In the non-human forests. Right at the foot of a mountain.
The goblins just got back home from a LONG and tiring trip. They had travelled from their home to the human capital to try their luck with humans.
Naturally, some humans were midly uncomfortable, others would ignore them, and a lot of them. . . Well, they had to make a run for it.
So yeah, not much luck unfortunately.
As they returned from the human capital to back to their rocky mountain. But one day, an orc family who was travelling from the same path as them, told them all about a human female who they called "open arms." A human female with cinnamon skin, blonde hair and golden eyes who welcomed them with open arms to her restaurant and grant them a buffet.
The goblins, naturally were incredibly sceptical to that. They haven't heard (and much less saw) of any human willing to welcome a non-human creature. Yet, orcs were proud creatures who would never vouch for or about anyone without being truthful.
The curiosity of the goblin family made them go to where the orc's said was the restaurant. And just as they feared, it was full of humans. Coming in and out every now and then, which did not help their fears and scepticism. But there were a pair of orcs standing as guards, which helped the goblins feel at ease and get closer.
The female orc nodded at them and opened the door for them.
Inside there was the wonderful smell of food and naked goods. They waited patiently at what they thought was the entrance of the restaurant. A human female appeared, but she wasn't the one the orc's described. If anything, this human female asks them to wait with a nervous smile while she ran to the kitchen.
The humans would stare, but they did not give much a second glance. Like they were already used to it. Then again, there are orc guards outside. They probably already resigned into throwing them out of the town.
Soon, a human female who called herself "Amy," asks us to follow her. She had the blonde her, golden eyes, and cinnamon skin the orcs described. "Amy," (or so she called herself) was always smiling gently at the goblin family and guided them to a "non-human zone," especifically made for the non-humans.
The plants, lights and space made the human conversations and outside noise full as they felt this place as a safe space. Just for them. It was wonderful.
Amy soon asked for order and after a little while, there was a whole buffet. The organ and rubber stew was delighful! It brought them back home. The bitter tea was a straight up energizer for the whole family. The veggies were fresh and easy to eat. And the cookies. . . Oh! The honey cookies were perfect!!
She even gave the goblins journey food to make it home without loosing too much weight.
As they returned to their home, they made sure that the posters were as intact as possible.
'Remember family, all posters have the "open arms" drawing but each one contains a different creature.' The father goblin stopped and showed the different posters with each different non-human creatures. 'To make sure "open arms" gets good attention, we must try to give the correct picture to the correct non-human. Help classify them and divide the posters between us, that way won't have to waste too much time in searching the correct poster.' He told his family.
Everyone agreed and they quickly divided the posters between posters in small groups of each non-human creature they could find and see in the posters: fairies, elves, trolls, goblins, dwarfs, gnomes, orcs, and even vampires.
After that, with their backpacks full of merchandise they could not sell at the capital, snacking on the food Amy gave them, they found the safe heaven of the forest and, as they kept going back and a few steps inside the forest, they encountered their first non-humans: the dwarfs.
The dwarfs were one of the closest beings to the humans in appearance: like little humans, but their faces and beards, as well as robust bodies and deep voices made them stand out on their own. And, unlike goblins, dwarfs are actually respectes by a lot of humans who have similar or the same jobs as the dwarfs, which makes it easier for the dwarfs to come into the human world and make profit unlike other creatures.
As soon as the goblins were spotted by the dwarfs, the dwarfs went tense. It was a natural response since, goblins were known for trickery and mischief, something that, while dwarfs were capable of the same, they did not like to do such things when it came to the expense of their hard work and possible profit.
'No games or pranks today.' The father goblin stepped up between his group and the dwarfs. 'We came to give a word. . . A good word today.' He told the dwarfs.
The dwarfs, with their axes still in hand but with curiosity among them. 'What is the good word that a goblin is willing to give?' One of the dwarfs asked.
The goblin rolls open a poster and showed them the drawing of a human female giving bread with a hand open and a dwarfs taking the bread with a silver chalize in hand. 'She who is called "open arms" by the orcs, and she who us goblins would call "Amy," has a restaurant. A restaurant which accepted non-human creatures without evil glances.' He gave the poster to the dwarfs.
The leader of the dwarfs took the poster with curiosity and scepticism. '. . .' He and his comrades were still not trusting much.
'Good food.' Another goblin interviened coming up to the dwarfs and pointing to the bowl, bread and chalize. 'Good payment as well. She who calls herself "Amy" has and she who is called "open arms" by the orcs willingly adapted the payment methods for use to do.'
The leader of the dwarfs raised and eyebrow, taking a step back from the goblin who was too close. 'Hmm. . .' Any dwarf with their salt could not trust goblins that easily..
'Her restaurant is in the human town of "Berrywood." She calls her restaurant "Spice Delight." If you go there, let her know we have sent word. She remembers deals.' The father goblin told as he took from his backpack his two contracts showed his legitimacy with the female human to the dwarfs. 'It is a "true deal." No tricks. Just truth.' He lended the dwarfs his contracts.
The dwarfs were taken aback with this new information: an actual female human had signed a contract of legitimacy the goblins. . . The goblins?! They all took a look at the contracts and the summary could be said like this:
In contract one: the goblins were to spread positive word to the non-humans about the restaurant and what it can offer.
In contract two: the goblins were to bring the female human rare ingredients, spices or even herbs as payment, as long as they were safe for both humans and non-humans to use and eat.
The leader and the oldest dwarf stroked his beard. '. . . Interesting. A human female capable of making a deal with the goblins and get a good word from the orcs. . . We might as well check it out since we are heading to the capital through the "Berrywood town."' He told his comrads giving the goblin his contracts back but keeping the poster and taking a better look at it. 'If half of what you, goblin, are saying is true. . . Then this human might be worth the dwarfs' attention and alliance.' He determined.
The other dwarfs nodded in agreement. How could they not? If the leader of the group, who was not only a veteran but also the oldest and wisest as well, gives the statement of a "human worth looking at," then it must be a good judgement.
The goblins for their part, satisfied for the play in this, started to continue their journey. But not before the father goblin say, 'if you truly go there, tell "Amy" we have sent word. She remembers. And lets us pay fairly.' The father goblin packed up his contracts and posters and went after his group, leaving the dwarfs with the poster and with wonder.
. . .
A few days later. . .
They had just woken up, when they heard horse sounds and galloping. The goblins quickly packed up and took cover, not wanting to find out if those were horses from the anti-fae guards, or worse, human hunters.
Fortunately, they soon found out that the horse that came through the trees belonged to an elf. A tall and glamourous one as well.
With sweat and a hint of fear, the father goblin knew the elves had a "sixth sense" that allowed them to know who could be hiding from them, and that would only bring bad news to his family and his tribe. It was better to come out willingly and give the poster to the elf himself as a sign of respect.
The goblins appeared at the elf's side and kneeled. 'We greet the high fae in peace.' The goblins said in unison. 'We bring a good word from "open arms," the female human who receives everyone at her tables with fair treatment.' The father goblin then shows the poster, the poster still closed, but he presented it as sacred parchment or s roll to the high elf.
The elf stopped his horse in his tracks and nodded in acknowledgement. His eyes analizing with a cold calm the scene and the "scroll" before him. 'A good word from the goblins for a female human? . . . Interesting.' He raised an eyebrow with a calm tone, but with a tiny sneer from him.
The father goblin gulped and yet continued. 'We do no look for mischief or tricks. She feels without asking for lineage, and she asks no more than a fair deal. Please take this poster as a peacekeeper and I can show legitimacy right away.'
The elf cómplices and took the "poster-scroll" from the claws of the goblin. As the goblin took out his contracts, the elf looked at the poster with such a tiny smile it looked like a trick from the light. 'Interesting. . . You say you have legitimacy?' He asked turning to the goblin who was already showing his two contract scrolled.
'Yes indeed. "Open arms" and I firmed these two as a fair deal.' The father goblin said sweating a bit and looking down at the soil.
The elf borrowed the contract "scrolls" and took a look. As he read the contracts, he found himself drawned to the fairness of deal and the easiness to read the contracts. Not in that order. 'Hmm. . .' He particularily made himself memorizing the human's signature of both papers. It was one of the most beautiful and unique signatures to have ever seen so far. 'Thank you for showing me this.' He gave back the contract scrolls to the goblins but kept the poster. 'I'll think about visiting her. If "open arms" is just as fair as you say, then her name will be remembered through and beyond this forest.' He went on his path again.
As soon as he was gone, the goblins fell either on their faces and butts. An elf's aura is no joke.
'I almost wet myself!' One of the youngest goblins exclaimed in amazement and terror.
'Yes. . . But he accepted it.' The father gave a crooked smile. 'And that is worth gold.' He pointed out as he packed up. 'Let's go. If we keep this pace up, we get rid of the posters, get the herbs and return. I promised "Amy" that she'll have our deal done by mid autumn.' He started to walk.
'We must keep the pace then.' The father goblin's wife determined following him a long with the rest of the family.
. . .
At the evening. . .
They kept walking until the saw the sun in the horizon. The night meant two things for the goblins: human hunters or vampires. Two species the goblins were always trying to avoid. Especially in the wild.
Fortunately, they found a cave. Unfortunately, they quickly found out that the cave was infested with bats.
'Ugh, bats. . .' The goblin cousin murmured in complaint.
'Do not fret, cousin, it is only tonight's refuge. We can't risk sleeping outside like we have so far.' Father goblin replied.
The family goblin quickly set up for tonight and they all looked at the sun leaving in the horizon, letting the moon shining bright with her children, the starts.
'Ah~, what a pretty view.' The father goblin's wife smiled.
'Right?' A deep, soft voice who none of the goblins recognized asked. 'That's the main reason why we took this cave as ours.' The deep soft voice responded.
The goblins felt a terrifying chill down the spine, soon recognizing the breath smell of dry blood and expensive wine. . . Turning around slowly, they found a whole here of vampires looking at them with their tall height, paled faces smiling with knife-like fangs, and their red eyes staring down at them.
The goblin adults soon surrounded the young ones with their bodies as a way to protect their young. 'V-Vampires!' The goblin's wife murmured terrified.
'How could I forget that vampires could transform into bats?!' The cousin exclaimed in a thread of voice with his eyes locked the red eyes staring back.
The father goblin was also hitting himself in the head for forgetting such a basic knowledge of survival. Quick quick quick! Think! He saw as one of the vampires at the front started to come forward. 'W-Wait! We are not here to invade! We are here ato share gossip!' He blurred out the first thing he thought closing his eyes, with his body still protecting his group.
The main vampire stopped in his track. 'Gossip, you say?' The vampire wondered as he standed straight and looked at his herd, who looked at the goblins, with more curiosity than hunger now. 'Well, why didn't you just said so! Come on, speak up!' He smiled with his fangs, showing interest. 'It better be juicy or my herd and I will drink you and your group dry~.' He purred dangerously.
The father goblin gulped in fear opening his eyes to see the vampire once more. The cousin goblin quickly took out three posters with vampires in it and presented them to the fampires. 'T-They call her "open arms," a female human who receives everyone regardless o-of especies and status. S-she has received orcs and goblins with the same hospitality as she received humans, and as you can see in the posters, she is also willing to receive v-vampires.' The father goblin spoke up as the cousin goblin backed off and go in track to the protection circle and then went to search for his contracts in his backpack. 'H-here!' He showed his contracts. 'She even made legitimacy contracts with a fair deal in each of them.' The fathe goblin gave the main vampire the contracts, playing and hoping the vampires would not take the, from him.
The vampires studied both contracts and posters under the light of the fire. They could see in the dark, they were vampires after all, but that eyesight was good for hunting, not reading. They saw the posters with the human female smiling at each vampire poster, and how easy and fair were the contracts for the goblins.
'Are you sure it was a human? It could be a trap. I don't think so, goblins only use the seal to make sure both parties agree to do their part.' Some of the vampires showed scepticism. These vampires were far more observers than the rest.
'Most humans either run or light up torches. Yeah, but these "posters," show calm and happiness. Mm-hmm, maybe it is true. A human making a legitimate deal with goblins?! That is worth checking out something.' Most of the herd were sceptic but also open to the idea.
'Hmm. . .' The vampiric leader looked at the contracts one more time, making sure the female human's signature was deep engraved in his mind and then he gave them back. 'Very well, goblin. You and your group shall live tonight. Maybe we will soon leave and try out whatever "open-arms" can offer us and see if she's as fair as you make her sound.' He told the goblin as he left the cave, transforming himself into a bat, and being followed by his herd doing the same, leaving the cave behind to go hunt for their meals.
The goblin group almost fainted of relief of being left alive when the vampires left through the shadows of the night, their laugh's eco sounding through the forest leaving a chill down their spines.
'Phew! That was close.' The cousin goblin exhaled in relief.
'Too close.' The mother goblin was soothing her youngest as he cried in her arms.
'Yeah. Reminder: never sleep in or near caves where there's bats.' The father goblin declared. 'It is not worth it.'
. . .
At the mountainside. . .
The goblins found themselves close to the path that would bring them to their goblin home, but also found the fae market. A market were the fae from the forest would come and set up their merchandise to exchange with the rest of the fea and other non-human creatures.
The goblins went to the lake, were the nymphs and satyrs were guarding the market from any sign of danger (ehemhumansehem!), either talking among each other, or safeguarding the zone with nymphs having the trees and water by their side and the satyrs' having wooden flutes on their backs like swords.
The goblins made their way up to a satyr and made themselves known. 'We greet the guardians of the forest! We have come in peace, no mischief today.' The father goblin spoke up.
The satyr stopped in his tracks and looked down at the goblins. 'Goblins speaking in peace today? That is a new one.' He chuckled.
The other satyrs turned to see the group of goblins as well as the nymphs who stopped talking and turned to see them. 'Is it news, or gossip?' A dryad walked up to the satyr in front of the goblins.
'We have come with new gossip, a female human who non-human call "open arms" gives a warm welcome to all creatures.' The mother goblin took out the posters for both satyr and nymph and showed both. Female goblins were more tolerated by these two after all, especially with a small child close to her. 'Orc, vampire, goblin. . . Anyone. And she fulfills her word.'
'She is also willing to fulfill her promised through legitimate and fair contracts.' The father goblin showed his contracts to them.
Another pair of satyr and another two dryads and three water nymphs went to look the posters. The satyr from the poster were sitting with the blonde hair and cinnamon skin woman, sharing a silver chalize and both of them had olive branches for crowns; as for the nymph poster, there were a group of tree nymphs: dryad, water, and rock, win the same olive branch crowns, sharing a meal with the humans. As for the contracts, the satyrs and nymphs were capable of reading the contract, as were amazed about how easy it was to read and how beautiful was the signature off he human.
'Well, this is a first. A human willing to make a deal with the goblins?' The main satyr wondered.
'If what you say it's true, then it might be worth to check it out.' The dryad gave the contracts back to the goblins. 'Thank you for your word. If we go and see her, we will tell that you have sent word.' She told the goblin swith a smile.
The goblins nodded in both agreement and thankfulness, for the dryads were far more patient with creatures like goblins unlike the satyrs who, despite being also patient, they could also retaliate in a not-so-pretty way.
They made their way inside the market afterwards. But soon found themselves at disavantage. Why? Because goblins are known for being weak and terrible mischievious creatures. The goblins, true to their nature, standed on the shadow, every now and then saying they were just going through the market to keep the pace back to their home, and they would be left alone.
At night, they had to force themselves to think of another way to pay for the deal and being able to make it back at home alive and in one piece. But how!?
'Hahahahaha right?! Yeah. That guy never standed a chance!' The familiar sound of the orcs sounded close by.
The goblin family turned and saw a group of orcs walking to the opposite direction, and the father goblin had an idea.
The father goblin trotted and made himself known to the orcs. 'Greetings giant fellows!' He greeted showing his poster of "Amy" and the orc well up high.
The orcs stopped on their tracks and looked down. 'What do you want, small fellow?' The orc greeted back.
'Haven't come to fight or bother. We just came back to the mountain to fulfill our deal with "open arms" herself.' The goblin gave the poster to the orc infront of him. 'She gave us posters, and a fair deal. But, we thought that you orcs would be capable of spreading her word to the strongest of the strongest.' He explained.
The orc took the poster and saw the female human serving the orc a good orcish meal. 'Haha! Yeah, "open arms". . . Yeah, a brother of arms of mine has told me about her and her nickname. He to,d that his sister, who works for her, calls her the "boss of hospitality" or something like it.' He told his fellow comrades showing the poster who were looking at the poster eagerly.
The father goblin then showed his contracts. 'Everything is legit. She asked us to spread word, but we know our limitations. You fellow green giants have strength, and we the small green fellow don't. If you share this with stronger fellows like trolls, faries and other elves, nobody would doubt it.'
The orc thought about it for a moment, and then nodded with a crooked smile. 'Nice play, little fellows. You were wish to come with us, who already have a good word with Open arms. We will take the posters to those who value strength and status, but you fellas will keep it up with the smaller creatures. That way, everyone will know about her.' He extended his hand, expecting the posters.
The goblins have the posters with bigger and stronger creartures to the orcs and then went on their different wash through the market. The father goblin felt half of the weight on his shoulders leave as the orcs left with half of the posters in their hands.
The next day. . .
They went up to a gnome family who were walking by with their pointy hats and beards. Male gnomes has their beards well groomed and traight, while the female gnomes had their beards braided and decorated with flowers and small and pretty gems or stones.
The goblins got closer, with both the stuff they could not sell as well as their posters. 'Greetings fellow gnomes.' The father goblin, exhausted yet eager to fulfill his part of the deal, greeted the gnome.
A male gnome turned to see the goblin family. 'Oh! Hello there.' The gnomes had better relationship with the goblins since they were both weak and pranksters. 'What brings you to us, green merchants?' The gnome asked the father goblin.
The father goblin, who had been too used to deal with stronger creatures, felt more relaxed with the gnomes since they had almost the same level of power. His son took out the poster of the female human and a gnome. 'We come to you to spread word about a female human orcs and goblin call "open arms.' The father goblin pointed to the female human at the picture and then let his son give the gnome the poster. 'She is a human who receives everyone no matter who or what you are. She will serve as fairly as she did to us and will even sign a legit contract with you.' He then showed his two contracts signed by both him and the human as proof. 'She has served humans, goblins and orcs so far, but she aleardy has a regular gnome customer, if I remember correctly.' The father goblin added remembering vaguely a female gnome coming to the baking counter wanting a second coffee, or something,
These called the rest of the gnomes's attention. Murmuring among themselves in excitement. 'Wow! You are serious!? A female human does not look down on everybody?! And she cooks for everybody!' Every gnome was talking among themselves with excitement.
A senior gnome stopped his cane and stepped up in front of the groups, stroking his gray beard. 'If the orcs are sending a good word, and your are risking your necks to spread word about it, it might just be true. Gives us some of the posters and we'll bring them to the gnome market.' He proposed.
The father goblin nodded to his son, who then took out all the posters with gnomes (about five or six in total) and gave them to the gnomes. Then, they parted way with good images from each other.
. . .
The next day. . .
Home sweet home. The father goblin took a deep breath which was filled with strong smells of bitter herbs and humidity of the mountain, as well as the goblin smell he was so used to live with in his tribe. 'Let's rest a few days with the tribe. Then we'll get the ingredients for the second deal.' He determined.
'Yes! Wohooo! Free time!' The family exclaimed happy to have made it back alive and excited for "free time."
But of course, they did not start until they shared a few posters with goblin in the pictures among their tribes and fellow goblins coming through their tribe from other tribes. This was the easiest word spreading work they have done so far after tal, the jouynery the've done.