“Here’s the deal. Any Goblin who promises to live in peace with the Brownies will get to come off the island. If you make this promise, you can return to Flog. We’ll become friends and learn to help each other. If you won’t promise to live in peace, then you will have to learn to live on this island.”
Elliot watched as several of the Goblins tried to poof themselves off. But he’d already commanded them not to leave, and they were too afraid of the water to cross the island. They truly were trapped.
After a number of failed tries at leaving on his own, a tall Goblin with an extra-long nose stepped forward and raised his hand. “King Elliot? I will promise.”
Elliot walked forward so that he stood across the water from the Goblin. “You won’t eat any more Brownies?”
The Goblin raised his hand. “May I be forced to eat chocolate cake all the rest of my life if I eat another Brownie.”
“Then be a friend to us, and we’ll be a friend to you.” Elliot nodded his head at several Brownies near him, who lowered their boards and helped the Goblin cross off the island. “You can poof home,” Elliot told him.
With a short, respectful bow to Elliot, the Goblin snapped his fingers and left.
In turn, nearly every other Goblin did the same. Some went home right away, some stayed to talk with other Brownies, setting up pickle trades and sharing ideas on Underworld gardening.
Suddenly very tired, Elliot leaned against a tree, watching the Goblins and Brownies as they worked together. Beside him, he felt a tug on his shirt.
“Your Highness, I couldn’t wait any longer to thank you,” Mr. Willimaker said, holding Patches by the hand. She danced from one foot to the other, clearly excited to be back with her father. Patches scampered over to Elliot, bowed before him, and then leapt into his arms and gave him a hug.
“You saved me from the Goblins,” Patches said, punching Elliot lightly on the arm. “That was really cool.”
“I think you saved me from the Goblins too,” Elliot said. “We’re even.”
Patches blushed. “I might have helped a little bit.” She told Elliot about escaping from the hole and then hiding in the carrot cave where she was captured again.
Elliot didn’t know what a carrot cave was. Maybe he’d ask about that later.
“I was pretty mad when they caught me again,” Patches said. “I really enjoyed those carrots. Dad says I ate so many I’m going to turn orange for a week!” Patches rubbed her belly with a hand that Elliot thought already looked a little orange, and then she let out a giant-size burp. Nobody who is only two feet tall has ever let out a burp such as this one. Earthquake scientists hundreds of miles away rushed to their monitors to see what happened. Astronauts orbiting the earth saw the entire planet shake just a little. And Mr. Willimaker laughed. He had missed Patches very much.
“We shouldn’t ever have trouble with the Goblins again,” Elliot said. “The Goblin war is over.”
In the end, every single Goblin left the island in the woods. The Brownies cheered again when the last one left. They hugged each other and then bowed together before Elliot.
Elliot raised his hands again for them to be silent. He took the crown off his head and gave it to Mr. Willimaker, then said, “There’s something you all should know. Queen Bipsy never gave Mr. Willimaker my name to be king. She told him to choose a name, and he chose mine. If you all want to have someone else as king, a Brownie maybe, I’ll understand.”
There was silence as the Brownies looked at each other. Then Patches said, “Your Highness, everything is as it should be. My father did exactly what Queen Bipsy told him to do. When he wrote your name, he was following her command.”
“That’s right,” Mr. Willimaker said. “When I chose you, I did obey her.”
Patches continued, “We know you’re the king, because when you commanded the Goblins not to poof away, they had to obey you. They would only have to obey a real king.”
“Hail King Elliot,” the Brownies cheered. “Long live King Elliot!”
Mr. Willimaker pushed the crown back into Elliot’s hands. “Your Highness, the Brownies need you. Patches was right. You are our king.”
Elliot smiled and put the crown back on his head. “Then as your king, I will finish this.” He marched over to the ropes where Grissel and Fudd were still hanging. Their upside-down faces had turned slightly purple, but otherwise they were fine.
“Your war is finished,” Elliot told Grissel. “There are no more Goblins who’ll fight with you.”
“I saw them leave, the cowards.” Grissel folded his arms. “Fine, I’ll make the promise too. Now let me go home.”
“He’s crossing his fingers,” Fudd said. “I can see him from here. Don’t believe his promise, Your Highness.”
Elliot shook his head at Grissel, disappointed to see he’d try something as sneaky as crossed fingers. “Mr. Willimaker, take Grissel to the Brownie prison. I want him to receive the most chocolaty chocolate cake we have, every single day, without frosting or milk, until he truly agrees to become a friend to the Brownies.”
Mr. Willimaker nodded, and then both he and Grissel disappeared.
Elliot turned to Fudd, who wiped a tear from his eye.