Brood Mother Carla was about to emerge from another brood. This was normal, but it came with a problem. It was the last brood that Carla had promised to Layla. Carla and Layla would have to discuss. Where the next one would be. Here, or elsewhere.

The emergence of the goblin mostly signifies that the brood is ready to be trained and is grown. At least enough to pick up an arm, and be trained to use it. Learn their first spells, swing their first sword, and fire their first arrow. Goblins grow much quicker than humans, a full grown goblin is 3 years old, after a few months adulthood is upon them. They still grow more but the spurts in the first few months are much more drastic than a human. An old goblin is 40, and most don't last more than 50 years, if they don't die from fighting, unless you are a mother goblin that can live twice that.

Susan had come, as well as Laura. They had become friends. Betsy was there as well, as she never met Carla. And worked closely with some of the goblins.

"Princess, Layla, Sir Kurt," said Carla, "you welcome me again."

"We do," said Layla.

"I assume we are not just here to welcome me."

"Well, maybe we are," said Layla, "have you come to a decision, the rite of caravan is still yours per our agreement."

"I have thought about it," said Carla.

"And?" said Layla.

"I have a demand, if satisfied then I would submit and forgo the caravan, and settle here."

"And what demand would that be?" said Kurt.

"I think it's fairly simple," said Carla, "you have two fae that have no guardian, one of them will take a goblin of my brood as their champion. I would prefer it to be Travis, Thomas or Simon. But any would do."

"You'd force it? Upon one of my kind."

"I am not forcing anything, if my kind will continue to get glory one of us must have the power to do so," said Carla, "if no goblin would be suitable for a fae, then I would leave, with my rite of caravan, with my next brood."

"That's an ultimatum," said Betsy.

"I guess it is," said Carla.

"I wasn't expecting this from you," said Kurt.

"I have my brood to think of," said Carla, "If introductions can't be made, I would find it insulting."

"I will not force any of them to do it," said Layla, "But I can give introductions. It may be possible, we would need time."

"My next brood will have a goblin guardian with them here, or a caravan," said Carla, "this is my decision."

Carla had a card, and it was the goblin horde. The moment she left the goblins would only decrease, never increase. Though they had several broods of them. That was a failing scenario.

"Susan, my dear," said Carla "let's go have some food. I know you have nothing to do with all this."

"Of course Carla, and this is Laura, she's new here, and another mother! Mom's club. We can get to know each other a bit. I do hope you stay, but it's not like I can do anything about it."

"Where's Robby?"

"Ohh I can get him, he said his first word and everything."

"Awww," said Carla.

Layla had come up to Kurt. And Kurt stopped paying attention to Carla's conversation. Betsy had joined the Mother's group, even though she was not one herself. Her child was her cat I guess

"So that…was not what I expected," said Layla.

"I guess it makes sense from her perspective."

"And you'd be fine with Travis or Simon being a guardian."

"I mean, why would I?"

"That they are goblins…and they will be…a lot stronger..."

"…Than me?"

"No," Layla laughed, "but some of the Valentine Clan. Maybe Sara."

"You think one of them will?"

"Maybe…"

"I haven't really met Jessica, or been to that outpost…"

"Don't worry about it, Fae are mostly solitary creatures."

"Except you?"

"A bit," said Layla. "

"So Jessica is our best bet?" said Kurt. That would be best in Kurt's mind as well. Because if it was Paul, that would mean a goblin guardian on earth. And the ramifications of that was unknown.

"Umm," said Layla, " I don't know if she's ready. But she might be lonely, I hope. Maybe one of the goblins there she likes, or trusts."

"So what happens if they say no?"

"We have to figure that out," said Layla, "I thought we had made everything. Right and she would just accept it. I feel I gave her everything, glory. A home. Safety respect. But I can't argue the point away from her. Goblins are goblins, the glory would come with the guardianship."

So the two of them decided to waste no time. Why put it off really. The outpost that Jessica resided in was sparsely populated with a guard of goblins. When there were movements it would gain more troops. Kurt discussed a lot of this with his small council.

When they slipped to the well Jessica was already there and looked at Kurt and gave a quick turn of her face. "So what bring you for the first time, trying to steal me again?"

"It's not like that," Kurt said defensively. He remembered this time. The whole attitude toward Kurt was poorly

"Are you okay," said Layla.

"I guess," said Jessica, "is there something you need."

"Umm, there has been a serious offer of a guardian ship."

Jessica turned back, and gave this horrid look towards Layla, her face snarled, "you told me I wouldn't have to."

"You don't you don't," said Layla, putting down her head, "but you know you are vulnerable."

"Stop lying," said Jessica.

"Bread Mother Carla wants a goblin to be a guardian, any one you want," said Kurt.

Jessica turned towards him, her eyes, wide, blood shot, like she's been crying forever and the tears had dried days ago. Mary was always a bit crazy, but this wasn't crazy, this was trauma. She shook, "No absolutely not."

"I…" said Kurt, "I'm sorry."

"You fucking better be, you don't know what it like, how they look at you, how they treat you, and hurt you, those fucking guardians."

"It's not always like that," said Layla.

"No, I'm not ready," she turned away, "you can leave. Don't ask me again. A goblin, hell no, they…they look too much like…. You promised me."

"I did," said Layla. "I apologize for asking."

Layla turned toward Kurt. But Kurt saw it, in those eyes. Jessica was abused by her last guardian. She was hurt by him in some way. A way, Kurt didn't want to think about, or ask about.This was a bad idea.

"I'm sorry, Jessica," was all Kurt could say, "you don't need to do anything."

They slipped back to Layla's well. And Layla gave Kurt a second.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen her in a while," said Layla, "I thought, she was, would have been, she needs more time."

"I can see that."

"This is why I do this Kurt, she…she had some of the worst of it," Layla turned to not show a tear.

"I don't even want to know."

[A/N: Champion and Guardian are a somewhat interchangeable term, Goblins will tend to call them champions, while fae will tend to call them guardians. As they think of the term differently in their languages.]

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