What's the Plan?

“So this is... The Hidden Grove?” asked Akari.

“A part of it at least,” said Jabez.

“We can get you some food and proper clothes,” said Seela. “Come with me!”

“O-okay...” Akari glanced back at Jabez, the hint of a smile on her face. “Thank you.” While inside Jabez felt like a pool of bubbling muck, seeing Akari smile proved to be a much-needed light in the darkness.

“Geez, even she does it,” Tuuli shook her head.

“Why do you dislike the phrase ‘thank you’ so much, anyway? Is it really that strange?” asked Jabez.

“It’s...” Tuuli turned away. “A human wouldn’t get it!”

Jabez sighed. “Maybe not, but I’d like to try.”

After turning her nose up at Jabez for a moment, Tuuli finally relented. “Fine. Look over there at our cook by the benches.”

Jabez looked, watching the elf quietly pass out hot food as people lined up for it. There wasn’t a care in the world on his face, not a hint of fatigue or irritation. He seemed at peace.

“What about them? He looks relaxed.”

“True, yes. But why do you think he’s relaxed?”

“Because it’s... Fulfilling?”

“Sort of, but not quite. He isn’t doing this work because someone told him to, nor is he working for coin. When he showed up one day in the Hidden Grove, he showed up with an apron on and a backpack full of dishes and utensils and that was that. He’s doing that work because it’s natural for him to want to help. In our culture, it’s common for people to lend a hand quietly when it’s clear someone needs it. There is no need for thanks. To say thanks to us is to imply what we’re doing is unusual and we’re going out of our way to do it. But in reality, if you know you can help, of course you’d do it. Withholding your assistance would be unusual, especially if you expect compensation. Of course, I understand human culture is very transactional. Trading favors, trading currency, or even trading kind words.”

“But wait, you and the others have definitely said it before, and you didn’t mind so much when I said it at first.”

“This is true, but we know enough about human culture that we understand how much the gesture means to your kind. This is why we try to say it in your tongue. It’s our way of being polite.”

In that moment, Jabez realized that his power to translate things had its downsides. Small polite gestures or subtlety in language was completely lost on him, because everything was being fed to him through a filter.

“Wow... I had no idea. I was so preoccupied with other things I didn’t even notice. Elves are more considerate and selfless than I could have imagined.”

Tuuli shrugged. “And that’s why I thought you wouldn’t get it. You probably see us as unusually kind compared to your own people, but the way I see it, humans are unnaturally self-serving creatures. But,” Tuuli smiled, “you’re a bit unusual compared to your own kind, aren’t you? I guess in that regard, you’re more like us than you’re like them.”

Jabez scratched his cheek, thinking on it. He never considered himself particularly selfless or kind. He wanted to be, but whether it was on Earth trying to make rent or surviving in Elonia, there was always something holding him back from truly helping out. Even though he tried, there was always a golden standard in his mind that he could never quite attain. Hearing Tuuli’s words, he realized that elves were, in essence, that golden standard he could never achieve.

“I’d say thanks, but I want to try and be more understanding. I’ll work even harder from now on.”

Tuuli blushed, turning away again. “Y-you do that, you weirdo.”

In that moment, Kela walked up, chuckling at the exchange. “Oh Jabez, getting along well I see.”

“Kela! Is um... Is Gatu doing okay?” asked Jabez.

“Yes, yes, much better now. Softer ground here. New friends to make. Brings me happiness.” Kela then reached up with her short arms. “I shall give you hug for this.”

“R-right now?”

“Yes. Is strange?”

“No no... We can hug.”

Jabez proceeded to pick up the goblin matriarch, and in doing so, she wrapped her arms around his head and pet his hair.

“In your eyes I saw much pain. Let us heal together,” Kela smiled.

Soft... Warm...

“S-so indecent!” Tuuli cried. “And what do you mean by pain? He sounds fine!”

“Quiet you,” said Kela. “Not all pain is visible. One must learn to look inside.”

Tuuli stuck her tongue out and went on her way. Jabez wasn’t sure whether to be amused or embarrassed. Perhaps he felt a bit of both. The exchange certainly helped take his mind off things...

“How are you feeling now, Kela? Is there... Still pain?”

Kela smiled, her sharp fangs visible – though this was more charming than intimidating.

“Much healing has happened. There is always more, but Kela will live. Very sweet to ask.”

“I’m glad... I was just worried. After all, it was me who-”

“Hush. Do not let guilt poison your heart. Shakah would say much the same.”

Even as Kela said this, Jabez couldn’t let go of the past. But Jabez would live. He had to.

Then, after several seconds, Kela said, “Now is time for putting down.”

“Oh! I’m sorry.” Jabez quickly set Kela back down.

“It’s all right. Now then, I check on others. Tend to your own business.”

Jabez nodded, then the two parted ways. As he walked further into the grove, he looked to his left, seeing that Gatu, Iris, and other young in the grove were at play. He hadn’t fully processed everything he’d done to reach this point, but after his exchange with Tuuli and Kela, it gave him much to think about.

I suppose this, in and of itself, was a transaction. I had to take in order to give. Was it proportional? I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s not my place to think of such things. I can only move forward and do what I can to keep helping these people. A vision of his recent battle flashed in his mind. It was a heavy weight indeed. A small price to pay. I’d gladly do it again to ensure these children keep smiling.

Jabez eventually made it to Reijo’s tent. Many of the Hidden Grove members had gathered there, and when Jabez appeared, Reijo waved him over.

“There you are. Come, I have heard much of what transpired.” Jabez eventually found a spot to stand near Tuuli, and Reijo continued. “Due to the recent exploits of Jabez, Felstat is in chaos. No Ramvic, no Ozahl, and with Sigard traveling to Leonia, Wallack is the only remaining authority in the city, and he’s likely still recovering from injury.”

“Should we attack the city?” asked someone in the crowd.

“No, we shall not. We have others who are looking into ways to free the other slaves in Felstat. But for now, we must look at the bigger picture. Saving individual slaves, or even attack wagons may help in the immediate, but if we are to truly change things, we must set our sights on those who sustain this injustice.” Reijo gestured to the map on his table, tracing a finger along a road. “Right now, we have been afforded a good chance to move our base while the city of Felstat is in chaos. An active ley line can take us here, which is only a week’s travel away from Leonia. This will put us just ahead of Duke Sigard, who is traveling to the capital to marry the princess. If we can abduct the princess before the marriage takes place, the future of the Royal Family will be within our grasp.”

Many of the people in the crowd nodded along to this, but Jabez just felt confused.

“Sir?” he spoke up.

“Yes, Jabez?” asked Reijo.

“Why abduct the princess?”

“It’s quite simple. If Duke Sigard marries the princess, he’ll be next in line for the throne. Even if that weren’t the case, the princess’s family would not wish to see her come to harm, so they would be honor-bound to listen to our demands. Through this, we can propose laws against the ownership of slaves, or even the slave trade itself.”

“That’s... Not going to work.”

“What?”

“You can’t just dismiss our leader’s plan like that!” said someone in the crowd.

“What gives you the right?!” said another.

“Quiet now,” said Reijo. “He is new and unfamiliar with our ways. Besides, he has already proven to be trustworthy with the defeat of Ozahl.” After the crowd quieted down, Reijo turned to Jabez. “Speak. Why do you see fault in this plan?”

“For one, why do you believe the Royal Family would be honor-bound to listen to you?”

“Because the princess is their own! To put one’s pride above the life of family is unthinkable!”

Jabez shook his head. “Then I’m sorry, you don’t understand humans.”

“Jabez!” exclaimed Tuuli.

“Listen: I’ve been living with these people for some time now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that they will always put themselves above others. And I don’t mean in the case of honor. These people have no honor. No dignity. They’ll use any means at their disposal to get things done their way, and that includes putting others at risk. If you capture the princess, they won’t listen to a single thing you have to say. They might pretend to, but only as a distraction. And while you think things are finely going your way, they’ll throw everything they have at you until you’re dead and gone, even if the princess dies in the process.”

This caused an uproar in the crowd, but Reijo was quick to quiet them down once more.

“Enough! Quiet, all of you!” Reijo rubbed the bridge of his nose before saying, “If what you say is true, then this explains much. But if holding the princess hostage would not make them budge, then what would?”

“It’s not about making them budge. This whole kingdom is rotten to the core. We can’t change it anymore, we can only dismantle it,” said Jabez.

“Then what do you propose?”

“With Duke Sigard about to marry the princess, we can assume the king and queen will be there too, right? I say we slip inside while they’re distracted and take them all out in one go.”

“Take them... Out?”

“Kill them.”

An anxious silence followed. Jabez was fully aware of how extreme his proposal was, especially to the elves.

“Kill... All of them?” asked Seela. “The king, queen, duke, and princess?”

“That’s right,” Jabez nodded. “With the Royal Family gone, it will create a power vacuum. All sorts of nobles from all over Ramtha will be vying to take their place, and in-fighting will spread through the whole country. And while they’re eating each other alive, the provinces will become isolated.” Jabez then pointed to a map of Ramtha on the table. “I’ve done some reading and learned that the province of Shevak is the heart of the slave trade. With support from the rest of the kingdom cut off, we can swoop in and tear the province apart. Now, I don’t know how many people you have under your flag or what resources you have to work with, but that’s my proposal. As my people say, ‘Divide and conquer.’”

“I see...” Reijo rubbed his beard in thought. “Positively diabolical. And yet... I see your reasoning. For too long we have seen things and acted based on our ways, the way of elves. But if we are to truly defeat our foe, we must see things as they would, act as they would. Yes... I believe you have the right of it.” Reijo then cast his gaze at the crowd at large. “Many years ago, King Kojak II signed a treaty that only prisoners of the 50 Year War would be kept as slaves, and only until they served their sentence. But he went back on his word and took, and took, and took some more while we were all vulnerable. For too long has he and the rest of the Royal Family gotten away with their crimes, but no more. We’ll finally do what we should have done years ago and bring them to justice!”

The crowd roared with excitement at this proposal, won over by Jabez’s bold plan and Reijo’s speech. But as Jabez glanced at Tuuli, he couldn’t help but notice how uncomfortable she became in the meeting. No doubt the idea of killing an entire family as a means to an end was a cruel thing to her, but if Reijo felt confident they could get into the capital, then there was no reason to show mercy to their foe, especially since the kingdom had never shown mercy to the other races.

After the meeting, preparations were brought underway for moving the base. Reijo, alongside other elves who were magically inclined, moved to the grove’s center. With Reijo at the helm, he conducted a powerful ritual, tapping into the ley line beneath their feet. When the spell was finally cast, it felt like the whole world around them was shaking. Panicking, Jabez grabbed hold of the closest thing he could and braced himself. It was a potent, profound feeling, like the spirit of the grove had been pulled into a great river and pulled along its current. When it was finally over, Jabez struggled to breathe.

“Are you all right?” asked Tuuli.

“Yes... That was intense,” said Jabez.

“Good. Now let go of me!!” Tuuli yelled, throwing Jabez like a sack of potatoes. He spun through the air, tumbling across the soft grass of the grove until he was on his back. Staring up at the enclosed canopy of the grove, Iris suddenly came into view.

“Jabez! Are you okay?”

“I am, more or less,” Jabez sat up. “I may have invaded Tuuli’s private space though...”

Iris tilted her head at this. Meanwhile, Seela could be heard laughing nearby.

“That was quite the show,” said Seela, helping Jabez up. “It’s not often I get to see Tuuli toss people around like that. Then again, not many people are so brazen as to hug her from behind out of nowhere.”

“It seems the debts I owe keep building...”

Seela pat Jabez on the back and pulled him along while Iris followed from behind.

“Don’t worry about it. Just be more careful next time. Or don’t. That might be funnier.” Jabez groaned in embarrassment. “In any case,” Seela continued, “let’s join the others outside.”

“Is it really safe to walk out right now? What if there are patrols?”

“Don’t worry. During the travel ritual, the grove becomes an extension of Reijo’s senses. If it wasn’t safe, he would know.”

Feeling a sense of relief, Jabez walked out of the grove alongside Seela and Iris, merging with the crowd as they passed through the barrier separating them from the rest of the world. He knew that they would be in a different place, but to actually see it left him speechless. The dark forest near Felstat was gone. In its place, he saw rolling hills colored gold by the setting sun, distant roads snaking their way through forested paths, spires of curved rock like giant ribs protruding from the ground. Even the nearby trees were of a different breed. As the crowd of Hidden Grove members stood among the forest cover, Reijo gestured back at them.

“It is done. I will send message to the others, and once they arrive, we can begin preparations.”

“The others?” whispered Jabez.

“Another branch of the Hidden Grove in the area. They’ll be helping us transfer the freed slaves to safety and supplement our numbers for the operation.”

Hearing those words, it occurred to Jabez what would happen soon, so he turned his attention to Iris.

“It seems we’ll be saying goodbye soon. I wish you the very best wherever you go.”

“What? But I don’t want to go...” said Iris, looking down. “I’ve moved too many times before. I... I want to stay with you.”

“With me? But why? You’ll only be putting yourself in danger.”

“No... It’s safer with you. You’re strong. Strongest I’ve ever known. I...” Iris pressed her forehead against Jabez’s pantleg. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Jabez thought about what Iris said. He thought about the constant state of vulnerability and anxiety she must have felt in her life up until now. To be ripped from one’s family at such a young age and grow up alone, especially as someone’s property... It hurt just thinking about it. So to hear those words from Iris stirred something within him. Was it a sense of responsibility? He wasn’t sure. He could never replace Iris’s family, but at least for now, he could be her guardian. He set a gentle hand upon her head and rustled her hair.

“Then I’ll remain by your side, at least until you’re strong enough to walk on your own.”

The kortu child looked up at Jabez, on the verge of tears.

“Thank you, Jabez. Then... May I call you... Papa?”

It felt like lightning had struck him. Jabez tried his best to retain composure, even with the emotions swelling within him.

Too... Cute...

“Well um, if you really want to... I won’t stop you.”

“Really?” Iris’s eyes lit up, and she hugged Jabez’s leg. “Thank you, papa!”

Jabez slowly turned his head towards Seela as if to communicate “What should I do?” but he only saw the elf grin at him like a Cheshire cat.

“Congratulations, papa,” Seela snickered.

“Hey! Don’t tease papa!” Iris complained, chasing after Seela in a circle. As the two girls ran around him, he felt somehow at ease. He remembered Seela’s words prior about kortu and how rarely they opened up to others. He felt a smidgen of pride knowing he had brought comfort to someone like Iris.

It’s not just about saving them, is it? It’s about ensuring the life they lead afterwards is a good one.

Jabez thought about Ozahl’s words, then he thought about Iris, as well as Kela and the other goblins. He steeled himself for what lied ahead. Not only did he have to tear down the unjust system he and the others were in, but he also had to ensure whatever replaced it was better, kinder. A system where people didn’t have to fear being hunted for who they were or torn from their families.

I’ll prove you wrong, old man. Just watch me.