This Goblin Won't Give Up!

Chapter 12

Sniff! Sniff!

I woke up the next morning to the smell of freshly made breakfast. I couldn't see it, but the smell was amazing. I couldn't stop myself from drooling, imagining what it could taste like. Unfortunately, I was still just a baby, and without any proper teeth, such foods were beyond me. Instead, I was met with the lovely, and I'm using that term loosely, the taste of goat milk.

"Such a big eater, you, aren't you?" Sara said to me, holding the bottle of goat milk up for me so I could feed it. The taste was okay, but it wasn't what I was used to.

"This is so good!" Sola yelled out. From the corner of my eyes, I could see her gobbling down as much food as possible.

"It's gr-great," Tully said in agreement with her.

"Now girls, don't eat too fast, or you'll give yourselves stomach aches," Sara said, scolding them.

"Okay!" they said in agreement, but it didn't look like Sola was going to slow down anytime soon.

"Ugh, how on earth did I ever get stuck taking care of three small children," Sara whined, though she didn't sound that upset.

"That's because you have three younger siblings of your own," The commander said to her, sitting down at his desk. "Besides, I don't think that any of these girls would be comfortable hanging around the men outside. It's lucky that we have you."

"Uncle, you only say that when you need something from me," Sara said, talking like they have had a similar conversation before. "I'm already taking care of these three. I don't think I can do anything else."

"What I need is your advice," the commander said back to her.

"Uncle, if it's about what you found out last night, it might just be a coincidence. They say that there are at least three people that look like you in the world. She could have been just another look alike."

"I know, you might be right, but the pendant, it was hers. I gave it to her when she turned ten and she was wearing it the day that she was taken away. You can't tell me that this isn't some cruel twist of fate."

"Uncle, if you really wish to be certain the church could help," Sara said, cradling me as she walked towards the commander. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew that they were talking about my mother. That pendant was my mother's, not yours. I wouldn't let you take it from me.

"You know all too well that the eye and I haven't seen eye to eye ever since the day she disappeared," he said to her. "They called her a heretic. There is no way that I could just go back there as if nothing had happened and demand such a request from them."

"And what do you think would happen if it's true? The church does not react well to those they deem as heretics. I would be risking your life as well."

"Uncle, you can't give up on this," Sara said to him. "You have spent over twenty years searching for her. You can't give up here. There has to be some way that you can get the answers you need."

"Then there is only one person that I can go to if not the church, and he comes with a price, one that I may not be able to pay. You're right; I need to do this."

"Need to do what?" Sola asked, appearing at his side.

"I need to figure out what you girls would like for dessert," the commander said, picking Sola up and placing her on his lap. If I didn't know better, I would say that he looked like a kind, loving grandfather.

"De-desert?" Tully asked, not understanding what a desert was since there was no such thing in the goblin village.

"That's right; in fact, Sara has some in her tent; your three can go together while Illya is laid down for a nap," the commander said, his voice becoming tense all of a sudden.