More in this series: Prologue, Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15, Ch. 16, Ch. 17, Ch. 18, Ch. 19, Ch. 20, Ch. 21, Ch.22, Ch. 23
Two young ones were there that night.
In fact, theirs was the song of the "North Star" high.
They internalized the grief, music, and cries.
They became more determined than ever to fight.
The odd thing was, until their song was sung
They were very much looked down upon.
They were outcasts among both their groups
Because their relationship broke unspoken rules.
Not just one but many.
They drew anger aplenty.
One elf and one goblin.
Oh the ire that brought them.
But the best of friends as friends could be.
Closer than the closest of siblings.
More committed than those long married.
They gave to one another and gave freely.
Snihurońka and Nic are young.
They’re lively, energetic and fun,
But many find their relationship troublesome.
A goblin and an elf,
One poor, one from wealth.
Both more clever than may be good for themselves.
Goblins and elves rarely mix.
That’s just how it is,
But for the few like Snihurońka and Nic.
Goblins the owners.
Elves the workers.
Goblins took over
The elves’ land and icebergs.
Elves lived in the North Pole first.
Goblins came later for wealth and power.
Snihurońka and Nic are an unlikely pair.
Snihurońka pranks trolls without a care.
Nic’s a rebel without so much as a thought to spare.
They both love old Tomten,
Leader in the Polar Elf Guild
(A secret organization
To help the elves build
Mass communal persuasion
To create common wealth and good will).
Tomten was their mentor in nonviolent resistance
Spotlighting brutality with planned exposure to an extreme instance.
They learned to endure with self discipline and suffer patience.
As a clever elf Nic learned quickly, having endured beatings in the factory
While Snihurońka, a perspicacious goblin, often found enduring unsatisfactory
Knowing her own family’s compliance with goblin brutality.
Snihurońka was drawn to Nicholas
Who organized resistance
With more tactical persistence.
The friends learned to compromise
Planning their own surprise
For the goblin system’s demise.
They leveraged their P. E. G. connections to help them plan.
They needed the masses to best make this stand.
Nic knew the right elves at the factory for full participation,
But they needed more to mitigate retaliation.
Snihurońka schmoozed several important goblins
To gain access and a bit of protection.
“We’re going to take
and hold the Capital Bank,”
To Nicholas and Tomten they explained.
“We’ll stop all trade.
Freeze money exchange.
They care about nothing more than the bank.
“No money will flow
‘Till the goblins release their hold
On our labor and lives throughout the North Pole.”
“That’s quite bold.”
Nicholas laughed with a subtle “ho ho.”
“But, there’s more to your plan I hope.”
Tomten furrowed his brow
And simply asked, “How?”
“Are you embracing violence now?”
Snihurońka shook her head,
“We’ve learned from all you’ve said.
We admire all you’ve done,
And it's time to bring the movement home.
This next move needs to be the biggest yet
To fill the goblins with regret.”
Nic added for Nicholas,
“You’re right. Yes.
“There’s quite a bit to it.
We’ll need a network of food for it.
“We’ll need communication lines,
Defensive deterrents outside,
“And so much more
For this all out show of force.
It’ll be an act of war.”
Snihurońka interjected,
“But without weapons.
We grieve all the bloodshed.
“We will break equipment,
interrupt systems,
Flip tables, and drive out goblins.
“With this act we’ll finally begin,”
Nic’s eyes gleamed chiming back in,
“To reverse the curse of goblin supremacy
Giving the wealth to everyone evenly
“Seizing the center of commerce
For the good of the Pole and all our hard work.”
Neither Tomten nor Nicholas knew what to say,
So they followed the young ones leading the way
Helping everyone involved prepare for the looming day.
The four set the wheels turning
Getting list workers churning,
Using the method of Befana and Kringle
For maximum participation
so not one single
North Pole creation
(Herds person, elf, or yeti)
Would be left unready
In the movement of organized expedience
For the mass program of civil disobedience.