened there. But I'll take you to her..."
"Oh when will we go?"
"Let's have a rest a bit and then we'll go!"
Lica agreed. Elsa gave her a few pillows and a blanket. The girl put the pillows around, covered with the blanket and fell asleep in the chair.