Yes, that seems to be the case. Instead of leaving (as any sane creature would do), they stayed... accepting the bargain by default. One could argue that they didn't really know better and had probably been subject to subtle pressure from their parents as the generations went on. Or maybe there was some sort of ritual when they came of age, where they reaffirmed the bargain... without really understanding what it meant.
Did you catch the interesting little detail that they had a vacant cottage all furnished and ready for travelers? One has to wonder if they welcomed strangers in order to make their chances of escaping being 'chosen' that much better. But unlike regular travelers, the Goblins had a dangerous air to them, which is likely why the fiend waited so long before moving against one of them. Perhaps that was part of the bargain too... that they would bring in outsiders and the fiend takes them (instead of the villagers). The fact that Aeiric lost his wife while 'better prey' was in the village no doubt contributed to his disillusionment with the whole thing and prompted him to help the Goblins.
This story (and Lili's) were the two that I really wanted to expand on and do multiple chapters for, but in the spirit of it being 'bedtime tales' that Randel was telling his kids, I abbreviated a lot of stuff that might have made them more impactful. He was also censoring a lot of what went on, for 'little ears'.
Comment on The Long Road Home
Pagemistress on Chapter 8 Thu 31 Jul 2025 02:15PM UTC
Comment Actions