What aggravates me most is that the whole state of affairs came about because some young lord developed too much of a hunger for glory. 

Lord Dalton, the ruler of Amberhold and its surrounding communities was a brash whelp with nary an ounce of his father’s brains. He partied day and night, raising our taxes to pay for the cost of his revelry. He insulted dignitaries from other city-states and kingdoms, imperiling our ability to trade. His friends were absolute louts

He then decided to lead Amerhold’s forces against some goblin city in the eastern caves to earn himself a reputation as a fighter. They went into one of the caves and sacked an entire goblin city then acted as though they’d achieved a hard won victory. They didn’t. They took a town by surprise, killed its inhabitants and made off with their possessions. The way his men boasted of their deeds in the taverns was disgusting. 

That was his biggest mistake. Their target was not some some random settlement. It belonged to the Karagoll Under-Empire, ruled by Under-Lord Xalg. Whether or not that meant anything to him, I cannot say. But no matter what he believed to be true, he found out about his mistake a month later when his castle was infiltrated and smashed to rubble. When goblins swarmed into the city under the cover of night and overwhelmed the garrisons. The city had fallen in one night. I heard the noise from the farm from where I lived in the agricultural ring with some other young women who worked the fields.

I was consumed with dread the next morning. I expected there to be scenes of mass murder when I ventured inside the rest of the city. I expected to see women ravished in the streets, homes and businesses burnt down, the streets stained red with blood.

But it didn’t come to pass. They came into the city and fortified parts of it but they didn't harass the locals that much. Even the mountain trolls they brought in seemed to behave themselves. What looters there were had been hunted down and killed, their gains returned to their owners. The agrarian ring was left practically untouched as well. 

Within two weeks, we found out why the invaders were so keen on making sure Amberhold was still in one piece when they took it. They didn't intend to raze it. They intended to annex it, have it take the place of the city Lord Dalton destroyed. And they did so. The goblins took over the administration of the city. Their restrained behavior did not end when the announcement was made. It has been a year since the takeover and I am still in awe of how less...violent their rule has been.

We do not have our grain stolen or valuables snatched. The taxes we pay are much lower than what Lord Dalton instituted. Slave labor is something unheard of. We are still able to trade with other kingdoms. In fact, a few of them told me just why the goblins were able to hold onto Amberhold. It seems that the Under-Empire had taken it so quickly that other kingdoms were caught off guard. Not only that, but the Under-Lord actually kept his word when he said that he intended to take no more territory. He was seeking revenge for the city Dalton attacked, and nothing else. So for the time being, the other kingdoms and city-states seem content to allow this.

Our holy places still stand as well. We are still able to hold important celebrations. Amberhold's banner still flies outside the walls, though the banner of the Karagoll Under-Empire flies beside it. The goblins built a citadel in the heart of the city where Lord Dalton's castle once stood, a massive structure made of black stone built by mountain trolls. From there, instructions from the Under-Lord's capital of Chel'Garn are recieved and Amberhold is administrated Apart from that, the city I call home has undergone very little change in its appearance. 

I will never truly accept this though. I will never call myself a subject of the Karagoll Under-Empire. I will never call a goblin my king.

But strangely, some of the girls my age do not seem to share my sentiment. I see it only briefly, though it is unmistakable.  Sometimes, I see a young woman turn in the direction of a passing squad of goblins and smile. They give a heartfelt beaming smile. I even saw one or two of them giggle and give a small wave. They can come from the merchant class or the agricultural ring, there seems to be no distinction. They just seem so happy to see goblins pass them by.

I intend to speak to my friend Rhonda about this when she comes later today. I want to get her perspective.