The two sat there on top of the mango tree for a long while, just enjoying sitting next to one another and enjoying the serenity of the view before them. They sat there in silence until Cynthia turned her head to address Theo. “Shall we head back inside now dear? We need a bath before heading to bed and I still have some books to read to you." Cynthia smiled down at her pet.

  "Hmmmhmmm.” Theo hummed and nodded. "You said books about ro… romance? Bath sounds nice. Like working. Like clean too."

  Cynthia chuckled. “Alright, let's climb down then."

  Theo watched her climb down a few branches before grinning down at her. "Race down?"

  "No. But you can jump into my arms once I'm completely at the bottom."

  Theo laughed from above. While that didn’t seem as exciting as a race… it still sounded fun to the little goblin. "Sounds fun."

  When Cynthia reached the bottom, she turned back and raised her arms to catch him. "You ready?”

  "Ready!" He laughed while looking down. Then he pushed himself away from the tree and dropped down towards her with a small squeal.

  The lady caught him with a giggle and twirled around with the goblin in her arms.

  And Theo just laughed in her arms. "Knew Cynthia would catch!" He smiled up at her with his pointed teeth. "Bath now?"

  Cynthia smiled right back down at him. "Yes, we'll go have that bath now." She brought him inside the mansion and to her personal washroom, removing his clothes and her own after preparing the tub. Within moments she was scrubbing away at his head, soap suds and water trickling down the little goblin's face.

  He smiled in the bath and closed his eyes; he had almost asked her to let him get in the tub by himself for once. But he hadn't. There was something pleasant inside of his chest, under his skin and in his heart. He felt light and warm and... happy. He opened his eyes and risked getting soap in them to stare at her in wonder, asking himself how he could ever feel this warm inside? "Cynthia clean me. Cynthia catch me. Cynthia climbs, with me. Cynthia carries me." He looked up into her eyes. Theo felt a little guilty about all that Cynthia has been doing for him. "Can I clean Cynthia? Want help. Cynthia does lots."

  Cynthia smiled. "Sure, you can clean me." She offered the soapy sponge to him.

  He took the sponge into his little green hands and squeezed it. Soap and water and little bubbles oozed and dripped from his clenched hand. Theo hadn't used the sponge before. He frowned and then smiled. He could figure it out. He'd watched Cynthia use it several times up till now. It couldn't be that hard to use he decided as he got to work on cleaning the lady.

  Cynthia stayed still, smiling down at him as he figured out what to do for himself.

  Theo scrubbed at her arms, testing the sponge. "Never had baths, home. In tribe, never bath. Too small, no swim yet. Not in river. Swimming feels good. So does this, like baths better."

  "Then how did you use to clean yourself?"

  "Rain!" He smiled and he had to stand up in the tub to try washing her shoulders and neck. "Lots rain. When no rain, very dirty. Got itchy. Sometimes hurt too."

  "Oh my, that sounds terrible... You guys could've at least wetted some cloths and cleaned yourself with them."

  Theo shook his head before scrubbing her chest. "Not risk cloths. Needed for wear. And Hobs didn't like others using spare cloths. Not worth hit. And shaman-" He shuddered a little at a bad memory of having to taste some bitter and sour shaman potion.

  "Alright dear I get it. What's important is that you don't have to go through that again."

  "Thanks Cynthia." He scrubbed at her breasts and then her stomach. "Wasn't all bad. There was cliff, watching sun. There was..." Theo trailed off and shrugged. He doesn't know the correct words to say. Life here with Cynthia in her mansion... nothing from his life before could compare to this here and now.

  Cynthia smiled and rubbed at the top of his head with a hand.

  Theo began to scrub her thighs and legs, and he let out a small sigh. "Before this, you, all this. Liked snow. Was cold. Sometimes hurt cold. But was fun. But hurt fingers, too cold. Liked rains, feel clean. But have this, bath. Have much here," He didn't know if he was explaining himself the right way. His whole world was expanded coming here. That little forest was just a couple of trees compared to the grander scope of everything. Their rags and loincloths, they were nothing to the clothes here. There was just so much more and that was why he thought it was too good here, too soft, and too lazy. Even when it wasn't. It was just different. Different. For the better, he thought.

  Cynthia wrapped her arms around him and pulled the little goblin into a hug. "I'll be sure you get to experience all the good sides of all those things and more, dear."

  He hugged her back, liking her warmth, the feel of her skin on his, and the comfort she gave him. However, after a moment of leaning into the welcoming embrace, Theo froze and found himself pulling back away from the woman. The very naked woman right next to him. "Okay!"

  She blinked and tilted her head with an innocent look. "What is it?"

  "Nothing!" Theo said it all too quickly. He let the sponge float in the water and kept his hands down low. "Nothing- wrong!" He looked away, unable to look at her anymore. Of all the times he had to think about her in a way like that it had to have been right here with her in the bath? Maybe Theo could stay in the bath while she left to go so something? He'd have to come up with an excuse like 'Like bath! or 'Like Swimming!' Maybe he could pout for her, put on a show to show he really didn't want to get out of the tub. Not around her at the moment. This used to only happen thinking about the girl goblins. At least then he had a loincloth which... didn't do much but make them giggle at him and make him feel... embarrassed.

  "...are you sure dear?" Cynthia was looking at him in concern now.

  He winced slightly at her touching him. Normally he wouldn't mind her touch, normally he liked her touch. But right now... Theo suddenly spoke something he hadn't really noticed before, mainly because she was a human. Yes, she was a human woman, a lady. But... he'd never even considered humans in this way before in his life. They were something to be wary and afraid of. "You're a girl."

  Cynthia blinked before chuckling. "Yes, I'm a girl. Did you just realize that?"

  His cheeks reddened. "You're a girl." He shifted around slowly.

  "Yes? Is something the matter?"

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  "Don't laugh. The girls. They always laugh." He still doesn't look at her. He couldn't help it when he had been working with the female goblins doing chores all day. Sometimes he had just stopped for a moment and stared, thinking about the goblins who went off together alone or very publicly… He'd get caught staring and they would stare back. Until they noticed what happened to his loincloth then they'd point and laugh. He didn't know why, but it hurt. He didn't even mean for it to happen. And now for it to happen with Cynthia? The great and amazing and strong and wonderful and fun and… Cynthia. Cynthia had just been a human, a nice one. Nicer than any of the stories he'd been told by his seniors. Nicer than the mean man and the Humans that had thrown rocks and words at his cage. Nicer by far and so much more.

  "What, of course not sweetheart. You don't have to be embarrassed with me, tell me what's up?" ...perhaps her pet had accidentally peed in the tub or something. The poor kid seemed really embarrassed. Cynthia smiled and tried to be reassuring.

  "I-" if she laughed, she of all people whom he held in such high praise and respect. He didn't know what he'd do or how he would feel if he heard her laughing at him. He didn't want to find out. But he was worrying her. He didn't like that either. He sighed, cheeks red like his eyes, he even felt his ears drooping. "I. I'm stiff." He didn't know if that was the word for it. It hasn't been covered in his lessons yet. "Hard." Theo clarified. He'd heard a hob joking about being hard like a rock to one of the girls. They had laughed at him too, only it was a nice laugh. Nothing mean or insulting. Almost like they were pleased by the Iittle reaction and displeased by his own.

  He still couldn't look at her. Now he just looked down, he felt like he could cry. Goblins weren't supposed to do that either. It was a waste of water. So, he didn't cry that too had been beaten out of him. He just looked down and wished he could drown in the bath water… or the lake.

  “...oh, I see, sweetie there's nothing to be embarrassed about." She cupped his face making him look at her. "It's a natural thing alright, I suppose I'll have to give you a class on that too huh... well do you at least know how to take care of it?"

  Take care of it? Did she mean waiting for it to go down or by finding a willing girl? He hunched his shoulders and tried to look away, he felt so ashamed. "No."

  Cynthia sighed. "Alright wait here a moment." She stood up and left into her bedroom.

  Theo sunk his head below the bath water. It would be for the best, she wouldn't like it. Finding his floating and bloating body in the tub. But it was best for Theo. He'd never wanted to die... at least not like this. Even so, he held his breath the water, maybe she wouldn't find him when she came back. She'd go around the mansion looking just like last time. And by the time it went down he could come out and surprise her and everything would be normal again.

  Cynthia came back after a moment with a small bottle in hand. She reached down and tapped the goblin on the shoulder. "Theo darling”

  Theo rose out of the water slowly, looking at her worriedly. "Yes?" He asked cautiously, carefully. He couldn't tell if she hated him now or was displeased by him.

  "Here, come out of there first dear." She helped him out before drying him off

  "Sorry." He whispered mostly to himself. Maybe he could ask Cynthia if she could look for a girl goblin? No, then she'd just be another pet too and Cynthia's attention would be split between the two of them.

  "Dear there's no need for you to apologize, now stick out your hands."

  He held out his hands. Ah, here it was. This was when the shaman would lash a stick across his wrists and spit into the open cut they'd made. He'd been waiting for this moment. It had been too nice here. Any second now he would be punished...

  Cynthia squirted the lotion onto his hands. "Ok good, now I will tell you what you need to do."

  Theo opened his eyes, and he felt tired but more relaxed when it was all over. His hand dropped to his thigh, and he leaned back against the outside of the tub wanting to sink down to the ground. For the longest time he'd just been thinking about a goblin girl named Leafbite. He slowly closed his eyes and blinked again with half lidded eyes. The illusion of the goblin girl broke and the sight in front of him caused all thoughts of Leafbite to become nothing more than an afterthought. He looked up and Theo could only see Cynthia with a towel wrapped around her body. Only her.

  Cynthia smiled and congratulated her pet on handling himself. "Good job dear. Next time this happens just do the same. Here you can keep the bottle so clean up and we'll head to bed alright? Tomorrow, I'll add you some classes on the matter."

  He tried to cover himself with a hand for what good that did him now. "Classes?"

  "Yes, I honestly didn't think you might need them just yet since you're still young, but I suppose is best that you learn sex education already."

  "Sex?" He blinked. "With Leafbite?"

  "Leafbite?"

  "Girl goblin, didn't laugh. Not like others. Visited when. Not with. Other males. Other Girl goblins. Not like her." No.. no other goblin girl had treated him like Leafbite had. And all the other goblin girls always glared at Leafbite for some reason or another. He didn't know why. What he did know is that Leafbite was often responsible for mates getting into fights.

  "Aw seems our Theo has a crush." Cynthia put her hands together and cooed. "What is she like?"

  "Crush?" Like crushing a rabbit skull with a rock? Why would he do that to Leafbite? Although hadn't another goblin tried that once? Maybe it was with a club?

  "Oh, right you don't know what a crush is... don't worry I'll explain it to you as I read you the love story."

  He nodded. "Leafbite like... grumpy, needy, lazy. Yelled at by Chief. Yelled at by girls. Sex with lots goblins." He scratched his head in thought. "She..." What else did he know about her? Had he ever cared to know? "Never have child." That was a strange thing about Leafbite. She never got with child, not by any goblin. It seemed like all of the females after the age of seven or eight were with child. Some didn't get children until twelve years of age though. The only females besides Leafbite that were never with child were the female hobs. And those two only mated with themselves.

  “...really? So she's basically like the tribe's slut huh?"

  Again. Another word he didn't recognize. Humans really had a word for everything. "S...slut?" He asked in confusion. Whatever it meant, if Cynthia said it, then she was probably right.

  "Oh!" She covered her mouth quickly. "Uh... please forget I said that"

  "Slut? Mean... lots sex?" Because that basically described Leafbite down to her core.

  "Well... yes, but girls like that are looked down upon and aren't really seen in a good light."

  He hummed and nodded in agreement with what she said. "Start many fights. Between girls, males. Almost killed by club, angry girl."

  "...yeah, girls like that tend to be disliked by many as well as desired by many but rarely are chosen as a life partner."

  Theo nodded. "Make males feel good. Make Theo feel good. Can't have child." He shrugged. He could see why many wouldn't want Leafbite. She couldn't give anyone children. That was the whole reason males and females got together. Just to have children.

  Cynthia lifted him up into her arms. "Alright Theo let's get you dressed and in bed first so I can read you that book."

  "Okay, Cynthia." Theo was eager for the subject to change and to learn what this romance thing was all about. And why she thought it was so important. It couldn't be that important, goblins didn't have it. Then again, goblins didn't have many things Cynthia had here in her mansion. He still couldn't believe he wasn't getting beaten for every mistake he had made since coming here. Goblins were typical tribal savages and brutes, at least those were the insults he remembered from being in the cage. He supposed the humans were right. You kind of had to be when your species was the outcast.

  Cynthia carried him to the bed and got him dressed and tucked in as she began reading a teen love story explaining now and then what questions he had.

  "Don't get it. What... what is love? Just warm feeling? Loyalty? Caring? Being happy?" It was such a hard word for Theo to grasp. He almost didn't want to understand it because whatever it meant, it meant he'd never been loved his entire life. Not that was any of his tribe's fault. He was the runt as they'd called him. Everyone used him for their chores when they could get away with it. The adults and the hobs when drunk used him for their anger. And those two times with Leafbite she had sought him out and forced him down. It was always take from Theo and Theo had always tried to give back, be a valued member of the tribe. Ignore the laughing, pretend he wasn't getting less food than the others, ignore the insults, ignore the beatings. Because if he thought about it all, it made him angry and empty inside. But that wasn't at all how things were here. He hasn't even been beaten once. He hasn't been used like he had been. He'd just been given things and taught things. And… Cynthia's question from earlier stung at him. Did he miss home? No. He should feel guilty about that. But instead, he felt guilty for feeling like a burden to Cynthia. It was just so different. Too different. So better… Another guilty thought was why this hadn't this happened to him sooner?

  "Well, it's a little more complex than that. More like an intense feeling of deep gentle fondness or liking for someone. It's when you can't stop thinking of the person you like and want to always be with them, to have them in your life no matter what. You feel hurt when you see them sad or upset them, you want them to always smile and be happy, you want to touch and kiss them, you don't want anyone else to have them and want to be their everything but would also do anything to keep them happy. It's that type of emotion. Love has its ups and downs and is a very strong and complicated emotion that never truly goes away but it's also so beautiful at the same time. Love is the foundation of a happy marriage, whether during good or bad times love stays and supports you, but when the person you love ends up with someone else or dies... it breaks you.”

  That sounded so wonderful and terrible to Theo. "Hmmm. "So Theo never love tribe. Tribe not love Theo." It was an easy answer. They hadn't cared for him nor wanted him to be happy, not a single one of them. They just wanted to use him for everything he could offer. He wasn't sure if he needed love though anyways. What was the point of feeling that good if it would only hurt you in the end or hurt the person you wanted to be happy. Maybe it would happen one day for him maybe it wouldn't. But there were two words he didn't know. "What's fo...fondness and what's kiss?" Two more words he didn't know. But since Cynthia mentioned them, they had to be important somehow. Everything she said seemed to be.

  "Well fondness is the affection or liking for someone or something, and a kiss..." She trailed off with a smile before leaning down towards him and planting a small kiss on his forehead. "That's a kiss, however when you like someone like that you want to kiss them here." She pointed at her lips. "And also want to do all other types of things whether hanging out to even sex, there's nothing you don't want to do with them."

  Was there anyone he’d ever felt that way before? No. Not for his tribe. Not for Leafbite who forced him down and hurt him but made him feel better. He hadn't wanted to do any of that with them. "Not... not felt before. How does. How does it. Love, happen? Can never happen?"

  "...it's alright Theo, you'll definitely find it someday. If you want, I can find you a nice mate? Who knows maybe you could end up falling in love with her. You don't really have much control over it since it just happens when you like someone quite a lot, but maybe you could form that connection with a nice goblin lady."

  He thought about it. Maybe. But he hadn't needed love so far in his life. He didn't think he would need it going forwards. It sounded like a nice idea. Like a double-edged sword, cool and nifty. Until you cut your hand off. "Not need love." He finally said to her. "Didn't need then. Why now? Why later?" And besides if he became Cynthia's Knight, he wouldn't have time for love. So he didn't need it. Even if it sounded nice…

  Someone you can't stop thinking of. Someone you always want to be with. Someone you want in your life no matter what. You feel hurt when you see them upset, you always want to see them smile, you want to touch and kiss them, you don't want anyone else to have them, and you'd do anything to keep them happy. It sounded wonderful and scary. Far too scary for the little goblin.

  "...you say that now dear, but once you have it it's the best thing that ever happened and all the bad that comes with it is worth it. After all you need both the sun and rain to make something beautiful like a rainbow." She patted him gently on the head. "Now go off to sleep dear, tomorrow your knight training will start."

  Theo nodded wondering about what that comment was about the sun and the rain. He didn't need another goblin not really. It would only distract him from his training and from Cynthia… No, he didn't love Cynthia... he didn't think so. He wanted to be around her, he wanted her to be around him, he liked it when she was happy, when she laughed, like earlier in the tree. But that wasn't love, just fun. Besides Cynthia was going to marry some noble, he couldn't love her. He just wanted her to be happy. He closed his eyes and felt sleep coming to him. He had learned so much today, he would do better tomorrow. No more mistakes.

  Cynthia got up with a small stretch to put the book away and stopping by her closet to change into her pajamas as well.

  It had been a long day. Tomorrow might be longer still. Theo would not make Cynthia worry or grow upset. He would learn as much as he could from her and his lessons. He would try to be her Knight. He would have worth, value, he would really belong. And if he could be silly to make her laugh then he'd do it. Finally, his eyes felt heavy even as he kept them closed. And he remembered the one thing he had missed, watching the sunset alone... then with Cynthia. He smiled and kept smiling as he slowly fell asleep.

  At last Cynthia joined Theo in her bed again. She pulled the little green figure up to her chest and snuggled with him close against her as she closed her eyes. And in a few moments the lady of the household was joining her pet in peaceful sleep.