The Goblin Queen Part 4
The May Ball
For some days after I had stormed out of Goblin Combe I thought a great deal about the meaning of life. I returned to my life as a student, burying myself in my studies, and returned to the friends I had met in my college. For them no time had passed at all, but I think I must have spent at least a week as a goblin sex slave.
I realised that I was starting to miss it. All of it. I do have a submissive aspect, and being the Goblin King’s obedient ickle slave slut had actually given that aspect full expression. But I realised now that I am not entirely a submissive. Most people who met me, who had heard my sultry sarcasm and experienced my at times commanding voice, who observed my warrior’s stance, and felt the disfavour of my challenging eye, these people rather took me as the dominant sort. Indeed, I would admit that this was also an aspect of my personality.
I had ambitions in this world. Things to achieve. Being the Goblin King’s sex slave was not actually one of those things.
But I was happy in Goblin Combe. I did love the goblins, all of them. I suppose I did love the Goblin King, even. But I knew I did not want to be his slave and have to tell him that I loved him. I could only tell him that as his equal. Love should recognise no rank.
I knew the goblins were still there behind all of the mirrors wherever they were. I knew they were watching, that he was watching, as he always had been. The full-length mirror in my dorm room was now always covered with a blanket. The first time I took it off there was an audible ‘awww!’ presumably because I was dressed. The hard sound of a slap to the head afterwards indicated it was Dob’s voice. There was a susurrus and then silence. I looked at myself to make sure all was in order, and replaced the blanket.
Each time after that there was always complete silence.
I missed them. And they must be so sad.
After a couple of weeks of this, I came back to my room and noticed the blanket was not perfectly in place, and there was an envelope on the floor by it. It was beautiful paper and sealed with wax, with “To Miss Bellisima” on the front in a beautiful hand. It was like something from a Jane Austen novel, and I couldn’t resist opening it. It was from Toby.
“Dear Miss Bellisima,
How are you? I hope you are well. I am well, but sad. We all miss you terribly here in Goblin Combe. The primroses are blooming more than ever as May Day draws near. We will be having a big celebration for May Day, and there will be a ball with many interesting people. I think you would really like it. Cob told me to also say that the library is getting into a bit of a mess, although I told him you are probably busy with your studies.
Affectionately yours, Toby.”
I quickly observed that the mirror was covered before I smiled and squeezed the letter to my breast. Poor Toby! I missed him so much. I wondered who all these “interesting people” were.
“I wish Toby would visit me,” I said to the room, and immediately Toby hurtled through the mirror and into the blanket. I suspect that the other goblins had physically picked him up and threw him though the mirror. Just to be spiteful, and justifiably so, I put the blanket back over the mirror. Toby looked rather dazed as he sat on the floor of my dorm room, but what staggered me was that he was wearing nice clothes, with breeches, shoes and a very nice ornate waistcoat.
“What are you wearing?” I asked, astonished.
“Oh, well the king felt we should dress nicer. He thought you might like it.”
“This is for me?”
“Well, yes. Normally we just dress up for the festivals, like May Day. We were hoping this would be a special one, and the king has invited all the other folk for a ball on May Eve, the night before May Day.”
“The other folk?”
“Yes, you know, Elfs and Fayes; Nixies and Pixies; Bluecaps and Redcaps; Bogles, Brownies, Grindels, and Ochers; Hobs, Hobgobs, and Puckers. You know, the folk. Are you trying to catch flies, Miss Bellisima?” I realised that my mouth must be wide open.
“And they will all be in Goblin Combe for May Eve?”
“For the ball, yes. Most of them put on a glamour for a proper ball, but I think you would like it. They all wear masks.”
“A masked ball? With big frocks?”
“Oh yes, just like in old times. I don’t suppose you would like to come, would you?”
“But I don’t have anything to wear!”
“Well, I know you usually don’t wear anything whenever you can, but maybe this time we could make you a nice dress?”
So it was that on the evening before May Day, Toby, Bob, Cob, and Nobby all walked through the mirror into my room. All were impeccably dressed and carrying the most beautiful green ball-gown. There were also shoes and a jeweled mask for me. Everything fit perfectly. They even did my hair up beautifully with jewels.
When I was ready, the goblins all produced masks from their waistcoats, but astonishingly, when they put them on, they all transformed into tall gentlemen! Their goblin ears were sticking out each side of their masks, however, and their hair was the same, so it was easy to recognise each one. They all lined up each side of my mirror, and bowed, their arms reaching towards the mirror to invite me through.
I stepped through the mirror, and found myself in a grand ball-room, with gleaming chandeliers and mirrors. A lovely waltz was playing, and dozens of beautifully dressed people waltzed elegantly about the room. One of my handsome gentlemen, Toby judging by the hair, offered me his hand, and led me onto the floor.
I really did not know that I knew how to waltz, but it seemed that I did. I felt like a princess as Toby waltzed around the room with me in his arms. The other dancers nodded and smiled as our eyes met. I danced with Cob also, but after that the music paused and there was a fanfare as the dance floor cleared.
“The Faye queen,” Toby whispered in my ear as a beautiful lady in a white gown floated into the room like a swan on still water. We all bowed and curtsied as she graciously acknowledged us, and then she went to sit to one side of the room. Again I danced, this time with a distinguished older gentleman who I knew was actually Nobby. As that dance ended, there was again a fanfare, and the dance floor cleared once more, but this time Nobby left me stranded in the centre of the room not knowing which way to turn.
I turned to see everyone bowing or curtseying to the person who entered, a slender gentleman in a deep blue jacket and a shock of white hair. He walked towards me, and then bowed as the murmur of whispers spread around the room. I curtseyed in return, and he reached out his hand as an invitation to dance.
“I am sorry,” he said. “Please forgive me, if not for my sake, then for the others.” I thought for a moment, then took his hand. The Goblin King put his other hand around my waist, and we waltzed round and round the room. Wisely, he danced for some time before speaking again.
“If you want to see the goblins again, you would be under no obligations. I just want you to be happy. I am deeply sorry if I did the wrong thing.” I wasn’t sure it was the wrong thing. Maybe it was just too much of what might occasionally be the right thing. “Tomorrow is May Day,” he continued. “As I am the host for the festivities I must choose the May Queen.”
“With you as king I suppose,” I said acerbically.
“No, the May Queen is the queen of all, I would be your subject for the day. We all would. Tomorrow we will all be in our real forms, dancing beneath the May-Pole while the May Queen rules. I think you would like it.” He was, of course, quite correct.
“Um, very well. I agree.” I said, thinking that a simple “okay” would be insufficiently grand. We spoke no more that evening, but danced the night away, with many strange partners asking to take a turn with me. At the end of the evening the Major-Domo, the Goblin King’s chief minion, dressed completely normally for him and with no glamour to hide his true form, asked if he could escort me to “my room”.
“I have a room now?”
“Yes, Miss Bellisima, and I have already run your bath if you wish to revive yourself before you rest. Everyone has been instructed to let you rest peacefully.” The room was exquisite, with a large four-poster bed, and a bathroom attached. The baths in the Goblin King’s Castle seemed to have the same effect as the lake in the grounds, and I was healed and refreshed from all that dancing!
The next morning I was awoken before the sun rose, as festivities must start with the sunrise. There was another beautiful dress, this one simpler and of white lace. The Major-Domo crowned me with a beautiful headpiece of primroses, and I went down to join the festivities. The people that awaited me were very different from those I had danced with all night! Some were very large, some were smaller even than the goblins. Some were slender and willowy, others stout and strong. All of them cheered when I stepped out into the open. A small wagon decorated with flowering boughs and carrying a throne was drawn up, and I was guided to sit on the throne. Ponies with flowers braided into their long manes and tails pulled the wagon to an open glade, where the Maypole and pavilions stood. Celebrations lasted the whole day long, with dancing, singing, feasting, and games. I watched over everything in a state of queenly grace, watching the spectacle with fascination.
“Not so bad, being a queen, eh?” It was the Goblin King, standing on the ground near my throne. “My offer still stands, to be Queen of the Goblins at my side. And of course as I am presently merely your obedient subject, you could impose the conditions.”
“Fine,” I said. “But I come and go as I wish, I have my degree to finish for one thing.”
“As you wish, my queen.”
“In the mornings, after breakfast, I will be the Librarian, in proper clothes, and then I can study if I need to. In the afternoon maybe I will put your collar on again. But only if I’m in the mood! But for dinner I will be queen, and we will dance every evening.”
“Really!?” he exclaimed. “The collar too?”
“Well, yes. But just in the afternoon. And for my morning run so the boys know it’s okay to chase me.”
“Thank you, Bellisima,” he said. “You know, this evening there is a big bonfire and everyone, well, everyone gets up to mischief. I mean, *I* can’t, as the King, but at sunset your queenly duties are over.”
So it was that as the sun went down on May Day, and the fires were lit for Bealtaine, I took off my May Day dress, and put on the collar that I had thrown at the Goblin King. As I walked through the halls wearing nothing but the collar, more and more goblins started to follow me, their faces filled with excitement and hope. Finally I got to the door to the woodlands where the festivities had already started. I turned to the small army of goblins behind me, all filled with anticipation. I smiled to see them so happy.
“Catch me if you can, lads!” I shouted, and ran like blazes.
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