Because we were all in agreement, the plan was to help the goblins build a village and a port in exchange for the right to use that port. That was what we wanted, but at the same time we had to wait to hear what the goblins decided after Iberis talked it through with their elders.
“We’d be glad to have a village at the inlet,” I said. “We can talk through the finer details, of course, but mainly we’d like to have access to any port that you build there.”
“You got it!” said Iberis, grinning.
I figured that settled things, and so we set off to the hut by the spring lake so we could talk more leisurely.
It hadn’t been long since we’d last met, but there was still a lot to talk about. While we walked to the hut I asked Iberis if he and his friends were all well, and how it was returning home. As we neared the hut, we noticed Ellie hurtling towards us on horseback.
With Ellie was Aymer riding Aisha, and behind them—going noticeably slower—was a group of dogkin with Hubert, carrying a cart along with them. The new arrivals stopped us from entering the hut so they could unload the tables and chairs they’d brought and spruce the hut up a bit. They told me that the goblins were guests who’d brought us a whole bunch of fish and that they deserved a warm welcome.
So they laid out some carpet, plopped a table on it, put some flower-filled vases on the table, lined up chairs around the table, and finally readied some documents. The documents had something about rights to use the goblins’ future port, and official agreements on where their new domain would be. There were a few variations of this last document in case the goblins ended up taking more or less land than we’d spoken of in person.
When Iberis looked through all the documents, he put a halt on proceedings.
“Hang on a sec,” he said. “We took the subject of the inlet becoming our domain to our chieftains, and they’re not sold on the idea. We goblins call the sea home, and while we sometimes spend time on the surface, our chieftains don’t see us claiming a right to own any of it. They also don’t like the idea that if we get attacked in the future, we’d have to defend ourselves on land. Ugh. Our older folk are wusses, I tell you.”
Iberis shook his head and went on.
“So the wasteland is your domain, Duke, but we ask that you let us build a village there. That’s what our people have chosen. I know it’s not easy for you to get to the inlet, so if governing it is difficult then we’ll select a representative from among our people to take on the responsibility. The land, however, will still officially be your domain. We don’t mean to spit on the kingdom’s good graces by just using its land, but I do hope you have the generosity in your heart to accept these conditions of ours.”
“If that’s what you want, we’ve got documents drawn up and ready to go,” I said. “But you’re sure? I’m a duke, which means I can grant you ownership that will last several generations, or at least as long as the kingdom still stands...”
Iberis grinned.
“If the circumstances change and we need a new home, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” he said. “And maybe we’ll use our experience and smarts to create a new base of operations for ourselves on an island somewhere. We goblins are adventurers! We meet change as we encounter it, and we push on! Whatever the elderly might say, it’s up to the younger generations to shake off their fears and keep moving!”
“Then I guess we’ll be signing the most detailed of these documents. It explains that the south will remain under Baarbadal’s rule but that you’re allowed to build residences there. We’ll have ownership of the port there too, but you will of course have complete access to it as well, as long as you don’t do anything that breaks the law.”
In the distant past, when the kingdom was much bigger, distant domains weren’t governed by the kingdom’s laws but were in fact self-governed. The inlet would work something like that...well, according to Hubert, anyway.
“I’m sure Hubert will chat with you about all the details later,” I said, “but I want to make sure you can all live comfortably.”
“For the duke himself to say such a thing fills us with the deepest gratitude!” said Iberis. “And relief, to boot! We’ve been truly blessed to call someone so generous and kind an ally and a friend!”
Iberis grinned again, and all the goblins lined up behind let out relieved sighs. It struck me then that Iberis had come to Iluk this time with an entirely different group of goblins. I didn’t know exactly how to tell them all apart, but all the goblins that left had been wearing their crayfish armor—now the only one in armor was Iberis. Some of the goblins with him looked like they might be female, and others were small and clearly young.
All the goblins outside of Iberis had looked a bit nervous and hesitant, eyeing me with some caution, but after the goblins heard our conversation, that had melted away into relief.
“Ah, I suppose I should introduce everybody,” said Iberis. “These are the people with whom I have the closest bonds. Family, you might call them. When we got home and told everybody about our adventures, some wanted to see Baarbadal for themselves, and some thought it was all a big prank. Others were just plain worried about me going back, so I brought everyone with me. I know it’s quite the entourage, but that’s part of the reason we made it back here so quickly. Once we’re a bit more used to the journey, I think we’ll be able to make the trip in a single day.”
“Oh, relatives, huh?” I said.
Ellie, however, came rushing up to my side when she heard what Iberis had just said.
“Did you just say a single day?!” she exclaimed. “From the ocean to the spring in one day?! Are you telling me that you could potentially bring us live seafood?! What I mean is, could you fill barrels with seawater and bring live seafood here?! Do you have any idea what a sales opportunity this is, Iberis?! You could sell the seafood as it is or process it in Iluk! Fresh seafood is no different from rare jewels in the kingdom!”
“Live seafood is...well, impossible,” said Iberis. “Now, of course there are things we could bring alive, but most of it would suffocate on the way. You’re right that we aquatic life breathe in the water. But stagnant seawater will suffocate fish over time or otherwise go stale. Whatever you’re transporting won’t reach its destination alive when that happens. I think it’s a better idea to dress your seafood in advance and transport it on ice or in cooled seawater. If you’re happy with that idea, we can get fish to you a day after we catch them.”
This idea was one Ellie liked very much. She took Iberis’s hand and told him that dinner tables across the kingdom were going to get a whole lot more exciting, and they were going to make some great sales because of it. Iberis looked happy to see her so delighted, and he nodded.
Ellie’s excitement ended up derailing our discussions for a little while.
While Ellie was talking business plans with Iberis, Alna arrived with Senai on the latter’s horse, Shiya. Ayhan was with them on Guri, and the Wives’ Club wasn’t far behind pulling a cartload of stuff.