A guttural croak echoed across the valley.

  Arthur, gestured with a gnarled finger, his sharp eyes glinting. "Hrrk! Potatoes." He jabbed a clawed hand downwards, mimicking the act of digging. "Hrmm! Corn."

  A sweeping gesture indicated rows.

  "Grok!" The sacks of seed were shoved forward, a possessive gleam in his eyes.

  "Kree!" He mimed the crushing of insects between his fingers, a low growl rumbling in his chest.

  His goblins, small and wiry, chattered amongst themselves, understanding the crude commands.

  They scurried to obey, their movements quick and efficient, planting the precious seeds under the watchful gaze of their king.

  Arthur, king of the goblins, surveyed his meager dwelling.

  "Grok! More," he signed, his sharp nails clicking against the rough stone.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He gestured expansively, then pointed at his wives, then at their swelling bellies.

  "Grok! Babies. Soon." He mimed rocking a cradle, then pointed again at the palace.

  "Grok! Big. Comfortable." He rubbed his hands together, a gleam in his beady eyes.

  "Grok! Soft. Warm." He stamped his foot, the ground trembling slightly.

  "Grok! Now! Two weeks!" He then added, a note of urgency in his voice, "Grok! Upgrade palace. Ready before tomorrow! Grok! And," he added, his eyes narrowing, "Grok! More shiny things!"

  The goblins, understanding the unspoken commands of their king and the urgency of goblin gestation, erupted into a frenzy of activity.

  They chittered and squealed, already envisioning the grand palace that needed to rise fast at Arthur’s silent bidding, now also adorned with a dazzling array of shiny trinkets.

  Meanwhile...

  Female goblins are a rare and precious commodity, and Arthur's kingdom (village) desperately needs them.

  Noah, frankly bored with the monotony of life in the goblin kingdom (village), volunteers for a mission.

  It's not a difficult one, just a change of scenery.

  He and the Goblin King's bodyguard head to the forest, their task simple: "acquire" any female goblins they find.

  Male goblins encountered along the way become convenient targets for Noah to unleash some pent-up energy, serving as training dummies and a source of experience points in his otherwise dull existence.